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Objectives: To compare the accuracy of ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing white matter abnormalities in preterm infants and to determine the specific indications for MRI. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: A neonatal intensive care unit in France. Patients: All preterm infants (≤ 33 weeks gestation) without severe respiratory distress syndrome precluding MRI. Main outcome measures: US and MRI performed contemporaneously during the third postnatal week were analysed by an independent observer. The findings were compared with those of a term MRI scan, the results of which were taken as the final diagnosis. Statistical analysis was performed to determine which early imaging study best predicted the term MRI findings. Results: The early US and MRI findings (79 infants) correlated closely for severe lesions (cystic periventricular leucomalacia and parenchymal infarction; κ coefficient = 0.86) but not for moderate lesions (non-cystic leucomalacia and parenchymal punctate haemorrhages; κ = 0.62). Overall, early MRI findings predicted late MRI findings in 98% of patients (95% confidence interval (CI) 89.5 to 99.9) compared with only 68% for early US (95% CI 52.1 to 79.2). Conclusions: US is highly effective in detecting severe lesions of the white matter in preterm infants, but MRI seems to be necessary for the diagnosis of less severe damage. MRI performed at about the third week of life is highly predictive of the final diagnosis at term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the accuracy of ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing white matter abnormalities in preterm infants and to determine the specific indications for MRI.Design: Prospective cohort study.Setting: A neonatal intensive care unit in France.Patients: All preterm infants (Main Outcome Measures: US and MRI performed contemporaneously during the third postnatal week were analysed by an independent observer. The findings were compared with those of a term MRI scan, the results of which were taken as the final diagnosis. Statistical analysis was performed to determine which early imaging study best predicted the term MRI findings.Results: The early US and MRI findings (79 infants) correlated closely for severe lesions (cystic periventricular leucomalacia and parenchymal infarction; kappa coefficient = 0.86) but not for moderate lesions (non-cystic leucomalacia and parenchymal punctate haemorrhages; kappa = 0.62). Overall, early MRI findings predicted late MRI findings in 98% of patients (95% confidence interval (CI) 89.5 to 99.9) compared with only 68% for early US (95% CI 52.1 to 79.2).Conclusions: US is highly effective in detecting severe lesions of the white matter in preterm infants, but MRI seems to be necessary for the diagnosis of less severe damage. MRI performed at about the third week of life is highly predictive of the final diagnosis at term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fludarabine/busulfan-based conditioning regimens are widely used to perform allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (allo-SCT) in high-risk non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients. The impact of the dose intensity of busulfan on outcomes has not been reported yet. Patients and methods: This was a retrospective with the aim to compare the outcomes of NHL patients who received before allo-SCT a fludarabine/busulfan conditioning regimen, either of reduced intensity (FB2, 2 days of busulfan at 4 mg/kg/day oral or 3.2 mg/kg/day i.v.) (n=277) or at a myeloablative reduced-toxicity dose (FB3/FB4, 3 or 4 days of busulfan at 4 mg/kg/day oral or 3.2 mg/kg/day i.v.) (n=101). Results: In univariate analysis, the 2-year overall survival (FB2 66.5% versus 60.3%, P=0.33), lymphoma-free survival (FB2 57.9% versus 49.8%, P=0.26), and non-relapse mortality (FB2 19% versus 21.1%, P=0.91) were similar between both groups. Cumulative incidence of grade III-IV acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) (FB2 11.2% versus 18%, P=0.08), extensive chronic GVHD (FB2: 17.3% versus 10.7%, P=0.18) and 2-year GVHD free-relapse free survival (FB2: 44.4% versus 42.8%, P=0.38) were also comparable. In multivariate analysis there was a trend for a worse outcome using FB3/FB4 regimens (overall survival: HR 1.47, 95% CI: 0.96-2.24, P=0.08; lymphoma-free survival: HR: 1.43, 95% CI: 0.99-2.06, P=0.05; relapse incidence: HR 1.54; 95% CI: 0.96-2.48, P=0.07). These results were confirmed using a propensity score-matching strategy. Conclusion: We conclude that reduced toxicity myeloablative conditioning with fludarabine/busulfan does not improve the outcomes compared with reduced-intensity conditioning in adults receiving allo-SCT for NHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé L’électroencéphalogramme (EEG) permet une analyse fonctionnelle du signal électrique cérébral et constitue l’examen de référence pour analyser les processus électrophysiologiques sous-tendant l’épilepsie mais également de nombreux autres dysfonctionnements du système nerveux central. Les examens d’imagerie morphologique apportent des renseignements complémentaires de l’EEG mais ne peuvent se substituer à cet outil d’analyse fonctionnelle. L’EEG a de plus l’avantage d’être non invasif, facile à réaliser et à contrôler quand un suivi est nécessaire, y compris au lit du patient. Face à l’évolution des connaissances, des techniques et des indications, une actualisation des recommandations sur l’EEG a été jugée nécessaire par la Société de Neurophysiologie Clinique de Langue Française (SNCLF) et la Ligue Française contre l’Épilepsie (LFCE). Cet article aborde la méthodologie adoptée pour ce travail de recommandations, précise les différentes thématiques détaillées dans les chapitres suivants et reprend les fiches synthétiques de recommandation de chacun de ces chapitres ainsi que des propositions de rédaction du compte-rendu d’EEG. La revue de la littérature n’a pas permis d’apporter une réponse à certaines questions pour lesquelles un avis d’experts a cependant été exprimé par le groupe de travail et de lecture en complément des recommandations. Summary Electroencephalography allows the functional analysis of electrical brain cortical activity and is the gold standard for analyzing electrophysiological processes involved in epilepsy but also in several other dysfunctions of the central nervous system. Morphological imaging yields complementary data, yet it cannot replace the essential functional analysis tool that is EEG. Furthermore, EEG has the great advantage of being non-invasive, easy to perform and allows control tests when follow-up is necessary, even at the patient's bedside. Faced with the advances in knowledge, techniques and indications, the Société de Neurophysiologie Clinique de Langue Française (SNCLF) and the Ligue Française Contre l’Épilepsie (LFCE) found it necessary to provide an update on EEG recommendations. This article will review the methodology applied to this work, refine the various topics detailed in the following chapters. It will go over the summary of recommendations for each of these chapters and underline proposals for writing an EEG report. Some questions could not be answered by the review of the literature; in those cases, an expert advice was given by the working and reading groups in addition to the guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: The Loire Infant Follow-up Team (LIFT) is a network for caring for premature infants whose gestational age is 34 WA or less and at-risk neonates in the Pays-de-la-Loire area in France. The network aims to screen for clinical anomalies early and to propose adapted care. Trained physicians follow the included children in a standardized manner at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18months and 2years, with a specific examination by psychologists at 2years. The aim of the study was to assess the satisfaction of the parents of the children followed. Methods: To evaluate parent satisfaction, a questionnaire from the Consumer Satisfaction Survey (CSS) in its French version was sent to parents whose infants were 2years old, stratifying on the presence of an anomaly. The questioner had 39 items, with 8 specific items on the network and 31 from the CSS. The questionnaire was mailed twice in September 2006. Results: Out of 300 questionnaires mailed, 269 were returned (rate 89.7 %). The questionnaire was assessed using principal component analysis with 2 dimensions for the 30 items common to all children, one of which covered empathy with physicians and the other with the consulting psychologists at 2 years. The validity was good (Cronbach coefficient, 0.91). The answers to overall questions such as “We are satisfied with the care in the network” scored 16.1±0.7/20, with 90 % “totally agree” or “moderately agree” responses. The “The care is perfect” scored 14.6±0.7/20 with 78 % agreeing with the statement. The total score for 30 general questions was 14.6±3.1 (median, 14.9). The total score was lower for infants with anomalies: 13.7±3.3 versus 14.9±2.9 (P <0.01). The answers with a low score (<10) were given by 22 parents (8.2 %). There was no significant relation between the total score or the satisfaction score and neonatal events. Conclusion: A postal survey is helpful to know the views of parents on the follow-up of their infants. This good level of satisfaction seems to stem from the parents feeling they belong to the network, the quality of the relationships with personnel, and the doctors’ empathy, as well as the number of contacts between parents and the network coordinator. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aim: To estimate the re-hospitalization rate of extremely preterm children during infancy and associated factors after the recent improvement in survival rates.Method: The cohort included all children born before 29 wk of gestation in nine French regions in 1997. All admissions between discharge from initial hospitalization and 9 mo after birth were considered. Factors studied included the child's characteristics at birth and during neonatal hospitalization, risk factors for infection after discharge and parents' socio-demographic characteristics. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for re-hospitalization for all reasons and for respiratory disorders were obtained from logistic regression models.Results: Of the 376 children, 178 were re-admitted at least once (47.3%; 95% CI: 42.3-52.4). Fifty-five percent of the hospitalized children were admitted at least once for respiratory disorders. The re-hospitalization rate was higher for children who had had chronic lung disease (aOR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.3-3.7), those initially discharged between August and October (aOR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.2-5.1) or between November and January (aOR: 3.2; 95% CI: 1.5-6.8), and children living with other children under six (aOR: 3.4; 95 %CI: 1.6-7.5). Re-hospitalizations were associated with neither gestational age nor the duration of neonatal hospitalization. Adjusted odds ratios for re-hospitalization for respiratory tract disorders were very similar to those for the overall hospitalizations.Conclusion: Infants born before 29 wk have a very high risk of re-hospitalization. The associated factors can help define high-risk groups at discharge from the neonatal unit who need special surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]