New Insights on Chronic Illness: Pathogenesis, Prevalence, Prevention, and Systemic Therapies

Dear Colleagues,

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, chronic illnesses including heart disease, cancer, lung disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and kidney disease were responsible for more than 70% of global deaths annually. Though traditionally more prevalent in older adults (70+ years), chronic illnesses are becoming more prevalent in younger adults (30–69 years), with more than 85% of these “premature” deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Early data suggest SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with the increased prevalence of many chronic illnesses, threatening an already overburdened global healthcare system.

In recent years, technological advances have allowed for substantial growth in elucidating the molecular mechanisms underpinning many chronic illnesses. However, with an increasing proportion of individuals experiencing more than one chronic illness, there remains a lack of knowledge on how individual disease pathogeneses may exacerbate underlying complications. In this Topic, entitled “New Insights on Chronic Illness: Pathogenesis, Prevalence, Prevention, and Systemic Therapies”, we welcome original research, clinical observations, reviews, and systematic reviews which provide novel insights into the area of chronic disease. Areas of interest include but are not limited to:

• Diabetes             
• Obesity
• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Lung disease
• Stroke
• Kidney disease
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Oral diseases

Dr. Ram Prasad
Dr. Suresh K. Verma
Topic Editors