Melatonin, vitamins and minerals supplements for the treatment of Covid-19 and Covid-like illness: A prospective, randomized, double-blind multicenter study

BACKGROUND

Melatonin, zinc, and multivitamins are among most recommended supplements in the fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to examine the efficacy and safety of this association in the treatment of COVID-19 and COVID-like illnesses.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Patients with no medical history consulting the emergency department for covid and covid-like illness and who were not hospitalized were included. Patients were assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the treatment or the placebo group. The primary outcome was studying the effectiveness of zinc multivitamin supplement and melatonin in the treatment of COVID and -like illnesses symptoms' according to the time from randomization to clinical improvement. The pre-specified secondary outcomes were date of disappearance of symptoms present on admission, appearance of an adverse effect due to the administration of the treatment, number of patients developing complications, requiring hospitalization, requiring respiratory support.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty four patients were eligible for the study and were randomized to either the treatment group or the placebo group. Overall, 128 of the 164 patients had a PCR for SARS-CoV-2, yielding a positive PCR result in 49.1% of them. Regarding the disappearance of all initial presenting symptoms: on the 5th day of the follow-up, there was a significant difference between the two groups with a p value 0.04;On the 10th day, there was a significant difference too with p value of 0.038. There were no significant differences between the two groups in recovery during the 15th day of follow-up p>0.5. Finally, 100% of patients fully recovered in the treatment group vs 98.8% in the placebo group. No severe adverse events were reported throughout the trial.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results showed that daily doses of Melatonin, zinc and vitamins did significantly reduce the duration of symptoms accelerating its disappearance among patients consulting with COVID-19 or COVID-19 like illness.

External validations of the ABCD2 score in prediction of stroke risk after transient ischemic attack. A Tunisian hospital-based cohort study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Identification of patients with high risk of stroke after transient ischemic attack (TIA) could be helpful to optimize stroke prevention. We aimed to externally validate the ABCD2 score for the prediction of stroke after TIA in a Tunisian population.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective observational study of consecutive patients admitted for TIA in four university hospitals in Tunisia. Patients were screened for onset of stroke. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values with areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated for risk of stroke at 2, 7, 30 and 90 days after the index event.

RESULTS

Of 415 patients screened in this study, the total cumulative subsequent stroke rates after TIA at 2, 7, 30 and 90 days were respectively, 4.8%, 10.6%, 13.5% and 20.2%. Using a cut-off value of 4, the ABCD2 showed an overall good sensitivity (95%, 97.7%, 96.4% and 97.6% respectively at 2, 7, 30 and 90 days). Areas under ROC cure of the ABCD2 score in patients with TIA for stroke onset at 2, 7, 30 and 90 days were respectively 0.67 (95% CI, 0.55-0.79), 0.79 (95% CI, 0.71-0.85), 0.79 (95% CI, 0.72-0.85), and 0.76 (95% CI, 0.70-0.81).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that the ABCD2 score could be used in our population to discriminate patient with TIA at low and high risk of developing recurrent stroke.

Value of inferior vena cava collapsibility index as marker of heart failure in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation

INTRODUCTION

Inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter variability with respiration measured by ultrasound was found to be useful for the diagnosis of heart failure (HF) in ED patients with acute dyspnea. Its value in identifying HF in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation (AECOPD) was not specifically demonstrated.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the value of ΔIVC in the diagnosis of HF patients with AECOPD.

METHODS

This is a prospective study conducted in the ED of three Tunisian university hospitals including patients with AECOPD. During this period, 401 patients met the inclusion criteria. The final diagnosis of HF is based on the opinion of two emergency experts after consulting the data from clinical examination, cardiac echocardiography, and BNP level. The ΔIVC was calculated by two experienced emergency physicians who were blinded from the patient's clinical and laboratory data. A cut off of 15% was used to define the presence (< 15%) or absence of HF (≥ 15%). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was also measured. The area under the ROC curve, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated to determine the diagnostic and predictive accuracy of the ΔIVC in predicting HF.

RESULTS

The study population included 401 patients with AECOPD, mean age 67.2 years with male (68.9%) predominance. HF was diagnosed in 165 (41.1%) patients (HF group) and in 236 patients (58.9%) HF was excluded (non HF group). The assessment of the performance of the ΔIVC in the diagnosis of HF showed a sensitivity of 37.4% and a specificity of 89.7% using the threshold of 15%. The positive predictive value was 70.9% and the negative predictive value was 66.7%. The area under the ROC curve was 0.71(95%, CI 0.65-0.76). ΔIVC values were not different between HF patients with reduced LVEF and those with preserved LVEF.

CONCLUSION

Our results showed that ΔIVC has a good value for ruling out HF in ED patients consulting for AECOPD.

Comparison of simulation and video-based training for acute asthma

BACKGROUND

Emergency medicine is particularly well suited to simulation training. However, evidence for the efficacy of simulation-based medical training remains limited especially to manage high-risk cases such as acute asthma.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of our study was to compare the performance of high-fidelity simulation (HFS) and interactive video-case challenge-based training (IVC) for final-year medical students in the management of acute asthma.

METHODS

This was a prospective randomized controlled study conducted at the emergency department (ED) of Monastir University hospital ( Tunisia). 69 final-year medical students were randomized to HFS (n = 34) and IVC (n = 35) training on acute asthma topic. The study was conducted over a 1-week period. Efficacy of each teaching method was compared through the use of multiple-choice questionnaires (MCQ) before (pre-test), after (post-test) training and a simulation scenario test conducted 1 week later. The scenario was based on acute asthma management graded on predefined critical actions using two scores: the checklist clinical score (range 0 to 30), and the team skills score (range 0 to 16). Student satisfaction was also evaluated with the Likert 5 points scale. Two years after the post-test, both groups underwent a third MCQ testing to assess sustainability of knowledge.

RESULTS

There were no differences in age between groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the HFS and IVC groups pre-test scores (p = 0.07). Both groups demonstrated improvement in MCQ post-test from baseline after training session; the HFS MCQ post-test score increased significantly more than the IVC score (p < 0.001). The HFS group performed better than the IVC group on the acute asthma simulation scenario (p < 0.001). Mean checklist clinical score and mean team skills score were significantly higher in HFS group compared to IVC group (respectively 22.9 ± 4.8 and 11.5 ± 2.5 in HFS group vs 19.1 ± 3 and 8.4 ± 3.1 in IVC group) (p < 0.001). After 2 years, MCQ post-test scores decreased in both groups but the decrease was lower in HFS group compared to the IVC group.

CONCLUSION

High-fidelity simulation-based training was superior to interactive video-case challenge for teaching final year medical students,and led to more long-term knowledge retention in the management of simulated acute asthma patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was registered at www.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov NCT02776358 on 18/05/2016.

Mobile Phone-Based Telemonitoring for Improving Adherence to Analgesic Treatment in Trauma Patients After Emergency Department Discharge: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

To determine the impact of mobile-phone telemonitoring on patients' adherence and satisfaction with posttrauma pain treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a prospective randomized clinical trial including patients with minor trauma discharged from the emergency department (ED) with analgesic treatment. Patients were randomized to one of 3 groups, the control group, where patients received a phone call on day-7, the short message service (SMS) group, where patients received a daily text message to remind them to take their treatment during 7 days, and the mobile-phone based telemonitoring (TLM) group. Patients' adherence to analgesic treatments using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, current pain by using a visual analogue scale, and patients' satisfaction were assessed. For the TLM group, the assessment was performed at day-2, 4 and 7.

RESULTS

Good adherence was observed in 418 patients (92.9%) in the TLM group versus 398 patients (88.6%) in the SMS group and 380 patients (84.8%) in the control group ( P <0.001). The factor mostly associated with adherence was telemonitoring (OR 2.40 95% CI 1.55-3.71). The decrease in pain visual analogue scale was highest in the TLM group compared with SMS and control groups ( P <0.001). The percentage of patients' satisfaction at 7 days post-ED discharge was 93% in the TLM group versus 88% in the SMS group and 84% in the standard group ( P =0.02).

DISCUSSION

Our findings suggest that mobile-phone-based telemonitoring is beneficial in the treatment of pain in trauma patients after ED discharge. This approach improved patients' adherence and satisfaction.

Pulse amplitude ratio under noninvasive ventilation as a new method in the diagnosis of left heart failure in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

Left heart failure (LHF) is commonly associated with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) but its role is often underestimated.

AIM OF STUDY

To evaluate the performance of a new diagnostic technique based on the measurement of the pulse amplitude ratio (PAR) using non-invasive ventilation (NIV) for the early identification LHF in patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) for AECOPD.

RESULTS

73 patients were included in this study: 32 in LHF group and 41 in non LHF- group. The two groups had comparable demographic and clinical characteristics at admission. The mean values of PAR_NIV was significantly higher among LHF patients (0.86 vs. 0.71; p < 0.01). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of PAR_NIV was 0.75. Using the best cut-off (0.6), the sensitivity of PAR_NIV was 93% with a specificity 21%, a positive predictive value of 48%, and a negative predictive value of 81%. Correlation between PAR_NIV and BNP was significant (r = 0.52; p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

Measurement of PAR_NIV in patients presenting to the ED with AECOPD had a good diagnostic performance for the detection of LHF and could represent an interesting alternative for the currently available methods. Trial registration The study was registered in the Clinical Trial Registration System (clinicaltrials.gov) under the study number NCT05189119, https://register.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov/prs/app/action/SelectProtocol?sid=S000BOO4&selectaction=Edit&uid=U0000QAM&ts=2&cx=qrmluh .

Twice-Daily Oral Zinc in the Treatment of Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Zinc supplementation has been considered a potential therapy for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to examine zinc efficacy in adult patients with COVID-19 infection.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial. Patients who were tested positive for COVID-19 without end-organ failure were randomized to oral zinc (n = 231) or matching placebo (n = 239) for 15 days. The primary combined outcome was death due to COVID-19 or intensive care unit (ICU) admission ≤30 days after randomization. Secondary outcomes included length of hospital stay for inpatients and duration of COVID-19 symptoms with COVID-19-related hospitalization for outpatients.

RESULTS

190 patients (40.4%) were ambulatory and 280 patients (59.6%) were hospitalized. Mortality at 30 days was 6.5% in the zinc group and 9.2% in the placebo group (OR: .68; 95% CI .34-1.35); ICU admission rates were, respectively, 5.2% and 11.3% (OR: .43; 95% CI .21-.87). Combined outcome was lower in the zinc group versus the placebo group (OR: .58; 95% CI .33-.99). Consistent results were observed in prespecified subgroups of patients aged <65 years, those with comorbidity, and those who needed oxygen therapy at baseline. Length of hospital stay was shorter in the zinc group versus the placebo group (difference: 3.5 days; 95% CI 2.76-4.23) in the inpatient group; duration of COVID-19 symptoms decreased with zinc treatment versus placebo in outpatients (difference: 1.9 days; 95% CI .62-2.6). No severe adverse events were observed during the study.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results showed that, in COVID-19 patients, oral zinc can decrease 30-day death, ICU admission rate and can shorten symptom duration. Clinical Trials Registration. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05212480.

Appropriateness of antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections in Tunisian primary care and emergency departments: a multicenter cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the pattern and appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions in patients with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs).

OBJECTIVE

Describe the antibiotics used to treat ARTIs in Tunisian primary care offices and emergency departments (EDs), and assess the appropriateness of their use.

METHODS

It was a prospective multicenter cross-sectional observational clinical study conducted at 63 primary care offices and 6 EDS during a period of 8 months. Appropriateness of antibiotic prescription was evaluated by trained physicians using the medication appropriateness index (MAI). The MAI ratings generated a weighted score of 0 to 18 with higher scores indicating low appropriateness. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and national and institutional standards. The study was approved by the Ethics committee of Monastir Medical Faculty.

RESULTS

From the 12,880 patients screened we included 9886 patients. The mean age was 47.4, and 55.4% were men. The most frequent diagnosis of ARTI was were acute bronchitis (45.3%), COPD exacerbation (16.3%), tonsillitis (14.6%), rhinopharyngitis (12.2%) and sinusitis (11.5%). The most prescribed classes of antibiotics were penicillins (58.3%), fluoroquinolones (17.6%), and macrolides (16.9%). Antibiotic therapy was inappropriate in 75.5% of patients of whom 65.2% had bronchitis. 65% of patients had one or more antibiotic prescribing inappropriateness criteria as assessed by the MAI. The most frequently rated criteria were with expensiveness (75.8%) and indication (40%). Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and levofloxacin were the most inappropriately prescribed antibiotics. History of cardiac ischemia ([OR] 3.66; 95% [CI] 2.17-10.26; p < 0.001), asthma ([OR] 3.29, 95% [CI] 1.77-6.13; p < 0.001), diabetes ([OR] 2.09, 95% [CI] 1.54-2.97; p = 0.003), history of COPD ([OR] 1.75, 95% [CI] 1.43-2.15; p < 0.001) and age > 65 years (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-1.58; p < 0.001) were associated with a higher likelihood of inappropriate prescribing.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate a high inappropriate use of antibiotics in ARTIs treated in in primary care and EDs. This was mostly related to antibiotic prescription in acute bronchitis and overuse of expensive broad spectrum antibiotics. Future interventions to improve antibiotic prescribing in primary care and EDs is needed.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

the trial is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov registry (NCT04482231).

Analgesic effect of topical piroxicam versus phytotherapy gel in the treatment of acute soft tissues injuries: a randomized controlled non-inferiority study

Objective

The study compared the efficacy and tolerability of piroxicam gel and a new topical combination of medicinal plant products (Soulagel®) to treat pain caused by soft tissue injuries.

Methods

1525 patients were assigned to receive piroxicam gel or Soulagel®. Efficacy assessments included pain-on-movement (POM) VNS (visual numeric scale) change from emergency department (ED) discharge (baseline) by at least 50% at day-7 final assessment, the time required to reach pain resolution criteria, need for rescue analgesia, patients’ satisfaction, and rate of adverse effects.

Results

At day-7, 1216 patients (79.7%) achieved at least 50% reduction of VNS from baseline; 623 patients (82.4%) in Soulagel® group vs. 593 patients (77.1%) in piroxicam group (p = 0.01). Time to decrease POM by 50% was significantly higher with piroxicam gel compared to Soulagel® (34±1 vs 33±1 days respectively; p = 0.54). At day 7, 96.4% of patients in Soulagel® group declared being “very satisfied” to “satisfied” vs. 68% in piroxicam group (p &lt; 0.001). There was no major adverse events in both groups.

Conclusion

Soulagel® is not inferior to piroxicam gel for managing pain related to a soft tissues injuries. Further studies will help ascertain whether this new gel offers an alternative treatment option in this common ED condition.

Home Telemonitoring of Arterial Hypertension With Antihypertensive Treatment Titration: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Prospective Trial (HOROSCOPE Study)

Background

Despite the availability of effective treatment, the control of hypertension remains insufficient. Telemonitoring in the management of hypertension would be an effective way to improve blood pressure control.

Objective

The aim of our study will be to evaluate the effects of telemonitoring with antihypertensive treatment titration on blood pressure control in Tunisian patients with hypertension.

Methods

Our trial will be a prospective, rater-blinded randomized controlled trial carried out with primary care physicians in the Sahel region of Tunisia. Patients will be eligible for enrollment if they are aged over 35 years, are newly diagnosed with hypertension, or are known to be poorly controlled on antihypertensive therapy. Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the telemonitoring arm or usual care arm. The telemonitoring arm will involve a weekly telephone call for the collection of the home blood pressure measurements, therapeutic education, and treatment compliance assessment as well as a monthly call for treatment titration and a side effect check. Randomization will be done via the use of an interactive web responsive system, and patients will be stratified by investigation center. Neither participants nor investigators will be masked to the group assignments. The primary outcome will be the change in mean 24-hour systolic blood pressure from baseline to the 6-month follow-up in the 2 groups. All randomized patients who attend the follow-up visit at 6 months and have no missing data for the primary outcome will be included in the analysis.

Results

Recruitment to the trial started in July 2020. The study was initiated with 17 primary care physicians. We expect the inclusion period to last for approximately 6 months. We expect to complete data collection by the end of 2021 and plan to disseminate the results subsequently.

Conclusions

The HOROSCOPE (Home Telemonitoring of Arterial Hypertension With Antihypertensive Treatment Titration: Randomized Controlled Prospective Trial) study will provide important new evidence that could shed some light on the feasibility and impact of telemonitoring and self-monitoring in a Tunisian population of patients with hypertension who consult primary care physicians.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04607239; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04607239

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/26184

Two-day versus seven-day course of levofloxacin in acute COPD exacerbation: a randomized controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Duration of antibiotic treatment in acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) is most commonly based on expert opinion. Typical administration periods range from 5 to 7 days. A 2-day course with levofloxacin was not previously assessed. We performed a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of 2-day versus 7-day treatment with levofloxacin in patients with AECOPD.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Patients with AECOPD were randomized to receive levofloxacin for 2 days and 5 days placebo (n = 155) or levofloxacin for 7 days (n = 155). All patients received a common dose of intravenous prednisone daily for 5 days. The primary outcome measure was cure rate, and secondary outcomes included need for additional antibiotics, ICU admission rate, re-exacerbation rate, death rate, and exacerbation-free interval (EFI) within 1-year follow-up. The study protocol has been prepared in accordance with the revised Helsinki Declaration for Biomedical Research Involving Human Subjects and Guidelines for Good Clinical Practice. The study was approved by ethics committees of all participating centers prior to implementation (Monastir and Sousse Universities).

RESULTS

310 patients were randomized to receive 2-day course of levofloxacin (n = 155) or 7-day course (n = 155). Cure rate was 79.3% (n = 123) and 74.2% (n = 115), respectively, in 2-day and 7-day groups [OR 1.3; 95% CI 0.78-2.2 (p = 0.28)]. Need for additional antibiotics rate was 3.2% and 1.9% in the 2-day group and 7-day group, respectively; (p = 0.43). ICU admission rate was not significantly different between both groups. One-year re-exacerbation rate was 34.8% (n = 54) in 2-day group versus 29% (n = 45) in 7-day group (p = 0.19); the EFI was 121 days (interquartile range, 99-149) versus 110 days (interquartile range, 89-132) in 2-day and 7-day treatment groups, respectively; (p = 0.73). One-year death rate was not significantly different between the 2 groups, 5.2% versus 7.1% in the 2-day group and 7-day group, respectively; (p = 0.26). No difference in adverse effects was detected.

CONCLUSION

Levofloxacin once daily for 2 days is not inferior to 7 days with respect to cure rate, need for additional antibiotics and hospital readmission in AECOPD. Our findings would improve patient compliance and reduce the incidence of bacterial resistance and adverse effects.

30 day predicted outcome in undifferentiated chest pain: multicenter validation of the HEART score in Tunisian population

BACKGROUND

Chest pain remains one of the most challenging serious complaints in the emergency department (ED). A prompt and accurate risk stratification tool for chest pain patients is paramount to help physcian effectively progrnosticate outcomes. HEART score is considered one of the best scores for chest pain risk stratification. However, most validation studies of HEART score were not performed in populations different from those included in the original one.

OBJECTIVE

To validate HEART score as a prognostication tool, among Tunisian ED patients with undifferentiated chest pain.

METHODS

Our prospective, multicenter study enrolled adult patients presenting with chest pain at chest pain units. Patients over 30 years of age with a primary complaint of chest pain were enrolled. HEART score was calculated for every patient. The primary outcome was major cardiovascular events (MACE) occurrence, including all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), and coronary revascularisation over 30 days following the ED visit. The discriminative power of HEART score was evaluated by the area under the ROC curve. A calibration analysis of the HEART score in this population was performed using Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of test.

RESULTS

We enrolled 3880 patients (age 56.3; 59.5% males). The application of HEART score showed that most patients were in intermediate risk category (55.3%). Within 30 days of ED visit, MACE were reported in 628 (16.2%) patients, with an incidence of 1.2% in the low risk group, 10.8% in the intermediate risk group and 62.4% in the high risk group. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.87 (95% CI 0.85-0.88). HEART score was not well calibrated (χ² statistic = 12.34; p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

HEART score showed a good discrimination performance in predicting MACE occurrence at 30 days for Tunisian patients with undifferentiated acute chest pain. Heart score was not well calibrated in our population.

Adverse childhood experiences and risky behaviours in two Tunisian University Hospitals

Introduction

According to the Health Word Organization (WHO), adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have several harmful outcomes on mental health in adolescence and later life. We aimed at investigating the relationship between ACEs and risky behaviors among Tunisian health professionals.

Methods

A cross sectional study was conducted between November 2018 and March 2019 among health care workers in two University Hospitals in Tunisia. We assessed exposure to violence in the hospital, behavioral (cyberaddiction) and chemical addiction (tobacco and alcohol use). ACEs were screened using the Arabic validated version of the Adverse childhood experiences-International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) developed by the WHO.

Results

A total of 546 health professionals were enrolled with a mean age of 34.5 ± 9.6 years and a majority being female (70%). Almost 34.8% were doctors. The majority of them (67.3%) reported exposure to physical violence at work by patient or their families. The most common hazardous practice was internet addiction (18.5%) followed by tobacco use (13.2%). All health risk behaviors were significantly more prevalent among males and youth (&lt;35 years) (p &lt; 0.01). After adjustment for violence at work and socidemographic characteristics, logistic regression revealed that ACEs especially physical violence (OR = 1.8; IC [1.1-2.9]), emotional abuse (OR = 4.5 [1.2-16.6]) and bullying (OR = 2.6 [1.6-4.2]) increase the risk of the adoption of addictive behaviors among health caregivers.

Conclusions

Policy makers might implement collaborative interventions with psychiatrics targeting the prevention of early life adversities, this could be helpful to delay the onset of risky behaviors.

Key messages

Exposure to early life adversities increase the risk of addictive behaviors among health caregivers. Collaborative interventions with psychiatrics targeting screening childhood adversities could be helpful to delay the onset of risky behaviours.

Effect on Opioids Requirement of Early Administration of Intranasal Ketamine for Acute Traumatic Pain

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of early administration of low-dose intranasal ketamine on reducing the need for opioid and nonopioid analgesic agents in emergency department (ED) patients with acute moderate to severe acute limbs' trauma pain.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This is a double-blind, randomized, prospective, controlled study conducted in the ED. The included patients were randomly assigned to intranasal pulverization of ketamine or placebo. Protocol treatment was given at the triage. The primary outcome is the need for opioids during ED stay. Secondary outcome included the requirement of nonopioid analgesic agents and the percentage of patients discharged from the ED with a visual analog scale (VAS) <30. A combined outcome score including the 3 outcome items was constructed.

RESULTS

The authors included 1102 patients, 550 patients in the placebo group, and 552 in the intranasal ketamine group. The groups were similar regarding demographics, clinical characteristics, and baseline VAS. The need for opioids was decreased in the intranasal ketamine group compared with the placebo group (17.2% vs. 26.5%; P<0.001). The need for nonopioid analgesics was significantly lower in the intranasal ketamine group compared with the placebo group (31.1% vs. 39.6%; P=0.003). The percentage of patients discharged with a VAS score <30 was significantly higher in the intranasal ketamine group (P<0.001). The mean combined outcome score was 0.97 in the placebo group and 0.67 in the intranasal ketamine group (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Intranasal ketamine administered early in the triage was associated with a decrease in opioids and nonopioid analgesics need in patients with acute limb trauma-related pain.

Value of nitroglycerin test in the diagnosis of heart failure in emergency department patients with undifferentiated dyspnea

Background

Rapid diagnosis of heart failure (HF) in acutely dyspneic patients can be challenging for emergency department (ED) physicians.

Hypothesis

Cardiac output (CO) change with sublingual nitroglycerin (NTG) could be helpful in the diagnosis of HF in patients with acute undifferentiated dyspnea.

Materials and Methods

A prospective study of patients >18 years admitted to the ED for acute dyspnea. Using thoracic bioimpedance, we measured CO change at baseline and after sublingual administration of 0.6 mg of NTG. HF was defined on the basis of clinical examination, pro‐brain natriuretic peptide levels, and echocardiographic findings. Diagnostic performance of delta CO was calculated by sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results

This study included 184 patients with mean age of 64 years. Baseline CO was comparable between the HF group and the non‐HF group. At its best cutoff (29%), delta CO showed good accuracy in the diagnosis of HF with a sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios of 80%, 44%, 57%, and 66% respectively. Area under ROC curve was 0.701 [95% CI 0.636–0.760]. The decrease of CO with sublingual NTG was significantly higher in patients with HFpEF compared with those with HFrEF. Multivariate analysis, showed that delta CO was an independent factor associated with HF diagnosis [OR 0.19 (95% CI 0.11–0.29); p < .001].

Conclusions

Our study showed that CO change with sublingual nitroglycerin is a simple tool that may be helpful for the diagnosis of HF in ED patients with undifferentiated dyspnea.

Value of DYnamicVariation of impedance cardiac output in the diagnosis of heart failure in emergency department patients with undifferentiated dyspnea

AIM OF STUDY

Cardiac output (CO) responses to acute changes in body position and Valsalva maneuver (VM) were proposed to assess cardiac contractile reserve. We investigated the value of sitting position (SP), leg raising (LR), and VM for identifying heart failure (HF) in patients with undifferentiated dyspnea.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

It is a prospective study including patients over 18 years old admitted to the emergency department (ED) for dyspnea. Bioimpedance CO was measured at baseline, under SP, LR, and VM. HF diagnosis was based on clinical assessment, serum levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and echocardiography findings. Study population was divided into patients with heart failure (HF group) and patients without HF (non-HF group). Diagnostic performance of CO change under the three maneuvers was calculated by sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

290 patients were enrolled in the study. The final diagnosis was dyspnea due to congestive heart failure in 147 patients (50.7%). CO change with VM was the most accurate exam in identifying congestive heart failure as the cause of dyspnea with a sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios of 79%, 60%, 1.97, and 0.36 respectively. Area under ROC curve was 0.62(95% CI, 0.55-0.69), 0.63(95% CI, 0.56-0.69), and 0.70(95% CI, 0.64-0.76) respectively for SP, LR, and VM. In a multivariate analysis, CO change with VM, but not with SP or LR, carried independent diagnostic value (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

the diagnosis of HF can be aided with use of analyzing the effect of VM on non-invasively measured CO among patients admitted to the ED with undifferentiated dyspnea. Diagnostic yield of SP and LR was poor.

[Quality of "crisis communication" media during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Great Maghreb countries]

Objectif

Évaluer la qualité des supports de communication de crise, au cours de la pandémie de la COVID-19, dans trois pays du Grand Maghreb (Tunisie, Algérie, Maroc).

Méthodes

Il s’agit d’un audit de la conformité des communiqués de presse et des bulletins épidémiologiques, analysés via un référentiel de qualité, spécialement conçu par les auteurs. Ce référentiel, composé de cinq dimensions et de 50 items, cotés (0/1), a été appliqué par deux chercheurs en médecine préventive. La multiplication des notes par un coefficient de deux, a permis d’avoir un score partiel de 20 points pour chaque dimension et un score total de 100 points pour l’ensemble de la check list. La qualité des supports de communication a été jugée bonne au-delà des seuils de 15/20 pour les dimensions du référentiel et de 75/100 pour la totalité de la grille.

Résultats

Un total de 141 supports de communication a été inclus dans cet audit (Tunisie : 60, Algérie : 60, Maroc : 21). Le score global médian de la qualité de ces supports a été seulement de 56/100 (IIQ : [46–58]), sans variabilité notable entre les pays. La dimension la plus appréciée a été le « maintien de la confiance de la population » avec un score médian global de 14/20 (12/20 pour les bulletins épidémiologiques et 16/20 pour les communiqués de presse). La dimension la moins bien notée a été le « renforcement de la participation communautaire », avec un score médian de seulement 4/20 (6/20 pour les bulletins épidémiologiques et 4/20 pour les communiqués de presse).

Conclusion

La qualité des supports maghrébins de communication de crise, au cours de la COVID-19, a été insuffisante dans la majorité de ses dimensions et de ses items (dont surtout psychosociaux). Le renforcement des capacités des chargés de communication, dans l’élaboration des supports d’information, au cours des crises sanitaires, est indispensable et urgent.

Bedside lung ultrasonography by emergency department residents as an aid for identifying heart failure in patients with acute dyspnea after a 2-h training course

BACKGROUND

Ultrasonographic B-lines have recently emerged as a bedside imaging tool for the differential diagnosis of acute dyspnea in the Emergency Department (ED). However, despite its simplicity, LUS has not fully penetrated emergency department. This study aimed to assess the accuracy and reproducibility of ultrasonographic B-lines performed by emergency medicine (EM) residents for the diagnosis of congestive heart failure (CHF) in patients admitted to ED for acute dyspnea.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This is a cross-sectional prospective study conducted between January 2016 and October 2017 including patients aged over 18 years admitted to ED for acute dyspnea. At admission, two consecutive bedside LUS study were performed by a pair of EM residents who received a 2-h course for recognition of sonographic B-lines to determine independently B-lines score and B-profile pattern. All participating sonographers were blinded to patients' clinical data. B-lines score ≥ 15 or a B-profile pattern was considered as suggestive of CHF. The final leading diagnosis was assessed by two expert sonographers, who were blinded to the residents' interpretations, based on clinical findings, chest X-ray, brain natriuretic peptide, cardiac and lung ultrasound testing. Accuracy and agreement of B-lines score and B-profile pattern were calculated.

RESULTS

We included 700 patients with a mean age of 68 ± 12.6 years and a sex ratio (M/F) of 1.43. The diagnosis of CHF was recorded in 371 patients (53%). The diagnostic performance of B-lines score at a cut-off 15 and B-profile pattern was, respectively, 88% and 82.5% for sensitivity, 75% and 84% for specificity, 80% and 85% for positive predictive value, 84% and 81% for negative predictive value. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.86 [0.83-0.89] and 0.83 [0.80-0.86], respectively, for B-lines score and B-profile pattern. There was an excellent agreement between residents for the diagnosis of CHF using both scores (kappa = 0.81 and 0.85, respectively, for ordinal scale B-lines score and B-profile pattern).

CONCLUSION

Lung ultrasound B-lines assessment has a good accuracy and an excellent reproducibility in the diagnosis of CHF in the hand of EM residents following a short training program. Trial registration Name of the registry: clinicaltrials.gov; Trial registration number: NCT03717779; Date of registration: October 24, 2018 'Retrospectively registered'; URL of trial registry record: clinicaltrials.gov.

Acetaminophen, Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs, or Combination of Both Analgesics in Acute Posttrauma Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVES

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen (also called paracetamol) are the most frequent analgesics used to relieve posttrauma pain in the emergency department (ED). However, the utility of combining both treatments is still controversial. We sought to explore the benefits of combining an NSAID with acetaminophen compared to acetaminophen alone, or NSAID alone, in the treatment of posttraumatic pain of the extremity after discharge from the ED.

METHODS

This is a prospective, randomized controlled trial, carried out in a single ED from March 2017 to November 2018. The included patients were randomly assigned to receive paracetamol alone, high-dose NSAID (piroxicam) alone, or a combination of paracetamol and high-dose NSAID for 7 days after ED discharge. The primary outcome was need for additional oral analgesics. Secondary outcomes included the change of the visual numeric scale (VNS) between ED discharge (VNS D0) and 7 days later (VNS D7), ED revisits for residual pain, side effects, and patient satisfaction as assessed by a Likert satisfaction scale.

RESULTS

The need for additional oral analgesics was comparable between the paracetamol-NSAID combination group (9.8%) and the paracetamol group (11.4%; p = 0.43). ED readmission rate was also comparable between the two groups at 5.6 and 5.8%, respectively (p = 0.86). In contrast, need for new analgesics and ED revisit rates were both more frequent in the high-dose NSAID group. Mean VNS decreases on day 7 compared to day 0 were 66, 63, and 67%, respectively, in the paracetamol, NSAID, and paracetamol-NSAID combination groups (p = 0.32). Frequency of dissatisfaction was higher in the NSAID group. Side effects were more frequent in the NSAID and paracetamol-NSAID combination groups.

CONCLUSION

This study found that the combination of a high-dose NSAID with paracetamol does not increase the analgesic effect compared to paracetamol alone. We also found that paracetamol alone is superior to high-dose NSAID alone for posttraumatic extremity pain.

Bacterial and Viral Infection in Patients Hospitalized for Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Implication for Antimicrobial Management and Clinical Outcome

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exhibit frequent acute exacerbations (AE). The objectives of this study were first to evaluate the prevalence of pathogens associated to these episodes by combining conventional bacteriology and multiplex viral and bacterial PCR assays in sputum specimens, and second to determine whether C-reactive protein (CRP) value and clinical outcome could be influenced by the type of microbial agent(s) recovered from these samples. A cohort of 84 Tunisian patients hospitalized at the emergency room for AECOPD was investigated prospectively for the semi-quantitative detection of bacteria by conventional culture (the threshold of positivity was of 10⁷ CFU/ml) and for the detection of viral genome and DNA of atypical bacteria by quantitative PCR using two commercial multiplex respiratory kits (Seegene and Fast-track). The two kits exhibited very similar performances although the Seegene assay was a bit more sensitive. A large number and variety of pathogens were recovered from the sputum samples of these 84 patients, including 15 conventional bacteria, one Chlamydia pneumoniae and 63 respiratory viruses, the most prevalent being rhinoviruses (n = 33) and influenza viruses (n = 13). From complete results available for 74 patients, the presence of bacteria was significantly associated with risk of recurrence at 6 and 12 months post-infection. The combination of these different markers appears useful for delineating correctly the antimicrobial treatment and for initiating a long-term surveillance in those patients with high risk of recurrent exacerbation episodes. A prospective study is required for confirming the benefits of this strategy aimed at improving the stewardship of antibiotics.

Value of systolic time intervals in the diagnosis of heart failure in emergency department patients with undifferentiated dyspnea

AIM OF THE STUDY

The diagnosis of heart failure in the emergency department (ED) is challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate systolic time intervals (STIs) using phonoelectrocardiography for the diagnosis of heart failure (HF) in ED patients with undifferentiated dyspnea.

METHODS

A total of 855 patients with dyspnea and suspected HF were prospectively enrolled. They underwent echocardiographic measurements of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) testing and computerised phonoelectrocardiography to assess STIs including electromechanical activation time (EMAT), left ventricular ejection time (LVET) and EMAT/LVET ratio. Diagnosis accuracy of STIs was calculated including sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

Patients with HF (n = 530) had significantly higher EMAT and lower LVET compared with non-HF patients. ROC curve c-statistic was 0.74, 0.72 and 0.78 for EMAT, LVET and EMAT/LVET respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of EMAT/LVET at a cut-off = 40% were 72% and 88% respectively. EMAT/LVET had the highest correlation with LVEF (r = 0.48). In patients with intermediate BNP (n = 107), positive likelihood ratio increased from 1.8 with BNP alone to 3.6 with BNP combined to EMAT/LVET. Patients without HF had STIs values not significantly different from those with preserved LVEF (≥45%).

CONCLUSIONS

Given their immediate availability, phonoelectrocardiography STIs' parameters and particularly EMAT/LVET ratio could have an important role in the diagnosis approach of HF in patients with undifferentiated dyspnea in the ED.

Metabolic effects of Ramadan fasting in patients at high risk of cardiovascular diseases

Background and aim

The effects of Ramadan fasting on health are a little controversial. The present study is aimed at evaluating the metabolic effects on a group of 517 patients with ≥2 cardiovascular risk factors over a period running from 2012 to 2014.

Methods

Each patient was assessed at three visits: before, during, and after Ramadan. Demographical, clinical and biological tests were performed at each visit.

Results

Metabolically, we noted a significant and discrete rise in blood glucose level (+1.2 mmol/L), triglycerides (+0.3 mmol/L), cholesterol (+0.12 mmol/L) and creatinine (+3 µmol/L) during Ramadan. These disturbances decreased significantly after Ramadan. The same variations were observed among diabetics (n=323). However, there was a significant decrease in HbA1c after Ramadan (9.0% vs 7.6%, p<0.001). Our findings also revealed there was no significant correlation between variations of metabolic parameters and dietary intake. No acute metabolic incidents were reported during the study period.

Conclusion

The current study showed that Ramadan is responsible for a transient but well tolerated disturbance of metabolic parameters followed by a significant post-Ramadan improvement. These changes did not seem to be directly related to dietary intake.

Nebulized Terbutaline and Ipratropium Bromide Versus Terbutaline Alone in Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Requiring Noninvasive Ventilation: A Randomized Double-blind Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Short-acting β₂ -agonists are the mainstay of treatment of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) in the emergency department (ED). It is still unclear whether the addition of short-acting anticholinergics is clinically more effective care compared to treatment with β₂ -agonists alone in patients with hypercapnic AECOPD.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to evaluate whether combining ipratropium bromide (IB) to terbutaline reduces hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates compared to terbutaline alone in AECOPD hypercapnic patients.

METHODS

In this double-blind controlled trial, patients who were admitted to the ED for AECOPD requiring noninvasive ventilation (NIV) were randomized to receive either 5 mg of nebulized terbutaline combined to 0.5 mg of IB (terbutaline/IB group, n = 115) or 5 mg of terbutaline sulfate (terbutaline group, n = 117). Nebulization was repeated every 20 minutes for the first hour and every 4 hours within the first day. Primary outcomes were the rate of hospital admission and need for endotracheal intubation within the first 24 hours of the start of the experimental treatment. Secondary outcomes included changes from baseline of dyspnea, physiologic variables, length of hospital stay, ICU admission rate, and 7-day mortality.

RESULTS

The two groups were similar regarding baseline demographic and clinical characteristics. Hospital admission was observed in 70 patients (59.8%) in the terbutaline/IB group and in 75 patients (65.2%) in the terbutaline group (respiratory rate [RR] = 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.93 to 1.27, p = 0.39). ICU admission was required in 37 (32.2%) patients in the terbutaline/IB group and 30 patients (25.6%) in terbutaline group (RR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.54, p = 0.27). There were no significant differences in dyspnea score, blood gas parameters changes, vital signs improvement, and 7-day death rate between both groups.

CONCLUSION

In patients admitted to the ED for AECOPD requiring NIV, combination of nebulized IB and terbutaline did not reduce hospital admission and need to ICU care.

Effect on Morphine Requirement of Early Administration of Oral Acetaminophen vs. Acetaminophen/Tramadol Combination in Acute Pain

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effect on opioid requirement of pain treatment starting at triage, and to evaluate satisfaction in emergency department (ED) patients with acute pain.

METHODS

This is a single-blind, randomized, prospective study conducted in the ED. The included patients were randomly assigned to single oral doses of placebo, acetaminophen, or a tramadol/acetaminophen combination. Protocol treatment was given at triage. The primary outcome was the need for rescue morphine during ED stay. The secondary outcome included patient satisfaction, ED length of stay, and percentage of patients discharged from the ED with a VAS score of <30.

RESULTS

We included 1,485 patients: 496 patients in the placebo group, 497 in the acetaminophen group, and 492 in the tramadol/acetaminophen combination group. The groups were similar regarding demographic and clinical characteristics and baseline VAS pain scores. Rescue morphine was significantly decreased in the tramadol/acetaminophen combination group compared to that in the placebo and acetaminophen groups (11.5%, 23.2%, and 18.9%, respectively; P = 0.03). Patient satisfaction was higher in the tramadol/acetaminophen combination group (77% vs. 69% in the acetaminophen group and 68% in the placebo group). A VAS score of <30 was observed in 84% of patients in the placebo group, 83% in the acetaminophen group, and 87% in the tramadol/acetaminophen combination group (P = 0.01 between the acetaminophen group and tramadol/acetaminophen combination group). The ED length of stay was 60 minutes for the acetaminophen group and tramadol/acetaminophen combination group and 71 minutes for the placebo group (P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

Oral tramadol/acetaminophen combination administered early in triage was associated with a decrease in intravenous morphine requirement and increase in satisfaction among ED patients with acute pain when compared with patients taking acetaminophen. No significant increase in side effects was found. This intervention may be considered in EDs with an aim of similar benefits.

Low-dose Magnesium Sulfate Versus High Dose in the Early Management of Rapid Atrial Fibrillation: Randomized Controlled Double-blind Study (LOMAGHI Study)

OBJECTIVES

We aim to determine the benefit of two different doses magnesium sulfate (MgSO₄ ) compared to placebo in rate control of rapid atrial fibrillation (AF) managed in the emergency department (ED).

METHODS

We undertook a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial in three university hospital EDs between August 2009 and December 2014. Patients > 18 years with rapid AF (>120 beats/min) were enrolled and randomized to 9 g of intravenous MgSO₄ (high-dose group, n = 153), 4.5 g of intravenous MgSO₄ (low-dose group, n = 148), or serum saline infusion (placebo group, n = 149), given in addition to atrioventricular (AV) nodal blocking agents. The primary outcome was the reduction of baseline ventricular rate (VR) to 90 beats/min or less or reduction of VR by 20% or greater from baseline (therapeutic response). Secondary outcome included resolution time (defined as the elapsed time from start of treatment to therapeutic response), sinus rhythm conversion rate, and adverse events within the first 24 hours.

RESULTS

At 4 hours, therapeutic response rate was higher in low- and high-MgSO₄ groups compared to placebo group; the absolute differences were, respectively, 20.5% (risk ratio [RR] = 2.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.45-3.69) and +15.8% (RR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.20-2.99). At 24 hours, compared to placebo group, therapeutic response difference was +14.1% (RR = 9.74, 95% CI = 2.87-17.05) with low-dose MgSO₄ and +10.3% (RR = 3.22, 95% CI = 1.45-7.17) with high-dose MgSO₄ . The lowest resolution time was observed in the low-dose MgSO₄ group (5.2 ± 2 hours) compared to 6.1 ± 1.9 hours in the high-dose MgSO₄ group and 8.4 ± 2.5 hours in the placebo group. Rhythm control rate at 24 hours was significantly higher in the low-dose MgSO₄ group (22.9%) compared to the high-dose MgSO₄ group (13.0%, p = 0.03) and the placebo group (10.7%). Adverse effects were minor and significantly more frequent with high-dose MgSO₄ .

CONCLUSIONS

Intravenous MgSO₄ appears to have a synergistic effect when combined with other AV nodal blockers resulting in improved rate control. Similar efficacy was observed with 4.5 and 9 g of MgSO₄ but a dose of 9 g was associated with more side effects.

Clopidogrel utilization in patients with coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus: should we determine CYP2C19*2 genotype?

PURPOSE

Clopidogrel non-responsiveness is multifactorial; several genetic and non-genetic factors may contribute to impaired platelet inhibition. The goal of this study is to determine the effect of the cytochrome P450 CYP2C19*2 polymorphism on the platelet response to clopidogrel in patients with and without diabetes mellitus (DM).

METHODS

We conducted an observational study in patients with coronary artery disease and consequent exposure to clopidogrel therapy (75 mg/day for at least 7 consecutive days). We have analyzed two groups of patients: group I (DM patients) and group II (non-diabetes mellitus patients). Platelet reactivity was assessed by the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay and high on clopidogrel platelet reactivity (HPR) was defined as P2Y12 reaction units (PRU) ≥ 208. Genotyping for CYP2C19*2 polymorphism was performed by PCR-RFLP.

RESULTS

We have included 150 subjects (76 DM and 74 non-diabetes mellitus patients). The carriage of CYP2C19*2 allele, in DM patients, was significantly associated to HPR (odds ratio (OR) 4.437, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.134 to 17.359; p = 0.032). Furthermore, 8.4% of the variability in percent inhibition by clopidogrel could be attributed to CYP2C19*2 carrier status. However, in non-diabetes mellitus patients, there was no significant difference in platelet response to clopidogrel according to the presence or absence of CYP2C19*2 allele carriage (OR 1.260, 95% CI 0.288 to 5.522; p = 0.759).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that the carriage of CYP2C19*2 polymorphism, in DM patients, might be a potential predictor of persisting HPR in these high-risk individuals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Trials.gov NCT03373552 (Registered 13 December 2017).

Value of early change of serum C reactive protein combined to modified Alvarado score in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis

Background

The aim of this study is to test the diagnostic value of baseline and early change of C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations, evaluated separately or in combination with the modified Alvarado score (MAS), in patients with clinically suspected acute appendicitis.

Methods

This is a prospective observational study including all patients presenting to the emergency department with an equivocal diagnosis of acute appendicitis. After inclusion, clinical and demographic data are recorded and blood samples were taken at baseline and 3 h after for serum CRP measurements (3 h CRP). The MAS is also calculated for all patients. The ultimate diagnosis of appendicitis was based on the histologic findings of the excised appendix in operated patients and clinical follow-up in emergency department discharged patients. Diagnostic accuracy of admission CRP, early change of CRP 3 h CRP minus admission CRP, MAS and the combination of these parameters was expressed by sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and area under receiver operating characteristics curve.

Results

Five hundred patients were included from January 2010 to December 2013. Overall, 387 patients were operated the negative appendectomy rate was 8,3%. CRP concentrations were higher in patients with acute appendicitis. However, the diagnostic value of admission CRP, delta CRP and MAS was moderate with area under ROC curve respectively equal to 0.63, 0.53 and 0.6. Combining admission CRP and delta CRP values to MAS did not result in a better performance. The area under ROC curve did not exceed 0.7 with the different combinations.

Conclusion

Early change of CRP has a moderate diagnostic value in patients with clinically suspected acute appendicitis. Combining CRP values to MAS did not improve diagnostic accuracy.

Effects of Ramadan fasting on aspirin resistance in type 2 diabetic patients

Aims

Ramadan fasting (RF) may affect aspirin resistance. We conducted this study in patients with cardiovascular risk (CVR) factors to assess the effect of RF on aspirin resistance and explore whether type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) would influence this effect.

Methods

A total of 177 stable patients with ≥2 CVR factors were recruited. All patients observed RF and were taking aspirin. Physical exam and standard biological tests including glycaemia and serum lipids data were performed before Ramadan (Pre-R), at the last week of Ramadan (R) and four weeks after the end of Ramadan (Post-R). In the same visits caloric intake was calculated and platelet reactivity to aspirin was assessed using Verify Now point-of-care assay.

Results

In the overall population, there was no significant change in absolute aspirin reaction unit (ARU) values and in metabolic parameters. In DM patients (n = 127), ARU change from Pre-R values was+19.7 (p = 0.01) and +14.4 (p = 0.02) respectively at R and Post-R. During Ramadan, glycaemia, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels increased significantly and returned to Pre-R values thereafter. These changes were not observed in non-DM patients.

Conclusions

During RF aspirin resistance increased only in DM patients. This effect persisted one month after Ramadan. Simultaneous alteration of glycemic control and increase of serum lipids levels could potentially be a favorable factor.

Study registration

The protocol was registered at clinicaltrials.gov under: NCT02720133.

Acupuncture versus titrated morphine in acute renal colic: a randomized controlled trial

Objective

The objective of this study was to compare the analgesic effect and tolerance profile of acupuncture versus intravenous (IV) titrated morphine in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with renal colic.

Materials and methods

A total of 115 patients were randomized into two groups. Patients in the IV titrated-morphine group (n=61) received 0.1 mg/kg morphine every 5 minutes until pain score dropped by at least 50% of its baseline value. Patients in the acupuncture group (n=54) received an acupuncture session of 30 minutes following a prespecified protocol. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess pain intensity at baseline and at 10, 20, 30, 45, and 60 minutes following the start of the treatment protocol. Possible treatment side effects were also recorded.

Results

No significant differences were found between the two groups concerning age, sex, or baseline VAS score. From the 10th minute until the end of the intervention, acupuncture was associated with a deeper analgesic effect than titrated morphine (P<0.05 from the 10th minute and over). Analgesia was also faster in the acupuncture group, with time to obtain 50% reduction of baseline VAS of 14 minutes in the acupuncture group versus 28 minutes in the IV titrated-morphine group (P<0.001). Only three patients in the acupuncture group experienced minor side effects versus 42 in the morphine group (P<0.001). No major side effects were observed in this study.

Conclusion

In ED patients with renal colic, acupuncture was associated with a much faster and deeper analgesic effect and a better tolerance profile in comparison with titrated IV morphine.

[Bacteriology of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Tunisia]

INTRODUCTION

The role of bacteria, including atypical organisms, in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) has been assessed in various ways in Tunisia.

METHODS

This was a descriptive and analytical study of patients with a mean age of 68.3±10.5 years hospitalized for AECOPD. Bacteriological examination included a cytological sputum exam and serology for atypical organisms including Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Coxiella burnetii, Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Legionella pneumophila using standard techniques.

RESULTS

Of the 240 patients enrolled, 175 sputum cultures (73%) were considered significant. Twenty-nine cultures were positive (16.5%) and 31 microorganisms were isolated of which the most frequent were P. aeruginosa (25.8%), K. pneumoniae (16.2%), H. influenzae (13%) and S. pneumoniae (9.7%). The prevalence of C. pneumoniae, M. pneumoniae and C. burnetii was 8.4%, 9% and 6.6%, respectively. No L. pneumophila infection was found. The Anthonisen criteria were associated with a positive culture (P=0.04). Almost half (40.9%) of the isolates were resistant to conventional first line antibiotics (43.7% to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid).

CONCLUSIONS

Awareness of the low positivity of quantitative sputum bacteriology and the large percentage of resistant strains with a predominance of exclusively multi-resistant Pseudomonas should help in the management of patients with AECOPD.