Cardiac remodeling associated with chronic kidney disease is enhanced in a rat model of metabolic syndrome: Preparation of mesenchymal transition.

Cardiac alteration due to chronic kidney disease is described by tissue fibrosis. This remodeling involves myofibroblasts of various origins, including epithelial or endothelial to mesenchymal transitions. In addition, obesity and insulin resistance together or separately seem to exacerbate cardiovascular risk in chronic kidney disease (CKD). The main objective of this study was to assess if pre-existing metabolic disease exacerbates CKD-induced cardiac alterations. In addition, we hypothesised that endothelial to mesenchymal transition participates in this enhancement of cardiac fibrosis. Rats fed cafeteria type diet for 6 months underwent a subtotal nephrectomy at 4 months. Cardiac fibrosis was evaluated by histology and qRT-PCR. Collagens and macrophages were quantified by immunohistochemistry. Endothelial to mesenchymal transitions were assessed by qRT-PCR (CD31, VE-cadherin, α-SMA, nestin) and also by CD31 immunofluorescence staining. Rats fed with cafeteria type regimen were obese, hypertensive and insulin resistant. Cardiac fibrosis was predominant in CKD rats and was highly majored by cafeteria regimen. Collagen-1 and nestin expressions were higher in CKD rats, independently of regimen. Interestingly, in rats with CKD and cafeteria diet we found an increase of CD31 and α-SMA co-staining with suggest an implication of endothelial to mesenchymal transition during heart fibrosis. We showed that rats already obese and insulin resistant had an enhanced cardiac alteration to a subsequent renal injury. Cardiac fibrosis process could be supported by a involvement of the endothelial to mesenchymal transition phenomenon.

Designing simulation-based curriculum content for emergency medicine residents in France: a Delphi method.

BACKGROUND: The value of simulation in emergency medicine is indisputable because it allows training and acquisition of many technical and non-technical skills (TS and NTS). In France, there are no curriculum regarding the use of simulation as a teaching tool during emergency medicine residency. The aim of this study was to design the content of a national simulation-based curriculum for emergency medicine residency programs. METHODS: The Delphi method was conducted between March and June 2022. The questionnaire was divided into three sections: TS, NTS and clinical situations as starting points (SSPs). A panel of emergency physicians' experts on simulation education was established. An online survey was conducted in which they were asked to score, on a four-point Likert scale, the suitability of skills and SSPs to be taught through simulation courses during the emergency medicine residency. The questionnaire was revised between each round following comments or suggestions for additional items from the experts. RESULTS: Sixty-six experts completed the Delphi process. The initial questionnaire included 64 TS, 37 NTS and 103 SSPs. The experts' comments led to the addition of 12 TS, 24 NTS and 6 SSPs. Consensus was obtained after three rounds. The experts selected 24 TS and 20 NTS to be taught as a priority through simulation during the emergency medicine residency, and 15 SSPs to be used in priority. CONCLUSION: With a Delphi method, French experts in simulation-based emergency medicine education have selected 24 technical and 20 non-technical skills to be taught as a priority with simulation-based training to emergency medicine residents.

Derivation and validation of a risk-stratification model for patients with probable or proven COVID-19 in EDs: the revised HOME-CoV score.

BACKGROUND: The HOME-CoV (Hospitalisation or Outpatient ManagEment of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection) score is a validated list of uniquely clinical criteria indicating which patients with probable or proven COVID-19 can be treated at home. The aim of this study was to optimise the score to improve its ability to discriminate between patients who do and do not need admission. METHODS: A revised HOME-CoV score was derived using data from a previous prospective multicentre study which evaluated the original Home-CoV score. Patients with proven or probable COVID-19 attending 34 EDs in France, Monaco and Belgium between April and May 2020 were included. The population was split into a derivation and validation sample corresponding to the observational and interventional phases of the original study. The main outcome was non-invasive or invasive ventilation or all-cause death within 7 days following inclusion. Two threshold values were defined using a sensitivity of >0.9 and a specificity of >0.9 to identify low-risk and high-risk patients, respectively. The revised HOME-CoV score was then validated by retrospectively applying it to patients in the same EDs with proven or probable COVID-19 during the interventional phase. The revised HOME-CoV score was also tested against original HOME-CoV, qCSI, qSOFA, CRB65 and SMART-COP in this validation cohort. RESULTS: There were 1696 patients in the derivation cohort, of whom 65 (3.8%) required non-invasive ventilation or mechanical ventilation or died within 7 days and 1304 patients in the validation cohort, of whom 22 (1.7%) had a progression of illness. The revised score included seven clinical criteria. The area under the curve (AUC) was 87.6 (95% CI 84.7 to 90.6). The cut-offs to define low-risk and high-risk patients were <2 and >3, respectively. In the validation cohort, the AUC was 85.8 (95% CI 80.6 to 91.0). A score of <2 qualified 73% of patients as low risk with a sensitivity of 0.77 (0.55-0.92) and a negative predictive value of 0.99 (0.99-1.00). CONCLUSION: The revised HOME-CoV score, which does not require laboratory testing, may allow accurate risk stratification and safely qualify a significant proportion of patients with probable or proven COVID-19 for home treatment.

Intensified screening for SARS-CoV-2 in 18 emergency departments in the Paris metropolitan area, France (DEPIST-COVID): A cluster-randomized, two-period, crossover trial.

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic and paucisymptomatic infections account for a substantial portion of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmissions. The value of intensified screening strategies, especially in emergency departments (EDs), in reaching asymptomatic and paucisymptomatic patients and helping to improve detection and reduce transmission has not been documented. The objective of this study was to evaluate in EDs whether an intensified SARS-CoV-2 screening strategy combining nurse-driven screening for asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic patients with routine practice (intervention) could contribute to higher detection of SARS-CoV-2 infections compared to routine practice alone, including screening for symptomatic or hospitalized patients (control). METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a cluster-randomized, two-period, crossover trial from February 2021 to May 2021 in 18 EDs in the Paris metropolitan area, France. All adults visiting the EDs were eligible. At the start of the first period, 18 EDs were randomized to the intervention or control strategy by balanced block randomization with stratification, with the alternative condition being applied in the second period. During the control period, routine screening for SARS-CoV-2 included screening for symptomatic or hospitalized patients. During the intervention period, in addition to routine screening practice, a questionnaire about risk exposure and symptoms and a SARS-CoV-2 screening test were offered by nurses to all remaining asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic patients. The primary outcome was the proportion of newly diagnosed SARS-CoV-2-positive patients among all adults visiting the 18 EDs. Primary analysis was by intention-to-treat. The primary outcome was analyzed using a generalized linear mixed model (Poisson distribution) with the center and center by period as random effects and the strategy (intervention versus control) and period (modeled as a weekly categorical variable) as fixed effects with additional adjustment for community incidence. During the intervention and control periods, 69,248 patients and 69,104 patients, respectively, were included for a total of 138,352 patients. Patients had a median age of 45.0 years [31.0, 63.0], and women represented 45.7% of the patients. During the intervention period, 6,332 asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic patients completed the questionnaire; 4,283 were screened for SARS-CoV-2 by nurses, leading to 224 new SARS-CoV-2 diagnoses. A total of 1,859 patients versus 2,084 patients were newly diagnosed during the intervention and control periods, respectively (adjusted analysis: 26.7/1,000 versus 26.2/1,000, adjusted relative risk: 1.02 (95% confidence interval (CI) [0.94, 1.11]; p = 0.634)). The main limitation of this study is that it was conducted in a rapidly evolving epidemiological context. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed that intensified screening for SARS-CoV-2 in EDs was unlikely to identify a higher proportion of newly diagnosed patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04756609.

Injuries caused by defensive bullet launchers and resource utilization during the French yellow vests protests: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: In 2018, the French "Yellow Vest" social protest movement spread with weekly demonstrations resulting in confrontations between protesters and law enforcement. Non-lethal weapons, such as defensive bullet launchers (DBL) were used, and significant injuries have been reported through media, leading to public controversy regarding their use. These injuries are not well-known to civilian emergency physicians. The aim of this study is to describe the injuries caused by DBL among Emergency Department (ED) patients during these demonstrations and to identify the characteristics that required specialized care and hospital admission. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was conducted in 7 EDs of academic hospitals in Paris, France. Adult ED patients who presented with DBL injuries during "yellow vest" strikes between November 2018 and May 2019 were included. The primary outcome was the rate of DBL patients requiring hospital admission. We also compared the characteristics of the injuries and the care provided between the admitted patients and other DBL patients. RESULTS: 152 patients were included. 17% were admitted to hospital, with 19% of them being transferred to intensive care units. 49% of all patients had head, face, eye or neck injuries including 4 cases of intracranial hemorrhage, 1 carotide dissection, 1 laryngeal edema, 1 pneumencephalus. 11% of all patients presented with multiple wounds, and 28% had fractures (77% of admitted patients vs 18%, p < 0.001). Surgery was required for 20% of all patients (62% of admitted patients vs 10%, p < 0.001). Maxillofacial surgery was performed on 38% of admitted patients, orthopedic surgery on 25%, and neurosurgery on 13%. No death were reported. CONCLUSION: The use of DBL during the "yellow vest" civil strikes was associated with a high rate of head, face, eye or neck injuries among injured ED patients. Hospital admission was associated with a higher rate of fractures, with most of them requiring maxillofacial, orthopedic and neurosurgeries.

Comparison Between Lung Ultrasonography Score in the Emergency Department and Clinical Outcomes of Patients With or With Suspected COVID-19: An Observational Multicentric Study.

OBJECTIVE: Chest CT is the reference test for assessing pulmonary injury in suspected or diagnosed COVID-19 with signs of clinical severity. This study aimed to evaluate the association of a lung ultrasonography score and unfavorable clinical evolution at 28 days. METHODS: The eChoVid is a multicentric study based on routinely collected data that was conducted in 8 emergency units in France; patients were included between March 19, 2020 and April 28, 2020 and underwent lung ultrasonography, a short clinical assessment by 2 emergency physicians blinded to each other's assessment, and chest CT. Lung ultrasonography consisted of scoring lesions from 0 to 3 in 8 chest zones, thus defining a global score (GS) of severity from 0 to 24. The primary outcome was the association of lung damage severity as assessed by the GS at day 0 and patient status at 28 days. Secondary outcomes were comparing the performance between GS and CT scan and the performance between a new trainee physician and an ultrasonography expert in scores. RESULTS: For the 328 patients analyzed, the GS showed good performance in predicting clinical worsening at 28 days (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] 0.83, sensitivity 84.2%, specificity 76.4%). The GS showed good performance in predicting the CT severity assessment (AUC 0.84, sensitivity 77.2%, specificity 83.7%). CONCLUSION: A lung ultrasonography GS is a simple tool that can be used in the emergency department to predict unfavorable assessment at 28 days in patients with COVID-19.

Comparison of Patients Infected With Delta Versus Omicron COVID-19 Variants Presenting to Paris Emergency Departments : A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: At the end of 2021, the B.1.1.529 SARS-CoV-2 variant (Omicron) wave superseded the B.1.617.2 variant (Delta) wave. OBJECTIVE: To compare baseline characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection with the Delta variant versus the Omicron variant in the emergency department (ED). DESIGN: Retrospective chart reviews. SETTING: 13 adult EDs in academic hospitals in the Paris area from 29 November 2021 to 10 January 2022. PATIENTS: Patients with a positive reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result for SARS-CoV-2 and variant identification. MEASUREMENTS: Main outcome measures were baseline clinical and biological characteristics at ED presentation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation, and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: A total of 3728 patients had a positive RT-PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2 during the study period; 1716 patients who had a variant determination (818 Delta and 898 Omicron) were included. Median age was 58 years, and 49% were women. Patients infected with the Omicron variant were younger (54 vs. 62 years; difference, 8.0 years [95% CI, 4.6 to 11.4 years]), had a lower rate of obesity (8.0% vs. 12.5%; difference, 4.5 percentage points [CI, 1.5 to 7.5 percentage points]), were more vaccinated (65% vs. 39% for 1 dose and 22% vs. 11% for 3 doses), had a lower rate of dyspnea (26% vs. 50%; difference, 23.6 percentage points [CI, 19.0 to 28.2 percentage points]), and had a higher rate of discharge home from the ED (59% vs. 37%; difference, 21.9 percentage points [-26.5 to -17.1 percentage points]). Compared with Delta, Omicron infection was independently associated with a lower risk for ICU admission (adjusted difference, 11.4 percentage points [CI, 8.4 to 14.4 percentage points]), mechanical ventilation (adjusted difference, 3.6 percentage points [CI, 1.7 to 5.6 percentage points]), and in-hospital mortality (adjusted difference, 4.2 percentage points [CI, 2.0 to 6.5 percentage points]). LIMITATION: Patients with COVID-19 illness and no SARS-CoV-2 variant determination in the ED were excluded. CONCLUSION: Compared with the Delta variant, infection with the Omicron variant in patients in the ED had different clinical and biological patterns and was associated with better in-hospital outcomes, including higher survival. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: None.

Effect of Noninvasive Airway Management of Comatose Patients With Acute Poisoning: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Tracheal intubation is recommended for coma patients and those with severe brain injury, but its use in patients with decreased levels of consciousness from acute poisoning is uncertain. Objective: To determine the effect of intubation withholding vs routine practice on clinical outcomes of comatose patients with acute poisoning and a Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 9. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a multicenter, randomized trial conducted in 20 emergency departments and 1 intensive care unit (ICU) that included comatose patients with suspected acute poisoning and a Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 9 in France between May 16, 2021, and April 12, 2023, and followed up until May 12, 2023. Intervention: Patients were randomized to undergo conservative airway strategy of intubation withholding vs routine practice. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was a hierarchical composite end point of in-hospital death, length of ICU stay, and length of hospital stay. Key secondary outcomes included adverse events resulting from intubation as well as pneumonia within 48 hours. Results: Among the 225 included patients (mean age, 33 years; 38% female), 116 were in the intervention group and 109 in the control group, with respective proportions of intubations of 16% and 58%. No patients died during the in-hospital stay. There was a significant clinical benefit for the primary end point in the intervention group, with a win ratio of 1.85 (95% CI, 1.33 to 2.58). In the intervention group, there was a lower proportion with any adverse event (6% vs 14.7%; absolute risk difference, 8.6% [95% CI, -16.6% to -0.7%]) compared with the control group, and pneumonia occurred in 8 (6.9%) and 16 (14.7%) patients, respectively (absolute risk difference, -7.8% [95% CI, -15.9% to 0.3%]). Conclusions and Relevance: Among comatose patients with suspected acute poisoning, a conservative strategy of withholding intubation was associated with a greater clinical benefit for the composite end point of in-hospital death, length of ICU stay, and length of hospital stay. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04653597.

IgG3 donor-specific antibodies with a proinflammatory glycosylation profile may be associated with the risk of antibody-mediated rejection after kidney transplantation.

The pathogenicity of de novo donor-specific antibodies (dnDSA) varies according to their characteristics. While their MFI, complement-fixing ability, and IgG3 subclass are associated with ABMR occurrence and graft loss, they are not fully predictive of outcomes. We investigated the role of the Fc glycosylation of IgG3 dnDSA in ABMR occurrence using mass spectrometry after isolation by single HLA antigen beads. Between 2014 and 2018, we enrolled 54 patients who developed dnDSA (ABMR- n = 24; ABMR+ n = 30) in two French transplant centers. Fucosylation, galactosylation, GlcNAc bisection, and sialylation of IgG3 dnDSA were compared between ABMR+ and ABMR- patients. IgG3 dnDSA from ABMR+ patients exhibited significantly lower sialylation (7.5% vs. 10.5%, p < .001) and higher GlcNAc bisection (20.6% vs. 17.4%, p = .008). Fucosylation and galactosylation were similar in both groups. DSA glycosylation was not correlated with DSA MFI. In a multivariate analysis, low IgG3 sialylation, high IgG3%, time from transplantation to kidney biopsy, and tacrolimus-free regimen were independent predictive factors of ABMR. We conclude that a proinflammatory glycosylation profile of IgG3 dnDSA is associated with a risk of ABMR occurrence. Further studies are needed to confirm the clinical interest of DSA glycosylation and to clarify its role in determining the risk of ABMR and graft survival.

[Anaphylaxis and pathophysiology]. / Physiopathologie de l'anaphylaxie.

Anaphylaxis is the most severe of the allergic hypersensitivity reactions. It is caused by the release of mediators from blood components such as mast cells and basophils into the bloodstream. Anaphylaxis is a common disease, its diagnosis is clinical and, given its pathophysiology, the treatment of choice is adrenaline.

[A trilogy to understand: adrenalin, allergy and anaphylaxis]. / Une trilogie à bien appréhender : adrénaline, allergie et anaphylaxie.

Allergy, anaphylaxis and adrenaline are three closely related terms in medicine. Upon identification or suspicion of anaphylaxis, adrenaline should be administered as soon as possible. An allergy can be characterised by anything from a simple skin rash to severe vital parameter abnormalities. The role of the reception nurse will be first to identify clinically relevant features, to assign the right level of triage to the patient and adjust the care pathway.

[Care in the first hours]. / Anaphylaxie : prise en charge des premières heures.

Isolated mucocutaneous involvement and anaphylaxis are two frequent pathologies in the emergency room. Recognition of the symptoms and the rapidity of treatment are essential for the clinical evolution. Monitoring and standardisation of patient discharge from the emergency department is a guarantee of quality and reduces the risk of morbidity and mortality.

[Angioedema and anaphylaxis, a family story]. / Angiœdème et anaphylaxie, une histoire de famille.

Non-allergic angioedema has a worrying morbidity. Clinical examination is central, as C1-esterase inhibitor deficiency will not be documented in the acute phase. In the case of anaphylaxis that does not respond to adrenaline, an early diagnosis can optimise referral of the patient to a reference healthcare establishment for a specific therapeutic protocol (icatibant, C1 inhibitor) recently updated by recommendations.

Contactin-1 is a novel target antigen in membranous nephropathy associated with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

Primary membranous nephropathy (MN) is an autoimmune glomerular disease in which autoantibodies are directed against podocyte proteins. In about 80% of cases the main targeted antigen is the phospholipase A2 receptor 1 (PLA2R1). Anti-PLA2R1 antibodies are mainly immunoglobulin G type 4 (IgG4). However, the antigenic target remains to be defined in 20% of cases. MN can be associated with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, an autoimmune disease of the peripheral nervous system where a common antigenic target has yet to be identified. To ascertain a possible novel target antigen, we analyzed kidney biopsies from five patients positive for anti-contactin 1 antibodies and presenting with MN combined with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Eluted IgG from biopsy sections against contactin 1 and nerve tissue were screened. Western blot revealed contactin 1 expression in normal kidney glomeruli. Confocal microscopic analysis showed the presence and colocalization of contactin 1 and IgG4 on the glomerular basement membrane of these patients. Glomerular contactin 1 was absent in patients with anti-PLA2R1-associated MN or membranous lupus nephritis or a healthy control. The eluted IgG from contactin 1-positive biopsy sections but not the IgG eluted from patients with PLA2R1 MN bound contactin 1 with the main eluted subclass IgG4. Eluted IgG could bind paranodal tissue (myelinated axon) and colocalized with commercial anti-contactin 1 antibody. Thus, contactin 1 is a novel common antigenic target in MN associated with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. However, the precise pathophysiology remains to be elucidated.

Evaluating 10 Commercially Available SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Serological Tests by Use of the STARD (Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies) Method.

Numerous severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) rapid serological tests have been developed, but their accuracy has usually been assessed using very few samples, and rigorous comparisons between these tests are scarce. In this study, we evaluated and compared 10 commercially available SARS-CoV-2 rapid serological tests using the STARD (Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies) methodology. Two hundred fifty serum samples from 159 PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 patients (collected 0 to 32 days after the onset of symptoms) were tested with rapid serological tests. Control serum samples (n = 254) were retrieved from pre-coronavirus disease (COVID) periods from patients with other coronavirus infections (n = 11), positivity for rheumatoid factors (n = 3), IgG/IgM hyperglobulinemia (n = 9), malaria (n = 5), or no documented viral infection (n = 226). All samples were tested using rapid lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs) from 10 manufacturers. Only four tests achieved ≥98% specificity, with the specificities ranging from 75.7% to 99.2%. The sensitivities varied by the day of sample collection after the onset of symptoms, from 31.7% to 55.4% (days 0 to 9), 65.9% to 92.9% (days 10 to 14), and 81.0% to 95.2% (>14 days). Only three of the tests evaluated met French health authorities' thresholds for SARS-CoV-2 serological tests (≥90% sensitivity and ≥98% specificity). Overall, the performances varied greatly between tests, with only one-third meeting acceptable specificity and sensitivity thresholds. Knowledge of the analytical performances of these tests will allow clinicians and, most importantly, laboratorians to use them with more confidence; could help determine the general population's immunological status; and may help diagnose some patients with false-negative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) results.

Epidemiology and risk factors for ureteral stent-associated urinary tract infections in non-transplanted renal patients: a systematic review of the literature.

PURPOSE: Pathophysiology and risk factors for Ureteral Stent-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (USAUTI) have been poorly investigated. This situation results in highly diverse practices regarding USAUTI prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The aim of the present study was to describe the epidemiology and risk factors for USAUTI in non-transplanted patients. METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review based on a comprehensive PubMed® bibliographic strategy, between October 1998 and March 2020. The methodological quality of the studies included was analyzed according to dedicated grids. The main endpoints were the correlation between different potential risk factors and infection ureteral stent-associated urinary tract infection or colonization rate. Conclusions and their level of evidence were reported on the basis of a critical analysis of the best available scientific evidence. This work has been submitted to a national review, which enabled the potentially divergent opinions of experts to be collected, thereby ensuring adequate quality of data. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Twenty-six studies out of the 505 articles identified, were included in the final analysis. Staphylococcus spp, E. coli, Klebsiella spp, Pseudomona aeruginosa, Enterococcus spp. and Candida spp. were the microorganisms most often responsible for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) or USAUTI. Longer indwelling time, diabetes mellitus, female gender, chronic renal failure, diabetic nephropathy and cancer were identified as risk factors for ABU and ureteral stent colonization. No specific risk factor for UTI was identified in the literature studied. A causal relationship between ureteral stent colonization and USAUTI or urosepsis remains to be demonstrated.

White blood count, D-dimers, and ferritin levels as predictive factors of pulmonary embolism suspected upon admission in noncritically ill COVID-19 patients: The French multicenter CLOTVID retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: A high prevalence of pulmonary embolism (PE) has been described during COVID-19. Our aim was to identify predictive factors of PE in non-ICU hospitalized COVID-19 patients. METHODS: Data and outcomes were collected upon admission during a French multicenter retrospective study, including patients hospitalized for COVID-19, with a CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) performed in the emergency department for suspected PE. Predictive factors significantly associated with PE were identified through a multivariate regression model. RESULTS: A total of 88 patients (median [IQR] age of 68 years [60-78]) were analyzed. Based on CTPA, 47 (53.4%) patients were diagnosed with PE, and 41 were not. D-dimer ≥3000 ng/mL (OR 8.2 [95% CI] 1.3-74.2, sensitivity (Se) 0.84, specificity (Sp) 0.78, P = .03), white blood count (WBC) ≥12.0 G/L (29.5 [2.3-1221.2], Se 0.47, Sp 0.92, P = .02), and ferritin ≥480 µg/L (17.0 [1.7-553.3], Se 0.96, Sp 0.44, P = .03) were independently associated with the PE diagnosis. The presence of the double criterion D-dimer ≥3000 ng/mL and WBC ≥12.0 G/L was greatly associated with PE (OR 21.4 [4.0-397.9], P = .004). CONCLUSION: The white blood count, the D-dimer and ferritin levels could be used as an indication for CTPA to confirm PE on admission in non-ICU COVID-19 patients.

A French cohort of patients with giant cell arteritis: glucocorticoid treatment and its associated side effects.

OBJECTIVES: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common primary large-vessel vasculitis. Glucocorticoids (GC) therapy remains the standard of care for GCA despite frequent side effects (SEs). However, treatment modality changes, prophylactic treatment of osteoporosis, or vaccinations might have decreased the frequency of GC-related SEs. This study aims to describe GCA treatment and GC-related SEs in a recent cohort. METHODS: Patients with a diagnosis of GCA between May 2009 and March 2018 were included in this multicentric retrospective study. Characteristics of patients, treatment modalities and GC-related SEs were collected and analysed. Risk factors associated with the occurrence of SE were studied. RESULTS: We analysed the files from 206 patients (153 women, 53 men; median age 74 years). Median follow-up was 34 months. Patients received GC for a median of 25 months, starting at 0.7 mg/kg/day, with tapering to 5 mg/day after 11 months follow-up. Flares occurred in 83/201 (41%) patients. Among the 132 patients who stopped GC, 29 (22%) experienced a relapse. SEs occurred in 129 (64%) patients: bone fractures and infections in 13% each and hypertension onset in 9%. Age >75 years, treatment duration >2 years, past medical history of diabetes were risk factors associated with GC-related SEs. CONCLUSIONS: Flares occur in 41% of patients during GC withdrawal. As much as 64% of patients had treatment related SEs. An age> 75 year and a past medical history of diabetes were predictive of SEs during follow-up.

Effect of a Diagnostic Strategy Using an Elevated and Age-Adjusted D-Dimer Threshold on Thromboembolic Events in Emergency Department Patients With Suspected Pulmonary Embolism: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Uncontrolled studies suggest that pulmonary embolism (PE) can be safely ruled out using the YEARS rule, a diagnostic strategy that uses varying D-dimer thresholds. Objective: To prospectively validate the safety of a strategy that combines the YEARS rule with the pulmonary embolism rule-out criteria (PERC) rule and an age-adjusted D-dimer threshold. Design, Settings, and Participants: A cluster-randomized, crossover, noninferiority trial in 18 emergency departments (EDs) in France and Spain. Patients (N = 1414) who had a low clinical risk of PE not excluded by the PERC rule or a subjective clinical intermediate risk of PE were included from October 2019 to June 2020, and followed up until October 2020. Interventions: Each center was randomized for the sequence of intervention periods. In the intervention period (726 patients), PE was excluded without chest imaging in patients with no YEARS criteria and a D-dimer level less than 1000 ng/mL and in patients with 1 or more YEARS criteria and a D-dimer level less than the age-adjusted threshold (500 ng/mL if age <50 years or age in years × 10 in patients ≥50 years). In the control period (688 patients), PE was excluded without chest imaging if the D-dimer level was less than the age-adjusted threshold. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was venous thromboembolism (VTE) at 3 months. The noninferiority margin was set at 1.35%. There were 8 secondary end points, including chest imaging, ED length of stay, hospital admission, nonindicated anticoagulation treatment, all-cause death, and all-cause readmission at 3 months. Results: Of the 1414 included patients (mean age, 55 years; 58% female), 1217 (86%) were analyzed in the per-protocol analysis. PE was diagnosed in the ED in 100 patients (7.1%). At 3 months, VTE was diagnosed in 1 patient in the intervention group (0.15% [95% CI, 0.0% to 0.86%]) vs 5 patients in the control group (0.80% [95% CI, 0.26% to 1.86%]) (adjusted difference, -0.64% [1-sided 97.5% CI, -∞ to 0.21%], within the noninferiority margin). Of the 6 analyzed secondary end points, only 2 showed a statistically significant difference in the intervention group compared with the control group: chest imaging (30.4% vs 40.0%; adjusted difference, -8.7% [95% CI, -13.8% to -3.5%]) and ED median length of stay (6 hours [IQR, 4 to 8 hours] vs 6 hours [IQR, 5 to 9 hours]; adjusted difference, -1.6 hours [95% CI, -2.3 to -0.9]). Conclusions and Relevance: Among ED patients with suspected PE, the use of the YEARS rule combined with the age-adjusted D-dimer threshold in PERC-positive patients, compared with a conventional diagnostic strategy, did not result in an inferior rate of thromboembolic events. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04032769.

[Emergency medical assessment of the patient with psychiatric conditions]. / Évaluation médicale aux urgences du patient à présentation psychiatrique.

The evaluation by the emergency doctor of the patient presenting with a psychiatric symptom before being taken care of by the psychiatric team is described by the term medical clearance. There is little work on the performance of complementary examinations on these patients. A retrospective multicentre study conducted at the Metz-Thionville regional hospital (57) shows that at least one complementary examination was carried out in 61% of hospitalised patients, compared with 28% of non-hospitalised patients. For 2.4% of patients, the final diagnosis was organic.