Psychotherapeutic interventions for cannabis use disorder. What do we know and what should we do?

BACKGROUND: Cannabis use disorder is the most commonly reported illegal substance use disorder and demand for treatment is growing worldwide. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to compare the two last Cochrane systematic reviews of the literature concerning psychotherapeutic and psychosocial interventions for cannabis use disorder to determine what new evidence emerged and how craving was considered as a treatment mediator. METHOD: We extracted raw data from both reviews regarding their titles, objectives, methods and results. This information was analyzed by face validity to distinguish apparent differences from real differences. It enabled us to describe similarities and differences between reviews. We also screened both reviews looking for craving or related words. RESULTS: The objective and methods of both reviews were mostly similar. Although the second review covered a wider range of psychotherapies, including drug counseling and mindfulness-based meditation as an intervention group and minimal treatment as a control group. Five of the six studies included in the first review were also included in the second review. One study excluded from the first review was included in the last review that included an additional 17 studies published after the first review. The 2016 review performed a meta-analysis whereas the first review was descriptive. Both reviews supported the efficacy of motivational enhancement therapy and cognitive and behavioral therapy interventions with adjunction of contingency management for abstinence when possible. There was no relevant mention of craving in the 2006 review and very few in the 2016 review. CONCLUSION: The methods and results of the last two Cochrane reviews on psychosocial interventions for cannabis use disorder were mostly similar. Consistent with other reviews on the same subject and reviews of psychotherapies for other substance use disorders, the 2016 review confirmed evidence already available in the 2006 review. Instead of confirming already confirmed evidence, future research is needed to determine if craving focused treatment would increase efficiency and how to maintain initial treatment outcomes long-term.

Operative treatment of severe scoliosis in osteogenesis imperfecta: results of 20 patients after halo traction and posterior spondylodesis with instrumentation.

Correction and stabilisation of the scoliotic spine in osteogenesis imperfecta is difficult. The optimal technique has yet to be determined, since no large series in which a single procedure has been carried out by a single surgeon using a single protocol has yet been described. The charts of 20 patients with osteogenesis imperfecta who had undergone halo gravity traction (HGT) and a posterior spondylodesis with Cotrel-Dubousset (n = 18) or Harrington (n = 2) instrumentation were reviewed. No correction was made at the time of the surgical spondylodesis. The average follow-up was 4.8 years (range 2-10.5 years). The preoperative traction improved the Cobb angle of the scoliosis by 32% (from a mean of 78.5 degrees to a mean of 53.3 degrees) and improved the kyphosis by 24% (from a mean of 56.0 degrees to mean of 42.5 degrees). This correction deteriorated slightly at final follow-up, for both the scoliosis and the kyphosis (mean 57.6 degrees and 44.4 degrees respectively). Few complications were encountered during the HGT period. In 16 cases no complications occurred during the follow-up period. Ambulation and functional ability were upgraded for 7 of 20 patients.

[Value of pelvic osteotomy in the management of the hip in children with cerebral palsy]. / Intérêt de l'ostéotomie pelvienne dans la prise en charge de la hanche de l'enfant IMC.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The authors analyzed the effectiveness of pelvic osteotomy for the treatment of hip dislocation or subluxation in CP children. MATERIAL: Fifteen pelvic osteotomies were performed on 11 children aged 30 months to 12 years (mean age 6 years). Seven children suffered from Little's disease. Follow-up averaged 10 years (from 2 to 16). Six children were reviewed at the end of growth (9 cases). METHODS: A Salter or triple osteotomy with adductor release was performed. Four cases had also a proximal femoral osteotomy. RESULTS: Following surgery, the mean Reimers' percentage decreased from 55 to 0 per cent. Correction was perfect in 11 cases, incomplete in 4 but excentration remained under 20 per cent. At the end of growth, 6 out of 9 hips remained stable without any further surgery, 2 hips developed slight excentration (less than 20 per cent) and one recurrent subluxation was treated by proximal femoral osteotomy. Six hips remained stable but their growth was not ended at last review. DISCUSSION: This surgical procedure is compared to others described in literature. Pelvic osteotomy with tenotomy improves acetabular cover and corrects muscle imbalance. Its risks seem overestimated in the literature. Both pelvic and femoral osteotomies are useful in specific cases. CONCLUSION: Triple or Salter osteotomy with adducter release seems to be a useful procedure to restore good hip morphology at the end of growth. No posterior dislocations following this osteotomy were seen in spite of the important correction. Proximal femoral osteotomy is not always necessary.

[Importance of anti-idiotype antibodies in candidates for a renal graft]. / Importance des anticorps anti-idiotypes chez les candidats à une greffe rénale.

Anti-idiotypes antibodies neutralize, some T lymphocytes clones, others cytotoxic antibodies carrying corresponding idiotypes. Anti-idiotypes antibodies are found in about 45% of patients with chronic renal failure which have received blood transfusions. Some antibodies favourize the kidney graft tolerance, others at the contrary augment the rejection reaction. It is possible to detect antibodies which protect graft by relatively simple and rapid technics. This research merits to be added to the classic cross match. When donor and recipient study reveals a positive cross match with an ancient serum and a negative cross match with an actual serum, the absence of protective antibodies is a contra-indication for kidney graft, but their presence authorize the transplantation.

Transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with renal allografts.

Disseminated tuberculosis occurred in 2 allograft recipients of kidneys procured on the same donor. Both recipients were treated by low dose prednisolone and azathioprine, and one of them was on a special protocol including antilymphocyte globulins as rejection prophylaxis. None of them experienced acute rejection. The early posttransplant period was uneventful except for the occurrence of mild viral infections in both cases (herpes simplex virus in case 1 and cytomegalovirus in case 2). 2 and 6 months after transplantation, respectively, patient 1 developed acute fever, asthenia, and disorientation while patient 2 presented with spiking fever and miliary pneumonitis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis grew in the urine of both recipients in the absence of clinical genitourinary symptoms. The two mycobacterial species had the same bacteriologic characteristics and the same antibiotic sensitivity. As the recipients had no evidence of a previous history of active tuberculosis, it is suggested, as for some other infectious agents, that mycobacterium was transmitted along with the transplanted kidneys.

[Gelatinous drop-like dystrophy of the cornea (primary amylosis) (author's transl)]. / Dystrophie gélatineuse en goutte de la cornée. Amylose primitive.

Two cases of gelatinous drop-like dystrophy of the cornea in young North-African (Algeria, Tunisia) subjects are reported. Clinical examination revealed characteristic subepithelial gelatinous drops in the cornea. Histology showed the amyloid nature of the subepithelial deposits, their fibrillary from being demonstrated on ultrastructural examination. Lamellar keratoplasty did not prevent recurrences. A pathogenic hypothesis is suggested involving a role of epithelial induction in the fibroblast development.