Tag Archives: Vitamin D

Introduction Retrospective studies revealed that vitamin D may protect against severe COVID-19 disease,1,2 and some pilot studies suggest that it even improves prognosis.3,4 The two most widely accepted theories are the vitamin D modulation of immunity and the renin–angiotensin system.5,6 So far, the mechanism of the benefit of vitamin D in COVID-19 remains unknown. Role of ACE2 Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) converts angiotensin (Ang) II to Ang(1–7) and Ang I to Ang(1–9) (figure 1).7 Ang(1–7) has a very short half-life (<9 seconds), and the release of a soluble catalytic ectodomain of ACE2 (ceACE2) from the vascular endoth

Professor D John Betteridge Professor John Betteridge With sadness, we report the death of Professor D John Betteridge, BSc, MB BS, PhD, MD, FRCP, FAHA, Consultant Physician, University College London Hospitals, London; Emeritus Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism University College London; and Associate Dean, Royal Society of Medicine (RSM), who passed away on 4th October 2019, aged 71, following a long illness. John will be remembered with great fondness by his many colleagues and friends. He had a long and distinguished career – he was a BJC editorial board member, a past chair of HEART UK and past President of the Council on Lipid

The American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions 2019 were held in San Francisco REWIND One of the highlights of the conference and, for many, the main event was the presentation of results from REWIND (Researching CV Events with a Weekly Incretin in Diabetes), a cardiovascular outcome trial (CVOT) for the GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) dulaglutide.1 Prior to this trial, the majority of CVOTs (and all prior CVOTs with GLP-1 RAs) were conducted in a predominantly secondary prevention population. Thus any positive cardiovascular (CV) outcomes were only shown in those with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The ba

Introduction As doctors and scientists we are accustomed to breaking down problems and simplifying complex pathology in order to focus our management and identify possible targets for future therapies. The pathophysiology of cardiorenal disease is no different but, as yet, attempts to elucidate the complex interaction between heart and kidneys has failed. Although cardiac and renal disease are often diagnosed together, it is clear that a straightforward causal relationship does not exist. Disease in either serves as a risk factor for disease in the other and perpetuates the progression of that disease, but why this is so is unclear. Whilst th

The US authors conclude that their findings “may have potentially broad public-health implications, given the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in developed countries, the contribution of lifestyle and geography to vitamin D status, and the ease, safety and low cost of treating vitamin D deficiency”. In the study, published in Circulation (online January 7th 2008), 1,739 participants, free of cardiovascular disease at baseline, were followed for a median of 5.4 years and 120 individuals developed a first cardiovascular event. After adjustment for conventional cardiovascular risk factors, individuals with 25-OH D levels below 15 ng/

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