De integratie van zorgkundigen in de thuisverpleging

Report (2009)

Etude préparatoire à la mise en place d’un système d’information sanitaire en Communauté française et en Région wallonne, Rapport de recherche 2008

Report (2008)

Evaluation du programme organisé de dépistage du cancer du sein chez les femmes âgées de 50 à 69 ans de la province de Luxembourg. Données 2002 à 2006

Report (2007)

Comprehensive therapy in osteoporosis using a single drug: From ADFR to strontium ranelate

in Current Medicinal Chemistry (2006), 13(13), 1585-1590

In vitro, strontium ranelate increases collagen and non-collagenic proteins synthesis by mature osteoblast enriched cells. The effects of strontium ranelate on bone formation were confirmed as the drug ... [more ▼]

In vitro, strontium ranelate increases collagen and non-collagenic proteins synthesis by mature osteoblast enriched cells. The effects of strontium ranelate on bone formation were confirmed as the drug enhanced preosteoblastic cell replication. In the isolated rat osteoclast, a preincubation of bone slices with strontium ranclate induced a dose-dependent inhibition of the bone resorbing activity of treated rat osteoclast. Strontium ranelate dose-dependently inhibited preosteoclast differentiation. In a phase 11 dose ranging trial Strontium ranclate (500 mg. 1000 mg, 2000 mg/day) or placebo were given to 353 postmenopausal women with prevalent vertebral osteoporosis. At the conclusion of this 2-year study. the annual increase in lumbar BMD of the group receiving 2000 mg of strontium ranclate was + 7.3%. a significant increase in bone alkaline phosphatase, over a 6-month period and a significant decrease in N-telopeptide crosslinks throughout the 2-year period were seen. During the second year of treatment, the dose of 2000 mg was associated with a 44% reduction in the number of patients experiencing a new vertebral deformity. The primary analysis of the SOTI study, evaluatine the effect of strontium ranelate 2000 mg on vertebral fracture rates, revealed a 41% reduction in the relative risk of patient experiencing a first new vertebral fracture with strontium ranelate throughout the 3-year study. The TROPOS study showed a significant reduction in the risk of experiencing a first non-vertebral fracture by 16% in the group treated with strontium ranclate throughout the 3-year study. A reduction in the risk of experiencing a hip fracture by 36% was also demonstrated in the patients at high risk of hip fracture (age >= 74 years and Femoral Neck T score <=-2.4 according to NHANES normative value). [less ▲]

No major month to month variation in free testosterone levels in aging mates. Minor impact on the biological diagnosis of 'andropause'

in Psychoneuroendocrinology (2005), 30(7), 638-646

BACKGROUND: The measurement of bioavailable testosterone (BT) or free testosterone (FT) levels is currently considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of androgen deficiency in elderly men. While the ... [more ▼]

BACKGROUND: The measurement of bioavailable testosterone (BT) or free testosterone (FT) levels is currently considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of androgen deficiency in elderly men. While the impact of age on circulating testosterone levels (total, bioavailable and free) has been strongly documented, the existence of seasonal variations in testosterone levels remains debated. OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether seasonal variations in serum calculated free testosterone (cFT) levels may translate into variations in the prevalence of low testosterone levels. Diagnosis was on the basis of biochemical determinations and was cross-checked with the prevalence of clinical signs and symptoms of 'andropause', as assessed by the Androgen Deficiency in Aging Males (ADAM) questionnaire. METHODS: The study recruited 5028 men aged 50 years and over from September 2000 to January 2003. Their serum FT levels were assessed and they completed the French ADAM test. Men were considered eugonadal when cFT was > or =70 ng/l. The ADAM test was scored as described originally. The prevalence of 'andropause', diagnosed by the two methods, was compared throughout the year, on a month by month basis. RESULTS: The percentage of subjects with cFT levels below 70 ng/l increased significantly with age (P<0.001). Serum cFT levels (mean [SD]) varied significantly with the month of sampling (P<0.0001), the highest (88.1 [30.2] ng/l) and lowest (76.9 [28.0] ng/l) mean values occurring in April and in October, respectively. Conversely, the prevalence of testosterone deficiency (cFT<70 ng/l) reached a peak in October (45.7%) and a nadir in April (29.7%). Although the prevalence of 'andropause', based on the ADAM questionnaire, increased significantly with age (P<0.0001), no influence of the month of the year was noticed. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm a progressive age-related decline in FT levels. The monthly variations in serum FT values, observed throughout the year, do not show a major seasonal rhythm in elderly community-dwelling males, since the magnitude of the variations (<15%) remains marginal. This slight variation may, however, have an impact on the number of elderly men diagnosed with Partial Androgen Deficiency in Aging Males (PADAM). [less ▲]

Osteoporosis in daily clinical practice: prevalence of acute predictors in French postmenopausal women

in Osteoporosis International (2005, March), 16(Suppl.3), 108-109

Management of osteoporosis after multi-risks assessment in French postmenopausal women

in Osteoporosis International (2005, March), 16(Suppl.3), 108

No major month to month variations in free testosterone levels in aging males. Minor impact on the biological diagnosis of "andropause"

in Osteoporosis International (2005, March), 16(Suppl.3), 107

Vitamin D inadequacy: global prevalence and skeletal implications

in Osteoporosis International (2005, March), 16(Suppl.3), 64

Interest of the androgen deficiency in aging males (ADAM) questionnaire for the identification of hypogonadism in elderly community-dwelling male volunteers

in European Journal of Endocrinology (2004), 151(3), 355-360

Objective: To date, serum free testosterone measurement is considered to be the gold standard for the diagnosis of hypogonadism in elderly males but it is not available to all subjects suspected of a ... [more ▼]

Objective: To date, serum free testosterone measurement is considered to be the gold standard for the diagnosis of hypogonadism in elderly males but it is not available to all subjects suspected of a decrease in testicular function. Therefore, we evaluated whether the Androgen Deficiency in Aging Males (ADAM) questionnaire, in its original or in a modified 'quantitative' version (qADAM), could be used as a surrogate to biochemical determinations for the identification of hypogonadism in elderly males. Methods: 5028 men, aged 50-70 years, spontaneously consulting for the assessment of their gonadal function were studied. ADAM and qADAM, allocating a value of 1 point for any positive answer to each of the 10 questions of the ADAM test, were assessed for their ability to discriminate between males with free testosterone levels below or above 70 ng/l. Results: The sensitivity and specificity of the ADAM score were 81% and 21.6% respectively. The use of ADAM resulted in an appropriate classification of our population in normal or hypogonadal subjects in 44.5% of the cases. The area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve for the qADAM (0.529) revealed a highly marginal interest of this quantitative approach compared with the original scoring system. Conclusions: The ADAM test has a high sensitivity to identify aging males with low free testosterone levels. However, due to its lack of specificity, this test cannot be used as a surrogate to serum free testosterone testing for the identification of androgen deficiency in elderly, community-dwelling males. [less ▲]