Two-year follow-up of 196 interstitial lung disease patients after ICU stay.

OBJECTIVE: Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are associated with poor prognosis in the intensive care unit (ICU). We aimed to assess factors associated with hospital mortality in ILD patients admitted to the ICU and to investigate long-term outcome.MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study in a teaching hospital specialised in ILD management. Patients with ILD who were hospitalised in the ICU between 2000 and 2014 were included. Independent predictors of hospital mortality were identified using logistic regression.RESULTS: A total of 196 ILD patients were admitted to the ICU during the study period. Overall hospital mortality was 55%. Two years after ICU admission, 70 (36%) patients were still alive. Of the 196 patients, 108 (55%) required invasive mechanical ventilation, of whom 21 (20%) were discharged alive from hospital. Acute exacerbation of ILD and multi-organ failure were highly associated with hospital mortality (OR 5.4, 95% CI 1.9-15.5 and OR 12.6, 95% CI 4.9-32.5, respectively).CONCLUSION: Hospital mortality among ILD patients hospitalised in the ICU was high, but even where invasive mechanical ventilation was required, a substantial number of patients were discharged alive from hospital. Multi-organ failure could lead to major ethical concerns.

ICU survival and need of renal replacement therapy with respect to AKI duration in critically ill patients.

BACKGROUND: Transient and persistent acute kidney injury (AKI) could share similar physiopathological mechanisms. The objective of our study was to assess prognostic impact of AKI duration on ICU mortality. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of a prospective database via cause-specific model, with 28-day ICU mortality as primary end point, considering discharge alive as a competing event and taking into account time-dependent nature of renal recovery. Renal recovery was defined as a decrease of at least one KDIGO class compared to the previous day. SETTING: 23 French ICUs. PATIENTS: Patients of a French multicentric observational cohort were included if they suffered from AKI at ICU admission between 1996 and 2015. INTERVENTION: None. RESULTS: A total of 5242 patients were included. Initial severity according to KDIGO creatinine definition was AKI stage 1 for 2458 patients (46.89%), AKI stage 2 for 1181 (22.53%) and AKI stage 3 for 1603 (30.58%). Crude 28-day ICU mortality according to AKI severity was 22.74% (n = 559), 27.69% (n = 327) and 26.26% (n = 421), respectively. Renal recovery was experienced by 3085 patients (58.85%), and its rate was significantly different between AKI severity stages (P < 0.01). Twenty-eight-day ICU mortality was independently lower in patients experiencing renal recovery [CSHR 0.54 (95% CI 0.46-0.63), P < 0.01]. Lastly, RRT requirement was strongly associated with persistent AKI whichever threshold was chosen between day 2 and 7 to delineate transient from persistent AKI. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term renal recovery, according to several definitions, was independently associated with higher mortality and RRT requirement. Moreover, distinction between transient and persistent AKI is consequently a clinically relevant surrogate outcome variable for diagnostic testing in critically ill patients.

Nemaline bodies as unique pathological feature in the course of treated dermatomyositis.

Dermatomyositis was diagnosed on clinical and muscle histological criteria in a 42-year-old woman. Despite treatment, the patient complained of deterioration of her muscle condition. Since her symptoms were discordant with the rest of the data, muscle biopsy was performed and disclosed rod-bearing non-atrophic fibers as the unique and predominant pathological feature. Their significance is examined in this paper.

[Cutaneous EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disorder in a dermatomyositis treated with immunosuppressive agents]. / Syndrome lymphoprolifératif cutané lié à l'EBV au cours d'une dermatomyosite traitée par immunosuppresseurs.

We report a case of Epstein Barr virus-associated large B cell lymphoproliferative disorder, with an abdominal cutaneous localization, in an adult treated for 10 years with immunosuppressive agents for a dermatomyositis. This is the third case of immunosuppressive induced lymphoproliferative disorder localized to skin in a patient with dermatomyositis. Diagnosis was unexpectedly obtained by the histologic examination of surgical samples of skin necrosis possibly induced by edetate calcium disodium subcutaneous injections in calcinosis cutis.

[Two cases of papular elastorrhexis]. / Elastorrhexie papuleuse : deux cas.

BACKGROUND: Papular elastorrhexis is a rare dermatosis characterized by asymptomatic papules on the trunk and the upper extremities. Histological examination shows loss and fragmentation of elastic fibres as well as thickening of collagen bundles. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Case 1: a 46-year-old man was examined with asymptomatic papular lesions for 20 years. Firm and clearly delineated papules ranging from few millimetres to 2cm in diameter became wrinkled at their surface. They were located on the back and symmetrically on the upper limbs. The oldest of them were 15cm wide. Histological examination showed thickened collagen bundles with almost complete loss of dermal elastic fibres, fragmentation of elastic fibres around the lesion and mucin deposits. Standard laboratory tests and bone X-rays were normal. Case 2: a 34-year-old man consulted for clearly delineated asymptomatic papules on the back present for four years. Histological examination was similar to the previous patient and the laboratory tests were normal. He developed Hodgkin's lymphoma. DISCUSSION: We report these two cases because of their particularities as well as the rarity of papular elastorrhexix. The first exhibited large lesions and mucin deposits while the second was associated with Hodgkin's disease. Differential diagnosis of papular elastorrhexis includes Buschke-Ollendorff syndrome, eruptive collagenoma and elastic tissue disorders: macular anetoderma, mid-dermal elastolysis, nevus anelasticus, acne scars and pseudoxanthoma elasticum. The aetiology is unknown. There are no extracutaneous signs.

Host and bacterial determinants of initial severity and outcome of Escherichia coli sepsis.

A 1-year prospective cohort study of all episodes of Escherichia coli bacteraemia in two French university hospitals was conducted to assess simultaneously the influence of host and bacterial determinants on the initial severity and outcome of E. coli sepsis. Clinical data (community-acquired/nosocomial infection, immune status, underlying disease, primary source of infection, severity sepsis scoring and outcome), phylogenetic groups (A, B1, D and B2), nine virulence factors (VFs) (papC, papGII, papGIII, sfa/foc, hlyC, cnf1, iucC, fyuA and iroN) and the antibiotic susceptibility of isolates were investigated. All VFs except iucC were significantly more prevalent (p <0.05) among the B2 group isolates. The non-B2 isolates were more frequently resistant to antibiotics than were B2 isolates (p <0.05). There were significantly more B2 isolates from immunocompetent than from immunocompromised patients (p <0.05). No bacterial or host determinants influenced the initial severity of sepsis. Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of papGIII, septic shock at baseline and a non-urinary tract origin of sepsis were associated independently with a fatal outcome (p 0.04, <0.0001 and 0.04, respectively). A factorial analysis of correspondence allowed two populations of isolates to be distinguished: those belonging to the B2 group were associated more frequently with susceptibility to antibiotics, community-acquired infection, a urinary tract origin and immunocompetent hosts; those belonging to the A, B1 or D groups were associated more frequently with resistance to antibiotics, a nosocomial origin, a non-urinary tract source and immunocompromised hosts. Although no influence of host or bacterial determinants on the initial severity of sepsis was detected, bacterial and host determinants both influenced the outcome of E. coli sepsis significantly.

Postoperative residual neuromuscular block: a survey of management.

BACKGROUND: To avoid postoperative residual neuromuscular block there is a need for a change in clinician's attitude towards monitoring and reversal. This study aims to evaluate changes of perioperative neuromuscular block management during the last decade in our institution and to quantify the incidence of postoperative residual neuromuscular block. METHODS: Patients receiving intermediate-acting neuromuscular blocking agents for scheduled surgical procedures during 3-month periods in 1995 (n=435), 2000 (n=130), 2002 (n=101), and in 2004 (n=218) were prospectively and successively enrolled in our study. The management of neuromuscular block in the operating room and the adequacy of the recovery were at the discretion of the anaesthesiologist. An attempt was made between each study period to promote a change in the management of neuromuscular block. In the post-anaesthesia care unit, train-of-four (TOF) stimulations were used to assess the presence of a residual neuromuscular block. RESULTS: Between 1995 and 2004 quantitative measurement and reversal of neuromuscular block in the operating room increased from 2 to 60% and from 6 to 42%, respectively (P<0.001). During the same time, the incidence of residual neuromuscular block defined as a TOF ratio less than 0.9 decreased from 62 to 3% (P<0.001). Use of objective neuromuscular monitoring and/or anticholinesterase drugs was less likely in patients with an inadequate recovery (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: During the last decade the incidence of residual neuromuscular block strongly decreased in our institution. It confirms the positive impact of neuromuscular monitoring and reversal of neuromuscular block in routine anaesthetic practice.

[Larva migrans]. / Le larbish.

Larbish, cutaneous larva migrans or creeping eruption, is a serpiginous cutaneous eruption caused by skin penetration of infective larva from various animal nematodes. Hookworms (Ancylostoma brasiliense, A. caninum) are the most common causative parasites. They live in the intestines of dogs and cats where their ova are deposited in the animal feces. In sandy and shady soil, when temperature and moisture are elevated, the ova hatch and mature into infective larva. Infection occurs when humans have contact with the infected soil. Infective larva penetrate the exposed skin of the body, commonly around the feet, hands and buttocks. In humans, the larva are not able to complete their natural cycle and remain trapped in the upper dermis of the skin. The disease is widespread in tropical or subtropical regions, especially along the coast on sandy beaches. The diagnosis is easy for the patient who is returning from a tropical or subtropical climate and gives a history of beach exposure. The characteristic skin lesion is a fissure or erythematous cord which is displaced a few millimeters each day in a serpiginous track. Scabies, the larva currens syndrome due to Strongyloides stercoralis, must be distinguished from other creeping eruptions and subcutaneous swelling lesions caused by other nematodes or myiasis. Medical treatments are justified because it shortens the duration of the natural evolution of the disease. Topical tiabendazole is safe for localized invasions, but prolonged treatment may be necessary. Oral thiabendazole treatment for three days is effective, but sometimes is associated with adverse effects. Trials using albendazole for one or four consecutive days appear more efficacious. More recent trials using ivermectine showed that a single oral dose can cure 100% of the patients; thus, this drug looks very promising as a new form of therapy. Individual prophylaxis consists of avoiding skin contact with soil which has been contaminated with dog or cat feces. Keeping dogs and cats off the beaches is illusory in tropical countries.

Prevalence of Candida ciferrii in elderly patients with trophic disorders of the legs.

In order to define the prevalence of Candida ciferrii in onychomycosis, the fungal biota associated with toe nail onyxis was examined in 50 elderly patients with trophic disorders of the legs and in 220 patients without clinical evidence of trophic disorders. Candida ciferrii was more frequent in the first group of patients since it was recovered from 24% of these patients, whereas its prevalence was only 1.4% in the control group. Moreover, the positivity of the direct examination of toe nail scrapings, the absence of any other associated pathogens, and the repeated isolation of this yeast species for some of the patients confirmed its pathogenicity.