Étude sur la validité prédictive des tests physiques de la démarche et de l'équilibre à détecter le risque de chute chez la personne âgée hospitalisée

Les chutes chez la personne âgée hospitalisée représentent une préoccupation majeure de santé en raison de leur prévalence élevée, de la gravité des conséquences chez l’aîné et du coût financier important qu’elles engendrent pour les établissements de santé. Conséquemment, un dépistage du risque de chute est essentiel afin d’identifier les personnes à risque et instaurer des mesures préventives appropriées. L’état des connaissances scientifiques actuelles démontre la contribution des tests physiques de la démarche et de l’équilibre à détecter le risque de chute chez l’usager âgé. Le but de cette étude est donc de déterminer, par une étude de cohorte prospective, la validité prédictive des tests physiques de la démarche et de l’équilibre à détecter le risque de chute auprès de la personne âgée hospitalisée. Quatorze usagers de 65 ans et plus admis sur une unité de soins aigus de médecine d’un hôpital de Québec ont été recrutés. Les tests physiques Timed Up and Go (TUG), la marche de type talon-orteil et la marche sur six mètres ont été réalisés. L’indice de comorbidité de Charlson (ICC) a été utilisé afin d’observer la présence de comorbidités, ainsi que le système de mesure de l’autonomie fonctionnelle (SMAF) afin de mesurer le niveau d’autonomie fonctionnelle. Les données de chutes ont été recueillies à l’aide des rapports de déclaration d’incident ou d’accident de l’hôpital. Aucune chute n’est survenue lors de l’étude. Les analyses complémentaires réalisées ont démontré une absence de relation significative entre les résultats obtenus aux tests physiques de la démarche et de l’équilibre et la présence d’une histoire antérieure de chute au cours de la dernière année (p = 1,000). Une relation significative a été observée entre les résultats obtenus aux tests physiques de la démarche et de l’équilibre et le jugement clinique infirmier (p = 0,0699), principalement le test de type talon orteil (p = 0,1026). Les tests physiques de la démarche et de l’équilibre démontrent une utilité clinique en ajout à un questionnement sur les chutes antérieures et à l’utilisation du jugement clinique infirmier dans le but d’améliorer la capacité prédictive du dépistage du risque de chute. De futures recherches sont nécessaires afin d’approfondir la compréhension et la performance des tests physiques de la démarche et de l’équilibre.Falls among hospitalized seniors are a major health concern because of their high prevalence, the seriousness of the consequences for the senior and the significant financial cost to healthcare institutions. Consequently, a screening of the risk of falling is essential, allowing to identify the persons at risk and to initiate appropriate preventive measures. Current scientific knowledge demonstrates the contribution of physical tests of gait and balance to detect the risk of falling in the elderly user. The aim of this study is therefore to determine, through a prospective cohort study, the predictive validity of physical tests of gait and balance to detect the risk of falling in hospitalized elder. Fourteen users aged sixty-five and over admitted to an acute care medical unit in a Quebec City hospital were recruited. Timed Up and Go (TUG), tandem walking and 6-meter walking speed physical tests were performed. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was used to observe the presence of comorbidities and the Functional Autonomy Measurement System (SMAF) to measure the level of functional autonomy. Falls data were collected using hospital incident and accident register. No falls occurred during the study. Additional analyses performed showed no significant relationship between physical gait and balance test scores and the presence of a previous history of falls in the past year (p = 1.000). A significant relationship was observed between physical gait and balance test scores and clinical nursing judgment (p = 0.0699), primarily the tandem walking test (p = 0.1026). Physical tests of gait and balance demonstrate clinical utility in addition to questioning about previous history of falls and using clinical nursing judgment to improve the predictive ability of fall risk screening. Future research is needed to further the understanding and performance of physical tests of gait and balance

The Changing Landscape for Stroke\ua0Prevention in AF: Findings From the GLORIA-AF Registry Phase 2

Background GLORIA-AF (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation) is a prospective, global registry program describing antithrombotic treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke. Phase 2 began when dabigatran, the first non\u2013vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), became available. Objectives This study sought to describe phase 2 baseline data and compare these with the pre-NOAC era collected during phase 1. Methods During phase 2, 15,641 consenting patients were enrolled (November 2011 to December 2014); 15,092 were eligible. This pre-specified cross-sectional analysis describes eligible patients\u2019 baseline characteristics. Atrial fibrillation disease characteristics, medical outcomes, and concomitant diseases and medications were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the total patients, 45.5% were female; median age was 71 (interquartile range: 64, 78) years. Patients were from Europe (47.1%), North America (22.5%), Asia (20.3%), Latin America (6.0%), and the Middle East/Africa (4.0%). Most had high stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc [Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age  6575 years, Diabetes mellitus, previous Stroke, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74 years, Sex category] score  652; 86.1%); 13.9% had moderate risk (CHA2DS2-VASc = 1). Overall, 79.9% received oral anticoagulants, of whom 47.6% received NOAC and 32.3% vitamin K antagonists (VKA); 12.1% received antiplatelet agents; 7.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. For comparison, the proportion of phase 1 patients (of N = 1,063 all eligible) prescribed VKA was 32.8%, acetylsalicylic acid 41.7%, and no therapy 20.2%. In Europe in phase 2, treatment with NOAC was more common than VKA (52.3% and 37.8%, respectively); 6.0% of patients received antiplatelet treatment; and 3.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. In North America, 52.1%, 26.2%, and 14.0% of patients received NOAC, VKA, and antiplatelet drugs, respectively; 7.5% received no antithrombotic treatment. NOAC use was less common in Asia (27.7%), where 27.5% of patients received VKA, 25.0% antiplatelet drugs, and 19.8% no antithrombotic treatment. Conclusions The baseline data from GLORIA-AF phase 2 demonstrate that in newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, NOAC have been highly adopted into practice, becoming more frequently prescribed than VKA in Europe and North America. Worldwide, however, a large proportion of patients remain undertreated, particularly in Asia and North America. (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [GLORIA-AF]; NCT01468701

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

Cdc42 Regulates Neuronal Polarity during Cerebellar Axon Formation and Glial-Guided Migration

Summary CNS cortical histogenesis depends on polarity signaling pathways that regulate cell adhesion and motility. Here we report that conditional deletion of the Rho GTPase Cdc42 in cerebellar granule cell precursors (GCPs) results in abnormalities in cerebellar foliation revealed by iDISCO clearing methodology, a loss of columnar organization of proliferating GCPs in the external germinal layer (EGL), disordered parallel fiber organization in the molecular layer (ML), and a failure to extend a leading process and form a neuron-glial junction during migration along Bergmann glia (BG). Notably, GCPs lacking Cdc42 had a multi-polar morphology and slowed migration rate. In addition, secondary defects occurred in BG development and organization, especially in the lateral cerebellar hemispheres. By phosphoproteomic analysis, affected Cdc42 targets included regulators of the cytoskeleton, cell adhesion and polarity. Thus, Cdc42 signaling pathways are critical regulators of GCP polarity and the formation of neuron-glial junctions during cerebellar development

First cases of Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection reported in Martinique, 2002–2017

International audienceNeuroangiostrongyliasis is a parasitic disease caused by the accidental ingestion of the nematode Angiostrongylus cantonensis in its larval form. Human infection can lead to eosinophilic meningitis, sometimes complicated by life-threatening radiculomyelitis or encephalitis. Although some cases have been reported from other Caribbean Islands, no cases have been diagnosed in Martinique so far. Here, we report the first eight laboratory-confirmed cases of neuroangiostrongyliasis on the island of Martinique, French West Indies, between 1 January 2002 and 31 December 2017. One case was fatal and five resulted in neurological sequelae. The medical community should consider the risk of A. cantonensis infection in patients living in or returning from Martinique

Emergence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis resistant to linezolid: activity of ceftaroline versus ceftobiprole in a French University French Hospital

International audienceNo abstract availabl

Paediatric COVID-19 mortality: a database analysis of the impact of health resource disparity

Background The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric populations varied between high-income countries (HICs) versus low-income to middle-income countries (LMICs). We sought to investigate differences in paediatric clinical outcomes and identify factors contributing to disparity between countries.Methods The International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infections Consortium (ISARIC) COVID-19 database was queried to include children under 19 years of age admitted to hospital from January 2020 to April 2021 with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. Univariate and multivariable analysis of contributing factors for mortality were assessed by country group (HICs vs LMICs) as defined by the World Bank criteria.Results A total of 12 860 children (3819 from 21 HICs and 9041 from 15 LMICs) participated in this study. Of these, 8961 were laboratory-confirmed and 3899 suspected COVID-19 cases. About 52% of LMICs children were black, and more than 40% were infants and adolescent. Overall in-hospital mortality rate (95% CI) was 3.3% [=(3.0% to 3.6%), higher in LMICs than HICs (4.0% (3.6% to 4.4%) and 1.7% (1.3% to 2.1%), respectively). There were significant differences between country income groups in intervention profile, with higher use of antibiotics, antivirals, corticosteroids, prone positioning, high flow nasal cannula, non-invasive and invasive mechanical ventilation in HICs. Out of the 439 mechanically ventilated children, mortality occurred in 106 (24.1%) subjects, which was higher in LMICs than HICs (89 (43.6%) vs 17 (7.2%) respectively). Pre-existing infectious comorbidities (tuberculosis and HIV) and some complications (bacterial pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and myocarditis) were significantly higher in LMICs compared with HICs. On multivariable analysis, LMIC as country income group was associated with increased risk of mortality (adjusted HR 4.73 (3.16 to 7.10)).Conclusion Mortality and morbidities were higher in LMICs than HICs, and it may be attributable to differences in patient demographics, complications and access to supportive and treatment modalities