Pavel Igorevich Novikov is a rheumatologist where he takes. Philosophical, theological and deontological problems of palliative medicine

Good day!

My name is Novikov Sergey Valentinovich, all information about meYou can find outfrom the section "About the consultant"

Correspondence consultation is possible by correspondence to the address: [email protected]

Full-time consulting on weekdays in 8.15 by prior arrangement!

(the day before, call or write whatsap, viber, sms, e-mail, for confirmation, because I can operate in another clinic, consult urgently on the road, be on a business trip, vacation, etc.)

In the morning on the day of the consultation, do not drink or eat!

Write:[email protected]

Call / write - phone, SMS, Viber, whatsapp : 8(985) 195-27-91

The address :

Research Institute of Emergency Care named after N.V. Sklifosovsky, Bolshaya Sukharevskaya Square, building 3, building 21

go from Prospect Mira metro station or Sukharevskaya metro station, entrance from Grokholsky Lane to 15-storey building(on the 1st floor shoe covers and wardrobe).

If you have problems passing the watchman - dial me on the phone and hand the phone to the guard.

If I am not in the office - dial me by phone, I can be in the ward, dressing room, operating room!

On the 10th floor, the office of senior researcher Novikova S.V.(from any elevator to the right to the end of the corridor, on the right is the third door from the balcony) in order of priority!

Have with you:

1. sheet or towel

2. results of previous examinations and images

Schematic maps


CONSULTATIONS are carried out in the following areas:

1. Ultrasound diagnostics of diseases of the abdominal organs, retroperitoneal space, superficial organs (thyroid gland, mammary gland, salivary glands, lymph nodes), soft tissues.

2. Biopsy under ultrasound control of diseases of the abdominal cavity, retroperitoneal space, superficial organs (thyroid gland, mammary gland, salivary glands, lymph nodes), soft tissues.

3. Minimally invasive treatment under ultrasound control of diseases of the abdominal cavity, retroperitoneal space, superficial organs, soft tissues.

4. RF ablation and sclerotherapy of neoplasms and cysts of the abdominal organs, retroperitoneal space, superficial organs.

5. Ultrasound diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment under ultrasound control of liver echinococcosis.

6. Ultrasound diagnosis and minimally invasive ultrasound-guided treatment of acute pancreatitis/pancreatic necrosis.

7. Ultrasound diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment under ultrasound guidance of obstructive jaundice.

8. Ultrasound diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment under ultrasound guidance of chronic complicated pancreatitis.

9. Ultrasound diagnostics and minimally invasive treatment under ultrasound guidance of postoperative complications (abdominal cavity, retroperitoneal space, superficial organs, soft tissues).

Endoscopic, X-ray surgery, laparoscopic and open operations for diseases of the abdominal cavity and retroperitoneal space:

1. Tumors of the pancreas and periampullary zone.

2. Tumors of the stomach.

3. Tumors of the small intestine.

4. Tumors of the colon.

5. Tumors of the rectum.

6. About liver tumors.

7. Tumors of the bile ducts.

8. Chronic complicated pancreatitis.

9. Strictures of the bile ducts.

10. mechanical jaundice.

11. Complicated peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.

12. Hernias of the anterior abdominal wall.

13. ZhKB. Chronic calculous cholecystitis.

14. Haemorrhoids.

15. Anal fissure.

16. Intestinal fistulas.

17. Chronic appendicitis.

Consultations on other issues can only be advisory in nature in the direction of the relevant specialists, assistance in choosing a specialist and in specialized hospitalization!

    • National clinical guidelines for the surgical treatment of patients with chronic pancreatitis
    • 42nd Scientific session of the Central Research Institute of Gastroenterology / Moscow Clinical Research Center "Principles of evidence-based medicine in clinical practice" Moscow, 2016
    • Chronic pancreatitis, functional and morphological characteristics (Manual for doctors)
    • The role of pancreatic exosecretion in the digestive conveyor (Lecture)
    • The sequence of processes in the digestive tract
    • Diseases of the Pancreas (A Book for Patients)
    • Rationale for the expediency of resections of scar tissue of the pancreas in chronic pancreatitis (Dis. Ph.D.)
  • Pavel Novikov on the preservation of traditions and the latest advances in modern rheumatology

    Position: rheumatologist, head of the rheumatology department of the Clinic of Nephrology, Internal and Occupational Diseases named after E. M. Tareev, University Clinical Hospital No. 3 of the First Moscow State Medical University named after I. M. Sechenov, assistant of the Department of Internal, Occupational Diseases and Pulmonology of Medical and Preventive Medicine Faculty of the First Moscow State Medical University named after I. M. Sechenov

    Hobbies: science, board games

    Marital status: married, two sons

    In the life of every person there comes a moment when significant efforts are required to maintain an active quality life. Pavel Igorevich Novikov often says these words to his patients, trying to set them up for treatment. Despite his youth, the doctor looks like a great scientist. Arriving to study in Moscow from a small Belarusian town, he is an example of a real intellectual, an educated person and focused on his work.

    KS: Pavel Igorevich, when did you move from Belarus to Moscow?

    Pavel: I started my studies at the Gomel Medical Institute, and after the second year I applied to the faculty of training scientific and pedagogical personnel of the I.M. Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy. He passed the selection tests successfully, and from the third year he continued his studies in Moscow. In the same place, at the First Moscow State Medical University, he completed residency in internal medicine and received a certificate in the specialty of rheumatology.

    KS: When did you decide to specialize in rheumatology?

    Pavel: In the third year, classes in propaedeutics began at the Department of Internal and Occupational Diseases at the E. M. Tareev Clinic. Since the main area of ​​interest of my teacher, Oleg Gennadyevich Krivosheev, was in the field of rheumatic diseases, I continued to deal with the problems of systemic vasculitis, having received a specialization in rheumatology. Over time, these observations and analysis of the experience of the Clinic formed the basis of my PhD thesis.

    KS: Could you please tell us more about what your thesis is about?

    Pavel: My thesis is about granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's granulomatosis). Our Clinic has been dealing with the problem of systemic vasculitis for more than 50 years. I analyzed the change in the clinical picture, course, therapy and outcomes in patients who came to the clinic over the past ten years, and those patients who were observed in previous years.

    Thanks to increased physician awareness, improved diagnostics, and perhaps also due to an increase in the incidence, the number of patients over the past few years is comparable to and even exceeds that of the previous four decades. Therefore, the comparison of these data was, it seems to me, important and worthy of interest. I hope that this systematized experience will result in improved patient management in the future.

    KS: Has the prognosis for this category of patients changed over 50 years?

    Pavel: We can say with confidence that the effectiveness of therapy has grown. The life prognosis for patients has improved significantly, and now, with the correct use and individual selection of immunosuppressive therapy, we expect that their life expectancy will differ little from that of healthy people comparable in sex and age. This question is, in fact, the most common among patients. Especially when they read online that life expectancy can be as little as 8-16 months after diagnosis.

    Of course, the quality of life of a patient with a severe chronic disease always suffers to some extent. A patient with a systemic rheumatic disease needs to regularly monitor tests, be observed by specialists depending on the affected organs, and adjust treatment with a rheumatologist. However, now a person can maintain both labor activity and an acceptable quality of life.

    CS: What should the primary care physician do if an autoimmune process is suspected in a patient with articular syndrome?

    Pavel: It depends on the specific clinical situation and the qualifications of the doctor. There are a lot of tests for rheumatic diseases, and each of them answers certain questions. However, there is no general screening for systemic rheumatic diseases, including systemic vasculitis, lupus, and scleroderma. The main question is what specific clinical symptoms led the doctor to suspect the autoimmune nature of the pathological process.

    For example, if rheumatoid arthritis is suspected, it would be logical to evaluate the ESR, check the level of C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, and antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides. And the rest of the examination in the presence of clinical and laboratory signs of an active process, it is advisable for the patient to continue with a rheumatologist.

    KS: How is the flow of patients to the E. M. Tareev Clinic formed?

    Pavel: We have a federal medical institution, which is directly part of the structure of the Ministry of Health Russian Federation. The clinic can examine patients from all over the country who have a compulsory medical insurance policy. If the patient has a referral from the polyclinic, then he can apply for an appointment with the clinic's general practitioner or rheumatologist for an initial consultation.

    If there is no referral, the patient can make an appointment for a paid appointment with the same specialists. If indications for hospitalization are revealed at a paid appointment, then hospitalization is carried out free of charge under the CHI policy.

    KS: What is the indication for hospitalization specifically in your department?

    Pavel: Indications for hospitalization are quite standard. Most importantly, we must be sure that we can help the patient. If I understand that the patient is a non-core patient, that doctors of another specialty can help him better, then I will explain this. It must be understood that rheumatic diseases are chronic. The vast majority of problems can and should be dealt with on an outpatient basis. But the beginning and selection of therapy, when the risk of undesirable effects is high, is best done in a hospital setting.

    KS: What diseases are the most relevant for your department?

    Pavel: We have accumulated the greatest experience in systemic vasculitis in Russia, significant even on the scale of world medicine. This is about a third of the department's patients. The second third are patients with diffuse connective tissue diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic scleroderma, dermatopolymyositis, and Sjögren's disease. And another third of patients from the category of so-called articular rheumatology (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis - Bechterew's disease, etc.). We have relatively few patients with degenerative joint diseases. We practically do not deal with osteoarthritis.

    KS: How well are the causes of autoimmune diseases now studied?

    Pavel: Understanding of the causes is increasing, but, unfortunately, for most of these diseases, we cannot yet establish the cause. There are predisposing genetic factors. However, we must clearly understand that autoimmune diseases are not inherited. And if the child of our patient has no complaints, then no additional studies are needed in addition to the standard observation by a pediatrician. Moreover, there are no specific ways to prevent inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Here, as in medicine in general, maintaining a generally accepted healthy lifestyle is important.

    KS: Are there screening studies for aggravated heredity?

    Pavel: We cannot prescribe specific tests for everyone, because the same antinuclear factor, depending on the titer, occurs in 3-6% of people in the general population. And if we get a positive result without clinical manifestations, then it will not have any practical application. On the contrary, it will be harmful, because in this case we will completely unreasonably "scroll" the patient through various specialists and examinations. And the patient will receive useless significant stress and an unreasonable risk of complications during medical manipulations. Therefore, asymptomatic screening for rheumatological diseases is not currently developed, applied or recommended.

    KS: What has changed since last years in the approach to the treatment of these serious diseases?

    Pavel: Significant progress. First of all, this is an individualization of approaches to therapy. In the past, for example, very high doses of cyclophosphamide and glucocorticoids were used to treat systemic vasculitis, at a very significant cost in terms of side effects. Now, scientific and practical data have been obtained that justify the appointment of more “weak”, respectively, safer regimens of therapy for patients without severe damage to internal organs, especially when remission is achieved.

    Over the past fifteen to twenty years, genetically engineered biological preparations have become quite widespread. These drugs specifically neutralize inflammatory cytokines, helping patients who do not respond well to traditional DMARDs.

    Pavel: In the direction of targeted (targeted) therapy, the mechanism of which is briefly as follows. A key molecule or group of molecules is established in various diseases, and then we try to influence them with antibodies. There is a neutralization of the molecules involved in pathogenesis. The main focus in rheumatology is now on clarifying the specific mechanisms of disease and creating antibodies that act on them. The same approach to treatment is widely used in oncology, cardiology, and hematology. In general, now the topic of monoclonal antibodies is a hot spot in all areas of medicine.

    Pavel: We must understand that the use of these drugs has raised its own layer of problems. First, they have their undesirable effects. Secondly, genetically engineered biological preparations, like traditional approaches to therapy, affect the mechanism of the disease, often at the later stages of pathogenesis, so they provide only temporary control of activity, and the disease may return when therapy is discontinued. Finally, they are expensive, although they can be obtained free of charge in most regions with a disability and a strict indication. These drugs are only needed for patients who do not respond to traditional medicines or who have unacceptable side effects of traditional medicines.

    In most patients, proven standard treatment regimens, when used correctly, successfully control rheumatic diseases.

    KS: How is the rheumatology service going through the era of reorganization of Russian medicine?

    Pavel: I believe that almost everything that is in world medicine is available in Russia. The vast majority of drugs are available, there is complete information on treatment regimens. Of course, there are objective difficulties. The cost of monthly treatment with "biological" drugs is from 50 thousand rubles, but if there are indications, appropriately executed documents, the patient can receive these drugs free of charge. It is very important to use the available resources efficiently.

    Government mechanisms exist to meet the patient's needs for such treatment, although the availability of treatment varies from region to region. Our task, as a federal center, is to give recommendations and rationale so that the patient receives therapy for all the necessary time. Then the patient is observed by doctors at the place of residence, and comes to us to decide on a strategic change in therapy.

    KS: Does busy work interfere with family relationships?

    Pavel: No, it doesn't. My wife Olga is an ophthalmologist and is now continuing her postgraduate studies. But we do not like to discuss medical issues at home and find others interesting topics for communication. First of all, they concern our children. We have two sons, Fedor and Stepan, they are nine and four years old respectively. We try to get out with the whole family to performances in theaters, to movie screenings, at home we often play board games. Fedor is additionally studying English, Stepan likes choreography classes. I want them to grow up, first of all, as good responsible people and find an exciting profession for themselves. And I try to be a good example for them.

    KS: What are your goals for the next decade?

    Pavel: First of all, I am a practitioner, so the first goal is to continue to lead the rheumatology department. As an independent department, it was established in 2013, so the task is to further improve rheumatological care in our multidisciplinary hospital.

    My separate concern is to increase the awareness of patients through the main specialists about our work, about modern approaches to treatment.

    Another challenge is to expand international cooperation. Since the clinic has been dealing with rare diseases for many years, a lot of experience has been accumulated, which needs to be updated and demonstrated in Russia and in the world. There are also plans to grow a galaxy of young rheumatologists, so we now have a lot of graduate students. With the whole team, I hope we will continue the glorious traditions of the therapeutic and rheumatological school of Evgeny Mikhailovich Tareev.

    Release year: 2004

    Genre: Oncology

    Format: PDF

    Quality: OCR

    Description: In 1999, the first palliative care course in Russia was created at the Department of Oncology, Faculty of Postgraduate vocational education doctors of the Moscow Medical Academy. THEM. Sechenov, who trains students according to the "Program of postgraduate professional training of specialists with higher medical education in palliative care in oncology", approved in 2000 by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and the Educational and Methodological Association of Medical and Pharmaceutical Universities of Russia. Over the past period, more than 1,000 specialists have been trained on the course. Courses on palliative care for oncological patients are taught on a permanent and optional basis in medical universities in Arkhangelsk, Tyumen, Ulyanovsk, Ufa, Chelyabinsk, Yaroslavl, etc. The subject is taught in a number of medical colleges that train paramedical personnel. Recent editions of textbooks on family medicine, geriatrics, and oncology include chapters on this section. The problems of palliative care are raised in scientific publications devoted to other aspects of health care, although, in our opinion, not as often as they deserve.
    Despite the progress made, for every patient receiving palliative care, there are several hundred who need and have no access to it. Young professionals who receive higher and secondary medical education are trained without learning the basics of palliative medicine. At the same time everything more health care professionals recognize the inconsistency of their knowledge and clinical skills with modern requirements for providing medical care to the population, especially patients with the terminal stage of the disease. This creates a significant demand for high-quality education in palliative medicine, as answers to pressing questions are required: when should palliative care be started? Who and how should provide it? What needs to be done to obtain the status of such a specialty, as is currently done in the UK, Germany, USA, Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Romania?
    To start a discussion of these and similar issues, this first in Russia "Course of lectures on palliative care for cancer patients" was published. It introduces the reader to new developments in the field of organization of palliative care in oncology, includes legal and economic aspects, discussion of philosophical, theological, ethical and deontological problems. The publication presents modern therapeutic approaches to palliative care for cancer patients (correction of homeostasis disorders, chemo-radiation and surgical methods of palliative care, the use of physical factors, psychotherapy), and considers the rehabilitation of these patients.
    The material is presented in two volumes containing more than 1100 pages of text, well illustrated with photographs, drawings, diagrams and tables. A large team of authors (90 people) represents leading medical, social and research institutions from various regions of the Russian Federation. The publication presents not only classical views on the problems of palliative care, but also a number of debatable topics that require further in-depth study, which should help attract new followers of this area of ​​medicine.
    The principles of palliative care for cancer patients can be extrapolated to many other disciplines. medical science, thus being the prototype of palliative medicine, recognized throughout the civilized world as one of the main areas of healthcare along with prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

    "A course of lectures on palliative care for cancer patients"

    ISSUES OF THE ORGANIZATION OF PALLIATIVE CARE IN ONCOLOGY

    1. Problem history

      1. Status and prospects for the development of palliative care for cancer patients
      2. Historical prerequisites for the organization of palliative care for cancer patients in Russia
      3. National hospice systems and some historical aspects of their development
      4. On the issue of the history of the development of hospices for children with terminally ill cancer
      5. Palliative Care (historical introduction)
    2. Organizational forms of palliative care. Legal and economic aspects

      1. Models for the development of palliative care and care on the example of the Ulyanovsk region of Russia
      2. Organizational aspects of providing palliative care in the conditions of small territories of Russia
      3. Basic Hospice model for children with terminally ill cancer
      4. Resources at Hospice for Children with Cancer
      5. The main stages of development and the current state of epidemiological studies of malignant neoplasms
      6. Legal aspects of medical activity in palliative oncology
      7. Socio-economic aspects of malignant neoplasms
      8. Tumor-associated and acute-phase antigens in the algorithm for diagnosing and correcting complications of palliative care in patients with nonspecific diseases and lung cancer
      9. The system of palliative care for patients with common forms of malignant neoplasms: structure and functional interactions
      10. Organization of registration of patients with common forms of malignant neoplasms at the regional level
    3. Philosophical, theological and deontological problems of palliative medicine

      1. Philosophical questions of palliative care
      2. Theory of Medicine: The Philosophical Aspect of the Problem
      3. Doctrine Orthodox Church about sickness, death and the afterlife
      4. Deontological questions. Ethics of practical medicine through the prism of the problem of euthanasia

    PALLIATIVE CARE METHODS FOR CANCER PATIENTS

    1. Correction of homeostasis disorders

      1. Chronic pain in cancer patients: pathophysiological basis, diagnosis and treatment
      2. Correction of gastrointestinal disorders in patients with advanced forms of cancer
      3. Palliative care for oncology patients
      4. Possibilities and prospects of palliative treatment of oncourological patients
      5. Treatment of superior vena cava syndrome
      6. The role of palliative care methods in improving the quality of life of patients with common forms of malignant neoplasms
    2. Chemo-radiation treatments in palliative care

      1. Modern approaches to the treatment of multiple metastatic bone lesions
      2. Quality of life to the end - the real possibilities of radiotherapy
      3. Modern possibilities of palliative radiotherapy in patients with cancer of the trachea and bronchi
      4. Combined treatment of children and adolescents with metastatic Ewing's sarcoma
      5. Palliative care for inoperable gastrointestinal cancer
      6. Palliative treatment of patients with solid tumors with bone metastases

    The problem of invasive mycoses in rheumatology (part I)

    B.S. Belov, O.N. Egorova, G.M. Tarasova, M.V. Polyanskaya, R.M. Balabanova

    Research Institute of Rheumatology RAMS, Moscow

    In modern rheumatology, the problem of invasive mycoses is becoming increasingly important. Doctors are noted to be slightly wary of fungal infections in patients with systemic rheumatic diseases, the complexity of life-time diagnosis, and the difficulty of therapy. The significance of this problem is significantly increased due to the active introduction of biological agents into clinical practice, primarily inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor a (infliximab, adalimumab, etanercept), which is accompanied by an increase in the risk of developing opportunistic infections. The first part of the review provides information on various aspects of systemic aspergillosis, including the tactics of its diagnosis and rational therapy.

    Key words: rheumatic diseases, aspergillosis, diagnosis, treatment.

    Contacts: Boris Sergeyevich Belov [email protected]

    THE PROBLEM OF INVASIVE MYCOSES IN RHEUMATOLOGY

    B.S. Belov, O.N. Egorova, G.M. Tarasova, M.V. Polyanskaya, R.M. Balabanova

    Research Institute of Rheumatology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow

    The problem of invasive mycoses is becoming ever more urgent in modern rheumatology. The fact that physicians are unalert to mycoses in patients with systemic rheumatic diseases and that there are difficulties in their lifetime diagnosis and treatment is noteworthy. The significance of this problem substantially increases with the active clinical introduction of biologicals, primarily tumor necrosis factor a inhibitors (infliximab, adalimumab, etanercept), which goes on concurrently with the increasing risk for opportunistic infections. Part I presents information on different aspects of systemic aspergillosis, including the tactics of its diagnosis and rational therapy.

    Key words: rheumatic diseases, aspergillosis, diagnosis, treatment.

    Contact: Boris Sergeyevich Belov [email protected]

    Infectious pathology is still one of the most actual problems medicine requiring the attention of doctors of various specialties, including rheumatologists. Infectious diseases often complicate the course of many rheumatic diseases (RD) and occupy the 2nd-3rd place among the causes of death in these patients.

    In recent years, there has been a clear upward trend in the number of mycotic infections. Yeasts and molds are among the 10 most frequently detected pathogens in clinics, and they are ranked 5th (17.1%) in intensive care units. Approximately 7% of fevers of unknown origin are caused by fungi, and in oncohematology, the frequency of invasive fungal infections reaches 50%.

    Mortality in invasive mycoses remains high. Even with timely systemic antifungal therapy, approximately 40% of patients die from an infection caused by fungi of the genus Candida. With aspergillosis, mortality is about 70%, and in patients with persistent neutropenia - 100%.

    The problem of invasive mycoses in rheumatology in modern conditions is very acute. In recent years, individual reports have appeared more and more often.

    studies and a series of observations of patients suffering from systemic connective tissue diseases, primarily systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with the development of comorbid invasive mycoses (aspergillosis, candidiasis, etc.). At the same time, the main risk factors for the occurrence of invasive fungal infections in SLE include a high degree of disease activity, granulocytopenia, the presence of a bacterial infection and the use of antibiotics, as well as treatment with glucocorticoids (GCs) and immunosuppressants. There is a weak alertness of doctors regarding mycoses in these patients, the complexity of life-time diagnosis, the difficulties of therapy, which may be due to the multi-organism of fungal infection.

    The active introduction of biological agents into clinical practice, primarily inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor a - TNF a (infliximab, adalimumab, etanercept), and the associated increase in the risk of developing opportunistic infections significantly increase the importance of the problem of invasive mycoses in rheumatology. Therefore, it is so important that rheumatologists have up-to-date information about systemic mycoses, in particular, about their diagnosis and rational therapy.

    Aspergillosis

    It is most commonly caused by the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. In recent years, there has been an increase in the frequency of isolation of other representatives - A. flavus, A. niger, A. ferrens, etc. The spores of these fungi are ubiquitous, their number increases significantly in hot and humid weather. In most cases, infection occurs through the upper respiratory tract, the infection can also penetrate through damaged skin and intestines.

    Aspergillus causes lesions traditionally classified as invasive, saprophytic, and allergic. Invasive forms include damage to the lower respiratory tract, sinusitis, as well as infections of the skin and soft tissues, which may represent the entry gate for the etiotropic agent. There may be damage to the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, other organs and tissues due to hematogenous dissemination or direct spread from closely located foci. Saprophytic lesions include otomycosis and pulmonary aspergilloma. Allergic forms are represented by allergic aspergillus sinusitis and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.

    Lung involvement occurs in aspergillosis in about 90% of cases. At the onset of the disease in 1/3 of patients, invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) may be asymptomatic, and the first signs appear only with the progression of mycosis. The earliest symptoms are cough (initially dry) and fever resistant to broad-spectrum antibiotics. In the future, shortness of breath joins, “pleural” pains in the chest appear (due to fungal invasion into the vessels, leading to multiple pulmonary infarcts) and hemoptysis, usually moderate, although in some cases massive is possible. It should be borne in mind that during GC therapy, body temperature may be sub-febrile or normal, and pain syndrome is minimally pronounced. Perhaps the development of spontaneous pulmonary bleeding due to the formation of decay cavities in the lungs.

    Chest x-rays in the early stages of IPA are nonspecific. Usually, focal rounded seals, infiltrates presenting to the pleura, resembling pulmonary infarctions, cavity formation, and rarely pleural effusion are detected. Computed tomography (CT), especially high resolution, is much more informative. A typical CT picture of IPA is multiple nodes and a “corolla” or “halo” symptom, which is a rarefaction zone around a focal lung tissue defect. A little later, a symptom of a “sickle” or “crescent” appears, which is represented by a crescent-shaped enlightenment in the area

    sti node due to compression of necrotic tissue. It must be borne in mind that the halo symptom may occur with bronchoalveolar carcinoma, bronchiolitis obliterans, eosinophilic pneumonia, or other mycoses.

    How to interpret the allocation of Aspergillus from sputum depends on the immune status of the body. In patients with a normally functioning immune system, the isolation of Aspergillus spp. from sputum in the vast majority of cases indicates colonization, and antifungal therapy, as a rule, is not indicated for them, but additional studies should be carried out to rule out IPA. In immunocompromised patients, the isolation of Aspergillus spp. from sputum is an important indicator of an invasive process. At the same time, a negative sputum test is observed in 70% of patients with confirmed IPA.

    The “gold standard” for diagnosing IPA remains histological examination of lung tissue biopsy obtained by thoracoscopy or open biopsy. However, histological confirmation is not always possible in critically ill patients with immunosuppression, granulocytopenia, or other contraindications for biopsy. In such patients, in the presence of clinical symptoms or new infiltrates in the lungs, the isolation of Aspergillus from bronchoalveolar lavage is sufficient to initiate therapy.

    An important role in the diagnosis of IAL is played by the determination of the galactomannan antigen. Galactomannan is a polysaccharide component of the cell wall and is released during the growth of Aspergillus. Serum galactomannan can be detected on average 5-8 days before the onset of the first clinical symptoms, changes on chest x-rays, or positive cultures of the fungus.

    According to a meta-analysis of studies evaluating the effectiveness of the galactomannan test for the diagnosis of IPA, its sensitivity and specificity were 71 and 89%, respectively. The negative predictive value ranged from 92-98%, positive - 25-62%. The authors conclude that the test for galactomannan is more informative in patients with malignant hemoblastosis or hematological transplant recipients than in patients who have undergone solid organ transplantation or patients without neutropenia. The sensitivity and specificity of the galactomannan test may change with certain drugs. False-positive reactions have been demonstrated in patients treated with piperacillin/tazobactam and amoxicillin/clavulanate due to the presence of galactomannan in these antibiotics. The same reactions were observed within 5 days after discontinuation of β-lactam therapy. Feelings

    the validity of the test is also reduced during antifungal therapy.

    When determining Aregn-ish-DNA during the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in patients with IAL, ambiguous results were obtained - sensitivity 67-100 and 100%, specificity - 55-95 and 65-92% for samples of bronchoalveolar fluid and blood serum, respectively. This method does not distinguish between colonization and active infection. Moreover, PCR is performed only in specialized laboratories and cannot be considered as a routine study.

    Determination of another component of the fungal wall - 1,3-beta-D-glucan - is a highly sensitive and specific test for the detection of deep invasive mycoses, including candidiasis, fusarium and aspergillosis, but its diagnostic value in patients without neutropenia and in recipients of allogeneic stem cells, included in the high-risk IAL categories is unclear.

    The Mycosis Research Group of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer has proposed criteria for the diagnosis of invasive mycosis. Diagnostic criteria for IAL are presented in Table. 1. It is emphasized that the category of "proven" diagnosis can be applied to any patient. "Probable" and "possible" diagnoses of IPA are valid only in patients with immunodeficiency.

    Table 1. Diagnostic criteria for IAL

    responsibly), as well as a higher 12-week survival (71 and 58%, respectively).

    In neutropenic patients, voriconazole is given intravenously at 6 mg/kg twice daily for 1 day, then 4 mg/kg twice daily. With the improvement of the clinical condition of the patient after 7 days of therapy, they switch to oral administration of the drug 200 mg 2 times a day. In the absence of neutropenia (the number of neutrophils> 0.5 10 9), it is recommended to start treatment with an oral form.

    The main contraindication for the appointment of voriconazole is hepatic porphyria. It should also be borne in mind that voriconazole is a substrate and inhibitor of the cytochrome P2C19, P2C9 and P3A4 systems, therefore, the development of undesirable drug interactions with drugs such as cyclosporine, warfarin, carbamazepine, terfenadine, rifampicin, statins, etc. is possible.

    If there are contraindications to the use of voriconazole, caspofungin is used as the drug of choice for IAL. Amphotericin B is used as a first-line drug for IAL is extremely rare due to its lack of efficacy and high toxicity, primarily nephrotoxicity, the likelihood of which is associated with the total dose of the drug.

    If after 7 days of treatment in a patient with IPA, CT shows negative dynamics in the lungs (an increase in the primary focus or the appearance of new

    Diagnosis of IAL Criteria

    Proven Detection of mycelium in histological and cytological examination of lung tissue obtained by

    needle biopsy, or the presence of relevant tissue changes in the biopsy, or the seeding of Mreg & Ft-culture from samples taken during a sterile procedure from unchanged parts of the lungs and sites clinically and radiologically consistent with infection (excluding bronchoalveolar lavage)

    Probable Presence of host factors* + clinical criteria** + plus microbiological criteria***

    Possible Presence of macroorganism factors* + clinical criteria**

    * Macroorganism factors: neutropenia, transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells and solid organs, oncological diseases, long-term and high-dose GC therapy (> 0.3 mg / kg / day in terms of prednisolone for > 3 weeks), treatment with other T-cell- other immunosuppressive agents, including cyclosporine, TNF-a inhibitors, specific monoclonal antibodies (eg, alemtuzu-mab) or nucleoside analogues within the previous 90 days, chronic granulomatous disease, severe combined immunodeficiency states.

    **Clinical criteria - one of the three signs identified on CT: a) a dense, well-defined lesion (foci) with or without a "corolla" symptom, b) a "half-moon" symptom, c) cavity formation.

    ***Microbiological criteria: a) Aspergillus-positive results of cytological, microscopic or cultural studies of sputum, bronchoalveolar fluid, brush biopsy specimens, b) positive test for galactomannan in serum or bronchoalveolar fluid.

    IAL treatment is prescribed immediately if invasive aspergillosis is suspected, i.e. until culture results are obtained. Voriconazole is the drug of choice for all cases of IPA. Large prospective randomized trials have shown that patients with IPA treated with voriconazole as initial therapy have a significantly better response over 12 weeks of treatment than those treated with amphotericin B (53 and 32%

    foci) and at the same time fever persists, caspofungin is added to voriconazole or, in its absence, amphotericin B. When the process stabilizes (a decrease in the number of foci by 50%), voriconazole therapy is continued.

    The criteria for discontinuation of antimycotics in IPA are the absence of clinical manifestations of infection and the regression of foci on CT scan of the lungs. The duration of the course of treatment is 1-3 months.

    Immunomodulatory therapy (colony stimulating factor, interferon y) may be prescribed to reduce the degree of immunosuppression and as an adjunct to antifungal treatment of IAL.

    With the development of IAL in patients with SLE, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other systemic RD, modification of the therapy of the underlying disease is required. It is advisable to temporarily cancel cytostatics and TNF inhibitors, and reduce the dose of GC (if it is impossible to cancel them) to the minimum, which allows controlling the activity of the inflammatory process. Unfortunately, the lack of studies on the prevention and treatment of IPA in these patients does not allow specific recommendations to be made.

    Chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis (CNAL) is a special form of pulmonary aspergillosis characterized by a slowly progressive course, low frequency of invasion and dissemination of the pathogen to other organs. CNAL usually develops in mature and elderly people with background chronic lung diseases (chronic obstructive diseases, previous tuberculosis, consequences of operations, etc.), as well as in patients with moderate immunodeficiency due to diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, rheumatic diseases (RA, ankylosing spondylitis ), as well as with long-term HA therapy at low doses.

    The main complaints in patients with CNAL are fever, weight loss, malaise, fatigue, prolonged productive cough and hemoptysis, which vary from mild to moderate severity. Occasionally there is an asymptomatic course.

    Chest X-ray and CT scans usually show pleural induration and thickening, with cavities forming in the upper lobes of the lungs, up to and including a bronchopleural fistula.

    Diagnostic value of bronchial or percutaneous puncture biopsy in relation to Table 2. Diagnostic criteria for CVD

    Diagnostic criteria

    Clinical:

    prolonged (> 1 month) pulmonary or systemic symptoms, including at least one of the following: weight loss, productive cough, hemoptysis

    X-ray:

    cavity pulmonary lesions with the presence of paracavitary infiltrates; the formation of new cavities and their increase in size over time

    Laboratory:

    elevated level inflammation markers (ESR, CRV). Isolation of Aspergillus spp. from the lung or pleural cavity or a positive precipitation test for Aspergillus. Exclusion of other pulmonary pathogens (using microbiological and serological testing), including mycobacteria and endemic fungi, which may cause similar symptoms

    low, so they are rarely carried out. Patients with CNAL often have late diagnosis, which leads to increased morbidity and mortality. In this regard, a high “alertness index” of the doctor is extremely important for early diagnosis, especially in the presence of characteristic clinical and radiological manifestations.

    In table. Table 2 presents diagnostic criteria for CNAL, which may be useful for early recognition of the disease and improving the prognosis in these patients.

    In accordance with the recommendations of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the most reasonable approach to the treatment of CNAL is the appointment of oral forms of itraconazole at a dose of 400 mg / day. Voriconazole is also effective, but publications on its use in this form of aspergillosis are much less. Oral forms of the drug are preferable because of the need for long courses of treatment (up to 24 weeks).

    Aspergilloma (mushroom lump) is the most common and most recognizable form of lung lesions caused by Aspergillus fungi. It consists of fungal mycelium, inflammatory cells, fibrin, mucus and tissue detritus. Usually develops in an already formed cavity in the lung. The formation of aspergilloma has been described in patients with tuberculosis (most often), sarcoidosis, bronchiectasis, ankylosing spondylitis, neoplasms, and pulmonary infections.

    In some cases, aspergilloma is asymptomatic. In the presence of clinical symptoms leading is hemoptysis. Perhaps the development of life-threatening bleeding from the bronchial vessels. Cough, shortness of breath and fever are less common, which may be more associated with underlying pulmonary pathology or bacterial superinfection in the lung cavity. On radiography, pulmonary aspergilloma is a round, sometimes mobile formation with a round or oval cavity and an air meniscus along the periphery. Similar radiological manifestations can be observed in other diseases, such as hematoma, tumors, abscess, echinococcosis and Wegener's granulomatosis, and aspergilloma can be combined with them. Isolation of Aspergillus culture from sputum is possible only in 50% of cases. Serum IgG antibodies to Aspergillus may be negative in GC treatment. Antifungal therapy using itraconazole, voriconazole, and possibly posaconazole may be beneficial with relatively minimal risk. In selected patients with solitary aspergilloma, surgical resection or intracavitary antifungal therapy may be indicated.

    One of the most serious complications of IAL is CNS damage, the lethality of which exceeds 90%.

    In the literature, there are descriptions of cases of the development of aspergillus pathology of the central nervous system in patients with SLE. Unlike candidiasis and CNS cryptococcosis, aspergillosis is more characterized by focal neurological lesions and convulsive syndrome. With dissemination of infection from the paranasal sinuses, especially from the ethmoid bone, the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, the cavernous sinus, and even the internal carotid artery may be involved in the process. The detection of the galactomannan antigen in the cerebrospinal fluid improves the reliability of the diagnosis and helps to avoid invasive procedures for histological verification of the diagnosis. For the treatment of this form of aspergillosis, voriconazole is the most preferred, the effectiveness of which has been demonstrated in a number of studies. The high mortality rate in this pathology, in addition to antimycotic therapy, necessitates surgical resection of the affected areas. Other therapies have been proposed, including higher doses of a single antimycotic, combinations of antifungals, and immunomodulators. However, there are no data from prospective controlled clinical trials proving the advantages of these methods over standard monotherapy.

    Focal extrapulmonary invasive aspergillosis can occur as an infectious lesion of a specific organ or be a manifestation of a disseminated infection. Based on the results of randomized trials, GOBA experts recommend using voriconazole for initial therapy of extrapulmonary forms of IA. When appointing al-

    alternative drugs can be guided by the principles of treatment of IPA.

    Primary prevention involves the administration of antifungal drugs to patients who do not have symptoms of a fungal infection, but the epidemiological profile indicates a high likelihood of invasive aspergillosis. However, the allocation of risk groups to prevent the development of this infection is still one of the problems. With regard to rheumatology, this may include patients receiving high-dose glucocorticoid therapy (1 mg/kg prednisolone per day for at least 2-3 weeks), cytotoxic drugs, and TNF-α inhibitors, but recommendations regarding specific doses and regimens are on absent today. In patients with hematological diseases accompanied by neutropenia, itraconazole administered intravenously and per os in the form of a solution had a certain effect on reducing the incidence of invasive aspergillosis, but the use of this drug is limited due to its dose-dependent toxicity. Prophylactic clinical studies are currently underway with voriconazole, but the final results have not yet been published.

    In conclusion, we note that the emergence of new antifungal drugs with greater activity and better tolerance has significantly improved the outcomes of treatment of patients at risk of severe Aspergillus infection. However, there are still many issues that need to be addressed, in particular, the development of methods for the early detection of an infectious process, the assessment of disease outcomes, the treatment of progressive or refractory Aspergillosis infection, and the identification of groups of patients in whom aspergillosis prophylaxis would be most effective.

    1. Pauw B. Epidemiology and frequency of systemic fungal infections In: Serious Candida infections: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention Ed B. Pauw, G. Bodyy 1998; 1P3.

    2. Bodey J.P. Cit. by: Klyasova GA. Mycotic infections: clinic, diagnosis, treatment. Infection and Antimicrobial Ter 2000;6:184-9.

    3. Reshetnyak T.M., Radenska-Lopovok S.G., Makarov K.V. and others. Aspergillosis in systemic lupus erythematosus. Scientific-practical rheumatism

    tol 2007;4:81-8.

    4. Garrett D.O., Jochimsen E., Jarvis W.

    Invasive Aspergillus spp infections in rheumatology patients. J Rheumatol 1999;26(1):146-9.

    5. Katz A., Ehrenfeld M., Livneh A. et al. Aspergillosis in systemic lupus erythematosus. Semin Arthritis Rheum 1996;26(3):635-40.

    6. Chen H.S., Tsai W.P., Leu H.S. et al. Invasive fungal infection in systemic lupus erythematosus: an analysis of 15 cases and a literature review. Rheumatology 2007;46(3):539-44.

    7. Kim H.J., Park Y.J., Kim W.U. et al. Invasive fungal infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: experience from affiliated hospi-

    tals of Catholic University of Korea. Lupus

    2009;18(7):661-6.

    8. Zmeili O.S., Soubani A.O. Pulmonary aspergillosis: a clinical update. QJM 2007;100(6):317-34.

    9. Gaeta M., Blandino A., Scribano E.

    Computed tomography halo sign in pulmonary nodules: frequency and diagnostic value. J Thorac Imaging 1999;14(2):109-13.

    10. Greene R. The radiological spectrum of pulmonary aspergillosis. Med Mycol 2005;43 (Suppl 1):147-54.

    11. Yu V.L., Muder R.R., Poorsattar A. Significance of isolation of Aspergillus from the respiratory tract in diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Results from a three-year prospective study. Am J Med 1986;81(2):249-54.

    12. Tang C.M., Cohen J. Diagnosing fungal infections in immunocompromised hosts. J Clin Pathol 1992;45(1):1-5.

    13. Pfeiffer C.D., Fine J.P, Safdar N. Diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis using a galactomannan assay: a meta-analysis. Clin Infect Dis 2006;42(10):1417-27.

    14. Hizel K., Kokturk N., Kalkanci A. et al.

    Polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. Mycoses 2004;47(7):338-42.

    15. Buchheidt D., Baust C., Skladny H. et al. Detection of Aspergillus species in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage samples from immunocompromised patients by means of 2-step polymerase chain reaction: clinical results. Clin Infect Dis 2001;33:428-35.

    16. Halliday C., Hoile R., Sorrel T. et al. Role prospective screening of blood for invasive aspergillosis by polymerase chain reaction in febrile neutropenic recipients of haematopoietic stem cell transplants and patients with acute leukaemia. Br J Haematol 2006;132:478-86.

    17. De Pauw B., Walsh T. J., Donnelly J. P. et al. Revised definitions of invasive fungal disease from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Invasive Fungal Infections Cooperative Group and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG) Consensus Group. Clin Infect Dis 2008;46:1813-21.

    18. Herbrecht R., Denning D.V., Patterson T.F.,

    et al. Voriconasole versus amphotericin B for primary therapy of invasive aspergillosis. N Engl J Med 2002;347:408-15.

    19. Maschan A.A., Klyasova G.A., Veselov A.V. A review of the recommendations of the American Infectious Diseases Society for the treatment of aspergillosis. Klin microbiol antimicrobial chemist 2008;2:96-142.

    20. Denning D.W., Riniotis K., Dobrashian R. et al. Chronic cavitary and fibrosing pulmonary and pleural aspergillosis: case series, proposed nomenclature change, and review. Clin Infect Dis 2003; 37(Suppl 3):265-80.

    21. Walsh T.J., Anaissie E.J., Denning D.W. et al. Treatment of aspergillosis: clinical practice

    guidelines of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis 2008;46:327-60.

    22. Kauffman C.A. Quandary about treatment of aspergilloma persists. Lancet 1996; 347:1640.

    23. Zizzo G., Castriota-Scanderbg A., Zarrelli N. et al. Pulmonary aspergillosis complicating ankylosing spondilitis. Radiol Med 1996; 91:817-8.

    24. Le Thi Huong D., Wechsler B., Chamuzeau J.P. et al. Pulmonary aspergilloma complicating Wegener's granulomatosis. Scand J Rheumatol

    25. McCarthy D.S., Pepys J. Pulmonary aspergilloma-clinical immunology. Clinic Allergy

    26. Lammens M., Robberecht W., Waer M. et al. Purulent meningitis due to aspergillosis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 1992;94(1):39-43.

    27. Gaubitz M., Moskopp D., Fegeler W. et al. Cerebral aspergillosis in systemic lupus erythematosus. J Rheumatol 2000;10:2518-9.

    28. Clemons K.V., Espiritu M., Parmar R. et al. Comparative efficacies of conventional amphotericin B, liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome), caspofungin, micafungin and voriconasole alone and in combination against experimental murine central nervous system aspergillosis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2005;49:4867-75.

    Rheumatoid hand (part I)

    Yu.A. Olyunin, A.V. Smirnov

    Research Institute of Rheumatology RAMS, Moscow

    At an early stage, the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are mainly represented by signs of inflammation of the synovial membrane of the joints. On examination, there is a change in the configuration of the joints, local pain on palpation, as well as impaired function. One of the earliest and most characteristic radiological manifestations of polyarthritis is periarticular osteoporosis (OP). Narrowing of the joint spaces is one of the most important radiological symptoms. It reflects the destruction of the articular cartilage and is taken into account when assessing the progression of the pathological process. The most typical sign of RA - bone erosion - is relatively rare at the onset of the disease and is an unfavorable prognostic sign. The progression of RA over time leads to the destruction of articular cartilage and bones, damage to ligaments and tendons. The failure of the ligamentous apparatus can cause the occurrence of dorsal subluxation of the radius. At the late stage of RA, bone erosions are detected in almost all patients. This is the most characteristic x-ray symptom of polyarthritis. Extensive and multiple destructive changes in the joints are accompanied by the formation of multiple subluxations, dislocations and contractures of the joints typical of RA. In addition to destructive changes in the joints, most deformities are associated with tendon and ligament looseness and ruptures in them, as well as a restructuring of the normal muscle tension around one or more joints. On the late stages RA occurs and ankylosing of the joints.

    Key words: rheumatoid arthritis, hand, tendovaginitis, periarticular osteoporosis, narrowing of joint spaces, ulnar deviation, bone erosion, joint ankylosis, carpal tunnel syndrome.

    Contacts: Yuri Alexandrovich Olyunin [email protected]

    THE RHEUMATOID HAND (Part I)

    Yu.A. Olyunin, A.V. Smirnov

    Institute of Rheumatology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow

    Early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is mainly presented as the signs of articular synovial membrane inflammation. Examination reveals the changed outline of joints, their dysfunction, and local palpatory tenderness. Juxta-articular osteoporosis is one of the earliest and characteristic X-ray manifestations of polyarthritis. Its most important X-ray symptoms should include joint space narrowing. It reflects articular cartilage destruction and it is taken into account in evaluating the progression of a pathological process. The most typical sign of RA is bone erosions that comparatively rarely occur at the onset of the disease and are a poor predictor.

    Progression of RA leads to articular cartilage and bone destruction and ligament and tendon damage over time. Incompetence of the ligamentous apparatus may cause dorsal subluxation of the radius. In late RA, bone erosions are detectable in almost all patients. This is the most characteristic X-ray symptom of polyarthritis. Extensive and multiple destructive changes in the joints are accompanied by the development of their multiple subluxations, dislocations, and contractures. In addition to destructive changes in the joints, most deformities are associated with their tendinous and ligamentous looseness and ruptures and with the rearrangement of normal muscle tension around one joint or more. Articular ankylosis occurs in late RA. Key words: rheumatoid arthritis, hand, tendovaginitis, juxta-articular osteoporosis, joint space narrowing, ulnar deviation, bone erosions, articular ankyloses, carpal tunnel syndrome.

    Contact: Yuri Aleksandrovich Olyunin [email protected]

    early arthritis

    The defeat of the hand occupies a special place in the clinical picture of chronic diseases of the joints. On the one hand, the originality of its changes is of great importance for diagnosis, on the other hand, they are associated with

    Mi violations can lead to severe functional insufficiency and a significant decrease in the quality of life of patients. Inflammation of the joints of the hands is a typical manifestation of systemic rheumatic diseases, primarily rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

    Hundreds of suppliers bring hepatitis C medicines from India to Russia, but only M-PHARMA will help you buy sofosbuvir and daclatasvir, while professional consultants will answer any of your questions throughout the therapy.

    Pavel Novikov on the preservation of traditions and the latest advances in modern rheumatology

    Pavel Novikov

    Position: rheumatologist, head of the rheumatology department of the Clinic of Nephrology, Internal and Occupational Diseases named after E. M. Tareev, University Clinical Hospital No. 3 of the First Moscow State Medical University named after I. M. Sechenov, assistant of the Department of Internal, Occupational Diseases and Pulmonology of Medical and Preventive Medicine Faculty of the First Moscow State Medical University named after I. M. Sechenov

    Hobbies: science, board games

    Marital status: married, two sons

    In the life of every person there comes a moment when significant efforts are required to maintain an active quality life. Pavel Igorevich Novikov often says these words to his patients, trying to set them up for treatment. Despite his youth, the doctor looks like a great scientist. Arriving to study in Moscow from a small Belarusian town, he is an example of a real intellectual, an educated person and focused on his work.

    KS: Pavel Igorevich, when did you move from Belarus to Moscow?

    Pavel: I started my studies at the Gomel Medical Institute, and after the second year I applied to the faculty of training scientific and pedagogical personnel of the I.M. Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy. He passed the selection tests successfully, and from the third year he continued his studies in Moscow. In the same place, at the First Moscow State Medical University, he completed residency in internal medicine and received a certificate in the specialty of rheumatology.

    KS: When did you decide to specialize in rheumatology?

    Pavel: In the third year, classes in propaedeutics began at the Department of Internal and Occupational Diseases at the E. M. Tareev Clinic. Since the main area of ​​interest of my teacher, Oleg Gennadyevich Krivosheev, was in the field of rheumatic diseases, I continued to deal with the problems of systemic vasculitis, having received a specialization in rheumatology. Over time, these observations and analysis of the experience of the Clinic formed the basis of my PhD thesis.

    KS: Could you please tell us more about what your thesis is about?

    Pavel: My thesis is about granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's granulomatosis). Our Clinic has been dealing with the problem of systemic vasculitis for more than 50 years. I analyzed the change in the clinical picture, course, therapy and outcomes in patients who came to the clinic over the past ten years, and those patients who were observed in previous years.

    Thanks to increased physician awareness, improved diagnostics, and perhaps also due to an increase in the incidence, the number of patients over the past few years is comparable to and even exceeds that of the previous four decades. Therefore, the comparison of these data was, it seems to me, important and worthy of interest. I hope that this systematized experience will result in improved patient management in the future.

    KS: Has the prognosis for this category of patients changed over 50 years?

    Pavel: We can say with confidence that the effectiveness of therapy has grown. The life prognosis for patients has improved significantly, and now, with the correct use and individual selection of immunosuppressive therapy, we expect that their life expectancy will differ little from that of healthy people comparable in sex and age. This question is, in fact, the most common among patients. Especially when they read online that life expectancy can be as little as 8-16 months after diagnosis.

    Of course, the quality of life of a patient with a severe chronic disease always suffers to some extent. A patient with a systemic rheumatic disease needs to regularly monitor tests, be observed by specialists depending on the affected organs, and adjust treatment with a rheumatologist. However, now a person can maintain both labor activity and an acceptable quality of life.

    CS: What should the primary care physician do if an autoimmune process is suspected in a patient with articular syndrome?

    Pavel: It depends on the specific clinical situation and the qualifications of the doctor. There are a lot of tests for rheumatic diseases, and each of them answers certain questions. However, there is no general screening for systemic rheumatic diseases, including systemic vasculitis, lupus, and scleroderma. The main question is what specific clinical symptoms led the doctor to suspect the autoimmune nature of the pathological process.

    For example, if rheumatoid arthritis is suspected, it would be logical to evaluate the ESR, check the level of C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, and antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides. And the rest of the examination in the presence of clinical and laboratory signs of an active process, it is advisable for the patient to continue with a rheumatologist.

    KS: How is the flow of patients to the E. M. Tareev Clinic formed?

    Pavel: We have a federal medical institution, which is directly part of the structure of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. The clinic can examine patients from all over the country who have a compulsory medical insurance policy. If the patient has a referral from the polyclinic, then he can apply for an appointment with the clinic's general practitioner or rheumatologist for an initial consultation.

    If there is no referral, the patient can make an appointment for a paid appointment with the same specialists. If indications for hospitalization are revealed at a paid appointment, then hospitalization is carried out free of charge under the CHI policy.

    KS: What is the indication for hospitalization specifically in your department?

    Pavel: Indications for hospitalization are quite standard. Most importantly, we must be sure that we can help the patient. If I understand that the patient is a non-core patient, that doctors of another specialty can help him better, then I will explain this. It must be understood that rheumatic diseases are chronic. The vast majority of problems can and should be dealt with on an outpatient basis. But the beginning and selection of therapy, when the risk of undesirable effects is high, is best done in a hospital setting.

    KS: What diseases are the most relevant for your department?

    Pavel: We have accumulated the greatest experience in systemic vasculitis in Russia, significant even on the scale of world medicine. This is about a third of the department's patients. The second third are patients with diffuse connective tissue diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic scleroderma, dermatopolymyositis, and Sjögren's disease. And another third of patients from the category of so-called articular rheumatology (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis - Bechterew's disease, etc.). We have relatively few patients with degenerative joint diseases. We practically do not deal with osteoarthritis.

    KS: How well are the causes of autoimmune diseases now studied?

    Pavel: Understanding of the causes is increasing, but, unfortunately, for most of these diseases, we cannot yet establish the cause. There are predisposing genetic factors. However, we must clearly understand that autoimmune diseases are not inherited. And if the child of our patient has no complaints, then no additional studies are needed in addition to the standard observation by a pediatrician. Moreover, there are no specific ways to prevent inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Here, as in medicine in general, maintaining a generally accepted healthy lifestyle is important.

    KS: Are there screening studies for aggravated heredity?

    Pavel: We cannot prescribe specific tests for everyone, because the same antinuclear factor, depending on the titer, occurs in 3-6% of people in the general population. And if we get a positive result without clinical manifestations, then it will not have any practical application. On the contrary, it will be harmful, because in this case we will completely unreasonably "scroll" the patient through various specialists and examinations. And the patient will receive useless significant stress and an unreasonable risk of complications during medical manipulations. Therefore, asymptomatic screening for rheumatological diseases is not currently developed, applied or recommended.

    KS: What has changed in recent years in the approach to the treatment of these serious diseases?

    Pavel: Significant progress. First of all, this is an individualization of approaches to therapy. In the past, for example, very high doses of cyclophosphamide and glucocorticoids were used to treat systemic vasculitis, at a very significant cost in terms of side effects. Now, scientific and practical data have been obtained that justify the appointment of more “weak”, respectively, safer regimens of therapy for patients without severe damage to internal organs, especially when remission is achieved.

    Over the past fifteen to twenty years, genetically engineered biological preparations have become quite widespread. These drugs specifically neutralize inflammatory cytokines, helping patients who do not respond well to traditional DMARDs.

    Pavel: In the direction of targeted (targeted) therapy, the mechanism of which is briefly as follows. A key molecule or group of molecules is established in various diseases, and then we try to influence them with antibodies. There is a neutralization of the molecules involved in pathogenesis. The main focus in rheumatology is now on clarifying the specific mechanisms of disease and creating antibodies that act on them. The same approach to treatment is widely used in oncology, cardiology, and hematology. In general, now the topic of monoclonal antibodies is a hot spot in all areas of medicine.

    Pavel: We must understand that the use of these drugs has raised its own layer of problems. First, they have their undesirable effects. Secondly, genetically engineered biological preparations, like traditional approaches to therapy, affect the mechanism of the disease, often at the later stages of pathogenesis, so they provide only temporary control of activity, and the disease may return when therapy is discontinued. Finally, they are expensive, although they can be obtained free of charge in most regions with a disability and a strict indication. These drugs are only needed for patients who do not respond to traditional medicines or who have unacceptable side effects of traditional medicines.

    In most patients, proven standard treatment regimens, when used correctly, successfully control rheumatic diseases.

    KS: How is the rheumatology service going through the era of reorganization of Russian medicine?

    Pavel: I believe that almost everything that is in world medicine is available in Russia. The vast majority of drugs are available, there is complete information on treatment regimens. Of course, there are objective difficulties. The cost of monthly treatment with "biological" drugs is from 50 thousand rubles, but if there are indications, appropriately executed documents, the patient can receive these drugs free of charge. It is very important to use the available resources efficiently.

    Government mechanisms exist to meet the patient's needs for such treatment, although the availability of treatment varies from region to region. Our task, as a federal center, is to give recommendations and rationale so that the patient receives therapy for all the necessary time. Then the patient is observed by doctors at the place of residence, and comes to us to decide on a strategic change in therapy.

    KS: Does busy work interfere with family relationships?

    Pavel: No, it doesn't. My wife Olga is an ophthalmologist and is now continuing her postgraduate studies. But we do not like to discuss medical issues at home and find other interesting topics for communication. First of all, they concern our children. We have two sons, Fedor and Stepan, they are nine and four years old respectively. We try to get out with the whole family to performances in theaters, to movie screenings, at home we often play board games. Fedor is additionally studying English, Stepan likes choreography classes. I want them to grow up, first of all, as good responsible people and find an exciting profession for themselves. And I try to be a good example for them.

    KS: What are your goals for the next decade?

    Pavel: First of all, I am a practitioner, so the first goal is to continue to lead the rheumatology department. As an independent department, it was established in 2013, so the task is to further improve rheumatological care in our multidisciplinary hospital.

    My separate concern is to increase the awareness of patients through the main specialists about our work, about modern approaches to treatment.

    Another challenge is to expand international cooperation. Since the clinic has been dealing with rare diseases for many years, a lot of experience has been accumulated, which needs to be updated and demonstrated in Russia and in the world. There are also plans to grow a galaxy of young rheumatologists, so we now have a lot of graduate students. With the whole team, I hope we will continue the glorious traditions of the therapeutic and rheumatological school of Evgeny Mikhailovich Tareev.


    Source: www.katrenstyle.ru

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