The monomeric C-reactive protein level is associated with the increase in carotid plaque number in patients with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis.

The high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) assay measures the level of the pentameric form of CRP in blood. Currently, there are no available assays measuring the level of the monomeric form of CRP (mCRP), produced at sites of local inflammation. We developed an assay measuring the mCRP level in blood plasma with functional beads for flow cytometry. The assay was used to measure the mCRP level in 80 middle-aged individuals with initially moderate cardiovascular SCORE risk. By the time of the mCRP measurement, the patients have been followed up for subclinical carotid atherosclerosis progression for 7 years. Ultrasound markers of subclinical atherosclerosis, which included plaque number (PN) and total plaque height (PH), were measured at baseline and at the 7th-year follow-up survey. Inflammatory biomarkers, including mCRP, hsCRP, inteleukin-6 (IL-6) and von Willebrand factor (VWF) level, were measured at the 7th-year follow-up survey. The median level of mCRP was 5.2 (3.3; 7.1) µg/L, hsCRP 1.05 (0.7; 2.1) mg/L, IL-6 0.0 (0.0; 2.8) pg/mL, VWF 106 (77; 151) IU/dL. In the patients with the mCRP level below median vs. the patients with the median mCRP level or higher, change from baseline in PN was 0.0 (0.0; 1.0) vs. 1.0 (1.0; 2.0) and PH 0.22 (-0.24; 1.91) mm vs. 1.97 (1.14; 3.14) mm, respectively (p < 0.05). The adjusted odds ratio for the formation of new carotid atherosclerotic plaques was 4.7 (95% CI 1.7; 13.2) for the patients with the median mCRP level or higher. The higher mCRP level is associated with the more pronounced increase in PN and PH in patients with normal level of traditional inflammatory biomarkers and initially moderate cardiovascular SCORE risk.

A MATHEMATICAL MODEL FOR PREDICTING THE OUTCOME OF TREATMENT OF MULTIDRUD-RESISTANT TUBERCULOSIS.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: Predicting the effectiveness of treatment for MRI of the lungs by developing a mathematical model to predict treatment outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: 84 patients with MRI of the lungs: group 1 (n = 56) - with signs of effective TB treatment at the end of the intensive phase; group 2 (n = 28) - patients with signs of ineffective treatment. We used the multivariate discriminant analysis method using the statistical environment STATISTICA 13. RESULTS: Results: During the discriminant analysis, the parameters of the clinical blood analysis (monocytes, stab leukocytes, erythrocytes) were selected, which were associated with high (r> 0.5) statistically significant correlations with the levels of MMP-9, TIMP-1, oxyproline and its fractions and aldosterone in the formation of the prognosis. The mathematical model allows, in the form of comparing the results of solving two linear equations and comparing their results, to predict the outcome of treatment: "1" effective treatment, "2" - ineffective treatment. Early prediction of treatment effectiveness is promising, as it allows the use of the developed mathematical model as an additional criterion for the selection of patients for whom surgical treatment is recommended, in order to increase the effectiveness of treatment. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: An additional criterion for predicting ineffective MRI treatment, along with the criteria provided for by WHO recommendations, is a mathematical model that takes into account probably strong correlation (r = 0.5, p <0.05) between the factors of connective tissue destruction, collagen destruction, aldosterone , and indicators of a clinical blood test (between levels of OBZ and monocytes (r = 0.82, p = 0.00001), OB and monocytes (r = 0.92, p = 0.000001) OB and stab leukocytes (r = - 0.87, p = 0.0003) OBZ and stab leukocytes (r = - 0.53, p = 0.017), aldosterone and ESR.

A Randomized Trial Comparing Short versus Prolonged Hemostasis with Rescue Recanalization by Ipsilateral Ulnar Artery Compression: Impact on Radial Artery Occlusion-The RESCUE-RAO Trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite the enormous benefits of radial access, this route is associated with a risk of radial artery occlusion (RAO). OBJECTIVE: We compared the incidence of RAO in patients undergoing transradial coronary angiography and intervention after short versus prolonged hemostasis protocol. Also we assessed the efficacy of rescue 1-hour ipsilateral ulnar artery compression if RAO was observed after hemostasis. Material and Methods. Patients referred for elective transradial coronary procedures were eligible. After 6 F radial sheath removal, patients were randomized to short (3 hours) (n = 495) or prolonged (8 hours) (n = 503) hemostasis and a simple bandage was placed over the puncture site. After hemostasis was completed, oximetry plethysmography was used to assess the patency of the radial artery. RESULTS: One thousand patients were randomized. Baseline characteristics were similar between both groups with average age 61.4 ± 9.4 years (71% male) and PCI performed on half of the patients. The RAO rate immediately after hemostasis was 3.2% in the short hemostasis group and 10.1% in the prolonged group (p < 0.001). Rescue recanalization was successful only in the short group in 56.2% (11/19); at hospital discharge, RAO rates were 1.4% in the short group and 10.1% in the prolonged group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Shorter hemostasis was associated with significantly less RAO compared to prolonged hemostasis. Rescue radial artery recanalization was effective in > 50%, but only in the short hemostasis group.

Efficacy and safety of quercetin and polyvinylpyrrolidone in treatment of patients with newly diagnosed destructive pulmonary tuberculosis in comparison with standard antimycobacterial therapy.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: The objective/background of this work was to study the efficacy and safety of quercetin and polyvinylpyrrolidone (QP) in the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed destructive pulmonary tuberculosis in comparison with standard antimycobacterial therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved 124 patients aged between 20years and 70years with newly diagnosed destructive pulmonary tuberculosis. Patients were allocated to two groups. The first (control) group of patients received standard antimycobacterial and pathogenetic therapy and included 31 (25.00±3.89%) patients. The second (main) group of patients received QP therapy in addition to chemotherapy and included 93 (75.00±3.89%) patients. RESULTS: Intoxication symptoms in the second group were reduced following 1.33±0.15months, whereas in the first group intoxication symptoms were reduced following 2.64±0.20months, p<.001. CONCLUSION: Administration of QP combined with chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed destructive pulmonary tuberculosis resulted in a comparatively quick reduction of disease manifestation.