Vol 23, No 2 (2023)

Narcotic substances have a pronounced toxic effect on the entire body and can lead to disability. Despite ongoing efforts to combat drug addiction, in today's society, many drugs are available for potential use. Their destructive action leads to numerous adverse ocular and systemic manifestations. The most frequently, the drug-users are people of working age, in whom visual impairment leads to restrictions on labor and social activities.

The article considers a clinical case of talcum retinopathy, which developed as a result of long-term abuse of intravenous drugs; the ophthalmic manifestations and a possible treatment option are described.

Aim – to study the dentine galvanophoretic impregnation with nanoparticles of copper–calcium hydroxide (CCH) in the teeth with carious cavities.

Material and methods. The study was conducted on 21 teeth removed for various medical indications, with a concomitant diagnosis "dental caries". After mechanical treatment, the cavities were washed with saline solution, then CCH paste was placed on the cavity floor, covered with aluminum foil, drained and isolated with temporary fillings. To maintain the osmotic balance, the teeth were placed in a laboratory model: a plastic bath with saline solution and a melamine sponge, for a period of 1, 14 and 30 days. Then the longitudinal teeth sections were prepared for the electron microscopic examination.

Results. During the CCH galvanophoresis, the dentine impregnation with copper nanoparticles in the area of cavity floor occurred already during the first day of the procedure. The penetration depth reached 10.1 microns. The maximum depth of penetration of particles into the dentin (up to 30 microns) was detected after the 30-days-galvanophoresis. The maximum values of the diffusion coefficient and its velocity were recorded after the first day. With an increase in the time of galvanophoresis to 14 and 30 days, these indicators decreased.

Conclusion. The described method may be used as an option of choice for the prevention of recurrent dental caries, especially in the presence of deep cavities.

Aim – to assess the sensitivity of hard dental tissues after home teeth whitening with various kits.

Material and methods. The study involved 45 people aged from 20 to 35 years with enamel color A3 and darker on the Vita Classical scale arranged in chromatic order. Using the random sampling method, all patients were divided into 3 groups, 15 people in each group. The course of home whitening lasted for 14 days with the following administration of a course of remineralization therapy for 2 weeks. The presence of hypersensitivity was evaluated before the course of home teeth whitening, after 3 days, 7 days, 2 weeks and 1 month.

Results. The study revealed the highest incidence of hyperesthesia during home teeth whitening in patients of the first group, who used a hydrogen peroxide content of 10%. Presumably, the high percentage of the occurrence of dental hyperesthesia of 2nd degree in patients of this group resulted from the use of hydrogen peroxide as a whitening component, which is a more aggressive agent, if compared to carbamide peroxide.

Conclusion. Home teeth whitening using a system containing 22% carbamide peroxide eliminates the risk of tooth hyperesthesia, since the whitening gel is used in individual trays, carbamide peroxide is used as a whitening agent, and the introduction of amorphous calcium phosphate into the gel does not cause fluid movement in dentinal tubules, thereby not causing sensitivity of the hard tissues of the teeth.

Aim – to study the linear dimensions of the right and left kidneys in patients with urolithiasis and in individuals without kidney disease.

Material and methods. We assessed the average values of length, thickness and width at the level of the poles and hilum of the kidney in urolithiasis (main group – 65 patients) and in the control group (87 healthy people) using the method of 3D reconstruction of the computed tomography data and the method of variational-statistical analysis.

Results. The linear dimensions of the kidneys: length, thickness, width at all levels were larger in the main group than in the control group, due to the expansion of the pyelocaliceal system, as well as edema and, as a result, an increase in the size of the parenchyma in patients with urolithiasis.

The literature review provides an update on recent advances in antiepileptic pharmacotherapy. The article considers the mechanisms of action of the drugs, the range of efficacy, side effects and enzyme-inducing properties, potential teratogenicity.

A review of the literature revealed some of the problems of patients with epilepsy remaining unresolved to this day. Despite an increase in the number of anticonvulsants in recent years, one-third of patients are pharmacoresistant to antiepileptic therapy and continue to suffer from seizures. The hope for reducing the proportion of patients with uncontrolled seizures rests on future therapeutic developments, including targeted therapies aimed at the molecular mechanisms underlying the epilepsy pathogenesis. Clinical outcomes in patients with epilepsy could also significantly improve with advances in the development of new highly accurate diagnostic and treatment methods, the identification of biomarkers for drug development, as well as routine clinical follow-up and the introduction of truly innovative disease-modifying therapies.

Aim – to develop a method for standardization of licorice herb.

Material and methods. The material for the study was licorice herb harvested in Alekseevka settlement of the Samara Region (2021), Tatarskaya Kargala village of Sakmarskiy area of the Orenburg Region (2017), Derzhavinsk city of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2018), Bol'shaya Chernigovka village of Bol'shchernigovsk area of the Samara Region (2019), and a commercial sample of licorice root raw material from AO "Krasnogorskleksredstva". In addition, the reference standards (RS) were used: pinostrobin, licuraside, quercetin, rutin, luteolin and glycyram. The authenticity was determined by the thin layer chromatography (qualitative analysis). For the quantitative analysis, we used the differential spectrophotometry, conducted in accordance with Pharmacopoeial monograph 1.2.1.1.0003.15 "Spectrophotometry in ultraviolet and visible spectra". The spectral characteristics of water-alcohol extracts were evaluated on spectrophotometer "Specord 40" (Analytik Jena AG, Germany).

Results. The dominant flavonoid substance, pinocembrin, was detected. This compound in chloroform-ethanol (4:1) solvent system had blue fluorescence at 365 nm. During the development of the chromatogram with an alkaline solution of diazobenzene sulphonic acid, a light green stain (pinoсembrin) was detected practically at the level of the pinostrobin stain. It is reasonable to determine the diagnostic flavonoid pinocembrin of licorice herb using pinostrobin as the reference standard. The flavonoids pinocembrin and pinostrobin have similar spectral characteristics and are similar in chemical structure. A method has been developed for quantitative determination of the total flavonoids in terms of pinocembrin in water-ethanol extract of licorice herb (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) using the differential spectrophotometry. The total flavonoid content in the licorice herb varies from 0.39±0.002% to 3.48±0.015% (in terms of pinocembrin).

Aim – to determine the risk factors for sarcopenia in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

Material and methods. The study included 395 elderly patients with T2DM (mean age 65.1 ± 2.7 years). The probable sarcopenia group (n = 185) included participants with low muscle strength, the control group (n = 210) included participants without sarcopenia. In all participants we registered the anthropometric indicators; fasting blood glucose; glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c); albumen; creatinine; body composition; handgrip strength. The food diary was used to calculate total daily calories, the amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fats eaten per day, as well as the proportion of calories provided by these macronutrients.

Results. Compared with the controls, the male and female patients with probable sarcopenia were older (p<0.001) and had lower waist-to-hip ratio (p=0.038 and p=0.018, respectively) and BMI (p=0.001 and p<0.001 respectively), eGFR (p=0.030 and p=0.018, respectively), bone mineral content (p<0.001), basal metabolic rate (p=0.016 and p<0.001, respectively), appendicular skeletal muscle mass (p=0.043 and p<0.001, respectively), appendicular musculoskeletal mass index (p=0.002 and p<0.001, respectively) and muscle quality (p<0.001), high fasting plasma glucose (p=0.017 and p=0.007, respectively) and HbA1c (p<0.001 and p=0.004, respectively). In men with probable sarcopenia, the percentage of calories provided by carbohydrates was lower (p=0.041), while the percentage provided by fats (p= 0.012) was higher than in the control group.

Conclusion. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR = 1.517, 95% CI: 1.127-2.043, p=0.006), male sex (OR = 0.196, 95% CI: 0.142-0.271, p<0.001), BMI≥ 28 kg/m² (OR = 0.683, 95% CI: 0.467-0.998, p=0.049), HbA1c level ≥ 10% (OR = 1.396, 95% CI: 1.018-1.915, p=0.038), diabetic nephropathy (OR = 1.439, 95% CI: 1.033-2.006, p=0.031) and decreased serum albumin (OR = 0.917, 95% CI: 0.883-0.953, p<0.001) were risk factors associated with low muscle strength in patients with type 2 diabetes type.