Incidence of pertussis in subjects aged 50years and older in France in 2013-2014.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of pertussis (whooping cough) in subjects aged 50years and older in France. METHODS: Participating family physicians (FPs) using the patient record management software AxiSanté® included patients aged 50years and older, who had signed an informed consent form, presenting with persistent cough for 7 to 21days. Bordetella genetic material was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on nasopharyngeal samples collected at the FP's discretion. RESULTS: A total of 42 FPs included 129 patients from June 2013 to August 2014 (large cities: 38; medium-sized cities: 57; rural areas: 34); 106 samples were analyzed. Overall, 30 pertussis cases were diagnosed: 10 cases confirmed by PCR, 18 purely clinical cases, and two direct epidemiological cases. The crude incidence rate per 100,000 patients aged≥50years was 103.6 (95% CI: 69.9-47.9): 77.1 in large cities, 103.1 in medium-sized cities, and 143.9 in rural areas. The extrapolated incidence rate per 100,000 persons aged≥50years was 187.1 (95% CI: 126.2-67.1): 131.1 in large cities, 256.1 in medium-sized cities, and 242.2 in rural areas. CONCLUSION: The population aged 50years and older can serve as a reservoir. Its role in Bordetella pertussis circulation should be taken into account for pertussis booster vaccination programs.

[Relevant clinical and biological criteria for the diagnosis of androgen deficiency in the aging male (ADAM)]. / Critères cliniques et biologiques pertinents pour poser un diagnostic de déficit androgénique lié à l'âge (DALA).

INTRODUCTION: The androgen deficiency in the aging male (ADAM) affects 30 % of men after 70. It's responsible for many minor symptoms but also major complications. The objective of this study was to establish the clinical and biological criteria for the diagnosis of ADAM. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Data on clinical and biological criteria for the diagnosis of ADAM have been explored in Medline and Embase using the MeSH keywords: androgen deficiency; testosterone deficiency; late-onset hypogonadism; aging. The articles were selected based on their methodology, relevance, date and language of publication. RELEVANT CLINICAL CRITERIA FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF ADAM: The prevalence of symptomatic ADAM in the old male ranges from 6 % to 12 %. The main clinical manifestations of ADAM include various sexual disorders associated with many nonspecific symptoms which can even be present without androgen deficiency. ADAM may induce type 2 diabetes or some cardiovascular complications which increase the risk of death. Because of low specificity, the use of diagnostic tools is not recommended to screen ADAM. VARIATION IN THE ANDROGEN SECRETION DURING AGING: The annual decrease rate of testosterone is 1.6 % after 30 leading to androgen deficiency in 50 % of patients after 80. ADAM is due to a concomitant reduction of testosterone and gonadotropin secretion. RELEVANT BIOLOGICAL CRITERIA FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF ADAM: The biological diagnosis of androgen deficit is based on two determinations of total testosterone obtained between 7 AM and 11 AM. Levels below 8 nmol/L are an indication to hormonal substitution while patients with levels above 12 nmol/L don't seem to benefit from this type of treatment. Between 8 and 12 nmol/L, it is recommended to assess free testosterone levels. Because of a decrease in gonadotrophin secretion during aging, the LH levels are abnormally normal in ADAM. CONCLUSION: ADAM is a biological and clinical syndrome characterized by the association of nonspecific symptoms and decrease testosterone levels. Hormone replacement therapy appears to benefit patients at risk of metabolic, cardiovascular or bone complications.

[Burden of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia: Incidence, proportion, and associated costs in the French population aged 50 or over]. / Évaluation de l'incidence du zona, de la proportion des douleurs post-zostériennes, et des coûts associés dans la population française de 50 ans ou plus.

BACKGROUND: Despite the perspective of vaccination against herpes zoster, there are few recent data available on the incidence of this disease, the proportion of postherpetic neuralgia cases, and associated disease management costs. This study was performed to evaluate these parameters in a representative sample of French physicians. METHODS: It was a retrospective, declarative study conducted from the medical files of patients who presented with herpes zoster and consulted in 2005, based on a random sample of GPs, dermatologists, neurologists, and physicians in pain clinics, weighted by demographic departmental distribution of patients aged 50 years and above. The analysis was performed on cases diagnosed by physicians themselves (incident cases). RESULTS: The annual incidence of herpes zoster was estimated at 8.99/1000 [8.34-9.64], all types of physicians pooled and at 8.67/1000 for GPs. This represents about 182,500 cases of herpes zoster in France in 2005 in patients aged 50 years and above. Incidence was slightly higher amongst women (1.3 times) and increased with age. Amongst the 777 cases of incident herpes zoster, 343 were complicated by postherpetic neuralgia one month after diagnosis. The proportion of patients presenting postherpetic neuralgia at 3 and 6 months was 32.1% and 17.6%, respectively. The annual cost of management of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia was estimated at 170 [109-249] million euros, of which 61.0 million euros were covered by the national health insurance. CONCLUSION: In this study, the incidence of herpes zoster observed in France in subjects aged 50 years and above is close to that already estimated in France and Europe. The proportion of postherpetic neuralgia is high and this painful complication may persist for several months after diagnosis of herpes zoster. To our knowledge, EPIZOD is the first study conducted in France to assess the cost of herpes zoster and of postherpetic neuralgia, the most frequent complication of this viral disease.