The aim of the study was to assess the effect of external use of inert gases (helium and argon) on the state of free radical processes in vivo. The experiment was performed on 30 male Wistar stock rats (age‐3 months, weight–200‐220 g.), randomly distributed into 3 equal groups. The first group of animals was intact (n = 10). The animals of the second and third groups were treated with argon and helium streams, respectively. Our research has allowed us to establish that the studied inert gases have a modulating effect on the state of oxidative metabolism of rat blood, and the nature of this effect is directly determined by the type of gas. The results of this study allowed us to establish the potential antioxidant effect of the helium stream, mainly realized due to the activation of the catalytic properties of the enzymatic link of the antioxidant system of rat blood plasma. At the same time, the revealed features of shifts in oxidative metabolism during treatment with argon flow include not only stimulation of the antioxidant system but also the pronounced induction of free radical oxidation. Thus, the conducted studies made it possible to verify the specificity of the response of the oxidative metabolism of blood plasma to the use of inert gases, depending on their type.

Aim. To study the level of oxidative stress and the state of antioxidant protection of blood in children with inflammatory bowel diseases before and after a course of hyperbaric oxygenation Materials and methods. Markers of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde of blood plasma and erythrocytes, ischemia-modified blood plasma albumin) and indicators of antioxidant blood defense (catalase and reduced erythrocyte glutathione) were studied in 16 patients with Crohn’s disease and 11 patients with ulcerative colitis aged 6 to 17 years, thiol groups of blood plasma). Similar indicators were studied after a course of hyperbaric oxygenation, carried out in a single-seat air-oxygen pressure chamber “BaroOx 1.0”. The course consisted of 5-8 daily sessions in the 1.3-1.4 ata regimen for 40 minutes. Results. In pediatric patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, a significant development of oxidative stress (an increase in the level of malondialdehyde in blood plasma and erythrocytes, ischemia-modified blood plasma albumin) and changes in antioxidant protection indicators were revealed. After a course of hyperbaric oxygenation, a significant decrease in the concentration of markers of oxidative stress and an increase in the antioxidant defense of the blood were noted. Conclusion. The use of hyperbaric oxygenation in children with inflammatory bowel diseases significantly reduces the manifestations of oxidative stress and intensifies the antioxidant defense of the blood.

Aim. To study the rheological properties of blood and platelet hemostasis in children with inflammatory bowel diseases before and after a course of hyperbaric oxygenation Materials and methods. Aggregation and deformability of erythrocytes, activation and aggregation of platelets were studied in 16 patients with Crohn's disease and 11 patients with ulcerative colitis age from 6 to 17 years. Similar indicators were studied after a course of hyperbaric oxygenation, carried out in a single-seat air-oxygen pressure chamber “BaroOx 1.0”. The course consisted of 5-8 daily sessions in the 1.3-1.4 ata during 40 minutes. Results. In pediatric patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis a significant violation of the rheological and hemostasiological properties of blood was revealed. After a course of hyperbaric oxygenation a significant decrease in the aggregation of erythrocytes, an increase in their deformability, and a decrease in the functional activity of platelets were noted. Conclusion. The use of hyperbaric oxygenation in children with inflammatory bowel diseases contributes to a significant correction of the rheological and hemostasiological properties of blood.

Introduction. One of the main factors involved in the pathogenesis of burn disease consists in the disturbance of microcirculation and haemostasis, caused by increased platelet aggregation. Mechanisms underlying the enhancement of platelet aggregation are poorly understood. Main results were obtained for adult patients at the onset of the burn disease, with no similar data on paediatric patients being available. There is evidence of a relationship between the size of platelets (MPV) and their functionality.Aim. To undertake a study of spontaneous and ADP-induced platelet aggregation and their size in children with burn disease.Materials and methods. We studied the aggregation and size of platelets in children aged 3–17 years, in whom burn areas covered 10–70 % of the body surface at the onset of the disease and before discharge. Spontaneous platelet aggregation was analysed under conditions of induced shear flow, whereas ADP-induced aggregation was studied employing a turbidimetric method. The study of platelet sizes was carried out using a conductometric method.Results. Spontaneous platelet aggregation increases significantly in children with burn disease. The integrated optical density of the formed aggregates, their area and perimeter were estimated for the first time. These indicators remained elevated even after burn wounds had been completely closed. In burn disease, changes in ADP-induced platelet aggregation were multidirectional in nature. Mean platelet volume (MPV) was increased during the acute period of burn disease, decreased during the period of toxaemia, and normalised by the time of patients’ discharge. Changes in MPV did not affect the aggregation properties of platelets. There was no correlation between the degree of aggregation and the severity of hyperfibrinogenemia. The blood of burn patients contained a large number of activated platelets, which was the reason for the increase in their spontaneous aggregation, not requiring the participation of exogenous inducers.Conclusion. An increase in spontaneous platelet aggregation was observed in children after a thermal injury, which remained elevated until the burn wounds were completely closed. A significant increase in the number of activated platelets constituted the reason for the increase in spontaneous platelet aggregation.Conflict of interest: the authors declare no confl ict of interest.Financial disclosure: the study had no sponsorship.

The results of studies of the level of biomarkers of oxidative stress and the antioxidant system in children with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are presented. The relationship between nosology and the feature of redox imbalance was demonstrated, which was proved by a significant difference in the level of reduced glutathione in erythrocytes between groups of subjects. Children with Crohn’s disease have a lower level of reduced erythrocyte glutathione compared to patients with ulcerative colitis. This pattern can be explained by different types of inflammation in these diseases. Crohn’s disease has a productive granulomatous chronic inflammation, in which one of the mechanisms of development and flow is incomplete phagocytosis. Oxidative stress and deficiency of glutathione, which is part of the antioxidant system, make a large contribution to the defect in phagocytosis, and the persistence of oxidative imbalance will lead to an increase in inflammation activity due to the preservation of immune dysregulation. The study presents a variant of using binary logistic regression to search for a model of a method for the differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel diseases, where the independent variable is the content of reduced erythrocyte glutathione.

The aim of this work is to determine changes in erythrocyte and platelet indices during standard therapy for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in children and combination with hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO). Materials and methods. We used the blood of 147 children of both genders aged 6-17 years with IBD: 76 - with Crohn’s disease (CD), 71 - with ulcerative colitis (UC). The complex of treatment for patients (16 with CD, 11 with UC) included HBO therapy, which was carried out in a single air-oxygen pressure chamber «BaroOx 1.0». The course consisted of 5-8 daily sessions in the 1.3-1.4 atm regime for 40 minutes. The number of platelets and blood cell indices in all patients were determined: MCV, RDW, MCH, MCHC, MPV, PDW. Results. IBD in children is characterized by a significant increase in platelet count, a decrease in MCV and MPV, and an increase in RDW and PDW. The use of HBO in IBD treatment promotes an increase in MCV, MCHS and a tendency to decrease the number of platelets. Conclusion. The patterns of changes in the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of blood cells that we have established indicate that the use of HBO to the standard treatment protocol for IBD in children contributes to the correction of the identified disorders.