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Biomedical subjects

B Fauroux

Publications and source records attributed to B Fauroux.

63 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Home treatment for chronic respiratory insufficiency: the situation in Europe in 1992. The European Working Group on Home Treatment for Chronic Respiratory Insufficiency.

The search for improved quality of life and a reduction in health care costs is leading to the development of home treatment. The organization of home treatment for chronic respiratory patients in 13 European countries was evaluated at the end of 1992 by means of a questionnaire. Switzerland and the Association Nationale pour le Traitement A Domicile de l'Insuffisance Respiratoire Chronique (ANTADIR) in France maintain registers for patients on oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation and sleep disorders. Sweden and Poland have a national register for patients receiving oxygen. In other countries, some information can be obtained from the National Health Service or the commercial provider. Oxygen concentrators are used preferentially in all countries except Italy, Denmark, Spain and The Netherlands. Home ventilator treatment is generally performed by volume-cycled ventilators. National prescription rules exist in some parts of Spain, Switzerland and Belgium. In other countries, such as Germany, prescriptions rely on recommendations elaborated by specialists or international guidelines. Service and equipment are provided by national organizations, health services, commercial companies or hospitals. Home supervision of the patient is performed by a nurse and/or a doctor and equipment maintenance by a technician. Important differences exist between countries in Europe in home treatment of chronic respiratory disease. Comparative analysis should help achieve uniform standards and provide a basis for future research.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗

[Heart or heart-lung transplantation and toxoplasmosis].

Among all organ transplantations, those of heart or heart-lung carry the greatest risk of toxoplasmosis. The disease is observed mainly when the donor is seropositive and the recipient seronegative. In these mismatched couples the risk may be as high as 57 percent. Cardiac tissue transplants are responsible for most contaminations. A subclinical serological reactivation can be observed in seropositive recipients. Patent forms are associated with seroconversion in seronegative subjects. Toxoplasmosis is often severe with multivisceral foci; interstitial pneumonia is possible. The serological diagnosis is easy in cases with significant antibody movements, but it may be difficult if the titre is low or stable. The parasitological diagnosis rests on the isolation of toxoplasma in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and cardiac or cerebral biopsy. Immune defence against toxoplasmosis is primarily cellular, with lymphocytosis and inversion of the CD4/CD8 ratio. Macrophages play a crucial role. Interferon-gamma is the major mediator of cellular resistance. In spite of its immunosuppressive action, cyclosporin clearly has an antiparasitic action in vitro and in vivo. A cytomegalovirus infection might facilitate toxoplasma reactivation. Prevention of toxoplasmosis in transplant recipients includes systematic serology of the recipient and, if possible, the donor, detection of mismatched couples and systematic treatment with pyrimethamine of recipients at risk (in seronegative recipients, this drug has reduced the risk from 57 to 14 percent). Cyclosporin should be used as immunosuppressant in preference to other drugs of this kind. Corticosteroids administered in rejections increase the risk of toxoplasmosis.

Cyclosporine↗

Miliary tuberculosis with acute respiratory failure and histiocytic hemophagocytosis. Successful treatment with extracorporeal lung support and epipodophyllotoxin VP 16-213.

A 14-year-old girl with high fever, dyspnea and bilateral miliary nodules on chest X-ray, developed a rapidly progressive respiratory failure associated with histiocytic hemophagocytosis. Histologic examination of bone marrow biopsy revealed tuberculous granulomas with caseating necrosis. We report a pediatric case in which treatment with extracorporeal lung support and epipodophyllotoxin VP 16-213 was successful.

Adolescent↗

[Treatment understanding and compliance in asthma of children. Results of a prospective survey].

Compliance with treatment is a crucial factor in the management of asthmatic children which depends on the understanding of the disease and its treatment. The understanding of, and compliance with treatment were evaluated by means of a questionnaire in 50 parents of asthmatic children. 50% of these parents used anti-histamines as maintenance treatment and 30% also used these drugs during attacks. Half the parents knew about the bronchodilator effects of theophylline and B2-agonists. 42% and 30% respectively of the parents thought that the side-effects of theophylline or corticosteroids were few or inexistent; 86% claimed regular attendance to out-patient clinics, but 30% confessed that they had forgotten such drugs as theophylline and antihistamines. 50% took the appropriate therapeutic measures when confronted with a moderate or severe attack of asthma. Each child received 2.3 drugs on average for his or her asthma. This study shows that parents have an insufficient knowledge of asthma treatments, and this may partially explain the poor compliance with therapy as well as the morbidity and mortality associated with childhood asthma.

Adolescent↗

Non invasive mechanical ventilation in cystic fibrosis: physiological effects and monitoring.

Chronic respiratory insufficiency in cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterised by an increase in respiratory load, which leads to alveolar hypoventilation with the preservation of respiratory muscle strength. Non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV) is able to improve alveolar ventilation and thus gas exchange and allow the the respiratory muscles to rest in patients with cystic fibrosis with variable severity of lung disease. These effects state the superiority of NIMV compared to oxygen therapy in CF. Invasive, highly specialized monitoring is recommended for the evaluation of ventilatory modes and the performances of new ventilators. After a successful evaluation, the monitoring of patients starting NIMV can be performed with simple, non invasive parameters such as gas exchange, tidal volume, respiratory rate, minute ventilation and comfort. In the long term however, studies are warranted to assess the benefit of NIMV in terms of lung function, quality of sleep and most importantly, quality of life.

Cystic Fibrosis↗

[Respiratory form mof myasthenia gravis].

BACKGROUND: Extraocular, facial, bulbar and intercostal muscles are frequently affected in juvenile myasthenia gravis, especially during exacerbations. Acetylcholine receptor antibodies are often present in the blood in this type of myasthenic syndrome. CASE REPORT: A girl presented with an exertional dyspnea at the age of 13 years, that improved after rest. All investigations were negative, except for lung function tests that showed a restrictive pattern. The diagnosis of juvenile myasthenia gravis was finally made at the age of 15 years because of the recurrence of sudden exertional dyspnea and a history of subtle weakness on repetitive movement leading to poor suckling, together with vocal and occasional swallowing difficulties. Dyspnea immediately improved after intravenous injection of 1 mg neostigmine, but the response was transient. No acetylcholine receptor antibody was found and a search for thymoma proved negative. Ambenonium chloride (Mytelase) was effective on clinical exacerbations, but the only improved test after 9 months of treatment was the functional residual capacity. CONCLUSION: Anticholinesterase drugs must be tried in patients who present exertional dyspnea without bronchopulmonary or cardiac disease on the presumption of myasthenia gravis even when ocular or bulbar manifestations are absent.

Adolescent↗

[Mechanical ventilation by nasal mask in children with cystic fibrosis. Initial results of a non-invasive method].

BACKGROUND: Chronic respiratory failure (CRF) with hypoxia and hypercapnia is the last ineluctable phase in cystic fibrosis (CF). Nasal positive pressure ventilation (NPPV), a non-invasive method, may be given to CF children with CRF, especially to patients accepted for transplantation (T). This method improves ventilatory function by resting the chronically exhausted respiratory muscles, facilitates bronchial drainage by physiotherapy, prevents the exacerbations of the illness and prepares patients for T. METHODS AND PATIENTS: NPPV was used in 6 CF patients (mean age 13 years 6 months). One of them was transplanted 15 days later, two of them were accepted for T. All had hypoxia. Five of them had hypercapnia. RESULTS: NPPV was given to four patients for 3 to 14 months. The preliminary results were positive. One patient gained weight, two had more fluid sputum. One patient showed an increase in functional respiratory tests (FRT: PaO2, vital capacity, FEV-1) while these tests were stabilized in the others. CONCLUSIONS: NPPV in an effective non-invasive method for use with CF children. It is indicated for CF patients accepted for T and also earlier, for CF patients with CRF in order to prevent acute exacerbations and functional respiratory deterioration.

Adolescent↗