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Biomedical subjects

C Devries

Publications and source records attributed to C Devries.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1988

Alcohol consumption and impaired glycoregulation results in a population of 6665 salaried employees.

Alcohol consumption and glycosuria were found to be associated (p less than 0.001) in a population of 6571 salaried employees who underwent a systematic examination. The prevalence of glycosuria was found to range from 1.3% among 2609 non-drinkers to 5% among 816 heavy drinkers (six glasses or more of alcoholic beverage daily). This association was still significant after adjustment for age, sex and body mass index. Similarly, a positive association was observed between fasting glycemia and alcoholic intake in a subgroup of 998 subjects when such a result was available (p less than 0.05).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

[Experience of decentralized informatics at a nephrology unit of a general hospital].

The computerized medical specialized records covering the follow-up of hypertension (ARTEMIS), diabetes (MELLITEE), chronic renal failure and the minimum medical record of Nephrology (THESEE) using the temporal database management system LIED, have been developed in several units of University Hospitals. The authors show that these computerized records are usable in a Nephrology Unit in a General Hospital.

Diabetes Mellitus↗
PubMed1987

Relationship between alcohol consumption and hypertension prevalence and control in a French population.

Six thousand six hundred thirty two subjects, employed in 420 small and medium-sized companies in the Paris region were examined in a cross-sectional study. Their alcohol consumption, as obtained by interview was found to be higher among males than among females, among workers than among managers, executives, and clerks. Alcohol consumption was positively associated with age, body mass index, coffee and cigarette consumption, occupational exposure to noise and working nights or alternating shifts. A positive, continuous, relationship was observed, for men and women, between alcohol intake and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. This association was highly significant in the multivariate analysis (multiple linear regression) where alcohol intake, following age and body mass index, was the third predictive factor of blood pressure level in the stepwise regression. The positive association between alcohol consumption and prevalence of arterial hypertension was aggravated by the poor control of hypertension which was found among drinkers. Awareness of hypertension, compliance with an antihypertensive treatment and its efficacy, were negatively associated with alcohol intake. The findings stress the importance of alcohol consumption which was found to be a major risk factor for arterial hypertension and noncompliance with antihypertensive treatment in this population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

[Predictive factors of resistance to antihypertensive treatment].

Results of antihypertensive treatment were analyzed in a group of 5,209 hypertensive patients referred in two hypertension Clinics in Paris from 1976 to 1985. Patients were included in the study if they fulfilled the following criteria: 1) at least four visits in the clinic, 2) follow-up period greater than 6 months, 3) initial diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90 mmHg and/or presence of an antihypertensive treatment. After a mean follow-up period of 43 months, blood pressure was reduced from 177/105 mmHg to 148/89 mmHg. However, in spite of at least two antihypertensive drugs, 16.7 p. 100 of these patients had a diastolic blood pressure above 95 mmHg at the end of the follow-up period and were defined as uncontrolled hypertensives (UH). By comparison with controlled hypertensives (CH), UH patients were more frequently males (67.9 vs 56.6 p. 100, p less than 0.001), had a greater known duration of hypertension (11.6 vs 8.7 years, p less than 0.001), and presented at the first visit with higher blood pressures (188/113 vs 174/103 mmHg, p less than 0.001/p less than 0.001), despite a higher rate of antihypertensive treatment (66.6 vs 53.8 p. cent, p less than 0.001), a higher ponderal index (26.3 vs 25.3/kg/m2, p less than 0.01) and a higher prevalence of end-organ damage (23.2 vs 16.3 p. 100, p less than 0.001). Sokolov index, serum creatinine and uric acid levels were higher among UH than among CH patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1987

[Decentralization of the ARTEMIS system in a nephrology service in a general hospital].

"ARTEMIS" is a standardized and computerized medical file which is intended for improving the follow-up of hypertensive patients, the efficacy of treatment and for realising national-wide surveys. The software "LIED" of data base for "ARTEMIS" is nowadays transposable on mini-computer. In Nephrology Unit of General Hospital from Colmar, the system has been working since September 1985 with MICRO-MEGA E 32 (Thomson). The administrative and medical data are directly acquired by the doctors and secretaries of the Unit on a conversational mode from six terminals. There is no writing collecting of data. An evaluation of the system was realized with the 113 first hypertensive patients. The results were compared to those obtained from patients of Paris area.

Follow-Up Studies↗
PubMed1986

[Testing an expert system for hypertension].

An Expert System (ES) has been connected to a database management system for the management and follow-up of hypertensive patients. The patient data base, called Artemis, contains approximately 18,000 medical records. About 90% of the initial informations used by the ES is contained in the medical records of the Artemis data base. The knowledge base consists of 870 rules. A first group of rules allows the description of knowledge structures (hierachies, graphs and mutual exclusions). The second group consists of production rules which describe the dynamic reasoning of the expert. The inference engine uses a combination of forward and backward chaining. The ES produce diagnostic hypotheses (possible causes of hypertension) and therapeutic suggestions before and after requiring additional information (patient supplementary interrogation, biological or radiological investigations). The evaluation of the diagnostic performance of the ES was made on 40 confirmed cases of secondary hypertension (SH) and 40 cases of essential hypertension (EH). The initial initial diagnosis, just after the forward chaining step, was correct in 17 cases of SH and 32 cases of EH. The final diagnosis proposed after several steps of forward and backward chaining was correct in 37 cases (92%) of SH and 36 (90%) of EH. Averages of 5 (EH) and 8 (SH) questions were formulated by the ES to reach the final diagnosis. The integration of the ES to the database is expected to facilitate the validation of the knowledge base and to enhance its overall acceptability. Whether or not such an integration will be useful and accepted as a complementary tool by physicians remains however an open question.

Decision Making, Computer-Assisted↗
PubMed1985

Influence of educational and sociocultural factors on hypertension care.

The influence of occupational category (OC) on the prevalence of hypertension (HT) and cardiovascular risk factors and on their management was studied in Paris in a general population and in a series of patients followed up in two university hospital hypertension clinics. Three OCs were defined as follows: high executives and members of liberal professions middle executives and clerks and manual workers. In the general population, the prevalence of HT was positively associated with OC, and ranged from 12.8% (1) to 19.3% (3). Body Mass Index (BMI) and tobacco and alcohol consumption were higher in category 3. Exposure to noise and assembly-line work raised blood pressure. Of the hypertensive subjects, 60% were aware of their illness, independently of OC, but the percentage of treated hypertensive subjects at examination and their compliance with treatment were significantly and negatively correlated with OC. In the hypertension departments, more category 1 and 2 patients were examined than expected for a theoretical French population of similar sex, age and geographical distribution. By contrast, clerks and manual workers were under-represented. BMI was higher in OC 3 than in OC 1, in both sexes. Cigarette consumption was higher in OC 1 than in OC 3 in males only. Permanent teaching staff members examined more people from OC 1 than the other physicians did. Drop-out rates at 1, 2 and 3 years were higher in OC 3 than OC 1. The problems of compliance with antihypertensive treatment were more frequent in OC 3 patients than in those in the other categories.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Treatment of arterial hypertension. Comparative effectiveness of the day care hospital and classical hospitalization].

Four years of activity in the one-day hospital (ODH) and the several-day hospital care (SHC) of the Hypertension Clinic at the Hôpital Saint-Joseph, Paris, were evaluated and compared. All data were recorded using the computerized Artemis system. Evaluation was performed by means of two prospective studies: a controlled trial of 121 patients randomized to either ODH or SHC, and a prospective follow-up study of 633 patients. Criteria for admission to the controlled study were: diastolic BP between 95 and 120 mmHg, age between 30 and 65 years, no anti-hypertensive treatment at first visit, no major cardiovascular or renal complication and no suspicion of secondary hypertension. Similar criteria applied to the uncontrolled study. The results, assessed after 2 years, were the same in both studies, with a drop-out rate of about 15%, a mean diastolic BP lower than 95 mmHg in 80% of the patients and a bodyweight reduction of about 1 kg in obese patients. The percentage of smokers who stopped cigarette smoking was higher in the SHC groups than in the ODH groups. It is concluded that the ODH system is effective in the initial management of hypertensive patients but that greater educational efforts are needed to effectively reduce cigarette smoking in OHD patients and bodyweight excess in both OHD and SHC patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Factors predictive of attendance at clinic and blood pressure control in hypertensive patients.

Poor compliance with appointments and drug treatment is one of the recognised factors preventing effective management of hypertension. Factors predictive of poor attendance and inadequate blood pressure control in patients attending a hypertension clinic were therefore determined using univariate analyses and a multivariate logistic model. Out of 1346 patients with blood pressure exceeding 160/95 mm Hg followed up for three years, 209 (15.5%) dropped out during the first year. Variables that were significantly related to increased drop out rates were male sex, young age, obesity at entry, cigarette smoking, direct referral to the clinic as a result of screening instead of referral by a general practitioner, absence of pre-existing antihypertensive treatment at the first visit, moderate hypertension, and low socioeconomic category. Variables at entry that were significantly related to poor blood pressure control at one year were old age, evidence of coronary heart disease, severe hypertension, and raised blood glucose concentrations. Early detection of patients at high risk of drop out or poor blood pressure control might improve treatment of hypertension and allow management to be more individually adapted to each patient.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Effect of socio-occupational category on iterative hemodialysis treatment of advanced chronic renal insufficiency. Results of the DIAPHANE computerized Dialysis Registry cooperative program].

The hypothesis that inequalities may be observed between patients of different socio-professional categories (S.P.C.) was assessed in a group of 1267 men treated by chronic haemodialysis (C.H.) in 34 dialysis centers throughout France and followed up in the computerized DIAPHANE Dialysis Registry. The percentages of manual workers and farmers were found lower than those calculated on the whole active french population. In contrast, the percentages of senior executives and patient with liberal professions were higher. Primary renal disease was detected sooner in patient of the higher S.P.C. than in other groups. Patients of the higher S.P.C. were more frequently treated in university or in private hospitals than in general hospitals. They were more likely on evening or night dialysis schedules than on daylight schedules; they more frequently received hypotensive drugs, vitamin D, calcium, iron, prescriptions of blood transfusions than patients of the lower categories. Survival rates were not correlated with the S.P.C., but the rehabilitation rate, expressed as the percentage of part or full time employments, was greater in patients of the higher S.P.C. Results indicate that, in patients treated by chronic haemodialysis, inequalities in favor of the patients of the higher socio-economic categories are observed and that these inequalities concern both the access and the delivery of care.

France↗
PubMed1982

[Critical evaluation of the functional signs of arterial hypertension].

Influence of blood pressure levels on the prevalence of symptoms was studied in a group of 1771 untreated hypertensive patients referred to the Saint-Joseph Hypertension Clinic in Paris. Information on symptoms was obtained from a standardized physician-conducted interview during the patient's first visit at the Outpatient Clinic. The most frequent symptoms were headaches (40.5 p. 100), palpitations (28.5 p. 100), nocturia (20.4 p. 100) and dizziness (20.8 p. 100). Except for nocturia, symptom prevalence was higher in females than males. In males as well as in females, no correlation was found between blood pressure level and the presence of headaches, dizziness and palpitations when results were adjusted for age. In contrast, the relationship between two behavioural characteristics, anxiety and lack of regular physical activity, and symptom prevalence was more pronounced than the relationship with the blood pressure level itself. Moreover symptom prevalence differed significantly between the five permanent physicians of the Clinic; comparison of results obtained by physician conducted interview and self administered questionnaire indicated that difference between physicians were not due to difference in patient's characteristics but to differences in physician behaviour.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

[Access to medical care of patient with hypertension: influence of socio-professional categories (author's transl)].

An analysis of socio-professional categories was performed in 712 active hypertensive men, referred between January 1st 1976 and December 31st 1977 to the hypertension out patient clinic of the Saint-Joseph Hospital, Paris. The percentages of senior executives, middle executives and patients with liberal professions, were higher than those calculated in the whole French population. In contrast, the percentages of craftsmen, shopkeeper, employees and manual workers were lower. Furthermore, blood pressure levels obtained by history and those found at first consultation were higher in employees and manual workers than in patients from a higher socio-economic level. The social differencies which are observed may be related to known data concerning mortality, morbidity and drug consumption according to socio-professional categories. They should lead physicians and health care administrators to seek more effective and egalitarian methods of prevention.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Hypertension management: the computer as a participant.

A computerized system called ARTEMIS has been taking part in the management of a referral hypertension clinic since September 1975. From January 1, 1976 to January 1, 1979, 3,624 patients' records were set up and updated, all of them accessible on line. The mean rate of response to 17 questions with obligatory answers concerning patients' past history was 97.6 per cent. The 10 routine laboratory tests included in the initial in-hospital work-up were registered in over 92 per 100 of the 2,651 hospital records examined. Negative responses were registered with the same accuracy as positive ones, when the computerized questionnaires were appropriately drafted. Standardized collection of information insured homogeneity of the medical staff and has already made possible epidemiologic studies. ARTEMIS has detected strategical errors such as the lack of yearly programmed tests for cardiovascular risk-factors associated with hypertension. The computer has helped to achieve a high rate of patient compliance at one year (81.3 per cent), by providing patients up-dated editions of their personal summary reports as well as sending periodical letters of recall to them and to their physicians. At a total annual cost of 11 dollars per patient, the computer provides continuous information on process and outcome, for each patient and physician, and for the entire population followed up at the clinic. It facilitates physician adherence to predefined protocols and reinforces follow-up continuity by creating a communications network between the referral clinic, the patient and the general practitioner.

Computers↗
PubMed1979

[Society of Nephrology, Computer Technology Commission. Dialysis computer program. VI. - Survival and risk factors].

The sixth report of the "Diaphane Dialyse Informatique" Program concerns 2,518 adult patients (age 15 and over) treated by chronic hemodialysis or hemofiltration in 33 French dialysis centres between June 1972 and December 1978. 1) The number of centers participating to the program is progressively increasing. Overall duration of follow-up represents 4,192 patient-years, allowing precise evolutive studies of terminal renal failure treated by hemodialysis. 2) Mean age at start of treatment continues to increase. Among 709 patients who started treatment in 1977-1978, 8,8 p. 100 of men and 11 p. 100 of women were over 69 years old. 3) Patients with diabetic nephropathy represent 4,4 p. 100 of all patients dialyzed between 1972 and 1978 and 5,9 p. 100 of the patients starting treatment in 1977-1978. 4) The percentage of patients temporarily treated by peritoneal dialysis before hemodialysis decreases from 32,9 p. 100 in 1973-1974 to 15,9 p. 100 in 1977-1978. 5) In 1978, 65,3 p. 100 of patients are dialyzed 3 times a week with a mean weekly duration of 14,0 h for male and 12,9 for female. 73 p. 100 of the patients are dialyzed during the night. 6) Disposable parallel plate hemodialyzers (71,8 per cent of dialysis sessions in 1978) and hollow fiber hemodialyzers (11,6 per cent) progressively replace disposable coil dialyzers and non disposable Kiil dialyzers. 7) Transient hypotensive episodes during dialysis sessions remain the most frequent complications (21,7 per cent of sessions in 1978). Transient hypotensive episodes are more frequently observed with coils than with parallel plate hemodialyzers or with hollow fiber dialyzers. 8) Mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) +/- SD is 101,9 +/- 21,7 mmHg at start of dialysis and 81,4 +/- 11,8 mmHg when dialysed. During the course of treatment 28,7 per cent of the patients receive long term antihypertensive treatment. In spite of dialysis and antihypertensive treatments 11 per cent of all patients followed up maintain DBP greater than or equal to 95 mmHg. 9) Viral hepatitis remain the most prominent infectious problem with 30 per cent of patients being chronic Hbs antigen carriers. 10) Annual death rate calculated in the 2,518 patients dialyzed between 1972 and 1978 (78/1000) is 12 times superior to the death rate of the French population, adjusted for sex and age to the dialysis population. 43,1 per cent of deaths are of cardiovascular origin. Risk factors for overall mortality are age, sex (male), existence of a vascular or diabetic nephropathy, twice weekly dialysis strategy, elevation of systolic or diastolic blood pressure during the course of dialysis treatment, hypocholesterolemia and to a lesser extent hypotriglyceridemia. On the contrary, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperuricemia do not appear as risk factors for overall mortality or cardiovascular mortality. These results plead for a perfect control of hypertension and to the extension of thrice weekly dialysis for the whole population of patients treated by maintenance hemodialysis.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Use of a standardized personal medical record by patients with hypertension: a randomized controlled prospective trial.

It is widely believed that patients' compliance can be increased by persuading them to participate in their own care. We tested whether patients with hypertension could manage their own clinical records and whether their doing so would affect the quality of their care. Two hundred patients were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control group. Those in the intervention group were asked to complete a 10-page booklet containing a personal standardized medical record. All patients were scheduled for a follow-up appointment at the end of one year and were referred to their general practitioners for interim care. At the end of the follow-up period, the proportion of patients seen was comparable in the two groups. More of the patients in the intervention group than in the control group filled out a questionnaire as requested, and more added comments. Within the intervention group, the proportion of patients seen and the fall in systolic blood pressure were significantly higher among the 44 patients who had completed the personal record as requested than among the 57 who had not. Patients who completed the personal record also had fewer compliance problems.

Adult↗