Colon Microbiocenosis and Its Correction in Patients Receiving Programmed Hemodialysis

The aim of the investigation was to study the species composition of colon microbiocenosis in patients with chronic kidney disease receiving programmed hemodialysis treatment and to evaluate the efficacy of its correction using a new immobilized synbiotic.

Materials and Methods

Samples of colon microbiota from 62 patients undergoing programmed hemodialysis were studied before and after a course of diet therapy that included probiotic components, in particular, the immobilized synbiotic LB-complex L. Isolation of microorganisms was carried out according to our original method; for bacteria identification, a MALDI-TOF Autoflex speed mass spectrometer (Bruker Daltonik, Germany) was used in the Biotyper program mode. The results were assessed using the criteria proposed by the authors and based on the OST 91500.11.0004-2003. The efficacy of the immobilized synbiotic was determined based on the clinical data, questionnaires, and bacteriological tests.

Results

In patients receiving programmed hemodialysis (before the start of the diet therapy), chronic moderate inflammation and azotemia were found. Dysbiotic changes in microbiocenosis were revealed in all the examined patients; in the absence or suppression of lacto- and bifidoflora, the number and diversity of Bacteroides spp., Clostridium spp., Collinsella spp., Eggerthella spp. and other bacteria increased, which was consistent with the theory of functional redundancy of gut microbiota. From the answers to the questionnaires, a decrease in the quality of life was found (up to 70 points out of 100) according to six of the eight scales used. After the combined therapy using the synbiotic LB-complex L in the study group, 56% of the examined patients showed their microbiocenosis restored to normal; no grade III dysbiosis was detected in any patient. There was a significant decrease in CRP and ESR in these patients and an improvement in the quality of life by criteria reflecting physical health.

Conclusion

In patients receiving programmed hemodialysis, the addition of a probiotic component in the diet therapy restores the evolutionarily determined structure of the microbiocenosis, normalizes its functions, and leads to an overall improvement in health and quality of life.

[Local drugs in treating and decreasing the incidence of adverse reactions after sclerotherapy of telangiectasia]

AIM

The purpose of the study was to assess efficacy and safety of heparin sodium gel 1000 IU/g and Detragel® in decreasing the incidence and treatment of the most common local adverse reactions in patients after endured sclerotherapy of reticular veins and telangiectasias.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Our open prospective observational study included a total of sixty 18-to-35-year-old female patients who after undergoing standardized sclerotherapy of reticular veins and telangiectasias on symmetrical portions of lower limbs were given a tube of heparin sodium gel 1000 IU/g or Detragel® to be applied onto the skin of one (left) lower limb in the projection of the sclerotherapy-exposed vessels 2-3 times daily for 10 days followed by putting on a compression class 2 (RAL standard) stocking. The women were allowed to use only the paired stocking on the contralateral extremity. Efficacy and safety of heparin sodium gel 1000 IU/g and Detragel® were evaluated based on the incidence of typical adverse reactions (ecchymoses, phlebitides, hyperpigmentation and neovasculogenesis), as well as on the patient's subjective perceptions.

RESULTS

The use of heparin sodium gel 1000 IU/g and Detragel® in addition to compression after sclerotherapy of reticular veins and telangiectasias significantly and comparably decreased the incidence and accelerated the resolution of ecchymoses and phlebitides associated with phlebosclerosing treatment. The Detragel® group patients were found to develop hyperpigmentation or neovasculogenesis significantly less often as compared with the heparin sodium gel 1000 IU/g group women. What is more, using Detragel® was not accompanied by hyperkeratosis, pruritus or formation of a sticky film, the events, however, observed while applying heparin sodium gel 1000 IU/g.

CONCLUSION

The use of Detragel® or heparin sodium gel 1000 IU/g for 10 days additionally to compression significantly decreased the incidence of typical undesirable reactions associated with sclerotherapy of reticular veins and telangiectasias. The Detragel® group women turned out to have lower incidence of hyperpigmentation and neovasculogenesis. Besides, Detragel® demonstrated better organoleptic properties.

[Cryocompression sclerotherapy of reticular veins and teleangiectasias]

Compression serves as an important component for carrying out successful and safe phlebosclerosing treatment. At the same time, the necessity of wearing compression hosiery or bandages is associated with known limitations and objections of patients, especially in a hot season. We comparatively assessed efficacy of usual compression stockings and a short-term pneumatic bandage with cryoelements while carrying out sclerosing treatment of dilated intradermal veins. Our open prospective observational study included a total of fifty 18-to-35-year-old women. After performing standardized sclerotherapy of reticular veins and telangiectasias on the symmetrical portions of the lower limbs, a pneumatic cryocompression bandage with a pressure of 50 mmHg was applied onto one of the limbs for 15 minutes, with a class 2 compression (RAL standard) medical stocking put on the other limb to be worn by the patients at daytime for 10 days. We assessed completeness of obliteration of the target veins, frequency of the development of typical undesirable events (ecchymoses, phlebitides, hyperpigmentation and neovasculogenesis), as well as the composite discomfort score according to an 11-point visual analogue scale. It was determined that using the pneumatic bandage with cryoelements as compared with the traditional compression stockings significantly decreased the frequency of the development of typical undesirable events after phlebosclerosing treatment, such as formation of ecchymoses, phlebitides, hyperpigmentation and neovasculogenesis. Significance of differences was revealed as early as 7 days after sclerotherapy, to be increasing during further dynamic follow up. By convenience for the patients, the use of the short-term pneumatic cryobandage was four times better than wearing the compression stockings. A conclusion was drawn that while carrying out sclerotherapy of reticular veins and telangiectasias short-term pneumatic cryocompression by efficacy and safety was not inferior to the traditional medical stockings (RAL standard) and made it possible to significantly decrease the incidence of the known undesirable events after phlebosclerosing treatment.

[Adjuvant phlebotrophic therapy and its effect on anti-inflammatory response after sclerotherapy]

The study was aimed at evaluating the degree of the systemic and local inflammatory reaction after sclerotherapy, as well as the effect of micronized purified flavonoid fraction (Detralex) thereupon. The study comprised a total of 60 female patients presenting with reticular veins and telangiectasias (clinical class C1 according to the CEAP classification). The patients were subdivided into two groups, each comprising 30 women. The Study Group patients two weeks prior to the forthcoming sclerotherapy had been taking Detralex prescribed at a daily dose of 1,000 mg whose administration was prolonged by not less than 2 months after the procedure. The Control Group patients received no drug. We determined the systemic and local levels of inflammatory markers, anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors: C-reactive protein in a highly sensitive range, histamine, interleukin-1, tumour necrosis factor alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor. Patients in the Study and Control Groups on day 10 after sclerotherapy demonstrated a considerable increase in the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory markers. At the same time, excess of the baseline levels of the parameters in patients taking Detralex was statistically significantly lower as compared with the Control Group patients: C-reactive protein - 6.0±0.9 mg/l vs 8.3±1.0 mg/l; histamine - 87.0±9.8 µg/l vs 156.9±33.9 µg/l; interleukin-1 - 5.9±0.4 pg/ml vs7.6±0.6 pg/ml; tumour necrosis factor alpha - 5.9±0.9 pg/ml vs 7.5±0.4 pg/ml; vascular endothelial growth factor - 252.3±26.0 pg/ml vs 325.1±47.7 pg/ml. A conclusion was made that microsclerotherapy with the use of low-concentration detergent drugs was accompanied by a local vein-specific inflammatory reaction whose degree may be diminished by means of prescribing micronized purified flavonoid fraction (Detralex) two weeks prior to and during the whole subsequent period of phlebosclerosing treatment in a standard daily dose of 1,000 mg.

Electrical muscle stimulation with Veinoplus® device in the treatment of venous ulcers

AIM

The aim of the study was to analyze the results of the electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) usage in patients with venous ulcers developed on top of a post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS).

METHODS

Sixty patients (60 legs) with active venous ulcer (C6EsAsdpPr according to CEAP classification) were divided into two groups. In addition to the background therapy consisting of a standardized compression with ULCER X and intake of micronized purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF 1000 mg daily), all the patients in the main group underwent EMS with Veinoplus® V.I. for at least 3 times a day. Follow-up examinations were performed on days 30, 60 and 90. These included pain severity assessment with 100-mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), disease severity measurement with VCSS (Venous Clinical Severity Score) and ankle circumference above malleolus, as well as recording number of healed venous ulcers.

RESULTS

At day 90 pain severity was reduced in both main and control groups. However, according to VAS pain reduction rates were significantly higher in patients of the main group (from 8.7 ± 0.6 to 1.9 ± 0.3 in the main group and 8.4 ± 0.6 to 3.9 ± 0.5 in the control group). At the end of the study, ankle circumference decreased from 270.9 ± 4.6 mm to 257.1 ± 4.2 mm in the main and from 269.7 ± 5.3 mm to 263.4 ± 5.2 in the control group. VCSS before treatment was 7.3 ± 0.6 in the main group and 6.8 ± 0.5 in the control group. By day 90 VCSS significantly decreased to 2.3 ± 0.4 and 4.6 ± 0.5 in the main and control groups respectively. Healing rates were significantly higher in the main group. On day 90, the number of open venous ulcers in the main group was 3 times lower than in the control group (4 vs. 12).

CONCLUSION

EMS demonstrated high efficacy and good tolerability and provided significant reduction in pain severity, VCSS score and ankle edema, as well as a 3-fold increase in the number of healed venous ulcers.

[Efficacy of compression knee-high socks ULCER X in treatment of venous-genesis trophic ulcers]

The study was aimed at comparatively assessing the efficacy of treatment for venous trophic ulcers at stages II-III of the wound process using special compression knee-length socks of the ULCER X kit (Sigvaris AG, St. Gallen, Switzerland) and long-stretch bandages Lauma. Compression therapy was included into the programme of outpatient treatment of forty 31-to-74-year-old patients presenting with trophic ulcers (stage II-III of the wound process) with an average area of 5,36±1,1 cm2. The Study Group consisting of 20 patients used compression knitted fabrics in the form of knee-length socks ULCER X and the comparison group (n=20) used long-stretch bandages Lauma.

RESULTS

The obtained findings (6 months) demonstrated that using compression therapy exerted a positive effect on the process of healing of venous trophic ulcers, also proving advantages of compression therapy with the knee-length socks ULCER X that create an adequate level of pressure on the crus and maintain it in long-term daily use, reliably accelerating the healing of venous trophic ulcers as compared with elastic long-stretch bandages. The use of long-stretch elastic bandages in treatment of venous trophic ulcers turned out to be not only ineffective but fraught with a possibility of the development of various complications. During 6 months of follow up the patients using the special knee-length socks ULCER X were found to have 80 % of ulcers healed (16 patients), mainly within the first 2 months, whereas using elastic bandages resulted in only 30 % of healing (6 patients) by the end of the study. Along with it, we documented a considerable decrease in the malleolar circumference in the study group patients (from 30,05±0,78 to 28,35±0,86 cm) and in the control group from 31,2±30,35 to 30,25±0,75 cm), accompanied and followed by more than a two-fold increase in quality of life of the patients along all the parameters in the study group and a 1.4-fold increase in the control group patients.