Consensus on the Objectives of an Educational Intervention for Patients with Oropharyngeal Dysphagia and Their Informal Caregivers: A Delphi Study.

Purpose: In the absence of literature allowing for an evidence-based approach to therapeutic patient education (TPE) in Oropharyngeal Dysphagia (OD), this study aims to reach a consensus of experts on the content of a competency framework of an educational program for OD patients and their informal caregivers (ICGs).

Methods: We used the Delphi consensus-building method. Four categories of experts were recruited: 12 patients, 17 ICGs, 46 healthcare professionals (HCP) (experienced in OD, not necessarily certified in TPE), and 19 experts in TPE (trained individuals to set up and run TPE programs not necessarily HCPs).

Evaluation of efficacy and safety of subcutaneous acetaminophen in geriatrics and palliative care (APAPSUBQ).

Introduction: Subcutaneous infusion (SC) or hypodermoclysis is an old perfusion technique that is often used off-label although it has been shown to be effective. Acetaminophen (paracetamol) subcutaneous injection is performed in some centers despite the lack of conclusive evidence on its effectiveness. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of subcutaneous infusion of Acetaminophen in the treatment of pain and fever in geriatrics and in palliative care and to determine its safety profile and possible side effects.

Total Parenteral Nutrition in Middle Eastern Cancer Patients at End of Life: Is it Justified?

Purpose: The use of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in terminally ill cancer patients is considered an aggressive approach with very limited benefits. We examined the practice of TPN in our end of life cancer patients and we investigated the patient and tumor characteristics that justify this practice. To our knowledge, this is the first study describing TPN administration of Middle Eastern patients with advanced cancer.

Factors associated with the time to first palliative care consultation in Lebanese cancer patients.

Introduction: Early palliative care is recommended for cancer patients. However, palliative care consults (PCC) are often delayed in Lebanon. The aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with timing of PCC and their impact on the place of death.

Development of a New Classification System for Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies Based on Clinical Manifestations and Myositis-Specific Autoantibodies.

Importance: Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are heterogeneous in their pathophysiologic features and prognosis. The emergence of myositis-specific autoantibodies suggests that subgroups of patients exist.

Objective: To develop a new classification scheme for idiopathic inflammatory myopathies based on phenotypic, biological, and immunologic criteria.

The role of palliative care in the last month of life in elderly cancer patients.

Introduction: One major health care issue encountered in elderly cancer patients is the alteration of the quality of life. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the administration of chemotherapy in the last month of life (CLML) and to evaluate the impact of the palliative care consult (PCC) in the elderly patients.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study that included elderly patients diagnosed with an end-stage cancer and who were deceased between the 1st of January 2012 and the 31st of December 2015.

SYNDROME DES ANTIPHOSPHOLIPIES. À PROPOS DE 30 CAS.

Objectives: To analyze clinical and immuno- logic manifestations of Lebanese patients with the antiphos- pholipid syndrome (APS).

Patients And Methods: Our study was retrospective and was done on hospitalized patients be- tween 2001 and 2013. All these patients fulfilled the interna- tional criteria for diagnosis (Sydney criteria).

[Palliative care in Lebanon: views of health professionals and relatives].

Context: The development of palliative care is still in its primitive state in Lebanon and few studies assessed the views of caregivers on the quality of support of their patients and the difficulties they encounter. We evaluate the perspective of caregivers and the relatives in regard to the quality of support to the terminally ill patients.

Method: A cross-sectional descriptive, analytic and comparative study is carried out between September and October 2010, among two groups - Group 1: Health professionals from a university hospital in Beirut; Group 2 : Relatives of recently deceased persons following a chronic, incurable disease.

[Neurological manifestations of Behcet's disease: 22 cases among 170 patients].

Objectives: To present neurological involvement in Behçet's disease, its prognosis and treatment.

Methods: Our study was retrospective and was done at Hotel-Dieu Hospital of Beirut between 1980 and 2005. All these patients fulfilled the International Study Group criteria for diagnosis of Behçet's disease.

[Human brucellosis in Lebanon. Clinical features and therapeutic responses in 88 patients].

Objectives: Present clinical features of brucellosis in Lebanon.

Methods: Eighty-eight patients were seen at Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital of Beirut between 1994 and 2002. Diagnostic criteria were brucellar agglutinins at a titer; 1/160 with symptoms suggestive of brucellosis in the absence of other diagnosis and a therapeutic response.

[Multisystemic amyloidosis. Clinical study of 39 patients in Lebanon].

Objective: Clinical analysis of multisystem amyloidosis in Lebanon, by histological type.

Method: Retrospective study of 39 cases of multisystem amyloidosis diagnosed histologically in a university hospital center between 1991 and 2002. It analyzed the following clinical data: age, gender, type of presentation, time from symptom onset to diagnosis, clinical features, concomitant diseases, family history of amyloidosis, biopsy sites, presence of urinary or serum monoclonal gammopathy, immunohistochemical type, prognosis and treatment.

[Typhoid fever. Clinical and therapeutic study in 70 patients].

Objective: Present clinical features of typhoid fever in Lebanon.

Methods: Retrospective study of 70 patients admitted to a university hospital center between 1995 and 2002. The criteria for inclusion were a positive Salmonella typhi or paratyphi hemoculture and/or a Widal serodiagnosis > or = 1/160 for O agglutinin, in the presence of evocative symptoms.

[Peritoneal pseudomyxoma: two case reports and review of the literature].

In this article, we present two cases of peritoneal pseudomyxoma suspected on abdominal CT Scan and then confirmed on pathologic examination. A mucinus carcinoma was the primary lesion in the two cases, appendicular in the first case and with an undeterminate origin in the second. The prognosis was bad in these cases despite the debulking surgery and the systemic and intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Vascular manifestations of Behçet's disease. Eighteen cases among 140 patients.

Objectives: To describe the features, prognosis, and treatment of vascular involvement in Behçet's disease (BD).

Patients: Among 140 patients with BD seen at the Hôtel-Dieu Hospital in Beirut between 1980 and 2000, 18 (13%) had vascular involvement and were included in this retrospective study. All these patients fulfilled International Study Group criteria for BD.

[Typhoid fever. Retrospective study of 52 cases in Lebanon].

Objective: Present the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of typhoid fever in the Lebanon.

Methods: Retrospective study of 52 patients admitted to a university hospital center between 1995 and 1999. The criteria for inclusion were a positive Salmonella typhi or paratyphi hemoculture and/or Widal serodiagnosis > 1/160 for O agglutinin, in the presence of evocative symptoms.

[Acute deafness after carbon monoxide poisoning. Case report and review of the literature].

A 61-year-old man developed an extrapyramidal syndrome 15 days after an episode of carbon monoxide poisoning. Two months later he developed severe deafness. Brain imaging revealed ischemic lesions in the region of the basal ganglia.