Objective: to study the nanostructure of red blood cell membranes in premature babies with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), by applying atomic force microscopy. Subjects and methods. The investigation included 27 newborn infants, of them 13 premature babies with NRDS formed a study group. The mean gestational age was 33.1±2.3 weeks; their birth weight was 1800±299.3 g. A comparison group consisted of 14 full-term babies with favorable pregnancy and term labor. The mean gestational age of the babies was 39.4±0.5 weeks; their birth weight was 3131.7±588.8 g; the infants had a one minute Apgar score of 8±0.4. Their red blood cells were examined using an atomic force microscope. The objects to be examined were residual umbilical cord blood (RUCB) from the premature infants; central venous blood after 7 hours of birth and neonatal venous blood taken on day 7 of life. Results. RUCB from full-term babies contained planocytes that were a major morphological type of red blood cells. In physiological pregnancy and acute fetal hypoxia, the morphological composition of red blood cells in premature neonates with NRDS was close to that in full-term babies. The planocytes are also a major morphological type of red blood cells in the premature infants; the frequency of their occurrence varies. Stomatocytes are typical of all the neonates in the NRDS group; their frequency levels vary greatly: from 8 to 65% of the total number of erythrocytes. The examination revealed that the premature infants of 31—36 weeks gestation were characterized by abnormal erythrocyte shapes that showed a high variability. At birth, the premature babies were found to have changes in the nanostructure of red blood cell membranes, which were influenced by intrauterine hypoxia. The first-order value reflecting flickering in the red blood cell membrane varies to the most extent. Conclusion. Atomic force microscopy showed that the greatest changes in the structure of red blood cell membranes were found in RUCB. The premature babies with NRDS had intrauterine poikilocytosis caused by unfavorable factors, as confirmed by the presence of multiple correlations. Analysis of the nanostructure of red blood cell membranes revealed that the first-order value reflecting flickering in the red blood cell membrane was most sensitive; this indicator showed a slow normalization. Correspondence to: Key words: red blood cell membrane, nanostructure, planocytes, stomatocytes, premature newborn infants, respiratory distress syndrome.

The components of mitochondria from the cells damaged by injury are a key component for the development of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) under aseptic conditions. At the same time, there is a significant increase in the plasma level of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which may be a prognostic marker for infectious complications in patients with severe polytrauma. Objective: to study the time course of changes in the serum levels of mtDNA and nuclear DNA (nDNA) in healthy individuals and patients with polytrauma and to reveal its possible association with the development of infectious pulmonary complications and with mortality. Subjects and methods. Seven healthy volunteers and 25 polytrauma with polytrauma of a mean injury severity score (ISS) of 40.2±9.2. Sixteen (64%) patients developed purulent tracheobronchitis and pneumonia; 5 (20%) patients died. The amount of mtDNA and nDNA was determined within the first at 12 and 24 hours, then on days 3 and 5—7 after injury by the authors’ modified procedure using as the exogenous control of a circular DNA molecule. The content of mtDNA and nDNA was expressed as absolute values, by taking the arithmetic mean values as 100% for the volunteers. Results. There was a more than 2.5-fold increase in mtDNA levels in dead patients as compared to survivors (p<0.05); the differences in nDMA levels were insignificant (p=0.1). Within the first 12 hours, the mean mtDNA level in patients with pneumonia was 34 times greater than the reference values and continued to rise in the following 12 hours whereas in those without pneumonia, it was only 17 times higher with its further decrease in the comparable time periods. In the first 12 hours, nDNA was increased in both groups, but 24 hours after injury it was 2555 times more than the reference value only in patients with pneumonia whereas it was decreased 3-fold in those without this condition. Conclusion. This paper is the first to describe the time course of changes in the amount of mtDNA and nDNA with the new modification of using an external control DNA molecule in the serum of patients with polytrauma who developed infectious pulmonary complications and in patients without the latter. The findings point to the fact that it is advisable to measure mtDNA and nDNA in patients with polytrauma within the first 24 hours of hospital admission for the prediction of the development of infectious bronchopulmonary complications and for timely etiotropic therapy and that it is promising to conduct further investigations in this area. Key words: polytrauma, infectious complications, pneumonia, mitochondrial DNA, nuclear DNA, PAMS, DAMPs, CCBO, predictor, mortality, injury severity score, mechanical ventilation.

Objective: to evaluate the impact of Leiden mutation on the course of severe acute pancreatitis. Subjects and methods. One hundred and twelve people were examined. Group 1 comprised 50 patients diagnosed with severe acute pancreatitis without coagulation factor V (Leiden) mutation. Group 2 included 42 patients with severe acute pancreatitis who were found to have Leiden mutation. Acute pancreatitis was first diagnosed in both groups. Group 3 consisted of 20 apparently healthy individuals (a control group). The severity of the underlying disease was determined in accordance with the clinical and laboratory parameters recommended by the I. I. Dzhanelidze Saint Petersburg Research Institute of Emergence Care. Results. This investigation revealed an association of Leiden mutation with trends in the development of acute pancreatitis. Group 2 exhibited a more severe disease: large focal pancreatic necrosis was twice more common and infectious complications developed more frequently; more aggressive and radical treatments were more often used. The patients with Leiden mutation had higher mortality rates (33% in the Leiden mutation group and 24% in the non-mutation group. Conclusion. The findings should be kept in mind in elaborating new diagnostic methods and principles in the treatment of the underlying disease and in the prevention of its complications in patients with severe acute pancreatitis. Key words: acute pancreatitis, Leiden mutation.

Objective: to evaluate the efficiency of intravenous and inhaled antibiotic therapy for nosocomial pneumonia caused by gram-negative bacteria by quantifying lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Subjects and methods. Examinations were made in 54 patients with mechanical ventilation-associated nosocomial pneumonia. Conventional de-escalating intravenous antibiotic therapy (with carbapenems) was used in Group 1 (n=26). Inhaled antibiotic monotherapy with TOBI (tobramycin) in a dose of 300 mg every 12 hours for 10—12 days was performed in Group 2 (n=28). The use of inhaled tobramycin as a monodrug was due to the absence of other infection foci. LPS was quantified using a diagnostic activated particle-method-endotox spp. kit (A. N. Bakulev Research Center of Cardiovascular Surgery, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, OOO ROKHAT Research-and-Production Firm, Russia). Results. The first administration of the antibiotic is accompanied by a higher arteriovenous difference in the content of gram-negative bacterial LPS due to increased arterial endotoxemia. Conclusion. Elevated arterial blood LPS levels after initiation of systemic or inhaled antibiotic therapy for nosocomial pneumonia may be employed as an early criterion for its efficiency. Tobramycin inhalations give rise to a significant increase in arterial lipopolysaccharidemia as compared to de-escalation therapy with carbapenems with low rates of adverse reactions and undesirable events. Key words: nosocomial pneumonia, lipopolysaccharide, arteriovenous difference, inhaled tobramycin.

Objective: to evaluate the efficiency of early plasmapheresis in the enzymatic phase of severe acute pancreatitis. Patient characteristics and methods. Thirteen 25-to-86-year-old patients diagnosed with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) were examined and treated at the intensive care unit of the military hospital (Sergiev Posad) in 2011—2012. The patients underwent comprehensive clinical, laboratory, and instrumental examinations. Their clinical and laboratory parameters were analyzed at admission, before and after extracorporeal detoxification. The exfused plasma level of pancreatic enzymes was studied. The admission patient status was assessed using the APACHE II; the severity of the disease was evaluated employing the Glasgow and Ranson pancreatic scales; the Murray scale was used to estimate the degree of acute lung lesion. During the prospective study, there were 2 patient groups: 1) 7 patients who underwent extracorporeal detoxification in early-stage disease (on days 1—2); 2) 6 patients received infusion therapy with forced diuresis elements as detoxification measures (a comparison group). The incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), pancreatic tissue destruction, and pyoseptic complications and intensive care unit stay and hospital length of stay, and mortality were comparatively analyzed. Results. The investigation demonstrated that there were reductions in the incidence of ARDS by 35.7%, pancreatic destruction by 35.7%, and pyoseptic complications by 16.7% and in the intensive care unit stay and hospital length of stay by 42.9 and 31.2%, respectively, and in mortality rates by 16.7% in Group 1 compared to Group 2. Conclusion. The use of plasmapheresis to treat early-stage SAP assists in reducing the magnitude of enzymatic toxemia due to the direct elimination of pancreatic enzymes from systemic circulation. This sanogenic effect can offset the aggressive effect of hyper-enzymia and hence prevent ARDS even in severe baseline disease. Early plasmapheresis allows the results of intensive therapy for SAP to be improved. Key words: severe acute pancreatitis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, plasmapheresis.

Nosocomial pneumonia is the most common nosocomial infection in intensive care units. Rational antibiotic therapy is the basis for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia. There is currently a challenge of the pathogens of nosocomial pneumonia being resistant to most of the antibiotics recommended for its treatment. Inhaled antibiotics used in combination with systemic drugs are an effective and safe treatment for nosocomial pneumonia. This review of literature characterizes the current possibilities of inhaled antibiotic therapy for nosocomial pneumonia in detail and describes medicaments and the advantages and disadvantages of this treatment option. Despite insufficient evidence in circumstances where the microorganisms are polyresistant and where the design of novel antibiotics shows no promise, the use of inhaled antibiotics is an important alternative in the treatment of severe nosocomial pneumonia caused by polyresistant gram-negative bacteria. Key words: nosocomial pneumonia, antibiotic therapy, inhaled antibiotics, resistance.