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Polypropylene (PP) mesh shrinkage represents a serious complication, as a significant cause of pain and recurrence of pelvic organ prolapse or ventral hernias, frequently requiring several surgical interventions. The retraction seems to be caused by the host, in response to the implantation, through the occurrence of periprosthetic adhesions and fibrosis. We hypothesized that avoiding the postoperative adhesions can prevent PP mesh shrinkage.Sixty rats were randomly assigned to three groups. A standardized hernia defect was induced on the abdominal wall, which was repaired using an extraperitoneal PP mesh alone (group 1), with application of a hyaluronate carboxymethylcellulose-based bioresorbable membrane (Seprafilm, group 2), or an auto-cross-linked polysaccharide hyaluronan-based solution (Hyalobarrier gel, group 3). Eight weeks after the procedure, a repeat laparotomy was performed. After scoring the adhesion and measuring the mesh surface, a microscopic study of the prosthesis-host tissue interfaces was performed.Group 1 displayed a median shrinkage of 29% of the mesh. The Seprafilm group (p = 0.0238) and Hyalobarrier gel group (p = 0.0072) displayed a significantly smaller reduction of 19.12 and 17 %, respectively. Control group 1 displayed a significantly greater adhesion score (30.40) than the Seprafilm (11.67, p = 0.0028) and Hyalobarrier gel groups (11.19, p = 0.0013). The fibrosis was reduced in the Hyalobarrier gel group only.This experimental study revealed that Hyalobarrier gel and Seprafilm can prevent PP mesh shrinkage and postoperative adhesions. They might be integrated in a mesh size-saving strategy, which should preserve the quality and durability of the surgical repair and limit the postoperative pain.

Background Patients under palliative care and in hospital-at-home services are frequently transferred to emergency departments. We set out to identify the reasons for these presentations to determine the proportion that might be avoidable. Methods We conducted a retrospective study by assessment of patient files. We studied admissions to four emergency departments in an area of France (Puy-de-Dôme) between September 2011 and August 2013. Reasons for transfer and diagnostic conclusion by emergency doctors were noted. We collected date of admission, time spent, investigations and treatments performed and patients’ outcomes after the medical conclusions. We also determined whether patients called the hospital-at-home service before going to the emergency department. From these data we discerned potentially avoidable and unavoidable consultations. Results We identified 52 transfers of patients from home to emergency departments. The most frequent reasons were: generalized weakness (11 cases), social isolation (8 cases) and end of life (7 cases). For 58 % of presentations, the investigations and treatments performed did not require presentation to an emergency department; 34 % of patients returned home after the visit, 41 % remained for simple observation and 20 % remained to receive special care. Two patients died in the emergency department. In 86 % of cases, presentations occurred when primary care was less readily available, and patients called home care services in only 42 % of cases before going to emergency departments. Conclusions Half of the transfers to emergency departments were potentially avoidable for terminally ill patients in home care. To reduce this proportion we need to promote access to primary care, educate patients in hospital-at-home service and train care-givers and doctors in palliative medicine. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12904-016-0155-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Purpose To compare pain symptoms and quality of life between epiphenomenon and endometriosis disease. Methods Between January 2004 and July 2008, 536 new cases of endometriosis confirmed by surgical biopsy were included in this observational cohort study (Auvergne Regional Cohort of Endometriosis). Questionnaires and visual analog scale scores for dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, premenstrual dysuria and dyschesia, quality of life instruments (SF-36), and sexual activity questionnaires were compared between group A (epiphenomenon group: 119 patients) and group B (endometriosis disease group: 318 patients with deep ovarian endometrioma and/or deep infiltrating nodules). Primary outcome was patient-reported pain rates. Secondary outcomes included quality-of-life tools. Results In cases of severe endometriosis, more pain at defecation and more dysmenorrhoea were observed than in cases of minimal endometriosis. The social repercussions and deterioration in quality of life were also affected, without any distinction between group A and B except for physical limitations. Quality of sex life was also affected in both groups. Conculsions This study confirms the ubiquitous pain symptoms of endometriosis. The lack of any correlation between functional symptomatology and anatomic severity of disease underlines how important it is not to neglect patients presenting what is called “minimal” endometriosis.

The aim of this study was to analyze the early and late results of iterative aortic surgery after bypass of infrarenal aorta. Results from Clermont-Ferrand and Saint-Etienne hospitals have been collected. Between January 1993 and December 2001, 61 patients (59 men and two women, mean age 65 years) underwent a partial or complete second aortic reconstruction through a direct approach. Three different indications that required redo surgery were detected. Twenty-three patients presented with an infection (37%), 17 with an occlusive pathology (28%), and 21 with an aneurysm (34%). Medical or endoluminal treatment could no longer be considered. Mean period of time for redo surgery was 101 months (range 1-294). Eighteen of the procedures were emergency surgeries. A polyester prosthesis was used in 45 cases, an arterial allograft in 15 cases, and autogenous venous material in one case. In 22 cases (36%) a visceral, renal, or infracrural revascularization was associated. Four patients died (6.5%): three with an infection and one with an occlusive pathology. Global morbidity rate was 64%. Twelve vascular surgical complications (19%) required redo surgery: seven limb ischemia, three hemorrhage, and two colic ischemia. The preoperative factors generating severe complications were a septic context, renal insufficiency, and American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 3 or 4. Follow-up concerned the 57 surviving patients with a 43-month mean period of time (range 4-105). Actuarial survival rate was 80.7% at 3 years and could be compared to that observed after infrarenal aortic first surgery. Primary and secondary global patency rates were, respectively, 66.4 +/- 6.7% and 94.6 +/- 3% at 3 years with no major amputation. In our series including 37% of septic patients and nearly 30% of patients operated on in emergency, aortic iterative surgery led to mortality and morbidity rates twice and four times as important as those resulting from infrarenal aortic initial surgery, respectively. In the long term, patient survival and limb salvage rates were quite similar to those obtained with de novo surgery.

Le but de cette etude a ete d'analyser les resultats precoces et tardifs de la chirurgie aortique iterative apres pontage prothetique de l'aorte sous-renale. Les observations des CHU de Clermont-Ferrand et Saint-Etienne ont ete regroupees. Entre Janvier 1993 et Decembre 2001, 61 patients (59 hommes, 2 femmes, âge moyen 65 ans) ont beneficie, par abord direct de l'aorte, du changement complet ou partiel d'une restauration aortique precedemment realisee. Trois indications imposant la reintervention ont ete distinguees : 23 patients presentaient une infection prothetique (37%), 17 une pathologie occlusive (28%), 21 une pathologie anevrysmale (34%). Les possibilites d'un traitement medical ou d'un traitement endoluminal avaient ete epuisees. Le delai moyen de reintervention a ete de 101 mois (1 a 294 mois). Dix-huit interventions ont eu lieu en urgence. Une prothese en Dacron a ete utilisee 45 fois, une allogreffe arterielle 15 fois et du materiel veineux autogene une fois. Dans 22 cas (36%) une revascularisation viscerale, renale, ou sous-crurale a ete associee. Quatre deces (6,5%) post-operatoires sont survenus : trois chez des patients presentant une infection prothetique et un une pathologie occlusive. Le taux global de morbidite a ete de 64%. Douze complications chirurgicales vasculaires (19%) ont necessite une reintervention : 7 ischemies de membre, 3 hemorragies, 2 ischemies coliques. Les facteurs preoperatoires favorisant la survenue d'une complication severe ont ete : le contexte septique, l'insuffisance renale, les patients classes ASA 3 ou 4. Le suivi a concerne les 57 patients survivants et a ete de 43 mois en moyenne (4 a 105). La survie actuarielle a ete de 80,7% a 3 ans et etait comparable a celle observee apres chirurgie aortique sous-renale de premiere intention. La permeabilite globale primaire et secondaire a 3 ans a ete respectivement de 66,4% ± 6,7 et de 94,6 ± 3. Aucune amputation majeure n'a ete observee. Dans notre serie qui comporte 37% de patients septiques et pres de 30% de patients operes en urgence, la chirurgie iterative aortique a entraine respectivement une mortalite et une morbidite 2 et 4 fois plus importante que la chirurgie aortique sous-renale de premiere intention. A long terme la survie des patients et le taux de conservation de membre sont comparables a ceux de la chirurgie de premiere intention.

ObjectiveThe CAGE questionnaire is considered a useful screening and case-finding tool for alcohol use disorders in clinical populations. Our objectives were to validate the French version of the CAGE against DSM-IV criteria and to assess performance of each item of the scale.MethodData were extracted from a hospital morbidity study conducted in central France. It concerned 5452 patients—48.5% men—in short and medium-stay units. Patients answered the CAGE questionnaire as a past-year assessment. The alcohol use disorders were diagnosed by the physicians using DSM-IV alcohol abuse or dependency criteria.ResultsThe CAGE questionnaire for a cut-off of 2 had a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 94%. The CAGE test was more sensitive for patients diagnosed as alcohol-dependent than for alcohol abusers (61% vs. 84%) with the same specificity (94%). These values are close to those for the English-language CAGE. The first three items (CAG) were very similar, with sensitivity 70% and specificity 94%. The eye-opening question (E) differentiated sharply between abuse and dependency, with sensitivities of 18% and 46%, respectively. A questionnaire comprising only the CAG questions of the CAGE had properties similar to the full questionnaire.ConclusionCAGE is a good screening tool for alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency. Given the frequent—and insufficiently diagnosed—alcohol problems among inpatients, CAGE is indicated as a first-line tool for screening for the most severe alcohol use disorders in hospital. It should ideally be used systematically. A positive reply to any of the first three items should alert the clinician and prompt further investigation.

Background. Information about chronic dialysis (CD) patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) is scant. This study sought to determine the epidemiology and outcome of CD patients in an ICU setting and to test the performance of the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS II) to predict hospital mortality in this population. Methods. All consecutive CD patients admitted to an adult, 10 bed medical/surgical ICU at a university hospital between January 1996 and December 1999 were included in this prospective observational study. Demographics, characteristics of the underlying renal disease, admission diagnosis, the number of organ system failures (OSFs) excluding renal failure and SAPS II, both calculated 24 h after admission, the duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU survival and survival status at hospital discharge and 6 months after discharge were recorded. Results. A total of 92 CD patients, 16 on peritoneal dialysis and 76 on haemodialysis, were included. The main reason for ICU admission was sepsis and the mean ICU length of stay 6.2±9.9 days. ICU mortality was 26/92 (28.3%) and was associated in multivariate analysis with SAPS II (P

International audience; A better understanding of primary school teachers’ practices and representations of health education along with the identification of individual or structural resistance as well as partnership and training needs all constitute important goals in health education research. A quantitative study was conducted between April and December 2001 on a representative sample of the population of primary school teachers (n = 673) in the Auvergne region of France. The results show that the majority of teachers state that they practice and implement health education. The approach is primarily thematic, being essentially limited to a few lessons since the subject is integrated into a broader project only 20% of the time. Meanwhile, 30% of teachers work in partnership, mainly with partners in school healthcare. However, parents are rarely involved in health education activities. Parameters influencing the teachers’ practices and representations are: (1) prioritizing work within an educational network and an inter-communal pedagogical regrouping, with the advantage that more teachers are available to teach healthcare in these schools than in others, and (2) receiving initial or in-service training. These results suggest that a policy aiming to generalize the inclusion of health education in French primary schools must develop teacher training as well as support and go hand-in-hand with collective dynamics within schools.; Améliorer la connaissance des pratiques et des représentations des enseignants de l’école primaire quant à leur rôle dans le champ de l’éducation à la santé (ES), identifier les résistances individuelles et structurelles ainsi que les besoins en termes de partenariat et de formation constituent des objectifs importants de la recherche en ES. Une étude quantitative sur un échantillon représentatif de la population des enseignants du premier degré en région Auvergne (n = 673) a été réalisée entre avril et décembre 2001. Les résultats montrent que la majorité des enseignants déclare pratiquer l’ES. L’approche est principalement thématique, essentiellement limitée à des séquences pédagogiques puisqu’elle n’est intégrée à un projet que dans 20 % des cas. Un maître sur trois a fait appel à des partenaires issus majoritairement de la santé scolaire, les parents quant à eux, ne sont qu’exceptionnellement associés. Les paramètres influençant les pratiques et les représentations des enseignants sont : (1) le fait de travailler en zones ou réseaux d’éducation prioritaire et en regroupement pédagogique intercommunal ; les enseignants sont plus nombreux à faire de l’ES dans ces écoles que dans les autres, et (2) le fait d’avoir reçu une formation. Ces résultats suggèrent qu’une politique visant la généralisation de la prise en compte de l’ES à l’école doit développer la formation ainsi que soutenir et accompagner les dynamiques collectives au sein des écoles.

Hypertension (HT) after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a risk factor for postoperative myocardial infarction, stroke, and neck hematoma. We compared the incidence of postoperative HT within the week after eversion CEA (e-CEA) and patch closure CEA (p-CEA). Postoperative HT was defined as a systolic blood pressure (sBP) ≥ 160 mm Hg and/or the need for postoperative vasodilatators. The aim of our study was to determine if the technique of CEA had an effect on postoperative HT.Between January 2010 and June 2011, we prospectively reviewed 560 consecutive endarterectomies (340 p-CEAs and 220 e-CEAs) performed in 443 patients under general anesthesia. All had70% stenoses, 119 were symptomatic, and 441 asymptomatic. We compared preoperative, peroperative, and postoperative sBP and diastolic blood pressure, carotid sinus nerve block, postoperative intravenous and oral antihypertensive medications, neurologic and cardiac complications, and mortality.The e-CEA group had a higher incidence of women (36.4% vs. 21.8%, P = 0.0002) and HT (85.0% vs. 78.2%, P = 0.04). The e-CEAs had a significantly higher incidence of carotid sinus nerve block (93.6% vs. 15.6%, P0.0001). The incidence of postoperative HT was not significantly different between the 2 groups (75.9% in the e-CEA group versus 68.5% in the p-CEA group, P = 0.06). The average postoperative sBP between postoperative hour (H) 2 and H12 was significantly higher in the e-CEA group but160 mm Hg. The sBP dropped between H2 and H6, and this decrease was greater in the p-CEA group (30% vs. 15% in the e-CEA group). The need for postoperative antihypertensive medication was not different between the 2 groups. One independent risk factor of postoperative HT was identified: history of HT. The rate of postoperative complications was not significantly different between the 2 groups.The e-CEA technique is not a risk factor and does not have an effect on postoperative HT. The postoperative sBP was more stable in this group. Eversion carotid endarterectomy has been considered, in the literature, as a risk factor of postoperative hypertension. We conducted a large prospective and comparative study of the endarterectomy technique by eversion and with conventional patch closure. The primary end point was the blood pressure value and the administration of antihypertensive treatment. Our study shows that postoperative hypertension after carotid endarterectomy is not related to the surgical technique. Changes in blood pressure after carotid endarterectomy by eversion are lower than those observed after conventional endarterectomy with patch closure. This technique prevents the occurrence of possible hypotension occurrence, which can be the cause of perioperative complications.

Airway inflammation is the principal abnormality in asthma and many other respiratory diseases. Eosinophils are the cells primarily involved in this process. The aim of this study was to analyze sequential changes in urinary eosinophil protein X (EPX) a biological marker of eosinophil activation in asthmatic children and chronic coughers, and to confirm the importance of such changes in evaluating the inflammatory process once regular treatment was initiated. Eighty-eight asthmatic children (AC), 33 children with chronic cough (CC), and 34 control children were included in the study. All those with respiratory disease underwent allergy tests (serum total IgE, serum-specific IgE for common allergens, peripheral blood eosinophil (PBE), and skin prick tests) and a pulmonary function test (PFT), and had chest X-ray and serum eosinophil cationic protein (s-ECP) and urinary EPX assays. All subjects attended the outpatient clinic every 3 months, irrespective of the treatment prescribed following inclusion in this investigation. At baseline, urinary EPX concentrations were higher in children with asthma and those with chronic cough than in controls (mean 171.1 and 131.3, respectively, vs. 60.2 μg/mmol creatinine, P

Background The efficacy of systemic antibiotics on the treatment of ventilator-associated infectious maxillary sinusitis (VAIMS) is debated. The objective of this study was to determine the etiologic diagnosis of VAIMS in patients receiving antibiotics. Methods Patients mechanically ventilated for more than or equal to 72 h, who had persistent fever while on antibiotics for more than or equal to 48 h, underwent computed tomography scan followed by transnasal puncture of involved maxillary sinuses. VAIMS was defined as follows: fever greater than or equal to 38 degrees C, radiographic signs (air fluid level or opacification of maxillary sinuses on computed tomography scan), and a quantitative culture of sinus aspirate yielding more than or equal to 103 colony-forming units/ml. Results Twenty-four patients had radiographic signs of sinusitis. The mean +/- SD prior durations of mechanical ventilation and antibiotic exposure were 9.5 +/- 4.7 days and 6 +/- 4 days, respectively. Six unilateral and nine bilateral VAIMS were diagnosed in 15 patients. The median number of etiologic organisms per patient was two (range, one to four). The bacteriologic cultures yielded gram-positive bacteria (n = 21), gram-negative bacteria (n = 22), and yeasts (n = 5). Forty percent of causative agents were susceptible to the antibiotics prescribed. Seven patients with VAIMS developed 10 concomitant infections: ventilator-associated pneumonia (n = 5), urinary tract infection (n = 3), catheter infections (n = 2). In all cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia, the implicated agents were the causative agents of VAIMS. Conclusion In VAIMS patients on antibiotics, quantitative cultures of sinus aspirates may contribute to establish the diagnosis. The frequent recovery of microorganisms susceptible to the antimicrobial treatment administered suggests that therapy of VAIMS with systemic antibiotics may not be sufficient.

The level of blast cells in peripheral blood in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) varies in individual patients. The bone marrow egress of hematopoietic cells is an unclear phenomenon in which cell deformability and cytoadhesion to the extracellular matrix are involved. One component of deformability is the membrane fluidity. Using fluorescence polarization, we have studied the fluidity of blast cell membranes from 22 AML patients. This membrane was found to be highly fluid and a statistically significant correlation was found between the increase in membrane fluidity and the number of blast cells in the blood. Studying interaction between blast cells and several components of bone marrow stroma, we found adhesion to fibronectin and fibroblastic extracellular matrix. Adhesion to the extracellular matrix was inversally correlated to the level of blast cells in the blood. The observed increase in membrane fluidity and reduction of adhesion to bone marrow stroma may result in an increase of blast cells egress in AML.

In this single-center French study, the conventional management of patients receiving vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) was compared with an International Normalized Ratio (INR) self-testing program. The aim was to determine the reliability of self-testing devices, and to estimate the variability of the self-measured INR within the therapeutic and target range.A total of 206 patients who had undergone valve replacement with a mechanical prosthesis, with or without myocardial revascularization, between May 2004 and September 2007 was randomized into two groups. Group 1 patients (n = 103) underwent INR monitoring at a laboratory, while Group 2 patients (n = 103) underwent self-testing INR using either the CoaguChek (Roche) (Group 2A; n = 55) or INRatio (Hemosense) (Group 2B; n = 48) system. Patients in Group 1 underwent at least once-monthly INR measurement, while those in Group 2 carried out once-weekly self-testing, and also underwent once-monthly INR measurement at the laboratory. The large majority of patients (97.9%) were treated with fluindione.The mean follow up period was 49.0 +/- 10.3 weeks. Self-testing was reliable, with a correlation coefficient between device- and laboratory-measured INRs of 0.80 [CI: 0.78, 0.82] (p0.0001). The proportion of time spent within the INR target range was significantly higher for Group 2 (61.5 +/- 19.3% versus 55.5 +/- 19.9%; p0.05), while the absolute mean deviation of INR from the target range was higher in Group 1 (60.1 +/- 70.2% versus 47.4 +/- 51.5%). Adverse events were reported by seven patients in Group 1, but by no patients in Group 2 (p0.01).INR self-testing devices are reliable and beneficial. Moreover, INR self-monitoring allows an enhanced stability within a target range, and also helps to prevent serious postoperative complications.

Objectives To explore the role of neuropathy in persistent pain after thoracotomy, combining a clinical follow-up and a psychophysical examination of the operated area. Methods Seventy-three patients were followed and examined at their discharge from hospital, 6 weeks and 4 months after pneumonectomy under thoracotomy. Spontaneous and evoked pain was assessed by clinical examination, a 7-day pain score, and the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory. At the fourth month follow-up, pain and tolerance thresholds to pinprick, heat, and warm sensation threshold were measured on both sides of the thorax. Results The rate of spontaneous pain was 40% at discharge and went up to 59% at the sixth week follow-up. Evoked pain was rare at discharge (11%), most cases appearing at the sixth week follow-up (47%). The evolution profiles of pain between the sixth week and the fourth month follow-up were heterogeneous with a tendency to decrease. Young age, female sex, and spontaneous pain observed at discharge from hospital were identified as early predictive factors of spontaneous pain persisting at the fourth month follow-up. On the side of operation, thresholds tended to increase for warm and hot stimuli, and to decrease for mechanical stimuli. At the fourth month follow-up, spontaneous pain and evoked pain were associated to static hyperalgesia, persisting hypoesthesia, low mechanical thresholds, altered sensation of heat, and impaired quality of life. Discussion Peripheral neuropathy is common after thoracotomy, with variant characteristics, ranging from subclinical disturbances to severe pain. The process seems to develop between the discharge from hospital and the sixth week after thoracotomy.

Precancerous ovarian epithelial dysplasia was first described after prophylactic oophorectomy (OP) for genetic risk (BRCA mutation) or because of a strong family history of ovarian and/or breast cancer. The objective of this study was to describe histopathological features of ovarian dysplasia and to propose a dysplasia scoring sheme with a cut-off.One hundred and twenty-five bilateral oophorectomies (genetic predisposition: n=35 and control group: n=90) were reviewed by two pathologists blinded to clinical data. Eleven epithelial cytological and architectural features were studied and an ovarian dysplasia score was defined to compare the degree of ovarian epithelial abnormalities between the two groups.Mean ovarian dysplasia score was significantly higher in prophylactic oophorectomy group than in control group (9.0 versus 3.5, P0.001). Dysplasia was more severe in OP with BRCA mutation than in OP without (11.6 in BRCA 1; 7.6 in BCRA 2; 7.1 in family history). The cut off for dysplasia was 8 with a sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 93.3%.The increased dysplasia score in OP and the gradation in dysplastic severity in OP with proven BRCA mutations may suggest that ovarian dysplasia could be a pre-malignant non invasive histopathological lesion. The 11 cytological and architectural features in the dysplasia scoring sheme could be a useful tool to study ovarian dysplasia.

Burning mouth syndrome (stomatodynia) is associated with changes of a neuropathic nature the main location of which, peripheral or central, remains unknown. A randomised, double-blind crossover design was used to investigate the effects of lingual nerve block on spontaneous burning pain and a possible correlation with the effects of topical clonazepam, the patient's response to a psychological questionnaire, and the taste and heat thresholds. The spontaneous burning was measured with a visual analogue scale (VAS) just before and 15 min after injection. The decreases in VAS score after lidocaine or saline injection were not significantly different (2.7+/-3.9 and 2.0+/-2.6, respectively; n=20). However, two groups of patients could be identified: in a "peripheral group" (n=10) the VAS decrease due to lingual nerve injection was 4.3+/-3.1cm after lidocaine and 0.9+/-0.3 cm after saline (p=0.02). In a "central group" (n=7), there were an increase in pain intensity score (-0.8+/-2.6 cm) after lidocaine and a decrease (1.5+/-3.0 cm) after saline (p=0.15). An increase in the hospital anxiety and depression (HAD) score and a decreased taste sensitivity and heat pain threshold of painful oral area were seen in patients compared with age-and-sex-matched controls (p

Background Splanchnic ischemia plays a major role in the development of organ failure during septic shock. Plasma D-lactate has been proposed as a better marker of splanchnic hypoperfusion than L-lactate. We studied the prognostic ability of plasma D- and L-lactate levels. Methods A prospective study was performed in an intensive care unit and included patients with septic shock. Two samples for plasma D- and L-lactate determination were collected: the first within 6 h after the patient met the criteria for septic shock (day 1) and the second 24 h later (day 2). Results In univariate analysis, day 1 plasma D- and L-lactate values were associated with 28-day mortality. For plasma D- and L- lactate, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.68+/-0.09 and 0.84+/-0.07 on day 1 (p=0.09), and 0.74+/-0.10 and 0.90+/-0.07 on day 2 (p=0.06), respectively. In survivors, D-lactate levels decreased between day 1 and day 2 (p=0.03), but L-lactate did not (p=0.29). In septic shock patients, plasma D- and L-lactate levels reliably discriminate between survivors and non-survivors. The prognostic ability of plasma L-lactate was better than that of plasma D-lactate. Conclusion A rapid decrease in plasma D-lactate during the course of septic shock could indicate reduced 28-day mortality.

To determine the medical practices and expectations of general practitioners concerning screening and management of hepatitis C in the Auvergne region.A survey was sent by mail to 250 general practitioners. They were then contacted by telephone interviews.94% of general practitioners answered the survey. Each physician diagnosed an average of 0.6 new cases of hepatitis C in 1999, and had a mean of 3.2 patients with HCV in their practice. Screening was performed by 91% of general practitioners if there was a history of blood transfusion, by 87% if there was a history of intravenous drug use, by 92% in case of increased serum amino transferase levels. Screening was less frequent in case of household contact and was only performed by 68% general practitioners or of asthenia by 52% of general practitioners. Liver biopsy seems to be the main obstacle for the management of hepatitis C patients which is due to a refusal of liver biopsy by the patient according to 55% of general practitioners, a fear of complications according to 25% of general practitioners. Sixty percent of general practitioners considered that liver biopsy was performed in less than 50% of patients with hepatitis C. Fifty three percent of general practitioner thought that hepatitis C network could be useful for increasing their knowledge.Liver biopsy refusal by the patient restricts the management and therapy of patients with hepatitis C infection. Increase formation still requisite by 60 percent of general practitioner.

International audience; In the aim to answer to our problematic and hypothesis on the spatial utilization of the health establishments and services by inpatients and/or by the potential clients, we elaborated a modeling process of catchment areas by medico-surgery specialty applied in the French Nord – Pas-deCalais region. Our gravitation modeling, heart of the research work, assesses the health care demand and supply in our region. This K-means model calculates the theoretical hospital catchment areas by specialty in hematology and traumato-orthopedy which would be those that we could observed if the catchment area was equivalent to this mathematical model. It could be automated and generalized for all specialties and geographic areas. We present in this way the four steps of the modeling process, its results, the discussion and the future research ways. The first phase observes the hospital catchment areas with quantitative and mapping tools. The second is an elaboration of our spatial mathematical model regarding the gravitation Newton law through the refined Reilly’s equation based on the census population of the proximity catchment area. It iscalculated from the observed and theoretical hospital attractions. The third phase is a validation of our model by comparison between the observed and the theoretical models with the help of observed maps, models drawings and quantitative methods (coefficients of attraction). The last predicts and simulates “the creation or the closing” of hospital services by specialty. Through the results this model appears to be robust, reliable and ’predictive’ in spite of its simplicity (two parameters are used : numbers of beds and the census populations). Consequently, our model, along with a better knowing of the spatial utilization of health services, can be a new tool for developments in health facility planning at health care districts.

Objective To determine the incidence of dialysis catheter (DC)-related infections in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and to compare the frequency of DC and central venous catheter (CVC) infections in an ICU setting. Design Prospective, descriptive survey. Setting An adult, 10-bed medical/surgical ICU at a university hospital. Patients A total of 151 DCs and 230 CVCs placed in 170 patients were evaluated. Interventions None. Measurements and main results Catheter colonization was defined by a quantitative catheter tip culture yielding > or =10(3) colony-forming units/mL, catheter-related bacteremia was defined as catheter colonization and blood culture positive for the same organism, and site infection was defined as the presence of pus at the insertion site. The mean duration of catheterization was 6.8+/-6 days for DCs and 5.9+/-4.6 for CVCs (p = .52). There was no difference between DCs and CVCs in catheter colonization and catheter-related bacteremia incidence rates per 1000 days of catheter use (24.2 vs. 19.8 [p = .46] and 0.96 vs. 1.5 [p = .60], respectively). Site infection was observed in one patient (CVC placement). For DCs and CVCs the duration of catheterization was associated with catheter infection (p = .0007 and p = .04, respectively), but when the catheters were examined over 5-day intervals, the incidence of catheter infections did not increase with duration of catheter use (p = .23 and p = .10, respectively). Conclusions DC-related infections are associated with DC longevity. As shown by the 5-day-interval analysis, the incidence of DC-related infections did not increase with DC duration, suggesting that the risk for DC-related infections remained unchanged with time. The characteristics of DC-related infections in ICU patients were comparable to those previously reported for CVC-related infections.

La tarification à l'activité (T2A) est un système de financement des établissements de santé qui associe le paiement à l'activité réalisée, celle-ci étant définie par des épisodes de soins. Le financement est donc directement lié à l'activité. Certains auteurs ont montré que la dimension sociale du patient pouvait avoir un impact sur la performance médico-économique des établissements de santé. La prise en charge des personnes en situation de précarité serait responsable de surcoût hospitalier. L'objectif de la présente étude est de mesurer le potentiel surcoût hospitalier lié à la prise en charge de la précarité et d'en donner une première estimation. Il s'agit d'une étude de cohorte comptant 120 patientes pour 133 séjours hospitaliers dont le recueil prospectif a été mené pendant 64 jours dans l'unité fonctionnelle hospitalisation grossesses du CHU de Clermont-Ferrand. La mesure de la précarité a été effectuée à partir du score EPICES réalisé de manière semi-directive auprès des patientes. Une situation de précarité est retenue lorsque le score EPICES est ≥ 30. La durée moyenne de séjour observée est de 9,6 jours pour les patientes ayant un score ≥ 30 contre 6 jours pour celles ayant un score