[By the spring of 2020 the COVID-19 outbreak caused by the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has become a pandemic, requiring fast and efficient reaction from societies and health care systems all over the world. Fever, coughing and dyspnea are considered the major signs of COVID-19. In addition to the involvement of the respiratory system, the infection may result in other symptoms and signs as well. Based on reports to date, neurological signs or symptoms appear in 30-50% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, with higher incidence in those with more severe disease. Classical acute neurological syndromes have also been reported to associate with COVID-19. A drop in the volume of services for other acute diseases has been described in countries with healthcare systems focusing on COVID-19. During the COVID-19 epidemic it is also important to provide appropriate continuous care for those with chronic neurological disorders. It will be the task of the future to estimate the collateral damage caused by the COVID-19 epidemic on the outcome of other neurological disorders, and to screen for the possible late neurological complications of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection.]

[The clinical boundaries between the relapsing and progressive course of multiple sclerosis are often indistinct. Despite the variable patterns of evolution, there are no biological reasons for discerning different multiple sclerosis phenotypes. Indeed, both primary progressive and secondary forms of the disease share similar pathological features in respect of the extent of inflammatory infiltrates, axonal damage, and cortical demyelination. The data indicating that primary progressive multiple sclerosis is preceded by an asymptomatic relapsing remitting phase. The proposed definition of secondary progressive multiple slcerosis, the attainment of at least EDSS of 4 is required to mark the transition to the progressive phase. Therefore, the clinical progress can be uncovered in the early phase of the disease. Furthermore, a continuous progression independent of relapsing activity is commonly observed during the relapsing remitting phase. A continuous smouldering process underpins the subtle clinical deterioration, which stands out as an important unmet treatment target. Concerning cognitive dysfunction of the patients pro-inflammatory cytokines have been associated with worse cognition in active multiple sclerosis, and this inflammatory milieu could also contribute to altered mentation during relapses. Therefore, long before people with multiple sclerosis become physically disabled, they have usually acquired hidden disabilities related to cognitive impairment. Silent progression appears during the relapsing remitting phase and it associates with brain atrophy. This suggests that the same process that underlies secondary progressive multiple sclerosis likely begins far earlier than is generally recognized. This supports a unitary view of multiple sclerosis biology. ]

[The circadian (24-hour) variability of blood pressure (BP) is influenced by constant and variable (external and internal) factors. With this in mind and by determining the type of hypertension with a 24-hour blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), individual chronopharmacological (chronopharmacotherapy) treatment can be planned. There are significant differences in the chronokinetics of antihypertensive drugs administered at different times. Their therapeutic range and efficacy depend significantly on their circadian timing. Although the most modern antihypertensives have a 24-hour effect, they are not able to lower blood pressure at all times. Morning intake of ACE inhibitors, ARB-s, alpha-blockers mainly affect the afternoon and early evening rise, while evening intake reduces nocturnal and morning rise. Calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers (except carvedilol and labetolol), do not affect the circadian blood pressure profile. Therefore, in nondipper hypertension or in the case of morning rise, the twice daily morning and evening administration is more effective than the single morning administration. (Usually a lower dose is sufficient in the evening.) Adequate control of nocturnal or morning blood pressure elevations can be achieved with medication taken in the evening. According to the relevant studies the conclusion is that there is no convincing evidence that the administration of BP-lowering drugs in the evening provides any significant advantage in terms of quality of BP control, prevention of target organ damage or reduction of cardiovascular events, so evening intake only is not recommended. In particular the administration of antihypertensive drugs at bedtime, especially in the case of elderly patients may cause excessive BP fall at night with increased risk of silent cerebral infarct and the myocardial ischemia in patients with coronary heart disease.]

[Geriatric oncology has an increasing role since in several types of cancer the median age at diagnosis is above 60 years of age. The treatment of elderly patients are frequently set back by prejudice, stereotypes and lack of information. All these lead to the fact that even in well-developed countries elderly cancer patients often do not receive the necessary treatments. This is even more true in poor-countries, where the fi nancial defi cit accumulated in health care is often attempted to be reduced by the treatment of elderly. If a paediatric oncology patient does not get suffi cient cancer treatment there is a fi erce protest, but everybody is silent if this occurs in the case of an 80 years old patient. For this unacceptable situation both authorities (fi nancing) and professional bodies (treatment, education) are responsible. Clinical data show that elderly cancer patients get the same benefi t of active oncology treatment, as younger ones. Age on its own does not contraindicate any cancer treatment. The aim of this review is to prove by data, that elderly cancer patients should also get active oncology treatment. The questions of assessment include frailty, the relationship of cancer development and ageing, and other problems related to the oncology treatment of elderly patients are also discussed.]