Pierre Taupin

Continuous venovenous haemodiafiltration versus intermittent haemodialysis for acute renal failure in patients with multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome: a multicentre randomised trial

BACKGROUND Whether continuous renal replacement therapy is better than intermittent haemodialysis for the treatment of acute renal failure in critically ill patients is controversial. In this study, we compare the effect of intermittent haemodialysis and continuous venovenous haemodiafiltration on survival rates in critically ill patients with acute renal failure as part of multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome. METHODS Our prospective, randomised, multicentre study took place between Oct 1, 1999, and March 3, 2003, in 21 medical or multidisciplinary intensive-care units from university or community hospitals in France. Guidelines were provided to achieve optimum haemodynamic tolerance and effectiveness of solute removal in both groups. The two groups were treated with the same polymer membrane and bicarbonate-based buffer. 360 patients were randomised, and the primary endpoint was 60-day survival based on an intention-to-treat analysis. FINDINGS Rate of survival at 60-days did not differ between the groups (32% in the intermittent haemodialysis group versus 33% in the continuous renal replacement therapy group [95 % CI -8.8 to 11.1,]), or at any other time. INTERPRETATION These data suggest that, provided strict guidelines to improve tolerance and metabolic control are used, almost all patients with acute renal failure as part of multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome can be treated with intermittent haemodialysis.

Transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells and long-term survival for primary immunodeficiencies in Europe: Entering a new century, do we do better?

BACKGROUND Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation remains the only treatment for most patients with severe combined immunodeficiencies (SCIDs) or other primary immunodeficiencies (non-SCID PIDs). OBJECTIVE To analyze the long-term outcome of patients with SCID and non-SCID PID from European centers treated between 1968 and 2005. METHODS The product-limit method estimated cumulative survival; the log-rank test compared survival between groups. A Cox proportional-hazard model evaluated the impact of independent predictors on patient survival. RESULTS In patients with SCID, survival with genoidentical donors (n = 25) from 2000 to 2005 was 90%. Survival using a mismatched relative (n = 96) has improved (66%), similar to that using an unrelated donor (n = 46; 69%; P = .005). Transplantation after year 1995, a younger age, B(+) phenotype, genoidentical and phenoidentical donors, absence of respiratory impairment, or viral infection before transplantation were associated with better prognosis on multivariate analysis. For non-SCID PID, in contrast with patients with SCID, we confirm that, in the 2000 to 2005 period, using an unrelated donor (n = 124) gave a 3-year survival rate similar to a genoidentical donor (n = 73), 79% for both. Survival was 76% in phenoidentical transplants (n = 23) and worse in mismatched related donor transplants (n = 47; 46%; P = .016). CONCLUSION This is the largest cohort study of such patients with the longest follow-up. Specific issues arise for different patient groups. Patients with B-SCID have worse survival than other patients with SCID, despite improvements in each group. For non-SCID PID, survival is worse than SCID, although more conditions are now treated. Individual disease categories now need to be analyzed so that disease-specific prognosis may be better understood and the best treatments planned.

Glucose tolerance and insulin secretion, morbidity, and death in patients with cystic fibrosis.

OBJECTIVES To describe the history, mechanisms, and consequences of cystic fibrosis (CF)-related diabetes, from childhood to early adulthood. STUDY DESIGN Pancreatic beta-cell function was estimated from the plasma insulin/glucose ratios during oral glucose tolerance test (total area under the curve and deltaI(30-0min)/G(30min), homeostasis model assessment [HOMA]%B), insulin sensitivity with the HOMA%S index, in 237 children with CF (109 boys, 128 girls). Progression of glucose metabolism abnormalities was evaluated by analysis for interval censored data; rates of pulmonary transplantation and death by Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS Impaired glucose tolerance was found in 20% of patients at 10 years, 50% at 15 years, 75% at 20 years, 82% at 30 years; for diabetes, >20% at 15 year, 45% at 20 years, 70% at 30 years; for insulin treatment, 30% at 20 years, 40% at 30 years. Early impairment was associated with lower survival rates and higher rates of lung transplantation. The area under the curve(glucose) correlated with decreased body mass index and height. Decrease in early insulin secretion (deltaI(30-0min)/G(30min)) was associated with impaired glucose tolerance, in all estimates of insulin secretion with diabetes. HOMA%S did not differ between the groups. Increased inflammation correlated with insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. CONCLUSIONS CF-related diabetes, mainly because of beta-cell deficiency, is frequent early in life and associated with impaired nutritional state and growth, increased rates of terminal respiratory failure, and death.

Transplantation in patients with SCID: mismatched related stem cells or unrelated cord blood?

Pediatric patients with SCID constitute medical emergencies. In the absence of an HLA-identical hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) donor, mismatched related-donor transplantation (MMRDT) or unrelated-donor umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) are valuable treatment options. To help transplantation centers choose the best treatment option, we retrospectively compared outcomes after 175 MMRDTs and 74 UCBTs in patients with SCID or Omenn syndrome. Median follow-up time was 83 months and 58 months for UCBT and MMRDT, respectively. Most UCB recipients received a myeloablative conditioning regimen; most MMRDT recipients did not. UCB recipients presented a higher frequency of complete donor chimerism (P = .04) and faster total lymphocyte count recovery (P = .04) without any statistically significance with the preparative regimen they received. The MMRDT and UCBT groups did not differ in terms of T-cell engraftment, CD4(+) and CD3(+) cell recoveries, while Ig replacement therapy was discontinued sooner after UCBT (adjusted P = .02). There was a trend toward a greater incidence of grades II-IV acute GVHD (P = .06) and more chronic GVHD (P = .03) after UCBT. The estimated 5-year overall survival rates were 62% ± 4% after MMRDT and 57% ± 6% after UCBT. For children with SCID and no HLA-identical sibling donor, both UCBT and MMRDT represent available HSC sources for transplantation with quite similar outcomes.

Prenatal prognosis in isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia

OBJECTIVE A monocentric retrospective study of 79 neonates with isolated diaphragmatic hernia antenatally diagnosed was performed to identify prenatal parameters that may characterize the severity of the disease. STUDY DESIGN Postnatal treatment protocol included early high frequency ventilation, inhaled nitric oxide, and delayed surgery. Postnatal survival rate was 63.3%. RESULTS Age at diagnosis, polyhydramnios, and left ventricle/right ventricle index were not related with survival. None of the 9 left diaphragmatic hernias with intraabdominal stomach died. Neonatal mortality was significantly related with the side of the defect, intrathoracic position of the liver, the ratio of fetal lung area to head circumference value, and fetal lung volume ratio measured by resonance magnetic imaging. CONCLUSION No prenatal factor alone firmly predicts neonatal outcome. Clinicians should help stratify the severity of the disease and compare accurately different postnatal therapeutic strategies.

Decrease of inpatient mortality for hip fracture in France

OBJECTIVE Hip fracture is the most devastating osteoporotic fracture, increasing the risk of mortality. Recent data suggest a decrease in incidence of this fracture. Few data are available on potential changes in mortality. We studied the change of inpatient mortality from 2002 to 2008 in France. METHODS Data were extracted from the French Hospital National Database. The absolute number of inpatient mortality for hip fracture was described as well as the case fatal rate and mortality rate adjusted on age and gender. Risk factors of inpatient mortality were assessed by multiple regressions. RESULTS Inpatient mortality stay decreased from 3057 to 2350 in patients aged 40 years and over and in both gender. Inpatient mortality stays were more important in women and increased with age, but the case fatal rate was higher in men than in women (5.4 vs. 2.8% in 2008). During the study period, the mortality rate (per 1,000,000) varied from 132 to 88 and from 82 to 64 in women and men, respectively. In the older patients, case fatality and mortality rates decreased significantly during the study period. From 2008 data, age more or equal to 85 years, male gender, stay in intensive care and existence of some chronic or acute disease, especially cardiovascular disease, hepatic disease, renal insufficiency, and infection were significant determinants of inpatient mortality. CONCLUSION Inpatient mortality after hip fracture decreased in France between 2002 and 2008, although age, male gender and comorbidities were identified as determinants of inpatient mortality.

Changes in insulin therapy regimens over 10 yr in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes attending diabetes camps

To describe the changes in insulin therapy regimens of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes over 10 yr and their correlation with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).

Do parents understand the medical information provided in paediatric emergency departments? A prospective multicenter study.

Aim:  We evaluated the extent to which parents understood the medical information about hospitalization of their child in an emergency department and looked for characteristics likely to increase the risk of poor comprehension.

Hospitalized wrist fractures in France: Incidence and burden trend changes

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to assess the burden of hospitalized wrist fractures between 2002 and 2006 in France. METHODS Data were drawn from the French Hospital National Database. The number of admissions and the incidence rates were described as well as the type of entry and discharge from hospital, length of stay, and 2006 in-patients costs. RESULTS In 2002 and 2006, 38,710 and 38,979 hospitalizations for wrist fractures were registered respectively. The incidence rate of fractures increased with age whatever the year and decreased significantly from 2002 to 2006. Length of stay and mean inpatients costs increased with age. The overall in-patients 2006 costs was 79 millions with an average individual cost of 2100 € per hospitalized wrist fractures. CONCLUSION The incidence of hospitalizations for wrist fractures decreased in 2006 compared to 2002. The number of hospitalizations increased, as a consequence of ageing, (except for wrist fracture in men), with a subsequent increase in cost related to these fractures. The increase with age outlines the role of underlying osteoporosis and the relevance of appropriate care of patients at risk of for such fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV.