[Patient's own medications in a Swiss regional hospital: where are we and where should we go?] / Gestion du traitement personnel des patients dans un hôpital régional suisse : état des lieux et propositions d'actions à mettre en œuvre.

OBJECTIVE: The use of patient's own medications (POMs) during inpatient admissions may represent a risk if not adequately supervised. The objective of this work was: (i) to assess the management of POMs in our hospital, and (ii) to identify actions to assure this practice. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted among caregivers of the medical, surgery and geriatric units of a Swiss regional hospital. Six criteria for appropriate management of POMs were identified from the literature and internal consensus. Based on this survey and data from literature, the investigators identified relevant actions to be implemented for optimizing the management of POMs. RESULTS: Out of the 21 included units, 3 already set an inner written POMs policy, and 3 managed POM in accordance with selected criteria. The main issues were that POMs were mainly stored in the patient's room, and that quality criteria were not systematically checked before POMs' administration. POMs were mainly used to ensure continuity of treatment. Two thirds of the units systematically returned POMs to the patients upon discharge, but rarely sorted them out before recovery. Ten actions were identified to secure the management of POMs. CONCLUSION: These results confirm that POMs are commonly used and indicate a potential for improvement in the management of POMs in our hospital. An institutional guideline is now planned to support the implementation of the identified actions.

Circulating Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (Fgf21) as Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker in Renal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The finding of new biomarkers is needed to have a better sub-classification of primary renal tumors (RCC) as well as more reliable predictors of outcome and therapy response. In this study, we evaluated the role of circulating FGF21, an endocrine factor, as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for ccRCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum samples from healthy controls (HC), clear cell and chromophobe RCC cancer patients were obtained from the serum biobank "Biobanco Público de Muestras Séricas Oncológicas" (BPMSO) of the "Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo". Serum FGF21 and leptin were measured by ELISA while other metabolic markers were measured following routinely clinical procedures. RESULTS: One of our major findings was that FGF21 levels were significantly increased in ccRCC patients compared with HC. Moreover, we showed an association between the increased serum FGF21 levels and the shorter disease free survival in a cohort of 98 ccRCC patients, after adjustment for other predictors of outcome. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that higher FGF21 serum level is an independent prognostic biomarker, associated with worse free-disease survival.

[Appropriateness of the prescriptions of conventional versus new oral anticoagulants at discharge from a department of internal medicine]. / Pertinence des prescriptions d'anticoagulants oraux à la sortie d'un service de médecine interne d'un hôpital régional suisse.

BACKGROUND: The recently introduced oral direct anticoagulants (ODAs), presumably safer, and with comparable efficacy to the vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), may reshape the world of anticoagulation medicine. This study aimed to assess the prescription appropriateness of ODAs and VKAs at discharge from hospital. METHODS: We performed a one year retrospective study between August 2012 and July 2013 in the department of internal medicine of a regional hospital (HVs Sion) using Electronic Medical Records. All patients receiving an ODA were included and matched to a patient treated with a VKA. The appropriateness of prescription at discharge was defined by an adequate indication and dosing, the absence of contraindication, a minimal risk of drug-drug interactions and no major bleeding or venous thromboembolism during the hospitalization. The bleeding risk was evaluated with the HAS-BLED score when the indication was atrial fibrillation (AF). RESULTS: Out of the 44patients included (22 with an ODA and 22 with a VKA), 38 received an appropriate prescription according to all criteria. Two patients had an inadequate dosing. A potential drug-drug interaction was detected in 3patients receiving a VKA and in 1patient receiving an ODA. No major contraindication was found, but a relative contraindication was discussed in 3cases. The majority of patients receiving an ODA for an AF had a minor bleeding risk. CONCLUSION: No significant difference was ascertained between the two groups regarding the appropriateness of prescription. Our results suggest that ODAs were cautiously used in our setting.

[Adverse effects of proton pump inhibitors: should we worry about long-term exposure?]. / Effets indésirables des inhibiteurs de la pompe à proton : faut-il craindre de les prescrire au long cours ?

Long-term treatment with proton pump inhibitors (PPI) is becoming more prevalent. Although they are well tolerated in the short term, serious concerns about long-term use have arisen. Recent data suggest that the latter is associated with an increased risk for osteoporotic fracture (especially vertebral), Clostridium difficile infection and rebound acid hypersecretion after treatment discontinuation. Acute interstitial nephritis is rare but may progress to chronic renal failure. An increased risk of community-acquired pneumonia has not been established in the general population and seems limited to the most vulnerable patients. Consistent data are still missing to correctly assess the risk of iron deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency or hypomagnesaemia and the risk of digestive malignant diseases, despite the pathophysiological basis that exists concerning gastric malignancy. Many drug interactions can occur on long-term treatment, including some that imply the cytochrome P450 enzymes. Finally, the risk-benefit balance for a chronic PPI use in children seems unfavorable in most cases.

[Opioid rotation: from theory to practice. Interdisciplinary recommendations from the Geneva University Hospitals pain network]. / Rotation des opioïdes: de ta théorie à la pratique. Recommandations interdisciptinaires du réseau douleur des HUG.

Opioids are widely used to treat moderate to severe pain of cancer or non cancer origin. Although opioids provide an adequate analgesia in many patients, their use can be limited by inefficacy and/or intolerable side effects. Opioid rotation is one of the strategies that have been proposed to overcome these therapeutic difficulties. This article revisits the concept of opioid rotation, from pharmacological rational to clinical application.