Browsing by Author "Kustovs, Dmitrijs"

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    Cognition and Mental Health in Pediatric Patients Following COVID-19
    (2023-03) Avittan, Hadar; Kustovs, Dmitrijs; Department of Pharmacology
    The global coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted public health and has been a research subject since its emergence in 2019. The acute phase of the disease leads to pulmonary and non-pulmonary manifestations, which in some individuals may progress to long-lasting symptoms. In this article, we conducted a narrative review of the current literature to summarize current knowledge regarding long COVID syndrome in children, focusing on cognitive symptoms. The review included a search of three databases (PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science) using the key phrases “post COVID-19 cognitive pediatric”, “long COVID pediatric”, “mental health long COVID children”, and “COVID-19 cognitive symptoms”. A total of 102 studies were included. The review revealed that the main long-term cognitive symptoms following COVID-19 were memory and concentration deficits, sleep disturbances, and psychiatric states such as anxiety and stress. In addition to the direct physiological effects of a viral infection, there are psychological, behavioral, and social factors contributing to cognitive impairment, which should be addressed regarding the pediatric population. The high prevalence of neurocognitive symptoms in children following COVID-19 emphasizes the importance of understanding the mechanisms of nervous system involvement.
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    Opportunities of Amlodipine as a Potential Candidate in the Evaluation of Drug Compliance during Antihypertensive Therapy
    (2023-02-10) Kustovs, Dmitrijs; Urtāne, Inga; Sevostjanovs, Eduards; Moreino, Eva; Trušinskis, Kārlis; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry; Department of Internal Diseases
    Background and Objectives: Blood pressure measurement is essential evidence to establish that the chosen medicine and dosage are appropriate, and also indirectly indicates whether the medicine is being used at all. Therefore, current research compares adherence to the target blood pressure at home and in the hospital between different age groups, using similar combinations of the drugs prescribed by the doctor within ongoing antihypertensive therapy. Moreover, it is very important to develop a method for the determination of amlodipine and its metabolite, which would suitable for clinical applications, when the result is needed as quick as possible. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included patients aged ≥18 years who were diagnosed with hypertension. Subjects were divided into two age groups according to European Society of Cardiology (ESC) hypertension guidelines; older patients (≥65 years) and adult patients (
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    Selenium Status and Oxidative Stress in SARS-CoV-2 Patients
    (2023-03) Šķesters, Andrejs; Lece, Anna; Kustovs, Dmitrijs; Zolovs, Maksims; Bioķīmijas zinātniskā laboratorija; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry; Statistics Unit
    Background and Objectives: Insufficient intake of essential micronutrient selenium (Se) increases the susceptibility to diseases associated with oxidative stress. The study aim was to assess Se status and oxidative stress in COVID-19 patients depending on severity of the disease. Materials and Methods: Blood plasma of 80 post-COVID-19 disease patients and 40 acutely ill patients were investigated. Concentration of Se was detected by a fluorometric method with di-amino-naphthalene using acidic hydrolysis. Selenoprotein P (Sepp1), malondialdehyde (MDA), and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and their metabolite adducts were evaluated by spectrophotometric methods using commercial assay kits. Results: Obtained results demonstrated that Se and Sepp1 concentration in acute patients were significantly (p < 0.05 for Se and p < 0.001 for Sepp1) decreased compared with post-COVID-19 disease patients. However, in post-COVID-19 disease patients, Se values were close to the low limit of the norm for the European population. 4-HNE adducts concentration as a marker of lipid peroxidation was significantly increased in the acute patients group compared to the recovery group (p < 0.001). Conclusions: COVID-19 pathology is characterized by the induction of oxidative stress and suppression of antioxidant defenses during the acute phase. Lower levels of Se and Sepp1 and higher levels of reactive oxygen species reflect this imbalance, highlighting the role of oxidative stress in the disease’s pathogenesis.