Impact of Sex on Office White Coat effect Tail: A Review.

Office white-coat effect tail (OWCET) is defined as a decrease of ≥10 mmHg in systolic blood pressure (SBP) between successive measurements after its waxing during an office visit. The influence of sex on the incidence of long-term major fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events was studied in two Italian populational cohorts [from the Gubbio Study and the Italian Rural Areas of the Seven Countries Study (IRA)]. OWCET increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) [HR: 1.591 (95% CI: 1.204-2.103)], coronary heart disease (CHD) [HR: 1.614 (95% CI: 1.037-2.512)] and stroke (STR) [HR: 1.696 (95% CI: 1.123-2.563)] events independently of age, serum and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, cigarettes, body mass index (BMI) and SBP in women included in Gubbio study over an almost 20-year follow-up. However, risks of CVD, CHD or STR increased in men with OWCET neither in the Gubbio 20-year follow-up nor in the IRA 50-year follow-up. The correction of the regression dilutions bias between the first and the subsequent SBP measurements did not significantly change these outcomes. Primary care physicians should evaluate OWCET, especially in women, to improve stratification of long-term CVD, CHD and STR risks.

[Proposal of standardised and logical templates for discharge letters and discharge summaries sent to general practitioners]. / Proposition d'un contenu standardisé et raisonné pour les lettres de liaison et les comptes-rendus d'hospitalisation à destination du médecin traitant.

Background: Communication between general practitioners (GPs) and hospitals is a weak point of the French health system. Unfortunately, hospital discharge documents, a keypoint for healthcare safety and efficiency, tend to be poorly defined. This study aimed to propose standardised and logical templates for discharge letters (DL) and discharge summaries (DS) with particular attention to GPs' needs.Methods: A Delphi methodology was conducted on the findings of a systematic review of the international literature. We recruited 28 experts including producers (hospital physicians and interns), recipients (GPs, head of the medical information department, patient representatives), and other professionals using discharge documents (representative of regional health administration for inspection and control, jurist, pharmacists).Results: A consensus was reached after two rounds of consultation. According to the experts, DS should ideally be available on the last day of hospitalization, but this is rarely possible. DL have therefore become the most important document for GPs. Two standardised and logical templates were submitted to the experts for validation. The templates were considered to be pertinent by the experts and were perceived as improving several key points such as writing and reading speed, communication between hospitals and community practitioners or safety of healthcare after discharge from hospital.Conclusion: DL and DS templates will be tested in pilot hospitals by an impact study.

[Systematic review of hospital discharge summaries and general practitioners' wishes]. / Revue systématique sur les documents de sortie d’hospitalisation et les attentes des médecins généralistes.

BACKGROUND: Communication between general practitioners (GPs) and hospitals is one of the weak points of our health system. Unfortunately, hospital discharge summaries, the cornerstone of this communication, tend to be poorly defined. The purpose of this study was to identify the key elements of hospital discharges ummaries, with particular attention to GP expectations. METHOD: A systematic review of the international literature was conducted by searching Cochrane, Medline, Systeme universitaire de documentation (SUDoc) and Banque de donnees en santé publique (BDSP) databases as well as the French journals La Revue du Praticien, Prescrire and Exercer. RESULTS: This database and journal review identified 10,551 publications, 38 of which were finally included in this analysis. The preferred maximum time to reception of the discharge summary was one week. This summary should not exceed four half pages. The desired content did not differ between GPs and hospital practitioners. GPs expressed the desire for a brief liaison letter given to the patient at the time of discharge. GPs expected the discharge summary to contain the reason for admission, treatment on discharge, the main diagnosis and subsequent management. A standardized and structured form was preferred, but a narrative form was not recommended. Special attention had to be paid to treatment on discharge and outstanding results at the time of discharge. CONCLUSION: The elements identified from the literature will be used as a basis for a subsequent study designed to formalize discharge summaries for GPs.