Aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of using a modified nomogram (the M nomogram) to predict the occurrence of new postoperative hemodynamically significant arrhythmias after elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass within 30 days post operation.
Materials and methods. This was a retrospective cohort study. The prognostic value of the model using ROC-analysis of the modified nomogram was estimated based on the medical records of 144 patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.
Results. The incidence of new postoperative hemodynamically significant arrhythmias was 13.9% (20 of 144 patients). For the modified nomogram, the AUC was 0.777 [95% CI: 0.661–0.892] (P<0.001); at a cutoff of 12 points, the sensitivity was 60.0% and specificity was 89.52%. The odds ratio was 10.26 (95% CI: 3.63–29.06) (P<0.001).
Conclusion. The modified nomogram has an acceptable prognostic value for the occurrence of new hemodynamically significant arrhythmias after elective cardiac operations with cardiopulmonary bypass based on AUC 0.777 [0.661–0.892] (P<0.001), and is currently the best model for predicting the outcome.

Enteral nutrition in the early phase of predicted severe acute pancreatitis can be administered via a nasogastric or nasojejunal tube. Finding the most effective method in terms of daily balance, the volume of feeding and residual gastric volume in the early period of moderate and severe acute pancreatitis is a current challenge.
The aim of the study was to estimate the efficacy of nasogastric and nasojejunal early enteral feeding during
the early phase of predicted severe acute pancreatitis.
Material and methods. The study was prospective, single-center, and randomized. The data were collected from November 2012 to October 2018. The study included 64 ICU patients in the early period of acute pancreatitis exhibiting predictors of severity. During randomization, the patients were assigned to either nasogastric (group 1) or nasojejunal (group 2) feeding for the next four days. The volume of enteral feeding on Day 1 was 250 ml/day, and on each successive day it was increased by 250 ml/day. During group allocation, the disease severity and the way of nutrient administration were taken into account. Daily balance was calculated using the difference between enterally administered and residual gastric volume. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.23 software package. The null hypothesis was rejected at P0.05.
Results. The volume of enteral nutrition administered over 4 days did not differ between the study groups. Patients with severe acute pancreatitis had significantly better nutrient absorption over 4 days when the postpyloric route was used (1.63±0.98 l/d) vs the nasogastric one (0.55±0.29 l/d) (P=0.001). In moderate pancreatitis, the enteral nutrition absorption over 4 days did not differ (P=0.107) between the groups with nasogastric (2.06±0.87 l/day) and nasojejunal (2.6±0.45 l/day) feeding.
Conclusion. Nasojejunal route is the preferred way to start enteral feeding in patients with severe acute pancreatitis. In moderate acute pancreatitis, feeding can be initiated via the gastric route and only in case of intolerance it should be switched to the nasojejunal one.

Objectives. Inspiratory, hemodynamic and metabolic changes occur in laparoscopic surgery depending on pneumoperitoneum and patient position. This study aims to evaluate the effects of intra-abdominal pressure increase based on CO2 pneumoperitoneum in laparoscopic operations on hemodynamic parameters and respiratory dynamics and satisfaction of surgeon and operative view.
Materials and Methods. A total of 116 consecutive, prospective, ASA class I–III cases aged 18–70 years undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were enrolled in this study. Data of 104 patients were analysed. Patients were divided into two groups as the group Low Pressure (<12 mmHg) (Group LP) (n=53) and the group Standard Pressure (>13 mmHg) (Group SP) (n=51). In this study administration of general anesthesia used total intravenous anaesthesia in both groups. All groups had standard and TOF monitorization applied. The anaesthesia methods used in both groups were recorded. Before, during and after peritoneal insufflation, the peroperative ventilation parameters and hemodynamic parameters were recorded. The adequacy of pneumoperitoneum, gastric and the operative view were evaluated by the operating surgeon and recorded.
Results. The peripheral oxygen saturation showed no significant difference between the low and standard pressure pneumoperitoneum in view of tidal volume, respiratory rate, end tidal CO2, mean and peak inspiratory pressure, and minute ventilation values. In terms of hemodynamics, when values just after intubation and before extubation were compared, it was observed that in the LP group systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure values were higher. In terms of heart rate, no significant difference was observed in determined periods between groups. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of surgical satisfaction and vision.
Conclusion. Low pressure pneumoperitoneum provides effective respiratory mechanics and stable hemodynamics for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. It also provides the surgeon with sufficient space for hand manipulations. Anaesthetic method, TIVA and neuromuscular blockage provided good surgery vision with low pressure pneumoperitoneum.

Delirium complicating regular use of psychoactive substances remains one of the major issues of critical care, toxicology, and psychiatry. However, the pathogenetic mechanisms of delirium development in patients with 1,4-butanediol poisoning have been poorly studied until now.
The aim of the study was to reveal specific patterns of delirium in patients with 1,4-butanediol poisoning as well as to study the changes in systemic hemodynamic parameters, respiratory function, and body fluid compartments during the treatment.
Material and methods. The study was prospective and treatment-randomized. Forty-eight male patients aged 20 to 45 years with delirium and acute 1,4-butanediol poisoning were enrolled. Of them, 24 patients were administered with succinate-containing drug 40 ml daily, 24 patients received standard treatment without antihypoxic agents. We studied the evolution of delirium, changes in anaerobic metabolism parameters, systemic hemodynamics, respiratory function, and the volume of fluid compartments. Impedance measurement method adjusted for interference was used in the study.
Results. At the «peak» of delirium (days 1–3), the hyperdynamic circulation, increased systemic arterial tone, stroke output, respiratory function parameters, and metabolic lactate acidosis were recorded. A decrease in total fluid volume and extracellular fluid volume was clearly observed during day 1 of intoxication delirium along with increased permeability of cell membranes. On day 3 of delirium, a decrease in intracellular fluid volume and increase in extracellular fluid volume were noted. After the cytoflavin administration, shorter delirium duration (7.5 [6; 8] days), more rapid correction of lactate acidosis, stabilization of respiratory parameters and stabilization of cell membrane permeability by day 5 were found. In the control group, delirium persisted for up to 14 [11; 15] days (z=-5.9; P=0.00011) with more frequent development of complications such as nosocomial pneumonia (χ2=8.4, P<0.001).
Conclusion. The severity of delirium in acute poisoning with 1,4-butanediol was associated with metabolic lactate acidosis, changes in systemic hemodynamics and pulmonary function. A positive effect of adjunctive antihypoxic therapy with succinate-containing agent on cardio-respiratory parameters, cell membrane permeability, water balance due to elimination of tissue hypoxia and prompt switching to tissue aerobic metabolism has been found.

Aim. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the adaptive phage therapy technique in patients with recurrent pneumonia in neurological critical care.
Material and methods. The clinical study included 83 chronically critically ill patients with severe brain damage. The bacteriophage cocktail selected against specific hospital strains was administered by inhalation to 43 patients. The control group included 40 patients who received conventional antimicrobial therapy. The changes in clinical, laboratory and instrumental parameters, levels of biomarkers, microbiological and PCR tests of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were assessed, including those in the «phage therapy with antibiotics» (n=29) and «phage therapy without antibiotics» (n=14) subgroups.
Results. The groups were comparable in terms of basic parameters (age, sex, diagnosis, organ dysfunction according to APACHE II, use of vasoactive drugs) and the level of airway colonization with antibioticresistant bacterial strains. Good tolerability and absence of clinically significant side effects were observed during inhaled administration of the bacteriophage cocktail. Computed tomography on day 21 showed a significant reduction in lung damage in patients who received bacteriophages. Patients treated with bacteriophages without antibiotics had significantly lower need for mechanical ventilation. The mortality rate on day 28 did not differ significantly and was 4.7% (2/43) in the bacteriophage-treated group vs 5% (2/40) in the control group.
Conclusion. The first experience of using the adaptive phage therapy technique in chronically critically ill patients in neurological intensive care demonstrated the safety of inhalational administration of the bacteriophage cocktail. The efficacy of the technique was confirmed by the treatment results obtained in the phage therapy group, which were not inferior to those in the group with conventional antibiotic therapy, while several clinical and laboratory parameters tended to improve even in patients who received bacteriophages and did not receive antibiotics.

The aim of the study was to determine the changes in the levels of various neurotransmitters depending on the depth of propofol-induced sedation.
Material and methods. Twenty-four patients were included in a prospective, simple blinded study. All patients underwent elective orthopedic intervention with subarachnoid anesthesia and moderate (group 1, n=12) or deep (group 2, n=12) propofol-induced sedation. Peripheral blood sampling for measurement of neurotransmitter levels was performed before regional blockade (Stage 1), 35–40 min after the start of sedation (Stage 2), and 10–15 min after sedation was terminated and consciousness was recovered (Stage 3).
Results. Deep propofol-induced sedation resulted in a decrease in norepinephrine level at stages 2 and 3. Under moderate sedation, its level decreased at Stage 2 and returned to baseline after restoration of consciousness. The initial concentration of norepinephrine (Stage 1) was higher in Group 2.
Conclusion. Propofol-induced sedation resulted in reduced level of the main stress hormone, which suggests its stabilizing effect on autonomic nervous system.

The study of the mechanisms of development and progression of fibrosis is one of the key directions of modern cardiology. Our work suggests that the urokinase receptor (uPAR) is involved in the regulation of mesothelial cell activity and epicardial fibrosis development, which, when interacting with specific ligands and intermediate proteins, can activate intracellular signaling, trigger the cascade of proteolytic reactions, including local plasmin formation and activation of matrix metalloproteinases, providing matrix remodeling.
Objective: to perform a comparative study of fibrogenic activity of the epicardium in the hearts of uPAR-/- and wild-type animals and evaluate the effect of cardiac microenvironment factors on the migration activity of epicardial mesothelial cells.
Material and methods. We used histological and immunofluorescent staining, microarray analysis of proinflammatory cytokine levels, and a method for assessing the migratory properties of epicardial cells.
Results. Results. We found that compared to wild-type animals, uPAR-/- animals show significant thickening of the epicardial area (2.46+0.77 (uPAR-/- mice) and 1.02+0.17 (Wt mice) relative units, P=0.033) accompanied by accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins. Deficiency of uPAR gene leads to formation of proinflammatory microenvironment in the heart (increased levels of proinflammatory factors such as IL-1, IL-13, IL-17, RANTES and MIP1), increased migratory activity of epicardial mesothelial cells, accumulation of TCF21+fibroblast/myofibroblast precursors (29.8+13.7 (uPAR-/- mouse) and 3.03+0.8 (Wt mouse) cells per visual field,P=0.02), as well as development of subepicardial fibrosis.
Conclusion. These findings suggest that uPAR is a promising candidate for the developing targeted agents to prevent the development and progression of cardiac fibrosis.