Guidelines of treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) identify symptom reduction and prevention of exacerbations as the main goals of therapy. Initial pharmacological treatment must be guided by these parameters, and effectiveness must be assessed at each clinical visit. However, there is no clear guidance as to how this assessment must be performed. The concept of control has been well developed in asthma, but it has been elusive in COPD. Patients with COPD may not be completely free from symptoms or exacerbations even under optimized therapy; therefore, control in COPD does not mean cure or absence of symptoms, but rather reaching the best clinical status possible according to the level of disease severity. A control tool has been developed based on a cross sectional evaluation of the impact of the disease and a longitudinal evaluation of stability. Low impact is a disease status defined by at least 3 of the following: low levels of dyspnoea, absence of or white sputum, low use of rescue medication and self-declared walking time of more than 30 minutes a day, and stability is the absence of moderate or severe exacerbations in the previous 3 months. Control can also be defined by COPD Assessment Test (CAT) scores ≤ 10 units for patients with FEV1 ≥ 50% and 16 for patients with FEV1 < 50% and stability as a change in CAT ≤ 2 units. Control of COPD is then defined as a status of low impact and stability. The control tool has been validated prospectively in several studies and has demonstrated to be sensitive to clinical changes and to have a good predictive value for poor outcomes. Clinical criteria are more reliable than CAT scores for the evaluation of control. The control tool is a quick and inexpensive method to evaluate clinical status and future risk of exacerbations that can be used at all levels of healthcare. 

Guidelines of treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) identify symptom reduction and prevention of exacerbations as the main goals of therapy. Initial pharmacological treatment must be guided by these parameters, and effectiveness must be assessed at each clinical visit. However, there is no clear guidance as to how this assessment must be performed. The concept of control has been well developed in asthma, but it has been elusive in COPD. Patients with COPD may not be completely free from symptoms or exacerbations even under optimized therapy; therefore, control in COPD does not mean cure or absence of symptoms, but rather reaching the best clinical status possible according to the level of disease severity. A control tool has been developed based on a cross sectional evaluation of the impact of the disease and a longitudinal evaluation of stability. Low impact is a disease status defined by at least 3 of the following: low levels of dyspnoea, absence of or white sputum, low use of rescue medication and self-declared walking time of more than 30 minutes a day, and stability is the absence of moderate or severe exacerbations in the previous 3 months. Control can also be defined by COPD Assessment Test (CAT) scores ≤ 10 units for patients with FEV1 ≥ 50% and 16 for patients with FEV1 < 50% and stability as a change in CAT ≤ 2 units. Control of COPD is then defined as a status of low impact and stability. The control tool has been validated prospectively in several studies and has demonstrated to be sensitive to clinical changes and to have a good predictive value for poor outcomes. Clinical criteria are more reliable than CAT scores for the evaluation of control. The control tool is a quick and inexpensive method to evaluate clinical status and future risk of exacerbations that can be used at all levels of healthcare.

Acute Respiratory failure (ARF) is the leading cause of death in patients with severe COVID-19, who have been admitted to the hospital. Tradition - ally, it has been believed that with severe pneumonia complicated by ARF, survival can improve with the use of early intubation and artificial lung ventilation (ALV) in patients. However, according to recently published studies, COVID-19 has a very high death rate among patients receiving ALV. In case of early (pre-life support) start of oxygen therapy and respiratory support in patients with COVID-19 the need for transfer to the intensive care unit, tracheal intubation and ALV decreases, and therefore the prognosis improves. This article presents practical guidelines for oxygen therapy and respiratory support at the pre-life support in patients with COVID-19 infection complicated by ARF. 

According to accumulated clinical data, one of the causes of severe damage to lung epithelial cells associated with SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV) is an acute, timely underestimated "cytokine storm" (cytokine cascade, hypercytokinaemia) with characteristic signs of an expressed hyper-inflammatory syndrome with subsequent polyorganic failure. The study presents the results of the analysis of the effectiveness of tocilizumab therapy (TCZ) in patients (n = 181) of different age groups with developed pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of TCZ therapy in patients of different age groups with developed pneumonia in the frame of COVID-19. Methods. Patients (n = 181) with community-acquired pneumonia caused by coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 are included in a one-center, non-randomized, prospective study to evaluate the effectiveness of TCZ therapy conducted at the State Public Health Institution "City Clinical Hospital No.52" of the Moscow City Health Department. Patients were divided into 3 age subgroups – up to 50 years, 50–70 years and over 70 years. Patients with community-acquired SARS-CoV-2-induced pneumonia receiving non-invasive oxygen support and patients who had artificial lung ventilation (ALV) were given a single dose of 400 mg of TCZ in addition to basic therapy. Results. There are no significant differences between age groups in the severity of pneumonia according to the data of the computed tomography (CT), however, a more severe condition and a higher mortality rate (p < 0.001) were reliably observed in patients over 70 age compared to the other age groups. After TCZ treatment in patients of each age group, the severity of the condition assessed on the National Early Warning Score (NEWS2) has been significantly reduced compared to the baseline. Conclusion. According to the data of the pilot study the efficacy and safety of TCZ in patients of all presented age groups with COVID-associated pulmonary tissue lesion and signs of "cytokine storm" was demonstrated. At the same time, patients up to 50 years after the therapy of TCZ managed to achieve greater clinical efficiency compared to patients in other groups. According to the severity of the state and laboratory criteria, the lowest clinical efficacy of TCZ therapy was observed in patients over 70 years of age; as a consequence, the highest mortality rate was observed in the same group. At the same time, the TCZ therapy has not had a positive impact on the change of laboratory values and the severity of the disease in case of unfavorable outcome. 

Russian registry of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is established in 2016.

The aim of this study was to describe demographic, clinical, functional, radiological and pathomorphological features of IPF in Russian population of patients.

Methods. This was a prospective multicenter non-interventional observational study. We analyzed risk factors, demographic and clinical findings, CT findings, lung function tests, lung tissue biopsy, 6-minute walking test results, serological markers of connective tissue diseases, treatment, and outcomes.

Results. The Russian IPF registry has included 1,033 patients to the 11th of March, 2020. The patients’ mean age was 64.6 ± 10.8 years. The patients were males and current or former smokers more often. Multidisciplinary discussion was used in 38 patients. IPF was diagnosed in 268 (27.3%) of 980 patients. Non-IPF fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) including chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, unclassifiable pulmonary fibrosis and other non-ILD pulmonary diseases were diagnosed in others. Ninety of 948 (9.5 %) patients were treated with antifibrotics. Number of diagnosed IPF cases increased, the time from IPF manifestation to making the diagnosis shortened after the registry was created.

Conclusion. Patients were treated less often with systemic corticosteroids and more often with antifibrotics during the registry existence. 

The aim of the study was to identify the correlation between ventilation disorders of the lungs and the development of arterial stiffness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods. The following parameters were evaluated in the patients (n = 61) enrolled in the study: spirometry, bodyplethysmography, cardiac-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and an ancho-brachial vascular index. Additionally, the pulse wave propagation velocity was calculated in the area from the ostium of the aorta to the infragenicular arteries.

Results. According to the study results, a direct correlation, characterized by moderate to noticeable strength, was found between the parameters of pulmonary ventilation (bronchial resistance, intrathoracic gas volume, residual lung volume (RLV), total lung capacity (TLC), RLV/TLC) and the CAVI parameter, characterizing vascular stiffness on the section from the aorta ostium to the infragenicular arteries. It was shown that the best method for assessing changes in blood vessels is CAVI, which is independent of the level of blood pressure at the moment of the study.

Conclusion. It has been established that if there is a correlation between impaired ventilation and arterial stiffness, the systemic nature of the lesion in COPD is confirmed, which explains the high incidence of cardiovascular diseases in patients with COPD. 

The aim of this work was to assess the functional and structural disorders of the bronchopulmonary system detected by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), and to determine the correlation between them.

Methods. A cross-sectional study included patients with CF (n = 54: 20 male and 34 female; median age 25 years) and healthy volunteers (n = 32: 12 male, 20 female; median age 25 years). A complex study of the pulmonary function test (PFT) was carried out; it included spirometry, bodyplethysmography and measurement of the diffusing lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), nitrogen leaching in multiple respiration (NLMR) and HRCT. Dyspnea was assessed using the Modified Research Council Scale (mMRC). NLMR measurements were performed using the Easy-One Pro module, MBW (NDD Medizintechnik AG, Switzerland). Analysis of HRCT data according to the Bhalla classification was performed by two independent, experienced radiologists.

Results. The mean value (± SD) of the forced expiratory volume for 1 second (FEV1) was 63 ± 26% of the proper value, forced vital capacity of the lungs (FVC) was 86 ± 20% of the proper value, the ratio of FEV1/FVC was 61 ± 15%; residual lung volume (RLV) was 220 ± 71% of the proper value, the ratio of RLV/ total lung capacity (TLC) was 48 ± 13%, intrathoracic gas volume was 150 ± 33% of the proper value, DLCO was 80 ± 16% of the proper value, lung clearance index (LCI) was 16.9 ± 5.0; moment ratio (MR2) was 54.7 ± 34.1. Bronchoectases with predominant lesions of > 9 segments and bronchial lesions from V generation and more distal were found in all patients. Peribronchial infiltration and mucoid plugs were also diagnosed in almost all patients (94 and 96%, respectively), while bronchogenic cysts or abscesses, atelectasis/consolidation, bullae or emphysema were rarely detected (in 30, 35, 20, and 17% of cases, respectively). The parameters of NLMR were statistically significantly correlated with both the PFT parameters and the HRTC data.

Conclusion. In adult patients with CF, there is a significant unevenness of pulmonary ventilation, progressing as structural damage to the bronchopulmonary system increases and the PFT worsens. With a statistically significant increase in MR, the involvement of not only the central, but also peripheral airways in the pathological process is emphasized. It has been established that in adult CF patients there is a strong correlation between LCI and the severity of structural changes, detected by HRCT, comparable in strength and significance to FEV1. 

As a rule, heart damage in patients with sarcoidosis of respiratory organs (SOD) is not diagnosed in time, so a very important and urgent task is to identify common heart rhythm and conduction disorders.

The aim of the study was to investigate the main clinical manifestations of sarcoidosis in SOD, depending on the peculiarities of the disease course and to compare the frequency and severity of pulmonary and extrapulmonary manifestations of sarcoidosis, including myocardial lesions and electrocardiographic (ECG) signs of heart rhythm disorders.

Methods. In the period 2006– 2016, the pilot open prospective uncontrolled study conducted at the Pulmonology Department of the Regional State Autonomous Healthcare Institution "Tomsk Regional Clinical Hospital" included patients (n = 84) aged 20–67 years with the diagnosis of SOD. Patients were divided into 2 clinical groups: the 1st comprised 45 (53.5%) patients with a favorable course of sarcoidosis, the second one included 39 (46.4%) patients with an unfavorable course of the disease. A full range of studies was carried out, including the analysis of medical history and clinical and epidemiological data, instrumental methods (including ECG and Holter ECG monitoring (HM), pathomorphological study of lung biopsy samples.

Results. According to the data of frequency analysis of occurrence of pulmonary and extrapulmonary clinical manifestations in ODS, it was shown that the leading clinical manifestations, most frequently occurring in patients of both groups, included asthenia syndrome (72.6%), bronchial syndrome (66.7%) and fever syndrome (33%). In 33% of cases, clinical manifestations of myocardial damage were detected. In 41 (51.2%) patients in both groups, changes on ECG were recorded at rest. Regardless of the course of the disease, in 23.5% of patients of both clinical groups, according to the results of the HM ECG, rhythm and conduction disturbances were found – a combination of ventricular arrhythmias and conduction disorders (ventricular extrasystole and right His bundle branch block of various degrees) and a combination of supraventricular arrhythmias and conduction disturbances (supraventricular extrasystole and right His bundle branch block of various degrees).

Conclusion. Thus, regardless of the severity of the disease course, SOD patients are concerned about complaints from both respiratory system and extrapulmonary manifestations, including cardiac complaints, as well as heart rhythm and conduction disorders (according to the results of ECG and HM ECG), the frequency of which, according to the comparative analysis, has not significantly changed in both clinical groups, which indicates the non-specific character of clinical manifestations. 

Sarcoidosis is epithelioid cell granulomatosis of unknown etiology. All the schemes of its treatment are of a recommendatory nature. Methotrexate (MTT) is considered a second-line drug in the treatment of sarcoidosis.

Methods. A retrospective observational study of patients with progressive sarcoidosis (n = 104), treated with MTT once a week, was carried out. Clinical, laboratory, functional and radiation parameters were evaluated with an interval of 3 months ≤ 1 year.

Results. The use of MTT was accompanied by an improvement in the radiation picture (64.1% by the end of the year), an improvement not only in spirometry parameters, starting from the 3rd month (54.7%), but also in the general condition of the patients (63.8% – at the 6th month). Adverse reactions with drug withdrawal were most often observed (15.4%) during the first 3 months, and subsequently their frequency decreased.

Conclusion. According to the results of the study, it was shown that methotrexate can be recommended for further use in progressive sarcoidosis, as well as in patients, who have previously received systemic glucocorticosteroids. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae are one of the most dangerous diseases, that can be completely prevented by vaccination. Studies conducted in various regions of the Russian Federation and other countries have revealed certain features in the prevalence of pneumococcus strains, resistant to different antibacterial drugs, which requires local studies among patients of different age groups.

The aim of the study was to determine the level of sensitivity of S. pneumoniae, isolated from adult patients, to antibacterial drugs (ABD) and the dynamics of resistance to ABD in Samara for the period of 2015–2019.

Methods. A retrospective analysis of data from the microbiological department of clinical diagnostic laboratories of the Clinics of Samara State Medical University, Healthcare Ministry of Russia for 2015–2019 was carried out. The microorganism resistance to several groups of ABD was studied – macrolides (erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithro mycin), cephalosporins (ceftriaxone, cefotaxime), fluoroquinolones (levofloxacin) and penicillin. The sensitivity was determined by the disk diffusion method. Statistical processing was performed using the SPSS Statistic 22.0 program. When comparing groups, the χ2 criterion was used; to compare small groups (n < 5), the exact Fisher test was used.

Results. Since 2017, there has been a tendency to increase the frequency of pneumococcus isolation in the carrier group. At the same time, a 3-fold decrease in S. pneumoniae excretion from patients with ENT pathology occurred. The highest sensitivity was detected for cephalosporins – 100% sensitivity of all S. pneumoniae strains, detected from ENT organs and during carriage. There is a low level of pneumococcus resistance to levofloxacin. The general sensitivity to ABD from penicillin group is 96.4–98.8%, while the most common resistant strains were found in patients with respiratory tract damage. The highest resistance of S. pneumoniae was revealed to ABD from the macrolide group with a tendency to increase from 4.6% in 2016 to 14.0% in 2019.

Conclusion. According to the study results, a rather low level of resistance of S. pneumoniae to most ABD groups, with the exception of macrolides, was demonstrated in Samara. The greatest number of ABD-insensitive pathogens was isolated in patients with pathology of the bronchopulmonary system. A mandatory microbiological examination of the sputum of such patients is necessary with a determination of the sensitivity of the isolated microorganisms to ABD and subsequent correction of therapy upon the identification of resistant strains. Given the increasing resistance of S. pneumoniae in carriers, it is necessary to vaccinate patients in this group. 

Biological therapy of bronchial asthma (BA) is a modern method of treating severe forms of the disease, that are uncontrolled by traditional pharmacotherapeutic approaches. Currently, 5 monoclonal antibody (AT) preparations are registered in the world for the treatment of severe bronchial asthma (SBA) of the T2 endotype (T2-SBA) – antibodies, binding to immunoglobulin (Ig) E (anti-IgE – omalizumab), interleukin antagonists (IL)-5 (anti-IL-5 – mepolizumab, resizumab) and its receptor (anti-IL-5Rα – benralizumab), as well as antibodies, that selectively bind to the IL-4 and -13 receptor (anti-IL-4 /13Rα – dupilumab). The article presents data on the effectiveness of these drugs in relation to the key characteristics of SBA, formulates clinical and laboratory criteria, the study of which in real practice can potentially predict the likelihood of a clinical response to a particular type of biological therapy. An algorithm is proposed for choosing a targeted therapy strategy for patients with SBA, clinically associated with allergies, for patients with severe non-allergic eosinophilic BA and for patients with eosinophilic BA of a combined phenotype.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a global problem in modern medicine. In recent years, the medical community’s understanding of COPD has changed significantly, which is primarily due to the emergence of a new classification and the identification of various phenotypes of the disease. These changes could not affect the tactics of COPD treatment. The article discusses not only the debatable issues of treating COPD; it provides an overview of changes in international (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, 2018) and national (2019) recommendations, but also the significance and benefits of triple therapy in terms of evidence-based medicine as well as the benefits of extra-fine drugs in the treatment of bronchial obstructive syndrome.