Characteristics and management of giant cell arteritis in France: a study based on national health insurance claims data.

Objective: Few data are available on the epidemiology and management of GCA in real life. We aimed to address this situation by using health insurance claims data for France.

Methods: This retrospective study used the Echantillon Généraliste de Bénéficiaires (EGB) database, a 1% representative sample of the French national health insurance system.

Enteral tube feeding and mortality in hospitalized older patients: A multicenter longitudinal study.

Background & Aims: The literature regarding enteral nutrition and mortality in older frail people is limited and still conflicting. Moreover, the potential role of comprehensive geriatric assessment is poorly explored. We therefore aimed to investigate whether the Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI), an established tool that assesses measures of frailty and predicts mortality, may help physicians in identifying patients in whom ETF (enteral tube feeding) is effective in terms of reduced mortality.

Apixaban for the prevention of thromboembolism in immunomodulatory-treated myeloma patients: Myelaxat, a phase 2 pilot study.

The risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is higher in myeloma patients receiving immunomodulatory compounds. A VTE prophylaxis using low-molecular-weight heparin or aspirin is therefore proposed. Apixaban is an oral direct anti-Xa.

A phase 2 study of rituximab, bendamustine, bortezomib and dexamethasone for first-line treatment of older patients with mantle cell lymphoma.

We present results of a prospective, multicenter, phase II study evaluating rituximab, bendamustine, bortezomib and dexamethasone as first-line treatment for patients with mantle cell lymphoma aged 65 years or older. A total of 74 patients were enrolled (median age, 73 years). Patients received a maximum of six cycles of treatment at 28-day intervals.

The appropriate management of persisting pain after spine surgery: a European panel study with recommendations based on the RAND/UCLA method.

Purpose: Management of patients with persisting pain after spine surgery (PPSS) shows significant variability, and there is limited evidence from clinical studies to support treatment choice in daily practice. This study aimed to develop patient-specific recommendations on the management of PPSS.

Methods: Using the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method (RUAM), an international panel of 6 neurosurgeons, 6 pain specialists, and 6 orthopaedic surgeons assessed the appropriateness of 4 treatment options (conservative, minimally invasive, neurostimulation, and re-operation) for 210 clinical scenarios.

Variability in Imaging Practices and Comparative Cumulative Effective Dose for Neuroblastoma and Nephroblastoma Patients at 6 Pediatric Oncology Centers.

The purpose of this study was to estimate the cumulative effective dose (CED) from diagnosis and posttherapy computed tomographic (CT) scans performed on children treated for neuroblastoma or nephroblastoma (Wilms tumor) and to examine the different imaging practices used in 6 regional pediatric oncology centers between January 2010 and December 2013. We analyzed retrospectively the CT scan acquisition data in children aged 10 years or younger at diagnosis. The use of nonionizing imaging modalities was reported.

Twenty-Four-Hour Blood Pressure Monitoring to Predict and Assess Impact of Renal Denervation: The DENERHTN Study (Renal Denervation for Hypertension).

Unlabelled: The DENERHTN trial (Renal Denervation for Hypertension) confirmed the blood pressure (BP) lowering efficacy of renal denervation added to a standardized stepped-care antihypertensive treatment for resistant hypertension at 6 months. We report here the effect of denervation on 24-hour BP and its variability and look for parameters that predicted the BP response. Patients with resistant hypertension were randomly assigned to denervation plus stepped-care treatment or treatment alone (control).

The Impact of Optimal Respiratory Gating and Image Noise on Evaluation of Intratumor Heterogeneity on 18F-FDG PET Imaging of Lung Cancer.

Unlabelled: Accurate measurement of intratumor heterogeneity using parameters of texture on PET images is essential for precise characterization of cancer lesions. In this study, we investigated the influence of respiratory motion and varying noise levels on quantification of textural parameters in patients with lung cancer.

Methods: We used an optimal-respiratory-gating algorithm on the list-mode data of 60 lung cancer patients who underwent F-FDG PET.

Pediatric chronic myeloid leukemia is a unique disease that requires a different approach.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in children is relatively rare. Because of a lack of robust clinical study evidence, management of CML in children is not standardized and often follows guidelines developed for adults. Children and young adults tend to have a more aggressive clinical presentation than older adults, and prognostic scores for adult CML do not apply to children.

Intraoperative monitoring of an aspect of executive functions: administration of the Stroop test in 9 adult patients during awake surgery for resection of frontal glioma.

Background: Awake brain surgery allows extensive intraoperative monitoring of not only motor and sensory functions and language but also executive functions.

Objective: To administer the Stroop test intraoperatively to avoid dramatic side effects such as akinetic mutism and to monitor executive functions in an attempt to optimize the benefit/risk balance of surgery.

Methods: A series of 9 adult patients with frontal glioma were operated on for gross tumor resection under local anesthesia.

Imatinib is effective in children with previously untreated chronic myelogenous leukemia in early chronic phase: results of the French national phase IV trial.

Purpose: Imatinib is the standard of care in adults with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase (CP). Only a few studies to assess efficacy in children have been performed. We report on the results of the French prospective trial (ClinicalTrials.

Nasal polyposis: is there an inheritance pattern? A single family study.

Background: Nasal Polyposis (NP) is defined as a chronic inflammatory disease of sinonasal mucosa leading to diffuse formation of benign polyps. Although family histories are frequently suggested in medical literature, no specific study focused on this point has been reported. The purpose of this study is to determine whether a hereditary factor could be implied for NP in a family where several members were affected.