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SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), apart from respiratory manifestations, is able to directly affect the cardiovascular system. Therefore, different from general population target values of blood pressure might be beneficial for the patients with COVID-19. The aim of this study was to investigate whether conventional blood pressure control was associated with the severity of COVID-19. From 260 patients that were hospitalised to the unit subdivision of stable patients of COVID-center between March, 2020, and December, 2020, 163 patients with confirmed infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus and hypertension were selected. The patients were distributed by hypertension control: blood pressure <140/90 mmHg (n=94) and blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg (n=69). Routine instrumental and laboratory investigations were registered and analysed. The patients were diagnosed and treated according to national and European guidelines. The information about the control of blood pressure was taken from the patients’ medical records. The group of patients with controlled hypertension had higher prevalence of females (p=0.03), 10 years higher median of age (p<0.01) and lower frequency of obesity (p=0.04). The patients with controlled hypertension had lower median of pulmonary injury (p=0.04) and lower frequency of SpO2<92% (p=0.02). Glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min and proteinuria were detected significantly more frequently in the patients with controlled hypertension (p=0.02). In the presented study blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg before the admission to the hospital was associated with a lower degree of pulmonary injury but with the higher frequency of nephropathy signs. Urine test and blood creatinine monitoring might be beneficial for the patients with COVID-19 and hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to evaluate serum levels of matrix metalloproteinases-9 activity, advanced glycation end products, galectin-3, C-reactive protein in men with heart failure and benign prostatic hyperplasia with testosterone deficiency. The testosterone level was determined by immune-enzyme analysis. The content of advanced glycation end products in plasma were analysed by quantitative autofluorescence. The metalloproteinases-9 activity was estimated with fluorometry. The level of galectin-3, C-reactive protein was determined by immune-enzyme analysis. 1st group was made up by the men with heart failure and benign prostatic hyperplasia with testosterone deficiency; 2nd group – by the men without testosterone deficiency. The men with heart failure and benign prostatic hyperplasia with testosterone deficiency had a significantly higher level of advanced glycation end products, galectin-3, matrix metalloproteinases-9 activity in comparison with men with heart failure without testosterone deficiency (p<0.001). Correlation relations between serum advanced glycation end products in patients of the main group with age, ejection fraction, testosterone level were determined – r=0.48 (p<0.001), r=-0.62 (p<0.001), r= -0.66 (p<0.001) respectively. Receiver operating characteristic analysis for predictive role in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction have shown high degree of sensitivity and specificity for advanced glycation end products in serum (p<0.001). Middle-aged men with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and benign prostatic hyperplasia with testosterone deficiency are characterised by increased serum advanced glycation end products, galectin-3, matrix metalloproteinases-9 activity, C-reactive protein. Serum advanced glycation end products are potential biomarkers of development of heart failure with phenotype of preserved ejection fraction in this cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke is a main complication of atrial fibrillation (cardiac arrhythmia). The aim of our study was to estimate the effects of citicoline (CDP-choline) therapy on the levels of circulating neurospecific protein markers in serum of the patients with ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation. Fiftyfour patients (mean age 76 years) treated with citicoline in a dose of 2.0 g daily intravenously for 12 to 14 days in addition to basic treatment formed the examined group. Thirty-two patients (mean age 68.5 years) obtained only standard therapy and formed the control group. Serum levels of neuronal and glial protein markers, including glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a neurofilament light subunit (NF-L), myelin basic protein (MBP), and ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1), were measured in patients of both groups before and after treatment; an immunoblotting technique followed by densitometry analysis were used. Supplementary citicoline treatment provided significant reductions of the levels of GFAP (33%, P = 0.034), NF-L (27%, P = 0.019), and MBP (32%, P = 0.018), as compared to the initial values, while there were no marked changes in the studied parameters in the control group. The results obtained allow us to hypothesize that therapeutic benefit of citicoline in patients with ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation can be mediated through increasing neuronal viability, protecting against axonal injury, decreasing the level of reactive astrogliosis, preventing deficiencies in the blood-brain integrity, and reducing the intensity of demyelination. However, citicoline administration exerted no effect on the blood content of microglial marker Iba-1, thus possibly preserving an important functional significance of microglia, which is needed to resolve local inflammation and clear cellular debris, and also provide protective factors to reduce cell injury in the ischemic brain. The obtained results indicate that serum levels of neurospecific biomarkers are significant and clinically relevant indices of the efficiency of treatment of the above-mentioned pathologies and can be used for further investigations of the stroke pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of nootropic-mediated neuroprotection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic kidney disease puts an individual at a higher risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death. Coronary artery calcium score reflects the accumulation of calcium in the walls of the coronary arteries and a higher coronary artery calcium score is associated with lower survival rates. It is unclear if control of conventional risk factors is enough to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic kidney disease. The aim of this study was to investigate if the association between estimated glomerular filtration rate and coronary artery calcium score in the Ukrainian population differs by sex, age, blood pressure, and total cholesterol. This cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of patients who underwent measurement of coronary artery calcium score at Dnipropetrovsk Mechnikov Regional Hospital, Dnipro, Ukraine. Inclusion criteria: age >40 years old, available data about coronary artery calcium score and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Exclusion criteria: the presence of known cardiovascular disease, diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 ml/min and extreme coronary artery calcification (coronary artery calcium score >1500 Agatston units). 137 patients (54 males and 83 females), median age 59.0 [54.0;67.0] years were enrolled in the study. In the patients with lower eGFR there was non-significantly higher coronary artery calcium score (p=0.07). In males with eGFR ≥90 ml/min, 60-89 ml/min, and 30-59 ml/min coronary artery calcium score didn’t differ significantly, while in females a lower estimated glomerular filtration rate was associated with a higher coronary artery calcium score. A lower estimated glomerular filtration rate was significantly associated with a higher coronary artery calcium score in the patients with systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg (p=0.04), but not in patients with diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg. In the patients with total cholesterol <5.0 mmol/l and ≥5.0 mmol/l coronary artery calcium score tended to be higher in the patients with lower estimated glomerular filtration rate. A lower estimated glomerular filtration rate in our study was associated with a higher coronary artery calcium score in females, patients aged ≥55 years old and in patients with systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]