Abstract: Introduction: Nowadays, the coronavirus disease COVID-19 is a global problem for the population of the whole world which has acquired the character of a pandemic. Under physiological conditions, in a healthy person, erythrocytes make up 96% of all blood cells, leukocytes 3%, and hrombocytes about 1%. In healthy individuals, erythrocytes are mostly shaped like a biconcave disc and do not contain a nucleus. The diameter of the erythrocyte is 8 microns, but the peculiarities of the cell structure and the membrane structure ensure their great ability to deform and pass through capillaries with a narrow lumen of 2-3 microns. Therefore, the study of the morpho-functional state of blood cells, namely erythrocytes, in this category of patients is relevant and deserves further research.

The Aim: To figure out the effect of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 on the ultrastructural blood cell changes, in particular erythrocytes, in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and diabetes mellitus type 2.

Materials and Methods: Twelve patients with COVID-19 who had an acute myocardial infarction were examined. The comparison group consisted of 10 people with acute myocardial infarction without symptoms of COVID-19. The average age of the patients was 62 ± 5,6 years. The functional state and ultrastructure of blood cells were studied using electron microscopy.

Results: In the presence of COVID-19, we detected both calcification and destruction of erythrocytes and platelets. Reticulocytes were detected much more often in these individuals than in the comparison group. In patients with acute myocardial infarction in the presence of type 2 diabetes and COVID-19, a significant number of markedly deformed, hemolyzed erythrocytes or with signs of acanthosis, which stuck together and with other destructively changed blood cells, were found. We also detected «neutrophils extracellular traps» (NETs).

Conclusions: Morphological changes of blood cells in COVID-19 varied according to the disease course and severity especially in the background of a weakened immune system in older and elderly people, in the presence of diabetes, excessive body weight, cardiovascular diseases and occupational hazards. Under the influence of COVID-19, blood cells are destroyed by apoptosis and necrosis. Therefore, hypoxia and ischemia of vital organs of the human body occur.

The presented article shows the importance of using such additional clinical markers of the development of pathological and critical conditions as non-specific adaptive reactions, which are integral indicators of the imbalance of all homeostatic systems of the body. The purpose of the study was to establish the types of non-specific adaptive reactions, to take into account changes in the ratio of cellular parameters of peripheral blood, and to use them to improve the effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The results of examinations in three research groups (79 patients) were analyzed: Group I - 28 patients with STEMI and normal body weight, Group II - 24 patients with STEMI and excess body weight, and Group III - 27 patients with STEMI and obesity of the I-III degrees. The diagnosis (acute coronary syndrome) of ACS was made based on a complex clinical, laboratory and instrumental examination. Blood was taken for the study when patients were admitted to the department. The total number of leukocytes and the leukocyte blood formula were determined by standardized methods; the type of non-specific adaptation reaction - according to the method of L.H. Harkavi; the ratio of the absolute content of neutrophils to the absolute content of lymphocytes (neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, NLR), and the ratio of the absolute content of neutrophils to the absolute content of platelets (neutrophil to platelet ratio, NPR) was determined. The course of ACS occurs against the background of several non-specific adaptation reactions, where the stress reaction was dominant (42.8% - group I, 50% - group II, and 51.9% - group III), indicating the disease's severity. The highest level of NLR (p<0.05) was found in group III, relative to the NLR indicator in group I and group II, and the highest level of NPR was found in group III precisely in case of a stress reaction, which indicates an unfavourable prognosis for patients of this group. Determining the type of nonspecific adaptation reaction can serve as an additional indicator of the severity of the patient and allows us to assess the effectiveness of therapy in patients with STEMI. The indicators of NLR and NPR were useful and powerful indicators of adverse consequences during the hospitalization of patients with ACS. The type of adaptive response and the indicators of NLR and NPR are determined based on clinical blood analysis indicators, and they are economical biomarkers for predicting the severity of inflammation.

The aim: To determine the diagnostic value of serum levels of ST2 in patients with the acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and its correlation with NT-proBNP levels. Materials and methods: NT-proBNP and ST2 concentration in serum of patients was measured on admission to the hospital and on the 10th day of the treatment using NT-proBNP ELISA (Biomedica, Slovakia) and Presage ST2 assay (Critical Diagnostics, USA), respectively. Results: Statistically significant direct correlations (p<0.05). The simultaneous increase of ST2 and NT-proBNP serum levels above their threshold in patients with ACSelST (sensitivity – 92.5 %, specificity – 74.2 %, AUC – 0.893, р<0.05) indicated a significant risk of cardiovascular (CV) complications of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during the inpatient period, e.g. acute heart failure, acute LV aneurysm, recurrent AMI, as well as rhythm and conductivity disturbances. Conclusions: The data suggest that both ST2 and NT-proBNP may prove useful in predicting unfavorable prognosis during the inpatient care of AMI, as the simultaneous increase of these biomarkers above their threshold values indicates a significant risk of CV complications.

Метою дослідження було вивчити особливості змін коронарного русла при коронароангіографії (КАГ) у пацієнтів із гострим інфарктом міокарда та елевацією сегмента ST (STEMI) за наявності надмірної маси тіла (НМТ) чи ожиріння. Матеріал і методи. Обстежено 158 пацієнтів зі STEMI віком від 32 до 86 років. Усі пацієнти були розподілені на 3 групи: І групу становили 52 особи з нормальною масою тіла, індекс маси тіла (ІМТ) — 18,5-24,9 кг/м², ІІ групу — 51 пацієнт із НМТ (ІМТ — 25,0-29,9 кг/м²), ІІІ групу — 55 осіб з ожирінням І-ІІІ ступенів (ІМТ ≥30,0 кг/м²). Результати. При оцінці результатів КАГ виявлено те, що поширеність лівого типу коронарного кровопостачання серця реєструвалася в 48,08±6,93% пацієнтів зі STEMI, які мали нормальну масу тіла (І група), 41,18±6,89% пацієнтів зі STEMI, у яких була НМТ (ІІ група), та 41,82±6,65% хворих зі STEMI та ожирінням (ІІІ група) (р>0,05). Правий тип кровопостачання виявляли в 48,08±6,93% пацієнтів І групи, 43,14±6,94% пацієнтів ІІ групи і 38,18±6,55% осіб ІІІ групи (р>0,05). Збалансований тип коронарного кровообігу спостерігався лише в 3,85±1,67% пацієнтів І групи, 15,69±5,09% пацієнтів ІІ групи, а в осіб ІІІ групи — у 20±5,39% випадків (p1-2=0,042, p1-3=0,011). Багатосудинні ураження вінцевих артерій (ВА) у І групі виявили у 28,85±6,28% осіб, а в осіб із НМТ та ожирінням таких випадків було достовірно більше — 39,22±6,84% (ІІ група) (р1-2<0,05) і 41,82±6,65% (ІІІ група) (р1-3<0,05) відповідно. Висновки. Згідно з результатами КАГ серед пацієнтів із ожирінням достовірно вища частка осіб зі збалансованим типом кровопостачання міокарда. Серед осіб із надмірною масою тіла та ожирінням достовірно частіше виявляються багатосудинні ураження ВА. Для пацієнтів з ожирінням характерна часта локалізація ге- модинамічно значущих змін у медіальному сегменті передньої міжшлуночкової гілки лівої ВА (р<0,05), а також констатована тенденція до частіших хронічних оклюзій (р=0,08). 

The aim of the study was to examine the features of changes in the coronary blood flow during coronary angiography (CAG) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the presence of overweight and obesity. Material and methods. 158 patients with STEMI age from 32 to 86 years were examined. All patients were divided into 3 groups: the first group consisted of 52 patients with MI with normal body weight (body mass index (BMI) — 18.5-24.9 kg/m²), the second group — 51 patients with MI with overweight (BMI — 25.0-29.9 kg/m²), the third group — 55 people with MI and obesity of I-III stages (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m²). Results. When evaluating the results of CAG, it was found that the prevalence of the left type of coronary blood supply of the heart was recorded in 48.08±6.93% of patients with STEMI who had normal body weight (group I), in 41.18±6.89% of patients with STEMI and overweight (group II) and in 41.82±6.65% of patients with STEMI and obesity (group III) (p>0.05). The right type of blood supply was detected in 48.08±6.93% of patients of the I group, 43.14±6.94% of the patients of the II group, and in 38.18±6.55% of the patients of the III group (p>0.05). A balanced type of coronary circulation was observed only in 3.85±1.67% of patients of group I, 15.69±5.09% of patients of group II, and in persons of group III — in 20±5.39% of cases (p1-2=0.042, p1-3=0.011). Multivessel lesions of coronary arteries (CA) in the I group were found in 28.85±6.28% of persons, but in persons with overweight and obesity, such cases were significantly more — 39.22±6.84% (II group) (р1-2<0.05) and 41.82±6.65% (III group) (р1-3<0.05), respectively. Conclusions. According to the results of CAG, reliably higher proportion of persons with a balanced type of the myocardium blood supply among patients with obesity was detected. Multi-vessel CA lesions occur significantly more often in patients with overweight and obesity. Obese patients were characterized by the localization of hemodynamically significant changes in the medial segment of the anterior interventricular branch of the left CA (р<0.05), and they also had a tendency to more frequent chronic occlusions (p=0.08).

Проблеми геріатричної кардіології — одні з найважливіших аспектів знань не лише для сучасного лікаря-кардіолога, але й геріатра і сімейного лікаря, особливо при високій інвалідизації внаслідок серцево-судинних захворювань (ССЗ), а саме через артеріальну гіпертензію (АГ). Частка пацієнтів похилого і старечого віку, хворих на АГ, в останні десятиріччя відповідно збільшилася. Тому стаття присвячена вивченню особливостей патогенезу, клініки, перебігу та лікування АГ у старшому віці.

The problems of geriatric cardiology are one of the most important aspects of knowledge not only for a modern cardiologist, but also for a geriatrician and a family doctor. Especially with high disability due to arterial hypertension (AH) that share of elderly and senile patients with hypertension has increased accordingly in recent decades. Therefore, the article is devoted to the study of the features of the pathogenesis, clinic, course and treatment of hypertension in the elderly.