[Vaccination against Rotavirus: an old challenge, an ongoing reality]

Rotavirus are the leading cause of diarrhea and diarrhea related death among infants and young children. Every year rotavirus is associated with over half a million of deathss, mainly in developping countries. Development of a safe vaccine is nowaday the only way to control the disease. A life attenuated oral rotavirus vaccine will be commercialized in a few months in Belgium.

[Pre-hospital management of acute coronary syndromes with ST elevation in the Ile-de-France Region: the E-MUST registry]

The E-MUST registry gathers patient data from the emergency ambulance service of the IIe-de-France for acute coronary syndromes with ST elevation seen within 24 hours from onset of symptoms. The parameters include the type of emergency phone call, details relative to the different phase of management, decisions of therapeutic strategy concerning pre-hospital thrombolysis or primary angioplasty and the different factors influencing these decisions. From January 2001 to June 2002, the mean delay from the onset of symptoms and the call-out of the emergency ambulance was 67.5 minutes for the 2584 patients studied. In this group, a pre-hospital decision for coronary revascularisation was taken in 84.3% of cases, pre-hospital thrombolyis started 33 minutes after arrival of the ambulance (32.7% of cases) and primary angioplasty carried out 81 minutes after that arrival (51.6% of cases). Decisions for revascularisation were less common in the elderly and those seen over 6 hours after the onset of symptoms. Pre-hospital management allows decisions concerning coronary reperfusion to be taken more often and earlier in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

[Acute severe pain in emergencies. The key for efficient analgesia]

OBJECTIVE

To measure severe acute pain (SAP) frequency, to describe SAP management and to bring to view the conditions of analgesia success in emergency medicine.

DESIGN

Multicentre prospective survey: 7 days in Emergency Departments (ED), 30 days in Mobile Intensive Care Units (MICU). Multivariate analysis to measure the independent effect on pain relief of factors identified by Chi squared test.

SETTING

All of 6 ED and 8 MICU of a French region.

PATIENTS

Over 15 years of age.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Pain intensity was assessed with Visual Analog Scale (VAS) before and after ED or MICU management. SAP group (defined by initial VAS score > 40 mm) was analyzed for pain relief (defined by final VAS score < or = 40 mm). Influence on pain relief through pain aetiology, initial pain intensity, treatment delay and opioid use was analyzed.

RESULTS

1,082 fulfilled medical forms for 3,419 eligible patients. SAP frequency was estimated 36% (CI95 = 34-38%) in ED and 29% (CI95 = 25-33%) in MICU. SAP (n = 368) was often persistent: 45% (CI95 = 43-47%) after discharge from ED and 26% (CI95 = 22-30%) after MICU intervention. The prognostic factors of pain control success revealed by Chi squared test were: MICU (vs ED), treatment delay < or = 3 hours (vs > 3 hours), opioid use (vs non opioid use) and VAS pain level < or = 70 mm (vs > 70 mm). The last 3 factors were confirmed by multivariate analysis. Treatment delay, opioid use, and pain level were found to be determinants of efficient analgesia for SAP.

CONCLUSION

Despite the high frequency of SAP in ED and MICU, pain control is not satisfying. Opioid use and early treatment are determinant in analgesia efficiency for SAP and should be therefore encouraged to improve pain relief in emergency medicine.

Benefit of active compression-decompression cardiopulmonary resuscitation as a prehospital advanced cardiac life support. A randomized multicenter study

BACKGROUND

We compared short-term prognosis of active compression-decompression (ACD) and standard (STD) cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We randomized advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) with ACD ACLS CPR on odd days and STD ACLS CPR on even days. We measured the rates of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), survival at 1 hour (H1), at 24 hours (H24), and at 1 month (D30): hospital discharge (HD); neurological outcome; and complications. Mean times from collapse to basic cardiac life support CPR was 9 minutes and from collapse to ACLS CPR was 21 minutes. Compared with the STD ACLS patients (n = 258), ACD ACLS patients (n = 254) had higher survival rates (ROSC, 44.9% versus 29.8%, P = .0004; H1, 36.6% versus 24.8%, P = .003; H24, 26% versus 13.6%, P = .002; HD without neurological impairment, 5.5% versus 1.9%, P = .03) and a trend for improvement in neurological outcome at D30 (Glasgow-Pittsburgh Outcome Categories = 1.6 +/- 0.8 versus 2.3 +/- 1.1. P = .09). Sternal dislodgements (2.9% versus 0.4%, P = .03) and hemoptysis (5.4% versus 1.3%, P = .01) were more frequent in the ACD ACLS group.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite long time intervals, ACD significantly improved short-term survival rates in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests compared with STD CPR.

Tricho-hepato-enteric syndrome: further delineation of a distinct syndrome with neonatal hemochromatosis phenotype, intractable diarrhea, and hair anomalies

We report on two sibs with syndromal congenital iron storage disease. Prenatal symptoms were IUGR, hydramnios, and placental hyperplasia. Clinical anomalies included hypertelorism and sparse, thin, curly hair (trichomalacia). Clinical course was marked by intractable diarrhoea, with normal histological and enzymological studies, cholestatic jaundice, hepatomegaly appearing after 30 days, and progressive liver failure, leading to death after a few months. The only metabolic anomaly was progressive hypermethioninemia. Pathologic examination of both children showed a similar pattern of multivisceral iron deposit compatible with a diagnosis of neonatal hemochromatosis: extensive liver fibrosis or cirrhosis with nodular regeneration, cholestasis, ductular proliferation, and hepatic, pituitary, thyroidal, adrenal, and pancreatic iron deposition. The unusual course for neonatal hemochromatosis in both sibs combined with concordant extrahepatic anomalies suggest that they could have a specific iron storage syndrome with possible autosomal recessive inheritance, probably similar to the sibship reported by Stanckler et al. [Arch Dis Child, 57:212-216, 1982].

End-tidal carbon dioxide during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in humans presenting mostly with asystole: a predictor of outcome

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether continuous semiquantitative assessment of end-tidal CO2 could provide a highly sensitive predictor of return of spontaneous circulation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

DESIGN

Prospective, clinical study.

SETTING

Prehospital CPR.

PATIENTS

One hundred twenty patients, during nontraumatic cardiac arrest.

INTERVENTIONS

End-tidal CO2 values were measured continuously after tracheal intubation, and were categorized as the initial value, and as minimal and maximal values during the first 20 mins.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Presenting rhythm was asystole in 22 of the first 24 patients. Return of spontaneous circulation occurred in eight patients. Initial, minimal, and maximal end-tidal CO2 values were significantly (p < .01) higher in these patients than in the patients without return of spontaneous circulation. Cutoff values providing a 100% sensitivity and the highest specificity in predicting return of spontaneous circulation were found to be 10 torr for initial and maximal end-tidal CO2 values, and 2 torr for the minimal end-tidal CO2 value. The number of patients required to reject (with a risk error of <.05) the hypothesis of an actual sensitivity of < or = 90% for an observed sensitivity of 100% was found to be 95. In the second part of the study, this hypothesis was prospectively tested for initial and maximal end-tidal CO2 values in the subsequent 96 patients. Presenting cardiac rhythm was asystole in 87 patients. Return of spontaneous circulation was obtained in 30 patients. The cutoff value of 10 torr for maximal end-tidal CO2 during the first 20 mins after tracheal intubation provided an observed sensitivity of 100% in predicting return of spontaneous circulation with a specificity of 67%. This result allows rejection of the hypothesis of an actual sensitivity of < or = 90% (p = .042). By contrast, the observed sensitivity of initial end-tidal CO2 was only 87%.

CONCLUSIONS

End-tidal CO2 represents a valuable tool for monitoring patients presenting with asystole during prehospital CPR. Fluctuations in end-tidal CO2 during CPR and the utility of end-tidal CO2 in detecting return of spontaneous circulation justify its continuous measurement. In addition, a high sensitivity (>90%) in predicting return of spontaneous circulation is prospectively demonstrated using the maximal end-tidal CO2 during the first 20 mins after tracheal intubation, with a cutoff value of 10 torr. Such a prognostic indicator could be used for a more rational approach to prolonged CPR.

Effect of epinephrine on end-tidal carbon dioxide pressure during prehospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation

This prospective study was designed to quantify the effect of epinephrine on end-tidal PCO2 (PetCO2) during prehospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in humans. It included 20 patients (age range, 26 to 90 years) who presented in ventricular asystole on arrival of the prehospital medical team. Protocol began 5 minutes after tracheal intubation and during chest compressions. Mechanical ventilation was applied at constant rate and tidal volume. PetCO2 was measured before and 3 minutes after peripheral intravenous (IV) injection of 2 mg epinephrine. No other resuscitative drugs were administered during the study period. Mean PetCO2 decreased from 16.7 +/- 9.3 mm Hg before epinephrine to 12.6 +/- 7.1 mm Hg after epinephrine. The mean change in PetCO2 was 4.15 +/- 3.5 mm Hg (P < .0001). Four patients exhibited return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The decrease in PetCO2 was similar between the patients who exhibited ROSC and those who did not. There was a significant relationship between the epinephrine-induced change in PetCO2 and the PetCO2 value before epinephrine injection (r = .760; P < .0001). This study demonstrates a variable decrease in PetCO2 after IV epinephrine injection during CPR. Isolated PetCO2 readings may be misleading in assessing CPR efficacy or predicting outcome, and continuous measurement is recommended.

Midazolam/propofol but not propofol alone reversibly depress the swallowing reflex

General anaesthetics depress swallowing and this is a reason to delay oral intake after general anaesthesia. The swallowing reflex was studied 2 h after general anaesthesia for patients undergoing colonoscopy. Forty-one patients were anaesthetized with midazolam 75 micrograms.kg-1 followed by a continuous infusion of propofol and 39 patients with propofol 1.5 mg.kg-1 bolus followed by an infusion. Swallowing reflex was measured by electromyography 2 h after induction of anaesthesia, before and 5 min after the administration of flumazenil (0.2 mg) or placebo. Two h after anaesthesia, the state of consciousness was almost normal in all patients and did not change after flumazenil. At two hours, the latency times for the swallowing reflex in patients treated with propofol alone were of 1.4 +/- 0.4 s and were significantly shorter (P < 0.05) than the value of 1.9 +/- 0.8 s observed in patients who received midazolam with propofol. In the latter group the latency time of the swallowing reflex was significantly reduced following the administration of flumazenil but not placebo. In patients who received propofol without midazolam, the administration of flumazenil or placebo was not associated with significant changes in the latency times. There were also no significant differences in the latency times in the subgroup that received midazolam followed by flumazenil and the propofol alone groups that did or did not receive flumazenil. These results suggest that midazolam still exerts a depressive effect on the swallowing reflex 2 h after its administration despite the recovery of normal consciousness.

Priming doses of atracurium and vecuronium depress swallowing in humans

The administration of low doses of muscle relaxant may cause peripheral muscular weakness including difficulty in swallowing. In the present study, the effect of priming doses of atracurium and vecuronium on swallowing was studied. Sixty patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia were divided randomly into four groups of 15 patients and received as a priming dose either vecuronium (10 or 15 micrograms/kg) or atracurium (50 or 75 micrograms/kg). Swallowing muscle activity was measured by electromyography using submental surface electrodes. Swallowing was initiated by administration of 0.3 ml distilled water through an oral catheter. Swallowing reflex was determined by measuring the latency time (i.e., time from water administration to start of EMG activity of glossal muscles). Swallowing activity was determined by integration of the EMG of glossal muscles during swallowing. Peripheral muscle strength was determined by hand grip strength. Swallowing reflex activity and peripheral muscle strength were measured before and 3 and 6 min after administration of vecuronium or atracurium. Latency time remained unchanged after any of the priming doses. Integrated EMG decreased significantly (P < .001) 3 and 6 min after all priming doses tested (42-75% of baseline value). Only after atracurium 75 micrograms/kg was the hand grip strength significantly decreased (P < .01). These results suggest that owing to its effect on swallowing, the priming dose should be used with caution.