Transparent boundaries as scenographies of trust: the COVID-19 pandemic from the view of material cultural studies and artistic works.

From the start, the profound transformations that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic found expression in a plethora of objects and facilities that dominated our daily lives far beyond the clinical sphere. Supermarkets, hotel receptions, taxis, restaurants, doctors' surgeries and even schools were equipped with plexiglass screens of all sizes and shapes to continue to allow face-to-face encounters. In our paper, we trace these changes and their social impact in our everyday world. Starting from the material cultures of our daily spaces that changed in the context of COVID-19 and the new patterns of movement that had to be practised, we ask how our sensory modes of perception and social spaces changed temporarily. With the methodological approaches offered to us by material cultural studies and artistic practices, we pursue these questions on the one hand with historical examples of the clinical design of space and on the other with a view to artistic interventions that deal with the pandemic present and reflect the transparent boundary markings in their meaning for sensual and social inter-relations.

[HTA and PTSD: mechanisms and clinical implications]. / HTA et PTSD : mécanismes et implications pratiques.

The causes of arterial hypertension are numerous, but the environment can be a contributing factor. Stress is one of these environmental factors that is difficult to assess. We focus on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which is often under-diagnosed and under-recognised in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. We specifically look at the psychosomatic implications of stress, which put patients with PTSD at a higher risk of developing HTA, and we suggest some therapeutic approaches. Early screening and diagnosis are essential to reduce this major cardiovascular risk factor.

Les causes d'hypertension artérielle (HTA) sont multiples mais l'environnement peut être un facteur favorisant. Le stress fait partie des facteurs environnementaux difficiles à évaluer. Nous nous intéressons plus particulièrement au syndrome de stress post-traumatique (PTSD), souvent sous-diagnostiqué et peu pris en compte dans les stratégies diagnostiques et thérapeutiques. Nous nous intéressons notamment aux implications psychosomatiques engendrées par le stress mettant les personnes atteintes de PTSD plus à risque de développer une HTA et proposons des orientations thérapeutiques. Les enjeux d'un dépistage et d'un diagnostic précoces sont essentiels pour réduire ce facteur de risque cardiovasculaire majeur.

Health-related quality of life associated with nocturnal leg cramps in primary care: a mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Although nocturnal leg cramps are common, little research is available about their impact on quality of life. This mixed-methods study explored the impact of nocturnal leg cramps on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). METHODS: The study included primary care patients (>50 years) who reported suffering from nocturnal leg cramps (2016-2017). In the quantitative phase, patients completed a questionnaire about their HRQoL (SF-36) and the frequency of their cramps, and we computed the SF-36 scores. Then, we conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with patients with various levels of HRQol to explore their perception of the impact of cramps on their lives. RESULTS: A total of 114 patients (49%) agreed to participate in the quantitative study (mean age: 71, women: 62%) and 15 patients were included in the qualitative study (mean age: 69, women: 67%). The number of cramps in the previous week was low (mean: 1.6 (SD 1.5)). The SF-36 mean physical and mental summary scores were 43 and 50, respectively, and the domain scores were similar to a comparative general population. Whilst some patients reported little interference with their daily lives, others reported a major decrease in their HRQoL. SF-36 scores were not sufficient to describe the cramp-related impairment, as patients from all levels of SF-36 scores reported major impacts of NLC in the interviews. CONCLUSIONS: Some patients describe a specific impact of cramps on their lives, regardless of their HRQoL. These patients should be the target of future intervention trials.