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A Durocher

Publications and source records attributed to A Durocher.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Assessing the impact of a consensus conference on long-term therapy for schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess the impact of six recommendations regarding drug prescription on the clinical practices of French psychiatrists. The recommendations were part of the conclusions of a consensus conference entitled "Long-term therapy of schizophrenia" (Paris, January 1994). METHODS: The impact of the conference was assessed on the basis of awareness of the existence of the conference, knowledge of its conclusions, and actual changes in clinical practice. We performed: a) a survey of a representative sample of 396 psychiatrists 2 years after the conference; and b) an analysis of changes in drug prescriptions in a cohort of 2,407 patients with schizophrenia under treatment at the time of the conference. RESULTS: Overall, 78% of interviewed psychiatrists were aware of the existence of the conference and 70% of its conclusions. Declared prescription practices conformed with conference conclusions about 60% (10%-95%) of the time. No difference in practices was noted between psychiatrists who were aware of the recommendations and those who were not. Single neuroleptic prescriptions increased in the cohort study in line with the main conference recommendation. The increase was small, but significant from 51.1% to 56.4%, and mainly concerned patients recently put on treatment. Contrary to recommendations, prescriptions of anticholinergics plus neuroleptics inexplicably rose from 48.2% to 54.3%. CONCLUSION: Small changes in prescription habits occurred in the wake of the consensus conference, but we cannot really ascribe them to a direct impact of the conference. Despite the great pains we took in disseminating the conclusions of the conference as widely as possible, it is clear that a more forceful action plan (e.g., including continuous medical education) is required.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Impact of the consensus conference on polycythemia vera. An opportunity to change or a sign of change?

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of guidelines on drug use issued by a consensus conference on polycythemia vera held in Paris in June 1993. 32Phosphorus (32P) was recommended for patients over 70 and/or at risk, whereas pipobroman and hydroxyurea were recommended for patients under 70. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to all 119 departments of nuclear medicine in France 1 year after the conference to find out whether and how often they measured plasma volume and red cell mass (the recommended diagnostic tests for polycythemia vera). Time-series analyses were performed on sales of 32P, pipobroman (both virtually exclusively prescribed for polycythemia), and hydroxyurea over a 4-year span (January 1992-December 1995). RESULTS: The average number of plasma volume determinations per year did not change significantly after the conference (22 +/- 26 before vs 21 +/- 25 after). 32P and pipobroman sales were stable until July 1993, when 32P sales decreased while pipobroman sales rose steadily. Hydroxyurea sales increased over the whole period with no change in trend after the guidelines were published. CONCLUSIONS: The guidelines apparently influenced clinical practice since sales of drugs that are specifically used to treat polycythemia vera showed clear changes in trend after publication of the guidelines. This type of study seems to be an effective way of assessing the impact of consensus conferences.

Drug Utilization Review↗
PubMed1997

The French clinical guidelines and medical references programme: development of 48 guidelines for private practice over a period of 18 months.

The French medical profession and health insurance organizations have jointly committed themselves to a concept termed the 'medical regulation' of care. They decided to promote the quality of health care, judging that an approach based on quality was the best option for reducing the increase in health costs. The Clinical Guidelines and Medical References programme was entrusted to ANDEM (Agence Nationale pour le Développement de L'Evaluation Médicale). Fifty working groups (669 experts) and 50 reading groups (1643 experts) met from June 1994 to November 1995 to produce guidelines. Learned societies were involved to propose experts. Hospital practitioners, doctors who specialized in the topic in question and those who did not had equal representation in the groups. The method consisted of a review of the literature to determine the level of scientific evidence. ANDEM's Scientific Council suggested modifications to the groups and agreed to disseminate 48 of the 50 texts. Careful observation of the operation of the groups identified factors that can positively influence the nature of the discussions and help avoid conflict: an abundance of high-quality literature, an understanding of clinical research methodology, the existence of guidelines from different institutions or different countries tending towards the same conclusions, good initial work carried out by the chairperson and the project manager, a limit to the number of questions asked of the group, the chairperson having good people skills and meeting-management skills, and an absence of professional and financial consequences for the participants. Good management of working groups is an additional factor in ensuring success. The regulatory medical references programme has led to changes of behaviour within the medical profession.

Consensus Statements as Topic↗
PubMed1996

Short-term impact of the European Consensus Conference on the use of selective decontamination of the digestive tract with antibiotics in ICU patients.

Because it remained controversial, the use of selective digestive decontamination (SDD) in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) was chosen as the topic of the first European Consensus Conference in Intensive Care Medicine (ECCICM) in December, 1991. The Consensus Bureau decided to assess the impact of this conference 2 years afterwards. For this purpose, a questionnaire was sent to the members of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, the Societé de Réanimation de Langue Française and the Societé Française d'Anesthesie et Réanimation before the conference. The recommendations following the conference discouraged the systematic use of SDD in ventilated patients and urged the monitoring of bacterial resistance and adapting antibiotics to epidemiology of the units. Two years after the conference, the same questionnaire was sent to those physicians who had responded to the first one. Eighteen percent used SDD for all ventilated patients and 17% remain users after 2 years. Among the occasional (32%) or continual (17%) users of SDD, the regimens used were mostly intravenous cefotaxime (60% of systemic antibiotics) and a topical combination of polymixin E, tobramycin, and amphotericin B (62% of overall topical combinations). The antibiotics used were unchanged after 2 years in almost all cases. In conclusion, the short-term impact of the Consensus Conference on SDD in ICU patients has been poor. This may be related to the continuing insufficiency of strong, definite data regarding the impact of this technique upon mortality and the theoretical risk of resistance to antibiotics, thus allowing physicians to stick to their policies until there is new evidence.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1996

[A study of practice patterns of albumin administration in surgical patients by anesthetists].

The establishment of guidelines has to take into account the current practice patterns. For the preparation of the consensus conference organized by the French Society of Anesthesia and intensive care (SFAR) on the prescription of albumin, an interview with a questionnaire was undertaken in order to assess the practice patterns of anaesthetists during the perioperative period. A group of 498 anaesthetists were interviewed during a congress. Two out of three prescribe albumin. In case of haemorrhage, the decision to administer albumin depends on the limits for using other colloids (for 65% of the responders), the amount of blood loss (46%) and albuminaemia (for only 26%). In other cases, albumin is mainly administered in the burn patient and for recurring ascite; albuminaemia is a decision criterion for one anesthetist out of two. About 25% of them use a 20% concentration, another 25% of them a 4% concentration and the remaining 50% use both concentrations. Adverse effects have been seen in less than 5% of the responders. These data have been presented at the consensus conference and can also be used for the assessment of the impact of the guidelines after their publication.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Effect of dialysis on exogenous dopamine in haemodialysed critically ill patients.

A sensitive and specific high performance liquid chromatographic method (HPLC) was developed for measuring dopamine (DA) in human plasma samples. Dihydroxybenzylamine (DHBA) was employed as an internal standard. Following solvent extraction and separation on a C18 ion-pairing reversed phase column, the drug was detected by a fluorescence detector with excitation and emission wavelengths of 233 nm and 345 nm, respectively. This method was employed to evaluate dopamine dialysability in seven haemodialysed patients under continuous infusion of a positive inotropic agent. Results showed a high dialyser extraction ratio averaging 38.3%, but a low dialysis clearance of 67 ml/min. The fraction removed by dialysis is 2.5%. We concluded that haemodialysis has little effect on dopamine blood levels, and consequently on drug pharmacokinetics, when the drug is delivered to haemodialysed patients under intravenous infusion.

Calibration↗
PubMed1996

[Inhaled nitric oxide test for patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: value and feasibility].

Patients suffering from chronic lung disease (CLDP) often develop secondary pulmonary hypertension (HP), which contributes to right ventricular dysfunction and worsens their prognosis. In order to evaluate the severity of this HP, pharmacodynamics tests are periodically proposed to these patients. Therefore, the administration of vasodilators is limited by systemic and pulmonary side-effects. Inhaling nitric oxide gas (NO) has been reported to induce a selective pulmonary vasodilation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of an inhaled NO test perfected in our service. Sixteen CLDP were investigated in the absence of acute pulmonary failure. All had severe pre-capillary HP, confirmed after placement of a thermodilution pulmonary-artery catheter (mean pulmonary artery pressure >20 mmHg, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure >12 mmHg). Each subject breathed spontaneously NO in a concentration of 10 ppm for 15 minutes. They were connected through a facial mask and a one-way valve put on the inspiratory connection of a ventilator (Drager-Evita), to a tank of nitrogen with a NO concentration of 900 ppm. Hemodynamic variables and gas exchange were measured before, during and after gas inhalation. The inspired fractions of NO and NO2 were determined using a Polytron analyser (Drager). The methemoglobin levels were measured with spectrophotometry (OSM3). Inhaled NO acts as a selective pulmonary arterial vasodilator, without systemic effect. The action on the shunt is variable. Methemoglobin levels are remained <0.01%. All the patients were satisfied with the way of NO administration. In view of the lack of systemic effects, its seems that the NO inhaled test proposed in this study may be used accurately to evaluate the HP of chronic lung disease patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Diagnostic tests for pneumonia in ventilated patients: prospective evaluation of diagnostic accuracy using histology as a diagnostic gold standard.

The diagnostic accuracy of protected-specimen brush (PSB), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and endotracheal aspirates (EA) was prospectively evaluated in a series of 28 mechanically ventilated patients (MV patients) who died within 3 d of the bronchoscopic procedure, using postmortem lung examination as the gold standard for establishing the diagnosis of pneumonia. The entire fixed lungs were carefully dissected along the bronchovascular axes and each segment was cut into 5- to 10-mm thick sections, enabling gross examination of the lung parenchyma. Two tissue blocks were taken from each segment, including grossly abnormal areas whenever present. In several cases, two peripheral (subpleural) lung-tissue blocks were also taken from each lobe prior to systematic dissection of the lungs. Quantitative cultures (QC) and direct cytologic and microbiologic examination (DE) was performed on respiratory samples obtained within 72 h before death. Values of 10(3) cfu/ml of Ringer's solution, 10(4) cfu/ml of retrieved fluid, and 10(6) cfu/ml of respiratory secretions were used as cutoff points for quantitative PSB, BAL, and EA cultures, respectively. The main findings in this study were that: (1) Pneumonia was present in 67% of the patients. (2) Histologic lesions of pneumonia were mainly bilateral and predominated in the dependent lung segments. (3) Coexistence of a variety of noninfectious processes was a common finding in patients with pneumonia. (4) In several cases pneumonia was absent from peripheral lung samples while more central areas of the same segment displayed typical foci of pneumonia. (5) The sensitivity of quantitative cultures was 55%, 57%, and 47% for EA, PSB, and BAL, respectively, and the specificity was 85%, 88%, and 100%, respectively. Reducing the diagnostic threshold of EA to 10(5) cfu/ml of respiratory secretions instead of 10(6) cfu/ml resulted in a sensitivity of 63.1% and a specificity of 75% for EA. The sensitivity of direct examination (DE) was 50%, 47%, and 47%, respectively, and the specificity was 75%, 88%, and 87%. (6) The presence of intracellular organisms (ICO) in BAL had a 36.8% sensitivity and 100% specificity in establishing the diagnosis of pneumonia regardless of their percentage. (7) Although 15 patients (53%) were not on antibiotics or were off antibiotics for more than 48 h before testing, no relationship could be established between the patients' antibiotic status and the result of any diagnostic test. By using a recommended methodology for respiratory sampling techniques together with complete postmortem lung examination as a diagnostic "gold standard," this study provides a realistic insight into the diagnostic values of EA, PSB, and BAL in MV patients with suspected pneumonia.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1992

Sodium lactate reversal of electrophysiological effects of imipramine in guinea-pig ventricular myocardium.

Overdose cardiac effects of imipramine are due to fast Na channel blockade and are clinically reversed by administration of sodium lactate which induces alkalosis (about pH 7.50) and hypernatremia (about 8 mM). The mechanisms of this beneficial effect of Na lactate were explored in vitro on guinea-pig ventricular myocardium using the microelectrode technique. The time-course effects of the clinically relevant concentration of 10 microM imipramine on action potential characteristics were examined at pH 7.20 and pH 7.50. To test whether alkalinisation per se is important or whether an increase in Na concentration plays a major role in the reversal effect, preparations were exposed to increasing concentrations (1, 3, 10, 30, 100 mM) of either Na lactate, bicarbonate or chloride in the absence or in the presence of 10 microM imipramine at pH 7.50. The influence of elevating osmolality was evaluated with equivalent concentrations of sucrose. Imipramine alone significantly depressed Vmax and shortened action potential duration at all phases of repolarisation. All three high sodium solutions reversed imipramine effects. However the reversal effect was already obvious with 10 mM Na lactate and 10 mM NaHCO3 but not 10 mM NaCl. Osmolality did not reverse the imipramine-induced Vmax depression. The results suggest that at the clinically relevant 10 mM concentration, sodium lactate and bicarbonate may displace imipramine from its receptor site on the Na channel by causing alkalosis at the membrane level without profoundly affecting the driving force of the Na current, whereas at the upper concentrations, the increase in Na ion concentrations is predominantly involved in the reversal of imipramine effects.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1992

Long-term prognosis of near-fatal asthma. A 6-year follow-up study of 145 asthmatic patients who underwent mechanical ventilation for a near-fatal attack of asthma.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the long-term prognosis of near-fatal asthma. A retrospective cohort study design was used. Cases were defined as any asthmatic individual requiring mechanical ventilation for the first time for an asthma exacerbation between January 1, 1983 and December 31, 1988. The consecutive sample of patients was drawn from four study sites, specifically four intensive care units (ICU), based in a large urban area (1 million inhabitants). These four ICU total approximately 5,000 admissions per year and are the referral centers for more than 95% of patients requiring respiratory intensive care in the area. Data collection was obtained by questionnaires addressed to the patients and to their attending physicians and was completed by telephone calls if necessary. A total of 147 patients entered the study. The long-term outcome could be evaluated in all but two patients. The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 75 months. In-hospital mortality was 16.5%. Among the 121 patients discharged from the ICU, 18 subsequently died, 17 of whom died from a new attack of asthma. Post-hospitalization mortality was 10.1% (95% CI, 5.9 to 16.8%) after 1 yr, 14.4% (CI, 9 to 22.3%) after 3 yr, and 22.6% (CI, 12.7 to 36.8%) after 6 yr. Nearly two-thirds (61.5%) of these secondary deaths occurred within the year following discharge from the ICU. Smoking was associated with a higher in-hospital mortality, as well as with a higher posthospitalization mortality. Age was also independently associated with a higher posthospitalization mortality. It is noteworthy that the secondary deaths were mostly observed in patients over 40 yr of age.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1991

[Pseudosurgical acute abdomen syndrome in primary pulmonary hypertension].

The case is reported of a 49-year-old chronic alcoholic woman, who presented with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) mimicking as an acute abdomen. She was admitted with right-sided hypochondrial abdominal pain and hepatomegaly, with a moderate jaundice. On admission to intensive care unit, she had an arterial blood pressure of 110/70 mmHg, a heart rate of 100 b.min-1, and a respiratory rate of 36 c.min-1. An electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm and right-sided heart failure. Whilst breathing 6 l.min-1 oxygen, her arterial blood gases were: PaO2 47 mmHg PaCO2 29 mmHg. Severe PAH was confirmed by measuring her mean pulmonary arterial pressure, which was 46 mmHg, whilst her pulmonary wedge pressure was 7 mmHg. Hepatic function was also altered: total bilirubin 41 mumol.l-1, alkaline phosphatase 145 UI.l-1 and gamma glutamyl transferase 1 340 UI.l-1. She developed arterial hypotension, which did not respond to increasing doses of isoproterenol. She died on the third day. Necropsy confirmed the diagnosis of primary PAH, with acute "cardiac liver".

Abdomen, Acute↗
PubMed1991

[TNF and sepsis].

Recent experiments have demonstrated that TNF plays an important role in the pathogenesis of septic shock. To confirm the involvement of TNF in human septic shock, serum TNF levels were measured in 10 adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit for sepsis with or without shock. Septic shock was corroborated by hemodynamic data (right catheterization, measurement of cardiac output by thermodilution). For TNF measurement, venous blood samples were withdrawn, as soon as possible after the onset of sepsis, into a pyrogen--free tube. Serum TNF levels were determined using a radioimmunoenzymatic assay (IRE Medgenix). During septic shock (n = 7), TNF levels were significantly higher (m = 354 +/- 131 pg/ml) than during sepsis without shock (n = 8; m = 145 +/- 35 pg/ml) (p less than 0.0005). TNF levels were also significantly higher in non-survivors (m = 392 +/- 111 pg/ml) than in survivors (m = 167 +/- 81 pg/ml) (p less than 0.0005). The value of 250 pg/ml seems to be critical: no patient without shock had TNF levels above 250 and all the patients who died early during the first 24 h) had TNF levels above 250. The TNF level is negatively correlated with the platelet count (r = -0.70; p less than 0.05). These data favor a pathophysiological for TNF in human sepsis and septic shock.

Adolescent↗