[Relationship between hypercholesterolemia and osteoarthritis (preliminary results)].

AIM: To evaluate the relationship of hypercholesterolemia (HCE) with clinical, instrumental, and laboratory parameters in osteoarthritis (OA) in a multicenter, cross-sectional study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 183 patients aged 40-75 years, with a confirmed diagnosis of stage I-III OA (ACR) of the knee joints, who signed an informed consent. The mean age was 55.6±10.7 years (40 to 75), body mass index was 29.3±6.3 kg/m2, and disease duration was 5 [1; 10] years. For each patient, a case record form was filled out, including anthropometric indicators, medical history, clinical examination data, an assessment of knee joint pain according to VAS, WOMAC, KOOS and comorbidities. All patients underwent standard radiography and ultrasound examination of the knee joints and laboratory tests. RESULTS: HCE was detected in 59% of patients. Depending on its presence or absence, patients were divided into two groups. Patients were comparable in body mass index, waist and hip measurement, and disease duration but differed significantly in age. Individuals with elevated total cholesterol levels had higher VAS pain scores, total WOMAC and its components, an overall assessment of the patient's health, a worse KOOS index, and ultrasound findings (reduced cartilage tissue). HCE patients showed high levels of cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, STX-II, and COMP (p<0.05). However, after stratification by age, many initial intergroup differences became insignificant, and differences in the WOMAC pain score persisted. CONCLUSION: The results of the study confirmed the high prevalence of HCE in OA patients (59%). Patients with OA and increased total cholesterol have more intense pain in the knee joints.

[Correlation and allergenicity of industrial substances and their chemical structure]. / Zavisimost allergennosti promyshlennykh veshchestv ot ikh khimicheskoi struktury.

Allergic effects of 575 various chemicals were studied. 20.9% of the chemicals were industrial allergens, 13.6%--mild sensitizers, and 65.5% of substances had no such effects. Allergic properties appeared to depend not on so-called "allergenic" groups, but on interaction between active radicals and all structures of molecule. Sensitization in this case occurs mainly due to properties of the main structure determining common features of all chemical class, secondary elements of the molecule conditioned the intensity of specific effects.

[Mechanisms of the development of immunodependent inflammation in silicosis]. / Mekhanizmy razvitiia immunozavisimogo vospaleniia pri silikoze.

Patients with uncomplicated silicosis were found to develop chronic immunodependent inflammation caused by an adjuvant effect of silica and characterized by autoimmune, histamine- and complement-dependent components. Reduced specific and non-specific antimicrobial defence underlies frequent complication of silicosis by tuberculosis and nonspecific infectious diseases of the bronchopulmonary system. A diagram showing the development of immunodependent inflammation in silicosis is presented.

[Histamine-related reactions in patients with byssinosis]. / Gistaminzavisimnye reaktsii u bol'nykh bissinozom.

The purpose of the study was to analyze the mechanism of histamine action in histamine-dependent reactions of neutrophils and lymphocytes in patients with byssinosis and chronic asthmatic bronchitis under cotton and flax dust effect. The appraisal of histamine content in blood serum, receptor/histamine distribution of lymphocyte and neutrophil subpopulations (rosette-forming double and triple reactions), determination of histamine modeling effect on lymphocyte-neutrophil cooperation in the inhibition reaction of leukocyte migration revealed that under cotton dust effect neutrophils and the complement system were involved into the histamine liberation process in byssinosis patients, lymphocytes were most likely not involved into the process. Flax dust-affected histamine reactions were not so distinct: lymphocyte and neutrophil reactivity in byssinosis patients did not exceed the standards. Patients with chronic asthmatic bronchitis had high blood concentration of histamine and experienced some changes in cells' migration characteristics. It was assumed that primarily nonimmune mechanisms of histamine liberation and activation of the complement system were involved into byssinosis pathological process in patients exposed to cotton and flax dust effect. In patients with chronic asthmatic bronchitis there occurred all 3 activation mechanisms of biologically active substances, i.e., allergic and nonantigenic ways of histamine liberation and activation of the complement system.

[Practice of hygienic standardization of industrial allergens in the air of the work area and ways of its improvement]. / Praktika gigienicheskogo normirovaniia promyshlennykh allergenov v vozdukhe rabochei zony i puti ee sovershenstvovaniia.

Proceeding from the results of 8-year practical experience in hygienic standardization of industrial allergens (IA) in the workplace air it is pointed out that only substances for which sensitizing effect is a limiting criterion should be regarded as IA. It is demonstrated that IA are attributed to different hazardous classes according to which differential selection of safety factor is recommended. Highlighted is the necessity of developing new methods of IA hygienic standardization.

[Intravenous laser therapy in multimodal treatment of acute pneumonia]. / Vnutrivennaia lazeroterapiia v kompleksnom lechenii ostrykh pnevmonii.

Such therapy has been administered to 70 patients with acute pneumonias. 25 patients on traditional therapy have made up the reference group. The effects of laser therapy on the clinical picture, status of the coagulation system cellular and plasma factors, fibrinolysis, and on the blood stream at the site of the pneumonic involvement have been examined in the patients with acute pneumonias in single tests and after a course of treatment. Intravenous laser therapy has had a favourable effect on the clinical course of acute pneumonias, accelerating the terms of pneumonia resolution and promoting and earlier and more complete restoration of the blood stream and normalization of the hemostasis, in contrast to routine therapy.