Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
How is atrial fibrillation related to renal failure? Why is the mortality rate from ischemic stroke higher in northern European countries? Presentations on these topics were presented in Turkey at the 1st Student Medical Congress with International Participation, organized by Istanbul's Aydın University.
The RUDN University delegation included students majoring in General Medicine:
Yulia Ivanova (RF), 4th year Parsa Saedi, 4th year Abdi Ima, 5th year Mobin Alibafgi, 5th year Parnian Hemati, 5th year Roxana Nakhai, 5th year Ashkan Sadeghbayan, 5th year
The head of the delegation and the students' scientific supervisor is Elena Valerievna Kaverina, associate professor of the Department of Public Health, Healthcare and Hygiene of the RUDN Medical Institute.
All students are members of the "Healthcare Organizers and Leaders" Council of the Medical Institute. Shahin Ibrahim Emre also participated in the congress. He has been a student at Istanbul Aydın University since 2025, and previously attended our university.
Gifts, lectures and winners
At the opening of the event, Elena Valeryevna delivered a welcoming address on behalf of RUDN University and presented commemorative medals and souvenirs to Mustafa Aydin, Rector of Istanbul Aydin University; Halil Alis, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine; and Hakki Dalçik, head of the organizing committee. In return, the university rector presented a representative of our university with a commemorative plaque for his contribution to the congress's preparation. Elena Valeryevna also gave a lecture on "Training Medical Specialists for National Healthcare Systems: The Russian Healthcare Model and RUDN University's Educational Approach."
Regarding student research, over 200 papers were submitted to the congress. The organizers selected 70 research teams, which presented their papers in 14 sections. The congress's final event was a medical ball dedicated to Medical Workers' Day (celebrated in Turkey on March 13). The authors of the best papers were announced at the ball. Three papers in English and three in Turkish received awards.
A RUDN University student paper, "Cardiac Symptom Trajectories Following Stimulant Exposure: A Cross-Country Hybrid Cohort Study in Young Adults," took second place overall and first in the English language category. The paper's authors, Parnian Hemati and Shahin Ibrahim Emre, were awarded the prize.
In addition, our Turkish colleagues recognized the rest of our students with special awards:
Parsa Saedi and Yulia Ivanova for their work "Contrasting Epidemics Of COPD And Lung Cancer In Turkey and Russia"; Abdi Ima and Mobin Alibafgi for their report "An epidemiological comparison of ischemic stroke between the Russian Federation and other European countries: a statistical analysis"; Roxana Nahai and Ashkan Sadegbayan for their report "Hemodynamic and neurohormonal mechanisms of renal dysfunction in atrial fibrillation among patients with chronic heart failure".
Heart vs. Energy Drinks
"Our study highlights the increasing impact of energy drink consumption on cardiovascular health among young adults, particularly in settings of high academic stress. Unlike many previous studies that focus on specific populations, our study takes a cross-cultural approach, including respondents from Turkey, Iran, the United States, and Russia. This approach allows for a broader understanding of global consumption patterns and demonstrates that stimulant-related cardiac symptoms may represent a persistent and underrecognized risk across diverse populations," said Parnian Hemati and Shahin Ibrahim Emre.
The students noted that the topic is extremely relevant, as energy drink consumption is rapidly increasing, especially among students. The study was conducted using a structured online questionnaire and a retrospective analysis of over 400 scientific publications. The results showed a significant association between the frequency of energy drink consumption and the occurrence of cardiovascular symptoms. Frequent energy drinkers experienced elevated heart rates, and a significant proportion of participants reported chest pain and pre-syncope. Moreover, many of them had never undergone a cardiac examination.
According to the researchers, the main challenges in developing the study were ensuring sufficient participant engagement and obtaining reliable self-reported data, as well as maintaining sample balance across different countries. In the future, the authors plan to expand the sample and supplement the report with clinical assessment methods, such as electrocardiography.
Fibrillation and the kidneys
Roxana Nahai and Ashkan Sadeghbayan said they studied how atrial fibrillation contributes to renal dysfunction in patients with chronic heart failure.
"Our hypothesis is that atrial fibrillation is not only a rhythm disorder but also a factor that increases renal vulnerability due to hemodynamic instability and neurohormonal activation," Roxana Nahai and Ashkan Sadegbayan.
The authors explained that the novelty of their study lies in its presentation of atrial fibrillation as a marker of a "renal vulnerability phenotype." The relevance of the study stems from the fact that atrial fibrillation and chronic heart failure often coexist (up to 50% in advanced stages), and both conditions are associated with deteriorating kidney function and increased mortality.
The study included 40 patients with chronic heart failure (NYHA II-III), divided into two groups: 20 patients with atrial fibrillation and 20 patients with sinus rhythm. Renal function parameters (creatinine, glomerular filtration rate, history of acute renal failure) and neurohormonal markers (renin, aldosterone) were analyzed.
The results showed that patients with atrial fibrillation had worse kidney function, higher renin and aldosterone levels, and increased signs of renal stress.
Not enough sun
In their study, Abdi Ima and Mobin Alibafgi examined the prevalence and mortality of ischemic stroke in 25 European countries using the most recent global health data.
"We looked at 23 different risk factors and tested a new hypothesis: that very little sunlight in winter—and the resulting disruption of the body's internal biological clock—may play a role in stroke risk," said Abdi Ima and Mobin Alibafgi.
The students reported that their results reveal significant differences across Europe. In 2021, the stroke mortality rate in Russia was almost four times higher than in Western Europe. Although stroke mortality has declined in most European countries over the past 30 years, a much slower decline was observed in Eastern Europe. The main risk factors were cold weather and smoking, but each country showed its own pattern.
According to the researchers, even after accounting for income, smoking, diet, and cold, low sunlight exposure was still associated with higher stroke mortality rates. In countries with the least amount of winter sun—such as Russia, Finland, and the Baltic states—stroke mortality was higher than expected based on traditional risk factors alone. These findings suggest that low sunlight exposure and its impact on the body's natural rhythms may be an underappreciated risk factor for stroke in northern countries, pointing to potential new avenues for stroke prevention in high-latitude regions.
Lung diseases in Turkey and Russia
"Our research focused on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer in Russia and Turkey. We thought this would be an interesting topic because we were traveling from Russia to a Turkish university, and during our research, we discovered many similarities between the two countries, particularly in the area of lung and respiratory diseases. As we know, the two countries have very similar smoking rates, and this attracted our attention to this topic. Frankly, we believe this was the best decision for both sides," said Parsa Saedi and Yulia Ivanova.
The students expressed their immense gratitude to RUDN University, which provided them with the opportunity to travel to Turkey to present their work calmly and stress-free. They also expressed their sincere thanks to Aydın University in Istanbul, Turkey, which accepted their work and invited them, noting that the university provided them with everything they needed, so they had no worries. They also expressed special gratitude to their academic advisor, Elena Kaverina, who supported them throughout the process and provided the necessary motivation. The students look forward to new opportunities that will allow them, as representatives of an international university, to present their knowledge to the world.
Meetings and further cooperation
In addition to speaking at the congress, the RUDN delegation met with representatives of the Istanbul Aydın University medical student research community and the university's international service during their trip, outlining avenues for further collaboration.
At the ceremony, the delegation also awarded Shahin Ibrahim Emre, the winner of the RUDN University competition "Countries of the World: Partnership for Sustainable Development," for his work "Ensuring Access to Life-Saving Medicines under Sanctions: Assessing the Efficacy and Patient Confidence in Regionally Supplied Disease-Modifying Therapies (DMDTs) for Multiple Sclerosis in Russia and Iran, and the Role of Turkish Logistics in Ensuring Access (SDG 3)." The work was completed jointly with our university's students, Parnian Hemati, Roxana Nahai, and Ashkan Sadegbayan.
Upon returning from their trip, the RUDN delegation was solemnly congratulated at the university's academic council for their excellent representation of the university and medical institute in Istanbul.
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