The effect of etiotropic therapy on the formation of immune disorders in patients with COVID-19

The course of a new coronavirus infection is associated with immune system disorders during the acute stage of the desease. Administration of effective etiotropic drugs contributes to early elimination of the virus. At the same time, risks of post-COVID immune system disorders are minimized. The aim of the study was to investigate features of the immune response formation against the background of etiotropic therapy in patients who underwent COVID-19. Material and methods. An observational retrospective comparative study was conducted. The study involved patients with COVID-19 3 months after treatment with etiotropic drugs (riamilovir or umifenovir). The study involved 87 patients (52 women and 35 men) with varying degrees of COVID-19 severity. In accordance with the study design, participants were divided into 2 groups: the first group - 41 patients (received riamilovir during the acute period of the disease);the second group - 46 patients (received umifenovir in the acute period of the disease). Statistical processing of the results was carried out using the Statistica 8.0 software package. Extensive indicators, median (Me) and interquarter range Q25-Q75 were calculated. Statistical significance between the indicators of independent samples was assessed by Mann-Whitney nonparametric test and Chi-square test. P-values below 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results and discussion. Analysis of clinical and laboratory data showed that after suffering COVID-19, not all indicators of the immune system in patients who had had COVID-19 recovered to control values. However, it is noted that in patients of the main group, which using riamilovir, compared to the comparison group was less likely to be diagnosed with chronic systemic syndrome, inflammation, dysregulation of the cellular link of immunity in the early post-COVID period.Copyright © Eco-Vector, 2022.

The use of enterosorbents in the immunorehabilitation of patients who have had a new coronavirus infection COVID-19

Post-covid syndrome is characterized by a spectrum of persistent symptoms that do not disappear for many months, which may be due to an inadequate immune system response. This leads to a discussion of potentially new methods immunorehabilitation with the use of effective enterosorbents. The aim of the study was to assess the clinical effectiveness of enterosorbents and immunological parameters of patients with a long-term "post-covid syndrome" who have undergone a new coronavirus infection COVID-19. In n pilot monitored open non-randomized experimental clinical observationanl study 33 patients who had a novel coronavirus infection with COVID-19 underwent comprehensive treatment with the inclusion of azoximer bromide (Polyoxidonium) and colloidal silicon dioxide (Polisorb MP). Analysis of clinical and laboratory data showed that after immunorehabilitation, most of the indicators characterizing the state of the immune system in patients who had COVID-19 were restored to control values. And the use of enterosorbents in complex immunorehabilitation therapy is justified and confirmed by the relief of dyspeptic and asthetovegetative syndromes, which makes it possible to recommend it for use in complex treatment.Copyright © 2021 Infectious Diseases: News, Opinions, Training. All rights reserved.

The effect of etiotropic therapy on the formation of immune disorders in patients with COVID-19

The course of a new coronavirus infection is associated with immune system disorders during the acute stage of the desease. Administration of effective etiotropiс drugs contributes to early elimination of the virus. At the same time, risks of post-COVID immune system disorders are minimized. The aim of the study was to investigate features of the immune response formation against the background of etiotropic therapy in patients who underwent COVID-19. Material and methods. An observational retrospective comparative study was conducted. The study involved patients with COVID-19 3 months after treatment with etiotropic drugs (riamilovir or umifenovir). The study involved 87 patients (52 women and 35 men) with varying degrees of COVID-19 severity. In accordance with the study design, participants were divided into 2 groups: the first group – 41 patients (received riamilovir during the acute period of the disease);the second group – 46 patients (received umifenovir in the acute period of the disease). Statistical processing of the results was carried out using the Statistica 8.0 software package. Extensive indicators, median (Me) and interquarter range Q25–Q75 were calculated. Statistical significance between the indicators of independent samples was assessed by Mann–Whitney nonparametric test and Chi-square test. P-values below 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results and discussion. Analysis of clinical and laboratory data showed that after suffering COVID-19, not all indicators of the immune system in patients who had had COVID-19 recovered to control values. However, it is noted that in patients of the main group, which using riamilovir, compared to the comparison group was less likely to be diagnosed with chronic systemic syndrome, inflammation, dysregulation of the cellular link of immunity in the early post-COVID period. © Eco-Vector, 2022.

Digital learning environment: digital literacy, e-exclusion and cyber-wellness

The Covid-19 pandemic has inevitably demonstrated the importance of the digital competence of each individual, both personally and socially. Apparently, emergency remote learning has revealed the total unpreparedness of many teachers and students to interact in the online format. Hence, the development of full-scale digital competence is perceived today as a must-have for all actors in the educational process. This goal requires careful and large-scale preparation. It is necessary to understand how modern students interpret the digitalization of education, how they perceive the current level of their digital competence development, and what they see as the reasons for "digital illiteracy"demonstrated by the educational process of the "covid era". This article presents a non-experimental study that aims to evaluate the digital competence of students in higher education and to identify the main obstacles to its efficient deepening and development. Descriptive research was designed using a mixed methodology. We worked with a sample of 431 students. A Framework for Developing and Understanding Digital Competence in Europe, Questionnaire "Problems of Students' Involvement in Digital Socialization", and semi-structured interview were used for data collection. The results show a heterogeneous and rather conditional level of digital knowledge and skills influenced by the region of residence, family economics, cultural backgrounds, and conflicting motivation for the development of digital literacy, as well as the students' access to digital devices and software. The results achieved should be a cause for reflection in universities, in order to implement curricular programs that strengthen this type of skill. © 2022 ACM.

[Pharmacoepidemiological research of COVID-19 in the Russian Federation EGIDA-2020].

AIM: An analysis of coronavirus infection in Russia and evaluation of different AVT regimens effectiveness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved a retrospective analysis of 1082 patient records with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in 17 regions of Russia. The number of men and women was equal, mean age 48.718.1 (median 50). Patients with moderate COVID-19 (85%) versus mild COVID-19 (15%) were characterized by higher age (median 54 vs 21 years; p0.001), higher body mass index (27.8 vs 23.4; p0.001), prevalence of chronic diseases (75.3% vs 8.5%; p0.001), including circulatory system diseases (37.8%). Moderate COVID-19 characterized higher intoxication (10.86.1 vs 4.22.7 days; p0.001) and catarrhal symptoms duration (10.25.4 vs 6.14.1 days; p0.001). RESULTS: During hospitalization 92% of the patients received AVT, 77% antibiotics, and 16% corticosteroids. Umifenovir therapy resulted in a significant reduction of intoxication (8.75.5 vs 11.75.5 days; p0.001) and catarrhal symptoms duration (8.85.1 vs 12.04.9 days; p0.001) compared to the group without AVT. The usage of INF reduced intoxication symptoms compared with the group without AVT (8.97.5 vs 11.75.5; p0.05). Therapy with hydroxychloroquine, imidazolylethanamide pentandioic acid, and lopinavir + ritonavir combination did not affect the course of COVID-19. Most of adverse reactions were related to antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Umifenovir therapy and inclusion of interferon in AVT regimens was associated improvement in the clinical manifestation of the disease among patients.

The use of enterosorbents in the immunorehabilitation of patients who have had a new coronavirus infection COVID-19

Post-covid syndrome is characterized by a spectrum of persistent symptoms that do not disappear for many months, which may be due to an inadequate immune system response. This leads to a discussion of potentially new methods immunorehabilitation with the use of effective enterosorbents. The aim of the study was to assess the сlinical effectiveness of enterosorbents and immunological parameters of patients with a long-term “post-covid syndrome” who have undergone a new coronavirus infection COVID-19. In n pilot monitored open non-randomized experimental clinical observationanl study 33 patients who had a novel coronavirus infection with COVID-19 underwent comprehensive treatment with the inclusion of azoximer bromide (Polyoxidonium) and colloidal silicon dioxide (Polisorb MP). Analysis of clinical and laboratory data showed that after immunorehabilitation, most of the indicators characterizing the state of the immune system in patients who had COVID-19 were restored to control values. And the use of enterosorbents in complex immunorehabilitation therapy is justified and confirmed by the relief of dyspeptic and asthetovegetative syndromes, which makes it possible to recommend it for use in complex treatment. © 2021 Infectious Diseases: News, Opinions, Training. All rights reserved.

Covid-19: An Impromptu or Trend-setting Factor in Research on Language and Education?

With the flood of research on Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021, pandemic-induced emergency is giving rise to new unprecedented challenges for all strata of the society, including science and education. The JLE editors focus on the first outcomes and hurdles the pandemic-caused research publishing has led to. The authors dwell upon the research on education in the context of Covid-19 constraints with a special accent on higher education and L2 teaching, considering the key trends as a response to the gaps in the field knowledge. Some attention is paid to emerging linguistic research and new word coinages to define the new phenomena. The editors summarize the obstacles that "fast-track" publishing and shortened peer review have built up, suggesting some estimates as of the Covid-19 effects of the research avalanche for science.

New Understanding of the Barriers to Foreign Students Adaptation in the Changing Educational Landscape: A Narrative Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed nowadays life in every aspect so irreversibly that there is no doubt that the educational landscape must be continuously re-evaluated and revised. In this regard, particular emphasis is given to the issues of academic mobility and adaptation of foreign students. The aim of the study is to clarify a new understanding of the issues traditionally faced by foreign students in universities in the host country and to analyze new barriers that have arisen as a result of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper reports on a narrative research study exploring the experiences and perceptions of 42 first-year bachelor and master foreign students having come to Russia for the first time. Taking into account that human behaiviour can be predicted through language patterns, we analysed language features to compare the participants' rational and emotional perception of the barriers to adaptation highlighted from their narratives. The findings suggest that almost all issues traditionally faced by foreign students have received a new understanding or have changed their hierarchy in their perception. Contemporary challenges have also created new barriers to adaptation. Temporalities and restrictions in physical movement received special emphasis as an obstacle to adaptation of foreign students. In the context of the total transformation that awaits higher education after the end of the pandemic and its transition to a hybrid format, the results of this study can be used by academic developers to establish a system of foreign students' psychological adaptation.

International register “dynamics analysis of comorbidities in sars-cov-2 survivors” (Aktiv sars-cov-2): Analysis of predictors of short-term adverse outcomes in covid-19

The international AKTIV register presents a detailed description of out-and inpatients with COVID-19 in the Eurasian region. It was found that hospitalized patients had more comorbidities. In addition, these patients were older and there were more men than among outpatients. Among the traditional risk factors, obesity and hypertension had a significant negative effect on prognosis, which was more significant for patients 60 years of age and older. Among comorbidities, CVDs had the maximum negative effect on prognosis, and this effect was more significant for patients 60 years of age and older. Among other comorbidities, type 2 and 1 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer and anemia had a negative impact on the prognosis. This effect was also more significant (with the exception of type 1 diabetes) for patients 60 years and older. The death risk in patients with COVID-19 depended on the severity and type of multimorbidity. Clusters of diseases typical for deceased patients were identified and their impact on prognosis was determined. The most unfavorable was a cluster of 4 diseases, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and diabetes mellitus. The data obtained should be taken into account when planning measures for prevention (vaccination priority groups), treatment and rehabilitation of COVID-19 survivors.

International register “dynamics analysis of comorbidities in sars-cov-2 survivors” (Aktiv) and the register “analysis of hospitalizations of comorbid patients infected during the second wave of sars-cov-2 outbreak” (aktiv 2)

The organizer of the registers “Dynamics analysis of comorbidities in SARS-CoV-2 survivors” (AKTIV) and “Analysis of hospitalizations of comorbid patients infected during the second wave of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak” (AKTIV 2) is the Eurasian Association of Therapists (EAT). Currently, there are no clinical registries in the Eurasian region designed to collect and analyze information on long-term outcomes of COVID-19 survivors with comorbid conditions. The aim of the register is to assess the impact of a novel coronavirus infection on long-term course of chronic non-communicable diseases 3, 6, 12 months after recovery, as well as to obtain information on the effect of comorbidity on the severity of COVID-19. Analysis of hospitalized patients of a possible second wave is planned for register “AKTIV 2”. To achieve this goal, the register will include men and women over 18 years of age diagnosed with COVID-19 who are treated in a hospital or in outpatient basis. The register includes 25 centers in 5 federal districts of the Russian Federation, centers in the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Moldova, and the Republic of Uzbekistan. The estimated capacity of the register is 5400 patients.

Students' Self-Efficacy and Motivation in Emergency Remote Learning

Quick transformation of class activities to an online format in the middle of the term due to the pandemic of COVID-19 caused a lot of attention of educators worldwide. They stated that there is a difference between online learning (e-learning) and emergency remote learning', the main defining feature being their design. It was assumed that rapid transition to the new format of studying affected students and their attitude to studying, some of them having reported that their self-efficacy and motivation was affected by emergency remote learning. The main purpose of this study was to collect specific information about students' self-efficacy and motives that make them to continue studying and attend remote classes. This includes comparing the levels of self-efficacy of the same group before and after their transition to emergency remote learning. The sample of 75 students responded to the questionnaire devised to assess the level of self-efficacy and distinguish the motives to attend distance classes. The findings demonstrate that students' levels of self-efficacy in 2019 and 2020 are moderate. However, no statistically significant differences were found between the levels of self-efficacy of this group (z = 1.177). As a result, this group of students possesses the same level of self-efficacy before and during the emergency remote learning. The most reported motive to attend classes is pleasure of studying and desire to solve difficult tasks. © 2021 ACM.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTER “DYNAMICS ANALYSIS OF COMORBIDITIES IN SARS-COV-2 SURVIVORS” (AKTIV SARS-COV-2): ANALYSIS OF 1,000 PATIENTS

COVID-19 is a severe infection with high mortality. The concept of the disease has been shaped to a greater extent on the basis of large registers from the USA, Spain, Italy, and China. However, there is no information on the disease characteristics in Caucasian patients. Therefore, we created an international register with the estimated capacity of 5,000 patients - Dynamics Analysis of Comorbidities in SARS-CoV-2 Survivors (AKTIV SARS-CoV-2), which brought together professionals from the Russian Federation, Republic of Armenia, Republic of Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyz Republic. The article presents the first analysis of the register involving 1,003 patients. It was shown that the most significant difference of the Caucasian population was the higher effect of multimorbidity on the mortality risk vs other registers. More pronounced effect on mortality of such diseases as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and age over 60 years was also revealed. COVID-19 - тяжелое инфекционное заболевание с высоким риском летального исхода. Представление о болезни во многом сформировано на основании крупных регистров, выполненных в США, Испании, Италии, КНР. Однако к настоящему времени нет данных по особенностям протекания болезни у пациентов евроазиатского региона. В связи с этим был создан международный регистр, расчетная мощность которого составляет 5000 пациентов, “Анализ динамики Коморбидных заболеваний у пациенТов, перенесшИх инфицироВание SARS-CoV-2” (AКТИВ SARS-CoV-2), работа в котором объединила специалистов Российской Федерации, Республики Армения, Республики Казахстан и Кыргызской Республики. В статье представлен первый анализ регистра, который включил данные 1003 пациентов. Показано, что самым значимым отличием евроазиатской популяции пациентов оказалось гораздо большее влияние полиморбидности на риск летального исхода в сравнении с другими регистрами, а также более выраженное влияние на риск летального исхода в евроазиатской популяции таких заболеваний, как сахарный диабет, ожирение, артериальная гипертензия, хроническая болезнь почек и возраста старше 60 лет.

[Experience of olokizumab use in COVID-19 patients].

Most subjects with the COVID-19 experience mild to moderate symptoms, but approximately 10% of cases suffer from severe course of disease. IL-6 inhibitors are actively used to neutralize and prevent the cytokine storm. Olokizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody belonging to the G4/Kappa immunoglobulin isotype that selectively binds to human IL-6 and effectively neutralizes it. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Artlegia (olokizumab) for the treatment of subjects with a disease caused by the SARS-COV-2 virus in a real-world clinical setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The analysis included data of 610 subjects aged 55.0812.68 years who received olokizumab at a single dose of 160 mg/mL 0.4 mL subcutaneously as a preemptive anti-inflammatory therapy. The comparison group included 511 subjects aged 55.2311.23 years who received standard therapy without IL-6 inhibitors. Control Endpoints: 1. Positive clinical changes on Day 7. 2. Changes in the CRP levels on Days 1, 2, and 7. 3. Duration of oxygen therapy. 4. Number of days in hospital. 5. Number of adverse events. 6. Disease outcome. RESULTS: If a cytokine storm occurs, immune regulatory events will trigger the development of either a protective immune response or an exacerbated inflammatory response. The use of preemptive anti-inflammatory therapy has both a short-term and, most importantly, a long-term effect on the T and B parts of the immune process. These aspects definitely require further research and observation. CONCLUSION: The use of olokizumab to treat the new COVID-19 coronavirus disease has demonstrated a positive effect on clinical and laboratory parameters. Primarily, it affects the severity of clinical parameters by improving the general condition already on the first day of observation, and decreasing body temperature to normal values. The changes in the C-reactive protein levels show a significant effect of the IL-6 inhibitor on the systemic inflammatory response.

[International register "Analysis of Chronic Non-infectious Diseases Dynamics After COVID-19 Infection in Adult Patients (ACTIV SARS-CoV-2)"]

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Practical experience of using riamilovir in treatment of patients with moderate COVID-19

The article evaluates the results of Riamilovir use in treatment of patients with a moderate form of the disease caused by a new strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It was found that the average time required to complete resolution of symptoms during treatment with the drug was 6-7 days. The first negative result of PCR analysis for the SARS-CoV-2 virus was registered on the 10-11thday of therapy;two consecutive negative PCR results for the SARS-CoV-2 virus were registered in the majority of patients by day 14-19 of treatment in 63±4.28%. The body temperature of the majority of patients (75%) returned to normal by the 4thday of treatment. CT scan showed improvement in the lungs of patients: a repeated CT scan performed on average on day 19 from the start of therapy showed no lung damage or no progression in 10±3.0% of patients following therapy. The CT scan of the lungs performed in 1-2 months after the treatment showed that the number of patients with no lung damage increased to 27±4.44%. As a result of treatment, a decrease in the C-reactive protein index was observed in patients. The tolerability level of the drug was assessed as good: no adverse events or significant deviations in laboratory parameters were detected.