Impact of myocardial injury after coronary artery bypass grafting on long-term prognosis.

AIMS: The most appropriate definition of perioperative myocardial infarction (pMI) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and its impact on clinically relevant long-term events is controversial. We aimed to (i) analyse the incidence of pMI depending on various current definitions in a 'real-life' setting of CABG surgery and (ii) determine the long-term prognosis of patients with pMI depending on current definitions. METHODS AND RESULTS: A consecutive cohort of 2829 coronary artery disease patients undergoing CABG from two tertiary university centres with the presence of serial perioperative cardiac biomarker measurements (cardiac troponin and creatine kinase-myocardial band) were retrospectively analysed. The incidence and prognostic impact of pMI were assessed according to (i) the 4th Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction (4UD), (ii) the definition of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), and (iii) the Academic Research Consortium (ARC). The primary endpoint of this study was a composite of myocardial infarction, all-cause death, and repeat revascularization; secondary endpoints were mortality at 30 days and during 5-year follow-up. There was a significant difference in the occurrence of pMI (49.5% SCAI vs. 2.9% 4UD vs. 2.6% ARC). The 4th Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction and ARC criteria remained strong independent predictors of all-cause mortality at 30 days [4UD: odds ratio (OR) 12.18; 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.00-29.67; P < 0.001; ARC: OR 13.16; 95% CI 5.41-32.00; P < 0.001] and 5 years [4UD: hazard ratio (HR) 2.13; 95% CI 1.19-3.81; P = 0.011; ARC: HR 2.23; 95% CI 1.21-4.09; P = 0.010]. Moreover, the occurrence of new perioperative electrocardiographic changes was prognostic of both primary and secondary endpoints. CONCLUSION: Incidence and prognosis of pMI differ markedly depending on the underlying definition of myocardial infarction for patients undergoing CABG. Isolated biomarker release-based definitions (such as troponin) were not associated with pMI relevant to prognosis. Additional signs of ischaemia detected by new electrocardiographic abnormalities, regional wall motion abnormalities, or coronary angiography should result in rapid action in everyday clinical practice.

[Skull vibration induced nystagmus test]. / Le test vibratoire osseux vestibulaire.

OBJECTIVES: To establish during a consensus meeting the fundamental basis, the validity criteria, the main indications and results of the skull vibration induced nystagmus test (SVINT) which explores the vestibule high frequencies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The SVINT is applied on the mastoid process (right and left sides) at 100 Hz during 10 seconds on a sitting upright subject. Total unilateral peripheral lesions (tUVL: operated vestibular shwannomas, vestibular neurectomies) and partial unilateral peripheral lesions (pUVL: preoperative neuromas, Meniere's disease, vestibular neuritis, chemical labyrinthectomies) were studied. Thirty-six patients had brainstem lesions and 173 normal subjects were used as controls. RESULTS: The SVINT is considered positive when the application of the vibrator produces a reproducible sustained nystagmus always beating in the same direction following several trials in various stimulation topographies (on the right and left mastoid). The skull vibratory nystagmus (SVN) begins and ends with the stimulation; the direction of the nystagmus has no secondary reversal. The slow phase velocity (SPV) is>2 degrees /second. In tUVL the SVINT always reveals a lesional nystagmus beating toward the safe side at all frequencies. The mean SVN SPV is 10.8 degrees /s+/-7.5 SD (N=45). The mastoid site was more efficient than the cervical or vertex sites. Mastoïd stimulation efficiency is not correlated with the side of stimulation. The SVN SPV is correlated with the total caloric efficiency on the healthy ear. In pUVL the SVINT is positive in 71 to 76% of cases; the mean SVN. SPV (6.7 degrees /s+/-4.7 SD)(N=30) is significantly lower than in tUVL (P=0.0004). SVINT is positive in 6 to 10% of the normal population, 31% of brain stem lesions and negative in total bilateral vestibular peripheral lesions. CONCLUSIONS: SVINT is an effective, rapid and non invasive test used to detect vestibular asymmetry between 20 to 150 Hz stimulation. This test used in important cohorts of patients during the ten last years has demonstrated no observable adverse effect. SVINT complements other tests which evaluate lower frequencies (caloric test: 0,003 Hz) and the medium frequencies (Head-Shaking-Test (HST): 2 Hz; the head impulse test (HIT): 6 Hz). SVINT is useful in the diagnosis of labyrinthine hydrops or detection of acoustic neuromas. It is useful when the caloric test can not be practised because of middle ear problems. SVINT has its limits: in pUVL, the nystagmus direction is not always specific of the pathologic side and can change with the stimulus frequency. This test does not precisely point out the level of the lesion on the vestibular pathway.

[Curthoys and Halmagyi Head Impulse test: an analytical device]. / "Head Impulse test de Curthoys & Halmagyi". Un dispositif d'analyse.

UNLABELLED: Described in 1988 by Curthoys and Halmagyi, the Head Impulse test enables checking the individual response of each of the six semicircular canals to fast head movements within less than one minute. Interpretation of test results requires careful clinical observation of the eye/head synchronism. But, due to the very short duration of the phenomenon, such synchronism is often difficult to confirm. This is so difficult that, sixteen years after its first description, the test is still rarely performed in daily practice. OBJECTIVES: We describe hereafter a device which allows confirmation of the positive or negative test results for each of the six canals without increasing test duration. METHOD: A high resolution and high light sensitivity video camera located in front of the patient's face at a distance of 80 cm is connected to a computer for automatic image analysis. RESULTS: With this device, the practitioner can confirm a positive test by simple observation on the videooculocephaloscope (HIT scope) and record an image for later reference. With videooculocephalography (HIT graph), movements can be recorded for analysis to quantify the deficit of each semicircular canal.

On the role of the olivocochlear bundle in hearing: a case study.

A young patient with normal pure-tone thresholds in both ears underwent a unilateral vestibular neurotomy in January 1992 to relieve severe vertigo ascribed to Ménière's disease. Evidence is provided that the whole vestibular nerve including the olivocochlear bundle (OCB) was sectioned. Just prior to the surgery, the patient was examined in several psychoacoustic tests involving mainly signal detection and selective attention. Over the next 20 months, he was reexamined in those same tests. The patient's ability to detect expected tones in the quiet (including audiograms) or in noise was the same as before the surgery. The one change was a marked improvement in the detection of unexpected signals in noise, which appears to reflect impaired selective attention. During those 20 months, new tests were also performed on discrimination, loudness, pitch, lateralization, and temporary threshold shift. On these tests, the only differences between the operated and unoperated ears concerned binaural diplacusis and loudness adaptation close to threshold, but these differences may well have been present prior to the surgery. Except with respect to what is probably selective attention, we uncovered no other clear role for the OCB in hearing. This outcome agrees with limited measurements on other patients, with their subjective reports, and with a number of published neurophysiological observations.

[Equipment and technic allowing a quantitative study of pursuit eye movements and saccadic movements]. / Appareillage et technique permettant une étude quantitative des mouvements oculaires de poursuite et des mouvements saccadiques.

Study of following eye movements (posterior oculogyric pathway) and saccadic eye movements (anterior oculogyric pathway) represents the principal advance in nystagmography in the past ten years. Use as a visual stimulus of the LED bar developed by one of the authors (E.U.) has proved to be clinically easy and gave results identical to those of the reference stimulation system (laser + mobile mirror). It is possible to quantify performance and abnormalities of these two oculogyric pathways using parameters calculated: - either using a micro-computer (Aurelia); - or manually following a technique which the authors describe in detail indicating normal results and limits in their variations. These parameters for the foveal following system are gain and total movement. For the saccadic system, they are the maximum speed of the saccade, latent period and its accuracy. Using such quantitative analysis, it has become possible not only to draw a distinction between peripheral and central disorders, but also to describe different topographical groups: lesion of the cerebellopontine angle, cerebellar lesion, intrinsic lesion of the brain stem or parietal lesion. These different patterns are illustrated by examples.

[Vibration-induced nystagmus: mechanism and clinical interest]. / Nystagmus induit par des vibrations: physiopathogénie et intérêt en clinique.

UNLABELLED: In 1973 Lücke described nystagmus induced by application of a vibrator on the mastoid process. Since that time, several Authors have applied the vibrator test in normal subjects or patients suffering from various well-characterized conditions. OBJECTIVE: Recognizing that results obtained with the vibrator test are sometimes in contradiction with those of other vestibular tests, our aim was to formulate an assumption regarding the genesis of induced nystagmus in an attempt to explain such contradictions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We considered seven very different clinical situations. Each patient underwent a standard protocol including pendular and caloric tests as well as the vibrator test. We sought an assumption allowing, i) an interpretation of the characteristic features of nystagmus induced by the vibrator in any situation, ii) an understanding of the reasons why some vibrator test results do not correlate with those of other vestibular tests. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We assume that the vibrator stimulates phasic cells of the cupula and the vestibular maculae preferentially, if not exclusively. This assumption allows us to retain a very simple protocol for the vibrator test useful for routine clinical practice.

[Bilateral vestibular areflexia: quantification is required]. / Aréflexie vestibulaire bilatérale: une notion toute relative.

Bilateral vestibular loss, that should be more precisely qualified as "horizontal semicircular canal bilateral loss", is a concept usually defined by the following characteristics: - no response to caloric tests, - no response to pendular test with a 20-second period, - increasing gain of the cervico-ocular reflex. We present five cases. We increased the stimulation frequency to a level higher than usually, employed and observed that: - at a given frequency threshold a certain amount of reactivity may be observed, - above that threshold the reactivity increases in proportion with stimulation frequency. The apparent vestibular loss is actually related to stimulation frequency. This phenomenon could be explained by considering the physiology of phasic and tonic cells.

[Vestibular compensation. Clinical value of its dynamic study]. / La compensation vestibulaire. Intérêt clinique de son étude dynamique.

Vestibular compensation consists of all the processes of neurological reorganization that allow recovering balance after a unilateral vestibular lesion. According to its etiology, the peripheral lesion may be more or less severe, may evolve more or less rapidly, and be more or less reversible. Therefore, it will have a characteristic "pattern" in time, which enables us to classify the kinetic aspects of peripheral pathology. Vestibular compensation, which responds to these variations in the sensitivity of the posterior labyrinth, is a slowly progressive adaptation mechanism. This compensation will progressively reduce the musculotonic asymmetry affecting the postural muscles and the eye muscles, and it can therefore be studied on the basis of the velocity of the spontaneous nystagmus as measured in the dark. We can then define a "vestibular compensation rate" at a given moment. To achieve this, a diagram (E. UMER) is proposed to represent the lesion and the rate of vestibular compensation and to study their mutual relationships. The dynamic study of vestibular compensation and the measurement of its "time constant" than have threefold merits for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.

[Diagnostic and therapeutic problems in dissociated forms of Menière's disease]. / Problèmes diagnostiques et thérapeutiques au cours des formes dissociées de la maladie de Ménière.

The authors report the cases of 5 subjects who presented with incapacitating vertigo which was attributed to a dissociated form of Meniere's disease. They stress the difficulty, in these circumstances, in making a precise diagnosis which can only in fact be confirmed with the benefit of a longer follow up. They stress the value of systematically combining frequency analysis with measurement of maximal slow phase velocity during vestibular testing. This allowed better precision in terms of topographical diagnosis. All subjects underwent vestibular neurotomy via the retro-sigmoid approach. The procedure did not alter hearing and compensation occurred within the usual delay. The question therefore arises as to when is the best time to intervene in patients presenting with vertigo of peripheral origin with preserved hearing.

[Measurement of the latencies of voluntary and corrective ocular saccades. Value in otoneurology]. / Mesure des latences des saccades oculaires volontaires et de correction. Son intérêt en oto-neurologie.

The delay between the stimulus and the voluntary eye saccade is the only parameter of the saccadic system which can be measured by using standard apparatus. Taking manually the measurements made on records obtained by using minicomputer; the authors show that such manual measurement of latencies is easy and yet sufficiently accurate to be of great clinical value. The latencies of voluntary saccades are normal in peripheral pathology (less than 250 milliseconds). Latencies of voluntary saccades are significantly increased in extrinsic brain stem lesions: tumours (in particular ponto cerebellar tumours), meningitis, head injury; but the velocity of the saccade is normal. This effect goes in parallel with impairement of the smooth pursuit. In intrinsic brain stem lesions (multiple sclerosis, acute brain stem stroke, oculomotor paralysis) latencies are increased bilaterally and above all, there is a significant slowing of the saccade. The role of fatigue increased latencies in some patients of this series. Two populations can be discerned in vestibular neuritis: one normal and one with abnormal smooth pursuit and increased saccadic latencies.

[Rotatory impulse test does not replace caloric tests]. / L'épreuve rotatoire impulsionnelle ne remplace pas les tests caloriques.

We sought to determine whether the rotatory impulsional test was capable of exploring the canalar function with sufficient precision to replace the caloric test, as it has been recently affirmed. We first compared the observed preponderance from this test with that measured during a sinusoidal (20 and 4 s) test. We observed that, in the case of a significant preponderance for a given test, there was complete redondance with the preponderance observed with any other test. The rotatory impulsional test does not present any specific advantage compared to other kinetic test as far as the observation of the preponderance phenomenon. We then compared the preponderance with the results of the caloric tests and came to the following conclusions i) the absence of preponderance does not allow us to predict the absence of vestibular deficit, due to the fact that 37% of the deficits were compensated for including acoustic neuroma; ii) the presence of a preponderance does not allow a priori to say whether it is of vestibular, cervical, or central origin and systematic caloric tests shows that almost one fourth of preponderance observed is not associated with unilateral weakness iii) supposing that a clinical argument allow us to conclude as to the probable vestibular origin of a vestibular preponderance, the direction of this preponderance does not allow us to determine which side is involved. In fact, if the undercompensated deficits are 3 times more frequent than overcompensated deficits, the proportion of preponderance not linked to a significant deficit indicates that the probability of encountering a preponderance related to a specific undercompensated deficit is approximately 50%. We thus did not find in the rotatory impulsional test any specific advantage allowing us to predict the laterality of a vestibular lesion.

[Otospongiosis: different surgical technics, identical results. Why?]. / Otospongiose: techniques chirurgicales différentes, résultats identiques. Pourquoi?

Both platinectomy and platinotomy are currently used to treat otosclerosis surgically. Though the techniques are different from one another, especially by the new area ratio between tympanic membrane and stapes foot-plate, the results are similar. It should be clear that the simple "piston model" of the tympanic ossicular system cannot explain this results. If, for the seesaw mechanical view, a vibratory molecular system conducting acoustic energy is substituted, a pertinent explanation can be given for this result. Thus, understanding of the pattern motion of the tympanic ossicular system has to change drastically.

[Using interaction-intensive therapeutic nursing measures and "home remedies" in nursing care. An explorative study as a plea for integrated nursing practice]. / Der Einsatz von interaktionsintensiven pflegetherapeutischen Massnahmen und von "Hausmitteln" in der Pflege. Eine explorative Studie als Plädoyer für eine integrierte Pflegepraxis.

BACKGROUND: Until today there existed no major studies about the wide range of currently utilized methods or potential sociodemographic and institutional influences on utilization despite an immense interest among nurses in alternative nursing methods (in this study referred to as home remedies). METHODS: In this study, from standardized questionnaires with a convenience sample of three different settings of nursing practice, i.e. acute-care, nursing homes, and home health care were analyzed using the statistical program SPSS. RESULTS: Our analysis showed that a wide range of traditional home remedies is being utilized, e.g. application of heat and cold or herbal infusion (herbal teas). Furthermore, lay approaches such as aromatherapy were also commonly used. The statistical analysis revealed complex influences of age, duration of nursing practice and institutional setting in the utilization of home remedies. CONCLUSION: There is need for more systematic studies to further examine the alternative methods or home remedies so popular among nurses and their patients. Regarding a more consistent naming of the variety of different methods coming from naturopathy, folk and lay medicine, the authors suggest the term "integrative nursing care".

[Eating and drinking in patients with Alzheimer dementia. A study of interactions]. / Essen und Trinken bei Menschen mit Alzheimer-Demenz. Eine Interaktionsstudie.

Eating and drinking become difficult for people afflicted with dementia. We have therefore analysed the mealtime constellation in five cases of institutionalised people suffering from Alzheimer using video in an open technique. The process of eating and drinking entailed intensive interaction between patients and their nurses. The demented were apparently in possession of extensive nonverbal communicative ability to both transmit and receive signals. It proved possible to identify behavioral factors that hinder or benefit the mealtime procedure of the analysed cases.

Cerebellar haemorrhage mimicking acute peripheral vestibulopathy: the role of the video head impulse test in differential diagnosis.

Dizziness and vertigo without neurological signs are typically due to a peripheral vestibular disease. Although the most common causes are benign, differential diagnosis must include potentially life-threatening central diseases such as cerebrovascular pathologies. A systemic clinical approach needs a careful work-up, bedside examination and appropriate instrumental investigation. The head impulse test (HIT) allows qualitative clinical assessment of canalar function; it has some limitations such as subjective evaluation, mainly in patients with a spontaneous nystagmus. A new device has been recently developed consisting of an infrared video camera (video-HIT) to provide quantitative instrumental assessment of the high-frequency vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR) gain. By reporting a case of cerebellar haemorrhage mimicking an acute peripheral vestibulopathy, the authors suggest that video-HIT may be considered a useful tool in differential diagnosis between vestibular neuritis and cerebellar vascular disease in patients with severe acute vertigo without central signs.

Vestibular function outcomes after vestibular neurectomy in Meniere disease: can vestibular neurectomy provide complete vestibular deafferentation?

OBJECTIVE: Vestibular neurectomy is considered the reference treatment of incapacitating vertigo accompanying Meniere disease, with an efficiency rate of 85-95% in most literature reports. The aim of this study is to evaluate if vestibular neurectomy can provide a complete vestibular deafferentation by investigating complete vestibular function after surgery. METHODS: Prospective study. Twenty-four patients suffering from incapacitated Meniere vertigo crisis beneficiated from a vestibular neurectomy by retrosigmoid approach. The average time between surgery and vestibular evaluation was 1 year. We performed (i) kinetic test, (ii) caloric test and (iii) vibration-induced nystagmus (VIN) at 30, 60 and 100Hz under videonystagmography recording, (iv) vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP), (v) video head impulsed test (VHIT) for each semicircular canals and (vi) an evaluation of visual vertical and horizontal subjective (VVS and HVS). RESULTS: On clinical evaluation, all the patients except one had never experienced any recurrence of vertigo crisis after surgery. The 24 patients would definitely undergo the surgery again. On vestibular evaluation, on the operated side, all patients showed a total areflexia at caloric test; 23 patients had no VEMP response; 23 patients had abolished canals response to VHIT. All the patients had VVS and HVS deviated towards the operated side; 23 patients had a high velocity VIN from 30 to 60Hz. CONCLUSION: This study proves that vestibular neurectomy can provide a complete vestibular deafferentation. We discuss this vestibular evaluation protocol and the main difficulties encounter during surgery, which could lead to partial nerve section and partial relief, and explain residual vestibular function after vestibular neurectomy.