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Biomedical subjects

S Briancon

Publications and source records attributed to S Briancon.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Khat chewing is a risk factor for acute myocardial infarction: a case-control study.

AIM: Khat chewing is a common habit in Yemen and east African countries. Millions of people chew khat leaves daily for its euphoric and energetic effects and to increase alertness. Cathinone, the main active substance in fresh khat leaves, has sympathomimetic effects which increase heart rate and blood pressure. The aim was to examine the hypothesis that khat chewing is a risk factor for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) using a hospital-based matched case-control study. METHOD: Between 1997 and 1999, we selected 100 patients admitted to the Al-Thawra teaching hospital Sana'a ICU, Yemen with acute myocardial infarction. 100 control subjects, matched to cases for sex and age, were recruited from the outpatients clinics of the same hospital. A questionnaire was completed for case and control groups covering personal history of khat chewing, smoking, hypertension, diabetes and any family history of myocardial infarction. A blood sample was collected for performing lipid profiles. Cases and controls were compared by analysis conducted using conditional logistic regression which corrected for baseline imbalances leading to less biased estimations of odds ratio (OR). The risk associated with each classical factor and khat chewing habits was then investigated. OR values greater than 2.5 indicated a significant risk factor. RESULTS: Khat chewing was significantly higher among the AMI case group than control group (OR = 5.0, 95% CI 1.9-13.1). A dose-response relationship was observed, the heavy khat chewers having a 39-fold increased risk of AMI. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that khat chewing is associated with AMI and is an independent dose-related risk factor for the development of myocardial infarction.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Incidence, clinical and etiologic features, and outcomes of advanced chronic heart failure: the EPICAL Study. Epidémiologie de l'Insuffisance Cardiaque Avancée en Lorraine.

OBJECTIVES: Characterize the incidence, clinical and etiologic features and outcomes of advanced congestive heart failure. BACKGROUND: This condition is frequent, severe and costly, yet no population-based epidemiological data are available that take into account modern advances in diagnosis and therapy. METHODS: The EPICAL (Epidémiologie de l'Insuffisance Cardiaque Avancée en Lorraine) study was based on a comprehensive registration of patients with ACHF (defined as hospital admission for presence of NYHA class III or IV symptoms, radiological and/or clinical signs of pulmonary congestion and/or signs of peripheral edema, left ventricular ejection fraction <30% or a cardiothoracic ratio >60%) in patients aged 20-80 years during year 1994, in the community of the Lorraine region in France (n = 1,592,263). Average follow-up for readmission to hospital and mortality was 18 months (12-24 months). RESULTS: From 2,576 registered patients, 499 were enrolled into the study among which, 358 were new presentations. This represents a crude incidence rate of 225 per million. 46.3% had a coronary heart disease. One-year mortality rate was 35.4% and the rate of mortality and/or readmission to hospital was 81%. Patients were admitted to hospital 2.05 times per year (64% of these for worsening heart failure), spending 27.6 days per year in hospital. Twenty received a heart transplant (4%). On discharge, 74.8% were using ACE inhibitors and 49.6% digitalis. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality and hospitalization rate of advanced CHF remain very high despite recent therapeutic progress. Major therapeutic and managed-care research is required.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Effects of supplementation with a combination of antioxidant vitamins and trace elements, at nutritional doses, on biochemical indicators and markers of the antioxidant system in adult subjects.

OBJECTIVE: To test the impact of supplementation with nutritional doses of antioxidant nutrients on biochemical indicators of vitamin and trace element levels. DESIGN: A randomized double-blind trial was performed comparing two groups receiving daily either a combination of vitamins (beta-carotene, 6 mg; vitamin C, 120 mg; and vitamin E, 30 mg) and trace elements (zinc, 20 mg; and selenium, 100 micrograms); or a placebo. SUBJECTS: 401 subjects (166 males aged 45 to 60 years and 235 females aged to 35 to 60 years). MEASURE OF OUTCOME: Biological markers of vitamin and trace element status and free radical parameters were measured initially, 3 months, and 6 months after supplemention. RESULTS: Mean serum concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, vitamin C, beta-carotene, zinc and selenium increased significantly after 3 months of supplementation in the group receiving multivitamins associated with minerals. At baseline, 18.2% of the men and 5.1% of the women had low concentrations of serum vitamin C (< 20 mumol/l): 2.4% of the men and 17% of the women presented low concentrations of serum retinol (< 1.4 mumol/l): 18.7% of men and 10% of women had serum beta-carotene < 0.30 mumol/l. None of the study subjects had serum alpha-tocopherol concentrations below the limit cut-off point (< 9.3 mumol/l). Low serum zinc concentrations (< 10.7 mumol/l) were found in 15.1% of men and 23.8% of women. Low serum selenium concentrations (< 0.75 mumol/l) were found in 6% of men and 6.4% of women. A significant increase in plasma and red cell GPx activity was observed in groups receiving supplementation. No modifications were observed after 6 months of supplementation for malondyaldehyde. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the efficacy of an intake of antioxidant vitamins and trace elements, given at nutritional doses, on biochemical indicators of vitamin and trace elements status.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[Evaluation of smoking in chronic severe respiratory insufficiency patients treated with long-term oxygen at home].

Two hundred and fifty patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency (202 men and 48 women), being treated by oxygen therapy at home were included in a study, which aim was to estimate the proportion of patients who were either smokers or exposed to passive smoking, by the use of a questionnaire and measurement of cotininuria. Urinary sample and autoquestionnaire collection was carried out by the nurses of the Lorraine's association of home respiratory assistance. Urinary continine was measured by radio immuno assay. Twenty one smokers, 186 ex-smokers and 43 non-smokers were identified through the questionnaire. Of the 21 self confessed smokers 20 had a urinary cotinine level over 250 ng/ml, 1 smoker lower than 250 ng/ml; among the professed non-smokers, 42 had a level lower than 100 ng/ml and 1 over 250 ng/ml but the contininuria creatinuria ratio classified this latter in the non-smokers non exposed to passive smoking group. Among the 186 declared ex-smokers, 20 over 250 ng/ml were probably smokers, 160 lower than 100 ng/ml could be considered as non-smokers, and finally 100 in between could be assessed as non-smokers exposed to passive smoking. The results enabled 43 smokers (17%) and 5 (2%) exposed to passive smoking to be identified. They confirm the unreliability of smoking habits questionnaires and the importance of cotininuria in the detection of nicotine poisoning.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Chronic renal failure in children: an epidemiological survey in Lorraine (France) 1975-1990.

A comprehensive investigation in Lorraine from 1975 to 1990 identified 127 children (73 boys, 54 girls) under 16 years with chronic renal failure (CRF). From 1975-1980 to 1985-1990 the mean annual incidence of pre-terminal CRF decreased from 12.7 to 7.5 per million children under 16 years of age. The incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in children increased from 5.6 to 7.5 per million with a peak of 9.1. The prevalence of preterminal CRF was variable (29.4-54) and the prevalence of ESRD increased from 15.5 to 37.0 per million children. Acquired nephropathies were observed in 30.7% and congenital nephropathies in 68.5%. Although patients with acquired nephropathies had only slightly higher serum creatinine levels, they progressed more rapidly to ESRD than those with congenital disease: mean 1.8 years versus 3.85 years after diagnosis of pre-terminal of CRF (P < 0.02). Ten years after onset of pre-terminal CRF, 94% with acquired and 69% of those with congenital nephropathies had started renal replacement therapy (P < 0.001). It is unclear whether the decrease in preterminal CRF reflects a reduced number of children with kidney disease reaching CRF or is the result of a real delay in the progression due to better therapeutic management.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Mitral valve prolapse as a risk factor for infective endocarditis.

The frequency of mitral valve prolapse was assessed in 48 patients with mitral valve endocarditis and in 96 controls matched for age and sex, attending a routine family screening clinic or having surgery of the limbs. The frequency of mitral valve prolapse in cases with endocarditis (9 of 48 patients) was more than three times that in controls (6 of 96) (odds ratio 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-10.5). When patients with rheumatic heart disease, an established risk factor for infective endocarditis, were excluded from the study group, patients were nearly six times more likely to have infective endocarditis than were controls (odds radio 5.7; 95% CI 1.8-18.4). However, a higher risk of infective endocarditis was seen only in the subjects with mitral valve prolapse and a previously known systolic murmur (odds ratio 14.5; 95% CI 1.7-125). The results indicate that mitral valve prolapse constitutes a true risk factor for infective endocarditis only when associated with the presence of a precordial systolic murmur.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[The satellite lymph node of surgically-treated epidermoid bronchial cancer. Evaluation and meaning. Apropos of 167 cases].

This study is based on the analysis of the radiological and histological features of the lymph nodes in 167 operated cases of bronchial carcinoma. The conventional evaluation by means of radiography demonstrates the difficulty of accurately diagnosing lymph node involvement; these investigations are simply able to reveal the presence or absence of enlarged lymph nodes without being able to distinguish between neoplastic and purely inflammatory lymphadenopathy. Histological examination demonstrates the presence of hilar and mediastinal node involvement: the first does not influence the survival in contrast with the second which seems to reflect an intense immune response.

Carcinoma, Bronchogenic↗
PubMed1984

[Tumor markers in bronchial cancer: do they have a role in daily practice?].

The authors report a study conducted in 167 cases of primary bronchial carcinoma, in which 6 tumour markers were assayed: carcinoembryonic antigen, alpha-1-foetoprotein, ACTH, parathormone, thyrocalcitonin, and beta-HCG. The statistical analysis of their results suggests that these markers are of limited value in routine practice. They discuss the development of the ideas on this subject and try to explain a certain number of controversies.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1983

[Triple biphasic chemotherapy in the treatment of small-cell bronchial cancer].

Forty-three patients with small-cell bronchial carcinoma were treated with sequential combination chemotherapy of the CMC-VAP type alternating every 6 weeks. Toxicity affected mostly blood cells and occurred during induction. The response rate was 60% in circumscribed forms with a median survival of 15 months, and 30% in diffuse forms with a median survival of 6 months. The value of alternating protocols and the place of radiotherapy are discussed in the light of these results.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗