Anemia in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: is it co-morbidity or a systemic manifestation?

Summary. Results of a retrospective pharmacoepidemiological study conducted in the Primorsky region were summarized. Three hundred and seventy five cases of respiratory infections in pregnant women were analyzed. Prevalently, pharmacological treatment was used during the organogenesis. Each woman used 3.84 ± 0.31 drugs in average. Antimicrobials (34.63 %), non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (20.64 %), decongestants (5.4 %), H1-hystamine blockers (7.96 %), cough suppressants (1.87 %), mucolytic agents (7.76 %), bronchodilators (1.2 %), glucocorticosteroids (0.97 %), antiseptic agents (4.53%) were administered. Only 37.39 % of the drugs administered were safe for fetus (of FDA categories A and B).

Summary. Changes in basic parameters of vascular endothelial function and thrombinaemia were analyzed in 111 patients with acute infective exacerbation of COPD upon therapy with systemic steroids. In acute infective exacerbation of COPD, increased levels of endotelin-1 and homocysteine as endothelial dysfunction markers, substantial increase in plasma D-dimer level and changes in thrombocyte aggregation were found. Treatment with systemic steroids led to decreasing in endotelium-1 and D-dimer levels which directly related to C-reactive protein. In stable COPD, high D-dimer level persisted that was considered as thrombogenic and thromboembolic risks in COPD patients with cardiovascular comorbidity.

Summary. The aim of this study was to investigate inhibitory effect of 2-year course of ACE inhibitors on cardiac remodeling in patients with COPD and pulmonary hypertension (PH). The study involved 104 patients aged 35–78 yrs with COPD I to III stage. We performed echocardiography using VIVID 7 scanner at the start of the study and 2 years (24.7 ± 7.14 months) later according to standard recommendations. Commonly, patients with COPD and mild or no PH a baseline demonstrated increase in pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) associated with the right heart remodeling. Further increase and stabilization of PAP could lead to expansion of remodeling to the left heart. RAAS activation was typical at all stages of the process and appears to contribute to worsening of PH and heart remodeling. ACE inhibitors may inhibit heart remodeling both in mild and severe PH.

Summary. Accepted criteria of successive medical care in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are based on expected outcomes; this allows prediction further course of the disease and treatment results. An algorithm of expert evaluation of medical care quality facilitates objective expert conclusion.

Summary. The study involved 2,000 army conscripts with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Clinical and laboratory features of CAP were studied in 693 patients who had been previously vaccinated with polyvalent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine "Pneumo-23" (Aventis Pasteur SA, France) and in 1307 patients of the control group. The incidence of severe CAP in vaccinated patients was 2.2-fold and the incidence of moderate CAP was 1.2-fold lower compared to unvaccinated patients. On the contrary, a mild CАP prevalence was 1.3-fold higher in vaccinated patients. The vaccinated patients had complication rate twice as lower and more rapid resolution of clinical and radiological signs of CAP.

Summary. The study was aimed at determination of acceptability of and compliance to CPAP among Armenians with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). A portable recording device was used to diagnose OSAS. Snoring, nasal flow, oxygen saturation and pulse rate were recorded. Thirty nine patients with moderate to severe OSAS (AHI ≥ 15) were offered CPAP therapy, of them, 20 patients agreed to undergo a pressure titration and night trial with CPAP. A card embedded in the CPAP device electronically recorded compliance. After night trial, 14 males (35.6 %) were administered long-term CPAP therapy. Significant difference between “acceptors“ and “refusers“ was found in AHI (74.5 ± 22.6 vs 41.7 ± 28.4; p < 0.001), oxygen desaturation index (70.3 ± 22.6 vs 37.6 ± 24.5; p < 0.001) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (20.7 ± 4.2 vs 14.7 ± 7.5; p < 0.01). The mean compliance to CPAP therapy was 83 %. The study revealed low acceptability of and high compliance to CPAP therapy among Armenians with OSAS.

Summary. Relationships between parameters of simple and complex visual sensor motor reactions (SMR) and bronchial asthma (BA) control were studied in outpatients treated with moderate to high daily doses of standard anti-inflammatory therapy (beclomethasone, budesonide, or fluticasone). Eighty middle-aged and elderly patients with asthma were examined. Asthma control level (using the ACT test), lung function and basic SMR parameters were assessed. A moderate relationship was found between the basic SMR parameters and the AСT test results. Therefore, temporal SMR parameters could be used as an additional objective criterion to evaluate asthma control level.

Clinical pharmacology of roflumilast.

Possibilities of non-antibacterial therapy of community-acquired pneumonia.

Phenotype of bronchial asthma with obesity.

Inflammatory biomarkers in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Synanthropic arthropods and their role in occurrence of allergic diseases.

High-altitude pulmonology in Kyrgyzstan: in the memoriam and to the 85th birthday of academician M.M.Mirrakhimov.