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Background: The real-world effectiveness of intravenous (IV) belimumab in treating systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been demonstrated in various countries through the OBSErve (evaluation Of use of Belimumab in clinical practice SEttings) program. Here we describe the clinical effectiveness of IV belimumab for treating SLE in real-world clinical practice in the Russian Federation., Methods: In the retrospective, observational OBSErve Russia study (GSK Study 215349), eligible physicians enrolled adults with SLE receiving IV belimumab as part of their standard care. De-identified data were collected from patient medical records from September 2021 to March 2022. The primary outcome was the physician-assessed overall clinical response at 6 months post-index versus index (belimumab initiation) among patients receiving belimumab for ≥6 months. Other endpoints included change in Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment - SLE Disease Activity Index (SELENA-SLEDAI) score and glucocorticoid use., Results: Overall, 59 patients initiated IV belimumab, mainly due to the previous regimen not being effective and to decrease glucocorticoid use (76.3% each); 15.3% of patients started belimumab within the first year of SLE diagnosis. Only 13.6% of patients discontinued belimumab within the first 6 months, mainly due to loss to follow-up and loss of insurance/reimbursement. At 6 months post-index, among patients who completed ≥6 months of belimumab therapy (full analysis set, n = 53), 90.6% and 60.4% had an overall clinical improvement of ≥20% and ≥50%, respectively. Mean (standard deviation, SD) change in SELENA-SLEDAI score from index to 6 months post-index was -5.9 (4.3). Mean (SD) glucocorticoid dose decreased from 12.2 (7.3) mg/day at index to 8.6 (5.1) mg/day at 6 months post-index (n = 50)., Conclusions: Patients with SLE receiving IV belimumab for 6 months in real-world settings in the Russian Federation experienced overall clinical improvements and reductions in glucocorticoid use, which is an important long-term strategy of SLE treatment., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was conducted in accordance with the Guidelines for Good Pharmacoepidemiology Practices and the Declaration of Helsinki 2008 and approved by the Ethics Committee at the City Clinical Hospital No 52 of the Department of Healthcare of Moscow for the Moscow Rheumatology Centre site, the Ethics Committee at the North-West State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation for the North-western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov site, the Ethics Committee at the Ulyanovsk Regional Clinical Hospital for the Ulyanovsk Regional Clinical Hospital site, and the Ethics Committee at the Research Institute of Rheumatology named after V.A. Nasonova for the Research Institute of Rheumatology site. The requirement for patient informed consent was waived by the corresponding Ethics Committees listed above for each involved center as the study was non-interventional, and patient data were de-identified. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: AML, EAA, AIZ, IBV, and RRS have received grants from GSK during the conduct of the study. MK, LT, JQ, and SN are employees of GSK. DdS and TE were employees of GSK at the time of the study. MK, TE, and SN hold financial equities in GSK. LAK is a former employee of GSK and a current employee of No. 1 Medical Center, Department of Rheumatology, Kursk, Russian Federation., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Aim: To assess efficacy and tolerance to anti-B-cell drug rituximab in therapy of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by the data of RF register of this drug., Material and Methods: Rituximab was studied in 42 patients with high RA activity. 37 patients received rituximab according to a conventional scheme: 2 intravenous 1000 mg infusions with a 2-week interval. The rest patients received 2 intravenous 500 mg infusions. The response was evaluated by DAS28 index., Results: Rituximab administration resulted in almost complete elimination of B-cells from peripheral blood. This produced a significant positive effect manifesting with reduction in the number of inflamed and painful joints. This trend was evident to observation week 8 reaching maximum to week 24. Clinical response correlated with decline of inflammation as shown by ESR and CRP. According to DAS28 index, good and satisfactory results were registered in 8 weeks in 62% patients, in 16 weeks--in 86%, in 24 weeks--in 100%. Rituximab tolerance was good., Conclusion: Effective treatment with rituximab for rheumatoid arthritis opened a new perspective in antirheumatic biological therapy and demonstrated an important role of B-cells in the disease development. This drug is recommended for wide use in the treatment of severe rheumatoid arthritis resistant to prior therapy including TNF-alpha blockers.

Rat pterygopalatine ganglion was studied by indirect immunofluorescent method to detect and to localize the neurons expressing IL-6. The highest concentration of IL-6-immunopositive cells was found in the cranial part of the ganglion, while ganglion medial surface and caudal part contained single cells demonstrating bright fluorescence; less common groups of immunopositive neurons, organized in chains, were found in the middle part of the ganglion near its lateral border that is in contact with maxillar nerve.

Binding of tritiated ligands of muscarinic and dopamine receptors was analysed in rats 1, 7, 14, 28, 60 days and 24-30 months old. The following ganglia were studied: the nodose ganglion, the lumbar ganglia of sympathetic chain, the main pelvic ganglion in male rats and the paracervical ganglion in female rats. The same level was found for binding of each of ligands for all investigated ganglia. Parameters of postnatal dynamics of development M-cholino- and dopamine reception systems prove to be quite similar, but not identical. Both of the systems reach matured level during first 2 postnatal weeks. In comparison with quinuclidinylbenzilate binding failure of dopamine binding in aged rats is to be more pronounced.

The relative content of cAMP was measured in the rat ganglion nodosum, lumbar ganglia of the sympathetic trunk, the main pelvic ganglion and intramural ganglia of the heart. It was observed that the basal level of cAMP in the cardiac ganglia was lower than in other ganglia. The process of stimulation of the cAMP content by noradrenaline was most pronounced in the main pelvic and lumbar ganglia, that by dopamine in the cardiac ganglia. The catecholamines failed to alter the cAMP content in the ganglion nodosum.

The number and fluorescence intensity of small intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells in the nerve ganglia of the rat atria were determined after the treatment, using modified Falk's method. The animals were 1, 7, 14, 28 days and 30 months of age. Similar changes were found in the amount of SIF cells and fluorophore content in all the atrial regions. A marked increase in the number of SIF cells and maximum values were determined between the second and fourth week after birth. The first two weeks of age corresponded to the decrease and the forth week to the increase in SIF cells fluorescent intensity. The data of the investigation made it possible to suggest the connection between principal stages of SIF cell pool formation and processes of autonomic ganglia innervation development.

The authors studied the action of the physiological concentrations of catecholamines on the major parameters of the action potentials of the true pacemakers, using a graphic analysis of their electric activity at the intracellular microelectrode lead. Desympathization was carried out with the help of daily intraperitoneal injections of guanethidine solution for six weeks. Noradrenaline and dopamine have a similar effect on the electrogenesis of the pacemakers by decreasing a relative threshold of auto-stimulation and decreasing the steepness of the potential growth in phase 4 on the curve of the action potential. Pharmacological desympathization leads to the development of hyper-reactivity of the true pacemakers to noradrenaline and dopamine and triggers off changes in the regulation of the electric activity of these cells by catecholamines.

The localization of small intensely fluorescent (SIF cells on serial cryostat slices and total preparations of the L2 and L4 rat lumbar sympathetic ganglia was studied after treatment by the modified Falck method. In the ganglia, the SIF cells occur both as clusters and singly. The cells are round in shape, frequently forming processes. The clusters of the SIF cells are usually localized beneath the ganglionic capsule in the proximity to the blood vessels. Large sympathetic ganglia contain from 35 to 51 cells, whereas small ganglia 5 to 9 cells. The regions of preferable SIF cells localization in L3 and L4 ganglia were found.

The spectral curves of emission of paraform-induced fluorophores in small, intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells in lumbar ganglia of the sympathetic trunk and in the major pelvic ganglion were compared with the fluorescence spectra of lipofuscin granules in the perikaryons of the neurons of the vagus inferior ganglion. As a rule, the fluorescence spectra of SIF cells correlate with the content in them of catecholamines. The spectral characteristics of fluorophores of so-called "yellow" SIF cells have much in common with the fluorescence spectra of lipofuscin granules. Apparently, in some of cases small cells containing lipofuscin may be identified as "yellow" SIF cells.

The fluorescence intensity of small intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells of rat atria was measured by the modified Falck method in health and chronic guanethidine administration. The normal value of fluorescence of single SIF cells was lower than that of clustered SIF cells. However, similar deviations were observed for both the types of SIF cells under chemical sympathectomy. The mean value of fluorescence decreased during 6-9 weeks of the experiment and increased during the next 3 weeks. The most pronounced reaction was exhibited by SIF cells in the superior vena cava and interatrial septum.

The number and intensity of fluorescence of small, intensely fluorescent cells were measured on serial slices of main pelvic (MPG) ganglion and lumbar ganglia of sympathetic trunk (LG), treated by modified Falck method, on days 1, 7, 14, 28, and 26-30 months of age. The content of paraform-induced fluorescence increased with age of two weeks and later in SIF cells of MPG and LG. The number of SIF cells in LG decreased with age, while that of MPG increased. The growth of a number of SIF cells in MPG was detected in large clusters.

The fluorescence intensity of small high-fluorescent (SHF) cells of rat auricles was measured after the treatment by the modified Falk method in health and 3,14 and 72 hours after a single injection of guanethidine. No significant changes in the fluorescence intensity were found on analysis of the entire pool of SHF auricular cells and of individual SHF cells, while SHF cells of the clasters of the superior caval vein and interauricular septum manifest counterphasic deviations from the basal line of fluorescence, with these deviations being most remarkable 14 hours after the injection. The changes in the fluorescence intensity of SHF cells, which were seen within the periods of time corresponding with the minimum noradrenaline content in the heart allow the conclusion that SHF cell function is in good agreement with the heart noradrenaline level. The line of changes in the catecholamine content of SHF cells in the areas under consideration is likely to attest to the regional principle of the SHF cell pool organization in auricular tissue.