(1) Background: A considerable number of systematic reviews, with substantial heterogeneity regarding their methods and included populations, on the impact of COVID-19 on infected pregnant women and their neonates, has emerged. The aim was to describe the obstetric-perinatal and neonatal outcome of infected pregnant women and their newborns during the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) Methods: Three bibliographical databases were searched (last search: 10 September 2020). Quality assessment was performed using the AMSTAR-2 tool. Primary outcomes included mode of delivery, preterm delivery/labor, premature rupture of membranes (PROM/pPROM) and abortions/miscarriages. Outcomes were mainly presented as ranges. A separate analysis, including only moderate and high-quality systematic reviews, was also conducted. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020214447); (3) Results: Thirty-nine reviews were analyzed. Reported rates, regarding both preterm and term gestations, varied between 52.3 and 95.8% for cesarean sections; 4.2–44.7% for vaginal deliveries; 14.3–63.8% specifically for preterm deliveries and 22.7–32.2% for preterm labor; 5.3–12.7% for PROM and 6.4–16.1% for pPROM. Maternal anxiety for potential fetal infection contributed to abortion decisions, while SARS-CoV-2-related miscarriages could not be excluded. Maternal ICU admission and mechanical ventilation rates were 3–28.5% and 1.4–12%, respectively. Maternal mortality rate was <2%, while stillbirth, neonatal ICU admission and mortality rates were <2.5%, 3.1–76.9% and <3%, respectively. Neonatal PCR positivity rates ranged between 1.6% and 10%. After accounting for quality of studies, ranges of our primary outcomes remained almost unchanged, while among our secondary outcomes, maternal ICU admission (3–10%) and mechanical ventilation rates (1.4–5.5%) were found to be relatively lower; (4) Conclusions: Increased rates of cesarean sections and preterm birth rates were found, with iatrogenic reasons potentially involved. In cases of symptomatic women with confirmed infection, high maternal and neonatal ICU admission rates should raise some concerns. The probability of vertical transmission cannot be excluded. Further original studies on women from all trimesters are warranted.

Hypertension is a chronic, multifactorial disease, leading to high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality globally. Despite the advantages of pharmaceutical treatments, natural products have gained scientific interest due to their emerging phytotherapeutic properties. Chios mastic is a natural Greek product, consisting of bioactive compounds which modify microRNAs’ (small, expression-regulating molecules) expression. In this study, we investigated the antihypertensive properties of Chios mastic through the assessment of miR-21 levels. Herein, plasma samples of 57 individuals with hypertension, recruited for the purposes of the HYPER-MASTIC study, were analyzed. This was a clinical trial with Chios mastic supplements in which the patients were divided into groups receiving high and low mastic doses and placebo supplements, respectively. miR-21 was significantly upregulated in patients compared to normotensive individuals. Mean changes in miR-21 levels were statistically significant, after adjusting for sex and age, between the placebo and low-dose group and between the low- and high-dose group. Post-intervention miR-21 levels were positively associated with night-time systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, and central systolic mean arterial pressure and negatively associated with night-time pulse wave velocity in the low-dose group. Our findings suggest a potential implication of miR-21 in the association of Chios mastic with night-time blood pressure measurements.

High intensity resistance exercise may temporarily induce vascular dysfunction mediated by pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory pathways. In the present study we aimed to evaluate the possible protective effect of the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) on vascular function after a bout of high-intensity resistance exercise. In this randomized, cross-over, placebo-controlled study, ten healthy male volunteers (mean age 24.2±2.1 years) who exercised regularly were randomized to a daily oral administration of NAC or placebo during an 8-day recovery after an acute intense eccentric exercise protocol. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) measurements were performed pre- and post-exercise in both study arms. Muscle exercise induced a significant decrease in FMD in the placebo arm (p=0.017) during the first 48 hours after exercise recovering thereafter. In contrast, in the NAC arm, FMD did not decrease significantly. By linear mixed model analysis, a higher increase in CD4 cells levels correlated with preserved FMD (p=0.046) only in the placebo arm (p=0.811 in the NAC arm). PWV did not present significant fluctuations before and after exercise in either arm (p>0.05). A bout of eccentric exercise induced endothelial dysfunction which was attenuated by NAC, indicating that oxidative stress may be implicated in vivo in this setting.

Residual cardiovascular risk persists in patients with adequately controlled hypertension, driven partly by inflammation, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. Chios mastic ( Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia ) has shown antihypertensive, antioxidant and vascular effects in experimental and clinical settings. This trial evaluated whether Chios mastic supplementation confers additional cardiovascular benefits in well‐controlled hypertensive individuals. In this double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial, 106 adults with stable, well‐controlled hypertension and variable cardiovascular risk, based on SCORE2, received low‐dose Chios mastic (1500 mg/day), high‐dose Chios mastic (2800 mg/day) or placebo for 3 months. Primary endpoints were changes in 24‐h ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Secondary endpoints included vascular function, oxidative stress and proteasome activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and red blood cells. Transcriptomic profiling was performed in a predefined high‐risk subgroup. Chios mastic supplementation was well tolerated, with high adherence confirmed by dose‐dependent increases in plasma masticadienonic and isomasticadienonic acids. No significant between‐group differences were observed in 24‐h systolic or diastolic blood pressure after the intervention. Oxidative stress markers and proteasome activity remained unchanged across groups. In high‐risk participants, mastic supplementation induced distinct transcriptomic changes, particularly in pathways related to endothelial junction organization and vascular integrity. Overall, in adults with well‐controlled hypertension and low baseline cardiovascular risk, Chios mastic supplementation did not lower blood pressure over 3 months, likely reflecting a ceiling effect. Transcriptomic findings suggest biologically meaningful vascular effects in individuals with higher residual cardiovascular risk, supporting future investigation in higher‐risk populations.