The significance of monitoring respiratory sample cultures and polymerase chain reaction tests for detecting bacterial pathogens in severely and critically ill patients with COVID-19.

Background: Bacterial superinfection is one of the most common and potentially lethal complications in severely and critically ill patients with COVID-19.

Objectives: To determine the colonisation time frame and the spectrum of potential bacterial pathogens in respiratory samples from patients with severe and critical COVID-19, using routine culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on patients aged ≥18 years with confirmed severe and critical COVID-19 who were admitted to or transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Efficiency of Direct Transcutaneous Electroneurostimulation of the Median Nerve in the Regression of Residual Neurological Symptoms after Carpal Tunnel Decompression Surgery.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most frequent entrapment neuropathy. CTS therapy includes wrist immobilization, kinesiotherapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, carpal tunnel steroid injection, acupuncture, and physical therapy. Carpal tunnel decompression surgery (CTDS) is recommended after failure of conservative therapy.

[Relationships between body composition and hematological parameters in long-living patients with coronary artery disease.].

The study objective to investigate hematological parameters and determine the relationships between these indicators and body composition in centenarians with coronary artery disease. This work is a cross-sectional study, which enrolled 239 patients over 90 years old hospitalized with a diagnosis of coronary artery disease; most of them (67,8%) were women. The age of the patients ranged from 90 to 106 years, averaging 92,8 (±2,5) years.

[Glomerular filtration rate in centenarians with coronary artery disease.].

The study objective was to compare the CKD-EPI, MDRD, BIS1, and Cockroft-Gault equations for calculating GFR, and analyze the various relationships between the glomerular filtration rate and clinical and laboratory parameters in long-living patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). A cross-sectional study of 270 patients from 90 to 106 years old, hospitalized with CAD diagnosis, was performed. The mean estimated GFR according to CKD-EPI was 51,4±14,2 ml/min, MDRD - 50,9±13,4, BIS1 - 38,4±7,7, Cockroft-Gault - 40,6±12,6 ml/min.

[Tumor necrosis factor alfa in very elderly patients with coronary artery disease.].

The results of a study of the concentration of TNF-α as well as the relationship of this cytokine with a number of pathological conditions in very elderly patients with coronary artery disease compared with the control group of patients without CAD are presented in the article. The average group concentration of TNF-α reached 9,2+4,7 pg/ml (from 3,9 to 31,9 pg/ml) with normal TNF-α values of less than 8,1 pg/ml. An increase in the level of TNF-α was detected in 54,6% of patients.