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BACKGROUND The pandemic highlighted the potential of digital health solutions to adapt the organization of care in a crisis context. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to demonstrate the prognostic value of the perioperative ‘MyRISK score’ derived from data collected on a digital conversational agent (chatbot) before the preanesthetic consultation (PAC). METHODS Single-center, prospective, observational study. The 16 items composing the MyRISK score were selected by Delphi method. An algorithm was used to stratify low (‘green’), intermediate (‘orange’) and high (‘red’) risk patients. Postoperative complications occurring in the first 6 months (composite criterion) were numerically collected and verified by phone and consultation of the electronic medical database. A logistic regression was carried out to identify their explanatory variables. A machine learning model was trained to predict the MyRISK score using a dataset of 1823 ‘green’ and ‘red’ patients to re-classify ‘orange’ individuals. User satisfaction and usability were assessed. RESULTS Four hundered and one patients were included. Sixteen of the 389 patients (4.1%) analyzed for the primary endpoint experienced a postoperative complication. An ASA score ≥ 3 and a ‘red’ score were independent predictors of postoperative complications (Odds Ratios of 5.8 [CI95%: 1.7 - 20.2; p=0.006] and 5.9 [CI95%: 1.5 - 22.3; p=0.009] respectively). Once ‘orange’ patients re-classified according to the prediction of the trained model, a ‘red’ score was identified as a strong predictor of postoperative complications with an Odds Ratio of 21.8 [CI95%: 2.8 - 171.5; p=0.003]. Patient satisfaction Numeric Rating Scale and System Usability Scale were 8 [7-9]/10 and 90 [82.5-95]/100 respectively. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate the good prognostic predictive value of the MyRISK digital perioperative risk score established before the PAC. Its predictive strength was increase using a machine learning model reclassifying intermediate-risk patient. This numerical categorization could be used to guide patients between teleconsultation and face-to-face PAC, or to provide a perioperative personalized care pathway for high-risk patients.

Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has spread worldwide from epicenter of Wuhan, China since December 2019. The aim of our study was to describe the clinical characteristics and outcome of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia at the Toulouse university hospital, France. Patients and methods We selected the patients included from March 7, 2020 to April 20, 2020 in the retrolective Covid-clinic-Toul cohort that follows all hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection at the Toulouse Hospital. Cases were confirmed by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. We report demographics, clinical, biological and radiological features, as well as unfavorable outcome at Day 14 after admission (admission in an intensive care unit, mechanical ventilation, death). Results Among 263 hospitalized patients, the median age was 65 years and 155 (58.9%) were males. Two hundred and twenty-seven patients (86.3%) had at least one comorbidity. The median time from first symptom to hospital admission was 7.0 days (interquartile range: 4–10). On day 14 after admission, 111 patients (42.2%) had been transferred to intensive care unit (ICU), including 50 (19.0%) on Day 1; 61 (23.1%) needed mechanical ventilation and 19 patients (7.2%) had died. Patients admitted to ICU at Day 1 of admission (n = 50) were more frequently men (66.0% vs 57.3%), smokers (25.0% vs 7.1%), with obesity (42.0% vs 24.7%) and had a higher mean level of C-reactive protein (median: 110.9 mg/L vs 46.2 mg/L). Conclusion This cohort provides epidemiological data on SARS-CoV-2 in hospitalized patients in a University hospital in the South of France.

Traditional obstetric units are inadequate for the level of monitoring required in pre-eclamptic patients. It remains to be determined which facility and tools should be implemented. The aim of this work was to identify predictive factors of admission to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admissions for pregnancy-related hypertensive complications.We conducted an observational, retrospective multicenter study (Toulouse, Nantes). Both have a level III maternity unit and an ICU. The selected patients had one or more of the following diagnoses on admission in the ICU or during hospitalization: pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy (AFLP), Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). SAPS II, SOFA and APACHE II on admission, and a validated nursing workload assessment score: TISS 28, were collected.211 parturient women were included. According to the multivariate analysis: APACHE II and SAPS 2 severity scores15 were significantly higher in the TISS 28 ≥ 20 group. There were also higher rates of uricemia360 mmol/l.To date, there are no reliable and validated predictive factors of severity to guide the transfer of pre-eclamptic patients to an ICU. The combination of an increased APACHE II score and uricemia, as well as a high care workload score that could help with the transfer of high-risk pre-eclamptic patients to a specific care facility. This hypothesis should be tested prospectively. This work could incite reflection on the value of creating obstetric intensive care units, according to the size of the maternity unit.

Since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, patients with diabetes were rapidly recognized as a high-risk population for severe disease. Indeed, a high prevalence of diabetes among patients with COVID-19 who required hospitalization has been consistently reported, reaching 33.8% in 5,700 people hospitalized for COVID-19 in the New York City area (1). In addition, diabetes was associated with more than a doubled risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and more than a tripled risk of death (2). However, precise data regarding the type of diabetes are scarce. We report here the clinical characteristics and early prognosis of patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) hospitalized for COVID-19 in the nationwide multicenter observational CORONADO (Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and Diabetes Outcomes) study (3). The aim of the CORONADO study was to describe the phenotypic characteristics and prognosis of patients with diabetes admitted with COVID-19 between 10 March and 10 April 2020 in 68 French hospitals. The protocol (ClinicalTrials.gov reg. no. NCT04324736) obtained all regulatory approvals as recently described (3). Inclusion criteria were 1 ) hospitalization for biologically and/or clinically/radiologically attested COVID-19 and 2 ) personal history of diabetes or newly diagnosed diabetes on admission. The composite primary end point combined tracheal intubation for mechanical ventilation and/or death on day 7 (D7). Secondary outcomes included death, tracheal intubation, and discharge on D7. Classification of diabetes was recorded in the electronic case report form as noted in the medical file by the physician in charge of the patient. In the present subanalysis, patients in whom diabetes was diagnosed on admission were excluded since the etiological diagnosis had not been formally established. All cases noted as T1D were carefully reviewed by local investigators and the steering committee …

Resume L’hyperthermie maligne lors d’une anesthesie generale est une complication potentiellement grave en l’absence de prise en charge precoce. Cependant, son diagnostic n’est pas toujours evident. Nous rapportons ici le cas d’un jeune homme de 16 ans ayant presente une crise d’hyperthermie maligne de forme frustre. Ce cas nous permet de garder a l’esprit cette presentation parfois meconnue.

Spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension (SAIH) occurs frequently, particularly in the elderly and in patients undergoing caesarean section. SAIH is caused by arterial and venous vasodilatation resulting from the sympathetic block along with a paradoxical activation of cardioinhibitory receptors. Bradycardia after spinal anesthesia (SA) must always be treated as a warning sign of an important hemodynamic compromise. Fluid preloading (before initiation of the SA) with colloids such as hydroxyethyl starch (HES) effectively reduces the incidence and severity of arterial hypotension, whereas crystalloid preloading is not indicated. Co-loading with crystalloid or colloid is as equally effective to HES preloading, provided that the speed of administration is adequate (ie, bolus over 5 to 10 minutes). Ephedrine has traditionally been considered the vasoconstrictor of choice, especially for use during SAIH associated with bradycardia. Phenylephrine, a α1 adrenergic receptor agonist, is increasingly used to treat SAIH and its prophylactic administration (ie, immediately after intrathecal injection of local anesthetics) has been shown to decrease the incidence of arterial hypotension. The role of norepinephrine as a possible alternative to phenylephrine seems promising. Other drugs, such as serotonin receptor antagonists (ondansetron), have been shown to limit the blood pressure drop after SA by inhibiting the Bezold-Jarisch reflex (BJR), but further studies are needed before their widespread use can be recommended.

Objectives The world is currently facing an unprecedented healthcare crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of these guidelines is to produce a framework to facilitate the partial and gradual resumption of intervention activity in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The group has endeavoured to produce a minimum number of recommendations to highlight the strengths to be retained in the 7 predefined areas: (1) protection of staff and patients; (2) benefit/risk and patient information; (3) preoperative assessment and decision on intervention; (4) modalities of the preanaesthesia consultation; (5) specificity of anaesthesia and analgesia; (6) dedicated circuits and (7) containment exit type of interventions. Results The SFAR Guideline panel provides 51 statements on anaesthesia management in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. After one round of discussion and various amendments, a strong agreement was reached for 100% of the recommendations and algorithms. Conclusion We present suggestions for how the risk of transmission by and to anaesthetists can be minimised and how personal protective equipment policies relate to COVID-19 pandemic context.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Objectives: Recovery from coma might critically depend on the structural and functional integrity of frontoparietal networks. We aimed to measure this integrity in traumatic brain injury and anoxo-ischemic (cardiac arrest) coma patients by using an original multimodal MRI protocol. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Three Intensive Critical Care Units affiliated to the University in Toulouse (France). Patients: We longitudinally recruited 43 coma patients (Glasgow Coma Scale at the admission < 8; 29 cardiac arrest and 14 traumatic brain injury) and 34 age-matched healthy volunteers. Exclusion criteria were disorders of consciousness lasting more than 30 days and focal brain damage within the explored brain regions. Patient assessments were conducted at least 2 days (5 ± 2 d) after complete withdrawal of sedation. All patients were followed up (Coma Recovery Scale-Revised) 3 months after acute brain injury. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Functional and structural MRI data were recorded, and the analysis was targeted on the posteromedial cortex, the medial prefrontal cortex, and the cingulum. Univariate analyses and machine learning techniques were used to assess diagnostic and predictive values. Coma patients displayed significantly lower medial prefrontal cortex–posteromedial cortex functional connectivity (area under the curve, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.93–0.95). Cardiac arrest patients showed specific structural disturbances within posteromedial cortex. Significant cingulum architectural disturbances were observed in traumatic brain injury patients. The machine learning medial prefrontal cortex–posteromedial cortex multimodal classifier had a significant predictive value (area under the curve, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.95–0.97), best combination of subregions that discriminates a binary outcome based on Coma Recovery Scale-Revised). Conclusions: This exploratory study suggests that frontoparietal functional disconnections are specifically observed in coma and their structural counterpart provides information about brain injury mechanisms. Multimodal MRI biomarkers of frontoparietal disconnection predict 3-month outcome in our sample. These findings suggest that fronto-parietal disconnection might be particularly relevant for coma outcome prediction and could inspire innovative precision medicine approaches.

Mild thrombocytopenia, changes in platelet gene expression, enhanced platelet functionality, and presence of platelet-rich thrombi in the lung have been associated with thromboinflammatory complications of patients with COVID-19. However, whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) gets internalized by platelets and directly alters their behavior and function in infected patients remains elusive. Here, we investigated platelet parameters and the presence of viral material in platelets from a prospective cohort of 29 patients with severe COVID-19 admitted to an intensive care unit. A combination of specific assays, tandem mass spectrometry, and flow cytometry indicated high levels of protein and lipid platelet activation markers in the plasma from patients with severe COVID-19 associated with an increase of proinflammatory cytokines and leukocyte-platelets interactions. Platelets were partly desensitized, as shown by a significant reduction of αIIbβ3 activation and granule secretion in response to stimulation and a decrease of surface GPVI, whereas plasma from patients with severe COVID-19 potentiated washed healthy platelet aggregation response. Transmission electron microscopy indicated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 particles in a significant fraction of platelets as confirmed by immunogold labeling and immunofluorescence imaging of Spike and nucleocapsid proteins. Compared with platelets from healthy donors or patients with bacterial sepsis, platelets from patients with severe COVID-19 exhibited enlarged intracellular vesicles and autophagolysosomes. They had large LC3-positive structures and increased levels of LC3II with a co-localization of LC3 and Spike, suggesting that platelets can digest SARS-CoV-2 material by xenophagy in critically ill patients. Altogether, these data show that during severe COVID-19, platelets get activated, become partly desensitized, and develop a selective autophagy response.

Linezolid is an antibiotic used against gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Its primary adverse effect is haematotoxicity. The objective of this study was to analyse the risk factors for onset of thrombocytopenia in critically ill patients treated with linezolid. This was a retrospective, single-centre study of 72 patients. Platelets were measured from D0 to D20 after the start of treatment. The risk factors for thrombocytopenia were identified using a multivariate logistic regression analysis following a Monte Carlo simulation. Following ROC curve analysis, a baseline platelet count lower than 108 × 109/L and a Cmin higher than 4 mg/L, with respective odds ratios of 117 (95% CI [97-206]) and 3 (95% CI [1.5-6.2]) in the simulated population, were identified as risk factors. Among the source population patients combining these 2 factors, a significantly higher number developed thrombocytopenia (66.7% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.0042). A baseline platelet count lower than 108 × 109/L and a Cmin higher than 4 mg/L are risk factors for the onset of thrombocytopenia in critically ill patients treated with linezolid.

Background: Diaphragmatic dysfunction is a common condition in intensive care units (ICU). Its presence correlates with prolonged weaning from mechanical ventilation and mortality. Diaphragmatic excursion (EXdi) and thickening fraction (TFdi) are the 2 main measures currently described in diaphragmatic ultrasound, but each has its limitations. Strain and strain rate are already used cardiac sonography and could be of interest in the assessment of diaphragmatic function in ICU. The aim of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of diaphragmatic strain and strain rate in ICU and to describe their distribution, reproducibility and agreement with existing parameters. Methods: All patients who underwent a T-tube weaning test were prospectively included. Ultrasound loops were recorded on each side of the patient during the last 30 minutes of the weaning test. Two operators measured strain, strain rate, EXdi, and TFdi blind to each other in post-treatment analysis. Results: Thirty patients were analyzed. The median values for strain and strain rate were -6.74% and -0.23.s-1 on the left side and -8.17% and -0.22.s-1 on the right side. Concerning strain and strain rate, intra-class coefficients showed systematically a very good reliability between operators. Conclusion: Diaphragmatic strain and strain rate measurements appeared feasible in an ICU environment and seemed reproducible and not strongly correlated with EXdi and TFdi. An improvement of the analysis software is needed to improve the ease of interpretation. The interest of these parameters in clinical practice should be explored in forthcoming studies.

Background and objectives: The frequent onset of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis during interscalene block restricts its use in patients with respiratory insufficiency. Supraclavicular block could be a safe and effective alternative. Our primary objective was to assess the incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis following ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block and compare it to that of interscalene block. Methods: Adults warranting elective shoulder surgery under regional anesthesia (Toulouse University Hospital) were prospectively enrolled from May 2016 to May 2017 in this observational study. Twenty millilitres of 0.375% Ropivacaine were injected preferentially targeted to the “corner pocket”. Diaphragmatic excursion was measured by ultrasonography before and 30 minutes after regional anesthesia. A reduction ≥25% in diaphragmatic excursion during a sniff test defined the hemidiaphragmatic paralysis. Dyspnoea and hypoxaemia were recorded in the recovery room. Predictive factors of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis (gender, age, weight, smoking, functional capacity) were explored. Postoperative pain was also analysed. Results: Forty-two and 43 patients from respectively the supraclavicular block and interscalene block groups were analysed. The incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis was 59.5% in the supraclavicular block group compared to 95.3% in the interscalene block group (p

The emergence of carbapenemases in gram-negative aerobes is worrying. The aim of this prospective study was to estimate the incidence of acquisition of carbapenem-resistance during treatment in ICU and to identify the risk factors. This was a prospective, observational, cohort study. This study was conducted at intensive care unit, academic medical center, Toulouse Rangueil University Hospital. Patients were included if they received antibiotic treatment with carbapenem for more than 48 h. Biological samples were taken in accordance with current practice in the unit. The main endpoint was the occurrence of bacterial resistance to carbapenems occurring between the onset of treatment and the patient’s exit from the ICU. Uni- and multi-variate analyses were carried out. Of the 364 patients admitted to the unit between May and November 2014, 78 were included in our study and 16 (20.51%) developed resistance. The two main risk factors were a length of stay in ICU of more than 29 days (HR = 3.61, p = 0.01) and the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the samples taken before the start of treatment (HR = 5.31, p = 0.002). No resistance due to carbapenemase production was observed in this study. The prescription of carbapenems in the ICU setting must adhere to the expert guidelines. In light of our results, special attention must be paid to patients whose stay in intensive care is prolonged, and those in whom Pseudomonas aeruginosa is isolated from bacteriological samples taken before the beginning of antibiotic therapy.

Central venous catheter (CVC) insertion is a common practice for anesthetists, but this invasive procedure generates anxiety and pain in patients that are often underestimated. We compared target-controlled infusion of remifentanil and local lidocaine infiltration with placebo and local lidocaine infiltration to decrease pain scores during CVC placement.We included conscious, adult patients without contraindication to remifentanil or lidocaine. We excluded pregnant women, emergency situations, and opioid abuse. Patients requiring CVC were randomly assigned, using computer-generated allocation numbers stored in sealed envelopes, to receive target-controlled infusion of remifentanil or placebo-all patients received local anesthesia with lidocaine. All patients were hospitalized in a recovery room or intensive care unit, monitored, and received 4 L/min of oxygen.The primary outcome was global pain (Verbal Numeric Rating Pain Scale) during the procedure. Secondary outcomes were pain perceived at every stage of the procedure, anxiety, patient satisfaction, operational ease, and side effects.In this double-blind study, we included 90 patients (split into 2 groups of 45 patients). Global pain was significantly reduced in the remifentanil group: 20 of 100 (95% confidence interval, 16-40) versus 50 of 100 (95% confidence interval, 40-60) in the placebo group; P=0.0009. No major adverse events were observed during this study, and there were no significant differences between both groups regarding side effects.Target-controlled infusion of remifentanil is an effective drug to reduce pain during CVC insertion in association with lidocaine-based local anesthesia, in conscious patients.

Aim Anxiety affects the perception of pain during the postoperative period. A simple evaluation scale could improve the management of this component. The objective of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility and the consistency of a visual analogue scale for anxiety compared with the reference method, the State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Design Observational, prospective, monocentric study of 500 patients in the post‐anaesthetist care unit. Anxiety was evaluated using both the visual analogue scale for anxiety and the STAI in perioperative patients. Consistency between the visual analogue scale for anxiety and the STAI, detection thresholds and factors predicting anxiety were researched. Results A correlation was found between the visual analogue scale for anxiety and the STAI. There was also a correlation between pain and anxiety. Analysis of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed a visual analogue scale for anxiety threshold of 34/100 allowing the identification of patients with or without anxiety. Predictive factors for anxiety are female gender, use of benzodiazepine in premedication, emergency surgery and significant pain in the post‐anaesthetist care unit. In summary, visual analogue scale for anxiety is a useful tool for detecting the anxiety component of postoperative pain. It could be used in association with covariates of interest to improve anxiety management during the postoperative period.

Resume Le vieillissement de la population est associee a une augmentation d’actes chirurgicaux et donc du nombre d’anesthesie generales et locoregionales. A ce titre, la fracture du col femoral concerne plus de 75 000 patients par an et constitue donc un enjeu de sante publique du fait d’une morbi-mortalite non negligeable. Les experts issus de quatre societes savantes, la SFAR, la SOFCOT, la SFGG et la SFPC ont redige 26 recommandations concernant la prise en charge perioperatoire du patient âge en s’interessant plus particulierement a la fracture de l’extremite superieure du femur. Une premiere partie concernait l’evaluation en preoperatoire du risque cardiovasculaire, des fonctions cognitives et de la fonction renale. Les auteurs ont recommande une prise en charge pluridisciplinaire et une gestion preoperatoire rationnelle des traitements afin de reduire le risque de confusion. Le delai d’intervention des FESF a ete fixe a 48 h et les modalites de monitorage precisees (monitorage hemodynamique, de la pression arterielle de l’oxygenation et de la temperature). Une technique d’anesthesie n’a pas ete privilegiee pour la chirurgie de la FESF mais une titration des agents anesthesiques a ete recommandee. Les experts ont egalement recommande la mise en place d’un programme de prevention non medicamenteuse de la confusion postoperatoire ainsi qu’une strategie de gestion des episodes confusionnels postoperatoires tels que l’usage d’une benzodiazepine a demi-vie courte ou d’un neuroleptique de derniere generation. Le bloc femoral ou iliofascial ont ete probablement recommandes en postoperatoire a la difference des infiltrations, peu contributives dans ce type de chirurgie.

Background Down-regulation of the enzymes involved in tryptophan-derived nicotinamide (NAM) adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) production was identified after acute kidney injury (AKI), leading to the hypothesis that supplementation with NAM may increase the kidney NAD+ content, rescuing tryptophan pathways and subsequently improving kidney outcomes. Methods Urinary measurement of tryptophan and kynurenin using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry metabolomics was used in a cohort of 167 cardiac bypass surgery patients along with tests for correlation to the development of postoperative AKI. A mouse model of ischaemic AKI using ischaemia–reperfusion injury (bilateral clamping of renal arteries for 25 min) was also used. Results We identified a significant decrease in urinary tryptophan and kynurenin in patients developing AKI, irrespective of the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) stage. Although a significant difference was observed, tryptophan and kynurenin moderately discriminated for the development of all AKI KDIGO stages {area under the curve [AUC] 0.82 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.75–0.88] and 0.75 [0.68–0.83], respectively} and severe KDIGO Stages 2–3 AKI [AUC 0.71 (95% CI 0.6–0.81) and 0.66 (0.55–0.77), respectively]. Sparked by this confirmation in humans, we aimed to confirm the potential preventive effect of NAM supplementation in wild-type male and female C57BL/6 mice subjected to ischaemic AKI. NAM supplementation had no effect on renal function (blood urea nitrogen at Day 1, sinistrin–fluorescein isothiocyanate glomerular filtration rate), architecture (periodic acid–Schiff staining) and injury or inflammation (kidney injury molecule 1 and IL18 messenger RNA expression). In addition, NAM supplementation did not increase post-AKI NAD+ kidney content. Conclusion Notwithstanding the potential role of NAM supplementation in the setting of basal NAD+ deficiency, our findings in mice and the reanalysis of published data do not confirm that NAM supplementation can actually improve renal outcomes after ischaemic AKI in unselected animals and probably patients.

Highlights • Hydroxychloroquine pharmacokinetic behavior in COVID-19 patients cannot be predicted using the systemic lupus erythematosus population or by rheumatoid arthritis patients. • Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid could be considered a much more instructive “quality control” matrix than plasma on the degree of hydroxychloroquine exposure in the lung. • Low plasma concentrations should not induce an increase of the drug dosage because the lung exposure should be high., Different dosage regimens of hydroxychloroquine were used to manage COVID-19 patients, with no information on the lungs’ exposure in this population. The aim of our study was to evaluate hydroxychloroquine concentrations in the lung epithelial lining fluid (ELF) in patients infected with COVID-19. This study is a retrospective, observational, multicenter, pharmacokinetics study of hydroxychloroquine in critically ill patients. No additional interventions or additional samples compared to standard care of these patients were conducted in our teaching hospital. We included all intubated COVID-19 patients treated with crushed hydroxychloroquine tablets, regardless of the dosage administered by the nasogastric tube. Blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples (n= 28) were collected from 22 COVID-19 patients and the total hydroxychloroquine concentrations in epithelial lining fluid were estimated. Median hydroxychloroquine plasma concentrations were of 0.09 [0.06; 0.14] mg/l and 0.07 [0.05; 0.08] mg/l for 400 mg x 1/day and 200 mg x 3/day, respectively. Median hydroxychloroquine ELF concentrations were of 3.74 [1.10; 7.26] mg/l and 1.81 [1.20; 7.25] for 400 mg x 1/day and 200 mg x 3/day, respectively. The median ratio of ELF/plasma concentrations was of 40.0 [7.3; 162.7] and 21.2 [18.4; 109.5] for 400 mg x 1/day and 200 mg x 3/day, respectively. Exposure in the ELF is likely to be underestimated due to the concentrations of plasma hydroxychloroquine. In clinical practice, low plasma concentrations should not induce an increase in drug dosage because the lung exposure may already be high.

In the intensive care unit, patients are subject to discomforts and pain. Their management is essentially based on pharmacologic approaches. Immersive virtual reality could represent an adjunctive non-invasive and non-pharmacological pain control technique. It is based on real-time interaction with an artificial 360° immersive world using interfaces that enable physical and emotional perceptions to make the user feel better trying to reduce pain perception and to limit anxiety. Evaluation of virtual reality in intensive care unit is lacking and further studies are necessary before to introduce this alternative method for critical patients.

Background: Several studies suggest an increased incidence of thrombosis in COVID-19 patients. However, evidence on how to prevent and even treat it is scarce. The aim of this study was to compare the cumulative incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) of two different methods for lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (LE-DVT) diagnosis: systematic vs. clinically guided complete compression venous ultrasonography (CCUS). We conducted a monocentric, prospective, open-label, non-randomized study. All consecutive patients admitted in three intensive care units (ICUs) of University Hospital of Toulouse for COVID-19 pneumonia were included: one performed systematic screening for LE-DVT, the others did not. The primary outcome was the 21-day cumulative incidence of VTE. The secondary end points were the 21-day cumulative incidences of major bleeding and death.Results: Among the 78 patients included, 27 (34.6%) underwent systematic screening for DVT 7 ± 2 days after ICU admission. Thirty-two patients (41.0%) were diagnosed with VTE, with a 21-day cumulative incidence of 42.3% (95% CI, 31.4–55.2), without difference between screened and non-screened patients (hazard ratio 1.45, 95% CI, 0.72–2.93). In the screened group, the frequency of isolated DVT was higher (25.9 vs. 5.9%, p-value = 0.027), but the frequency of pulmonary embolism was not reduced (25.9 vs. 29.4%, p-value = 0.745). The 21-day cumulative incidences of major bleeding and death were 9.6% (95% CI, 4.7–19.2) and 10.3% (95% CI, 5.0–20.8), respectively, without difference between the two groups.Conclusions: A systematic screening for DVT in patients hospitalized in ICU was not associated with a higher diagnosis of VTE or a reduced diagnosis of PE.

During severe sepsis, platelet activation may induce disseminate microvascular thrombosis, which play a key role in critical organ failure. Crucially, most of the studies in this field have explored platelet���leukocyte interactions in animal models, or explored platelets under the spectrum of thrombocytopenia or disseminated intravascular coagulation and have not taken into account the complex interplay that might exist between platelets and leukocytes during human septic shock nor the kinetics of platelet activation. Here, we assessed platelet activation parameters at the admission of patients with sepsis to the intensive care unit (ICU) and 48 hours later. Twenty-two patients were enrolled in the study, thirteen (59.1%) of whom were thrombocytopenic. The control group was composed of twelve infection-free patients admitted during the study period. The activation parameters studied included platelet-leukocyte interactions, assessed by flow cytometry in whole blood, as well as membrane surface and soluble platelet activation markers measured by flow cytometry and dedicated ELISA kits. We also investigated platelet aggregation and secretion responses of patients with sepsis following stimulation, compared to controls. At admission, the level of circulating monocyte-platelet and neutrophil-platelet heterotypic aggregates was significantly higher in sepsis patients compared to controls and returned to a level comparable to controls or even below 48 hours later. Basal levels of CD62P and CD63 platelet membrane exposure at admission and 48 hours later were low and similar to controls. In contrast, plasma level of soluble GPVI and soluble CD40 ligand was significantly increased in septic patients, at the two times of analysis, reflecting previous platelet activation. Platelet aggregation and secretion responses induced by specific agonists were significantly decreased in septic conditions, particularly 48 hours after admission. Hence, we have observed for the first time that critically ill septic patients compared to controls have both an early and durable platelet activation while their circulating platelets are less responsive to different agonists.

Resume L’anesthesie d’un patient porteur d’un dispositif cardio implantable necessite des connaissances specifiques et une collaboration entre cardiologues, chirurgiens et anesthesistes. La population porteuse de ce type d’appareillage ne cesse de croitre du fait de l’extension des indications notamment a l’insuffisance cardiaque. Le mode de fonctionnement du dispositif doit etre connu ainsi que le statut cardiaque sous-jacent du patient. En peroperatoire l’aimant est mis en place systematiquement pour les defibrillateurs. Il est egalement le traitement des interferences electromagnetiques pour les stimulateurs. L’asservissement doit etre inhibe avant l’intervention. Les dispositifs avec une fonction de stimulation et de defibrillation doivent faire l’objet d’une reprogrammation preoperatoire. Un controle postoperatoire est preconise dans un delai d’un mois.

Recent European Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition guidelines highlighted the interest of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of malnutrition in the management of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) patients. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition in patients hospitalised for COVID-19. In a prospective observational cohort study malnutrition was diagnosed according to the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) two-step approach. Patients were divided into two groups according to the diagnosis of malnutrition. Covariate selection for the multivariate analysis was based on P n 46, 57·5 %) was similar in the two groups. Three patients who died (3·75 %) were malnourished. Multivariate analysis exhibited that low BMI (OR 0·83, 95 % CI 0·73, 0·96, P = 0·0083), dyslipidaemia (OR 29·45, 95 % CI 3·12, 277·73, P = 0·0031), oral intake reduction P = 0·0422) and glomerular filtration rate (Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration; CKD-EPI) at admission (OR 0·979, 95 % CI 0·96, 0·998, P = 0·0297) were associated with the occurrence of malnutrition. We demonstrate the existence of a high prevalence of malnutrition in a general cohort of COVID-19 inpatients according to GLIM criteria. Nutritional support in COVID-19 care seems an essential element.

Background To compare patients hospitalised in the intensive care unit (ICU) after surgery for community-acquired intra-abdominal infection (CA-IAI) and hospital-acquired intra-abdominal infection (HA-IAI) in terms of mortality, severity and complications. Methods Retrospective study including all patients admitted to 2 ICUs within 48 h of undergoing surgery for peritonitis. Results Two hundred twenty-six patients were enrolled during the study period. Patients with CA-IAI had an increased 28-day mortality rate compared to those with HA-IAI (30% vs 15%, respectively (p = 0.009)). At 90 days, the mortality rates were 36.7 and 37.5% in the CA-IAI group and HA-IAI group, respectively, with a similar APACHE II score on admission (median: 21 [15–25] vs. 21 [15–24] respectively, p = 0.63). The patients with HA-IAI had prolonged ICU and hospital stays (median: 17 [7–36] vs. 6[3–12] days, p p = 0.001), and experienced more complications (reoperation and reintubation) than those with CA-IAI. Conclusion CA-IAI group had higher 28-day mortality rate than HA-IAI group. Mortality was similar at 90 days but those with HA-IAI had a prolonged ICU and hospital stay. In addition, they developed more complications.

BACKGROUND The effects of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) on the myocardium and their role in the clinical course of infected patients are still unknown. The severity of SARS-CoV-2 is driven by hyperinflammation, and the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the myocardium may be significant. This study proposes to use bedside observations and biomarkers to characterize the association of COVID-19 with myocardial injury. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study is to describe the myocardial function and its evolution over time in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and to investigate the link between inflammation and cardiac injury. METHODS This prospective, monocentric, observational study enrolled 150 patients with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection at Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France. Patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), regular cardiologic ward, and geriatric ward of our tertiary university hospital were included during the pandemic period. Blood sampling, electrocardiography, echocardiography, and morphometric and demographic data were prospectively collected. RESULTS A total of 100 patients were included. The final enrolment day was March 31, 2020, with first report of results at the end of the first quarter of 2021. The first echocardiographic results at admission of 31 patients of the COCARDE-ICU substudy population show that biological myocardial injury in COVID-19 has low functional impact on left ventricular systolic function. CONCLUSIONS A better understanding of the effects of COVID-19 on myocardial function and its link with inflammation would improve patient follow-up and care. CLINICALTRIAL Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04358952; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04358952 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/24931

International audience; Purpose: The 4-point score is the corner stone of brain death (BD) confirmation using computed tomography angiography (CTA). We hypothesized that considering the superior petrosal veins (SPVs) may improve CTA diagnosis performance in BD setting. We aimed at comparing the diagnosis performance of three revised CTA scores including SPVs and the 4-point score in the confirmation of BD.Methods: In this retrospective study, 69 consecutive adult-patients admitted in a French University Hospital meeting clinical brain death criteria and receiving at least one CTA were included. CTA images were reviewed by two blinded neuroradiologists. A first analysis compared the 4-point score, considered as the reference and three non-opacification scores: a "Toulouse score" including SPVs and middle cerebral arteries, a "venous score" including SPVs and internal cerebral veins and a "7-score" including all these vessels and the basilar artery. Psychometric tools, observer agreement and misclassification rates were assessed. A second analysis considered clinical examination as the reference.Results: Brain death was confirmed by the 4-score in 59 cases (89.4 %). When compared to the 4-score, the Toulouse score displayed a 100 % positive predictive value, a substantial observer agreement (0.77 [0.53; 1]) and the least misclassification rate (3.03 %). Results were similar in the craniectomy subgroup. The Toulouse score was the only revised test that combined a sensitivity close to that of the 4-score (86.4 % [75.7; 93.6] and 89.4 % [79.4; 95.6], p-value < 0.001, respectively) and a substantial observer agreement.Conclusions: A score including SPVs and middle cerebral arteries is a valid method for BD confirmation using CTA even in patients receiving craniectomy.

BackgroundTo explore risk factors for unfavorable outcome (death or requiring invasive mechanical ventilation at 28 days from ICU admission) of critically ill COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the Toulouse regionMethodsRetrospective cohort of critically ill COVID-19 patients sequentially admitted to 12 ICUs in Toulouse region (March 9, 2020, to April 8, 2020). All patients had laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and required invasive mechanical ventilation. Baseline characteristics, pathophysiological respiratory data, clinical outcomes, viral shredding, and chest CT scan were collected.ResultsA total of 150 patients were included (median age, 68 years (interquartile range, (IQR), 58-72; 81% male). The most common comorbidities were hypertension (77, 51%) and obesity (42, 28%). At ICU admission, the median PaO2/FiO2 ratio was 138 (IQR,112-178). During hospitalization, the rate of ventilator-acquired pneumonia (VAP) was 61% and 51 (34%) patients had acute kidney injury (AKI) with a Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) score > 1. The 28-day mortality was 15.3%, and 50 (33%) patients had unfavorable outcome. We found that VAP (5.91; 2.10-10.03; p value = 0.002) and AKI with a KDIGO score > 1 (4.71; 1.69-14.41; p value = 0.004) were associated with increased odds of unfavorable outcome. Neither, chest CT scan data on admission, nor pathophysiological respiratory data during ICU stay were associated to patient’s outcome.ConclusionThe potential risk factors of AKI and VAP could help clinicians to identify patients with poor prognosis at an early stage. Targeted care of these factors might have a significant impact on COVID-19 patient’s outcome.

Background Liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel®) is a sustained-release formulation of bupivacaine for use in surgical infiltration anaesthesia. We analysed the histological nerve toxicity and clinical effectiveness of perineural Exparel® alone or with added dexamethasone in a mouse model. Methods We assigned 98 mice receiving a perineural sciatic nerve injection into seven groups: sham (n=14, perineural saline), B (n=14, perineural bupivacaine), BDIP (n=14, perineural bupivacaine + intraperitoneal dexamethasone), BDPN (n=14, perineural bupivacaine + perineural dexamethasone), E (n=14, perineural Exparel®), EDIP (n=14, perineural Exparel® + intraperitoneal dexamethasone), and EDPN (n=14, perineural Exparel® + perineural dexamethasone). The duration of thermoalgesic and motor block was evaluated in 49 mice (seven mice randomly selected by group) every 30 min until recovery. Mice were killed for sciatic nerve histological assessment at 14 or 28 days. Results The median duration of motor block was 90, 120, 120, 120, 180, and 180 min and the duration of thermoalgesic block was 240, 300, 360, 360, 360, and 420 min for groups B, BDIP, BDPN, E, EDIP, and EDPN, respectively. The B group mice showed mild neural inflammation at 14 days and the E group mice showed mild neural inflammation at 28 days. Addition (intraperitoneal or perineural) of dexamethasone reduced neural inflammation induced by bupivacaine, whereas only perineural dexamethasone reduced neural inflammation induced by Exparel®. Conclusions Perineural or systemic dexamethasone had a protective effect against the neural inflammation induced by bupivacaine, and perineural dexamethasone attenuated delayed inflammation induced by perineural Exparel®.

Background: Recent ESPEN guidelines highlighted the interest of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of malnutrition in the management of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) patients. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Methods: Prospective observational cohort study on COVID-19 inpatients admitted to a tertiary hospital. Malnutrition was diagnosed according to the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition two-step approach. Patients were divided in two groups according to the diagnosis of malnutrition. Covariate selection for the multivariate analysis was based on P value Results: 80 patients were prospectively enrolled in the study. Thirty patients (37.5%) had criteria for malnutrition. The need for ICU admission (n=46, 57.5%) was similar in the two groups. Three patients who died (3.75%) were malnourished. Multivariate analysis exhibited that low BMI (OR=0.83, 95% CI [0.73-0.96], p=0.0083), dyslipidemia (OR=29.45, 95% CI [3.12-277.73], p=0.0031), oral intakes reduction Conclusions: We demonstrate the existence of a high prevalence of malnutrition (37.5%) in a general cohort of COVID-19 inpatients according to GLIM criteria. Considering this high prevalence, nutritional support in COVID-19 care seems an essential element. Trial registration: Ethical Committee No 2020-A01237-32)(RC31/20/0165 NUTRI-COV

Biological cardiac injury related to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 infection has been associated with excess mortality. However, its functional impact remains unknown. The aim of our study was to explore the impact of biological cardiac injury on myocardial functions in patients with COVID-19. 31 patients with confirmed COVID-19 (CoV+) and 16 controls (CoV−) were prospectively included in this observational study. Demographic data, laboratory findings, comorbidities, treatments and myocardial function assessed by transthoracic echocardiography were collected and analysed in CoV+ with (TnT+) and without (TnT−) elevation of troponin T levels and compared with CoV−. Among CoV+, 13 (42%) exhibited myocardial injury. CoV+/TnT + patients were older, had lower diastolic arterial pressure and were more likely to have hypertension and chronic renal failure compared with CoV+/TnT−. The control group was comparable except for an absence of biological inflammatory syndrome. Left ventricular ejection fraction and global longitudinal strain were not different among the three groups. There was a trend of decreased myocardial work and increased peak systolic tricuspid annular velocity between the CoV− and CoV + patients, which became significant when comparing CoV− and CoV+/TnT+ (2167 ± 359 vs. 1774 ± 521%/mmHg, P = 0.047 and 14 ± 3 vs. 16 ± 3 cm/s, P = 0.037, respectively). There was a decrease of global work efficiency from CoV− (96 ± 2%) to CoV+/TnT− (94 ± 4%) and then CoV+/TnT+ (93 ± 3%, P = 0.042). In conclusion, biological myocardial injury in COVID 19 has low functional impact on left ventricular systolic function.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted routine hospital services globally. This study estimated the total number of adult elective operations that would be cancelled worldwide during the 12 weeks of peak disruption due to COVID-19. Methods: A global expert response study was conducted to elicit projections for the proportion of elective surgery that would be cancelled or postponed during the 12 weeks of peak disruption. A Bayesian β-regression model was used to estimate 12-week cancellation rates for 190 countries. Elective surgical case-mix data, stratified by specialty and indication (surgery for cancer versus benign disease), were determined. This case mix was applied to country-level surgical volumes. The 12-week cancellation rates were then applied to these figures to calculate the total number of cancelled operations. Results: The best estimate was that 28 404 603 operations would be cancelled or postponed during the peak 12 weeks of disruption due to COVID-19 (2 367 050 operations per week). Most would be operations for benign disease (90·2 per cent, 25 638 922 of 28 404 603). The overall 12-week cancellation rate would be 72·3 per cent. Globally, 81·7 per cent of operations for benign conditions (25 638 922 of 31 378 062), 37·7 per cent of cancer operations (2 324 070 of 6 162 311) and 25·4 per cent of elective caesarean sections (441 611 of 1 735 483) would be cancelled or postponed. If countries increased their normal surgical volume by 20 per cent after the pandemic, it would take a median of 45 weeks to clear the backlog of operations resulting from COVID-19 disruption. Conclusion: A very large number of operations will be cancelled or postponed owing to disruption caused by COVID-19. Governments should mitigate against this major burden on patients by developing recovery plans and implementing strategies to restore surgical activity safely.

BackgroundDue to time limitations, the preanesthetic consultation (PAC) is not the best time for patients to integrate information specific to their perioperative care pathway.ObjectiveThe main objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of a digital companion on patients' knowledge of anesthesia and their satisfaction after real-life implementation.MethodsWe conducted a prospective, monocentric, comparative study using a before-and-after design. In phase 1, a 9-item self-reported anesthesia knowledge test (Delphi method) was administered to patients before and after their PAC (control group: PAC group). In phase 2, the study was repeated immediately after the implementation of a digital conversational agent, MyAnesth (@+PAC group). Patients’ satisfaction and their representations for anesthesia were also assessed using a Likert scale and the Abric method of hierarchized evocation.ResultsA total of 600 tests were distributed; 205 patients and 98 patients were included in the PAC group and @+PAC group, respectively. Demographic characteristics and mean scores on the 9-point preinformation test (PAC group: 4.2 points, 95% CI 3.9-4.4; @+PAC: 4.3 points, 95% CI 4-4.7; P=.37) were similar in the two groups. The mean score after receiving information was better in the @+PAC group than in the PAC group (6.1 points, 95% CI 5.8-6.4 points versus 5.2 points, 95% CI 5.0-5.4 points, respectively; PConclusionsThe implementation of our digital conversational agent in addition to the PAC improved patients' knowledge about their perioperative care pathway. This innovative audiovisual support seemed clear, adapted, easily accessible, and reassuring. Future studies should focus on adapting both the content and delivery of a digital conversational agent for the PAC in order to maximize its benefit to patients.

BACKGROUND Due to time limitations, the preanesthetic consultation (PAC) is not the best time for patients to integrate information specific to their perioperative care pathway. OBJECTIVE The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of a digital companion on patients' knowledge of anesthesia and their satisfaction after real-life implementation. METHODS We conducted a prospective, monocentric, comparative study using a before-and-after design. In phase 1, a 9-item self-reported anesthesia knowledge test (Delphi method) was administered to patients before and after their PAC (control group: PAC group). In phase 2, the study was repeated immediately after the implementation of a digital conversational agent, MyAnesth (@+PAC group). Patients’ satisfaction and their representations for anesthesia were also assessed using a Likert scale and the Abric method of hierarchized evocation. RESULTS A total of 600 tests were distributed; 205 patients and 98 patients were included in the PAC group and @+PAC group, respectively. Demographic characteristics and mean scores on the 9-point preinformation test (PAC group: 4.2 points, 95% CI 3.9-4.4; @+PAC: 4.3 points, 95% CI 4-4.7; P=.37) were similar in the two groups. The mean score after receiving information was better in the @+PAC group than in the PAC group (6.1 points, 95% CI 5.8-6.4 points versus 5.2 points, 95% CI 5.0-5.4 points, respectively; PP CONCLUSIONS The implementation of our digital conversational agent in addition to the PAC improved patients' knowledge about their perioperative care pathway. This innovative audiovisual support seemed clear, adapted, easily accessible, and reassuring. Future studies should focus on adapting both the content and delivery of a digital conversational agent for the PAC in order to maximize its benefit to patients.

Different dosage regimens of hydroxychloroquine are used to manage coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, without information on the pharmacokinetics in this population. Blood samples (n = 101) were collected from 57 COVID-19 patients for 7 days, and concentrations were compared with simulated kinetic profiles. Hydroxychloroquine exposure is low and cannot be predicted by other populations.

Managing severe acute nociceptive pain in buprenorphine-maintained individuals for opioid use disorder management is challenging owing to the high affinity and very slow dissociation of buprenorphine from μ-opioid receptors that hinders the use of full agonist opioid analgesics. In a translational approach, the aim of this study was to use an animal setting to investigate the effects of a chronic high dose of buprenorphine treatment on nociceptive thresholds before and after applying a severe acute nociceptive traumatic surgery stimulus and to screen postoperative pharmacological analgesic strategies. A chronic treatment of mice with a high dose of buprenorphine (BUP HD, 2 × 200 μg/kg/day; i.p.) revealed significant mechanical allodynia. One and two days after having discontinued buprenorphine administration and having induced a severe nociceptive acute pain by a closed tibial fracture, acute administration of morphine at a dose which has analgesic effects in absence of pretreatment (4.5 mg/kg; i.p.), was ineffective to reduce pain in the BUP HD group. However, mimicking multimodal analgesia strategy used in human postoperative context, the combination of morphine (administered at the same dose) with a NMDA receptor antagonist (ketamine) or an NSAID (ketoprofen) produced antinociceptive responses in these animals. The mouse model of closed tibial fracture could be useful to identify analgesic strategies of postoperative pain for patients with chronic exposure to opioids and suffering from hyperalgesia.

BackgroundIn sepsis, the endothelial barrier becomes incompetent, with the leaking of plasma into interstitial tissues. VE-cadherin, an adherens junction protein, is the gatekeeper of endothelial cohesion. Kinins, released during sepsis, induce vascular leakage and vasodilation. They act via two G-protein coupled receptors: B1 (B1R) and B2 (B2R). B1R is inducible in the presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines, endotoxins or after tissue injury. It acts at a later stage of sepsis and elicits a sustained inflammatory response. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationships between B1R and VE-cadherin destabilization in vivo in a later phase of sepsis.MethodsExperimental, prospective study in a university research laboratory. We used a polymicrobial model of septic shock by cecal ligation and puncture in C57BL6 male mice or C57BL6 male mice that received a specific B1R antagonist (R-954). We studied the influence of B1R on sepsis-induced vascular permeability 30 h after surgery for several organs, and VE-cadherin expression in the lung and kidneys by injecting R-954 just before surgery. The 96-h survival was determined in mice without treatment or in animals receiving R-954 as a “prophylactic” regimen (a subcutaneous injection of 200 µg/kg, prior to CLP and 24 h after CLP), or as a “curative” regimen (injection of 100 µg/kg at H6, H24 and H48 post-surgery).ResultsB1R inactivation helps to maintain MAP above 65 mmHg but induces different permeability profiles depending on whether or not organ perfusion is autoregulated. In our model, VE-cadherin was destabilized in vivo during septic shock. At a late stage of sepsis, the B1R blockade reduced the VE-cadherin disruption by limiting eNOS activation. The survival rate for mice that received R-954 after sepsis induction was higher than in animals that received an antagonist as a prophylactic treatment.ConclusionsB1R antagonizing reduced mortality in our model of murine septic shock by limiting the vascular permeability induced by VE-cadherin destabilization through maintenance of the macrohemodynamics, consequently limiting organ dysfunctions.

In urgent situations, preoperative full stomach assessment mostly relies on clinical judgment. Our primary objective was to assess the diagnostic performance of clinical judgment for the preoperative assessment of full stomach in urgent patients compared to gastric point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS). Our secondary objective was to identify risk factors associated with PoCUS full stomach in urgent patients.We led a prospective observational study at our Hospital, between January and July 2016. Adult patients admitted for urgent surgery were eligible. Patients with altered gastric sonoanatomy, interventions reducing stomach content, impossible lateral decubitus were excluded. Clinical judgment and risk factors of full stomach were collected before gastric PoCUS measurements. Ultrasonographic full stomach was defined by solid contents or liquid volume ≥ 1.5 ml kgThe prevalence of clinical and PoCUS full stomach in 196 included patients was 29% and 27%, respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 42% (95% CI: 32.3-52.6%) and 79% (95% CI: 74.9-83.4%), respectively. Patients with PoCUS full stomach were clinically misdiagnosed in 55% of cases. PoCUS full stomach was associated with abdominal or gynaecological-obstetrical surgery (OR 3.6, 95% CI: 1.5-8.8, P 0.01) but not with fasting durations. Positive solid intake after illness onset with respect to 6-h solid fasting rule was associated with PoCUS low-risk gastric content (OR 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.9, P = 0.03).Clinical judgment showed poor-to-moderate performance in urgent surgical patients for the diagnosis of full stomach. Gastric PoCUS should be used to assess risk of full stomach in this population.

Background The effects of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) on the myocardium and their role in the clinical course of infected patients are still unknown. The severity of SARS-CoV-2 is driven by hyperinflammation, and the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the myocardium may be significant. This study proposes to use bedside observations and biomarkers to characterize the association of COVID-19 with myocardial injury. Objective The aim of the study is to describe the myocardial function and its evolution over time in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and to investigate the link between inflammation and cardiac injury. Methods This prospective, monocentric, observational study enrolled 150 patients with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection at Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France. Patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), regular cardiologic ward, and geriatric ward of our tertiary university hospital were included during the pandemic period. Blood sampling, electrocardiography, echocardiography, and morphometric and demographic data were prospectively collected. Results A total of 100 patients were included. The final enrolment day was March 31, 2020, with first report of results at the end of the first quarter of 2021. The first echocardiographic results at admission of 31 patients of the COCARDE-ICU substudy population show that biological myocardial injury in COVID-19 has low functional impact on left ventricular systolic function. Conclusions A better understanding of the effects of COVID-19 on myocardial function and its link with inflammation would improve patient follow-up and care. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04358952; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04358952 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/24931

Difficulty in identifying the susprascapular nerve (SSN) limits the success of US-guided regional anesthetic injections. A proximal SSN block could be an effective and reliable approach. The primary objective was to validate the feasibility of the US-guided proximal SSN block. The secondary objective was to quantify the spread of the colored local anesthetic to the phrenic nerve (PN). Fourteen brachial plexuses from seven cadavers were included. Characterization of the proximal SSN was performed using US to determine the diameter and depth of the origin of the SSN (orSSN). Ten mL of methylene blue-infused ropivacaine 0.2% were then injected to the proximal portion of the SSN. After dissection, the distances between the tip of the needle and the orSSN and the PN were anatomically determined. The PN was also judged to be colored or not by the methylene blue. The mean diameter and depth of the orSSN were 0.2 cm (range, 0.1-0.3 cm) and 1.5 cm (range, 0.6-2 cm) respectively. The orSSN was successfully targeted in 14 of 14 specimens with US; the tip of the needle was a mean of 1.6 cm (range, 0.2-2.5 cm) and 5.1 cm (range, 4-6.5 cm) from the orSSN and PN respectively. The orSSN and PN were marked in 14 and 3 cases respectively. US-guided proximal SSN block is effective and reliable. The origin of the SSN is an easily identifiable landmark. This regional anesthesia could also reduce the risk of phrenic nerve palsy following interscalene brachial plexus block. Clin. Anat. 31:824-829, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sepsis is associated with thrombocytopenia and microvascular thrombosis. Studies have described platelets implication in this pathology but their kinetics of activation and behavior remain poorly known. We show in a mouse model of peritonitis, the appearance of platelet-rich thrombi in organ microvessels and organ damage. Complementary methods are necessary to characterize platelet activation during sepsis as circulating soluble markers and platelet-monocyte aggregates revealed early platelet activation, while surface activation markers were detected at later stage. A microfluidic based ex-vivo thrombosis assay demonstrated that platelets from septic mice have a prothrombotic behavior at shear rate encountered in microvessels. Interestingly, we found that even though phosphoinositide-3-kinase β−deficient platelet mice formed less thrombi in liver microcirculation, peritoneal sepsis activates a platelet alternative pathway to compensate the otherwise mandatory role of this lipid-kinase to form stable thrombi at high shear rate. Platelets are rapidly activated during sepsis. Thrombocytopenia can be attributed in part to platelet-rich thrombi formation in capillaries and platelet-leukocytes interactions. Platelets from septic mice have a prothrombotic phenotype at a shear rate encountered in arterioles. Further studies are necessary to unravel molecular mechanisms leading to this prothrombotic state of platelets in order to guide the development of future treatments of polymicrobial sepsis.

Spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension (SAIH) occurs frequently, particularly in the elderly and in patients undergoing caesarean section. SAIH is caused by arterial and venous vasodilatation resulting from the sympathetic block along with a paradoxical activation of cardioinhibitory receptors. Bradycardia after spinal anesthesia (SA) must always be treated as a warning sign of an important hemodynamic compromise. Fluid preloading (before initiation of the SA) with colloids such as hydroxyethyl starch (HES) effectively reduces the incidence and severity of arterial hypotension, whereas crystalloid preloading is not indicated. Co-loading with crystalloid or colloid is as equally effective to HES preloading, provided that the speed of administration is adequate (ie, bolus over 5 to 10 minutes). Ephedrine has traditionally been considered the vasoconstrictor of choice, especially for use during SAIH associated with bradycardia. Phenylephrine, a α1 adrenergic receptor agonist, is increasingly used to treat SAIH and its prophylactic administration (ie, immediately after intrathecal injection of local anesthetics) has been shown to decrease the incidence of arterial hypotension. The role of norepinephrine as a possible alternative to phenylephrine seems promising. Other drugs, such as serotonin receptor antagonists (ondansetron), have been shown to limit the blood pressure drop after SA by inhibiting the Bezold–Jarisch reflex (BJR), but further studies are needed before their widespread use can be recommended.

BACKGROUND Use of the internet as an information search tool has increased dramatically. Our study assessed preoperative use of the internet by patients to search for information regarding anaesthesia, surgery, pain or outcomes. OBJECTIVE(S) The aim of this study was to test whether patients used the internet prior to surgery and what kinds of information they looked for (anaesthetic technique, pain, adverse events, outcomes and surgery). Correlation between patient age and information sought about surgery from the internet was also explored. DESIGN A prospective multicentre observational study. SETTING In total, 14 French private and public institutions from May 2015 to January 2016. PATIENTS In total, 3161 adult patients scheduled for elective surgery under regional or general anaesthesia. INTERVENTION(S) An anonymous questionnaire was presented to adult patients scheduled for elective surgery under regional or general anaesthesia for completion before the first meeting with the anaesthesiologist. The investigator at each centre completed specific items that the patient could not complete. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We defined the primary endpoint as the number of patients who searched for information about their anaesthesia or surgery on the internet by the time of the their preanaesthetic consultation. RESULTS Of the 3234 questionnaires distributed, responses were received from 3161 patients. Within this respondent sample, 1304 (45%) were professionally active and 1664 (59%) used the internet at least once per day. Among 3098 (98%) patients who answered the question concerning the primary endpoint, 1506 (48%) had searched the internet for information about their health. In total, 784 (25%) used the internet to find information about their surgery and 113 (3.5%) looked for specific information about anaesthesia. Of the 3161, 52% reported difficulty searching for appropriate information about anaesthesia on the internet. 'Daily use of the web' [odds ratio (OR) 2.0; (95% CI: 1.65 to 2.55) P

Ultrasound (US) is recognized as a useful tool for detecting lung physiology and pathology. Lung US is compared with standard techniques for evaluating lung structure and function such as computed tomography and pulmonary function tests. At present, markers of normal physiology and pathology are detected using expected image patterns. Detecting the latter depends on the experience of the operator. Diaphragmatic dysfunction is a particularly frequent problem in intensive care. Diaphragmatic dysfunction is easily assessed using lung US. Speckle tracking analysis, a known method for assessing tissue displacement and deformation in cardiology, is proposed to be utilized in lung US for detecting and quantifying lung sliding. Using speckle tracking analysis to diaphragmatic deformation quantification could be an informative and new tool for weaning from mechanical ventilation.