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Objective. To assess the diagnostic value of assaying immunoglobulin (IgG) light chains at the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS). Materials and methods. A total of 226 patients took part in the study; group 1 (n = 111) were patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) with development to MS within the first two years; group 2 (n = 49) were patients with CIS who did not progress to MS in the first two years; group 3 (n = 20) consisted of patients with inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system. The reference group (group 4, n = 46) consisted of patients with noninflammatory CNS diseases. The following immunological indicators were assessed in the patients: the clonal nature of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) IgG and the concentrations of free ϰ and λ light chains in the CSF and their ratio. Results. Synthesis of free light chains was significantly greater in group 1 than groups 2 and 4. Free light chain synthesis in group 3 was significantly greater than that in groups 2 and 4 but was not significantly different from that in group 1. Free light chain production was significantly greater in patients with oligoclonal IgG synthesis than in patients without oligoclonal synthesis. The level of production of free light chains in patients of group 1 was significantly greater than that in group 2, regardless of whether or not oligoclonal IgG was produced. The most valuable diagnostic markers were the concentration and the coefficient of CSF:serum concentrations of κ light chains. Use of these parameters along with assessment of the clonality of IgG synthesis produced a 50% reduction in number of false negative results. Independently of other factors, increases in κ chain levels led to a 9.718-fold increase in the probability of a diagnosis of MS. Conclusions. Assay of free light chains as a lab marker increases the accuracy of diagnoses of MS and provides an indirect evaluation of the risk that CIS will progress to complete MS in the next two years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comorbidity of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a poorly studied problem. The issues of the pathogenetic relationship between these diseases, timely diagnosis of their co-existence in one patient, disease course and therapeutic approaches are the most relevant. The authors summarize current views on the state of the problem and analyze three clinical cases of NMOSD and SLE comorbidity including the diagnostic issues and therapeutic approaches.

Aim: To study blood plasma concentrations of NR2-peptide in patients with ischemic stroke (IS) to assess its diagnostic value as a biomarker of cerebral ischemia and determine the dynamics of the biomarker during treatment with cortexin., Material and Methods: One hundred and twenty patients, aged from 18 to 70 years, including 36 with transient ischemic attack (TIA) and 84 with IS in the carotid territory (n=70) and vertebral/basilar territory with the Wallenberg-Zakharchenko syndrome (n=14), were enrolled. The National Institute of Health Stroke scale (NIHSS) was used to assess neurological status. Blood plasma concentration of NR2-peptide was measured in all patients at admission and after treatment. All laboratory results were compared with neuroimaging (MRI, CT) data., Results: Concentrations of NR2-peptide detected in all patients were higher than in controls (>1.5 ng/ml), p<0.0001. The direct correlation between NR2-peptide (from 3.38 ng/ml to 15.6 ng/ml) and ischemic lesion (from few to 80 mm) was observed. A decrease in NR2-peptide concentration (from 8.5 to 5,.9 ng/ml, p<0.0001) was noted in patients treated with cortexin after 10-day treatment course., Conclusion: NR2-peptide blood assay is a reliable hemotest of brain ischemia. Cortexin has a sufficient therapeutic efficacy.

Aim: To assess an impact of immunoglobulin free light chains (FLC) on short-term and long-term prognosis of clinical and radiological activity and progression of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS)., Material and Methods: A sample of 381 patients with definite MS was divided into 2 groups. In group 1, lumbar puncture was performed at the time of clinically isolated syndrome, and patients were prospectively followed up to 2 years (short-term prognosis group, n=97). In group 2, MS was diagnosed immediately after lumbar puncture, and retrospective analysis of the disease course with the duration not less than 5 years was performed (long-term prognosis group, n=284). The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and the Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (MSSS) were used to assess patient's status. Concentrations of kappa and lambda FLC in the CSF (K-FLC CSF , L-FLC CSF ) and serum (K-FLC SERUM , L-FLC SERUM ) as well as quotients of concentrations (Q-K and Q-L) were determined. Patients were stratified into subgroups with high and low concentrations of K-FLC and L-FLC using cut-offs from our previous studies: K-FLC CSF =0.595 mcg/l and L-FLC CSF =0.127 mcg/l., Results: In group 1, significant correlations were found only between EDSS score and concentrations of K-FLC CSF (r=0.377, p=0.00019) and Q-K (r=0.366, p=0.0012). FLC concentrations did not correlate with the number of relapses and new T2 lesions. The age and EDSS score at the disease onset didn't differ between patients with high and low K-FLC and L-FLC (K-FLC CSF : р=0.2658; L-FLC CSF : р=0.5502). A significant decrease of EDSS score after the disease onset was observed in all groups except for patients with high concentrations of K-FLC CSF (p=0.1844), so the EDSS score after 2 years was significantly higher in this subgroup of patients (p=0.0006). In group 2, significant correlations of K-FLC with EDSS score (r=0.181, p=0.002) and MSSS score (r=0.121, р=0.044) for long-term prognosis (median (IQR) = 8 (6-13) years) were found. No correlations of FLC concentrations with the number of relapses during the first 5 years were found. Survival analysis showed that high concentrations of K-FLC CSF were associated with the high risk of progression to EDSS 6 (HR=2.055, p=0.026) but not with EDSS 4 (HR=2.388, p=0.08)., Conclusion: Concentrations of kappa FLC can help to define the prognosis of MS early at the disease course. Although low concentrations of FLC do not exclude a severe disease phenotype, patients with high K-FLC CSF concentrations are at greater risk for faster MS progression, probably, due to impaired reparation of neural tissue. Measurement of FLC concentrations can be used to determine a therapeutic tactics in patients with MS.

Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic value of determination of free immunoglobulin light chains (IgG) in the debut of multiple sclerosis (MS)., Material and Methods: Data from 226 patients, including 111 patients with clinically isolated syndrome with conversion to multiple sclerosis within the first 2 years of the disease (group 1), 49 patients with clinically isolated syndrome who did not develop multiple sclerosis within the first 2 years of the disease (group 2), 20 patients with other inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (group 3) were analyzed. The control group consisted of 46 patients with non-inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system. The clonality of immunoglobulins in the CSF, concentration of kappa and lambda free light chains and their ratio were studied., Results: Concentrations of free light chains were significantly higher in the first group in comparison with group 2 and the control group, but didn't differ from group 3. In group 3, concentrations of free light chains were significantly higher compared to group 2 and controls. In oligoclonal-positive patients with clinically isolated syndrome (groups 1 and 2), concentrations of kappa and lambda free light chains were significantly higher than in oligoclonal-negative patients. The production of free light chains in patients from the first group was considerably higher than in group 2 regardless of the oligoclonal status. The concentration of kappa chains and quotient of kappa free light chains in the CSF had the best diagnostic characteristics. Their use, along with the evaluation of IgG clonality, reduced the risk of false-negative results by 50%. Regardless of other factors, elevated concentrations of kappa chains increase the likelihood of MS diagnosis by 9.718 times., Conclusion: The use of free light chains as a laboratory marker can increase the accuracy of MS diagnosis. These markers can help indirectly assess the risk of transformation of a clinically isolated syndrome into definite multiple sclerosis within the first 2 years of disease.

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of cytoflavin as add-on to moderate controlled hypothermia in the treatment of newborn full-term infants with severe birth asphyxia., Material and Methods: Sixty full-term underweight children diagnosed with severe birth asphyxia (Apgar score 4-5) underwent moderate hypothermia for 72 hours. Depending on the regimen, the children were divided into two equal groups: the basic group received cytoflavin in dose of 2 ml/kg / day and the control group received the traditional scheme of therapy., Results: The inclusion of cytoflavin increases the efficacy of therapy by reducing the severity of depression of consciousness (the increase in the average total score on the modified Glasgow Coma Scale pediatric/Saint Petersburg by 47.1% in children of the basic group compared with 27.9% in the control group, p=0.04) and more rapid recovery of vital functions (early extubation by 20.3%, p=0.03, and transition to enteral feeding earlier by 16.7% compared with the control group). The use of cytoflavin in newborns with severe asphyxia reduces lactic acidosis in the blood serum and normalizes EEG parameters as compared to the control group (p=0.02)., Conclusion: Cytoflavin can be recommended as adjunctive therapy in full-term infants with severe intrapartum asphyxia.

In recent years neurologists pay special attention to biochemical markers of instrumental diagnosis of brain ischemia in its acute phase. Determination of specific biomarkers in the blood of patients at early stages of cerebral blood circulation disorders may be helpful in screening patients at high risk of stroke in the short-term period. We present a review of literature and an analysis of own data (over 200 patients) with chronic and acute cerebral blood circulation disorders on the possibility of using brain biomarkers in clinical practice. The diagnostic value of NR2-antibodies in stroke with ischemic volume 5-70 cm3 is approximately 95,9% and in transitory ischemic attacks--98%.

The efficacy of endovascular treatment of internal carotid arteries (ICA) stenosis (20 patients) has been compared to that of conventional carotid endarterectomy (25 control cases). ICA stenting was performed in case of stenosis, narrowing arteries to > or = 60% in "symptomatic" patients and to > or = 80% in "asymptomatic" ones. Angiographic indices revealed favorable outcome after stenting in 100%. Mean extent of residual stenosis was 8.3 +/- 0.8%. Significant complications (stroke/fatal outcome) after 22 procedures developed in 3 (13.6%) cases. Mortality was estimated as 4.5%. Taking stroke and fatal cases into account, the interventions were successful in 86.4% cases. The duration of follow-up study was from 1 to 48 months, with 1 case resulting in death and 2--in development of acute disturbance of cerebral blood circulation of contralateral ICA. Short- and long-term results of the intervention did not significantly differ between the study and control groups thus indicating ICA stenting as an alternative to carotid endarterectomy procedure.

Sixty-nine patients with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) have been studied using complex assessment of clinical, cognitive, imaging and sonographic characteristics at different stages of the disease. The ratio of venous return from the brain to arterial inflow, an integral parameter of cerebral hemodynamics, has been also investigated. The results revealed that the most severe clinical, cognitive and imaging changes were typical for cases with disturbances of both arterial and venous cerebral blood flow. VCI progression was followed by the deterioration of cognitive and imaging characteristics. The advanced stage of VCI was featured by the most significant clinical, cognitive and imaging changes, on one hand, and moderate sonographic characteristics, on the other. Disorders of both arterial and venous cerebral blood flow components contribute to VCI pathogenesis.

Presented herein are the results of successful one-stage revascularization of the brain and reconstruction of the abdominal aorta in a 78-year old patient with infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm, the signs of rupture, stenosis of the left renal artery and multiple aortic arch lesions -- stenoses of both internal carotid arteries and both vertebral arteries. The sequence and technology of surgical intervention are described.