Amidst the new COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need for a reliable medical tool to monitor patients’ vital conditions with clinical information continuity. This tool is essential for timely detection of the risk of the patient’s clinical state deterioration throughout all the stages of medical assistance. 

The objective is to assess results of the NEWS2 score implementation at the in-patient stage of medical care.

Methods. 183,732 scores of the NEWS2 score in 10,290 hospitalized patients were analyzed.  All the assessed results of the NEWS2 score were retrospectively analyzed. The NEWS2 score results were added to the United Medical Information and Analytical System of Moscow (EMIAS) database through the NEWS2 mobile application. The researchers analyzed the descriptive statistics of the score; the prognostic significance of NEWS2 in the prediction of the disease outcome was assessed as well as the accuracy of the used methods. 

Results. As the result of the research, deviations from standard methods in the application of the NEWS2 score were outlined, which allowed the researchers to develop the corrective measures.  The received data confirmed that interval assessment by the NEWS2 score and the trend analysis were important when making clinical and organizational decisions. Specific parameters of the score use during the COVID-19 pandemic were outlined, which helped to adjust the in-hospital procedures for clinical decision-making process, routing, and the continuity of all stages of medical assistance was established. 

Conclusion. The use of the NEWS2 score in medical practice makes it possible to predict the risks of clinical deterioration in the patient's condition, conduct bedside monitoring of therapy effectiveness, and optimize in-hospital routing. However, to ensure the validity of the score, it is necessary to plan activities for the personnel training and motivation, as well as to monitor careful adherence to the protocol. 

Thrombophilia, as well as multiple organ dysfunction, are typical manifestations of the severe new coronavirus infection that closely resemble the clinical signs of catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS). 

The objective: to assess whether catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome is an essential manifestation of severe forms of COVID-19.

Subjects and methods. 45 patients diagnosed with the new coronavirus infection (SARS-CoV-2) and a severe course of viral pneumonia (more than 3 points on the NEWS score by the admission, CT 3-4, oxygenation index below 100, the need for at least high-flow oxygen therapy).  They were assessed for the development of CAPS due to signs of progressing organ dysfunction despite the ongoing intensive therapy, suspected pulmonary embolism and progressing venous thrombosis of a lower extremity or subclavian vein.  It was an essential provision that they should have no signs of bacterial infection (blood procalcitonin should be below 0.5 μg/l). The antiphospholipid syndrome was diagnosed based on the detection of antibodies to β-2-glycoprotein in the blood  (A/t β-2-GP1 IgGAM, A/t β-2-GP1 IgM, A/t β-2-GP1 IgG) and to cardiolipin (A/t CL IgM , A/t CL IgG) by ELISA tests. The course of the disease was monitored using other routine clinical (temperature, complete blood and urine counts) tests and blood panel tests reflecting the severity of the systemic inflammatory response (ferritin, CRP, interleukins 6 and 18), and the state of the hemostatic, respiratory, circulatory, liver and kidney systems.

Results. Antiphospholipid antibodies (aAPL) moderately exceeding the reference values were detected in 9 out of 45 patients (20%), mainly due to IgA and IgM isotypes to β-2-glycoprotein and IgM isotype to cardiolipin.  The assessment of the antibody titer in 5 patients over time (after 7 days) revealed a decrease, but it did not affect the outcome (four of them died). In 36 patients, some traces of aAPL were found that did not reach the lower limit of the norm, despite the uniformity of the clinical signs and similarity of biochemical parameters reflecting the severity of organ disorders.  The absence of antibodies did not prevent the development of thrombotic complications (thrombosis of large vessels and pulmonary embolism in 5 patients). There were no other manifestations often associated with CAPS (thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, decreased fibrinogen concentration in the blood). 

Conclusion. Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome is not inevitable in severe COVID-19 cases, however, it can develop as one of the manifestations of thrombophilia that occurs in such patients.

Microcirculation disorders caused by thrombosis are the most important factor determining the pathogenesis of organ damage in severe COVID-19 including the absence of obvious macrohemodynamic instability. However, there are very few publications demonstrating the results of intravital visualization of changes in the microcirculation system in this disease.

The objective: to assess the state of microcirculation in patients with viral pneumonia associated with COVID-19 using nail bed microscopy.

Subjects and methods. Eleven patients with COVID-19 were examined; they were admitted to the intensive care unit due to progressing acute respiratory failure. Vital microscopy of the microcirculatory bloodstream in the fingers’ nail bed was performed by admission and over time. When assessing microcirculation, the presence of aggregates in the lumen of capillaries and avascular zones, and the linear velocity of blood flow were taken into account. The results were summarized taking with the outcome consideration (6 people recovered, 5 died).

Results. Microcirculation disorders were objectively confirmed in all patients. In 100% of cases, microaggregates were detected in the capillary lumen. The values of the mean linear velocity of capillary blood flow turned out to be extremely variable. However, the values of the maximum linear velocities of capillary blood flow in the patients who subsequently died were significantly lower versus survivors (190 μm/sec (135.5; 237) and 387 μm/sec (329.3; 407.5), p = 0.018). The irregularity of blood flow in the visualized field was revealed: when the value of the maximum linear velocity in some capillaries was less than 180 µm/sec, in others, disturbances in the form of pendulum-like movement were already noted. Further slowing down of the blood flow velocity led to the development of stasis and the formation of avascular zones.

Conclusion. Impaired microcirculation (decreased blood flow rate in the capillaries, the presence of microaggregates and a lower number of perfused capillaries in the form of avascular zones) develops in all patients with severe COVID-19.

The role of coagulopathy in severe novel coronavirus infection remains to be clarified. Coagulopathy mechanisms can be summarised in two main pathways: inflammation-related and specific-virus related pathways. The incidence of thromboembolic events is high with pulmonary embolism being the most frequent thromboembolic complication. Low molecular weight heparin is considered the main prophylactic and therapeutic option in patients with COVID-19. Treatment of thromboembolic complications should be started without delay in all cases with certain or clinically suspected diagnosis, whether confirmed or not with specific diagnostic methods. The article reviews the following: mechanisms of development of coagulopathy in COVID-19 including those directly related to the action of the virus, the diagnostic value of biochemical markers and thromboelastography, the incidence of thromboembolic events, and approaches to the prevention and treatment of COVID-19-associated coagulopathy.

The objective: to evaluate the effect of high-flow oxygen and non-invasive ventilation on the mortality rate in adults with severe respiratory failure caused by the new coronavirus infection in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Subjects and methods. A one-center retrospective study was conducted. Electronic medical files of patients treated in the ICU from April 1 to May 25, 2020, were analyzed. Totally, 101 medical files were selected, further, they were divided into two groups. Group 1 (n = 49) included patients who received oxygen insufflation, and should it fail, they received traditional artificial ventilation. No non-invasive respiratory therapy was used in this group. Group 2 (n = 52) included patients who received high-flow oxygen therapy and non-invasive ventilation. The mortality rate in the groups made a primary endpoint for assessing the impact of high-flow oxygen therapy and non-invasive ventilation. The following parameters were also analyzed: drug therapy, the number of patients in whom non-invasive techniques were used taking into account the frequency of cases when these techniques failed, and the number of patients in whom artificial ventilation was initiated.

Results. In Group 2, non-invasive methods of respiratory therapy were used in 31 (60%) cases. High-flow oxygen therapy was used in 19 (36%) of them; in 13 cases this method allowed weaning them from the high flow. Non-invasive ventilation was used in 18 cases, in 12 patients it was used due to progressing severe respiratory failure during humidified oxygen insufflation, in 6 patients – after the failed high-flow oxygen therapy. In Group 1, 25 (51%) patients were intubated and transferred to artificial ventilation, in Group 2, 10 (19.2%) underwent the same. The lethal outcome was registered in 23 (47%) cases in Group 1, and in 10 (19.2%) in Group 2 (p = 0.004). Analysis of drug therapy in the groups revealed the difference in the prescription of pathogenetic therapy. Logistic regression demonstrated the effectiveness of the combination of tocilizumab + a glucocorticoid in reducing the frequency of lethal cases (p = 0.001).

Conclusion. The use of non-invasive respiratory support in adults with severe respiratory failure caused by the new coronavirus infection combined with therapy by tocilizumab + a glucocorticoid can reduce the incidence of lethal cases.

The objective: to investigate the efficacy and safety of terlipressin when it is used as an additional vasopressor in septic shock.

Subjects: A single-center, observational, retrospective-prospective study of the efficacy and safety of combined therapy of septic shock with norepinephrine and terlipressin versus monotherapy with norepinephrine was conducted.

Results. The use of terlipressin made it possible to reduce the average daily need for noradrenaline in patients with septic shock from 0.68 μg · kg-1 · min-1 in the control group to 0.55 μg · kg-1 · min-1 in the study group (p = 0.015) and reduce the duration of vasopressor support from 8 days [6.0-11.0] to 6 days [5.0-8.0] in the study group (p = 0.023). The use of terlipressin did not reduce the need for mechanical ventilation, but it did reduce the duration of ventilation.  The number of days free from mechanical ventilation in patients in the control group was 6.0 [1.0-18.0], in the study group - 16.0 [2.0-22.0], (p = 0.039).

Conclusion. The use of terlipressin as a supplement to norepinephrine is an effective and relatively safe treatment for hypotension in refractory septic shock. 

The objective: the aim of the study was to identify the relationship between arterial hypocapnia and systemic hypoperfusion in newborns with single ventricular physiology after hemodynamic correction of congenital heart disease. 

Subjects and methods. 125 newborns with congenital heart defects operated from 2014 to 2018 were examined retrospectively.  Arterial and central venous blood gases were collected in the postoperative period.  A total of 670 pairs of laboratory results were selected.

Results. Based on the presence/absence of hypocapnia (PaCO2 less than 35 mm Hg), 2 groups were formed. Group G-0 (the hypocapnic variant of the single-ventricular circulation) comprised 44 observations. Group G-1 (PaCO2 more than 35 mm Hg) included 40 observations.  In 32 (38%) cases the level of systemic perfusion was within the normal range, in 52 (62%) cases, systemic hypoperfusion was detected.  In samples corresponding to Group G-1, signs of DOS were observed in 20 cases.  The study showed that the most pronounced intergroup difference in parametric data was observed among indicators reflecting oxygen consumption and, as a consequence, the system flow rate (РO2 in mixed venous blood, saturation in mixed venous blood, arterio-venous difference in saturation, O2 content in venous blood, O2 extraction ratio, arterio-venous difference in РCO2).  In addition, the HF markers such as arterio-venous difference in saturation, O2 extraction ratio, arterio-venous difference in РCO2 had a strong correlation with the signs of systemic hypoperfusion. In the hypocapnic group, the tendency for more pronounced desaturation of venous blood was determined, and a higher arterio-venous difference in saturation, O2 content in venous blood, O2 extraction ratio, and arterio-venous difference in РCO2 parameters were also noted.

Conclusions. Arterial hypocapnia may be a sign of pulmonary overflow and reduction of systemic blood flow in newborns with single ventricular physiology, after hemodynamic correction of congenital heart disease.  When managing newborns with parallel circulation, hypocapnia should be avoided as a factor contributing to the redistribution of blood flow from left to right and the development of systemic hypoperfusion. 

Prostate cancer remains the most common urologic malignancy, and robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy makes the most effective treatment option. The special conditions of the surgery (Trendelenburg position) affect the intraocular pressure.

The objective: to systematize new data on changes in intraocular pressure during robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy under various types of general anesthesia. Materials and methods. Publications were reviewed using the PubMed search engine in the electronic databases of Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library up to August 2020.

Results. A total, 9 studies were included in the review including a randomized controlled one. Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy can be a safe surgery regarding perioperative changes in intraocular pressure and ophthalmic complications.

Conclusions. The review offers the first assessment of changes in intraocular pressure during robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy. Further studies with a longer follow-up period are needed to determine the clinical efficacy and safety of various types of general anesthesia.

Low molecular weight heparins, in particular enoxaparin, have a wide range of applications, including prevention and treatment of deep vein thrombosis.  The most common adverse effects of these drugs are bleeding and thrombocytopenia, but a clinician should be aware of another less common but not less important adverse effect such as an elevated transaminase level. In 2019, we observed two cases of enoxaparin-induced hepatotoxicity. In the first one, enoxaparin 0.4 ml subcutaneously twice a day was prescribed to a 40-year-old woman as a bridge therapy to discontinue warfarin before elective surgery. In the second case, a 27-year-old man received enoxaparin 0.4 ml subcutaneously twice a day for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis. The elevation of transaminase level for more than 3 times above the norm was noted in both patients which required discontinuation of the drug.

The review describes certain practical aspects of follicular puncture anesthesia. It presents data on the penetration of anesthetics and other drugs used during anesthesia into the follicular fluid as well as the effect of certain drugs and conditions on the reproductive outcome of treatment. Various options for anesthesia are described that can be used depending on the characteristics of the patient's psychoemotional state and the number of punctured follicles.