Russian Medicine

BACKGROUND: Prenatal ultrasound diagnostics and sociopsychological support in the early rehabilitation of children with congenital cleft palate combined with malformations of other organs and systems complement the unified algorithm of dynamic monitoring and rehabilitation treatment of these patients. Thus, predicting the choice of techniques and the system of rehabilitation prescriptions became possible.

AIM: To present the experience of prenatal ultrasound diagnostics and sociopsychological support during pregnancy for the early rehabilitation of a patient with cleft palate combined with malformations of other organs and systems.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in the Multiprofile Clinical Medical Center “Bonum” in Yekaterinburg. For 24 years, from the analysis of medical records of the organizational and rehabilitation process of 2,475 patients with congenital cleft lip and/or palate receiving comprehensive care (1998–2022), 823 (33.25%) patients who had with cleft palate and malformations of other organs and systems were enrolled in this study. The discharge epicrises of the pregnancy and the timing of intrauterine ultrasound diagnostics of the fetus were studied, and the history of childbirth and anamnesis of newborns and timing of their routing and registration in the specialized “Bonum” Center were analyzed. At the time of the initial outpatient appointment at the center, parents’ responses to a survey on the nature of emotional and psychological experiences during the prenatal ultrasound examination of the fetus, period of “bearing” pregnancy, and birth of a baby with a complex anatomical and physiological pathology were analyzed.

RESULTS: Ultrasound examination of the fetus during uterine development registered 292 (35.48%) of 823 cases of a combination of congenital cleft palate and anomalies of other organs and systems. The main forms of malformations in the fetus were established in the second (n=99, 33.90%) and third (n=185, 63.36%) trimester pregnancy screening. Mothers who were told about the results of ultrasound diagnostics of the fetus showed anxiety and emotional lability. The use of psychocorrectional and socially significant measures during the diagnosis of fetal pathologies and at the time deciding whether to continue pregnancy, as well as the newborn period, which relieved the psycho-emotional tension of parents, was proposed.

CONCLUSION: Early rehabilitation of patients with congenital cleft palate combined with malformations of other organs and systems should be provided as an integral part of the complex rehabilitation therapy. Sociopsychological support of the family from the period of prenatal diagnosis of the fetus who had multiple malformations is necessary at all stages of pregnancy and rehabilitation treatment of the child.

BACKGROUND: Among 13 thousand doctors interviewed in 2021, 42% displayed signs of professional burnout. This phenomenon negatively affects the frequency of repeated hospitalizations, the number of adverse events, and increased employee turnover. However, studies concerning burnout in doctors are rare and do not focus on specialists who provide medical care for patients with circulatory system diseases (CSD).

AIM: was to assess the level of burnout in medical workers involved in the provision of medical care for patients with CSD and to explore staff perceptions of its prevention.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sociological survey (based on the standardized Maslach Burnout Inventory questionnaire) was conducted among medical personnel (women represented the majority of the sample — 76%, men — 24%). The sample is represented by doctors (n=89), nursing staff and auxillary nurses (NSAN) (n=128). The mean age for the whole group of respondents was 40.7±0.7, professional experience lasted 12.0±0.6 years. Standard methods of descriptive statistics were used for the data analysis. The age characteristics of the group had no significant differences by professional categories. Doctors had 39.0±1.2 years (min — 24, max — 63), NSAN had 41.0±0.6 years (min — 19, max — 67). Professional experience lasted differed doctors 39.0±1.2 years, in NSAN — 12.3±0.8. Men were characterized by a mean age of 36.7±1.6 years and professional experience lasted 10.0±1.2 years and women 42.0±0.7 years and 12.6±0.7 years, respectively. The character of distribution of quantitative data in the presented study was analyzed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Shapiro–Wilk criterion.

RESULTS: 80.2% of respondents presented with a high level of reduced professional accomplishments (RPA), 53.4% — a moderate average level of depersonalization. The emotional exhaustion was similar in all respondents, although average level of emotional exhaustion was the most prevalent (39.6%). 43.8% of doctors had an average level of emotional exhaustion, which is higher compared with NSAN — 37.5%. Clinical and paraclinical units are associated with a medium level of emotional exhaustion and a high RPA. At the same time, paraclinical units are characterized by a medium level of depersonalization, in contrast to clinical units, which are found to have a high level of this factor. According to the respondents, possible measures to prevent emotional burnout should include a set of measures including, rational distribution of responsibilities within departments, workload among the staff, as well as the formation of special skills to overcome stressful situations and optimization of activities with the help of digital solutions (support system for medical decisions, etc.).

CONCLUSION: Working as medical staff and providing medical care for patients with CSD is strongly associated with a high level of reduced professional accomplishments (80.2% of respondents). Proper measures for the prevention of emotional burnout should primarily include organizational solutions focused on optimizing internal processes in medical staff’ work. According to the respondents, among the measures aimed at the prevention of emotional burnout, the most demanded may be: rational distribution of responsibilities within departments, workload among staff, as well as the formation of special skills to overcome stressful situations and optimization of activities with the help of digital solutions (medical decision support system, etc.).

BACKGROUND: The relevance of the study is due to limited information on the impact of various forms of rhinosinusitis that have arisen against the background of acute respiratory infection on the quality of life of children and effective treatment methods.

AIM: To conduct a clinical assessment of the effect on the recovery time and quality of life in children with acute rhinosinusitis and exacerbation of polypous rhinosinusitis that occurred against the background of a respiratory infection, including antiviral drugs in complex treatment in the early stages.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A simple controlled randomized comparative clinical trial was conducted, involving 74 children aged 15 to 18 years. The clinical efficacy and safety of the use of antiviral drugs in complex therapy, which are neuraminidase inhibitors on the 5^th, 7^th and 10^th days of treatment, were evaluated in comparison with groups receiving pentanedioic acid imidazolylethanamide. The inclusion criterion was acute rhinosinusitis and exacerbation of chronic polypous rhinosinusitis against the background of acute respiratory infection. To establish the diagnosis, an examination of ENT organs, computed tomography of the nose and paranasal sinuses were performed, patients subjectively assessed clinical complaints and quality of life in the Russian version of the standard form of the SF-36 questionnaire.

RESULTS: Positive dynamics was noted in the early stages in the 2^nd subgroup of the 1^st group who took neuraminidase inhibitors in addition to complex therapy. Manifested by a decrease in the average score for VAS to 80.0%, difficulty in nasal breathing to 1.7 points on the 10^th day of treatment, relative to those taking imidazolylethanamide pentanedioic acid, where there was a decrease in the average score for VAS by 22.4%, difficulty in nasal breathing to 2.54 points. A similar pattern was observed with nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, and quality of life indicators according to the SF-36 questionnaires.

CONCLUSION: Improvement of clinical symptoms and quality of life indicators at an earlier date in children with polypous rhinosinusitis and acute rhinosinusitis against the background of a previous respiratory infection with the inclusion of neuraminidase inhibitors in complex therapy confirmed higher efficacy.

Endometriosis is a complex condition that affects at least 10% of women in their reproductive years worldwide. It is characterized by persistent pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, impaired pelvic organ function, infertility, and psychological distress. Alarmingly, about 30% of patients experience a recurrence of the disease even after receiving full treatment. Given the urgent nature of this problem, extensive studies are regularly conducted to investigate the various factors that contribute to the development of endometriosis. One area of particular interest is the relationship between the condition and changes in the intestinal microflora.

Research suggests that endometriosis is primarily associated with a decrease in the number of Lactobacillus bacteria and an increase in the presence of potentially harmful flora, including Enterobacteriaceae, Bifidobacterium, Parabacteroides, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Saccharibacteria, Fusobacteria etc. Furthermore, there is a focus on the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes. Such dysbiosis leads to abnormal cytokine expression and immune cell dysfunction, ultimately resulting in chronic inflammation. A correlation has been found between changes in the intestinal microflora in endometriosis and an increase in the levels of TNF-α, NF-κB, and IL-8. Additionally, the condition has been linked to factors related to apoptosis (Fas and Bax), proliferation (epidermal growth factor), and angiogenesis (VEGF).

Another significant aspect is the role of the intestinal microbiota in the breakdown of estrogen. Enzymes such as β-glucuronidase and β-glucosidase, secreted by the microbiota, contribute to the breakdown of estrogen and subsequently increase the levels of free estrogen in the bloodstream. This increase in free estrogen is believed to play a role in the development of endometriosis by promoting the proliferative activity of endometrial cells. It further confirms the significance of intestinal dysbiosis in the pathogenesis of the disease.

However, despite these findings, additional research is still required to fully understand the mechanisms behind the development of endometriosis.