[Physical activity in severe asthma: Results of the FASE-CPHG Study]. / Activité physique et asthme sévère : résultats de l'étude FASE-CPHG.

INTRODUCTION: Data on physical activity in severe asthma are scarce. From May 2016 to June 2017, 1502 adult patients with severe asthma visiting a pulmonologist practicing in one of the 104 non-academic hospitals participating in the study were included in this prospective, cross-sectional, multicenter study, provided they gave consent. Physical activity was classified according to 4 levels: 1 (no activity), 2 (occasional), 3 (regular), or 4 (frequent). Clinical and therapeutic parameters were described according to these levels. RESULTS: Respectively, 440, 528, 323, and 99 patients had physical activity of level 1, 2, 3, and 4. The percentage of patients with controlled asthma increased with physical activity. Treatment adherence did not differ with physical activity. Percentages of obese patients, patients with FEV1 <60%, and patients with anxiety, depressive syndrome, gastro-esophageal reflux disease, arterial hypertension, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea syndrome, and osteoporosis decreased with physical activity. Respiratory rehabilitation was offered to only 5% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this large study, physical activity is associated with disease control in severe asthma and with less comorbidity. Its practice should be encouraged and respiratory rehabilitation offered more often.

[Patients in the IDEAL cohort: A snapshot of severe asthma in France]. / Les patients de la cohorte IDEAL : une photographie de l'asthme sévère en France.

INTRODUCTION: This paper reports the French data from a post-hoc analysis of the international IDEAL study, which aimed to describe a recent cohort of patients with severe asthma, the impact of the disease on quality of life, as well as the population of patients eligible for treatment with omalizumab, mepolizumab and reslizumab. METHODS: Eligible patients were≥12 years of age, with severe asthma (GINA steps 4 and 5). RESULTS: A total of 129 patients were included in this post-hoc analysis. Their mean age was 53 years, the majority were overweight, they were mainly women (64%) and had at least one medical comorbidity (85%). More than half had suffered from asthma for more than 25 years and were non-smokers. Lung function was moderately impaired. Blood eosinophil count was≥150 cells/µL in 66% of patients,≥300 cells/µL in 34% of patients, and≥500 cells/µL in 12% of patients. One out of three patients was currently treated with omalizumab and 24% had maintenance oral corticosteroids. Asthma was poorly controlled with a negative impact on quality of life (ACQ≥1.5) in 67% of patients. In this population 40% of patients were eligible for omalizumab, 27% for mepolizumab and 2% for reslizumab. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that a considerable proportion of patients with severe asthma remain uncontrolled and are not eligible for any of the available biological treatments. This underlines the need for therapeutic innovations in this disease.

[Indication of sclerotherapy in the treatment of ischiatic pressure sore: about 13 cases]. / Indication de la sclérothérapie dans le traitement de l'escarre ischiatique. À propos de 13 cas.

INTRODUCTION: Ischiatic pressure sore is a common pathology of the paraplegic patient. Usually treated after medical therapy, with fasciocutaneous or musculocutaneous local flaps, despite this treatment the recurrence rate is high. Sclerotherapy, injection of pure ethanol in the cavity of the pressure sore could be an interesting solution in the armentarium of the plastic surgeon in some indications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sclerotherapy was used for 13 patients in the plastic surgery department to treat ischiatic pressure sores with a cavity, beneath the defect. RESULTS: The mean length of stay was 24 days. The ischiatic pressure sore was completely healed with no skin defect or cavity for nine patients (65%). For two patients, there was a delay of healing of the skin defect but no cavity beneath. There were two early recurrences of the pressure sore. They were treated by sclerotherapy with a complete recovery in 2 months with simple hydrocolloid dressings. The mean post op follow-up was 14,6 months (4 to 24). Only one recurrence was observed after 12 months. CONCLUSION: The injection of pure ethanol in the cavity of specifics ischiatics pressure sores is a simple, fast and effective technique with a good and stable long term wound healing. The mean length of stay is shorter and the recurrence rate is equivalent to other techniques.

[Assessment of targeted clinical audit in suicide attempt]. / Prise en charge des suicidants. Quel apport d'une démarche d'audit clinique ciblé?

BACKGROUND: Suicide attempt is a serious condition that is frequent in France. Picardie ranks fifth in France for suicide (418 deaths in 2005 for 1,890,000 inhabitants). Suicide attempt is one of the priorities of the regional public health program. The National Agency for Accreditation and Evaluation in Health (Anaes) has designed targeted clinical audits (TCA) on various conditions to promote this method as the basic tool for quality improvement. AIM: We investigated the contribution of TCA for improving the quality of care of suicide attempt within a regional framework in Picardie. METHODS: TCA were conducted in 12 state hospitals (eight Surgical Medicine and Obstetrics, three specialized in psychiatry, one local) between 2004 and 2006. The standards from the Anaes had 16 criteria in three fields: care on admission (n=10); assessment of family and social environment (n=2); management for after hospital care (n=4). A project manager and a MD certified in health care quality supported the medical (MD certified in acute care and in psychiatry) and nursing staff of the emergency wards. All the wards analyzed 30 patients' files for the first cycle, set up and implemented improvement actions and then performed the second cycle of data collection. RESULTS: All wards fully satisfied the protocol with 30 patients' files per cycle and two cycles. In all wards the teams consisted of physicians (both certified for emergency or psychiatry) and others care providers (nurses, psychologists, social workers, secretary). For the first cycle, three criteria (patient assessment, somatic examination and coordination) met the 100% target for more than half of the wards while three criteria (sociofamily and environmental evaluation, management for after hospital care, monitoring of follow-up) did not conform by more than 50% in more than half of the wards. All wards implemented changes after the first cycle with a total of 29 interventions, each one specifically devoted to improving a particular criterion. Intervention included better coordination and communication, protocol design and reminders, and information tools. The second cycle showed modest and mixed changes. After the interventions only one criteria reached the 100% target in one ward; the degree of conformity decreased in nine cases (with a mean of -23%) and increased in 16 cases (+19%). Globally, three criteria improved by less than 10% while three slightly decreased. DISCUSSION: G. Shaw introduced clinical audits in 1989 to boost a poorly performing system within the "clinical governance" framework, a condition quite different from the French healthcare system in 2005. Therefore, the validation of clinical audit in a different context appeared necessary. Anaes has not yet published the evaluation of this method in a peer reviewed journal. Observed changes are modest and mixed. Moreover, the true impact on care delivery appears limited and one cannot rule out that the observed improvements are in fact related to an improvement in traceability or due to Hawthorne's effect. Quality improvement methods must be evaluated and validated by scientific methods such as for new treatments with clinical research. CONCLUSION: The feasibility of the method was excellent, due to the methodological and technical support, however the method did not significantly improve the quality of care.

[Smoking during pregnancy and smoking clinics]. / Tabac, grossesse et consultations de tabacologie.

OBJECTIVES: France has the highest rate in Europe for smoking during pregnancy, the first cause of preterm birth. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We aimed to study the accessibility of smoking clinics for pregnant women in Picardy. A woman simulated by phone a request for a visit. RESULTS: Smoking cessation visits are poorly publicized. The mean delay for a visit is nine days (range: 2-42). Only eight centers out of 21 could reduce the delay when it was stressed that the request was for a pregnant woman, reducing the delay to seven days (range: 1-16). None of the centres has checked for this condition. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Smoking is a major burden. Inconsistencies in the French healthcare system are reviewed. Professionals' involvement in smoking cessation programs must be improved, however consistency in the support from health care authorities is needed.

Masitinib, a c-kit/PDGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, improves disease control in severe corticosteroid-dependent asthmatics.

BACKGROUND: Masitinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting stem cell factor receptor (c-kit) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor, which are expressed on several cell types including mast cells and bronchial structural cells, respectively. We hypothesized that c-kit and PDGF receptor inhibition may decrease bronchial inflammation and interfere with airway remodeling, which are crucial features of severe asthma. OBJECTIVES: The primary endpoint was the percent change from baseline in oral corticosteroids after 16 weeks of treatment. Change in asthma control (asthma control questionnaire), exacerbation rate, pulmonary function tests, rescue medication requirement and safety were secondary endpoints. METHODS: A 16-week randomized, dose-ranging (3, 4.5, and 6 mg/kg/day), placebo-controlled study was undertaken in 44 patients with severe corticosteroid-dependent asthma who remained poorly controlled despite optimal asthma management. RESULTS: At 16 weeks of treatment, a comparable reduction in oral corticosteroids was achieved with masitinib and placebo (median reduction of -78% and -57% in the masitinib and placebo arms, respectively). Despite this similar reduction, the Asthma Control Questionnaire score was significantly better in the masitinib arm as compared to placebo with a reduction by 0.99 unit at week 16 (P < 0.001) vs 0.43 unit in the placebo arm. Masitinib therapy was associated with more transient skin rash and edema. CONCLUSIONS: Masitinib, a c-kit and PDGF-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, may represent an innovative avenue of treatment in corticosteroid-dependent asthma. These preliminary results warrant further long-term clinical studies in severe asthma

[Five year survival for lung cancer patients managed in general hospitals]. / Survie à cinq ans des cancers bronchiques primitifs dans les centres hospitaliers généraux.

INTRODUCTION: In 2000 the College of Pulmonologists of General Hospitals undertook an epidemiological study (KBP-2000-CPHG) enrolling all new cases of histologically confirmed lung cancer managed in general hospitals. This paper reports the five year survival in these cases. METHODS: Vital status was available for 5447 out of 5667 patients included in the original study. The effect of different prognostic factors on mortality was assessed. RESULTS: At 5 years 567 patients (10.4%) were still alive. Median survival for the 4880 (89.6%) deceased patients was 7 months. Univariate analysis identified age, smoking history, performance status, histological type and disease stage (TMN classification) as determinants of survival. For non-small cell lung cancer (n=4885) multivariate analysis identified five predictive factors for mortality - age, gender histological type, performance status and stage. CONCLUSIONS: Five year survival in lung cancer continues to be poor. As the risk factors for poor outcome at the time of diagnosis are not modifiable and pending the results of screening studies reduction in mortality must rest on primary prevention.

[Hemosiderotic fibrohistiocytic lipomatous lesion: a new entity you must remind]. / Tumeurs fibrolipomateuses hémosidérotiques: une nouvelle entité à ne pas méconnaître.

Fatty tissues lesions are the most frequent of both benign (lipoma) and malignant tumor (liposarcoma) of soft tissues in the adult. We here describe the case of female patient having a fatty tissue mass of the ankle corresponding to an hemosiderotic fibrohistiocytic lipomatous lesion (HFHLL). This very rare tumour of recent description is specific of the ankle/foot area of the middle age women. These lesions are always benign and frequently recur following incomplete resection. This tumor may have invasive local growth and metastases have not been described so far. We describe the anatomopathologist's key points of their diagnostic. We discuss the main differentials diagnosis and treatment.

How should nasal symptoms be investigated in asthma? A comparison of radiologic and endoscopic findings.

BACKGROUND: To improve asthma control, the management of rhinosinusitis often leads the physician to perform sinonasal imaging and/or nasal endoscopy, but their respective contributions are still insufficiently understood. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential contribution of a symptoms questionnaire, sinus radiography (SR) and computed tomography (CT) scan to the diagnosis of nasal diseases in asthmatic patients when compared with ENT examination. METHODS: A total of 124 patients completed a questionnaire on nasal symptoms administered by the chest physician. Then, they underwent ENT examination. On the same day, SR and CT scans were performed independently. RESULTS: Patients (80.3%) had nasal symptoms during the month preceding the consultation. The ENT examination was normal in 8.1% (n = 10) and revealed rhinitis in 57.3% (n = 71), rhinosinusitis in 14.5% (n = 18) and nasal polyposis in 20.2% (n = 25). For rhinitis, the negative predictive value of bilateral nasal obstruction was 87.8%. Both SR and CT had low sensitivity and specificity. For rhinosinusitis, the negative predictive value of nasal symptoms varied from 85.4 to 95.2%. Sinus CT was at least as accurate as SR for the diagnosis of rhinosinusitis. In a multivariate analysis, only the CT scan (score > or =12) appeared to be significantly associated with the diagnosis of nasal polyposis. CONCLUSION: In asthmatic patients, physicians need to enquire systematically about the existence of nasal symptoms by using this simple questionnaire which is sensitive for rhinitis, and has good negative predictive value for excluding rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis.

Clinical efficacy and safety of fluticasone propionate 250 microg twice daily administered via a HFA 134a pressurized metered dose inhaler to patients with mild to moderate asthma. French study group.

This study compared the efficacy and safety of the fluticasone propionate 125 microg pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) propelled by either hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) 134a or chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellants, in adult patients with asthma. HFA 134a is a non-ozone depleting propellant used as a replacement for the CFC propellants 11 and 12 which are being phased out in accordance with the Montreal Protocol. Three hundred and eighty patients with mild to moderate asthma and 'room for improvement' in their treatment were randomized to receive fluticasone propionate 250 microg twice daily via pMDIs propelled by either CFC propellants 11 and 12 (n = 195) or HFA 134a (n = 185). Fluticasone propionate significantly improved lung function over the 4-week treatment period in both treatment groups. The improvement in mean morning peak expiratory flow (PEF) after 7 days of treatment was approximately 12 l min(-1) in both groups, rising to approximately 22 l min(-1) at the end of the 4-week treatment period. The adjusted mean difference between the two formulations over weeks 1-4 was -1 l min(-1) (90% confidence interval: -7, 5 l min(-1)), confirming their equivalence. Clinical comparability was also demonstrated with respect to secondary efficacy variables, including daily symptom scores, evening PEF and clinic visit expiratory measurements. There were no clinically relevant differences in adverse events or serum cortisol levels between the two groups. The fluticasone propionate 125 microg HFA 134a pMDI is an effective and well tolerated product and is a suitable replacement for the fluticasone propionate 125 microg CFC pMDI at a microgram equivalent dose.

[Comparative trial of the clinical efficacy and tolerance of cefatrizine (Cefaperos) and cefpodoxime proxetil (Orelox) in superinfections of chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathies in adults in urban practice]. / Essai comparatif de l'efficacité et de la tolérance clinique entre la céfatrizine (Cefaperos) et le cefpodoxime proxétil (Orelox) dans les surinfections des bronchopneumopathies chroniques obstructives de l'adulte en médecine de ville.

In order to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of cefatrizine (Cefaperos) and cefpodoxime proxetil (Orelox) in the treatment of secondarily infected chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adults, a multicentre, randomized, open study was conducted by 60 general practitioners in two parallel groups of patient suffering from COPD complicated by an acute episode of superinfection (Anthoniesen stages 2 and 3). After verification of the eligibility criteria, written consent and randomization, the patients received, for 10 days, either cefatrizine at the dose of 1 g/day or cefpodoxime proxetil at the dose of 400 mg/day. A self-assessment form was given to the patient. A telephone visit was planned for D3. The final visit on D11 +/- 1 evaluated clinical efficacy (success or failure) and safety. The study population was composed of 250 patients with a mean age of 59.9 +/- 15.9 years (sex ratio M/F = 1.5). The principal etiology of COPD was chronic bronchitis in 67.5% of patients, longstanding asthma in 24.5% and emphysema in 6.8%. The mean history of the disease was 13.0 +/- 10.8 years. The Anthoniesen score was equal to 2 in 73.6% of patients, 3 in 8.8% of patients and 1 in 17.6% of patients. No significant difference concerning these criteria was observed between the two study groups. The clinical success rate was equivalent in the two groups. The time to regression of clinical signs tended to be shorter, up until the sixth day (mainly between D4 and D6) for patients treated with cefatrizine (p = 0.09; NS). The clinical safety was considered to be good and was comparable in the two study groups. This study concluded on the equivalent clinical efficacy of cefatrizine and cefpodoxime proxetil in the treatment of superinfections of COPD in general practice (97.5% and 99%, respectively), with a satisfactory and comparable safety, but with a much lower cost of treatment for cefatrizine. This conclusion is particularly important in the context of opposable medical references, as, although the treatment of superinfections of COPD by second and third generation cephalosporins is frequently proposed, the prescription of a less expensive cephalosporin appears to be more relevant.

[Severe community-acquired pneumopathy. What initial antibiotics to use?]. / Pneumopathie communautaire grave. Quel(s) antibiotique(s) de première intention?

Even if they represent only a minor percentage of all respiratory infections, acute pulmonary infections are the leading mortality cause from infectious diseases. Epidemiologic data amongst hospitalized patients with acute infections reveal mean mortality figures of 20%. The adequate assessment of severity criteria is fundamental so that patients can be oriented towards suitable hospitalized units. Risks factors to be considered are: other illnesses, age (greater than 60 years), breathing frequency greater than 30/min, diastolic blood pressure less than 60 mmHg, confusion, a PaO2 less than 60 Torr, a leukocytosis greater than 30,000 or less than 4,000/mm3, albuminemia less than 35 g/l and blood urea greater than 7 mmol/l. The association of these factors increases the risk of complications and mortality in a linear way. By contrast, the type of responsible organism is not relevant. Five microorganisms are responsible for 80 to 90% of documented acute pulmonary infections: pneumococci, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Legionella pneumophila, Myxovirus influenzae. However, direct examination of bacteriologic smear allows for a proper identification of the infectious agent in only 15% of cases. The clinician can therefore use epidemiologic, clinical and radiological findings to propose an oriented, though probable, antibiotic treatment. In these conditions, the initial treatment remains the association of an A type penicillin with an inhibitory effect on beta-lactamases and of a macrolide (or, eventually, of a fluoroquinolone) until results of bacteriologic investigations is known. No data is available to suggest the use of new third generation oral cephalosporins in the first intention treatment of acute severe pulmonary infections due to their low and inconsistent effect on pneumococcus.

[Value of thoracoscopy]. / Intérêt de la thoracoscopie.

Formerly used in active tuberculosis to divide pleuro-pulmonary adhesions and to complete therapeutic pneumothorax, thoracoscopy has now become the object of renewed interest. By introducing, after pneumoserosa and usually through the axilla, a fine trocar into the chest, the whole thoracic cavity, including parietal pleura, diaphragm, lung and lung fissures, mediastinum and pericardium, can be explored. This technique, performed under local rather than general anaesthesia or under neuroleptanalgesia, is innocuous, fairly cheap and effective. In addition, the patient is immobilized for only 4 or 5 days on average and surgery, which is much heavier, can be avoided in many cases. Thoracoscopy nowadays is mostly used: (1) to determine the cause of a chronic pleurisy unexplained after 3-4 weeks (positive results: 95-97% for cancer, 92% for tuberculosis); (2) to dry up pleural effusions by talc and drainage (satisfactory results in 90% of the cases); (3) to establish the pathophysiological diagnosis of spontaneous pneumothorax (bullae, blebs, adhesions, fistulae), to treat it with talc and with coagulation of small "bullae", or to decide in favour of surgery; (4) to perform lung biopsies which clinch the diagnosis in 95-97% of cases of diffuse interstitial pneumonia. The same technique is also used methodically and efficiently for optic and electronic microscopy, bacteriological or mycological examination, immunofluorescence, hormone receptor detection and study of organic particles or minerals. Thoracoscopy lies half-way between pure medical practice and surgery and deserves to be widely used again by pneumologists, provided they learn to master its technique by regular, assiduous and sufficient practice. Pneumologists do not become thoracoscopists at a moment's notice; it is a skill which must be included in their training.