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BackgroundResidents may learn how to perform advance care planning (ACP) through informal curriculum. Task-based instructional designs and recent international consensus statements for ACP provide opportunities to explicitly train residents, but residents' needs are poorly understood.ObjectiveWe assessed residents' training needs in ACP at the Geneva University Hospitals in Geneva, Switzerland.MethodsQualitative data were collected and analyzed iteratively between December 2017 and September 2019. Transcripts were coded using both a deductive content analysis based on the 4-Component Instructional Design (4C/ID) model and an inductive thematic analysis.ResultsOut of 55 individuals contacted by email, 49 (89%) participated in 7 focus groups and 10 individual interviews, including 19 residents, 18 fellows and attending physicians, 4 nurses, 1 psychologist, 1 medical ethics consultant, 3 researchers, and 3 patients. Participants identified 3 tasks expected of residents (preparing, discussing, and documenting ACP) and discussed why training residents in ACP is complex. Participants described knowledge (eg, prognosis), skills (eg, clinical and ethical reasoning), and attitudes (eg, reflexivity) that residents need to become competent in ACP and identified needs for future training. In terms of the 4C/ID, these needs revolved around: (1) learning tasks (eg, workplace practice, simulated scenarios); (2) supportive information (eg, videotaped worked examples, cognitive feedback); (3) procedural information (eg, ACP pocket-sized information sheet, corrective feedback); and (4) part-task practice (eg, rehearsal of communication skills, simulation).ConclusionsThis study provides a comprehensive description of tasks and competencies to train residents in ACP.

This study aimed to translate the Interprofessional Facilitation Scale in French and validate its use for interprofessional simulation training. Experts translated the items into French and then back translated them into English. Data used for the validation were collected from interprofessional simulation trainings. Experts and observers found the scale's content validity was suitable. A principal component analysis was conducted. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test value was 0.88 and two factors were identified, that explained 59.9% of the variance. They were labeled: (a) Opportunity of Interprofessional Learning and (b) Psychological Safety. The Cronbach's alpha measure of internal consistency was 0.91. The learning simulation environment explained the structure of the scale. This study provides evidence that the French version of Interprofessional Facilitation Scale can be used in the context of interprofessional simulation training.

The COVID-19 pandemics has deeply impacted academic teaching and forced a complete shift to distance learning formats during the first and second waves. Medical education, among other professional training programs, relies also on practical and clinical immersion, while some of these clinical activities had to be postponed. This article analyzes how one medical school was able to maintain its teaching while ensuring clinical training and taking into account the psychological impact imputed to the lockdown. It also highlights the learning opportunities and unprecedented life experiences contributing to the training of tomorrow's physicians.La pandémie Covid-19 a imposé à l’enseignement, notamment universitaire, le passage complet à des formats à distance durant les première et deuxième vagues. La formation médicale, entre autres, se caractérise par une forte composante pratique et une immersion clinique. Cet article analyse comment une faculté de médecine a pu maintenir son enseignement en assurant au mieux une formation clinique, en tenant compte autant que possible des conséquences psychologiques objectivées par des enquêtes facultaires. Il valorise également les opportunités d’apprentissage et les expériences inédites amenées par la pandémie et leur intégration dans la formation des médecins de demain.

Background Advance care planning, including advance directives, is an important tool that allows patients to express their preferences for care if they are no longer able to express themselves. We developed Accordons-nous, a smartphone app that informs patients about advance care planning and advance directives, facilitates communication on these sensitive topics, and helps patients express their values and preferences for care. Objective The first objective of this study is to conduct a usability test of this app. The second objective is to collect users’ critical opinions on the usability and relevance of the tool. Methods We conducted a usability test by means of a think-aloud method, asking 10 representative patients to complete 7 browsing tasks. We double coded the filmed sessions to obtain descriptive data on task completion (with or without help), time spent, number of clicks, and the types of problems encountered. We assessed the severity of the problems encountered and identified the modifications needed to address these problems. We evaluated the readability of the app using Scolarius, a French equivalent of the Flesch Reading Ease test. By means of a posttest questionnaire, we asked participants to assess the app’s usability (System Usability Scale), relevance (Mobile App Rating Scale, section F), and whether they would recommend the app to the target groups: patients, health professionals, and patients’ caring relatives. Results Participants completed the 7 think-aloud tasks in 80% (56/70) of the cases without any help from the experimenter, in 16% (11/70) of the cases with some help, and failed in 4% (3/70) of the cases. The analysis of failures and difficulties encountered revealed a series of major usability problems that could be addressed with minor modifications to the app. Accordons-nous obtained high scores on readability (overall score of 87.4 on Scolarius test, corresponding to elementary school level), usability (85.3/100 on System Usability Scale test), relevance (4.3/5 on the Mobile App Rating Scale, section F), and overall subjective endorsement on 3 I would recommend questions (4.7/5). Conclusions This usability test helped us make the final changes to our app before its official launch.

Non-invasive respiratory therapy makes it possible to limit the use of invasive ventilation in certain situations. It can be applied to elderly patients and is effective, including outside intensive care units. The geriatric intermediate care structure at Trois-Chêne Hospital in Geneva is a certified intermediate care unit with a special focus on the care of older patients. This article describes the specificities and challenges of such a unit through its experience with the use of non-invasive respiratory therapy during the Covid-19 pandemic.Les thérapies respiratoires non invasives permettent de limiter le recours à la ventilation invasive dans certaines indications. Leur application et leur efficacité chez le sujet âgé ont été démontrées, y compris en dehors des unités de soins intensifs. L’unité des soins intermédiaires de l’Hôpital des Trois-Chêne à Genève est une unité accréditée dont la spécificité est une orientation gériatrique. Cet article relate les spécificités et les enjeux d’une telle unité, à partir du retour d’expérience de l’utilisation des thérapies respiratoires non invasives pendant la pandémie Covid-19.

BACKGROUND Advance care planning, including advance directives, is an important tool that allows patients to express their preferences for care if they are no longer able to express themselves. We developed Accordons-nous, a smartphone app that informs patients about advance care planning and advance directives, facilitates communication on these sensitive topics, and helps patients express their values and preferences for care. OBJECTIVE The first objective of this study is to conduct a usability test of this app. The second objective is to collect users’ critical opinions on the usability and relevance of the tool. METHODS We conducted a usability test by means of a think-aloud method, asking 10 representative patients to complete 7 browsing tasks. We double coded the filmed sessions to obtain descriptive data on task completion (with or without help), time spent, number of clicks, and the types of problems encountered. We assessed the severity of the problems encountered and identified the modifications needed to address these problems. We evaluated the readability of the app using Scolarius, a French equivalent of the Flesch Reading Ease test. By means of a posttest questionnaire, we asked participants to assess the app’s usability (System Usability Scale), relevance (Mobile App Rating Scale, section F), and whether they would recommend the app to the target groups: patients, health professionals, and patients’ caring relatives. RESULTS Participants completed the 7 think-aloud tasks in 80% (56/70) of the cases without any help from the experimenter, in 16% (11/70) of the cases with some help, and failed in 4% (3/70) of the cases. The analysis of failures and difficulties encountered revealed a series of major usability problems that could be addressed with minor modifications to the app. Accordons-nous obtained high scores on readability (overall score of 87.4 on Scolarius test, corresponding to elementary school level), usability (85.3/100 on System Usability Scale test), relevance (4.3/5 on the Mobile App Rating Scale, section F), and overall subjective endorsement on 3 I would recommend questions (4.7/5). CONCLUSIONS This usability test helped us make the final changes to our app before its official launch.

Background Pneumonia has an impact on long-term mortality in elderly patients. The risk factors associated with poor long-term outcomes are understated. The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of 1-year mortality in older patients having a suspicion of pneumonia, using usual pneumonia severity scores and geriatric evaluation’s scores focused on comorbidities, nutritional status and functionality. Methods Consecutive patients over 65 years old and hospitalized with a suspicion of pneumonia were enrolled in a monocentric cohort from May 2015 to April 2016. Three scores were used to assess patients’ comorbidities (Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatric, CIRS-G), malnutrition (Mini Nutritional Assessment, MNA), functionality (Functional Independence Measure, FIM) respectively. Severity of pneumonia was assessed by using the Confusion, Urea, Respiratory Rate, Blood Pressure, and 65-years old score (CURB65), the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (SOFA). With the exception of CIRS-G, all the scores were obtained prospectively within 48 hours after admission. The main outcome was 1-year mortality. Dates of death were obtained by consulting the cantonal register of deaths. Each score was analysed in univariate and multivariate models and logistic regressions were used to identify contributors to 1-year mortality. Results 200 patients were included (51 % male, mean age 83.8 +/- 7.7). The 1-year mortality rate was 30%. Scores associated with 1-year mortality were CURB-65 (p

The older patients have been the most affected by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In addition, this infection has been responsible for high mortality rate in this population. In this article we wanted to describe the clinical findings we encountered in older people with COVID-19 and share some of the issues and challenges we faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.Les personnes âgées ont été les plus touchées par la pandémie de SARS-CoV-2. De plus, cette infection a été responsable d’une mortalité élevée au sein de cette population. Dans cet article, nous avons souhaité décrire les particularités cliniques du Covid-19 que nous avons constatées chez les patients âgés et faire part de plusieurs enjeux et défis auxquels nous avons été confrontés au cours de la pandémie de Covid-19.

Objective To determine predictors of in-hospital mortality related to COVID-19 in older patients. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting and Participants Patients aged 65 years and older hospitalized for a diagnosis of COVID-19. Methods Data from hospital admission was collected from the electronic medical records. Logistic regression and Cox proportional-hazard models were used to predict mortality, our primary outcome. Variables at hospital admission were categorized according to the following domains: demographics, clinical history, comorbidities, previous treatment, clinical status, vital signs, clinical scales and scores, routine laboratory analysis and imaging results. Results Of a total of 235 Caucasian patients, 43% were male, with a mean age of 86 ± 6.5 years. Seventy-six patients (32%) died. Non-survivors had a shorter number of days from initial symptoms to hospitalization (p=0.007) and the length of stay in acute wards than survivors (p, Brief Summary: This study showed that male sex, functional decline, an increased fraction of inspired oxygen and the presence of crackles were the best predictors of mortality in the oldest old with COVID-19 and differences in age were not a significant prognostic factor within this very old group.

Background: Pneumonia has an impact on long-term mortality in elderly patients. The risk factors associated with poor long-term outcomes are understated. We aimed to assess the ability of scores that evaluate patients' comorbidities (cumulative illness rating scale-geriatric, CIRS-G), malnutrition (mini nutritional assessment, MNA) and functionality (functional independence measure, FIM) to predict 1-year mortality in a cohort of older patients having a suspicion of pneumonia.Methods: Our prospective study included consecutive patients over 65 years old and hospitalized with a suspicion of pneumonia enrolled in a monocentric cohort from May 2015 to April 2016. Each score was analysed in univariate and multivariate models and logistic regressions were used to identify contributors to 1-year mortality.Results: 200 patients were included (51% male, mean age 83.8 ± 7.7). Their 1-year mortality rate was 30%. FIM (p < 0.01), CIRS-G (p < 0.001) and MNA (p < 0.001) were strongly associated with poorer long-term outcomes in univariate analysis. CIRS-G (p < 0.05) and MNA (p < 0.05) were significant predictors of 1-year mortality in multivariate analysis.Conclusion: Long-term prognosis of patients hospitalized for pneumonia was poor and we identified that scores assessing comorbidities and malnutrition seem to be important predictors of 1-year mortality. This should be taken into account for evaluating elderly patients' prognosis, levels and goals of care.

Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality from infection in elderly patients. The increased frequency of pneumonia among elderly subjects can be explained by the physiological changes linked to the progressive aging of the respiratory tree and the diminished immunological response. A spiral of event leads to frailty, infection and possible death; preventing pneumonia consists of controlling the risk factors. Dysphagia, which is associated with malnutrition and dehydration, is recognized as one of the major pathophysiological mechanism leading to pneumonia and its screening is crucial for the pneumonia risk assessment. The impairment in the oropharyngeal reflexes results in stagnation of foreign material in the lateral cavities of the pharynx which may then get aspirated repeatedly in the lungs and cause pneumonia. Pneumonia prevention starts with lifestyle modifications such as alcohol and tobacco cessation. A careful review of the risk-benefit of the prescribed medication is critical and adaptation may be required in elders with multiple morbidities. Respiratory physiotherapy and mobilization improve the functional status and hence may help reduce the risk of pneumonia. Maintaining teeth and masticatory efficiency is important if malnutrition and its consequences are to be avoided. Daily oral hygiene and regular professional removal of oral biofilm can prevent the onset of periodontitis and can avoid an oral environment favoring the colonization of respiratory pathogens than can then be aspirated into the lungs.

Background Cambodia, a lower middle-income country of about 16 million individuals in southeast Asia, endures a high burden of both tuberculosis and other lower respiratory infections. Differentiating tuberculosis from other causes of respiratory infection has important clinical implications yet may be challenging to accomplish in the absence of diagnostic microbiology facilities. Furthermore, co-infection of tuberculosis with other bacterial lower respiratory infections may occur. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and etiologies of tuberculosis and other bacterial co-infection and to analyze the clinical and radiographic characteristics of patients presenting with respiratory infection to a provincial referral hospital in Cambodia. Methods We performed a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of laboratory and clinical data, on patients presenting with respiratory symptoms to a chest clinic of a 260-bed provincial referral hospital in Cambodia. We analyzed mycobacterial and bacterial sputum test results, and demographics, medical history and chest radiography. Results Among 137 patients whose treating clinicians ordered sputum testing for tuberculosis and other bacteria, the median age was 52 years, 54% were male, 3% had HIV infection, and 26% were current smokers. Nearly all had chronic respiratory symptoms (> 96%) and abnormal chest radiographs (87%). Sputum testing was positive for tuberculosis in 40 patients (30%) and for bacteria in 60 patients (44%); 13 had tuberculosis and bacterial co-infection (9% overall; 33% of tuberculosis patients). Clinical characteristics were generally similar across pulmonary infection types, although co-infection was identified in 43% of patients with one or more cavitary lesions on chest radiography. Among those with bacterial growth on sputum culture, Gram negative bacilli (Klebsiella and Pseudomonas spp.) were the most commonly isolated. Conclusions Among patients with symptoms of respiratory infections whose treating clinicians ordered sputum testing for tuberculosis and other bacteria, 9% of all patients and 33% of tuberculosis patients had tuberculosis and bacterial co-infection. Greater availability of microbiologic diagnostics for pulmonary tuberculosis and bacterial infection is critical to ensure appropriate diagnosis and management.

Setting Melioidosis-Burkholderia pseudomallei infection-is increasingly recognized in Cambodia, a country with a high incidence of tuberculosis (TB). Melioidosis and TB can be clinically indistinguishable. Objective To quantify the proportion of patients with clinically suspected TB who had melioidosis by testing sputum for B. pseudomallei. Design This was a prospective, 6-month cross-sectional single-center study at a Cambodian provincial referral hospital among patients with suspicion of TB who provided sputum specimens for testing. TB was diagnosed using sputum Xpert® MTB/RIF molecular assay or culture; melioidosis was diagnosed using sputum culture for B. pseudomallei. Results Of 404 patients evaluated for possible TB, 52 (12.9%, 95%CI 9.8-16.5) had TB. Four patients (1.0%, 95%CI 0.3-2.5) had melioidosis; none had concurrent TB or an existing medical risk factor for melioidosis, although two were farmers, an occupational risk factor. Conclusion One per cent of patients being evaluated for TB at a Cambodian provincial referral hospital had culture-proven respiratory melioidosis, a highly lethal infection. None had previously recognized medical conditions that would increase their risk of melioidosis. Testing for melioidosis should be considered in patients presenting with suspected TB in Cambodia.

Rationale, aims and objectives In the global context of population ageing, understanding and monitoring intensive care use by the elderly is a strategic issue. National-level data are needed to overcome sampling biases that often limit epidemiologic studies of the critically ill elderly. The objective of this study was to describe intensive care use for hospitalized elderly patients using secondary data from the French national hospital discharge database. Method Structured assessment of the national database coverage and accuracy; cross-sectional analysis of hospitalizations including at least one admission in an intensive care unit (ICU) for patients aged ≥ 80 years from 1 January to 31 December 2009. Results In 2009, people aged ≥ 80 years accounted for 5.4% of the population but 15.3% of the 215 210 adult hospitalizations involving intensive care in France. In this elderly group, the mean age was 84.0 (± 3.56) years, and 51.6% were male. In-hospital mortality was 33.9%. The median time spent in the ICU was 3 [interquartile range (IQR), 2–8] days, the median time spent in hospital was 14 (IQR, 8–24) days and 9% of hospitalizations ended by the patient's death involved intensive care. A surgical procedure was included in 43% of hospitalizations. Medical and surgical diagnosis-related group hospitalizations were characterized by significant differences in volume, mortality, ICU days and costs. Conclusions There was marked clinical heterogeneity in the population of elderly patients hospitalized in the ICU. These data provide baseline information and prompt further studies comparing intensive care utilization across age groups, between countries and over time.

The article "Pneumonia prevention in the elderly patients: the other sides" written by Najla Chebib, Clemence Cuvelier, Astrid Malezieux-Picard.

Resume Synthetiser les etudes sur reanimation et personnes âgees (PA) en France, dans trois axes de recherche : proportions de PA, pronostic, decisions de triage. Source des donnees : PubMed, 2000 a 2014 ; mots-clefs : « Aged » ou « Aged, 80 and over », « Frail Elderly » et « France », et « Intensive Care Units », « Intensive Care », ou « Critical Care ». Recherche complementaire dans Annales francaises d’anesthesie et de reanimation , Reanimation , et Journal europeen des urgences . Articles concernant les PA hospitalisees en reanimation et/ou triees en amont eligibles. Etudes originales incluses. Donnees analysees : site, date/duree, design, objectif(s), proportion de PA, couts, facteurs pronostics, decisions de triage, points forts/biais methodologiques. Trois cents quatre-vingt-douze articles ont ete identifies, 31 ete eligibles, 19 ete inclus : 14 en reanimation, 3 en Smur, 2 aux urgences. Proportion de PA de 80 ans et plus : 10 a 18 % des patients adultes de reanimation. Pronostic vital : mortalite variable selon les services, 28 a 62 % a l’hopital, 70 % a 1 an (reanimation medicale et medico-chirurgicale). Pronostic fonctionnel : generalisabilite des resultats limitee par des biais d’echantillonnage. Decisions de triage : 12 % d’admissions en reanimation parmi les PA de 80 ans et plus avec au moins un critere de reanimation ; variabilites interservices inexpliquees. La proportion des PA en reanimation doit etre precisee a l’echelle nationale et monitoree pour evaluer l’impact du vieillissement demographique. L’agenda de recherche devrait integrer des etudes pronostiques multicentriques et des etudes qualitatives sur les determinants des decisions de triage.

Unexplained, subclinical chronically elevated transaminases is mainly a marker of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, alcoholism and diabetes, which are very common situations but viral hepatitis and iatrogenic origin must also be considered. Before looking for hepatic or genetic rare diseases, it is worth considering hypertransaminasemia as a clue for muscular disease, particularly in paediatric settings, and creatine phosphokinase is a specific marker. Then, patient history, examination and appropriate biologic requests can permit the identification of less frequent disorders where isolated hypertransaminasemia is possibly the unique marker of the disease for a long while: hemochromatosis, celiac disease, autoimmune hepatitis, Wilson's disease, α1-anti-trypsine deficiency, thyroid dysfunctions, Addison's disease. Liver biopsy should be performed only in patients with aspartate aminotransferases upper the normal range or alanine aminotransferases higher than twice the normal range after 6 months delay with dietetic corrections.

Resume But Evaluer l’impact des revues de morbi-mortalite (RMM) en obstetrique sur la qualite des soins. Materiels et methodes Revue de la litterature a partir des bases de donnees Medline, Pascal et Cochrane interrogees jusqu’en juillet 2011, completee par une recherche sur Google scholar et sur les sites des societes savantes francaises du domaine. Les mots cles etaient morbidity, mortality, conference et obstetrics. Les articles eligibles ayant pour objet les RMM et leur evaluation en obstetrique ont ete analyses par quatre lecteurs au moyen d’une grille de lecture standardisee. Resultats Parmi les 319 articles identifies, quatre etudes de type observationnel publiees entre 2009 et 2011 ont ete retenues. Les RMM etudiees avaient pour objectif la formation d’etudiants (n = 2), l’amelioration de la qualite de la prise en charge (n = 1), ou les deux (n = 1). L’organisation des RMM etait tres heterogene. L’evaluation des RMM utilisait des methodes qualitatives (n = 2), semi-quantitative (n = 1) et quantitative (n = 1). Aucune etude n’a mis en evidence un impact des RMM sur la formation des etudiants ou sur la qualite et la securite des soins. Conclusion Les donnees de la litterature sont heterogenes et ne permettent donc pas de conclure a un impact des RMM en obstetrique.

Providing family members with clear, honest, and timely information is a major task for intensive care unit physicians. Time spent informing families has been associated with effectiveness of information but has not been measured in specifically designed studies.To measure time spent informing families of intensive care unit patients.One-day cross-sectional study in 90 intensive care units in France.Clocked time spent by physicians informing the families of each of 951 patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit during a 24-hr period.Median family information time was 16 (interquartile range, 8-30) mins per patient, with 20% of the time spent explaining the diagnosis, 20% on explaining treatments, and 60% on explaining the prognosis. One third of the time was spent listening to family members. Multivariable analysis identified one factor associated with less information time (room with more than one bed) and seven factors associated with more information time, including five patient-related factors (surgery on the study day, higher Logistic Organ Dysfunction score, coma, mechanical ventilation, and worsening clinical status) and two family-related factors (first contact with family and interview with the spouse). Median information time was 20 (interquartile range, 10-39) mins when three factors were present and 106.5 (interquartile range, 103-110) mins when five were present.This study identifies factors associated with information time provided by critical care physicians to family members of critically ill patients. Whether information time correlates with communication difficulties or communication skills needs to be evaluated. Information time provided by residents and nurses should be studied.

Background Evidence-based public health requires that research provides policymakers with reliable and accessible information reflecting the disease threats. We described the scientific production of research in Cambodia and assessed to what extent it provides appropriate insights and implications for practice to guide health policymakers and managers and knowledge relevant for translation. Methods We conducted a systematic review of scientific articles published on biomedical research in Cambodia. Regression analysis assessed the trends over time and factors associated with actionable messages in the articles’ abstracts. Results From 2000 to 2012, 628 articles were published in 237 journals with a significant increase over time (from 0.6/million population to 5.9/million population, slope coefficient 7.6, 95% CI 6.5–8.7, p

The capacity to care for the critically ill has long been viewed as a fundamental element of established and comprehensive health care systems. Extending this capacity to health care systems in low- and middle-income countries is important given the burden of disease in these regions and the significance of critical care in overall health system strengthening. However, many practicalities of improving access and delivery of critical care in resource-limited settings have yet to be elucidated. We have initiated a program to build capacity for the care of critically ill patients in one low-income Southeast Asian country, Cambodia. We are leveraging existing international academic partnerships to enhance postgraduate critical care education in Cambodia. After conducting a needs assessment and literature review, we developed a three-step initiative targeting training in mechanical ventilation. First, we assessed and revised the current resident curriculum pertaining to mechanical ventilation. We addressed gaps in training, incorporated specific goals and learning objectives, and decreased the hours of lectures in favor of additional bedside training. Second, we are incorporating e-learning, e-teaching, and e-assessment into the curriculum, with both live, interactive and independent, self-paced online instruction. Third, we are developing a train-the-trainer program defined by bidirectional international faculty exchanges to provide hands-on, case-based, and bedside training to achieve competency-based outcomes. In targeting specific educational needs and a key population-the next generation of Cambodian intensivists-this carefully designed approach should address some existing gaps in the health care system and hopefully yield a lasting impact.

Objectives Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Etiological data for Cambodia is scarce. We aimed to describe the main etiological agents causing CAP, and their resistance patterns in Cambodia and the greater Mekong region. Methods A review of bacterial etiologies of CAP and antimicrobial resistance in Cambodia and neighboring countries was conducted via: (1) a systematic review of published literature in all NCBI databases using Pubmed, Google scholar, EMBASE, the World Health Organization and the Cambodian Ministry of Health libraries; (2) a review of unpublished data from Cambodia provided by national and international stakeholders working at different tiers of the healthcare system. Results Twenty three articles and five data sources reported etiologies for 5919 CAP patients diagnosed between May 1995 and December 2012, including 1421 (24.0%), 3571 (60.3%) and 927 (15.7%) from Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, respectively. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae were the most common pathogens ranking among the five most prevalent in 12 and 10 studies, respectively. Gram-negative bacteria such as Burkholderia pseudomallei and Klebsiella pneumoniae were also frequently diagnosed, particularly in bacteremic CAP in Thai adults and Cambodian children. In Thailand and Vietnam, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae were frequently identified in settings using indirect laboratory testing. Conclusions Based on this analysis, CAP data in Cambodia seems to present etiological and resistance profiles comparable to those of neighboring countries. Findings have been shared with the national authorities upon the revision of the national therapeutic guidelines and were disseminated using a specially created website.

International audience; OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence, characteristics, and outcome of cutaneous ischemia, and whether it can occur in systemic necrotizing vasculitides (SNVs), i.e., polyarteritis nodosa, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all patients with SNV who were included in the French Vasculitis Study Group cohort database between March 1963 and September 2007. We compared characteristics and outcomes for patients with and without cutaneous ischemia (digital necrosis and/or isolated necrotic cutaneous ulcers). RESULTS: Among the 1304 patients with a diagnosis of SNVs, 40 (3.1%) had digital necrosis and 25 (1.9%) had isolated necrotic cutaneous ulcers, with an equal distribution among SNVs. Presence of cutaneous ischemia was associated with past and/or current smoking [odds ratio (OR), 1.73; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.02-2.95] and history of coronary artery disease (2.40; 1.01-6.00), as well as with other cutaneous manifestations (6.54; 3.21-8.67), gastrointestinal tract perforations (4.29; 1.41-13.07), and arthralgias (1.84; 1.10-3.07) during diagnosis. Ten patients with digital necrosis underwent extremity amputation, but no patient with isolated necrotic cutaneous ulcers (p = 0.007) underwent it. Smoking was the main risk factor of amputation (OR, 9.1; 1.7-48.9). At a mean follow-up of 10 years, cutaneous ischemia was identified as an independent predictor of vasculitis relapse (hazard ratio, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.05-2.05) and all-cause death (1.66; 1.01-2.74). CONCLUSIONS: Cutaneous ischemia is a rare manifestation of SNVs but is associated with an increased risk of relapse and mortality. Tobacco use is associated with amputation, which emphasizes the importance of managing conventional cardiovascular risk factors in SNV patients.

Summary Background The prospective, randomized, open, blinded endpoint evaluation (PROBE) design has been proposed as a valid alternative to the double-blind (DB) design for trials comparing new oral anticoagulants (NOAs) with INR-adjusted vitamin K antagonists in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Objectives To determine whether the observed treatment effects of NOAs in patients with NVAF differ between PROBE/open-label trials and DB trials. Methods All phase II or III trials were eligible. The main efficacy and safety outcomes were stroke/systemic embolism (SSE) and major bleeding, respectively. Other outcomes included ischemic SSE, hemorrhagic stroke, intracranial and extracranial bleeding, myocardial infarction, and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Interaction (Cochran's chi-squared test) between PROBE and DB designs was tested. Results Thirteen studies (61 620 patients) were included. For SSE, a greater treatment effect of NOAs vs. INR-adjusted warfarin was observed in PROBE trials (RR 0.76, CI 0.65–0.89) compared with DB trials (RR 0.88, CI 0.78–0.98), but the interaction test was non-significant (P = 0.16). A significant 67% enhancement of treatment effect was found with PROBE/open-label trials compared with DB trials (interaction test, P = 0.05) for hemorrhagic stroke. No other interaction was significant. A non-significant interaction (P = 0.07) between oral direct thrombin inhibitors (RR 0.33; 0.22–0.51) and factor Xa inhibitors (RR 0.54; 0.40–0.72) was seen. No heterogeneity was found for any outcome. Conclusions Our meta-analysis showed no significant interaction of study design for the main efficacy and safety outcomes. However, the non-significantly exaggerated reduction in SSE suggests interdependence of treatment effect and PROBE design, especially for hemorrhagic stroke.

Study objective: We explored physicians' perceptions of and attitudes toward triage and end-of-life decisions for elderly critically ill patients at the emergency department (ED)–ICU interface. Methods: This was a qualitative study with thematic analysis of data collected through semistructured interviews (15 emergency physicians and 9 ICU physicians) and nonparticipant observations (324 hours, 8 units, in 2 hospitals in France). Results: Six themes emerged: (1) Physicians revealed a representation of elderly patients that comprised both negative and positive stereotypes, and expressed the concept of physiologic age. (2) These age-related factors influenced physicians' decisionmaking in resuscitate/not resuscitate situations. (3) Three main communication patterns framed the decisions: interdisciplinary decisions, decisions by 2 physicians on their own, and unilateral decisions by 1 physician; however, some physicians avoided decisions, facing uncertainty and conflicts. (4) Conflicts and communication gaps occurred at the ED- ICU interface and upstream of the ED-ICU interface. (5) End-of-life decisions were perceived as more complex in the ED, in the absence of family or of information about elderly patients' end-of-life preferences, and when there was conflict with relatives, time pressure, and a lack of training in end-of-life decisionmaking. (6) During decisionmaking, patients' safety and quality of care were potentially compromised by delayed or denied intensive care and lack of palliative care. Conclusion: These qualitative findings highlight the cognitive heuristics and biases, interphysician conflicts, and communication gaps influencing physicians' triage and end-of-life decisions for elderly critically ill patients at the ED-ICU interface and suggest strategies to improve these decisions. [Ann Emerg Med. 2016;68:28-39.]

pected. on readmission to the obstetric ward, her treatment included risperidone (2 mg/day), alprazolam (1.5 mg/day), the phenothiazine antipsychotic cyamemazine (62.5 mg/day), and the anticholinergic tropatepine (10 mg/day). Antibiotic treatment was started to treat a possible infection. Unlike in her previous postpartum episodes, Mrs. G’s mental status responded only partially to antipsychotic treatment. A liaison psychiatry consultation was requested. the liaison psychiatrist found a mildly agitated and disoriented young woman who had wet herself and was circling around her bed. the patient was logorrheic, and her speech, which was mostly incoherent, revealed memory impairment. Strikingly, this mild state of confusion fluctuated during the interview, confirming midwives’ reports of hourly changes in the patient’s behavior. Mrs. G anxiously expressed feelings of guilt toward her newborn and the belief that her diagnosis of postpartum psychosis made her less able to take care of her children. She displayed no anger toward her children and no ideas of persecution, infanticide, or suicide. She also expressed the belief that “God talks to humankind through premonitory dreams or providential meetings,” a claim that had previously been interpreted as a mystic delusion. However, it appeared that this view was part of her cultural and religious background, as was later confirmed by her husband, who reported that she had held this belief for a long time and that it was shared by her relatives. overall, Mrs. G was more confused and less delusional than one would have expected in a typical postpartum psychosis. Puzzled by this clinical picture, the psychiatrist reconsidered the diagnosis of postpartum psychosis and extended his examination to assess the differential diagnosis. He found that Mrs. G had chronic headaches and a habitual reluctance to consume meat. His clinical examination revealed little; the patient had a well-tolerated fever, stable blood pressure and pulse, and no signs of severe sepsis. A neurological examination was unremarkable. the psychiatrist ordered immediate blood tests, including ammonia levels. Within an hour, hyperammonemia was confirmed (224 μmol/liter, controls

Purpose of review Conflicts occur frequently in the ICU. Research on ICU conflicts is an emerging field, with only few recent studies being available on intrateam and team-family conflicts. Research on communication in the ICU is developing at a faster pace. Recent findings Recent findings come from one multinational epidemiological survey on intrateam conflicts and one qualitative study on the causes and consequences of conflicts. Advances in research on communication with families in the ICU have improved our understanding of team-family and intrateam conflicts, thus suggesting targets for improvement. Summary Data about ICU conflicts depend on conflict definition, study designs (qualitative versus quantitative), patient case-mix, and detection bias. Conflicts perceived by caregivers are frequent and consist mainly in intrateam conflicts. The two main sources of conflicts in the ICU are end-of-life decisions and communication issues. Conflicts negatively impact patient safety, patient/family-centered care, and team welfare and cohesion. They generate staff burnout and increase healthcare costs. Further qualitative studies rooted in social-science theories about workplace conflicts are needed to better understand the typology of ICU conflicts (sources and consequences) and to address complex ICU conflicts that involve systems as opposed to people. Conflict prevention and resolution are complex issues requiring multimodal interventions. Clinical research in this field is insufficiently developed, and no guidelines are available so far. Prevention strategies need to be developed along two axes: improved understanding of family experience, preferences, and values, as well as evidence-based communication may reduce team-family conflicts and organizational measures including restoring leadership, multidisciplinary teamwork, and improved communication within the team may prevent intrateam conflicts in the ICU.

Care near the end of life (EOL) for critically ill patients is emerging as an essential task in cardiology and heart failure (HF) management. Professional recommendations were recently published on this topic and a consensus exists that research and debate in this area need further progress. In the field of critical care medicine, development of research about EOL care was substantial during the last decade. The growing incidence of decisions to forgo life-sustaining therapies (DFLSTs) stimulated ethical debates and led to official statements of European and American intensive care medicine societies. This chapter discusses the interdisciplinary aspects of EOL care by reviewing the critical care medicine literature concerning EOL care in the intensive care unit (ICU), for the benefit of physicians involved in EOL care for critically ill patients with HF. First, EOL decisions in the ICU, their incidence, and the legal/ethical background of the decision-making process leading to DFLSTs are reviewed, with comparison with data available about patients with HF.

Bronchodilators are frequently used in ICU patients, and are the most common medications administered by inhalation during mechanical ventilation. The amount of bronchodilator that deposits at its site of action depends on the amount of drug, inhaled mass, deposited mass, and particle size distribution. Mechanical ventilation challenges both inhaled mass and lung deposition by specific features, such as a ventilatory circuit, an endotracheal tube, and ventilator settings. Comprehensive in vitro studies have shown that an endotracheal tube is not as significant a barrier for the drug to travel as anticipated. Key variables of drug deposition are attachments of the inhalation device in the inspiratory line 10 to 30 cm to the endotracheal tube, use of chamber with metered-dose inhaler, dry air, high tidal volume, low respiratory frequency, and low inspiratory flow, which can increase the drug deposition. In vivo studies showed that a reduction by roughly 15% of the respiratory resistance was achieved with inhaled bronchodilators during invasive mechanical ventilation. The role of ventilatory settings is not as clear in vivo, and primary factors for optimal delivery and physiologic effects were medication dose and device location. Nebulizers and pressurized metered-dose inhalers can equally achieve physiologic end points. The effects of bronchodilators should be carefully evaluated, which can easily be done with the interrupter technique. With the non-invasive ventilation, the data regarding drug delivery and physiologic effects are still limited. With the bilevel ventilators the inhalation device should be located between the leak port and face mask. Further studies should investigate the effects of inhaled bronchodilators on patient outcome and methods to optimize delivery of inhaled bronchodilators during non-invasive ventilation.

Care surrounding end-of-life has become a major topic in the intensive care medicine literature. Cultural and regional variations are associated with transatlantic debates about decisions to forego life-sustaining therapies and lead to recent international statements. The aim of this review is to provide insight into the decisions to forego life sustaining therapies and end-of-life care in Europe.Although decisions to forego life-sustaining therapies are increasingly made in European countries, frequency and characteristics of end-of-life care are still heterogeneous. Moreover, even though many determinants of these variations have been identified, epidemiologic and interventional studies still provide additional information. In agreement with public opinions, recent European laws have emphasized the patient's autonomy. In real life, advance care planning is rarely used. Decisions are often made by caregivers (physicians and nurses) or families, these latter being less involved than in North America. Not only ethic divergences between physicians but also cultural variations account for this disparity.To optimize end-of-life care in the intensive care unit, there is an urgent need for the development of palliative and multidisciplinary care in Europe. Furthermore, it highlights the need for culturally competent care, adapted to needs and values of every single patient and family. In addition, a lack of communication with families and within the medical team, an uninformed public about end-of-life issues, and insufficient training of intensive care unit staff are crucial barriers to end-of-life care development. Special awareness of professionals and innovative research are needed to promote a high-standard of end-of-life care in the intensive care unit.

Journal de Gynecologie Obstetrique et Biologie de la Reproduction - Vol. 41 - N° 1 - p. 100-101

Background Postoperative delirium is common in the elderly and is associated with a significant increase in mortality, complications, length of hospital stay and admission in long care facility. Although several interventions have proved their effectiveness to prevent it, the Cochrane advises an assessment of multifaceted intervention using rigorous methodology based on randomized study design. Our purpose is to present the methodology and expected results of the CONFUCIUS trial, which aims to measure the impact of a multifaceted program on the prevention of postoperative delirium in elderly. Method/Design Study design is a stepped wedge cluster randomized trial within 3 surgical wards of three French university hospitals. All patients aged 75 and older, and admitted for scheduled surgery will be included. The multifaceted program will be conducted by mobile geriatric team, including geriatric preoperative consultation, training of the surgical staff and implementation of the Hospital Elder Life Program, and morbidity and mortality conference related to delirium cases. The primary outcome is based on postoperative delirium rate within 7 days after surgery. This program is planned to be implemented along four successive time periods within all the surgical wards. Each one will be affected successively to the control arm and to the intervention arm of the trial and the order of program introduction within each surgical ward will be randomly assigned. Based on a 20% reduction of postoperative delirium rate (ICC = 0.25, α = 0.05, β = 0.1), three hundred sixty patients will be included i.e. thirty patients per service and per time period. Endpoints comparison between intervention and control arms of the trial will be performed by considering the cluster and time effects. Discussion Better prevention of delirium is expected from the multifaceted program, including a decrease of postoperative delirium, and its consequences (mortality, morbidity, postoperative complications and length of hospital stay) among elderly patients. This study should allow better diagnosis of delirium and strengthen the collaboration between surgical and mobile geriatric teams. Should the program have a substantial impact on the prevention of postoperative delirium in elderly, it could be extended to other facilities. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01316965

Observational studies are necessary to improve our understanding of ICU elderly patients' outcome. However, we plead for cautious analysis of these epidemiologic data, in order to properly develop prognostic scores.

Introduction Behcet’s disease is a systemic vasculitis characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcers, cutaneous lesions,ocular,neurological and vascular manifestations.Vascular involvement affects arteries and veins,and includes thrombophlebitis,arterial obstruction and aneurysms.Arteries are less involved than veins,and coronary artery involvement seems to be rare in Behcet’s disease. Objectives: We report a case of 18-year-old man with Behcet’s disease since the age of seven,presenting with acute myocardial infarction due to occlusion of the left marginal artery. Materials & methods: The patient,from Egyptian and Lebanese parents,born on the 21/12/1991,was followed since his childhood for a chronic relapsing inflammatory disease manifesting with recurrent pericarditis,recurrent uveitis,recurrent mouth and anal aphthous and fever,and was considered to have a periodic disease with positive heterozygous mutation.He was on Colchicine 1-2mg since the age of 6 and received sometimes steroids when feeling not so well. He presented with acute chest pain on the 21/10/2008 and was treated on admission with colchicine and NSAIDS for a suspicion of pericarditis,the cardiac enzymes levels were elevated: Troponin:39.9 μg/l (Normal