Hypertension is the most common comorbidity in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and increases in-hospital mortality. Day-by-day blood pressure (BP) variability (BPV) is associated with clinical outcomes in hypertensive patients. However, little information is available on the association of BPV with the outcomes of COVID-19 patients with hypertension. This study aimed to demonstrate whether day-by-day in-hospital BPV had prognostic significance in these patients. The authors included 702 COVID-19 patients with hypertension from Huoshenshan Hospital (Wuhan, China), who underwent valid in-hospital BP measurements on at least seven consecutive days. Day-by-day BPV was assessed by standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), and variation independent of mean (VIM). Overall, patients with severe COVID-19 and non-survivors had higher BPV than moderate cases and survivors, respectively. Additionally, higher BPV was correlated with greater age and higher levels of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, high-sensitive cardiac troponin I, and B-type natriuretic peptide. In multivariable Cox regression, SD of systolic BP (SBP) was predictive of mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.30] as well as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01-1.16). Similar trends were observed for CV and VIM of SBP, but not indices of diastolic BP variability. The authors demonstrated that day-by-day in-hospital SBP variability can independently predict mortality and ARDS in COVID-19 patients with hypertension. And high BPV might be correlated with severe inflammation and myocardial injury. Further studies are needed to clarify whether early reduction of BPV will improve the prognosis of these patients.

目的探讨低血钙与COVID-19患者预后不良的关系。 方法回顾性分析2020年2月4日至4月11日在武汉火神山医院就诊的2 651例COVID-19患者资料，对比分析低血钙组患者(n=773)与正常血钙组患者(n=1 878)的人口学基本特征、实验室检查、治疗、并发症和预后结果，采用Cox回归模型分析低血钙是否为COVID-19患者预后不良的独立危险因素。 结果与正常血钙组比较，低血钙组患者机械通气使用率、体外膜肺氧合使用率和重症监护室入住率显著升高(P 结论低血钙是影响COVID-19患者预后不良的独立危险因素，纠正低血钙可能是改善COVID-19患者预后的重要策略。

BACKGROUNDHigh altitude exposure induces overload of right-sided heart and may further predispose to supraventricular arrhythmia. It has been reported that atrial mechanical dyssynchrony is associated with atrial arrhythmia. Whether high altitude exposure causes higher right atrial (RA) dyssynchrony is still unknown. The aim of study was to investigate the effect of high altitude exposure on right atrial mechanical synchrony.METHODSIn this study, 98 healthy young men underwent clinical examination and echocardiography at sea level (400 m) and high altitude (4100 m) after an ascent within 7 days. RA dyssynchrony was defined as inhomogeneous timing to peak strain and strain rate using 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography.RESULTSFollowing high altitude exposure, standard deviation of the time to peak strain (SD-TPS) [36.2 (24.5, 48.6) ms vs. 21.7 (12.9, 32.1) ms, p<0.001] and SD-TPS as percentage of R-R' interval (4.6 ± 2.1% vs. 2.5 ± 1.8%, p<0.001) significantly increased. Additionally, subjects with higher SD-TPS (%) at high altitude presented decreased right ventricular global longitudinal strain and RA active emptying fraction, but increased RA minimal volume index, which were not observed in lower group. Multivariable analysis showed that mean pulmonary arterial pressure and tricuspid E/A were independently associated with SD-TPS (%) at high altitude.CONCLUSIONOur data for the first time demonstrated that high altitude exposure causes RA dyssynchrony in healthy young men, which may be secondary to increased pulmonary arterial pressure. In addition, subjects with higher RA dyssynchrony presented worse RA contractile function and right ventricular performance.

Objective To investigate whether hypocalcemia is associated with poor prognosis in COVID-19 patients. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 2 651 COVID-19 patients admitted to Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital from February 4, 2020 to April 11, 2020. They were divided into low and normal calcium groups according to their serum calcium level lower than 2.11 mmol/L or not. Their basic demographic characteristics, results of laboratory tests, treatment, complications and outcomes were analyzed and compared between the 2 groups. COX regression model was used to analyze whether low calcium is an independent risk factors for poor outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Results The low calcium group had significantly higher ratios of mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and ICU occupancy (P < 0.05); obviously higher incidences of sepsis, shock, hypoproteinemia, respiratory failure, coagulation disorders, acute kidney injury, acute myocardial injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and even mortality (P < 0.05); and remarkably longer length of hospital stay (P < 0.001) when compared with the normal calcium group. The blood calcium level of mild and common, severe, and critical COVID-19 patients was 2.17 (2.11, 2.24), 2.13 (2.04, 2.21), and 2.03 (1.89, 2.18) mmol/L, respectively, and significant differences were seen among the patients (P < 0.05). The calcium level was in a decreasing trend with the severity of COVID-19 (P < 0.05). The calcium level was statistically lower in the dead patients than those survival [1.97 (1.87, 2.03) vs 2.17 (2.09, 2.23), P < 0.001]. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that serum calcium concentration < 2.11 mmol/L was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis of COVID-19 (HR=5.695, 95%CI : 2.363~13.725, P < 0.001). Conclusion Low blood calcium level is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in COVID-19 patients. Correction for hypocalcemia may be an important strategy to improve the prognosis of COVID-19 patients.

Hypertension is proved to be associated with severity and mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). However, little is known about the effects of pre‐admission and/or in‐hospital antihypertension treatments on clinical outcomes. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between in‐hospital blood pressure (BP) control and COVID‐19–related outcomes and to compare the effects of different antihypertension treatments. This study included 2864 COVID‐19 patients and 1628 were hypertensive. Patients were grouped according to their BP during hospitalization and records of medication application. Patients with higher BP showed worse cardiac and renal functions and clinical outcomes. After adjustment, subjects with pre‐admission usage of renin‐angiotensin‐aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors (HR = 0.35, 95%CI 0.14‐0.86, P = .022) had a lower risk of adverse clinical outcomes, including death, acute respiratory distress syndrome, respiratory failure, septic shock, mechanical ventilation, and intensive care unit admission. Particularly, hypertension patients receiving RAAS inhibitor treatment either before (HR = 0.35, 95%CI 0.13‐0.97, P = .043) or after (HR = 0.18, 95%CI 0.04‐0.86, P = .031) admission showed a significantly lower risk of adverse clinical outcomes than those receiving application of other antihypertensive medicines. Furthermore, consecutive application of RAAS inhibitors in COVID‐19 patients with hypertension showed better clinical outcomes (HR = 0.10, 95%CI 0.01‐0.83, P = .033) than non‐RAAS inhibitors users. We revealed that COVID‐19 patients with poor BP control during hospitalization had worse clinical outcomes. Compared with other antihypertension medicines, RAAS inhibitors were beneficial for improving clinical outcomes in COVID‐19 patients with hypertension. Our findings provide direct evidence to support the administration of RAAS inhibitors to COVID‐19 patients with hypertension before and after admission.

目的 调查广西壮族与汉族成年人高血压的流行现状并探讨其影响因素.方法 选取广西壮族自治区人民医院体检中心2018年1～5月的4166例体检数据,分别计算壮族和汉族的高血压患病率,并针对不同性别、年龄进行分组比较,采用多因素Logistic回归分析进行高血压的相关因素分析.结果 壮族和汉族人群高血压总患病率无显著性差异(P>0.05).不同年龄段比较,45～54岁壮族高于汉族(P<0.001);不同性别、不同年龄段比较,45～54岁壮族男女性高血压患病率均高于同年龄段的汉族男女性(P<0.05).男性、腹型肥胖、高总胆固醇、高三酰甘油、年龄45～90岁、超重和肥胖、空腹血糖受损及糖尿病是高血压发生的独立危险因素,低体重是其保护性因素.结论 广西壮族及汉族成年人高血压患病率居于全国中等水平,两族患病率差异主要体现在45～54岁年龄段.

目的 探讨广西地区壮族、汉族绝经后女性骨密度及骨质疏松症患病情况.方法 选取484例行健康体检的绝经后妇女作为研究对象,采用Discovery A双能X线骨密度仪对股骨颈、大转子、Ward三角及L1-4进行骨密度测定,按民族、年龄进行分组比较.结果 壮族、汉族绝经后女性骨质疏松患病率分别为31.7％和35.1％,差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05);壮族绝经后女性在股骨颈(＜50岁)、大转子(＜50岁、50～59岁、60～69岁)骨密度高于汉族女性(P＜0.05);在股骨颈(60～69岁)、Ward三角(50 ～ 59岁、60～69岁)、L1(＜50岁、50～ 59岁)、L2、L3(＜50岁、50～59岁、60～69岁)、L4(60～69岁、≥70岁),骨密度低于汉族女性(P＜0.05).结论 广西壮族、汉族绝经后女性骨密度存在差异;骨质疏松患病率无差异.