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Aim: To study spontaneous chemotaxis-, phagocytosis-, and proteinkinase C-mediated respiratory splash (RS) of neutrophils and monocytes in colchicin-untreated patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF)., Material and Methods: Of 17 FMF patients, 8 ones were examined during the attack, 9 patients--in fever-free period. Spontaneous and induced RS of peripheral blood neutrophils and monocytes was investigated with quantitative flow-cytofluorimetric method., Results: Compared to healthy donors, RS is characterized with activation of both spontaneous and induced production of free radicals. The activity and intensity of the RS in FMF was low in the attack vs in the attack-free period but monocytes population has a stable high activity of the RS., Conclusion: Activation of neutrophilic RS in FMF patients is characterized by periodicity the direction of which is opposite to induced monocyte activation in the attack and in attack-free interval.

Clinical and instrumental-laboratory investigations have been conducted in 372 patients with chronic antral gastritis (CAG, n = 131), diffuse gastritis (DG, n = 108) and ulcer disease (UD, n = 135). Immunomodulators tactivin and levamisol were added to standard treatment of 75 CAG, 63 DG and 85 UD patients. Healing of the lesions was observed, on the average, on the treatment day 24.3 +/- 0.5 and 18.4 +/- 0.6 in the standard treatment and with the added immunomodulator, respectively. Adjuvant levamisol diminished the number of recurrences of chronic gastritis and UD.

Vegetovascular disorders are obligatory and even leading clinical manifestations of chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Physiotherapy in combination with psychotherapy produce a normalizing effect on functional-morphological condition of the gastrointestinal organs, correct alterations in the neuropsychic sphere and autonomic nervous system.

Clinicoendoscopic and immunological evaluation of periodic disease patients shows that the disease-related inflammation of the colon is pathogenetically coupled with secretory IgA hypoproduction and abnormal intestinal eubiotic microflora. These facts should be allowed for when making differential diagnosis between periodic disease and gastrointestinal inflammations.

The authors analyze the laboratory and instrumental data obtained before and after single administration of leeches. Demonstrate that the animal's saliva corrects the coagulation properties of the circulating blood; inhibits platelet aggregation; that it may be used for blood letting; possesses hypotensive and anti-sclerotic properties; improves myocardial supply and its contractility. Based on a large clinical material the authors provide evidence for advisability of the use of hirudotherapy in patients suffering from coronary heart disease, essential hypertension, atherosclerosis, chronic cer pulmonale, and circulatory decompensation.

The authors describe a rare case of amyloidosis in a female patient suffering from periodic disease (PD) for 18 years without any clinico-laboratory signs of renal impairment but with marked clinical, (malabsorption, cachexia), endoscopic, x-ray and other manifestations of gastrointestinal amyloidosis. This case is of interest since patients suffering from amyloidosis due to PB develop malabsorption very rarely, namely in 2-3% of cases. As a rule, it develops in patients with pronounced chronic renal failure on hemodialysis or with a history of kidney transplantation. In this particular case, the patient demonstrated selective marked damage to the gastrointestinal tract, with the kidneys remaining practically intact. A possibility of the indicated variety of amyloidosis should be considered in specification of the genesis of persistent diarrhea in PB patients.

The reported and the authors' data are provided on the pathogenesis, morphofunctional characteristics and clinical manifestations of acute and chronic gastroenteropathies in patients suffering from periodic disease with and without amyloidosis. Under discussion is the significance of changes in the gastrointestinal tract for the diagnosis of periodic disease, its association with other diseases and early recognition of amyloidosis.

Neutral glycolipids of blood constituted four main fractions both in healthy persons and in patients with hypertension. An increase in di- and trihexosylceramides in blood plasma and in monohexosylceramides from erythrocytes occurred simultaneously with elevation of total blood glycolipids in hypertension.

The results obtained during radioimmunoassay, biochemistry and morphological studies in patients with periodic disease point to the development of hypoparathyroid hormonemia, reduction of the substrate of the parathyroid parenchyma, responsible for the synthesis of parathyroid hormone. These alterations became aggravated in the course of the development of amyloidosis. The latter is not always related to amyloidosis of the parathyroid glands themselves.

Based on clinico-endoscopic, x-ray, immunological and immunohistochemical studies the authors demonstrate the role of disorders in the components of humoral and cellular immunity in the development of intestinal inflammation and amyloidosis in patients with periodical disease. Circulatory disorders, congestive hyperemia, edema of the intestinal mucosa, and spasmodic intestinal dyskinesia that develop during an attack of periodical disease are the initial components in the pathogenesis of inflammatory intestinal lesions seen during periodical disease.