Congenital Heart Disease in Children Living Close to the Former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site: Frequency, Structure, and Links with Connective Tissue Dysplasia

Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common serious congenital disorder. CHD is the leading cause of death in the first year of life. One of the factors influencing the incidence of CHD is collagen structural abnormalities such as connective tissue dysplasia (CTD). Aim: To study the prevalence of CHD and its subtypes, to determine the combination of CHD and CTD with minor cardiac abnormalities (MCA). Methods: A retrospective study on the prevalence of CHD in the Republic of Kazakhstan and Semey city and a case-control study in the pediatric clinic of the Medical University Hospital was conducted. With CHD, CTD, and healthy children were included in the study. Children of all groups were examined according to the methodology, which included a collection of medical and family history; clinical examination; assessment of CHD severity. The collected data were then analyzed using SPSS software. Results: The prevalence of CHD in Semey was 6.9 per 1,000 live births. Atrial septal defect and ventricular septal defect were the most common CHD subtypes. The phenotype was represented by the asthenic physique, joint hypermobility, ear anomalies, and scoliosis. MCAs were in children with CHD and CTD. Mitral valve prolapse and left ventricular false tendons were detected most frequently. Conclusion: MCAs detected in children with CTD. CTD is a factor influencing the severity of CHD.

Cytogenetic abnormalities of the descendants of permanent residents of heavily contaminated East Kazakhstan

More than 400 nuclear explosion tests were conducted at the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS) and significant radioactive substances were released. The long-term consequences of the activities at the SNTS and the appearance of any hereditary effects remain insufficiently studied about 25 years after the test site was closed. The population living in villages near the SNTS are considered to have been heavily exposed to external and internal radiation. This study aims to perform an assessment and comprehensive cytogenetic analysis of the inhabitants living near the SNTS, and their first-(F1) and second-(F2) generation children. Residents of the East Kazakhstan region living in the area covered by the former SNTS were included in the study. To evaluate the hereditary effects of nuclear testing, comprehensive chromosome analyses were performed in lymphocytes using conventional Giemsa and fluorescent in situ hybridization methods in 115 F1 and F2 descendants in the villages of Dolon and Sarzhal, which were heavily contaminated. The parents of the subjects had permanently lived in the villages. A higher number of stable-type chromosome aberrations such as translocations was found in these residents than in 80 residents of the control area, Kokpecty, which indicates the possibility that radiation had biological effects on the exposed subjects.

[THE DIFFERENCES OF CHANGES IN BODY WEIGHT ON THE HYPERTENSION IN ADOLESCENTS 12-13 YEARS]

The aim of the research was to study the differences of overweight, obesity to the level of AH among 12-13 years old. We carried out a cross-sectional study of 1493 adolescents aged 12-13 years in Semey. The risk factor of diseases of the circulatory system was studied, such as obesity and its correlation with the level of arterial pressure. The population with normal blood pressure (BP) was 87.4% (n=1305), persons with arterial hypertension (AH) (1 and 2 degrees) 12.6% (n=188). There were no statistically significant differences in prevalence of AH by ethnicity (Pearson's χ² criterion = 0.18, df=1, p=0.671). By weight, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), statistically significant differences were detected (p <0.001). According to the data of the study, the following data were revealed in the structure of individuals with normal BP according to the value of BMI: underweight in 29.5% (n=385), normal weight in 65.1% (n = 850), overweight in 4.7% (n=61), obesity in 0.7% (n=9). In the structure of persons with arterial hypertension, the BMI value was: underweight 12.3% (n=23), normal weight 66.7% (n=126), overweight 19.4% (n=36), obesity 1.6% (n=3). A significant prevalence of hypertension in the population of adolescents aged 12-13 years was found, roughly to 12.6%. In the groups of adolescents with normal BP and AH, statistically significant differences in the ratio of the body weight categories of adolescents determined by BMI were revealed, to a greater extent this was related to overweight.