[Long-term results of carotid endarterectomy and carotid artery stenting in patients with high bifurcation of common carotid artery: a multiple-center study]. / Otdalennye rezul'taty karotidnoi endarterektomii i karotidnoi angioplastiki so stentirovaniem u patsientov s vysokim raspolozheniem bifurkatsii obshchei sonnoi arterii. Rezul'taty mnogotsentrovogo issledovaniya.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze in-hospital and long-term results of eversion carotid endarterectomy (CEE), carotid endarterectomy with patch repair and carotid artery stenting (CAS) in patients with high bifurcation of common carotid artery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective multiple-center open study included 1983 patients who underwent internal carotid artery (ICA) repair for severe stenosis between 2010 and 2021. Three groups of patients were distinguished depending on revascularization option: group 1 (n=638) - eversion CEE; group 2 (n=351) - CEE with patch repair; group 3 (n=994) - CAS. RESULTS: In-hospital postoperative mortality and incidence of stroke and myocardial infarction were similar. All bleedings (n=39) occurred after CEE. ICA thrombosis was diagnosed in groups 1 and 2 due to intimal detachment after insertion of temporary bypass tube. Incidence of laryngeal paresis, neuropathy of hypoglossal and glossopharyngeal nerves, Horner syndrome, damage to salivary glands was comparable in groups 1 and 2. Long-term mortality was the highest (n=10; 2.8%) after CEE with patch repair due to fatal stroke. In turn, the highest incidence of ICA restenosis and restenosis-induced ischemic stroke was observed after CEE with patch repair and CAS. CONCLUSION: 1. Classical and eversion CEE in patients with high CCA bifurcation is followed by high in-hospital incidence of damage to cranial nerves and salivary glands, laryngeal paresis, Horner syndrome, bleeding and risk of ICA thrombosis. 2. In patients with high CCA bifurcation, CAS and CEE with patch repair are accompanied by high incidence of ICA restenosis, restenosis-induced stroke and mortality in long-term postoperative period. 3. Eversion CEE demonstrates the lowest rates of all adverse cardiovascular events in long-term follow-up period.

[Carotid endarterectomy in patients with internal carotid artery thrombosis in the acutest period of ischemic stroke with COVID-19]. / Karotidnaya endarterektomiya u patsientov s trombozom vnutrennei sonnoi arterii v ostreishem periode ishemicheskogo insul'ta na fone COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: Analysis of the results of emergency carotid endarterectomy (CEE) in internal carotid artery (ICA) thrombosis in the acute period of acute cerebrovascular accident (ACVI) in patients with COVID-19. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During the COVID-19 pandemic (April 1, 2020 - May 1, 2021), 43 patients with ICA thrombosis and a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) result for SARS-CoV-2 were included in this prospective study. In all cases, CEE was performed in the acutest period of ACVA. These patients were included in group 1. The comparison group was represented by 89 patients who underwent CEE in the acute period of stroke, in the period before the COVID-19 pandemic (April 1, 2019 - March 1.2020). RESULTS: In the hospital postoperative period, the groups were comparable in terms of the incidence of deaths (group 1: 2.3%, n=1; group 2: 1.1%, n=1; p=0.81; OR=2.09; 95% CI=0.12-34.3) myocardial infarction (group 1: 2.3%, n=1; group 2: 0%; p=0.7; OR=6.3; 95% CI=0.25-158.5), CVA (group 1: 2.3%, n=1; group 2: 2.2%, n=2; p=0.55; OR=1.03; 95% CI=0.09-11.,7). ICA thrombosis and hemorrhagic transformations were not recorded. However, in view of severe coagulopathy with ongoing anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy, patients with COVID-19 more often developed bleeding in the operation area (group 1: 11.6%, n=5; group 2: 1.1%, n=1; p=0.02; OR=11.5; 95% CI=1.3-102.5). CONCLUSION: Emergency CEE in the acute period of stroke is an effective and safe method of cerebral revascularization in case of ICA thrombosis in conditions of COVID-19.

[A multicenter study on the influence of different kinds of carotidal endarterectomy on the course of resistant arterial hypertension]. / Mnogotsentrovoe issledovanie vliyaniya razlichnykh vidov karotidnoi endarterektomii na techenie rezistentnoi arterial'noi gipertenzii.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the dynamics of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and the results of various types of carotid endarterectomy (CEE) in patients with resistant arterial hypertension (RAH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 1577 patients with hemodynamically significant stenosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and RAH for more than 3 years. Patients were enrolled from January 2014 to December 2020. Depending on the implemented revascularization strategy, 5 groups were formed: group 1 (n=289 (18.3%)) with classical CEE with plasty of the reconstruction zone with a patch, group 2 (n=472 (29.9%)) with eversional CEE with cut-off of carotid glomus (CG); group 3 (n=109 (6.9%)) with the formation of a new bifurcation; group 4: (n=117 (7.4%)) with autoarterial reconstruction; group 5: (n=590 (37.4%)) with glomus-saving CEE. RESULTS: In the postoperative period, no significant differences were obtained in the frequency of deaths (0.34% for group 1; 0.63% for group 2; 0% for groups 3, 4 and 5), myocardial infarction (0.34%, 0.84%, 1.83, 0.85%, 0.33%, respectively); ischemic stroke (0.34%, 1.27%, 0.91%, 0.85%, 0.17%, respectively), hemorrhagic transformation (0%, 0.84%, 0.91%, 0.85%, 0%, respectively). However, according to the frequency of the combined endpoint (death + myocardial infarction + ischemic stroke + hemorrhagic transformation), the lowest rates were observed in the group of classical carotid endarterectomy with plasty of the reconstruction zone with a patch and glomus-sparing CEE (1.03%, 3.6%, 3.67%, 2.56%, 0.5%, respectively). This is due to the absence of cases of labile AH and hypertensive crises among patients of groups 1 and 5, which was ensured by the preservation of carotid glomus (CG). As a result, the number of patients with 2 and 3 degrees of hypertension in these groups decreased statistically significantly. The vast majority of patients after these operations achieved a stable target SBP. In groups 2, 3, and 4, there was a statistically significant increase in the number of patients with 2 and 3 degrees of AH, which is associated with excision of the CG. CONCLUSION: Classical CEE and glomus-sparing CEE techniques make it possible to achieve a stable target SBP level in patients with RAH as a result of CG preservation. Removal or traumatization of the latter during eversional CEE, the formation of a new bifurcation, autoarterial reconstruction is accompanied by the development of labile hypertension, an increase in the degree of hypertension and a high risk of hemorrhagic transformation in the brain. Thus, the most effective and safe types of CEE in the presence of RAH are classical CEE with plasty of the reconstruction zone with a patch and glomus-sparing CEE.

[Extended lesion of the internal carotid artery: carotid autotransplantation, creation of a neobifurcation or prosthetic repair?] / Protiazhennoe porazhenie vnutrennei sonnoi arterii: karotidnaia autotransplantatsiia, formirovanie novoi bifurkatsii ili protezirovanie?

AIM: The aim of our investigation was to analyse the results of autotransplantation, creation of a neobifurcation or prosthetic repair of the internal carotid artery during the in-hospital and long-term follow-up periods. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included a total of 241 patients presenting with and treated for extended atherosclerotic lesions of the internal carotid artery from 2016 to 2019. The patients were divided into three groups depending on the surgical modality employed: group 1 - autotransplantation of the internal carotid artery (27.8%, n=67), group 2 - creation of a neobifurcation (55.2%, n=133), and group 3 - prosthetic repair of the internal carotid artery (17.0%, n=41). The duration of the postoperative follow-up period amounted to 24.8±11.9 months. The outcome measures selected were as follows: all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke, haemodynamically significant restenosis, and a composite endpoint (death + myocardial infarction + ischaemic stroke + haemodynamically significant restenosis). RESULTS: During the in-hospital postoperative period we registered 1 (2.4%) ischaemic stroke in the group of prosthetic repair, with no significant inter-group difference revealed (p=0.08). In the remote period of follow-up, no statistical differences were revealed for the following outcome measures: all-cause mortality (group 1: 7.5%, n=5; group 2: 10.5%, n=14; group 3: 14.6%, n=6; p=0.49); cardiovascular-related death (group 1: 4.5%, n=3; group 2: 6.7%, n=9; group 3: 12.2%, n=5; p=0.31); myocardial infarction (group 1: 1.5%, n=1; group 2: 3%, n=4; group 3: 4.9%, n=2; p=0.59). However, the patients in the group of prosthetic repair of the internal carotid artery were found to have the highest incidence rates of ischaemic stroke (group 1: 3%, n=2; group 2: 3%, n=4; group 3: 14.6%, n=6; p1-2=0.1; p1-3=0.02; p2-3=0.008), haemodynamically significant restenosis (group 1: 0%, n=0; group 2: 0%, n=0; group 3: 14.6 %, n=6; p1-2>0.99; p1-3=0.000; p2-3=0.000), and higher values of the composite endpoint (group 1: 12 %, n=8; group 2: 16.5%, n=22, group 3: 48.8%, n=20; p1-2>0.99; p1-3=0.000; p2-3=0.000). CONCLUSION: Prosthetic repair of the internal carotid artery for an extended atherosclerotic lesion is a less preferable method compared with autotransplantation and creation of a neobifurcation, as evidenced by the highest incidence rates of ischaemic stroke, haemodynamically significant restenosis, and higher values of the composite endpoint in the remote period of follow up.

[Efficiency of interferon therapy in patients with essential thrombocythemia or polycythemia vera]. / Effektivnost' interferonoterapii u bol'nykh essentsial'noi trombotsitemiei i istinnoi politsitemiei.

AIM: To evaluate the efficiency of interferon (IFN) therapy in patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) and polycythemia vera (PV). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 61 patients (41 with ET and 20 with PV) were examined. Prior to study enrolment, 44 (72%) patients with ET or PV received one or other therapy (aspirin was not taken into account). The mean Jak2V617F mutant allele at baseline was 23% (6-54%) in the patients with ET and 40% (11-88%) in those with PV. The median time from diagnosis to enrollment was 49 months. RESULTS: The paper presents the clinical and molecular findings of long-term INF-α therapy in patients with ET or PV. The median follow-up was 52 months. Recombinant IFN-α2 showed its ability to induce complete hematologic remission (ET (76%), PV (70%)) and a complete molecular response. 22 (69%) out of 32 patients were noted to have a smaller number of cells with the Jak2V617F mutation. In the patients with PV and in those with ET, the relative reduction in the proportion of cells with the Jak2V617F mutant gene averaged 85% and 56% of the baseline values, respectively. There was a reduction in the proportion of cells expressing the Jak2V617F mutation in both the ET (from 12 to 2.2%; p=0.001) and PV (from 32.7% to 3.2%) groups (р=0.001). Ten (31%) patients achieved a deep molecular remission (≤2% Jak2V617F allele); among them, 5 patients were not found to have Jak2V617F mutation. The obtained molecular response remained in 7 of the 10 patients untreated for 11 to 86 months. The long-term treatment with IFN-α led to normalization of the morphological pattern of bone marrow in 5 of the 7 PV or ET patients. CONCLUSION: Significant molecular remissions achieved by therapy with recombinant interferon-α2 confirm the appropriateness of this treatment option in in the majority of patients with ET or PV.

[The efficacy of treating strongyloidiasis patients with medamine]. / Effektivnost' lecheniia bol'nykh strongiloidozom medaminom.

The efficacy and tolerance of medamin therapy for patients with strongyloidosis were studied in a focus of this disease in the Lenkoran District of Azerbaijan, situated in wet subtropical climatic zone. The studies were carried out at 6 rural hospitals. A total of 166 inpatients (n = 48) and outpatients (n = 118) were treated. The drug was sufficiently well tolerated and effective: 65.6 +/- 3.6% of the patients were cured after a single course of therapy. Complete cure was attained after 4 therapeutic courses.