Andriy Bazylevych

BACKGROUND: Magnesium supplements are widely used for prophylaxis and treatment of nocturnal leg cramps (NLC). However, there is little evidence in support of their effectiveness. The main impediment stems from the lack of assessments of cellular absorption. In the current study, we tested the efficacy and safety of a magnesium supplement - magnesium oxide monohydrate (MOMH), for which increased cellular absorption rates were demonstrated in an ex-vivo setting. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter study was conducted in hospitals and outpatient clinics in Ukraine, from February to August 2018. Eligible subjects received a capsule with MOMH 226 mg or placebo, once daily, at bedtime, for a 60-day period. The assessed parameters included frequency and duration of NLC episodes, quality of sleep, NLC-induced pain and quality of life sub-scores. The Fisher's Exact Test for comparison of groups by categorical variables was used. The Student's test or Mann-Whitney test were used for between-group comparison at different timepoints. ANCOVA followed by contrast analysis was used for comparison of groups at the end of the study. RESULTS: 175 (81%) out of 216 initially screened subjects completed the study. The number of NLC episodes has significantly decreased by the end of the study period as compared to baseline in both groups (p < 0.001 for both). There was a significant between-group difference in the magnitude of reduction in NLC episodes (p = 0.01), indicating a higher decrease in the MOMH group as compared to the placebo group (- 3.4 vs - 2.6, respectively). In addition, MOMH treatment resulted in a greater reduction in NLC duration (p < 0.007) and greater improvement in sleep quality (p < 0.001) as compared to placebo. CONCLUSIONS: MOMH was shown to be effective in the treatment of NLC as well as safe and well-tolerated. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03807219 , retrospectively registered on January 16, 2019.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To evaluate the hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters, the level of adiponectin and IL-6 in such patients under the influence of therapy with sartans (telmisartan or olmesartan) and atorvastatin 12 weeks later. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: Fifty patients with arterial hypertension of II stage and 2 level, who underwent elective in-patient treatment were examined. During the next 12 weeks, they took olmesartan (1st group) or telmisartan (2nd group) in combination with atorvastatin. RESULTS: Results: The combined use of olmesartan or telmisartan in with atorvastatin for 12 weeks had a resulted in a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate and myocardial mass. After treatment with olmesartan in combination with atorvastatin, the adiponectin content in the blood increased by 41.6% (p <0.05). In the group of patients who receiving telmisartan, an increase adiponectin level was noted in 80.0% of patients and a had shown a significantly higher increase in adiponectin levels, namely for 59.4% after treatment (p <0.01). The level of IL-6 has significantly decreased, both with the administration of olmesartan (2.7 times) and telmisartan (2.6 times) (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Telmisartan, in comparison with olmesartan, significantly reduces the size of the left ventricular and left atrium myocardium, and decreased left ventricular mass index. Telmisartan improves the cardio-metabolic profile of obese and hypertensive patients by increase of adiponectin concentrations and decrease of IL-6 levels.

Background: Currently, a topical area of research is the multidimensional approach to both reliable tools and professional interventions aimed at improving the attitudes of Ukrainian society toward people with disabilities in the context of the armed conflict in Ukraine. The aim of the study: The purpose of this study was to study the factor structure of the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Toward Persons with Disabilities (MAS) questionnaire on a sample of Ukrainian students to create an adaptation of the original version (MAS-UA). Material and Methods: The main authors of the questionnaire gave their consent for the adaptation. The Ukrainian version of the MAS was developed using the method of back translation from the original language. The proposed multi-factor structure of the MAS-UA was tested in an anonymous online study of 1619 Ukrainian students.Results: The factor analysis and a parallel exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 5-factor structure for the MAS-UA (the classic domains – cognitive, affective, and behavioral – and two additional domains, negative effects and items concentrated in the factors “Calm” and “Desire to communicate”). These five factors yielded 62.6% of the total variance score. Conclusions: The MAS-UA was developed and presented as a reliable instrument for examining attitudes toward people with physical disabilities. The instrument can be used for the initial assessment when developing prevention and educational programs in the field of social policy, as well as to evaluate their effectiveness. Studies using the adapted version of the scale (MAS-UA) will allow the comparison of results from other countries where other language versions are used.

The coronavirus disease has challenged the global medical community. Its progression led to severe health and life consequences, resulting in prolonged complications following the onset of the acute phase of the disease. The immune system was the first to respond to the viral infection entering the body. Pulmonary, neurological, psychiatric, and cardiovascular disorders became the initial stage in the pathological process. Elderly patients commonly experience chronic pain and inflammation as the main complaints associated with the development of this infectious disease; it is a daily struggle for them. Unfortunately, mental disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, myalgias, and arthralgias cause severe changes in the daily lives of senior people. Evaluating the ability of immune-competent cells, which are the main cells of the immune system, has become an essential source of information for doctors. T-lymphocytes are responsible for cellular immune responses and immunologically monitor the antigenic homeostasis in the body. Patients with COVID-19 displayed fewer T cells than the control group, and the decrease in T cells was more significant than in B cells and NK cells. Lymphopenia in COVID-19 patients may suggest the hyperactivation and migration of lymphocytes in the lungs and the apoptosis and suppression of T lymphocytes. Studies have indicated that COVID-19 is linked to an intensified inflammatory response, leading to a “cytokine storm” that may result in multisystem severe organ damage. Cytokine dysregulation is vital in weakening the immune system in older age. Elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines mark aging, reduced anti-inflammatory cytokines, and decreased T-cell-mediated function. Older people are also at high risk for viral illnesses, including COVID-19, as well as mental health disorders like cognitive impairments and PTSD. The findings suggest that alterations in the examined biomarkers associated with disease severity can be utilized to monitor the seriousness of the disease and forecast the duration of rehabilitation. Artificial intelligence made it possible to process and analyze data from the studies of patients with COVID-19 to predict accelerated aging.

Attitudes toward people with disabilities reflect the level of moral and cultural development of societies, their cohesion, and their ability to coexist harmoniously. Studying students' attitudes toward wheelchair users in the context of the armed conflict in Ukraine is an important step in exploring the sociodemographic determinants of those attitudes and the evolution of social awareness among young people. The research was conducted twice, in 2022 and 2024, covering 1,453 and 986 Ukrainian students, respectively, from medical, humanities, and social science programmes at universities in Kyiv, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Lviv. The method used was a diagnostic survey with a standardised questionnaire, the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Toward Persons With Disabilities (MAS-UA). Results are presented in subscales, with higher values indicating more negative attitudes toward individuals with disabilities. The results indicate significant differences in the first subscale of the MAS (39.94 ± 5.97 in 2022 vs. 33.76 ± 10.07 in 2024), suggesting an increase in positive emotional-evaluative attitudes in the later study. The overall assessment of social attitudes has also improved (79.22 ± 11.98 vs. 74.02 ± 18.31). The cognitive and behavioural aspects of attitudes are more stable and change relatively slowly. The armed conflict has triggered the mobilisation of the Ukrainian youth to increase efforts for the benefit of people with physical disabilities. The sociodemographic 'profile' plays a role in shaping emotional attitudes and the overall MAS score. Older students, women, those living in large cities, married individuals, students in medical fields, and those who identify with a religion exhibit a more positive attitude. The increase in positive emotions, reduction in tension, stress, helplessness, and shame indicate an improvement in mental well-being. However, a decline has been noted in feelings of relaxation, calmness, and composure. A daily visual or direct contact with people with physical disabilities has significantly improved affective attitudes, highlighting the importance of direct interactions in fostering empathy and understanding.