CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF N-TERMINAL FRAGMENT OF NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE PATHOGENETIC THERAPY

Objective: to determine the level of the N-terminal fragment of brain natriuretic peptide progenitor (NT-proBNP) in patients with systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) prior to immunosuppressive therapy and its possible association with inflammatory markers, traditional risk factors (TRFs) for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and transthoracic echocardiographic (EchoCG) parameters.Subjects and methods. The investigation enrolled 28 SLE patients fulfilled the 1997 ACR criteria, including 23 (82%) women (median age, 28.5 [25.0; 32.0] years), who had no clinical signs of CVD and received no immunosuppressive therapy. A control group consisted of 27 age-and sex-matched healthy donors. Disease activity was assessed by SLEDAI-2K; irreversible damages were measured using SLICC. The median duration of SLE was 21.0 [5.0; 60.0] months, the scores of SLEDAI-2K and SLICC/DI were 11 [8; 19] and 0 [0; 0], respectively. The investigators estimated the concentration of Creactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), carried out EchoCG, and assessed TRFs. The serum concentration of NT-proBNP was determined by electrochemiluminescence (Roche Diagnostics, Switzerland). The normal range for NT-proBNP was ≤125.0 pg/ml. Results and discussion. The patients with SLE had elevated levels of NT-proBNP compared with the controls: 160.7 [88.6; 335.4] and 55.2 [36.6; 70.3] pg/ml, respectively (p < 0.001). The patients were divided into two groups: 1) 18 (64%) patients had a NT-proBNP concentration of > 125.0 pg/ml; 2) 10 (36%) patients had no more than this level. As compared with Group 2, Group 1 had the elevated values of IgG anti-cardiolipin (aCL) antibodies (p < 0.01), creatinine (p < 0.05), left ventricular (LV) end-systolic dimension (ESD) (p < 0.05) and decreases in LV ejection fraction (EF) (p < 0.01), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (p < 0.05), and concentration of anti-Ro antibodies (p < 0.05). In all the patients (n = 5 (18%)) with LV diastolic dysfunction (DD), the NT-proBNP level was much higher than normal; its median was 799.2 [276.6; 1777.0] pg/ml, but no statistically significant differences were found in the frequency of LV DD between the groups (p = 0.066). In the patients with SLE, the NT-proBNP level correlated positively with that of creatinine (r = 0.480; p < 0.01), uric acid (r = 0.427; p < 0.05), IgG aCL (r = 0.710; p < 0.001), anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibodies (r = 0.395; p < 0.05), antinuclear antibodies (ANA) (r = 0.256; p < 0.05), LV ESD (r = 0.442; p < 0.05), pulmonary artery systolic pressure (r = 0.486; p < 0.05) and negatively with hemoglobin level (r = -0.493; p < 0.01), C4 complement component (r = -0.475; p < 0.05), GFR (r = -0.58; p < 0.01), and EF (r = -0.505; p < 0.01). The level of NT-proBNP was ascertained to be unassociated with the clinical manifestations of SLE (skin, mucosae, kidneys, nervous system damage, as well as arthritis, serositis, and hematological disorders) and markers of inflammation (CRP, IL-6, TNF-α).Conclusion. The NT-proBNP concentration in the patients with SLE was significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.001), more than 60% of the untreated SLE patients had elevated NT-proBNP values (>125.0 pg/ml). The higher level of NT-proBNP is associated with the immunological parameters of SLE activity (elevated values of IgG aCL, anti-dsDNA, and ANA as well as C4 hypocomplementemia) and with the markers that reflect deterioration in renal and myocardial functions. There was no relationship of NT-proBNP levels to the clinical manifestations of SLE and the markers of inflammation (CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α) and TRFs

CARDIOVASCULAR PATHOLOGY IN ACUTE STROKE (ISSUES ON PREVALENCE, PREVENTION AND TREATMENT)

The article concerns on the problems of vascular comorbidity epidemiology and pathophysiological aspects of heart disease, which became a leading etiopathologic factor of cerebral infarctions and hemorrhages. The relationship between coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillation, hypertension and cerebral infarction types is emphasized.Aim. To analyze the role of comorbidity, attributable to cardio-vascular pathology in the initiation, course, clinical features and outcomes of cerebral infarction.Material and methods. We performed a prospective study, including 1072 patients with stroke, attributable to various cardiovascular pathology, evaluated the influence of vascular comorbidity of variable degree on the course and outcomes at an inpatient stage and at follow-up.Results. We demonstrated a negative influence of CAD, atrial fibrillation and postinfarction cardiosclerosis on the incidence of cerebral infarction, unfavorable course of the disease and functional outcomes at inpatient stage. The combination of vascular comorbidity resulted in an increased mortality in post-stroke period during 6 years of follow-up.Conclusion. Epidemiology of vascular comorbidity, its role in cerebrovascular accidents in patients with cardiac pathology justifies the need of active realization of contemporary multidisciplinary prevention programs, prolonged instrumental monitoring and implementation of energy deficiency correction therapy in comprehensive treatment programs

Modern treatment strategies in patients with vascular comorbidity Part 1. Correcting tissue energy deficiency

The first paper of the series on the treatment of patients with vascular comorbidity (VC) is focused on the role and therapeutic potential of the correction of free radical processes (FRP) as pathogenetic factors of multifocal vascular pathology. Aim. To analyse the effects of VC on the incidence and outcomes of cerebral stroke (S), in order to create therapeutic algorithms of FRP correction. Material and methods. This prospective study included 634 S patients. The following factors were analysed: pre-stroke disability due to various VC variants; VC effects on the clinical course, as well as in-hospital and post-discharge outcomes; and FRP specifics in various VC variants. Results. VC was registered in 97% of S patients; in 45,3%, it resulted in pre-stroke disability. FRP parameters, reflecting the progression of tissue energy deficiency, differed significantly in patients with coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, and diabetes mellitus. Based on these findings, the therapeutic algorithms for effective energy deficiency correction have been created. Conclusion. The analysis of pre- and post-stroke disability and prevention of repeat events in cardiovascular patients has demonstrated the need for a more active implementation of modern multidisciplinary preventive programs

International register “Dynamics analysis of comorbidities in SARS-CoV-2 survivors” (AKTIV SARS-CoV-2): analysis of 1,000 patients

COVID-19 is a severe infection with high mortality. The concept of the disease has been shaped to a greater extent on the basis of large registers from the USA, Spain, Italy, and China. However, there is no information on the disease characteristics in Caucasian patients.Therefore, we created an international register with the estimated capacity of 5,000 patients — Dynamics Analysis of Comorbidities in SARS-CoV-2 Survivors (AKTIV SARS-CoV-2), which brought together professionals from the Russian Federation, Republic of Armenia, Republic of Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyz Republic. The article presents the first analysis of the register involving 1,003 patients. It was shown that the most significant difference of the Caucasian population was the higher effect of multimorbidity on the mortality risk vs other registers. More pronounced effect on mortality of such diseases as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and age over 60 years was also revealed

International register “Dynamics analysis of comorbidities in SARS-CoV-2 survivors” (AKTIV) and the register “Analysis of hospitalizations of comorbid patients infected during the second wave of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak” (AKTIV 2)

The organizer of the registers “Dynamics analysis of comorbidities in SARSCoV-2 survivors” (AKTIV) and “Analysis of hospitalizations of comorbid patients infected during the second wave of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak” (AKTIV 2) is the Eurasian Association of Therapists (EAT). Currently, there are no clinical registries in the Eurasian region designed to collect and analyze information on long-term outcomes of COVID-19 survivors with comorbid conditions. The aim of the register is to assess the impact of a novel coronavirus infection on long-term course of chronic non-communicable diseases 3, 6, 12 months after recovery, as well as to obtain information on the effect of comorbidity on the severity of COVID-19. Analysis of hospitalized patients of a possible second wave is planned for register “AKTIV 2”. To achieve this goal, the register will include men and women over 18 years of age diagnosed with COVID-19 who are treated in a hospital or in outpatient basis. The register includes 25 centers in 5 federal districts of the Russian Federation, centers in the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Moldova, and the Republic of Uzbekistan. The estimated capacity of the register is 5400 patients

International register “Dynamics analysis of comorbidities in SARS-CoV-2 survivors” (AKTIV SARS-CoV-2): analysis of predictors of short-term adverse outcomes in COVID-19

The international AKTIV register presents a detailed description of out- and inpatients with COVID-19 in the Eurasian region. It was found that hospitalized patients had more comorbidities. In addition, these patients were older and there were more men than among outpatients. Among the traditional risk factors, obesity and hypertension had a significant negative effect on prognosis, which was more significant for patients 60 years of age and older. Among comorbidities, CVDs had the maximum negative effect on prognosis, and this effect was more significant for patients 60 years of age and older. Among other comorbidities, type 2 and 1 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer and anemia had a negative impact on the prognosis. This effect was also more significant (with the exception of type 1 diabetes) for patients 60 years and older. The death risk in patients with COVID-19 depended on the severity and type of multimorbidity. Clusters of diseases typical for deceased patients were identified and their impact on prognosis was determined. The most unfavorable was a cluster of 4 diseases, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and diabetes mellitus. The data obtained should be taken into account when planning measures for prevention (vaccination priority groups), treatment and rehabilitation of COVID-19 survivors