[A study on malignant arterial hypertension: about 168 cases at the unit of nephrology-internal medecine of the University Hospital Center, Treichville, Abidjan]. / Hypertension artérielle maligne en milieu néphrologique à Abidjan: à propos de 168 cas colligés au Service de Néphrologie-Médecine Interne du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Treichville.

INTRODUCTION: malignant arterial hypertension (MAH) is a nosologic disorder which has not been described in Nephrology. The purpose of this study was to describe the profile of patients with MAH in the Division of Nephrology and to identify prognostic factors. METHODS: we conducted a retrospective, descriptive and analytical study from January 2013 to December 2018 in the Unit of Nephrology of the University Hospital Center in Treichville. The diagnosis of MAH was retained in patients with diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 130 mmHg, Keith Wegener grade III/IV hypertensive retinopathy, one or multiple visceral, cardiac and/or brain and/or renal diseases. RESULTS: we collected data from 168 patients. The average age of patients was 41.10 ± 14.86 years, with male predominance (sex ratio 1.54). Cardiovascular risk factors were AH (79.20%), alcohol (32.10%), tobacco (19.60%), chronic kidney disease (15.30%) and diabetes (11.30%). They were admitted with dyspnea (39.29%), hypertensive crisis (26.16%), consciousness disorders (10.12%). Clinical examination showed anemia (82.10%), lower limb edema (63.10%), acute pulmonary edema (37.50%). Arterial hypertension resulted in renal failure (95,9%), left ventricular hypertrophy (92.81%), stroke (16,67%), and cardiac and renal involvement (85%). Renal failure was chronic in 78% of cases. The causes of MAH were essential AH (56,8%), chronic glomerulonephritis (29.8%), and diabetes (6%). Outcome was favorable in 66,7% of cases and overall mortality rate was 25.6%. In multivariate analysis uremia ≥ 2g/l [OR=5,07; 95%CI = 2,39-10.75; p = 0.0001], hperkalaemia [OR = 3.50; 95% CI = 1.70 - 7.19; p = 0.001], hyponatremia [OR = 2.90; 95% CI= 1.40 - 6.03; p = 0.004], haemoglobin level < 12g/dl [OR=5,91; 95% CI=1,34-26,00; p=0,019] and end-stage renal disease [OR = 6.06; 95% CI = 2.04 - 18.18; p = 0.001] were factors associated with the occurrence of death. CONCLUSION: MAH is a consequence of poorly treated or untreated AH. It mainly affects young adults with multivisceral complications. In our Hospital, these were dominated by end-stage chronic renal disease. Hence the importance of early diagnosis and adequate management in patients with AH.

European intensive care physicians' experience of infections due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) compromises the treatment of patients with serious infections in intensive care units (ICUs), and intensive care physicians are increasingly facing patients with bacterial infections with limited or no adequate therapeutic options. A survey was conducted to assess the intensive care physicians' perception of the AMR situation in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA). Methods: Between May and July 2017, physicians working in European ICUs were invited to complete an online questionnaire hosted by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine. The survey included 20 questions on hospital and ICU characteristics, frequency of infections with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria and relevance of AMR in the respondent's ICU, management of antimicrobial treatment as well as the use of last-line antibiotics in the six months preceding the survey. For the analysis of regional differences, EU/EEA countries were grouped into the four sub-regions of Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Europe. Results: Overall, 1062 responses from four European sub-regions were analysed. Infections with MDR bacteria in their ICU were rated as a major problem by 257 (24.2%), moderate problem by 360 (33.9%) and minor problem by 391 (36.8%) respondents. Third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae were the most frequently encountered MDR bacteria followed by, in order of decreasing frequency, meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Perception of the relevance of the AMR problem and the frequency of specific MDR bacteria varied by European sub-region. Bacteria resistant to all or almost all available antibiotics were encountered by 132 (12.4%) respondents. Many physicians reported not having access to specific last-line antibiotics. Conclusions: The percentage of European ICU physicians perceiving AMR as a substantial problem in their ICU is high with variation by sub-region in line with epidemiological studies. The reports of bacteria resistant to almost all available antibiotics and the limited availability of last-line antibiotics in ICUs in the EU/EEA are of concern.