In diphtheria, the extent of hypermyoglobinaemia (> 2000 ng/ml) and an increased LDH1/LDH2 (> 1) ratio are reliable markers for the development of carditis indicating a poor prognosis.

Aim. To elucidate the role of diabetic nephropathy in pathogenesis of myo-cardial lesions in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus from the results of dopplerography of intrarenal vessels. Materials and methods. The study involved 39 children with DM1 (mean age 12,5?2,6) divided into 2 groups. Group 1 included 12 patients with subclinical diabetic lesions in the kidneys (hyperfiltration), group 2 and 3 comprised 21 and 6 patients with diabetic neph-ropathy (microalbuminuria 30?300 mg/day or proteinuria respectively). All patients under-went standard examination to evaluate cardiovascular and vegetative nervous function. Analysis of spectrograms obtained by dopplerography of intrarenal vessels included main renal artery (MRA), segmental (SA), interlobe (ILA), arch (AA), and interlobular (ILbA) arteries. Results. The study groups were not significantly different in terms of MRA, SA, AA, and ILA hemodynamics but, unlike healthy controls, showed a nonlinear decreasing gradient in vascular resistance from MRA toward peripheral vessels especially ILA and AA. Left ven-tricular hypertrophy with disturbed diastolic performance documented in 64% of the patients correlated with microalbuminuria (r=0,56, p

West Nile virus (WNV) circulation in the territory of Saratov region and its role in the infectious pathology were investigated. For this purpose, in studies conducted in 2013-2015, suspensions of bloodsucking arthropods, organs of birds and small mammals were analyzed for the presence of WNV markers (antigens and/or RNA). The seroprevalence level in live-stock animals and population of the region was evaluated; clinical samples from patients with symptoms compatible with West Nile fever (WNF) were analyzed. As a result of the investigations, WNV markers were detected in field samples gathered in natural biotopes and in the city of Saratov. Immunity to WNV was detected in horses. A stable domain of persons with immunity to this agent was revealed among regional population. Patients with WNF have been annually registered in the region since 2012. The obtained results confirm active circulation of WNF in the Saratov region, as well as formation of stable natural and anthropourgic foci.

This study was designed to elucidate the relationship between the age of the patients presenting with autoimmune thyroiditis and subclinical hypothyroidism and the changes in their cardiovascular system. The following characteristics were estimated: the structure of the left ventricle, its overall and segmental diastolic function (by tissue Doppler echocadiography), and rigidity of the arterial walls (from the Young's modulus of elasticity, by ultrasonography). The patients were 95 women at the age of 20 to 50 years of whom 47 presented with autoimmune thyroiditis and subclinical hypothyroidism and 48 with euthyroidism (controls). They were divided into 3 age groups to be compared in the «subclinical hypothyroidism vs control» mode. Group 1 comprised 12 ad 13 women respectively aged 20-30 years, Group 2 contained 12 and 10 patients (31-40 years), group 3 included 23 and 25 patients (41-50 years). Young women with subclinical hypothyroidism were characterized by high values of Young's modulus and a large number of dysfunctional left ventricular segments (p<0.05). In the patients of the intermediate age, subclinical hypothyroidism also tended to have high values of Young's modulus in the absence of diastolic dysfunction. The oldest patients showed no signs of left ventricular dysfunction or arterial wall rigidity compared with controls (p<0.05). The results of the study indicate that the patient's age influences manifestations of changes in the cardiovascular system characteristic of subclinical hypothyroidism. In young women, this condition is associated with more pronounced disturbances of both overall and segmental diastolic functions and arterial elasticity than in control subjects. The women of older age groups show less apparent cardiovascular and metabolic abnormalities while the role of subclinical hypothyroidism as a cardiovascular risk factor is relatively insignificant.