THE CURRENT CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE SITUATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF SAKHA (YAKUTIA)

The prevalence of respiratory diseases was analyzed in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). A cross-sectional clinical and instrumental study of 2856 dwellers from the town of Yakutsk and the village of Churapcha showed that the proportion of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) was 14.1 and 20.5% in the town and in the village, respectively. One of its chief causes is a considerable spread of tobacco smoking among the urban and rural dwellers of Yakutia. The incidence of COPD among the males aged over 60 years was higher than that in the women; that was almost 2-fold in the rural area; and the male-to-female ratio was nearly equal in the urban area. According to our data, the urban and rural rates of catarrhal diseases were 54.5 and 43.9%, respectively; which was also due to severe climatic conditions and one of the risk factors for COPD

PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS IN DEVELOPMENT OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS C-ASSOCIATED CRYOGLOBULINEMIA

Abstract. The aim of the study was to assess prevalence and risk factors for cryoglobulinemia associated with chronic hepatitis C in St.-Petersburg. Patients and methods. We studied 121 patients with chronic hepatitis C, including 53 men and 68 women with median age of 39±13 years. The median hepatitis duration was 3 years (range 0.5 to 34 years). In this group 25 (20,7%) had cirrhosis. Results. 37,2% (45/121) patients had circulating cryoglobulins. A low levels of crioglobulins (cryocrit 1-4%) were detected more frequently. Cryoglobulinaemic patients showed more frequent rates rheumatoid factors activity (р = 0,001), a higher levels of bilirubin (р = 0,003) and a γ-gamma-glutamyltransferase (р = 0,031). The presence of cryoglobulins was not correlated with HCV genotype (HCV 1a – 20,8% vs 20,7%, 1b – 29,2% vs 27,6%, 2 – 4,2% vs 6,9%, 3a – 20,8 vs 34,5%, mixt – 20,8% vs 6,9%, not identified – 4,1% vs 3,4%, in cryopositive vs cryonegative patients respectively, р = 0,7). By multivariate analysis hepatitis duration (Exp (B) = 1,07, 95% Cl 1,0-1,13, р = 0,049) and cirrhosis (Exp (B) = 6,2, 95% Cl 2,25-16,8, р < 0,001) could independently predict the presence of cryoglobulins. Conclusion. Our study demonstrates high prevalence of serum cryoglobulins in patients with chronic hepatitis C in St.-Petersburg and independent association between duration of hepatitis and advanced cirrhosis with development of cryoglobulinemia