Chronic pain: a long-term sequela of epidermal necrolysis (Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis) - prevalence, clinical characteristics and risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are associated with various sequelae. Chronic pain, one of these sequelae, has never been systematically evaluated. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: To assess the persistence of pain in a single-centre cohort of 113 consecutive patients with SJS/TEN. From this cohort, 81 patients were interviewed more than 1 year after the initial episode and included in the study. Data were collected according to standardized questionnaires. RESULTS: From the 81 interviewed patients, 52 patients (64%) were painless and 29 patients (36%) were painful. Chronic pain syndrome was associated with a more severe initial acute phase of the disease (larger extent of detachment, higher SCORTEN, increased rate of admission in ICU and complications, and longer hospital stay). Pain was mainly located at the level of eyes (55%), mouth and lower limbs (38-41%), with a moderate daily intensity on average (4.7/10). The 'affective' descriptors prevailed over the 'sensory' descriptors, with the exception of burning and itching sensations. Finally, regarding provoked pain, mechanical allodynia (to brushing and pressure) was more marked than thermal allodynia. DISCUSSION: The persistence of chronic pain after SJS/TEN is a common phenomenon. Sensory descriptors are consistent with sensitization of both small-diameter nerve fibres (burning and itching sensations) and large-diameter nerve fibres (mechanical allodynia), but the affective-emotional components of pain largely predominate. CONCLUSIONS: Complex mechanisms lead to persistent pain as long-term sequela of SJS/TEN, among which mechanisms, psychological factors related to post-traumatic stress disorder probably play a key role.

Paris MEM: a study protocol for an effectiveness and efficiency trial on the treatment of traumatic stress in France after the 2015-16 terrorist attacks.

BACKGROUND: The Paris and Nice terrorist attacks affected a thousand of trauma victims and first-line responders. Because there were concerns that this might represent the first of several attacks, there was a need to quickly enhance the local capacities to treat a large number of individuals suffering from trauma-related disorders. Since Reconsolidation Therapy (RT) is brief, relatively easy to learn, well tolerated and effective, it appeared as the ideal first-line treatment to teach to clinicians in this context. METHODS: This study protocol is a two-arm non-randomized, multicenter controlled trial, comparing RT to treatment as usual for the treatment of trauma-related disorders. RT consists of actively recalling one's traumatic event under the influence of the ß-blocker propranolol, once a week, for 10-25 min with a therapist, over 6 consecutive weeks. This protocol evaluates the feasibility, effectiveness, and cost-utility of implementing RT as part of a large multi-center (N = 400) pragmatic trial with a one-year follow-up. DISCUSSION: Paris MEM is the largest trial to date assessing the efficiency of RT in the aftermath of a large-scale man-made disaster. RT could possibly reinforce the therapeutic arsenal for the treatment of patients suffering from trauma-related disorders, not only for communities in western countries but also worldwide for terror- or disaster-stricken communities. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials (ClinicalTrials.gov). June 3, 2016. NCT02789982.

[Acute catatonic syndrome after neuroleptic malignant syndrome]. / Syndrome catatonique et syndrome malin des neuroleptiques (à propos d'un cas).

We report the case of a young woman who deve-loped catatonic syndrome a few days after neuroleptic mali-gnant syndrome (NMS), arising the problem of the chronology of both affections. A 20-year old woman with an history of bipolar disorder, experienced an acute manic syndrome that made hospitalization necessary. Fourteen days after loxa-pine prescription, the patient developed a NMS (DSM IV criteria) dyskinesia, dysphagia, fever and alteration of cons-ciousness. Hepatic transaminases and muscular enzymes increased. Neuroleptic was immediately interrupted and benzodiazepines (Lorazepam) was started. Biological parameters were normalized after 7 days, hyperpyrexia decreased and extrapyramidal symptoms disappeared but manic symptoms persisted. Two weeks later, the patient presented nega-tivism, rigidity of the four limb, catalepsia and hyperpyrexia. She also had been anxious for death and presented auditory hallucinations. Bacteriological samples and computed tomography were normal. This catatonic symptoms did not decreased and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was necessary. After six ECT, she started standing up, walking, taking food and speaking. After 12 ECT, the clinical state was the same as it was before the acute episod. The patient was then treated with valproate and lorazepam for anxiety symptoms. Acute catatonie, a rare and life-threatening acute syndrome was described in psychosis before the advent of neuroleptic drugs. It's characterized by hyperexia, stupor alternated with exctement, rigidity. Many etiolologic factors have been reported for this affection: psychogenic, organic or toxic. Neuroletic malignant syndrome is a potentially fatal complication of neuroleptic treatment occuring in about 1% of patients treated with neuroleptic. This syndrome is characterised by consciousness alteration, extrapyramidal symptoms, autonomic and thermic disorders. Similar clinical and biological features in catatonia and neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) suggest a relationship between both affections and common physiopathological mechanisms and neurochemical basis: a central dopamine deficiency. We believe like many authors that catatonia and NMS are two aspects of a same disease, arising the question of chronology of both affections: NMS precipitates catatonia evolution. In the same way, Revuelta reported a case of patient who presented a lethal catatonia worsened by neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome may be related to a dopamine deficiency, predominantly in the basal ganglia and antérior hypothalamus. Dopaminergic impairment has also been postulated to explain hyperthermia and catatonic signs in acute catatonie. ECT increases cerebral concentrations of dopamine, GABA and noradrelanine. The efficacy of ECT also argues for the dopaminergic hypothesis. A relation between those syndromes are complexes. A catatonic syndrome is regard as an acute form of malignant syndrome. In the other way, a severity scores of malignant syndrome are correlated among catatonic signs. In this case report, we suggest that the neuroleptic malignant syndrome accelerate the evolution to catatonic syndrome.