Sténose trachéale chez les brûlés : incidence et facteurs de risque.

Tracheal stenosis remains frequent, especially in intensive care patients requiring prolonged intubation or tracheotomy. There is little data in the literature regarding this complication in burn patients. The aim of our study was to determine incidence, characteristics and risk factors of tracheal stenosis in burn patients. A retrospective study was conducted in a 20-bed burn ICU in Tunis over 7 years. It included all patients who presented tracheal stenosis confirmed by endoscopic and/or radiological exploration. Tracheal stenosis was confirmed in 15 patients with an overall incidence of 0.8% and an incidence of 3.5% in intubated patients. The mean age was 24 years, with TBSA of 28±15%. The burn was thermal in all patients. Facial burn was noted in all patients. Inhalation syndrome was observed in 12 patients. Duration of intubation was 16±12 days. Dyspnea, stridor and dysphonia were the most common symptoms. The onset of clinical signs was 30 days on average after extubation. All patients underwent bronchoscopy and/or cervico-thoracic scan for diagnosis. The average distance between the stenosis and vocal cords was 27 mm and the average degree of stenosis was 68%. The average length was 20 mm. Therapeutic management was based on: dilation in 3 cases, Montgomery tracheal T-tube insertion in 2 cases, and endoscopic laser therapy in 3 cases. Tracheal resection-anastomosis was performed in 5 patients. The evolution was favorable in 8 patients. Restenosis was observed in 2 patients. Five patients died. Inhalation injury, facial burn and prolonged intubation were recognized as risk factors that increase the likelihood of this complication.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Linezolid in burn patients.

Burns induce complex physiological changes such as modification of distribution volume, increased clearance of elements and decrease of protein binding. The pharmacokinetics of many antibiotics may then be modified, which requires dose adjustment. We attempted to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of linezolid in burn patients at a standard dose of 600 mg intravenously thrice a day. A prospective study was conducted in a 20-bed adult burn ICU at a university-affiliated teaching hospital in Tunis. Thirteen adult burned patients with documented and/or suspected multi drug resistant (MDR) gram-positive bacterium-related infections were enrolled in the study. Our study suggests that linezolid dosing at 600mg thrice a day leads to adequate pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic exposure to linezolid with a Cmin > 2mg/l in 84.6% of cases, T > MIC in about 87.5% and AUC/MIC > 100 in 61.5% of cases. However, a high variability in linezolid serum concentrations with a substantial percentage of sub-therapeutic levels was observed in a few patients, 15% of cases. Therefore, therapeutic drug monitoring of linezolid might be helpful for adequate dosing of linezolid in burned patients, to avoid the risk of treatment failure or of dose-dependent toxicity.

Les brûlés présentent une augmentation du volume de distribution et une modification de la clairance de toutes les classes des antibiotiques. De ce fait, il est recommandé d'augmenter la dose de chaque antibiotique chez le brûlé. Le linézolide est recommandé à la dose de 600mg/12h chez les malades en réanimation. Ce travail est entrepris afin d'évaluer la pharmacocinétique du linézolide à la dose de 600mg/8h chez les brûlés. Une étude prospective a été menée dans le service de réanimation des brûlés de Tunis. Ont été inclu, les patients ayant une SCB ≥ 20% ayant une infection suspectée et/ou documentée à cocci à Gram positif multi-résistants. Notre étude suggère que l'administration de linézolide chez le brûlé à la dose de 600mg/8 h permet d'atteindre une meilleure pharmacocinétique, avec Cmin > 2mg/l dans 84,6% des cas, T > MIC dans 87,5% et un ratio AUC/MIC > 100 dans 61,5% des cas. Néanmoins, une variabilité des concentrations sériques de linézolide, avec des taux sub- thérapeutiques ont été notés chez 15% des patients. Le monitorage des taux sériques peut être utile lors de l'utilisation du linézolide chez les brûlés, afin d'éviter l'échec thérapeutique ou la toxicité, dose-dépendante..

Lactate: prognostic biomarker in severely burned patients.

Plasma lactate (PL) has been used as a marker of cellular hypoxia and shock. The correlation between PL and clinical outcome has been well accepted in hemorrhagic and septic shock. In contrast to the existing evidence, there are no or almost no data dealing with lactate and burn-related outcome. We attempted to assess whether early plasma lactate (PL) is a useful parameter to predict outcome in burned patients. A prospective study was conducted in a 20-bed adult burn ICU at a university-affiliated teaching hospital in Tunis. Patients admitted within the first 24h post burn with greater than 10% total body surface area (TBSA) burned were enrolled in the study. There were 60 males and 20 females. Mean age was 40.7 ± 19.5 years old, and average TBSA was 32 ± 21%. At admission, 86.7% patients had an initial lactate value of more than 2 mmol/L. In our study, an initial lactate value of 4 mmol/L provided the best sensitivity and specificity: 88% and 79% respectively for predicting sepsis, with an area under the ROC curve of 0,82. Furthermore, plasma lactate cut-off value for mortality prediction was 4.46 mmol/l with a good sensitivity (86%) and specificity (92%). Mortality rate was 36.25%. Plasma lactate appears to be a powerful predictor biomarker of sepsis and mortality in burn patients.

Le lactate plasmatique (LP) est utilisé comme marqueur de choc et d'hypoxie cellulaire. La corrélation entre LP et pronostic est validée dans les chocs hémorragique et septique. Il n'y a que peu voire pas de données concernant PL et pronostic chez les brûlés. Nous avons étudié si la mesure précoce de PL avait une valeur pronostique chez les brûlés. Une étude prospective a ainsi été menée dans l'unité de réanimation pour adultes brûlés (20 lits) du CHU de Tunis. Les patients (60 hommes et 20 femmes) admis dans les 24 h d'une brûlure touchant plus de 10% de SCT ont été inclus. L'âge était de 40,5 +/- 19,5 ans, la surface brûlée de 32 +/- 21%. La grande majorité (86,7%) des patients avaient LP > 2 mmol/L à l'admission. Une valeur > 4 mmol/L étaient la plus prédictive de complication septique, avec une sensibilité de 88%, une spécificité de 9% et une aire sous la courbe ROC de 0,82. La mortalité était de 36,25% et un seuil de LP à 4,46 mmol/L prédisait le décès avec une sensibilité de 86% et une spécificité de 92%. LP semble donc être un marqueur prédictif fiable de sepsis et de mortalité chez les brûlés.

[Study of 116 mothers of the knowledge, behavior, and practices of vitamin D supplementation]. / Enquête cap (connaissances, attitudes, pratiques) auprès de 116 mères concernant la supplèmentation en vitamine D.

BACKGROUND: In our country, the prevention of rickets is based on daily vitamin D intake from birth to eighteen months. This vitamin D intake has decreased according to our hospital practice. AIM: To assess vitamin D supplementation prevalence and to study mother knowledge, attitude and practices about vitamin D and factors that influenced them and to define target population who needs further education. METHODS: A predefined questionnaire was submitted to 116 mother's child who was aged from two months to three years and were hospitalised for acute disease in Tunis children hospital. The questionnaire was filled by the paediatrician. He included as well questions on vitamin D supplementation and questions on sociodemographics characteristics. RESULTS: 68% of the infants had received vitamin D.The various significant factors who influenced the knowledge about vitamin D were father and mother out of work, low education level, and the living in a deserited area. The factors that influenced significantly the practices were the one parity and the living far away, up to five kilometre, from a primary health care. CONCLUSION: Given that the supplementation of vitamin D is recommended for all infants the study show that supplementation prevalence is unsatisfactorily low. Various risks factors were identified. In view of the new evidence emerging on additional preventive properties of vitamin D and the resurgence of rickets, its promotion must be discussed anew.

Foetus-in-fetu: an unusual cause of abdominal mass in the newborn.

Foetus-in-fetu (FIF) is a rare congenital condition in which a vertebrate foetus is incorporated within its twin. The authors report the case of a newborn girl with prenatal ultrasonographic diagnosis of an intra-abdominal mass. Abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography of the abdomen showed a heterogeneous cystic mass containing multiple calcifications. The patient had a laparotomy at 18 days of age with excision of a well-encapsulated 6 x 5 cm retroperitoneal mass, containing many organs. Anatomicopathologic examination showed a relatively well-differentiated FIF attached to an amniotic sac by a rudimentary umbilical cord. Encephalon, coroidal plexus, vertebral bodies, rudimentary limbs, thyroid gland and teeth were identified. The postoperative period was uneventful.