Consensus statement on severe dementia

Under the auspices of the French Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics, a multidisciplinary team including geriatritians, neurologists, epidemiologists, psychiatrists, pharmacologists and public health specialists developed a consensus on care for patients with severe dementia. They defined 21 recommendations for general practitioners, long-term care physicians and specialists based on knowledge available in 2005. At all stages of the disease, the objective of care is to improve as much as possible quality-of-life for the patient and his/her family, including a life project until the end of life. It is always possible to do something for these patients and their family: nutritional status, behavior disorders, and incapacities to deal with basic activities of daily life have to be taken in consideration. Resource allocation and proximity care have to be targeted. Research areas necessary to improve the care of patients with severe dementia has been selected.     

Factors associated with the increase in resting energy expenditure during refeeding in malnourished anorexia nervosa patients

BACKGROUND: In malnourished anorexia nervosa (AN) patients, body-weight gain during refeeding is slowed by an increase in resting energy expenditure (REE). OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to identify factors associated with the increase in REE during refeeding. DESIGN: Before and 8, 30, and 45 d after the beginning of refeeding, REE was studied by indirect calorimetry in 87 female AN patients [x +/- SD age: 23.4 +/- 7.9 y; body mass index (in kg/m2) 13.2 +/- 1.3]. Energy intake, body composition (by bioelectrical impedance analysis), physical activity, smoking behavior, abdominal pain, anxiety, depressive mood, serum thyrotropin and thyroid hormone, and urinary catecholamines were measured. REE was also evaluated in 18 patients after 1 y of recovery. RESULTS: By day 8, REE increased from 3.84 +/- 0.6 to 4.36 +/- 0.59 MJ/d (P < 0.01). This increase (13.4%) was significantly (P <0.01) greater than that expected on the basis of the increase in fat-free mass (FFM; 1.6%). Thereafter, the ratio of REE to FFM remained high and, in multivariate analysis, was significantly related to 4 factors: energy intake (P <0.01), anxiety (P <0.01), abdominal pain (P <0.05), and depressive mood (P <0.05). The ratio also increased significantly with physical activity (P <0.01) and cigarette smoking (P <0.02). This rise in REE leveled off after recovery from AN. CONCLUSION: In AN patients, the rise in REE observed during refeeding was independently linked to anxiety level, abdominal pain, physical activity, and cigarette smoking, and it contributed to resistance to weight gain.     

Penis tumours: techniques and indications

Although penis epidermoid carcinoma is a relatively rare tumour, early identification and treatment are necessary to avoid mutilating and sometimes morbid surgery. Awareness of disease epidemiology is mandatory for preventing the evolution of an underlying tumour (absent or insufficient hygiene, congenital or acquired phimosis, preepitheliomathous lesions such as Bowen's disease). Conservative surgical or radio-therapeutic techniques may be considered, provided the lesion is superficial and with a diameter < 30 mm. In all other cases, penis amputation is necessary. Penis epidermoid carcinoma spreads by vascular and lymphatic diffusion. Dynamic scintigraphy for the identification of a sentinel node and screening of subclinical metastasis is currently under evaluation. In case of palpable inguinal adenopathy, inguinal lymphadenectomy should be proposed if technically performable. Although superficial lymphadenectomy is associated with a low morbidity rate (about 3% of mild complications) deep inguinal Lymphadenectomy is far more morbid and disabling. Compliance with pre- and post-operative measures, and total patient compliance are necessary to minimize as far as possible such morbidity.     

Expression of p21 cell cycle protein is an independent predictor of response to salvage radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy

BACKGROUND: To assess whether the expression of p21, p27, and p53 could predict biochemical failure in prostate cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant androgen deprivation prior to salvage radiotherapy for a rising post-radical prostatectomy (RP) prostate-specific antigen (PSA). METHODS: The expression of p21, p27, and p53 was determined by immunohistochemistry in a cohort of 74 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded prostate cancer samples obtained from RP. Expression of these markers was then correlated with clinicopathological parameters and biochemical failure-free survival after salvage radiotherapy. RESULTS: Expression of p21, p27, and p53 was observed in 20%, 69%, and 74% of prostate cancer specimens, respectively. Overexpression of p21 correlated with a higher Gleason score (>7) (P = 0.024). Of the three markers, only p21 expression was correlated with PSA failure after radiotherapy (P = 0.034). In multivariate analysis, both positive p21 (P = 0.004) and pre-radiation serum PSA > 1 ng/ml (P < 0.0001) were independent predictors of biochemical failure after salvage radiotherapy. Patients with p21- tumors and a serum PSA level < or = 1 ng/ml before salvage radiotherapy had a biochemical failure-free survival at 5 years of 83%, compared to 16% at 5 years for those patients with either p21+ tumor or a PSA > 1 ng/ml. Patients with both p21+ and a PSA level > 1 ng/ml had a much lower biochemical failure-free survival rate of 25% at only 18 months (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The expression of p21 in prostatectomy specimens could help predict the likelihood of response to salvage radiotherapy, particularly in patients treated before PSA reaches 1 ng/ml.