MANIFESTATIONS OF DISEASES OF THE ORAL MUCOSA OF PATIENTS IN THE ADJARA REGION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

The aim of this study was to describe manifestations of diseases of the oral mucosa of patients in the Adjara region during the COVID-19 pandemic. We recruited 55 patients, 25 women (45.5%) and 30 men (54.5%), aged between 18 and 89 years with confirmed COVID-19 at different stages of severity. After obtaining informed consent, we examined their mouths and recorded clinical findings. Forty percent of the patients had at least 1 oral lesion. The most common lesions were candidiasis and ulcers (7 patients each); 2 patients had enanthems. Geographic tongue and caviar tongue were also observed. Altered taste, dry mouth, and painful/burning mouth were noted in 60%, 27.3%, and 36.4% of patients, respectively. Oral mucosal alterations and lesions were prevalent in this series of COVID-19 patients. An altered taste and a painful/burning mouth were common symptoms. For the first time, we performed a description of the oral cavity of patients diagnosed with COVID 19 in the Adjara region. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The variable "age" was compared using the Student's t-test and P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS'S ANTINOCICEPTION MEDIATED BY THE OPIOID MECHANISM IN THE NUCLEUS RAPHE MAGNUS.

It has been established that the midbrain periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) and rostral ventro-medial medulla (RVM) are involved in the descending pain control system. The latter involves the midline nucleus raphe magnus (NRM) and adjacent reticular formation. These brain structures are is one of important parts of CNS circuit that controls nociceptive transmission at the level of spinal cord. Here we report that microinjection of commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), diclofenac, ketorolac, metamizol, and xefocam into the NRM produces strong antinociception which is mediated by the opioid mechanism. The experiments were carried out on experimental and control (saline) white albino male rats. Animals were implanted with a guide cannula in the NRM and tested for antinociception following microinjection of NSAIDs into the NRM in the tail flick (TF) and hot plate (HP) tests. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post-hoc Tukey-Kramer multiple comparison tests were used for statistical evaluation. The obtained data show that microinjection of these NSAIDs into the NRM produced antinociception as revealed by a latency increase in the tail-flick (TF) and hot plate (HP) latencies compared to the saline control microinjected into the same nucleus. Furthermore, we definitely showed that pre-treatment with opioid antagonist naloxone in the NRM diminishes NSAID-induced antinociception expressing in significant decrease in TF and HP latencies (P<0.001). The present findings support the concept that antinociceptive effects of NSAIDs are mediated via an endogenous opioid system possibly involving the descending pain modulatory circuit.

[The efficiency of treating ulcerative corneal lesions with fibro nectin]. / Effektivnost' lecheniia iazvennykh porazhenii rogovitsy fibronektinom.

The paper analyses results after experimental studies of effectiveness of medical forms of fibronectin used in a form of eye drops for treatment of infectious keratitis on a model of bacterial corneal ulcer in 30 rabbits (60 eyes). The results obtained speak about a pronounced stimulating action of fibronectin on reparative processes: almost a twice quicker epithelialization of corneal defects (by 46.8%) and a quicker reverse development of inflammatory signs as compared with the control group of animals. Results of experimental studies allow to recommend fibronectin for treatment of patients with infectious keratitis, bacterial ulcers of the cornea.

[A method of surgical treatment in eccentrically located keratoconus]. / Sposob khirurgicheskogo lecheniia ékstsentrichno raspolozhennogo keratokonusa.

The results of surgical treatment of 4 patients with eccentrically located keratoconus are analyzed. The surgery has removed the eccentric keratoconus, alleviated the clinical refraction of the eye at the expense of flattening the entire cornea by stretching a valve flap, essentially improved the visual acuity, and eliminated the complications associated with the keratoconus perforation and with the immunologic incompatibility reaction.

[Depth visual function and the relative accommodation reserves of patients before and after keratotomy]. / Sostoianie glubinnogo zreniia i rezervov otnositel'noi akkomodatsii u bol'nykh do i posle keratotomii.

Reserves of relative accommodation and thresholds of remote vision have been investigated in 60 patients with myopia of different degree before radial keratotomy and 1.5-2.0 years after the surgery. It was firstly established that the state of accommodation and remote vision for near before surgery influences the stability of the obtained postoperative effect. This fact should be considered when planning keratotomy. A conclusion is made that for patients with reserves of accommodation of the positive part not lower that 2.0D and the threshold of remote vision for near not higher than 7 mm keratotomy is not advisable.