Fetal fibronectin test for threatened preterm delivery 48h after admission: Cost-effectiveness study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work was to assess the cost-effectiveness of the fetal fibronectin (fFN) test at 48 h after admission for threatened preterm delivery to promote early discharge. STUDY DESIGN: Before-and-after study to calculate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Patients were enrolled 48 h after admission in a tertiary care centre for threatened preterm delivery between 24+0 and 34+6 weeks. fFN testing was performed. During the first period, physician was blinded to fFN test and discharge occurred after apparent reduced symptomatology at physician's discretion. During the second period, fFN test was revealed to physician and discharge was immediately proposed to negative test patients. The costs considered in this analysis were the direct medical costs from the hospital perspective: costs of hospitalisation, treatment, and imaging procedures. The efficacy criterion selected was the number of deliveries at 7 and at 14 days after admission for threatened preterm delivery. RESULTS: The study included 178 pregnant patient, 99 during the first period (July 2008-October 2009) and 79 during the second (March 2010-February 2012). The lengths of hospital stays were shorter during the second period, with more than 50% of women discharged home between 48 and 72 h (p < 0.0001) resulting in a cost-saving of 76 051 euros. The number of deliveries at 7 and at 14 days was similar between the two periods. CONCLUSION: The fFN test at 48 h after admission supported early discharge and was safe and cost-effective.

[When should the nephrologist be called in the emergency room?]. / Quand appeler le néphrologue aux urgences?

Nephrology emergencies are not the most frequent in the emergency room but they often generate some diagnostic and therapeutic problems. Most common renal emergencies are due most often to acute renal failure whatever the cause, electrolytes disturbances, hypertensive crisis and less frequently intoxications or acute decompensation of chronic kidney diseases. The goal of this paper is to review some of these clinical situations both in the diagnostic and therapeutic perspective but essentially to discuss when the nephrologist should be called in the emergency room so that the coordination of care is optimal for the patients.

Unusual presentation of severe intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy leading to fetal death.

BACKGROUND: We report an unusual presentation of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy complicated by fetal death and associated with homozygous bile salt export pump polymorphism. CASE: A secundigravida presented at 31 weeks of pregnancy with discrete pruritus and highly elevated bile acid levels (223 micromol/L) suggestive of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, despite normal serum aminotransferase levels. She had a 6-year history of ulcerative colitis, and her previous pregnancy (3 years before) had been uneventful. Initial contractions and vaginal bleeding subsided spontaneously, and corticosteroids were administered for fetal lung maturation. However, in utero fetal death occurred 9 hours after normal cardiotocography. Follow-up confirmed progressive decrease of bile acid level, but the aminotransferase levels remained elevated. Molecular biology revealed a homozygous mutation for bile salt export pump protein. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates an unusual presentation of very severe intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in a homozygous patient carrying bile salt export pump mutation.

Clinicians' defences: An empirical study.

OBJECTIVE: Clinicians' defence mechanisms are strategies used to manage the stress and the negative affects emerging during a therapy session. The first objective of the study is to adapt the defence mechanisms rating scales (DMRS), originally created by Perry for assessing patient defences, in order to evaluate clinician defences. The second objective is to explore the type of defence mechanisms used by clinicians in oncology. The third objective is to study the sensitivity of the instrument by assessing changes in defensive functioning after specific communication skills training (CST) in oncology. DESIGN: Participants (N=20) were oncology clinicians participating in oncology CST. The defence mechanism rating scales for clinicians (DMRS-C) was used to assess the use of the clinicians' defences before and after CST. RESULTS: The instrument showed promising preliminary psychometric properties. Numerous and very varied defences were coded in each session and corresponding to a great variety of defences. After CST, the clinicians' overall defensive functioning (ODF) increased. Considering the defences' levels, a decrease in the use of immature defences was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Taking into consideration the importance of clinicians' variables in treatment outcome, this instrument constitutes a promising way of assessing the clinician's strategies used to face the emotional difficulties emerging during the therapeutic encounter.

Psychodynamic aspects of communication skills training: a pilot study.

GOALS OF WORK: Communication between patients and oncology clinicians is a key element of cancer care. Emotionally charged consultations may trigger clinicians' defense mechanisms, protecting them from painful emotions. Defense mechanisms, however, may also hamper the recognition of patients' suffering. This pilot study aims to explore clinicians' defense mechanisms observed in communication skills training (CST). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A verbatim transcription of videotaped interviews with simulated patients were evaluated before (N=10) and after CST (N=10) with the defense mechanism rating scales (DMRS). MAIN RESULTS: A wide variety of defense mechanisms were observed such as obsessional (e.g. intellectualisation) or disavowal (e.g. denial or projection). Immature defense mechanisms decreased after CST. CONCLUSIONS: A wide variety of defense mechanisms are operant in oncology clinicians facing challenging interviews with simulated patients. Defense mechanisms may be modified by CST.

Clinical significance and patients' perceived change in four sessions of brief psychodynamic intervention: characteristics of early responders.

This study investigated Tingey, Lambert, Burlingame, and Hansen's (1996) extension of Jacobson, Follette and Revenstorf's (1984) proposal for assessing clinical significance. Seventy (N=70) outpatients with/without Cluster C personality disorders treated with a brief psychodynamic intervention (BDI) were included in the study. Results showed that 33% of patients demonstrated clinically significant change on the Global Severity Index. Patients who improved reported more perceived subjective change, greater satisfaction with the treatment, and greater improvement on the Social Adjustment Scale than patients who did not improve (60%) or deteriorated (7%). Further analyses showed that clinical significance achieved in a four session ultra-brief therapy is associated with patient characteristics such as co-morbid personality disorders, level of defensive functioning, and specific interpersonal problems. Results were maintained at 3 month and 6 month follow-ups. Findings are discussed in reference to Howard's suggestions on remoralization and remission.