Evaluation of a national framework for rational use of medicines in Kazakhstan and its role in improving medicine use practices at the organizational and national levels.

Background: Kazakhstan inherited the Semashko health system model, known for the centralized adoption of rules at the Ministry of Health (MoH) level that regulate the healthcare system. In 2019 MoH established a national framework with indicators aimed at collecting qualitative and quantitative data from healthcare organizations as part of their annual self-evaluation, and biannual external evaluation by the National Research Center for Health Development (NRCHD). The purpose of this study was to pilot the MoH framework on rational use of medicines and evaluate its effects on medicine use practices in health care organizations and at the national level.

Association of TMAO levels with indicators of ulcerative colitis activity.

Background: The diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC) today is limited to a small number of biomarkers. Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is the product of reactions resulting from the degradation of dietary-free choline, phosphatidylcholine, and carnitine metabolism by the intestinal microbiota. Earlier studies showed his involvement in the pathogenesis of UC.

Alterations of the Gut Microbiome and TMAO Levels in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an idiopathic and heterogeneous large intestine disease, characterized by chronic mucosa and submucosa inflammation. Alteration of the intestinal microbiome in UC may be responsible for modifications in metabolite production. Aim: To investigate the microbiota status and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) metabolite levels in patients with UC according to clinical and endoscopic activity.

Identifying Key Biomarkers in Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension: An Investigative Approach.

This study assesses the utility of early biomarkers-5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)-for diagnosing and monitoring pulmonary hypertension (PH) in children with congenital heart defects (CHD). Due to the risks associated with invasive diagnostics, such as right heart catheterization, non-invasive biomarkers provide a safer alternative for early PH detection. This cohort-based study utilized blood and urine samples to measure 5-HIAA and IGF-1 levels via enzyme immunoassays.

Correction of a congenital kyphoscoliosis associated with diastematomyelia.

Congenital scoliosis is one of the most common deformities of the spine in children. Intraspinal anomalies are always accompanied with congenital scoliosis. Diastematomyelia is one of the most common intraspinal pathologies in congenital scoliosis.

Risk factors associated with fatal thrombosis in hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients on anticoagulant therapy.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that increase the risk of fatal thrombotic events in hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients receiving standard therapy according to the National Clinical Practice Guidelines (National Guidelines).

Materials And Methods: In this case-control study, cases included 83 adults with COVID-19 who had died from thrombosis and controls comprised 83 COVID-19 patients with comparable criteria who survived. Data was abstracted by reviewing the medical records of selected patients and analyzed using Statistica.

Bacterial Colonization Incidence before and after Indwelling Double-J Ureteral Stents.

The upper urinary tract stenting allows to restore the ureteral patency in various situations. However, one of the main disadvantages of stenting is bacterial contamination, which can be a source of persistent infections that hardly respond to antibiotic therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the local spectrum of bacterial pathogens and their susceptibility to antibiotics in order to optimize antibacterial therapy after upper urinary tract stenting.

Microbial Landscape and Antibiotic Susceptibility Dynamics of Skin and Soft Tissue Infections in Kazakhstan 2018-2020.

Skin and soft tissue inflammatory diseases of bacterial origin occupy a significant part of hospitalizations to emergency departments. One of the most common causes of sepsis is soft tissue infection, which accounts for about a quarter of all nosocomial infections. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in microbial landscape and antibiotic susceptibility of soft tissue infection pathogens among adults and children during the period 2018-2020.