[Long-term follow-up study of post-COVID-19 patients].

AIM: To evaluate dynamic changes in the lungs, hemostasis system, immune system in different terms after coronavirus pneumonia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ventilation-perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (CT), functional methods of lung investigation, evaluation of hemostasis system, immune status and specific humoral immune response were performed and evaluated in different terms after coronavirus pneumonia. A total of 71 patients were examined according to this protocol. We examined patients with the lesion volume not less than 50% according to chest CT. All patients were divided into 2 groups depending on the distance from the acute stage of coronavirus pneumonia. Group 1 included patients who were examined early (3060 days after hospital discharge), group 2 included patients who were examined later (61180 days after hospital discharge). RESULTS: We obtained gradual regression of pathologically-modified tissue from 67.3% during the inpatient phase to 30.9% during the early period and to 19.7% during the late period of examination, according to CT scan of the chest organs. The same tendency was demonstrated by diffusion capacity of the lungs. Perfusion scintigraphy data showed a decrease in perfusion deficit from 26.012.8% during the early period of examination to 19.46.2% during the late period of examination. On the contrary, ventilatory scintigraphy demonstrates the increase of isotope passage time through the alveolar-capillary membrane over time (from 48.231.3 minutes in the early period to 83.637.2 minutes in the late period). An increase in D-dimer was detected in 24% of patients in the early group. The levels of inflammatory markers, indices of immune status, and specific humoral immune response did not differ in the two described groups. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate gradual regression of pathological changes caused by coronavirus infection.

[Use of thrombolytic therapy and rheolytic thrombectomy in treatment of pulmonary artery thromboembolism].

The article deals with the results of combined treatment of patients with pulmonary thromboembolism by means of systemic thrombolytic therapy, anticoagulant therapy, and rheolytic thrombectomy during the period from 2012 to 2013. Thrombolytic therapy was used in 78 of 187 patients with the confirmed diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism (Group 1). The diagnosis was verified and therapeutic results were controlled by means of contrast-enhanced spiral computed tomography and perfusion scintigraphy. Thrombolysis was carried out using: tissue plasminogen activator - alteplase (61 cases) with administration of the full dose during 2 hours, streptokinase (14 cases) at a dose of 1.5 million IU in the mode of prolonged infusion during 24 hours and urokinase (3 cases) at a dose of 4400 IU/kg during 12 hours. 109 patients were subjected to anticoagulant therapy (Group 2). Five patients were subjected to rheolytic thrombectomy for desobstruction of the pulmonary artery. The method was used in patients with previously performed ineffective or partially effective thrombolytic therapy, as well as in patients with contraindications to thrombolysis. The lethality rate for TLT amounted to 5.4% and that for anticoagulant therapy 26.6%. Probability of a lethal outcome in Group 2 (anticoagulant therapy) turned out to be 6.71 times higher as compared with Group 1 (thrombolytic therapy). In all cases of using rheolytic thrombectomy we managed to achieve a decrease of the Miller index and systolic pressure in the pulmonary artery. Desobstruction of the pulmonary artery was complete in 3 cases. In two cases rheolytic thrombectomy was partially effective and the patients underwent repeat thrombolysis with a good clinical outcome. Using systemic thrombolysis in patients with pulmonary artery thromboembolism demonstrated a positive effect on the prognosis of survival. Rheolytic thrombectomy contributed to improvement of the results of thrombolytic therapy and may be used as an alternative method of treatment.

[Assessment of the diagnostic value of perfusion scintigraphy in diagnosis of pulmonary artery thromboembolism].

The present work was aimed at specifying the place of perfusion scintigraphy of the lungs in the diagnostic algorithm of pulmonary artery thromboembolism (PATE) and at determining sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the method concerned. The authors analysed the data regarding a total of 211 patients divided into two groups (Group One with an arbitrary algorithm of investigation, comprising 108 patients and Group Two with the suggested algorithm of «pulmonary roentgenography Doppler ultrasonography perfusion scintigraphy of the lungs¼) in clinically suspected pulmonary artery thromboembolism and scintigraphy-revealed defects of perfusion. The diagnostic complex included ECG, Doppler ultrasonography of the veins, roentgenography, perfusion scintigraphy of the lungs, and in a series of doubtful cases Echo-CG and CT angiography of the lungs. We revealed reliable signs of pulmonary artery thromboembolism (PATE) by the findings of instrumental diagnostic methods, having demonstrated a considerable increase in specificity and accuracy of perfusion scintigraphy in diagnosing PATE using the proposed diagnostic algorithm, when scintigraphy stands on the third position (specificity increased by 78% and accuracy by 22%). The following recommendations were made: the findings of scintigraphy should be interpreted with due regard for the data of roentgenography and Doppler ultrasonography of the veins; if the patient s condition is severe, the examination may be limited to roentgenography alone prior to performing perfusion scintigraphy of the lungs.

[Deposition of 51Cr-labeled donor platelets in health and myelosuppressive thrombocytopenias].

AIM: To study the deposition of donor platelets (DP) in myelosuppressive thrombocytopenia (TP) in patients with acute leukemia (AL) or lymphosarcoma (LSA), by using a radionuclide label (51Cr) for DP. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Complex clinical, hematological and radionuclide studies were conducted in 63 patients divided into 3 groups: 1) 7 healthy volunteers (a control group); 2) 37 patients with AL; 3) 19 patients with LSA. RESULTS: Changes were found in the deposition of labeled DPs used to prevent and treat hemorrhagic syndrome in myelosuppressive TP in patients with AL or LSA. In AL, this function was established to be virtually completely suppressed whereas in LSA, some functional activity of mononuclear phagocytes was preserved. Different degrees of suppression of this function were probably related to the nature of these diseases and particularly due to varying degrees of leukemic infiltration of depot organs. A mechanism for increased consumption of transfused DP in profound TP, one of the causes of which is the myelosuppression as a result of programmed polychemotherapy, cannot be ruled out. CONCLUSION: By and large, the radionuclide labeling technique for DP may be useful in specifying a number of uncertain mechanisms for derangements of the thrombocytic component of hemostasis in oncohematologic diseases.

[The survival and sequestration of transfused donor platelets in cytostatic cytopenias].

AIM: To study the survival and sequestration of transfused donor platelets labeled with 51Cr in patients with acute leukemia (AL). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Seven donor volunteers and 39 patients with different forms with AL at various stages of polychemotherapy (PCT) were examined. Cytostatic therapy was accompanied by 51Cr-labeled platelet concentrate (PC) transfusions. The patients were on appropriate high-dose (HD) PCT. RESULTS: The duration of donor platelet circulation was 8-10 days in healthy individuals. No platelet hypersequestration was recorded in both the spleen and the liver. Donor platelet survival was shorter in all patients with in a state of cytostatic cytopenia. There was an inverse correlation between the degree of circulation shortening and some clinical and hematological parameters (the bone marrow level of blastemia and blastosis, the XIIa-dependent fibrinolysis parameters). Four variants of radioactivity trends above the spleen and liver were identified. The findings suggest that there is platelet hypersequestration in the spleen, liver, and both organs. In some patients, the above both organs are uninvolved in the hypersequestration processes and the possible mechanism for increased consumption of transfused donor platelets, which is associated with recovery of the HD PCT-damaged vascular endothelium is considered. CONCLUSION: Shortening of transfused donor platelet circulation was found in relation to the level of blastosis. The described procedure may be used as one of the additional methods for evaluating the efficacy of donor PC transfusion and for specifying the pathogenesis of thrombocytopenias in AL patients on programmed HD PCT. A procedure is proposed to time the circulation of 51Cr-labeled platelets, by assessing deposit phenomena and estimating the level of their sequestration in the spleen and liver for the prediction of the efficiency of TC transfusions.

[Diagnosis of early manifestations of myocardial dysfunction at early stages of antitumor treatment in patients with lymphogranulomatosis and lymphosarcomas].

AIM: To comparatively assess the capabilities of currently available instrumental studies in the diagnosis of early cardiac performance changes in patients with lymph tumors at different stages of treatment and to study the myocardial histomorphological pattern in relation to the intensity of the therapy performed (as evidenced by sectional studies). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 44 patients, including 26 with various types of lymphogranulomatosis (LGM) and 18 with lymphosarcomas were examined at different stages of antitumor treatment. Radionuclide equilibrium ventriculography (REVG), echocardiography (EchoCG), and electrocardiography (ECG) were used. Postmortem studies of the myocardial histological pattern were conducted in 20 patients (archive data). RESULTS: No significant pathological REVG, EchoCG, and ECG changes were found in 10 patients examined prior to treatment. In a group of 17 patients receiving a total dose of doxorubicine of 240 +/- 30 mg/m2, there was a significant decrease in diastolic duration, a reduction in diastolic volume, end systolic volume, stroke volume, stroke index, filling fraction over 1/3 diastole. In a group of 17 patients receiving a total dose of doxorubicine of 250 +/- 30 mg/m2 and radiotherapy applied to the mediastinum, the above changes were more marked. There were myocardial histomorphological changes whose magnitude progressed as therapy became more intensive. CONCLUSION. The findings have indicated that by using relatively small cumulative dose of anthracyclines, cardiovascular dysfunction can occur at the early stages of programmed treatment for LGM and lymphosarcomas. REVG has the greatest advantage in their detection.