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Biomedical subjects

J M Desmonts

Publications and source records attributed to J M Desmonts.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Comparison between patient-controlled analgesia and subcutaneous morphine in elderly patients after total hip replacement.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness on postoperative pain, and cognitive impact, of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) compared with subcutaneous (s.c.) injections of morphine in elderly patients undergoing total hip replacement (THR). METHODS: Forty patients older than 70 yr were randomly assigned to two different postoperative analgesic techniques for 48 h: i.v. PCA morphine (dose, 1 mg; lockout interval, 8 min; PCA group) or regular s.c. morphine injections (SC group). Postoperative pain was assessed at rest and when moving, using a visual analogue scale (VAS) every 4 h. A Mini Mental Status (MMS) examination was used to assess cognitive functions before surgery, at 2 h, 24 h and 48 h after surgery, and at hospital discharge. Side-effects were also recorded systematically during the first 48 h after surgery. RESULTS: The PCA group showed significantly lower pain scores than the SC group both at rest and during mobilization. However, the clinical significance of pain scores was weak. There was no intergroup difference in postoperative MMS scores. The incidence of side-effects was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that in healthy elderly subjects undergoing THR, the flexibility of the analgesic regimen is more important than the route of administration with regard to efficacy, adverse effects and recovery of cognitive function.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed2001

Effects of riluzole on N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced tyrosine phosphorylation in the rat hippocampus.

Since increased tyrosine phosphorylation has been observed in response to brain ischemia, we investigated whether riluzole (an inhibitor of glutamate neurotransmission with neuroprotective properties) affects tyrosine phosphorylation stimulated by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) in rat hippocampal slices. Riluzole produced an extremely potent concentration-related inhibition of NMDA (1 mM)-stimulated protein tyrosine phosphorylation (IC(50)=0.5+/-0.03 microM, mean+/-S.D.), but failed to affect that evoked by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA, an activator of protein kinase C, 0.1 and 1 microM). These results suggest that inhibition of tyrosine phosphorylation may contribute to the neuroprotective effects of riluzole against excitotoxic injury.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

[French and foreign recommendations for the practice of anesthesia-intensive care].

UNLABELLED: This article reviews the development of STANDARDS, Recommendations and Guidelines for practice in anaesthesiology in France and other countries. The French society for anaesthesia and intensive care (Sfar) has published, since 1989, 11 basic STANDARDS: 1) Recommendations for the monitoring of patients during anaesthesia (June 1989, amended on January 1994) [APSF Newsletter, Summer 1990, page 22]; 2) Recommendations for postanaesthesia monitoring and care (September 1990); 3) Recommendations for preanaesthesia care (September 1991); 4) Recommendations for anaesthetic apparatus and checking before use (January 1994); 5) Recommendations for the equipment of anaesthesia working places (January 1995); 6) Recommendations for the tasks of the nurse anaesthetist (January 1995); 7) Recommendations for hygiene standards in anaesthesia practice (December 1997); 8) Recommendations for outpatient anaesthesia (September 1990); 9) Recommendations for the practice of obstetrical analgesia (September 1992); 10) Recommendations for interhospital physician-accompanied transfers (December 1992); 11) Recommendations for intrahospital physician-accompanied transfers (February 1994). Additionally the Sfar produced or coproduced 9 Experts' conferences, 15 Consensus conferences and 5 Guidelines for clinical practice.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed2001

An outbreak of imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in critically ill surgical patients.

OBJECTIVE: To describe an outbreak of imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (IR-Ab) and the measures for its control, and to investigate risk factors for IR-Ab acquisition. DESIGN: An observational and a case-control study. SETTING: A surgical intensive care unit (ICU) in a university tertiary care hospital. METHODS: After admission to the ICU of an IR-Ab-positive patient, patients were prospectively screened for IR-Ab carriage upon admission and then once a week. Environmental cleaning and barrier safety measures were used for IR-Ab carriers. A case-control study was performed to identify factors associated with IR-Ab acquisition. Cases were patients who acquired IR-Ab. Controls were patients who were hospitalized in the ICU at the same time as cases and were exposed to IR-Ab for a similar duration as cases. The following variables were investigated as potential risk factors: baseline characteristics, scores for severity of illness and therapeutic intervention, presence and duration of invasive procedures, and antimicrobial administration. RESULTS: Beginning in May 1996, the outbreak involved 17 patients over 9 months, of whom 12 acquired IR-Ab (cases), 4 had IR-Ab isolates on admission to the ICU, and 1 could not be classified. Genotypic analysis identified two different IR-Ab isolates, responsible for three clusters. Ten of the 12 nosocomial cases developed infection. Control measures included reinforcement of barrier safety measures, limitation of the number of admissions, and thorough environmental cleaning. No new case was identified after January 1997. Eleven of the 12 cases could be compared to 19 controls. After adjustment for severity of illness, a high individual therapeutic intervention score appeared to be a risk factor for IR-Ab acquisition. CONCLUSION: The outbreak ended after strict application of control measures. Our results suggest that high work load contributes to IR-Ab acquisition.

Acinetobacter↗
PubMed2001

Predictive factors of early morphine requirements in the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU).

Use of morphine by titration in the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) is often the first step in postoperative pain management. This approach provides rapid analgesia but shows a wide inter-individual variability in morphine requirements and may prolong patient stay in the PACU. The aim of this study was to identify the patient characteristics, surgical, anaesthetic, and postoperative factors predictive of early morphine requirements. The study included 149 patients undergoing various non-cardiac surgical procedures under general anaesthesia. In the multiple regression analysis of nine variables, only ethnicity (Caucasian), emergency surgery, major surgery, surgery exceeding 100 min, and pain score on arrival in PACU were predictive factors of morphine requirements. This observational study identifies for the first time independent predictive factors of morphine requirements in the early postoperative period. Future studies are warranted to evaluate the impact of intervention on these factors and any resulting improvement in postoperative pain treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Gastric residue is not more copious in obese patients.

IMPLICATIONS: Previous studies have shown that obese patients have a larger volume of gastric content than lean patients do. However, methodological limitations call into question the validity of these findings. We have reexamined this issue and found identical gastric content volumes in fasting obese and lean subjects after an 8-h fast.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Hyperprocalcitonemia in patients with perioperative myocardial infarction after cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and compare procalcitonin (PCT) concentrations after cardiac surgery in uncomplicated patients and in patients with perioperative myocardial infarction (PMI). DESIGN: Retrospective comparative study. SETTING: One university hospital. PATIENTS: Fifty-eight adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery. INTERVENTION: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In a first step, plasma PCT and C-reactive protein concentrations were measured preoperatively and until 72 hrs postoperatively in ten consecutive patients who underwent uncomplicated cardiac surgery. PCT concentrations increased progressively from the end of cardiopulmonary bypass (0.09 +/- 0.09 ng/mL), peaked at 24 hrs postoperatively (1.14 +/- 1.24 ng/mL), and began to decrease at 48 hrs. C-reactive protein appeared to peak at 48 hrs (from 5.8 +/- 11.7 mg/L preoperatively to 265.1 +/- 103.5 mg/L on the second postoperative day). In a second step, PCT concentrations were measured at day one in 23 patients (PMI group) who presented high postoperative plasma cardiac troponin I concentrations and were compared with PCT concentrations observed in 25 matched uncomplicated patients. All patients were free from infection. PCT in the PMI group was significantly higher than in the control group (27.1 +/- 63.2 vs. 2.0 +/- 2.4 ng/mL, respectively; p =.0053). CONCLUSION: Because high plasma concentrations of PCT were found in patients with PMI after cardiac surgery, it may be suggested that, in the early postoperative period, elevated plasma PCT concentrations should be interpreted with caution regarding infection diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Anesthetic concentrations of riluzole inhibit neuronal nitric oxide synthase activity, but not expression, in the rat hippocampus.

We hypothesized that anesthetic dose of riluzole, an inhibitor of glutamate neurotransmission, may affect the activity and/or expression of neuronal NOS (nNOS). Riluzole, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME) and 7-nitro indazole (7-NI) produced a concentration-related inhibition of nNOS activity in vitro. Riluzole competed with 7-NI for inhibition of nNOS activity, but had no effect on nNOS or endothelial NOS (eNOS) protein expression. Also, nNOS activity was significantly decreased in riluzole-anesthetized rats (40 mg kg(-1) i.p., -32+/-6% from controls, P<0.05). Therefore, blockade of nNOS activity may be involved in the anesthetic effects of riluzole in vivo.

Actins↗
PubMed2000

[Undergraduate medical education. Students' perspective and medical school policy].

OBJECTIVES: Student attendance to lectures in French medical schools is often poor. We surveyed undergraduate medical students in our medical school, repeating a similar survey conducted ten years earlier. The results are presented with the conclusions of the faculty seminar that followed this survey. METHODS: A closed item questionnaire was distributed in June, 1998, through the hospital wards where the students were posted. After two reminders, the final response rate was 71% (247/348). RESULTS: Overall, 71% of the students declared that they never, or only occasionally, attended lectures in the medical school. Reasons included lack of time (75%), the curriculum diverging from the program of the selective examination that gives access to graduate specialization programs (59%), or insufficient practical clinical content (36%); 46% believed that this teaching prepared them to practice family medicine (11% some specially), and 92% that the way it was organized was not compatible with preparing for the selective examination. On the other hand, 75% of the students in the final two years of the curriculum declared that attending regularly special preparation seminars for the selective examination, to succeed at this test (91%), but also to prepare for family practice (25%). Respectively, 75%, 68% and 66% declared that undergraduate medical courses should, ideally, prepare them for the selective examination, but also for the practice of family medicine, and for graduate medical education. CONCLUSIONS: These results echoed the difficulties of the faculty of the medical school to reconcile preparing students both for their future medical practice and for the selective examination. Two working groups were asked to identify independently appropriate educational objectives according to each perspective: their conclusions appeared to be quite compatible. Based on these conclusions, institutional objectives were ratified to guide the educational policy of our medical school, including the following: to reinforce the consistency and progressiveness of the curriculum; to promote active and autonomous student learning approaches; to develop faculty teaching skills, curriculum evaluation and recognition of teaching activities.

Curriculum↗
PubMed2000

Postoperative death and malpractice suits: is autopsy useful?

This report demonstrates the extremely high yield of autopsies performed in the case of postoperative death with suspicion of malpractice. They frequently identified undetected complications. They could also suggest faulty or negligent practice that would otherwise go unrecognized. This report supports the widespread use of autopsies to investigate perioperative death.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Postoperative recovery after desflurane, propofol, or isoflurane anesthesia among morbidly obese patients: a prospective, randomized study.

UNLABELLED: Recovery from anesthesia might be compromised in obese patients. Because of its pharmacological properties, desflurane might allow rapid postoperative recovery for these patients. We compared postoperative recovery for 36 obese patients randomized to receive either desflurane, propofol, or isoflurane to maintain anesthesia during laparoscopic gastroplasties. Anesthesia was induced with propofol and succinylcholine IV and was maintained with rocuronium, alfentanil, inhaled nitrous oxide, and the study drug. Immediate recovery (i.e., times from the discontinuation of anesthesia to tracheal extubation, eye opening, and the ability to state one's name) was measured. At the time of postanesthesia care unit (PACU) admission, arterial saturation and the ability of patients to move were recorded. In the PACU, intermediate recovery was measured by using sedation and psychometric evaluations, 30, 60, and 120 min postoperatively. Data were compared between groups by using the Kruskal-Wallis and chi(2) tests. Results were reported as means +/- SD. P: < 0.05, compared with desflurane, was considered significant. Immediate recovery occurred faster, and was more consistent, after desflurane than after propofol or isoflurane (times to extubation were 6 +/- 1 min, 13 +/- 8 min [P: < 0.05, compared with desflurane], and 12 +/- 6 min [P: < 0.05, compared with desflurane], respectively). At PACU admission, SpO(2) values were significantly higher and patient mobility was significantly better after desflurane than after isoflurane or propofol. Sedation was significantly less pronounced with desflurane at 30 and 120 min postoperatively. In morbidly obese patients, postoperative immediate and intermediate recoveries are more rapid after desflurane than after propofol or isoflurane anesthesia. This advantage of desflurane persists at least for 2 h after surgery and is associated with both an improvement in patient mobility and a reduced incidence of postoperative desaturation. IMPLICATIONS: In morbidly obese patients, postoperative immediate and intermediate recoveries are more rapid and consistent after desflurane than after propofol or isoflurane anesthesia.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Differential effects of halothane and thiopental on surfactant protein C messenger RNA in vivo and in vitro in rats.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary surfactant is a complex mixture of proteins and phospholipids synthetized by alveolar type II cells. Volatile anesthetics have been shown to reduce surfactant phospholipid biosynthesis by rat alveolar type II cells. Surfactant-associated protein C (SP-C) is critical for the alveolar surfactant functions. Our goal was to evaluate the effects of halothane and thiopental on SP-C messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in vitro in rat alveolar type II cells and in vivo in mechanically ventilated rats. METHODS: In vitro, freshly isolated alveolar type II cells were exposed to halothane during 4 h (1, 2, 4%) and 8 h (1%), and to thiopental during 4 h (10, 100 micrometer) and 8 h (100 micrometer). In vivo, rats were anesthetized with intraperitoneal thiopental or inhaled 1% halothane and mechanically ventilated for 4 or 8 h. SP-C mRNA expression was evaluated by ribonuclease protection assay. RESULTS: In vitro, 4-h exposure of alveolar type II cells to thiopental 10 and 100 micrometer increased their SP-C mRNA content to 145 and 197%, respectively, of the control values. In alveolar type II cells exposed for 4 h to halothane 1, 2, and 4%, the SP-C mRNA content increased dose-dependently to 160, 235, and 275%, respectively, of the control values. In vivo, in mechanically ventilated rats, 4 h of halothane anesthesia decreased the lung SP-C mRNA content to 53% of the value obtained in control (nonanesthetized, nonventilated) animals; thiopental anesthesia increased to 150% the lung SP-C mRNA content. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that halothane and thiopental used at clinically relevant concentrations modulate the pulmonary SP-C mRNA content in rats. In vivo, the additive role of mechanical ventilation is suggested.

Actins↗
PubMed2000

Cardiopulmonary bypass decreases cytokine production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated whole blood cells: roles of interleukin-10 and the extracorporeal circuit.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) alters the ex vivo cytokine production of whole blood cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and to assess the roles of interleukin (IL)-10 and an extracorporeal circuit (ECC) in the alteration. DESIGN: Prospective, controlled study. SETTING: Biochemistry laboratory and surgical intensive care unit in a university hospital. PATIENTS: Seventeen consecutive adult patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting or valve surgery with normothermic CPB and eight healthy volunteers. INTERVENTIONS: Blood samples for cytokine measurement were drawn from patients before and during (at 60, 90, 120, 180 and 360 mins) CPB and were cultured with and without LPS and with and without anti-IL-10 antibodies. Blood was also drawn from healthy subjects and sampled for cytokine analysis before and during circulation in an isolated ECC. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The concentrations of ex vivo tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, were reduced in both experimental settings. In patients on CPB, LPS hyporesponsiveness was detected at 60 mins after the onset of CPB and was maximal at 120 mins (78% to 86% decreases from pre-CPB levels) but was transient, except for TNF-alpha. The plasma concentration of IL-10 peaked at 90 mins after the start of CPB, but the role of IL-10 in LPS hyporesponsiveness appears limited because anti-IL-10 antibodies significantly increased ex vivo production of IL-6 but not TNF-alpha or IL-8. In the isolated ECC study, no IL-10 was detected in plasma, yet the ex vivo production of the cytokines (except IL-8) was decreased (by 66% to 95%). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate the following: a) CPB induces an early and transient LPS hyporesponsiveness of whole blood as measured by cytokine production; b) IL-10 seems only partly involved in this process, and its role is restricted to an in vivo situation; and c) contact of blood with an ECC is sufficient to induce LPS hyporesponsiveness.

Blood Cells↗
PubMed2000

Halothane reduces the early lipopolysaccharide-induced lung inflammation in mechanically ventilated rats.

Several studies suggest that anesthetics modulate the immune response. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of halothane and thiopental on the lung inflammatory response. Rats submitted or not to intratracheal (IT) instillation of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were anesthetized with either halothane (0. 5, 1, or 1.5%) or thiopental (60 mg. kg(-1)) and mechanically ventilated for 4 h. Control rats were treated or not by LPS without anesthesia. Lung inflammation was assessed by total and differential cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) and by cytokine measurements (tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-alpha], interleukin-6 [IL-6], macrophage inflammatory protein-2 [MIP-2], and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [MCP-1]) in BALF and lung homogenates. In the absence of LPS treatment, neither halothane nor thiopental modified the moderate inflammatory response induced by tracheotomy or mechanical ventilation. Cell recruitment and cytokine concentrations were increased in all groups receiving IT LPS. However, in halothane-anesthetized rats (halothane > or = 1%), but not in thiopental-anesthetized rats, the LPS-induced lung inflammation was altered in a dose-dependent manner. Indeed, when using 1% halothane, polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) recruitment was decreased by 55% (p < 0.001) and TNF-alpha, IL-6, and MIP-2 concentrations in BALF and lung homogenates were decreased by more than 60% (p < 0.001) whereas total protein and MCP-1 concentrations remained unchanged. The decrease of MIP-2 (observed at the protein and messenger RNA [mRNA] level) was strongly correlated to the decrease of PMN recruitment (r = 0.73, p < 0.05). This halothane-reduced lung inflammatory response was transient and was reversed 20 h after the end of the anesthesia. Our study shows that halothane > or = 1%, delivered during 4 h by mechanical ventilation, but not mechanical ventilation per se, alters the early LPS-induced lung inflammation in the rat, suggesting a specific effect of halothane on this response.

Anesthetics, Inhalation↗
PubMed1999

G894T polymorphism in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene is associated with an enhanced vascular responsiveness to phenylephrine.

BACKGROUND: Differences in vascular reactivity to phenylephrine (PE) responsiveness have been largely evidenced in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Because nitric oxide (NO) strongly affects modulation of the vascular tone in response to vasopressor agents, we hypothesized that the G894T polymorphism of the endothelial NO synthase gene (eNOS) could be related to changes in the pressor response to PE. METHODS AND RESULTS: The protocol was performed in 68 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (n=33) or valve surgery (n=35) in whom mean arterial pressure decreased below 65 mm Hg during normothermic CPB. Under constant and nonpulsatile pump flow conditions (2 to 2.4 L. min-1. m-2), a PE dose-response curve was generated by the cumulative injection of individual doses of PE (25 to 500 micrograms). The G894T polymorphism of the eNOS gene was determined, and 3 groups were defined according to genotype (TT, GT, and GG). Groups were similar with regard to perioperative characteristics. The PE dose-dependent response was significantly higher in the allele 894T carriers (TT and GT) than in the homozygote GG group (P=0.02), independently of possible confounding variables. CONCLUSIONS: These results evidenced an enhanced responsiveness to alpha-adrenergic stimulation in patients with the 894T allele in the eNOS gene.

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists↗