Laure Couderc

Central venous thrombosis and thrombophilia in cystic fibrosis: A prospective study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Catheter venous thrombosis may result in life-threatening embolic complications. Recently, a thrombophilic tendency was described in cystic fibrosis (CF), the significance of which remains unclear. The aims of this study were to (1) document the frequency of catheter venous thrombosis detected by colour-Doppler-ultrasound (Doppler-US), (2) assess genetic and acquired thrombophilia risk factors for catheter venous thrombosis and hypercoagulability status and (3) provide recommendations on laboratory screening when considering insertion of a totally implantable vascular access device (TIVAD) in CF patients. METHODS We designed a multicentre prospective study in patients selected at the time of catheter insertion. Doppler-US was scheduled at 1 and 6months after insertion and before insertion in case of a previous central line. Blood samplings were drawn at insertion and at 1 and 6months later. RESULTS One-hundred patients received a TIVAD and 90 completed the 6-month study. Prevalence of thrombophilia abnormalities and hypercoagulability was found in 50% of the cohorts. Conversely, catheter venous thrombosis frequency was low (6.6%). CONCLUSION Our data do not support biological screening at the time of a TIVAD insertion. We emphasise the contribution of a medical history of venous thromboembolism and prospective Doppler-US for identifying asymptomatic catheter venous thrombosis to select patients who may benefit from biological screening and possible anticoagulant therapy.

Mucoviscidose : du bon usage des explorations fonctionnelles respiratoires

Resume Introduction Le depistage neonatal de la mucoviscidose permet de proposer aux patients atteints un suivi multidisciplinaire dedie et precoce. Etat des connaissances L’exploration fonctionnelle respiratoire est un outil obligatoire de cette surveillance clinique. Le but de cet article est de decrire les anomalies les plus frequemment observees et de faire le point des recommandations en fonction du type d’examen, de l’âge du patient et des principales situations cliniques. Perspectives Il apparait que seule la frequence d’utilisation de la spirometrie, avec ses limites d’interpretation, fait l’objet d’un large consensus. Conclusion L’effort d’evaluation de la riche panoplie des tests fonctionnels respiratoires doit donc se poursuivre dans le cadre de la mucoviscidose, en particulier chez le petit enfant.

A simplified, semi-quantitative structural lung disease computed tomography outcome during quiet breathing in infants with cystic fibrosis

Chest tomography (CT) using the controlled ventilation technique (CTCV) is a sensitive method to detect features of lung cystic fibrosis (CF) disease in infants with CF. However, this technique needs sedation and is not easily applied for the clinician who may need, in the follow-up, to evaluate more precisely lung disease in infants with CF. Thus, our study aims to evaluate if CT assessment of lung disease, without the need of sedation, during quiet breathing, using a semi-quantitative scoring system, is reproducible and may discriminate infants with CF from control infants at an early stage of the lung disease. 39 infants with CF underwent a first CT at 10.3 [9.4, 11.4] weeks of age. Among them, 33 underwent a second CT at 56.1 [53.1, 59.6] weeks of age. CF scoring images of the different scanner variables, i.e. bronchial wall thickening, bronchiectasis, mucus plugging and air trapping were compared to CT scoring obtained in 2 different groups of control infants of similar age without lung disease. Among all the constituents of the scoring, air trapping is the only parameter discriminating infants with CF from control infants at both ages in our study (p≤0.01). Moreover, air trapping explains 90% of the total score variability with r2=0.89 with a good concordance after re-scoring in blind, 6months apart, by the same operator for both infant populations: ICC=0.98 [0.97, 0.99]. In this study, we propose that CT during quiet breathing could be a useful clinical tool to evaluate the early presence of gas trapping in infants with CF.