[Epifamine efficacy in aspirin bronchial asthma]. / Effektivnost' lecheniia épifaminom aspirinovoi bronkhial'noi astmy.

Nine patients with moderate and severe aspirin bronchial asthma (ABA) received epifamine (a course dose 400 mg) in addition to continuous antiasthmatic therapy. Matched 12 ABA patients received placebo. Epifamine was found to improve the patients' clinical condition, response of distal bronchi to berotek; to promote achievement of long remission and increased production of melatonin. Thus, epifamine is effective and can be used in pathogenetic strategic therapy of ABA.

[Quality of life and characteristics of the external respiration function in patients with bronchial asthma]. / Kachestvo zhizni i pokazateli funktsii vneshnego dykhaniia u bol'nykh s bronkhial'noi astmoi.

AIM: To investigate correlations between quality of life, bronchial obstruction, nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity (NSBH) and response of these parameters to treatment with inhalation steroids in patients with bronchial asthma (BA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 67 BA patients (47 women and 20 men) aged 18 to 62 years (mean age 43 years). 59 of them had the diagnosis of atopic BA, 8 had bacterial BA. Quality of life was assessed with the questionnaire AQLQ, bronchial obstruction was judged by forced expiratory volume per a second (FEV1). Bronchial hyperreactivity was studied with acetylcholine and histamine tests. RESULTS: Quality of life strongly correlated with FEV1 and NSBH. Positive changes in the latter due to treatment with inhalation glucocorticoid budesonide (400 mcg/day) entailed improvement of life quality. CONCLUSION: Bronchial obstruction and NSBH have a significant effect on BA patients' life quality which should be considered in monitoring of BA patients' condition.

[Influence of berotec inhalations on pulmonary gas exchange in patients with bronchial asthma]. / Nekotorye aspekty vliianiia ingaliatsii beroteka na legochnyi gazoobmen u bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi.

AIM: To determine mechanisms inducing changes in lung gas exchange after berotec inhalation in patients with bronchial asthma (BA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A study was made of external respiration function including estimation of lung transfer factor (TLCO sbh.) and its components--transfer coefficient (KCO), membrane diffusion capacity (DM), pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc)--by the single breath holding method on CO in 14 healthy persons and 39 patients with BA before and after berotec inhalation. The data were obtained in the absolute values and their changes after berotec inhalation were measured in percent to initial ones. RESULTS: In healthy subjects we did not observe changes of TLCO sbh. and its components after berotec inhalation, only an insignificant decrease of VA eff. was registered (p < 0.01). After berotec inhalation a considerable improvement in Sgaw, FEV1, RPV and a decrease of TLCO sbh., KCO were observed. Changes in TLCO sbh. were caused by a decrease in DM without changes in VA eff. in BA patients with initial normal values of KCO. In patients with smaller initial values of KCO moderate improvement of bronchial permeability without changes in KCO, PaO2 were observed. These changes occurred due to a decrease of VA eff. CONCLUSION: Changes of the transfer factor and its components in patients with BA reflect two types of adaptation reactions in response to berotec inhalation and their role in mechanisms of compensation of gas exchange in the lungs.

[Peculiarities of cell reception in bronchial asthma patients with bronchial hyperreactivity to hyperosmolar provocation]. / Osobennosti kletochnoi retseptsii u bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi s giperrektivnost'iu bronkhov na giperosmoliarnuiu provokatsiiu.

AIM: To investigate characteristics of the cell receptor systems in bronchial asthma (BA) patients with bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) induced by hyperosmolar provocation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 15 patients with BA, in most cases atopic, in remission were studied. The bronchoprovocative test (BPT) with ultrasonically nebulized 3.6% hypertonic NaCl solution (UNHS) FEV1-control was performed. Cell receptors reactivity was analysed on the model of erythrocyte resistance (ER) to hyperosmolar provocation (HP) under the modulation by adrenergic and histaminergic agents. RESULTS: It was revealed that ER was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in BA patients with BHR to UNHS under histaminergic modulation, but ER did not differ in BA patients with or without BHR to UNHS under the adrenergic modulation. The correlation was found between DFEV1 on BPT and magnitude of ER to HP under the blockade of H1-histaminergic receptors (r = 0.72; p < 0.02). CONCLUSION: The development of BHR to hyperosmolar stimulus may be due primarily to disturbance of histaminergic receptor system.

[Role of biological defects in formation and development of bronchial asthma and potentialities of premorbid diagnosis]. / Rol' biologicheskikh defektov v formirovanii i razvitii bronkhial'noi atmy i vozmozhnosti premorbidnoi diagnostiki.

The paper considers bronchial asthma as a polygenic disease. It presents some data available in the literature on the role of genetic disorders in the development of atopic states and the authors' own findings of various biological defects detected in apparently healthy blood relatives of patients with bronchial asthma. It is concluded that premorbid diagnosis is of importance in high risk persons.

[The efficacy of the magnesium sulfate aerosol treatment of bronchial asthma patients]. / Effektivnost' lecheniia aérozolom sul'fata magniia bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi.

Action of magnesium sulphate (MS) aerosol (solution osmolality 260 mmol/l, pH 6.6) on bronchial sensitivity and reactivity to acetylcholine(AC) and graded exercise as well as bronchial permeability assessed by general plethysmography and pneumotaxography were studied in 49 patients with mild and moderate bronchial asthma. It is shown that when compared to placebo, MS inhalations conducted in the time of attenuating asthma exacerbation improved immediate and long-term responses in atopic and effort asthma. Both in single doses and course administration MS reduced non-specific bronchial hyperreactivity and secretory activity of mast cells. Positive dynamics of bronchoprovocative AC test suggested response to treatment in most BA patients.

[Magnesium sulfate in management of bronchial asthma]. / Opyt primeneniia sul'fata magniia v lechenii bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi.

The effect of magnesium sulfate aerosol (osmolality of the solution 260 mmol/l, pH 6.6) on bronchial sensitivity and reactivity to acetylcholine (AC) and graded exercise as well as bronchial permeability measured by general plethysmography and pneumotaxography were evaluated in 49 patients with mild and moderate bronchial asthma (BA). When compared to placebo, magnesium sulfate (MS) inhalations performed at the stage of attenuating exacerbation, improved immediate and long-term response of patients with atopic and effort BA. In this disease, both single and course doses of MS reduced nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity and secretory activity of mast cells. A positive trend in the parameters of AC provocative test predicted efficacy of MS treatment in the majority of BA sufferers.

[The correction of biological defects in bronchial asthma patients by the methods of Chinese medicine]. / Korrektsiia biologicheskikh defektov u bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi metodami kitaiskoi meditsiny.

42 patients with bronchial asthma underwent combined treatment according to 8 methods of classical Chinese medicine. Partial and complete immediate and long-term responses were achieved in 81% of the patients with asthma diagnosed by Chinese criteria as cold and mixed. Satisfactory results were recorded in 19% of hot bronchial asthma cases.

[An analysis of the acupuncture treatment results in bronchial asthma patients]. / Analiz rezul'tatov lecheniia akupunkturoi bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi.

Treatment effects reached in 94 patients with bronchial asthma demonstrate that neurogenic, humoral and bioenergetic responses to acupuncture proceed according to adaptation laws and result in reduction of bronchial hyperreactivity. Eosinophilic inflammation in the bronchi diminishes acupuncture efficacy.

[Bronchial nonspecific reactivity in patients with bronchial asthma and in the preasthmatic state and its alteration under the influence of acupuncture]. / Nespetsificheskaia reaktivnost' bronkhov u bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi i v sostoianii predastmy i ee izmenenie pod vliianiem akupunktury.

The development of nonspecific bronchial hypersensitivity and hyperreactivity in bronchial asthma and effectiveness of its correction with acupuncture were investigated in 152 patients with asthma and preasthma. 94 of them were subjected to acupuncture. The authors employed a complex of diagnostic methods with determination of 241 parameters processed later with the use of systemic modelling. Bronchial hypersensitivity as indicated by the response to acetylcholine was related to impaired coordination of bronchomotor tone regulating systems: parasympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system, eosinophilic and monocytic bronchial inflammation, glucocorticoid homeostatic alterations. The corrective role of acupuncture consists in reduction of nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity, normalization of blood acetylcholine, resensitization of cell beta-adrenergic receptors, elevation of mean concentrations of 11-OCS and T-lymphocytes.

[The therapeutic potentials of Ditec in bronchial asthma patients]. / Terapevticheskie vozmozhnosti ditéka u bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi.

Ditec effects on clinicofunctional status were investigated in 15 patients with mild and moderate atopic bronchial asthma (ABA) aged 20-50 (5 males and 10 females). A single ditec dose had a broncholytic effect along the entire bronchial tree and reduced sensitivity to acetylcholine. Magnesium sulfate (a single dose 3 mmol Mg2+, pH 6.6, the solution osmolality 260 mmol/l) potentiated ditec action on nonspecific hyperreactivity of the bronchial tree. Four-week ditec course induced no considerable changes in bronchial permeability, but increased reversibility of bronchial obstruction, inhibited sensitivity and response of the bronchial tree to acetylcholine. Course administration of ditec lowered endobronchial concentration of histamine and lipid peroxidation intensity showing antiallergic and antiinflammatory properties of the drug. Ditec is recommended for ABA and other asthma forms treatment as a safe and effective modality.

[Bronchial reactivity characteristics in EEG variants in bronchial asthma patients]. / Osobennosti reaktivnosti bronkhov pri nekotorykh variantakh EEG u bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi.

The authors' investigations show that those asthmatics who have EEG-recorded lowered convulsion threshold of the cortical neurones exhibit higher hypersensitivity and hyperreactivity of the bronchi than those in patients with intact cortical-subcortical relationships. The interaction of the above parameters demonstrates stable relations between bronchial reactivity and bioelectrical cerebral activity.

[Role of magnesium and calcium ions in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma]. / Rol' ionov magniia i kal'tsiia v patogeneze bronkhial'noi astmy.

Nuclear absorption spectrophotometry (ACC-508, Hitachi, Japan) and selective ionometry (Microlyte, Kone, Finland) were used to measure Mg and Ca concentrations in the serum, red cells, lymphocytes and 24-h urine of 26 patients with atopic and 23 patients with bacterial bronchial asthma (BA) aged 15-65. Irrespective of BA variant, phase, severity and bronchial obstruction, the blood of the examinees contained insufficient quantities of Mg and excessive ones of Ca. 24-h urinary excretion of Mg was subnormal. BA-specific changes in cell electrolyte composition impair cAMP metabolism and activate lipid peroxidation. This results in emergence of bronchial hyperreactivity. It is suggested that abnormal intracellular homeostasis of bivalent cations in BA patients may be due to hyperactivation of free-radical oxidation of cell membrane lipids.

[The role of disorders in the homeostasis of divalent cations in the pathogenesis and clinical picture of bronchial asthma]. / Rol' narushenii gomeostaza dvukhvalentnykh kationov v patogeneze i klinicheskoi kartine bronkhial'noi astmy.

Mg and Ca concentrations in the serum, red cells, lymphocytes and 24-h urine were examined in 13 preasthma (PA) patients, 26 atopic asthma patients and 23 bacterial asthma (BA) patients. The patients' age ranged from 15 to 65 years. The measurements were made on AAC-508 absorption spectrophotometer (Hitachi, Japan) and Microlyte selective ionometer (Kone, Finland). Lack of Mg and excess of Ca in blood cells and low Mg values in circadian urine were recorded in all the patients irrespective of the disease variant, phase, course, broncho-obstruction. Changes in cell electrolyte composition in asthma and PA patients seem to disturb cAMP metabolism and to enhance lipid peroxidation, thus being responsible for bronchial hyperreactivity. Superactivation of free-radical lipid peroxidation in cellular membranes is suggested to underlie, among other factors, defective intracellular homeostasis of bivalent cations in the above patients.

[Pulmonary diffusing capacity in patients with chronic renal failure treated by hemodialysis]. / Diffuznaia sposobnost' legkikh u bol'nykh s khronicheskoi pochechnoi nedostatochnost'iu pri lechenii gemodializom.

Forty-eight patients with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) receiving hemodialysis (24 males and 24 females) aged 17-62 underwent bicycle exercise to measure diffuse capacity of the lungs (DCL) before and after the test. DCL components (membraneous and blood volume in pulmonary capillaries, Vc) were defined in 33 out of 48 patients. DCL appeared to reduce significantly (up to 65 +/- 2%) at the expense of Vc fall to 51 +/- 4.5% and membraneous component decline, to 65 +/- 4%. DCL depended on severity of anemia, hemodialysis efficiency, electrolyte metabolism activity and CRI gravity. Performance status in CRI patients is limited by DCL value responsible for maximal oxygen consumption under exercise being independent on duration and type of hemodialysis.

[Acupuncture therapy in the treatment of patients with bronchial asthma]. / Iulorefleksoterapiia bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi.

Erythron membrane impairment was investigated using membrane -active drugs (obsidan, delagil, morphium, ethanol) to specify indications to acupuncture in bronchial asthma (BA). The patients were studied during the treatment and followed up for a year. It was found that both immediate and long-term results of acupuncture were related to patterns of the membrane impairment. BA patients with a sharp, greater than 1.5 fold diminution of microcyte count upon delagil test should be assigned to repeated courses of acupuncture during a year. To monitor the treatment effect, it is recommended to define osmotic resistance of the red blood cells in obsidan test in addition to clinicofunctional indices.

[The results of the dynamic observation of bronchial hyperreactivity in risk-group subjects and in bronchial asthma patients. Some corrective procedures]. / Rezul'taty dinamicheskogo nabliudeniia za giperreaktivnost'iu bronkhov u lits grupp riska i bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi, nekotorye sposoby ee korrektsii.

The following bronchial provocation tests were carried out: 310 with acetylcholine, 216 with submaximal physical exercise, 246 with cold air inhalation, and 103 with aspirin in healthy subjects, relatives of bronchial asthma patients, in patients with preasthma and asthma in a stage of exacerbation abatement or remission. Based on the data obtained the authors show nonspecific hyperreactivity of the bronchi in healthy relatives of bronchial asthma patients, heterogeneity and a high incidence of responses to acetylcholine, cold air and physical exercise, augmentation of the reaction intensity to different stimuli in all asthma patients. The follow-up of bronchial hyperreactivity discovered its progression in the absence of the treatment and the lowering of its intensity as a result of the treatment with calcium antagonists, magnesium sulfate, punctate massage, sublaminal physical exercise, ultraviolet radiation of autologous blood, specific desensitization with aspirin.