Antioxidant defences and oxidative stress markers in erythrocytes and plasma from normally nourished elderly Alzheimer patients.

OBJECTIVES: to investigate blood markers of oxidative stress, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants in normally nourished elderly people with Alzheimer's disease. DESIGN: case-control study. SUBJECTS: twenty patients with Alzheimer's disease and 23 elderly control subjects, living at home, free from disease and not undergoing any treatment known to have a strong influence on blood oxidative stress markers or antioxidant defence systems. METHODS: we performed a nutritional evaluation, including anthropometric and biological measures and a 3-day dietary record. We determined concentrations of antioxidant vitamins (alpha-tocopherol, retinol) and malondialdehyde in plasma and erythrocytes. We also measured erythrocyte enzymatic activities of glutathione peroxidase and copper-zinc superoxide dismutase. RESULTS: the two groups were similar in age, body mass index, dietary record and serum albumin concentration. After adjustment for age, sex and cardiovascular co-morbidity, mean plasma concentration of alpha-tocopherol was lower in those with Alzheimer disease than in control subjects (15+/-3.5 mg/l compared with 18.2+/-3.5; P=0.002), as was the mean plasma concentration of retinol (0.54+/-0.2 mg/l vs 0.7+/-0.2; P=0.014). The mean concentration of free plasma malondialdehyde was higher in those with Alzheimer's disease (0.70+/-0.2 mmol/l vs 0.5+/-0.1; P=0.036). In Alzheimer disease patients, free plasma malondialdehyde concentrations were inversely correlated with levels of alpha-tocopherol (P=0.002) and retinol (P=0.025). Erythrocyte levels of vitamins and enzymatic activities were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSION: lower plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol and retinol in normally nourished elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease than in controls could suggest that these antioxidant vitamins had been consumed as a result of excessive production of free radicals.

Prospective audits of quality of PEM recognition and nutritional support in critically ill elderly patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Undereating is a frequent concern in acute care geriatric settings and is supposed to worsen the outcomes of the underlying diseases, while the quality of nutritional support could be improved. METHODS: Two consecutive and prospective audits (A and B) with team training over a 1 year period investigated the quality of malnutrition recognition and nutritional support and outcomes in immobilized, critically ill elderly subjects. RESULTS: Audit A included 170 patients (86.3+/-6.1 years old) and audit B, 232 patients (86.3+/-6.3), respectively 20.6% and 31.4% of the hospitalized population. Misclassifications occurred in A in 54.0% compared to 34.05% in B (P < 0.001). 32.6% in A versus 86.9% in B adequately received oral supplements (P = 0.02). Significant risk factors for the adverse outcomes in the combined two audits were: dementia (RR: 1.8, 95%CI: 1.0 to 3.0, P= 0.04) and dehydration (RR: 2.0, 95%CI:1.0 to 4.1, P= 0.05) for pressure ulcer incidence; stroke (RR: 8.8, 95%CI: 4.8 to 16.0, P < 0.001) for pressure ulcer prevalence at discharge; neoplasms (RR: 1.1, 95%CI: 1.0 to 1.2, P = 0.02) for nosocomial infections; bladder indwelling for urinary tract infections (RR: 4.8, 95%CI: 2.9 to 7.7, P<< 0.001); swallowing problems for pulmonary infections (RR: 5.4, 95%CI: 2.8 to 10.5, P < 0.001); venous indwelling for septicaemia (RR: 5.4, 95%CI: 1.3 to 23. 3, P= 0.02). However, after adjustment on significant risk factors, the outcome rate was similar in audit B: death rate: A (15.6%), B (14.2%); length of stay: A (17.3+/-10.4 days), B (17.4+/-10.0); pressure ulcer incidence: A (26.4%), B (20.2%), (83% were erythema); pressure ulcer prevalence at discharge: A (14.7%), B (10.3%), (40% were erythema); nosocomial infections: A (26.4%), B (19.0%). CONCLUSION: The improvement of malnutrition recognition and nutritional support was not followed by a perceptible decrease in adverse outcome rate, this latter being mainly related to the underlying conditions of these critically ill elderly patients.

[Reverse endarterectomy of the internal carotid]. / Endartériectomie par retournement de la carotide interne.

We have described an original technique of eversion carotid endarterectomy which has been performed in two series of patients. In the first series the patients were operated on in Angers. They were 65 carotid stenosis in 56 patients with a mean follow-up of 27 months (18-36 months). In the later series, the patients were operated on in Lyon. They were 51 carotid stenosis in 43 patients with a follow-up from 1 to 24 months. The two series were comparable in term of symptoms and grade of stenosis as determined by duplex-scan and arteriography. The technique which has been previously described is safe and presents a lot of advantages over classical endarterectomy or vein graft. We observed no postoperative neurological deficit and no postoperative thrombosis. Two residual stenosis (1.7%) were measured at 30% but they did show any impairment during two years of follow up in the first series. Eversion endarterectomy of internal artery is a safe and deficient alternative to others techniques in the surgical treatment of atherosclerosis stenosis of internal carotid artery.

[Results of Papineua's operation. Apropos of 46 cases]. / Résultats de l'intervention de Papineau. A propose de 46 cas

The authors analyse about one and a half years later, the results of 46 Papineau operations divided in three groups depending of the initial excision. The complete healing was obtained for 44 patients and by the sole Papineau operation in 70 p. 100 of the cases, with relatively short delays: 6 months without a solution of bone continuity, 9 months with a small solution of bone continuity, 11 months in the case of major solution of bone continuity. They insist on the absence of amputation, the small number of complications and in particular of interative fractures in this series.

[Technic and natural history of Papineus's operation. Excision of cancellous graft without skin closure]. / Technique et histoire naturelle de l'intervention de Papineau. Excision-greffe de spongieux à l'air libre

The authors present a new treatment technique of osteitis, which consists of an excision of necrotic bone followed by cancellous graft bone in two operations without a skin closure. This allows a simultaneous drying, cicatrization and consolidation. The post-operative treatment necessary in order to obtain a rapid healing is particularly detailed.

[Anatomopathological aspects and treatment of sternitis and sternochondritis after cardiac surgery]. / Aspects anatomo-pathologiques et traitement des sternites et sterno-chondrites aprés chirurgie cardiaque

The authors report their experience of the treatment of sternitis on a surgical unit. They analyse here 23 case records out of 31 cases of sternitis treated on their unit. Out of these 23, there were 3 deaths (13 p. 100) and 16 cures (69,5 p. 100) with an average follow up of 20 months. The solutions adopted, including extremely wide exposure and, in some cases, removal of infected bone, are justified by the fact that these patients were admitted from other surgical units. The diagnosis was facilitated by the fact this unit includes a clinical bacteriology research unit. The authors make no apologies for using very classical surgical methods and attempt to demonstrate that these extreme cases require radical surgery. Their original contribution consists of the rational use of antibiotics, but the surgical solution is pre-eminent.