The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of COVID-19 disease in the French national population of dialysis patients, their course of illness and to identify the risk factors associated with mortality. Our study included all patients on dialysis recorded in the French REIN Registry in April 2020. Clinical characteristics at last follow-up and the evolution of COVID-19 illness severity over time were recorded for diagnosed cases (either suspicious clinical symptoms, characteristic signs on the chest scan or a positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) for SARS-CoV-2. A total of 1,621 infected patients were reported on the REIN registry from March 16th, 2020 to May 4th, 2020. Of these, 344 died. The prevalence of COVID-19 patients varied from less than 1% to 10% between regions. The probability of being a case was higher in males, patients with diabetes, those in need of assistance for transfer or treated at a self-care unit. Dialysis at home was associated with a lower probability of being infected as was being a smoker, a former smoker, having an active malignancy, or peripheral vascular disease. Mortality in diagnosed cases (21%) was associated with the same causes as in the general population. Higher age, hypoalbuminemia and the presence of an ischemic heart disease were statistically independently associated with a higher risk of death. Being treated at a selfcare unit was associated with a lower risk. Thus, our study showed a relatively low frequency of COVID-19 among dialysis patients contrary to what might have been assumed.

OBJECTIVE -To evaluate perinatal outcome in pregnancies in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and the influence of preconception care 10 years after the St. Vincent's declaration. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS-A cross-sectional study was conducted in 12 perinatal centers in France in 2000 -2001. The main investigated outcomes were perinatal mortality, major congenital malformations, and preterm delivery.RESULTS -Among 435 single pregnancies, 289 (66.4%) were from women with type 1 and 146 (33.6%) from women with type 2 diabetes. Perinatal mortality rate was 4.4% (0.7% national rate), severe congenital malformations rate was 4.1% (2.2% national rate), and preterm delivery rate was 38.2% (4.7% national rate). Preconception care was provided in 48.5% women with type 1 diabetes and in 24.0% women with type 2 diabetes. Women whose first trimester HbA 1c was Ͼ8% had higher rates of perinatal mortality (9.2 vs. 2.5%; odds ratio 3.9; 95% CI 1.5-9.7; P Ͻ 0.005), major congenital malformations (8.3 vs. 2.5%; 3.5; 1.3-8.9; P Ͻ 0.01), and preterm delivery (57.6 vs. 24.8%; 1.4; 1.1-1.7; P Ͻ 0.005) than those with first trimester HbA 1c Ͻ8%. These results are similar to those reported in France in 1986 -1988.CONCLUSIONS -Pregnancies in women with diabetes are still poorly planned and complicated by higher rates of perinatal mortality and major congenital malformations. Despite knowledge of the importance of intensified glycemic control before pregnancy, reaching the St. Vincent's target needs further implementation in France. Diabetes Care 26:2990 -2993, 2003I n 1989, representatives of the government health departments and patients' organizations from all of the European countries met with diabetes experts under the aegis of the Regional Offices of the World Health Organization and the International Diabetes Federation in St. Vincent, Italy, and identified goals to be achieved in the treatment of diabetes (1). One of the declared aims was that within 5 years, "pregnancy outcome of diabetic women should approximate that of the nondiabetic women." Previous studies have shown that such results may be obtained in women with type 1 diabetes by providing effective preconception care and intensive support to improve glycemic control before and during the whole pregnancy (2-5). However, this was achieved in selected populations and in specialized units. By contrast, several surveys done in nonselected, geographically based populations showed that the prognosis of pregnancy in women with type 1 diabetes remains poorer than that of the general population (6,7). Moreover, new issues have been raised by the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes in pregnancy (8). Particularly, type 2 diabetes often remains unrecognized, and the rate of perinatal mortality in women with type 2 diabetes may be higher than in those with type 1 diabetes (9).In 1986 -1988, a multicenter survey of pregnancies in women with diabetes was performed in France (10). It essentially showed that the rate of perinatal mortality was 1.9% in women with type 1 diabete...

Background: Calciphylaxis (CPX) is a rare and life-threatening disease characterized by vascular calcification and development of painful and necrotizing skin lesions with a challenging management. Mechanisms of CPX are complex and include an imbalance between vascular calcification promoters and inhibitors, and frequently vitamin K deficiency. Objectives: To describe the various presentations and identify predictive factors of death in patients with CPX. Methods: In this multicenter retrospective study, we included 71 CPX patients followed in South-West France (n = 26) and in French Polynesia (n = 45), and who all received sodium thiosulfate (25 g thrice weekly for a median of 61 days). Results: Characteristics at presentation significantly differed between metropolitan and Polynesian French patients. Polynesians were less frequently on regular dialysis at the onset of CPX, had a higher incidence of diabetes mellitus and obesity, more disturbances of calcium-phosphorus metabolism, and received vitamin K antagonists less frequently than patients from South-West France. Despite intensive management, the 1-year mortality rate was 66% and median time to death was 200 days (IQR, 40; 514). The number of body areas involved (i.e., three: OR 2.70 [1.09; 6.65], p = 0.031; four: OR 8.79 [1.54; 50.29], p = 0.015) was the only predictive factor for death, whereas application of topical cerium nitrate-silver sulfadiazine was protective (OR 0.44 [0.20; 0.99], p = 0.046). Surgical debridement, hyperbaric oxygenation therapy, and geographical origin were not associated with overall outcomes. Conclusions: Cerium nitrate may lead to vascular decalcification and chelation of reactive oxygen species, and prevent infection. Cerium nitrate-silver sulfadiazine was associated with better outcomes and should be tested in a prospective comparative trial in CPX patients.

Renal presentation was the main predictive factor for a renal response whereas geographical residence and maintenance-treatment regimen were predictive of LN relapses in patients from French Polynesia, an area characterized by a specific genetic background and including several isolated islands that have limited access to healthcare.
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