[Functional transcranial dopplerography is a diagnostic tool for cognitive impairment syndrome]. / Funktsional'naya transkranial'naya dopplerografiya v diagnostike kognitivnykh narushenii.

Functional transcranial dopplerography (FTCD) is a non-invasive ultrasound examination that allows recording the dynamics of cerebral blood flow parameters under conditions of factors stimulated the activity of the structures of the central nervous system. Judgments about the sensitivity and specificity of FTCD are based on the close connection between changes in the activity of the nervous (somatic) system and the response of regional cerebral blood flow (CBF). The technique is a portable and accessible diagnostic method used in assessing the possibility of expanding functional activity during the recovery period after a stroke. An increase in mental activity in response to the presentation of a cognitive task, accompanied by an increase in glucose and oxygen consumption and naturally requiring an increase in cerebral perfusion parameters, can also be assessed by changes in regional blood flow parameters while maintaining the reactive mechanisms of autoregulation. A search of literature sources was carried out in the electronic databases PubMed and Scopus. For the subject search, Medical Subject Headings were used. A total of 36 sources that mentioned the terms «cognitive function¼ and «functional transcranial Doppler¼ were selected for preliminary analysis. At the present stage, methodological problems are obvious, requiring the development and implementation of a standard package of targeted functional tests to assess cognitive status. Available equipment and software require technological solutions to ensure objective recording of changes in cerebral blood flow during testing and training.

[The impact of therapy with Mexidol on neurological deficit and functional outcome in patients with ischemic stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis]. / Vliyanie terapii preparatom Meksidol na regress nevrologicheskogo defitsita i funktsional'nyi iskhod u patsientov s ishemicheskim insul'tom: sistematizirovannyi obzor i metaanaliz.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate systematically the published peer-reviewed literature and estimate the effect of therapy with Mexidol on the course and outcomes of ischemic stroke (II) in adult patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The meta-analysis included 11 studies reported In Russian (2 randomized controlled studies, 9 non-randomized, unblinded cohort studies). RESULTS: The results obtained indicate a positive effect of Mexidol on the course of II in the treated adult patients: we found statistically significant decrease in NIHSS scores on days 7-10 and 21-24 and in modified Rankin scale scores on days 5-7 and days 10-14 compared with the control group. The cumulative effect of the drug was shown: the between-group difference of the NIHSS scores increases with the course of observation time. The effect of Mexidol on indicators on the NIHSS scale is more significant, the greater the initial severity of the patient's neurological deficit. CONCLUSION: Heterogeneity in study designs and patient characteristics has resulted in significant statistical heterogeneity, and the evidence presented at the time of writing requires further examination as new data become available.

[Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in children with hematological diseases]. / Sindrom zadnei obratimoi entsefalopatii u detei s zabolevaniyami sistemy krovi.

OBJECTIVE: To assess risk factors (RF) and severity grade of Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in children with hematological diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed cases of PRES in children during chemotherapy (CT) and after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). We estimated the following RF: arterial hypertension, steroid therapy, CT, immunosuppressive therapy (IST), infection and renal injury. RESULTS: Thirty-five cases of PRES occurred in 32 patients (8 after allo-HSCT and 27 during CT) were included in this study. In the most of cases (94.3%), there were 2 and more RF. An increase in blood pressure level (88.6%), CT and IST (82.8%) administration, steroid therapy (71.4%) were the most significant for PRES development. Infectious process and the decline in renal function played a lesser role in this syndrome (31.4% and 14%). At the initial presentation of PRES, there were seizures (94.3%), a decrease of consciousness (28.6%), headache, vision disturbances and stomachache (20%). In the most of cases (91.4%), the 2nd and 3d grade according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE 5.0) were observed. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed the vasogenic edema of temporal (88.6%), occipital (74.3%), frontal (40%) lobes and the cerebellum (22.9%) more often than the cytotoxic edema (p=0.03). The cytotoxic edema was observed in the thalamus and the basal ganglia (2.9%) more often than in other parts of the brain (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The majority of PRES cases are caused by more than two RF. Arterial hypertension does not have a leading role among its causes. There is a significant correlation between the grade of PRES according to CTCAE 5.0 score and RF number (p<0.05).

[Cognitive impairment and tactics of using the drug Cerebrolysin. Resolution of the International Council of Experts (May 12, 2023)]. / Kognitivnye narusheniya i taktika primeneniya preparata Tserebrolizin. Rezolyutsiya mezhdunarodnogo soveta ekspertov (12 maya 2023 g.).

The aging of the population and the associated increase in the share of cognitive impairments in the structure of a wide range of diseases are a serious challenge for modern healthcare. Difficulties in the treatment of cognitive disorders are determined by many factors, including the age of patients, comorbidity, forced polypragmasia and the adequacy of the dosage of drugs that restore cognitive activity. The experts discussed information about the therapeutic potential of the drug Cerebrolysin in the treatment of cognitive disorders of various origins, stated significant experience of its effective and safe use in many clinical studies in mild and moderate forms of dementia. At the same time, there was a lack of consistent and systematic data on the dosage regimen, frequency, and duration of use of the drug in different forms of cognitive impairment and the degree of their severity. The aim of the international council of experts was to determine the optimal dosage regimens of the drug Cerebrolysin in patients with various etiologies and severity of cognitive impairment. The result of the work was the approval of a unified scheme for the use of the drug Cerebrolysin, considering the severity of the disease and its duration.

[Social and economic burden of stroke in Russian Federation]. / Sotsial'no-ekonomicheskoe bremya insul'ta v Rossiiskoi Federatsii.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the annual socio-economic burden of stroke in the Russian Federation from the position of the state. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Based on official statistics on morbidity and mortality due to stroke (2019), the results of a survey of patients or caregivers (680 respondents) and cost indicators of 2022, the social and economic burden of stroke during the 1st year after the acute period is modeled. All cost estimates are made from the position of the state. RESULTS: In 2019 435.2 thousand cases of stroke have been registered in the Russian Federation, 30% of those patients died during the year after the acute episode, thus annually up to 1.7 million years of life are lost. According to our study, stroke accounted for 2% of all days of disability paid by Social Insurance Fund in 2019 and 9% of cases of primary receiving of disability. More than 139 thousand working people assisted their relatives who suffered a stroke, 59.2 thousand of them were forced to change jobs, 18 thousand people left work due to the need to care for a relative. The economic burden of stroke amounted to more than 490 billion rubles. or 0.3% of GDP. The average costs per 1 registered case of hemorrhagic stroke amounted to 0.93 million rubles, ischemic - 1.2 million rubles, of which about 10% are medical costs, 5% are non-medical costs and 85% are costs associated with loss of productivity. CONCLUSION: Stroke causes a significant socio-economic burden for the state in the Russian Federation, the economic losses within 1 year is equal to the 0.3% of the country's annual GDP. The main contribution to the stroke economic and social burden is not only mortality, but also disability, leading to incapacitation of patients who have suffered a stroke, as well as to a reduction in the contribution to the economy of their relatives who help and care for them.

[Changes of the genome-wide DNA methylation level in various regions of the rat brain with incomplete cerebral ischemia]. / Izmenenie urovnya polnogenomnogo metilirovaniya DNK v razlichnykh oblastyakh golovnogo mozga krys pri nepolnoi tserebral'noi ishemii.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify genome-wide DNA methylation in the olfactory bulbs, fronto-parietal and occipital regions, and cerebellum in normal male Wistar rats and in modeling incomplete cerebral ischemia caused by permanent bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was performed on 23 male Wistar rats divided into groups: «Sham operation¼ and «Cerebral ischemia¼. The level of genome-wide methylation of CCGG sites was determined by methyl-sensitive restriction using MspI/HpaII endonucleases followed by densitometric analysis of electrophoregrams by ImageJ software. RESULTS: Incomplete cerebral ischemia on the 7th day leads to 56.3% (95% CI: 33.2-76.90) mortality. In the surviving rats of the «Cerebral ischemia¼ group, compared with the animals of the «Sham operation¼ group, a pronounced neurological deficit was observed, which was accompanied by changes in the level of whole-genome DNA methylation in the nervous tissue of brain structures (p<0.05). Incomplete cerebral ischemia in male Wistar rats was characterized by interhemispheric asymmetry in the severity and direction of the epigenomic reaction of the nervous tissue in both ischemic and non-ischemic areas of the brain. CONCLUSION: It is likely that it is precisely this dynamics of changes in the status of genome-wide DNA methylation in the nervous tissue that imparts plasticity to neuronal function during ischemic damage.

[DNA methylation in experimental ischemic brain injury]. / Metilirovanie DNK pri eksperimental'nom ishemicheskom povrezhdenii golovnogo mozga.

The enrichment of angioneurology with fundamental advances leads to the understanding of new important facets in the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia. The knowledge of epigenetic mechanisms in the development of stroke, in particular, DNA methylation, which makes a significant contribution to the development and formation of cerebral damage, is becoming more and more relevant. This review reflects an analysis of animal studies proving the relationship of DNA methylation with cerebral ischemia. As a result of the search work, 282 articles from the PubMed database were selected for keywords that corresponded to this topic. Of these publications, 8 studies were devoted to genome-wide DNA methylation, and 6 published the results of DNA methylation of candidate genes in experimental cerebral ischemia. The results have demonstrated that brain DNA methylation in animals is associated with the development of ischemic stroke and may play a role in several pathogenetic mechanisms. In two studies, a decrease in the level of DNA methylation in 2 genes in ischemic brain tissues of laboratory animals was found, at the same time, in four studies, 8 genes, in which methylation increased after ischemic stroke, were reported. These data suggest that the assessment of the level of DNA methylation in stroke is a promising biomarker for the search and improvement of pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods for limiting brain damage in ischemic and reperfusion injury at the stages of preclinical and clinical studies.

[Biomarkers of brain damage and inflammation in patients with acute cerebral ischemia]. / Biomarkery povrezhdeniya mozga i vospaleniya u patsientov s ostroi tserebral'noi ishemiei.

OBJECTIVE: To study the pathogenetic and clinical significance of factors of hypoxic brain damage and inflammatory mediators in the development of stroke, to improve the diagnosis using laboratory markers of brain damage and inflammation in patients with acute cerebrovascular accident. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined 55 people with stroke of the ischemic type at the age of 74 (67; 80) years, the comparison group consisted of 25 volunteers at the age of 65.0 (62.0; 66.5) years. Depending on the outcome of ischemic stroke, patients were assigned to the discharged group or to the deceased group. Blood serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) S100b protein, glial fibrillar acidic protein and interleukin-6 (IL-6); blood serum neurospecific enolase, and cortisol and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined. Clinical blood test and assessment of fibrinogen content were performed on days 1, 3 and 10 of stroke. RESULTS: There is an increase in the levels of markers of brain tissue damage and systemic inflammation in the blood and CSF in response to cerebral ischemia that reflects the synergy of these pathological processes in patients with stroke, their association with the severity of stroke and its outcome. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the postischemic release of neurospecific proteins, an increase in the content of IL-6, CRP, and cortisol make it possible to additionally characterize the severity of stroke and the body's response to damage, and predict the outcome of the disease.

[Prospects of use of research results for drugs with anitihypoxic and antioxidative properties in neuroprotective treatment strategies (Opinion of the Council of Experts dated 26 March 2022)]. / Perspektiva ispol'zovaniya rezul'tatov issledovaniya preparatov s anitigipoksantnymi i antioksidantnymi svoistvami v neiroprotektivnoi strategii lecheniya (Zaklyuchenie soveta ekspertov ot 26 marta 2022 g.).

Cerebrovascular diseases are one of the main causes of death and permanent disability. Effective and timely neuroprotective therapy can reduce the burden of cerebrovascular disease. The possibilities of neuroprotection as a method of prevention and medical rehabilitation of acute and chronic cerebrovascular diseases are addressed.

[Topical issues of adequate control of dyslipidemia in the prevention of acute and recurrent cerebral circulatory disorders of ischemic type]. / Aktual'nye voprosy adekvatnogo kontrolya dislipidemii v profilaktike ostrykh i povtornykh narushenii mozgovogo krovoobrashcheniya po ishemicheskomu tipu.

Ischemic stroke (IS) is one of the main causes of death and permanent disability. Reducing the burden of stroke is possible if effective preventive measures are provided. The possibilities of correcting lipid metabolism as an important measure aimed at preventing IS are analyzed.

[COMPASS study results as a foundation for new treatment approach for neurological patients. Opinion of the expert council of december 18, 2021]. / Znachenie rezul'tatov issledovaniya COMPASS v izmenenii podkhodov k lecheniyu patsientov nevrologicheskogo profilya. Zaklyuchenie soveta ekspertov ot 18 dekabrya 2021 g.

The resolution of the Council of Experts devoted to the discussion of the effectiveness of the use of a combination of rivaroxaban 2.5 mg 2 times a day and acetylsalicylic acid 100 mg per day to prevent recurrent non-coronary ischemic stroke results of the COMPASS study is presented. The advantages of this combination and the safety of its use are considered. Recommendations for the implementation of the results of the study in clinical practice are given.

[Results of the round table: modern approaches to drug therapy of cognitive impairment in cerebrovascular pathology]. / Itogi kruglogo stola: sovremennye podkhody k medikamentoznoi terapii kognitivnykh narushenii pri tserebrovaskulyarnoi patologii.

On June 25-26, 2021, a round table was held in Kazan with the participation of leading neurologists of Russia, where the issues of treatment of patients with cognitive impairment due to cerebrovascular diseases were discussed. Cognitive disorders of vascular genesis (VCD) are widespread in the population, are a common cause of a decrease in the quality of life and restriction of daily activity. The cause of VCD is both acute and chronic cerebrovascular diseases. An effective way to prevent VCD is to control cardiovascular risk factors, ensure a sufficient level of cognitive and physical activity throughout life. The role of drug therapy, aimed, among other things, at normalizing metabolic processes in the brain, is extremely important. The data on the mechanisms of action of the new domestic drug prospecta, the results of its clinical trials in patients with VCD are presented.

[A prognosis scale for functional outcome at discharge after endovascular thrombectomy in the carotid artery territory]. / Shkala prognozirovaniya rannego funktsional'nogo iskhoda posle vnutrisosudistoi tromboembolektomii pri karotidnom ishemicheskom insul'te.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a method for early (24 hrs after intervention) prognosis of functional outcome at discharge in patients after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in anterior cerebral circulation based on NIHSS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of endovascular treatment in 362 acute stroke patients (189 men, 173 women, median age 69 years) with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion was performed in the regional vascular centers of St. Petersburg. RESULTS: The original scale (S10-10) developed for prognosis of functional outcome at discharge is based on total scores on 3 patterns: NIHSS 24 hrs after EVT (10 and less - 1, greater than 10 - 2), NIHSS improvement 24 hrs (greater than 10 - 0, 1-10 - 1, 0 and less - 2), older than 78 yr - 1. According to the total score, 5 grades are determined: 1 (good, mRs 0-2 75%, mRs 3-5 25%, mRs 6 0%), 2 (favorable, mRs 0-2 66%, mRs 3-5 26%, mRs 6 8%), 3 (unfavorable, mRs 0-2 14%, mRs 3-5 68%, mRs 6 18%), 4 (unfavorable with high mortality, mRs 0-2 1%, mRs 3-5 52%, mRs 6 47%), 5 (highly negative, mRs 0-2 0%, mRs 3-5 16%, mRs 6 84%). S10-10 greater than 2 indicates unfavorable prognosis. The scale allows accurate prognosis of functional outcome at discharge (AUC 0.89; AUC 0.84 in a validation cohort) and length of in-patient staying and time to death for S10-10 greater than 2. CONCLUSION: Accurate prognosis of functional outcome at discharge can be done 24 hrs after EVT in anterior cerebral circulation based on the widely used neurological scale (NIHSS) taking into account patient age.

[Therapy of moderate cognitive impairment in the early recovery period of ischemic stroke]. / Terapiya umerennykh kognitivnykh rasstroistv v rannem vosstanovitel'nom periode ishemicheskogo insul'ta.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of prospecta in the treatment of moderate cognitive impairment in the early recovery period of ischemic stroke. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 275 patients (mean age 64.0±8.1 years) with a history of single ischemic stroke from 3 to 6 months, with moderate cognitive impairment, and moderate activity in everyday life, who were randomized in two groups. During the screening phase, the severity of cognitive impairment was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scales; the level of activity in everyday life was evaluated with the Barthel Scale; and quality of life was assessed with the Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scale. Patients took 2 tablets of prospecta or placebo 2 times a day for 24 weeks. The follow-up period was 4 weeks. The primary endpoint of the study was the proportion of patients with improvement in cognitive function (+1 or more on the MoCA test) after 24 weeks of treatment. The occurrence and type of adverse events (AEs), their severity, relationship to the drug, outcome, changes in vital signs, and the proportion of patients with clinically significant abnormality in laboratory tests were analyzed to assess the safety. RESULTS: A clinically significant improvement in cognitive function was obtained in 91.9% of patients in the prospecta group vs 82.,1% in the placebo group, (p=0.02). There were 57 AEs in 37 (27.4%) Prospecta group patients and 53 AEs in 39 (27.9%) Placebo group participants (p=1.00). No AEs were certainly associated with taking the medication. No clinically significant changes in vital signs or abnormal laboratory results were detected during the study. CONCLUSION: Prospecta is an effective and safe treatment option for patients with moderate cognitive impairment in the early recovery period of ischemic stroke.

The Novel Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19) and Nervous System Involvement: Mechanisms of Neurological Disorders, Clinical Manifestations, and the Organization of Neurological Care.

The new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes COVID-19 involves not only respiratory system damage, but can also lead to disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system, as well as the muscular system. This article presents published data and our own observations on the course of neurological disorders in COVID-19 patients. There is a relationship between the severity of COVID-19 and the severity and frequency of neurological manifestations. Severe neurological disorders are mostly seen in severe cases of COVID-19 and include acute cerebrovascular accidents (aCVA), acute necrotizing encephalopathy, and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Factors potentially complicating the course of COVID-19 and increasing the development of neurological complications include arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and chronic cardiac and respiratory system diseases. Questions of the possible effects of human coronaviruses on the course of chronic progressive neurological diseases are addressed using multiple sclerosis (MS) as an example. We discuss the management of patients with aCVA and MS depending on the risk of developing coronavirus infection.

[Novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) and nervous system involvement: pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, organization of neurological care]. / Novaya koronavirusnaya infektsiya (COVID-19) i porazhenie nervnoi sistemy: mekhanizmy nevrologicheskikh rasstroistv, klinicheskie proyavleniya, organizatsiya nevrologicheskoi pomoshchi.

Novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, besides affecting the respiratory system, may lead to central and peripheral nervous system disorders and also cause muscular symptoms. The authors review the literature and own clinical case with respect to nervous system involvement in COVID-19 patients. There is a correlation between the severity of COVID-19 and the severity and frequency of neurologic complications. Severe neurologic symptoms are primarily observed in patients with severe COVID-19. Neurologic-associated symptoms may include stroke, acute necrotizing encephalopathy, and Guillen-Barre syndrome. Diseases that potentially aggravate COVID-19 and increase the risk of neurologic complications include arterial hypertension, diabetes, chronic diseases of the heart and respiratory system. The probable impact of human coronaviruses on chronic and progressive diseases of the nervous system with particular respect to multiple sclerosis is reviewed. A triage plan for stroke and MS patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, depending on the risk of coronavirus infection, is presented.

[Early carotid endarterectomy in patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis in the acute period of ischemic stroke]. / Ranniaia karotidnaia éndarteréktomiia u patsientov s ostroi tserebral'noi ishemiei na fone simptomnogo stenoza sonnoi arterii.

AIM: To identify the optimal timing of CEA in patients with hemodynamic significant stenosis of carotid arteries in the acute period of ischemic stroke (IS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Five samples (n=30 911) based on the search results from January 2008 to April 2016 in Russian and English-language scientific databases were analyzed. The main endpoints of the studies in both groups (repeated stroke, death, cardiac complications, frequency of restenosis) were studied depending on the timing of operative intervention and preoperative selection criteria. Perioperative morbidity and mortality were analyzed within 30 days after disease onset. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There are heterogeneous and contradictory information on the safety of CEA in patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis in acute period of IS. Fundamentally, a new individual approach is required to select best candidates for timed surgery after disease onset, taking into account the severity of the condition, risk factors, comorbidity and surgical techniques.