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D Pelle

Publications and source records attributed to D Pelle.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

[Prognosis of renal vein thrombosis in the adult: influence of treatment].

The medical histories of 27 patients with renal vein thrombosis were evaluated retrospectively. Short and long term evolution as well as prognostic factors were analysed. 24 of the patients were suffering from a nephrotic syndrome, 15 from renal failure. In the 20 biopsies performed we observed: 14 cases of extramembranous glomerulonephritis, 2 cases of minimal glomerular lesions, 3 cases of segmental focal glomerulosclerosis and 1 periarteritis nodosa. The renal vein thrombosis was bilateral (18), left (7) or right (2). In 7 patients this was associated with thrombosis of the inferior vena cava. 9 patients were treated with anticoagulants alone, 9 underwent thrombectomy, 7 were treated by thrombolysis and 2 received no treatment. Within the first six months 11 patients died as a result of complications due to hemorrhaging (5), septic infection (2) or embolism (1) and 3 patients died of undetermined causes. The progression of the remaining patients was followed up over a period of 6 months to 19 years. In 12 patients, the nephrotic syndrome regressed and renal function did not deteriorate in any of the cases. The main causes for poor prognosis are the existence of initial renal failure and glomerulonephritis which is not extramembranous. Since the evolution of the glomerulopathy does not appear to be affected by extramembranous glomerulonephritis, renal vein thrombosis associated with this complication should be treated with anticoagulants alone. The risk-benefit ratio of thrombectomy leads us to conclude that this technique should be abandoned. Thrombolysis could be considered in cases where renal vein thrombosis is associated with acute renal failure.

Acute Kidney Injury

Do-not-resuscitate orders for critically ill patients in the hospital. How are they used and what is their impact?

We studied compliance with do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders at a university hospital where a DNR protocol has existed since 1979. Documentation of DNR status in patient progress notes and chart orders increased through 1983. During a 12-month period (March 1983 through April 1984), we studied in detail the medical records of 521 patients who had a cardiopulmonary arrest in the hospital. Seventy-five percent (389 of 521) of these patients were designated DNR. Patients who were designated DNR were significantly more likely to be older, to have malignancy or an abnormal mental status, and to be less likely to have acute myocardial infarction, stroke, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than patients in whom resuscitation was attempted. Eighty-six percent of families, but only 22% of patients, were involved in the decision to designate a patient DNR. The decision to designate a patient DNR occurred late in the course of a patient's illness, often when the patient was in coma. For 28% of patients, some form of medical care was withdrawn or withheld after they were designated DNR. These data suggest that use of the DNR protocol requires changes if patients are to participate in the decision not to undergo cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

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