[Transfusion in clinical practice in geriatric wards].

Purpose: In the absence of specific recommendations on blood transfusion in elderly subjects, we carried out a survey to assess transfusion practices in geriatric medicine.

Methods: A descriptive, national, cross-sectional survey was conducted in 14 French geriatric departments (12 teaching hospitals and two general hospitals). In each department, five patients receiving transfusions were randomly selected in order to analyze their characteristics, the indications of blood transfusion, the criteria for and the methods of transfusion compared with Afssaps recommendations on transfusion thresholds.

[Adverse drug events in hospitalized elderly patients in a geriatric medicine unit: study of prevalence and risk factors].

Introduction: In the elderly, both the presence of a multiple pathology and multiple medication have been shown to be frequent risk factors for adverse drug events. However, a few studies only have included parameters of standardized geriatric assessment for the purpose of identifying other risk factors. Our study compared the parameters of standard geriatric assessment, in the presence or absence of adverse drug events and evaluated the prevalence of adverse drug events in elderly inpatients, the symptoms, and the drugs involved.

[Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus during lithium acute intoxication].

Acute lithium intoxication may occur in circumstances causing kidney failure, when using lithium chronically. This situation may lead to neurological symptoms with coma, gastrointestinal disorders with diarrhea, cardiovascular symptoms with hypotension and metabolic symptoms with hypercalcemia. Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus may also develop.