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The aim was to describe the impact of infective endocarditis (IE) on functional, cognitive and nutritional statuses, and to estimate the influence of these parameters on surgical management and mortality.This was a prospective study over 13 months in 14 French hospitals, including patients ≥75 years of age with definite or possible IE. A comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) was performed during the first week of hospitalization, including a retrospective estimation of functional status 2 months before hospitalization, and 3 months after.A total of 120 patients were included (mean age 83.1 ± 5.0 (75-101) years). IE was associated with a dramatic impairment of functional status between 2 months prior hospitalization and the first geriatric evaluation (90.8% able to walk vs. 35.5% (p 0.0001), ADL (Activities in Daily Living) 5.0 ± 1.7 vs. 3.1 ± 2.1 (p 0.0001)). The 19 operated patients (15.8%) had less comorbidities (cumulative illness rating scale geriatric 10.8 ± 8.2 vs. 15.3 ± 7.1 (p 0.0176)), better functional (ADL 5.9 ± 0.4 vs. 4.9 ± 1.8 (p 0.0171) and nutritional (mini nutritional assessment 20.4 ± 5.0 vs. 17.3 ± 6.2 (p 0.0501)) statuses than non-operated patients. Among all infectious, cardiac and geriatric parameters, body mass index (HR 0.9, range 0.8-1, p 0.05) and ADL at the time of the first evaluation (HR 0.7, range 0.6-0.9, p 0.002) were the sole independent predictors of the 3-month (32.5%) and 1-year mortality (42.5%). Three months later, the 57 assessed patients only partially recovered their ADL (3.7 ± 1.9 vs. 5.3 ± 1.4 2 months prior hospitalization and 4.6 ± 1.9 at the first CGA; p 0.0001).Functional and nutritional abilities are crucial components that can be accurately explored through a CGA when managing IE in oldest patients.

Polypharmacy is an important concern for patient safety and has been associated with increased adverse drug reactions, hospitalization and mortality in the elderly.In light of the above, the present study aimed to assess the major characteristics associated with polypharmacy (≥ 4 drugs) in a larger population of apparently healthy older subjects over 60 years.Cross-sectional study.The preventive medical center (CMP) in Nancy.2,545 volunteers (1,175 women, 1,370 men) aged 60 years and older (66 ± 4.8 years) were included from the Senior health examination study.All subjects underwent clinical, biological examinations. Sociodemographic data, practice of regular physical activity and drug intake data were collected. A self-administered questionnaire of health status, psychological status and questions regarding falls were collected.The prevalence of polypharmacy in this study was 29.9%. The number of drugs in polymedicated people was 5.67 ± 1.82 versus 1.32 ± 1.11 in non polymedicated people; p≤0.01. Multivariate analyses identified 6 independent variables associated with polypharmacy: age over 65 years (OR = 1.58 95% CI: [1.05 - 2.38]; p = 0.03), poor self-perceived health status (2.79 [1.80 - 4.31]; p ≤ 0,01), history of falls (1.66 [1.02 - 2.71]; p = 0.04), lack of a physical activity (1.50 [1.001 - 2.26]; p = 0.049), metabolic syndrome (3.17 [1.95 - 5.15]; p ≤ 0,01), low or medium education level (2.20 [1.24 - 4.30]; p = 0.02).Among community-dwelling people aged 60 years and over, in addition to the presence of several diseases and advanced age, the psychological and socio-educative factors may influence drug intake and polypharmacy in the elderly. Physicians should be take into account these considerations before issuing any prescriptions and review all medications used at every visit to avoid unnecessary addictions or dangerous drug-drug interactions.

Older people have an increased risk of Low Molecular Weight Heparin accumulation leading to an increased bleeding risk. The objective of this study was to assess whether reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR), estimated by the Cockcroft-Gault or Modification of the Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equations, indicates drug accumulation by increased anti-Xa levels in older subjects receiving prophylactic enoxaparin treatment. Cohort study. Acute geriatric units in Nancy Hospital. Ninety-two consenting consecutive patients, 65 and older, confined to bed for an acute medical condition requiring enoxaparin for prevention of venous thromboembolism, and hospitalized for at least six days were enrolled. Serum creatinine and peak plasma anti-Xa levels 3 to 4 hours after the daily injection of enoxaparin were measured at days 3, 6, 9 and 12 (first dose of enoxaparin at day one). Analyses of variance for repeated measures were used to evaluate significant predictors of peak anti-Xa activity in univariate and multivariate analyses. A significant correlation was observed between anti-Xa activity and GFR estimated with the Cockcroft formula r=0.43. Following univariate analysis, the three factors associated with higher anti-Xa levels were a lower Cockcroft-Gault GFR (p=0.0002), female gender (p=0.0003) and a lower bodyweight (p

In recent years, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) has been widely used and has been proposed for cognitive decline screening in the framework of a systematic geriatric evaluation in health centers. The aim of the present longitudinal study was to identify the potential determinants of MMSE score and its evolution over a 4-year period in a population aged over sixty years with good general health without dementia and consulting for a health check-up.Longitudinal study.The preventive medical center (CMP) in Nancy.687 subjects over 60 years of age (mean age 65.6 ± 5.07 years) were included from the Senior health examination study.All subjects underwent 2 visits over a period of 4 years. MMSE measurement and a self-administered questionnaire of emotional and psychological state were evaluated at baseline and at the follow-up visit.The major components of total variance of baseline MMSE were represented by education level, practice of regular physical activity, nervousness and despair. Multivariate analysis identified 3 variables at baseline visit that independently predicted annual changes in MMSE: MMSE score, education level and "Difficulty in social relations" (r= -0.222, 0.154 and -0.255 respectively).Education level and several psychological factors may influence MMSE score and its evolution over time in community-dwelling subjects aged over 60 years without dementia. In these subjects, a low MMSE score does not predict cognitive decline over a period of 4 years. Therefore, the reliability of MMSE in this type of population is questionable.

A novel approach for exploring the molecular dynamics during condensation or evaporation at a liquid water surface is reported at pressures between 2 and 100 kPa. By introducing or removing a heating laser illuminating an optically tweezed aqueous aerosol droplet, the temperature of the droplet can be controlled with sub-mK accuracy and the change in size to reequilibrate with the surroundings monitored with subnanometer accuracy. The time constant for equilibration is shown to provide important insight into the coupling of heat and mass transfer during condensation or evaporation.

A strategy is developed for characterizing the properties and microphysical structure of a mixed phase aerosol droplet consisting of an aqueous sodium chloride host and an insoluble organic inclusion using aerosol optical tweezers and Raman spectroscopy. In particular, palmitic acid (PA), solvated in ethanol and nebulized to produce a flow of aerosol, is coalesced with an optically trapped sodium chloride droplet. Once the ethanol solvent has evaporated, a hydrated crystalline organic phase is formed. Two distinct classes of mixed phase structure are observed. The observation of a PA aggregate formed immediately on coalescence at the surface of the host droplet is consistent with the hydrophobicity of the organic component; this is the dominant structure observed. However, PA inclusions are also observed within the droplet bulk following the evaporation of the ethanol solvent. This may be attributable to the interplay of the optical forces exerted on the inclusion and the lowering of the surface tension of the aqueous droplet by the presence of a monolayer of PA, or through direct incorporation of a PA inclusion by impaction. In this latter class of structure, an autocorrelation analysis of the Raman signatures suggests that the inclusion diffuses throughout the entire droplet volume. Finally, the coupling of nonresonant and resonant heating of the droplet, arising from motion of the PA inclusion within the droplet, is contrasted with observations of the lowering of equilibrium droplet size that accompanies the presence of a weakly absorbing inclusion, a polystyrene bead, within the droplet core.

In an effort to improve the prevention of venous thromboembolism, the Nancy University Hospitals conducted a survey of medical practice concerning indications for preventive therapy and surveillance of platelet counts and anti Xa activity.The survey involved 163 medical files. Questionnaires were filled out in 6 units (3 medical wards and 3 intensive care units).Indications for preventive therapy were found to be quite variable with the exception of very low risk of thromboembolism where the treat/do not treat ratio was 0.1/1, indicating a clear tendency for abstention. This ratio was 0.77/1 and 0.38/1 respectively for low and moderate risk and 2/1 for high risk. There was undoubtedly a ward effect. The attitudes in practice tended toward non-prevention in patients without limited mobility. For platelet counts, an initial count was performed in 95% of the cases and during treatment in 38% although the specific rates were not the same for different types of units. Anti-Xa activity, which according to prevention recommendations need not to be determined, was not monitored in 88% of the cases. In accordance with prevention recommendations, anti-Xa activity was not determined in 88% of the cases.Further progress is needed in the prevention of venous thromboembolism and should be based on wider use of existing methods.

Infectious diarrhoea in the elderly is associated with high morbidity and mortality and need early diagnosis and treatment. Polypathology, malnutrition, polytherapy, length of stay in the hospital and residence in nursing-home contribute to the increasing incidence and gravity of these diseases with aging. Viral gastroenteritis is responsible for epidemic in nursing-home residents. Bacterial gastrointestinal infections are primarily caused by enterotoxigenic agents inducing sporadic or epidemic infections food poisoning. Older adults are more particularly exposed to antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Clostridium difficle has been increasingly recognized as a cause of pseudomembranous colitis in elderly and is associated with increased mortality. The approach to an old patient with suspected infectious diarrhoea should be to eliminate the likely noninfectious causes, to detect immediate complications due to hydroelectrolytic loss, to initiate early appropriated oral rehydration therapy so as to prevent dehydratation, to avoid the use of antimotility drugs, and to evaluate and to take over nutritional consequences of diarrhoea.

The authors report a case of paucisymptomatic central pontine myelinolysis (CMP). A 66 years old female had severe hypochloronatremia and hypokaliemia due to diuretic. Despite a slow hydroelectrolytic correction, she presented with dumbness and seizure. CT scan showed hypodensity of protuberance and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shown hypersignal of protuberance and undercortex, compatible with central and extra pontine myelinolysis. The long term clinical outcome was good, as MRI's data. Rapid and important correction of severe hyponatremia should be the most important factors of demyelination, secondary to interference with cerebral adaptation mechanisms to hypoosmolality. These factors were not present in this case.

The authors report two cases of thrombosis occurring after partial interruption of the inferior vena cava. They presented as collapse and anuria with fatal outcome. Heparin induced thrombocytopenia was present in two cases and distal migration of filter in one case. Thrombo-embolic complications can follow heparin induced thrombocytopenia and justify first treatment with low molecular weight heparin and/or early treatment with oral anti-coagulant. Thrombosis, recurrent embolism or thrombosis of renal vena may occur after vena cava filter. Renal vena thrombosis especially follow filter movement and present as collapse and cardiac failure often with fatal outcome.

Nutritionnal status remain poor in hospitalized elderly for cardiopathy compared to healthy controls, secondary to bad general status. Selenium rate appears significantly lower in ischemic cardiomyopathy than in valvular or hypertension cardiopathy.