Predicting Survival After Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for ARDS: An External Validation of RESP and PRESERVE Scores

BACKGROUND

We aimed to test the performance of PRESERVE and RESP scores to predict death in patients with severe ARDS receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) with different case mixes.

METHODS

All consecutive patients treated with ECMO for refractory ARDS, regardless of cause, in the Caen University Hospital in northwestern France over the last decade were included in a retrospective cohort study. The receiver operating characteristic curves of each score were plotted, and the area under the curve was computed to assess their performance in predicting mortality (c-index).

RESULTS

Forty-one subjects were included. Pre-ECMO ventilator settings were: mean V_T, 6.1 ± 0.9 mL/kg; breathing frequency, 32 ± 4 breaths/min; PEEP, 11 ± 4 cm H₂O; peak inspiratory pressure, 48 ± 9 cm H₂O; plateau pressure, 30.4 ± 4.4 cm H₂O. At ECMO initiation, blood gas results were: pH 7.22 ± 0.17, P_aO2 /F_IO2 = 63 ± 22 mm Hg; P_aCO2 = 56 ± 18 mm Hg; F_IO2 = 99 ± 2%. Pre-ECMO data were available in 35 and 27 subjects for calculation of the PRESERVE score and RESP score, respectively. Pre-ECMO scoring system results were: median PRESERVE score, 4 (interquartile range 2-5), and median RESP score, 0 (interquartile range -2 to 2). Twenty-three subjects (56%) died, including 19 receiving ECMO. In univariate analysis, plateau pressure (P = .031), driving pressure (P = <.001), and compliance (P = .02) recorded at the time of ECMO initiation as well as the PRESERVE score (P = .032) were significantly associated with mortality. With a c-index of 0.69 (95% CI 0.53-0.87), the PRESERVE score had better discrimination than the RESP score (c-index of 0.60 [95% CI 0.41-0.78]) for predicting mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of these scores in helping physicians to determine the patients with ARDS most likely to benefit from ECMO should be limited in clinical practice because of their relatively poor performance in predicting death in subjects with severe ARDS receiving ECMO support. Before widespread use is initiated, these scoring systems should be tested in large prospective studies of subjects with severe ARDS undergoing ECMO treatment.

Are psychiatric disorders associated with worse asthma control and quality of life in asthma patients?

BACKGROUND

Achieving good asthma control has become the major goal of asthma treatment. Studies have reported a high rate of psychiatric disorders among asthma patients, though the impact of these disorders on asthma control and quality of life remains unexplored. This study evaluated the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in 406 adult asthma patients, and associations between psychiatric status, levels of asthma control, and asthma-related quality of life.

METHODS

Consecutive asthma patients presenting to the asthma clinic underwent a brief, structured psychiatric interview, completed the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) and Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ), and reported the frequency of bronchodilator use in the past week. All patients underwent standard pulmonary function testing.

RESULTS

A total of 34% (n=136) of patients had one or more psychiatric diagnosis, including major depression (15%), minor depression (5%), dysthymia (4%), panic disorder (12%), generalized anxiety disorder (5%), and social phobia (4%). Though there were no differences in pulmonary function, patients with versus without psychiatric disorders had worse ACQ and AQLQ scores and reported greater bronchodilator use, independent age, sex and asthma severity.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that psychiatric disorders are prevalent among asthmatics and are associated with worse asthma control and quality of life. Physicians should be aware of the potential risk of poorer asthma control and functional impairment in this population.

169Erbium-citrate synoviorthesis after failure of local corticosteroid injections to treat rheumatoid arthritis-affected finger joints

OBJECTIVES

Intra-articular injection of 169Erbium-citrate (169Er-citrate; radiosynoviorthesis or radiosynovectomy) is an effective local treatment of rheumatic joint diseases. However, its efficacy in corticosteroid-resistant rheumatoid arthritis-affected joints has not been clearly demonstrated.

METHODS

A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, international multicentre study was conducted in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with recent (< or = 24 months) ineffective corticosteroid injection(s) into their finger joint(s). Eighty-five finger joints of 44 patients were randomised to receive a single injection of placebo (NaCl 0.9%) or 169Er-citrate. Results of evaluation 6 months later were available for 82 joints (46 metacarpophalangeal and 36 proximal interphalangeal joints) of 42 patients: 39 169Er-citrate-injected joints and 43 placebo-injected joints. Efficacy was assessed using a rating scale for joint pain, swelling and mobility.

RESULTS

Intent-to-treat analysis of the results of the 82 joints showed a significant effect of 169Er-citrate compared to placebo for the principal criteria decreased pain or swelling (95 vs 79%; p = 0.038) and decreased pain and swelling (79 vs 47%; p = 0.0024) and for the secondary criteria decreased pain (92 vs 72%; p = 0.017), decreased swelling (82 vs 53%; p = 0.0065) and increased mobility (64 vs 42%; p = 0.036). Per-protocol analysis, excluding 18 joints of patients who markedly changed their usual systemic treatment for arthritis, gave similar percentages of improvement but statistical significance was lower owing the reduced power of the statistical tests.

CONCLUSION

These results confirm the clinical efficacy of 169Er-citrate synoviorthesis of rheumatoid arthritis-diseased finger joints after recent failure of intra-articular corticotherapy.

Better results with rhenium-186 radiosynoviorthesis than with cortivazol in rheumatoid arthritis (RA): a two-year follow-up randomized controlled multicentre study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this international multicentric randomized phase 3 clinical trial was to compare prospectively radiosynoviorthesis (RSO) with rhenium-186-sulfide (186Re) to intra-articular corticotherapy in patients with clinically controlled rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but in whom one or a few medium-sized joints remained painful or swollen.

METHODS

One hundred and twenty-nine joints in 81 RA patients [stratified into 2 groups: wrists (group 1, n = 78) and all the other joints (group 2, n = 51, including 18 elbows, 21 shoulders and 12 ankles)] were randomized to receive intra-articular injections of either 186Re-sulfide (64 +/- 4 MBq), or cortivazol (Altim) 3.75 mg. Clinical assessment was performed before and then at 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after local therapy, using a 4-step verbal rating scale (VRS) and a 100 mm visual analog scale for pain, a 4-step VRS for joint swelling and mobility and a 2-step VRS for the radiological stage. The Mantel-Haenszel test was used for qualitative variables, analysis of variance (ANOVA) for quantitative pain analysis and Kaplan-Meyer survival test for relapse analysis.

RESULTS

186Re was observed to be statistically superior to cortivazol at 18 and 24 months while no statistical difference was seen for any criterion at 3, 6 and 12 months post injection. At 24 months, the difference in favor of 186Re was significant for pain (p = 0.024), joint swelling (p = 0.01), mobility (p = 0.05, non-wrists only), pain and swelling (p = 0.03) and pain or swelling (p = 0.02). "Survival" studies (Kaplan-Meyer) demonstrated a greater relative risk of relapse in corticoid treated joints, but only from the second year of follow-up. No serious side effect was observed in any patient, with only light and transient local pain and/or swelling occurring in 24% of cases, regardless of the treatment used.

CONCLUSION

186Re-sulfide and cortivazol had similar efficacy up to 12 months post-injection, but 186Re became clearly more effective at 18 and 24 months, for all criteria monitored and for RA outcome. Therefore, 186Re RSO can be recommended for routine clinical use.

[Impact of lack of resources in dialysis practice in Quebec]

The purpose of this descriptive study was to assess the impact of limited resources on the practice of dialysis in Quebec and to highlight certain ethical issues. Twelve semi-structured interviews were done with nurses in charge of 14 dialysis centres in Quebec. A survey using self-administered questionnaires was also carried out between January 2000 and July 2001, with a convenience sample of 412 patients and 156 other persons involved, including 116 dialysis nurses. Two discussion groups brought together sixteen stakeholders from four dialysis centres. The results presented here were obtained by triangulating methods and data. They show that access to dialysis is not limited by Quebec nephrologists, that patients are increasingly old and sick, that teams are working to the utmost of their ability and that it is difficult for nursing staff to provide optimal care under these conditions.

Group counseling psychotherapy for patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders: development of new measures for symptom severity and quality of life

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) can benefit from various psychological interventions. The main objective here was to define the contribution of a new psychotherapeutic intervention, group counseling psychotherapy, for the management of FGID patients. Secondary aims included validation of new measures for gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life in patients with FGID. Fifty patients seen in a tertiary care center were included in a program of 10 weekly sessions of 2 hr each. Gastrointestinal symptoms, quality of life, and psychological conditions were measured before and after treatment by quantitative indices and by qualitative self-analysis. Gastrointestinal index and quality-of-life index were significantly (P < 0.02) improved at the end of the psychotherapeutic intervention (from 77.5 +/- 4.0 to 63.2 +/- 4.3 and from 67.7 +/- 3.9 to 54.9 +/- 3.9, respectively). In a control group of patients observed for a comparable period of time while waiting for the psychotherapy program, gastrointestinal and quality of life indices remained unchanged. The severity of gastrointestinal symptoms and the quality of life deterioration were highly correlated factors (r = 0.8) at entry into the trial, and their improvement with psychotherapy was also correlated (r = 0.6; P < 0.001). Psychological abnormalities were frequent in these patients (anxiety in 31%, somatization in 29%, depression in 26% of the patients). However, no specific disorder could predict the results of the psychotherapeutic intervention. Over the long term (6-24 months after conclusion of treatment), gastrointestinal status, quality of life, and psychological condition were estimated as improved by 53%, 63%, and 67% of the patients, respectively. The gastrointestinal index and quality of life index we developed were validated to detect the disease and to follow its evolution in response to treatment. In conclusion, group counseling psychotherapy offered a significant contribution for the management, improving gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life, of FGID patients. New measures for symptom severity and quality of life are available.

Rectal distention testing in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of pain sensory thresholds

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Visceral hypersensitivity was detected in patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders and has been proposed as a biological marker of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The purpose of this study was to assess the sensitivity, specificity, and the predictive values of pain thresholds evaluated by rectal distention using an electronic barostat in patients with or without IBS and in control subjects.

METHODS

Patients were diagnosed according to Rome II criteria. Rectal sensory thresholds were determined in 164 patients (86 IBS patients, 26 painless constipation, 21 functional dyspepsia, and 31 miscellaneous conditions) and in 25 normal controls. All subjects underwent a series of rectal isobaric distentions using an electronic barostat. The bag was progressively distended from 0 to 48 mm Hg and, in response to distention, subjects reported on discomfort or pain.

RESULTS

Pain thresholds were lower in IBS patients (30.4 +/- 6.7 mm Hg) compared with controls (44.5 +/- 5), painless constipated (45.4 +/- 5.3), functional dyspepsia (39.4 +/- 7.8), and miscellaneous patients (43.2 +/- 5.5). At the level of 40 mm Hg, the sensitivity of the rectal barostat to identify IBS patients from normal subjects and non-IBS patients was 95.5% and its specificity was 71.8%. The positive predictive value was 85.4%. The negative predictive value was 90.2%.

CONCLUSIONS

Lowered rectal pain threshold is a hallmark of IBS patients. Rectal barostat testing is useful to confirm the diagnosis of IBS and to discriminate IBS from other causes of abdominal pain.

Evolution of visceral sensitivity in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been associated with visceral hypersensitivity. Here we examined the evolution of rectal sensitivity and of gastrointestinal symptomatology in IBS patients over time, to verify if the clinical and biological parameters showed parallel behavior. Patients complaining of IBS, identified by Rome 1 criteria, were included in this study. The severity of the gastrointestinal (Gastrointestinal) symptoms was assessed by a gastrointestinal index. The pain threshold to rectal distension was measured by a barostat programmed for phasic ascending distensions. Both measures were obtained before and after treatment. Thirty-nine patients were followed while on a 10-week group psychotherapy (psy) program. Twelve patients were controlled after pharmacological treatment with amitriptyline (Ami) 10 mg hours for two weeks and then 25 mg hours for the following 4 weeks. Clinical improvement with symptom reduction was achieved in both patients groups. With psy, the Gastrointestinal index declined from an initial value of 78.4 +/- 4.8 to 65.5 +/- 4.5 at the end of treatment (P < 0.05). With Ami, the gastrointestinal index decreased from 91.6 +/- 5.6 to 61.8 +/- 9.1 (p < 0.01). The pain threshold to rectal distension increased from 27.7 +/- 1.0 to 33.7 +/- 1.9 mmHg (P < 0.01) after drug treatment, but remained unchanged (30.6 +/- 1.0 vs 30.6 +/- 1.1 mm Hg) with psy. Evolution of the gastrointestinal index and rectal sensitivity were directly correlated (r = -0.71; P < 0.01) in Ami patients, but not in those treated with Psy (r = -0.001). In conclusion, visceral hypersensitivity appeared as a stable biological defect over a 10- to 12-week period during clinically-effective treatment with psychotherapy. Rectal pain threshold, however, seemed to be pharmacologically manipulatable in patients treated with Ami.

Physical and biological dosimetry in patients undergoing radiosynoviorthesis with erbium-169 and rhenium-186

Physical and biological dosimetry were investigated in 45 rheumatoid arthritis patients treated by radiosynoviorthesis (RSO) with 186Re-sulphide (medium-sized joints) and 169Er-citrate (digital joints). Biological dosimetry involved scoring dicentrics in lymphocytes, cultured from blood samples withdrawn just before and 6 h, 24 h and 7 days after treatment. Physical methods included repeated blood sample counts and scintigraphy data. For erbium-169 (pure beta emitter), only bremsstrahlung could be measured and solely in the injection area. For rhenium-186 (both beta and gamma emitter), whole body scans and static images of joints and locoregional lymph nodes were performed. Dosimetry calculations were in accordance with the MIRDOSE 3 software and tables. For erbium-169 (21 patients), either metacarpophalangeal (30 MBq) or proximal interphalangeal (20 MBq) joints of the hands were treated (one joint per patient); 18 patients (out of 21) were interpretable for biological dosimetry, 10 (out of 11) for physical dosimetry and six (out of 10) for both. For rhenium-186, 23 wrists, nine elbows, three shoulders and two ankles were injected in 24 patients, with a maximum of three joints per patient (70 MBq per joint); 20 patients (out of 24) and 10 (out of 10) were interpretable for biological and physical dosimetry, respectively, and eight (out of 10) for both methods. Erbium-169 biological dosimetry was negative in all interpretable patients, and physical dosimetry gave a blood dose of 15 +/- 29 microGy and an effective dose lower than 1 mSv/30 MBq. For rhenium-186, biological results were negative in 16 patients (out of 20), but showed a blood irradiation around 200 mGy in the last four. A significant cumulative increase of dicentrics 7 days after injection (16/10,000 instead of 5/10,000 prior to treatment; p < 0.04) was also noted. Gamma counts gave a blood dose of 23.9 +/- 19.8 mGy/70 MBq and the effective dose was found to be 26.7 +/- 5.1 mGy/70 MBq, i.e. about 380 microGy.MBq-1. Erbium-169 RSO is very safe from both physical and biological dosimetry standpoints. Rhenium-186 leak is greater, as demonstrated by the higher blood activity and the measurable, although limited, dicentrics induction in blood lymphocytes. However, the effective dose remains moderate, i.e. 30 times lower than in 131I therapy in benign thyroid diseases.

A retrospective study on chemical and radioactive synovectomy in severe haemophilia patients with recurrent haemarthrosis

Between 1970 and 1994, 116 chemical and 90 radioactive synovectomies were performed in 107 patients with severe haemophilia and two with type 3 von Willebrand's disease. The products used were osmic acid (OA) in 100 cases, 90-Yttrium in 35 cases, 186-Rhenium in 48, 169-Erbium in two, hexacetonide triamcinolone in 16 and radioactive gold in five cases. The use of radioactive colloids is not allowed in France in patients under 15 years of age. Twenty-nine patients had more than one synovectomy per joint. All patients were evaluated for 6 months post-synovectomy, using both a clinical and a radiological score. Six months after synovectomy, a good or excellent result was obtained for 81% of the joints treated with isotopes, compared with 44% of those treated with OA, P<0.001. This superiority of isotopes over osmic acid was still observed after 6 months for the 89 joints that were re-evaluated, with follow-up ranging from 1 to 9 years. It was possible to calculate a radiological score in 84 cases. With OA the best results were from the joints with the lowest scores pre-synovectomy (<7). No correlation could be established between the clinical and the radiological scores, due to the small size of the sample. In summary: (1) chemical and radioactive synovectomy are simple and safe procedures for haemophilic arthropathy, (2) in our series, after 6 months the efficacy of isotopic synovectomy was greater than that of chemical synovectomy, and this benefit seems to persist after 6 months, and up to 9 years in the group of patients with longer-term follow-up.

Nonsurgical synovectomy in the treatment of arthropathy in Von Willebrand's Disease

Von Willebrand's disease is the most common inherited bleeding disorder, with an overall prevalence in the general population of 0.8% to 1.3%. Hemarthrosis occurs mainly in the severest forms of the disease (type III), with a frequency of 3.5% to 11%, and can cause severe arthropathy similar to that seen in hemophilia. We retrospectively reviewed our experience with nonsurgical synovectomy in the treatment of recurrent hemarthrosis with arthropathy in patients with von Willebrand's disease. Four of our six patients had type III disease and the remaining two had type II disease. The age range was 13 to 63 years. The frequency of hemarthrosis prior to synovectomy was one to four per month. One (n = 2) or both (n = 1) knees were treated in 4 cases, one (n = 1) or both (n = 1) ankles in 3 cases and an elbow in one case. We used yttrium 90 in a dose of 5 mCi for one knee, rhenium 186 in a dose of 2 mCi for two ankles and the elbow and osmic acid for two knees and one ankle. Clinical and radiological results were evaluated six months after synovectomy using the World Federation of Hemophilia score. Radiologic lesions remained stable and clinical manifestations improved in every case (p < 0.05). Five patients achieved a complete remission. Safety was satisfactory. The clinical efficacy of synovectomy done, using radiocolloids or osmic acid in arthropathy due to von Willebrand's disease, seems similar to that in hemophilia.

Randomised trial of home-based psychosocial nursing intervention for patients recovering from myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Increases in life stress have been linked to poor prognosis, after myocardial infarction (MI). Previous research suggested that a programme of monthly screening for psychological distress, combined with supportive and educational home nursing interventions for distressed patients, may improve post-MI survival among men. Our study assessed this approach for both men and women. We aimed to find out whether the programme would reduce 1-year cardiac mortality for women and men.

METHODS

We carried out a randomised, controlled trial of 1376 post-MI patients (903 men, 473 women) assigned to the intervention programme (n = 692) or usual care (n = 684) for 1 year. All patients completed a baseline interview that included assessment of depression and anxiety. Survivors were also interviewed at 1 year.

FINDINGS

The programme had no overall survival impact. Preplanned analyses showed higher cardiac (9.4 vs 5.0%, p = 0.064) and all-cause mortality (10.3 vs 5.4%, p = 0.051) among women in the intervention group. There was no evidence of either benefit or harm among men (cardiac mortality 2.4 vs 2.5%, p = 0.94; all-cause mortality 3.1 vs 3.1%, p = 0.93). The programme's impact on depression and anxiety among survivors was small.

INTERPRETATION

Our results do not warrant the routine implementation of programmes that involve psychological-distress screening and home nursing intervention for patients recovering from MI. The poorer overall outcome for women, and the possible harmful impact of the intervention on women, underline the need for further research and the inclusion of adequate numbers of women in future post-MI trials.

Improved appraisal of the quality of life in patients with automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator: a psychometric study

BACKGROUND

Patients with an implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) may experience a certain degree of suffering. A sample of 32 patients was surveyed to determine the psychological benefit resulting from this treatment.

METHODS

Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Beck Depression Inventory and a shortened version of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory were used. A 10-item scale and a global index of quality of life were especially designed to assess cardioverter defibrillator tolerance and the effect of its implantation on patients' current well-being.

RESULTS

Both quality of life index scores were negatively correlated with anxiety and depression. Occurrence of shocks had no influence on psychological well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

The questionnaires provided a simple and reliable measure of quality of life in ICD patients. Prior to implantation, technical explanations should be accompanied by stress management techniques adapted to the patients' psychological background.

Double-blind study of erbium 169 injection (synoviorthesis) in rheumatoid digital joints

A double-blind study of erbium 169 injection into rheumatoid digital joints was carried out with saline as control. 201 joints in 36 patients were studied (137 metacarpophalalangeal, 64 proximal interphalangeal). Erbium 169 was injected into 121 joints and saline water into 80 joints. Local injection of corticosteroids was given to both groups. A definite improvement was observed in 55% to 58% of cases with erbium 169 (+prednisolone acetate) and in 26% to 28% of cases with saline (+prednisolone acetate). The difference was highly significant.