OBJECTIVE Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Early myocardial reperfusion improves acute MI survival. Bioflavonoid quercetin is known to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties. The presented pilot study aims to investigate the cardioprotective effect of quercetin on infarct size limiting in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

METHODS Patients (n ¼ 143) with first anterior STEMI within 6 hours from symptoms onset were included in this openlabel multicenter pilot study. Patients were randomized either into quercetin group (n ¼ 70) in addition to standard treatment or recommended therapy alone group (control group, n ¼ 73). Quercetin infusions were initiated before reperfusion and repeated during the next 5 days. The infarct size assessed using creatine kinase-myocardial band area under curve (CK-MB AUC) was the primary study outcome.

RESULTS The study arms did not differ in demographics, time to admission, and main clinical data. The median early CKMB AUC was significantly lower in quercetin group than in controls (8036 7594 vs 11219 8146 U  1 h/L, p ¼ 0.015). Intravenous quercetin administration was associated with less reperfusion-induced intramyocardial hemorrhage by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance on Day 3 (11.1% of patients in quercetin group vs 53.3% of patients in control group, p < 0.024). There were no significant differences in left ventricle ejection fraction and LV remodeling indicators.

CONCLUSION Our pilot study is the first to demonstrate novel insight into ischemia/reperfusion damage in STEMI patients. The addition of quercetin to standard STEMI therapy limits infarct size and prevents intramyocardial hemorrhage after the first anterior STEMI. Further research will be necessary to both validate and expand upon these findings. (Hellenic Journal of Cardiology 2024;76:68–74) © 2023 Hellenic Society of Cardiology. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

On May 11–12, 2023, the I International Scientific Practical Conference “Doctors and Nursing – Medical Front in Ukraine and the World” took place in Lutsk, Ukraine. The conference was dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the Shevchenko Scientific Society (SSS).The conference was organized by the Municipal Institution of Higher Education Volyn Medical Institute of Volyn Region Council, in collaboration with Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, I.Y. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Vilnius University (Lithuania), Higher Private Educational Institution Lviv Medical University, the Shevchenko Scientific Society, and Health Tech Without Borders (Switzerland, USA). The conference was held with the support of the State Institution “Center for Nursing Development of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine”. Partners in conference organization also included Volyn Orthodox Theological Academy, Maastricht University (the Netherlands), Volyn Region Emergency Medical Center and Disaster Medicine Municipal Enterprise, German-Ukrainian Association of Nurses, NeanderklinikHarzwald (Germany), “Myloserdia” Association of Volyn Nurses PO and Lviv Association of Allergists, Immunologists, and Rehabilitologists Charitable Organization.During the course of the event, a total of over 100 speeches were delivered by medical scientists and practicing physicians, as well as researchers in diverse disciplines from Ukraine, the United States, Great Britain, Poland, Lithuania, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Workshops were conducted on relevant issues in medical practice in times of war.A total of approximately 1100 individuals participated in the conference, comprising physicians from diverse disciplines and nurses, emergency medical professionals and disaster medicine specialists, scientific and pedagogical personnel, employees of the State Emergency Service, physical rehabilitation specialists, psychologists, representatives of the clergy and public organizations, and young scientists.A new interdisciplinary format of scientific dialogue has been started between representatives of medical and nursing specialities, the education sector, psychologists, and clergy. It helps find ways to address relevant issues in the medical sector in complex conditions of the present day.