The issue of recurrent upper respiratory tract diseases in children is common and relevant. Commonly this pathology is associated with other diseases that lead to the prolonged, complicated, or chronic course of the inflammatory process in the upper respiratory tract. Objective. The aim of the study is to improve management principles for children with recurrent upper respiratory tract diseases according to the developed multidisciplinary and personalized approach (modern methods of diagnosis and health monitoring) for achieving long-term remission. Methods. The study included 65 children aged from 3 to 17 years 11 months with recurrent upper respiratory tract diseases. Examination: nasal, nasopharynx and larynx endoscopy, abdominal ultrasound with aqueous-siphon test, tympanometry, and laboratory tests (complete blood count, evaluation of total and specific IgE levels, antistreptolysin O, nasopharynx and oropharynx microbiological study, enzyme-linked immunosorbent fecal analysis for Helicobacter pylori). Results. 88% of examined children showed allergic pathology according to our study results. Clinical signs of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) were revealed in 30% of children with chronic oropharynx inflammation. GERD signs were revealed both via abdominal ultrasound with aqueous-siphon test and via fiberoptic laryngoscopy and later confirmed by esophagogastroscopy in 8.7% of patients. Obtained data indicates high prevalence of allergic and gastroenterological pathology in children with recurrent upper respiratory tract diseases. Conclusion. Obtained results allow us to establish scientifically multidisciplinary and personalized approach for the management of children with recurrent upper respiratory tract disease. This approach shall include key diagnostic methods required for improvement of comorbid conditions revealing, and achieving and maintaining control over the disease symptoms. The study is currently ongoing.

One of the priorities of the modern world medical community is the continuous comprehensive improvement of medical care quality. Evaluation of medical care quality and material costs level for the management of patients with acute respiratory pathology (ARP) was performed in one city medical facility, as well as cost-effectiveness analysis of the project “Improvement of medical care quality for children of the Rostov region”. The first step of this study was retrospective audit of source medical records (n = 154) of Children’s hospital via the adapted World Health Organization questionnaire “Evaluation of in-patient care quality for children” recommended for Europe and revised in 2015. Inclusion criteria: hospitalization of patients with acute conditions; outcome — recovery with no complications; presence of one of the clinical manifestations (acute nasopharyngitis, acute non-obstructive bronchitis, acute obstructive bronchitis, acute obstructive laryngitis, acute community-acquired pneumonia). The cost-effectiveness evaluation was performed considering the direct treatment costs and the coefficient of economic costs per patient (CECPP). Analysis of the study’s first stage has revealed defects in medical care quality, significant and irrational material costs of the medical facility at all stages of medical and diagnostic care for children with ARP. CECPP peak indicators came under notice in all observation groups due to high expenses on medications and specifically those not included in clinical practice guidelines, vast amount of unreasonable hospitalizations and diagnostic procedures, expenses on physical therapy (PT), etc. Analysis of the study’s second stage medical records (n = 146) of patients with ARP took place after the initial audit followed by quarterly monitoring and hospital staff training (endpoint — 12 months). Significant improvements in the health care quality and cost-effectiveness for children with ARP have been shown.

Background. The role of recently discovered neurospecific peptides in the pathogenesis of acute and progressive neurologic disorders, their neuroprotective features, and possibilities to use them as markers for the course and prognosis of certain diseases have been actively studied in recent decades. However, neurospecific peptides are almost not studied in chronic residual diseases. In our study we measured the levels of neurospecific peptides and some other markers to achieve understanding of general neurophysiological trends in congenital and acquired chronic non-progressive brain pathology with reference to the selection of relevant groups — study objects. Objective. The aim of the study is to study patterns of neurospecific peptides, neurotransmitters and neuroreceptor markers distribution in the serum of children with various pathogenetic variants of chronic neuropathology. Methods. The study included children from 3 to 16 years old with different pathologies. The sample was divided into groups by pathology type: no sensory and neurological disorders, congenital sensory deficit due to mutation of genes expressed and not expressed in the brain, early acquired sensory deficit of multifactorial nature, congenital mild and severe organic disorders of central nervous system (CNS) in residual stage without baseline sensory deficit, acquired functional CNS disorders without baseline organic defect and sensory deficit. The following laboratory data (neurophysiological components) was studied: nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotropic factor, neurotrophin-3, neurotrophin-4, neuregulin-1-beta-1, beta-secretase, sirtuin-1, synaptophysin, neuronal nitric oxide synthase, and anti-NR2 glutamate receptor antibodies. The parameters of cognitive activity, sense of vision, sense of smell, and acoustic sense were also evaluated. Results. The study included 274 participants. Neuropeptides and markers have shown a variable degree and range in the group spectrum of differences from normal levels. The most variable in the examined sample was NO-synthase, as well as levels of both neurotrophins, beta-secretase, and glutamate receptor marker. All visual deficits were associated with increased NO-synthase levels (p < 0.001). Neuroplasticity peptides (beta-secretase, neurotrophin-3 and 4) have been activated in all pathological conditions. Nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotropic factor were specifically activated in mild organic CNS lesions (mild cognitive impairments), while neuregulin — in congenital genetically determined visual deficits. There was no specific activation of neuropeptides and NO-synthase level tended to decrease in cases of severe CNS lesions. Conclusion. The study results suggest that all types of early visual impairment are associated with increased physiological neuronal activity, and non-organic neurological functional disorders — mainly with increased physiological synaptic activity. General neuroplasticity processes were activated in all cases of visual deficits but more specific. However, more specific and well-studied processes were activated in mild organic CNS lesions, and neuroplasticity processes did not activate adequately in severe organic CNS lesions probably due to the limited neuronal and synaptic resources.

Background. Epidermolisys bullosa pruriginosa is a rare pattern of dystrophic epidermolisys bullosa and characterized by severe itching that accompanies the formation of papules, plaques and nodes primarily on the lower limbs skin and imitating prurigo nodularis. Nowadays, less than 100 cases of this disease are reported in the world, thus, the presentation of this clinical case is relevant. Clinical case description. The authors describe the clinical case of pruriginous pattern of dominant dystrophic bullous epidermolysis in 14-year-old female patient. Conclusion. Diagnosis of this disease pattern is extremely difficult and currently all treatment is limited to the symptomatic therapy in order to stop itching and prevent scarring.

Carbamazepine is an anticonvulsant that is commonly used in neurological and psychiatric patients to treat epileptic seizures, neuropathic pain, or bipolar disorder. Carbamazepine side effects, as well as side effects of many antiepileptic drugs, include cardiotoxic effects such as atrioventricular block, bradycardia, and cardiac rhythm disorders. However, carbamazepine has also been reported to have antiarrhythmic, normotimic, and membrane-stabilizing effects. This results in its administration to treat arrhythmias in children. Based on literature, carbamazepine administration as anti-arrhythmic drug is known in cases where the basic therapy was ineffective. The medication is not registered anywhere in the world for this purpose. Thus, it can be administered only off-label. The aim of our literature review is to analyze and summarize the existing data on carbamazepine effects on cardiovascular system, to determine its safety as anti-arrhythmic drug, and to describe various factors fostering its side effects.

This article is devoted to the issue of rotavirus infection in pediatric population and demonstrates worldwide prevalence of rotavirus among the causes of viral gastroenteritis and its persistent leadership among the causes of fatal diarrhea in children of the first 5 years of life. Specific prevention of rotavirus infection has been actively carried out around the world since 2005. Nowadays, we have adequate experience in the use of various rotavirus vaccines bolstered by their implementation in immunisation schedules for infants. The authors provide data on the efficacy and safety of rotavirus vaccines licensed and used in Russian Federation, involving the results of studies on safety, immunological and clinical efficacy of one of the pentavalent rotavirus vaccines.

There is data on the irrational use of antimicrobial drugs in pediatric population during the COVID-19 pandemic. This could lead to potential development of antibiotic resistance and increased morbidity and mortality among this vulnerable population group. The aim of this review is to study the role of COVID-19 in antimicrobial drugs administration and antibiotic resistance development, as well as to determine a set of measures for its prevention. Recent studies results have shown that COVID-19 pandemic had both direct and indirect impact on antibiotic resistance development in pediatric population. The COVID-19 outbreak has revealed weaknesses in health systems around the world. Antibiotics administration in patients with coronavirus infection during this period exceeded the number of cases with bacterial co-infection or other diseases. Thus, it indicates irrational antibiotic treatment. There were cases of inappropriate antibiotics administration during the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic even in regions with long-term rational antibiotic treatment programs. One of the most viable methods to combat antibiotic resistance is to improve approaches in health care and to increase preparedness to infectious outbreaks. Increasing clinical competence of medical workers, accessibility of medical facilities, permanent supply of high-quality and cheap antibiotics, vaccines, reducing COVID-19 testing time, and adequate administration of antibacterial agents are the measures that can prevent diseases caused by drug resistance. All stakeholders (health authorities, regulating authorities, politicians, scientific community, pharmaceutical companies) have to collaborate and achieve results to implement all the mentioned above protection measures.

Epidemiological surveillance of preventive vaccinations implementation is the most crucial component in the immunoprophylaxis organization. Assessment of documented vaccination coverage indicators allows to determine the quality of routine preventive vaccination and indirectly evaluate the possible state of population immunity to vaccine preventable diseases. Continuous quality control of routine vaccination, therefore, is a component of the system for epidemic management of infectious diseases. Specific decisions should be based on its results to improve preventive vaccination quality.

Сomparative analysis of the vaccination history in adolescents (studying in schools in large cities of different federal districts of Russian Federation) and recommended national immunisation schedule allowed to identify widespread systemic mistakes of vaccination status. These issues led to the uprise and spread of vaccine preventable diseases. The study results confirmed the topicality of awareness-raising activities among medical staff working on preventive vaccination. Moreover, long-standing need of vaccination schemes correction is also important through development of medical technology aimed on improvement of catch-up vaccination approach.