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Biomedical subjects

A Abergel

Publications and source records attributed to A Abergel.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

[Mixed cryoglobulins and autoimmunity in hepatitis C].

We explored and studied cryoglobulins and autoantibodies in 149 patients with hepatitis C. 49% of untreated patients have cryoglobuliemia (36% polyclonal cryoglobulins) and 76% of ineffectively treated patients since more than 6 months (50% polyclonal cryoglobulins). Other observed cryoglobulins are half of type II and half oligoclonal. In 22 cryoglobulinemic patients before treatment, a good clinical response to IFN is induced only among patients for which cryoglobulins are negative at the end of treatment. Cryoglobulins could be indicators of viremia. The prevalence of autoantibodies is low and without clinical significance (they are more frequently detected in cryoglobulinemic patients, except anti-thyroid autoantibodies). Nevertheless, autoantibodies induced by IFN in our study (anti-thyroid autoantibodies, ANCA) are associated with clinical symptoms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Interactions between chronic viral hepatitis C and pregnancy].

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: In France, the positive rate for unit-HCV antibodies in the sera of pregnant women is usually found to be between 0.7 and 3.9%. The aim of our prospective study was to determine the interactions between pregnancy and chronic viral hepatitis C in 12 pregnant women. RESULTS: In our study, chronic viral hepatitis C did not influence maternal or neonatal outcome. The mean gestational age was 38.4 +/- 3 weeks. During follow-up, mean serum ALT levels were significantly lower (36 +/- 17 mU/mL) during the last three months of pregnancy compared to before pregnancy (237 +/- 144 mU/mL, P < 0.002) and after pregnancy (141 +/- 62 mU/mL, P < 0.0005). During the third trimester, serum ALT levels were normal in 90% of the women. However, the persistence of viremia during pregnancy and a rebound in serum ALT during the post-partum period have been noticed. CONCLUSION: The normalization of serum ALT levels during pregnancy, the persistence of viremia, and a rebound in serum ALT during post-partum could be related to pregnancy-induced changes in the immune system.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Persistence of a hyperdynamic circulation in cirrhotic rats following removal of the sympathetic nervous system.

The sympathetic nervous system is thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of the hyperdynamic circulation associated with portal hypertension. However, the extent of this role is unknown. After elimination of all neurological control by pithing, systemic and regional hemodynamics were studied in rats with portal hypertension caused by either portal vein stenosis or biliary cirrhosis. In normal rats, pithing induced a two-thirds decrease in mean arterial pressure and cardiac index. Compared with pithed normal rats, pithed portal vein-stenosed rats showed similar values for mean arterial pressure, cardiac index, and portal tributary blood flow. In contrast, pithed cirrhotic rats still showed hyperdynamic circulation with increased cardiac index and portal tributary blood flow. Although pithing dramatically reduced portal pressure in all groups, portal pressure remained significantly higher in portal hypertensive rats than in normal rats. These results indicate that in rats with portal vein stenosis, the sympathetic nervous system plays a major role in hemodynamic alterations, whereas in rats with cirrhosis, nonneurogenic factors participate in the pathogenesis of the hyperdynamic circulation.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[Validation of an ultrasonographic method of gastric emptying measurement in men].

Our purpose was to validate an ultrasonographic technique based on the assessment of the gastric antrum. Sixteen patients presenting with various functional disorders were studied by ultrasound on two occasions. Ten healthy volunteers were simultaneously studied by scinti- and ultrasonic scans. After an overnight fast, the healthy subjects ingested a 2,000 kJ test meal containing 150 microCi of 111In DTPA in 250 ml orange juice and 3 mCi of 99m Tc sulfur colloid in chicken liver. Using an ultrasound scanner fitted with a 3.5 MHz transducer, the area of the gastric antrum section was always measured in the same plane. Ultrasonographic measurement of gastric emptying rate was feasible in all of the 10 healthy subjects and in 14 of 16 selected patients. The ultrasonographic method was reproducible, and repeated t 1/2 measurements in 14 patients correlated well (95.3 +/- 27.9 vs 99.2 +/- 20.6 min; r = 0.70, P less than 0.001). The t 1/2 measurement was 39.4 +/- 7.7 min with the ultrasonographic method, and correlated well with 36.4 +/- 4.3 min for the t 1/2 measurement of the liquid phase with the scintigraphic method. We conclude that the ultrasonic method was reproducible and could be used for assessment of gastric emptying rate when repeated measurements are necessary, especially in pharmacologic studies.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

[Chronic refractory pain in cancer patients. Value of the spinal injection of lysine acetylsalicylate. 60 cases].

Several animal studies have demonstrated that pain is modulated by spinal mechanisms involving prostaglandins and that acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) administered intrathecally has an analgesic effect. We report our experience of this treatment in 60 patients with proven and advanced cancer. An isobaric solution of lysine acetylsalicylate was administered by lumbar puncture in doses ranging from 120 to 720 mg of ASA. The results were evaluated using the habitual criteria: scoring system, behaviour, consumption of analgesic drugs. In this trial the method proved astonishingly effective (78% of the cases). Analgesia was strong, almost immediate and without influence on motricity. No thermic or neurovegetative changes were noted. The effect of one injection lasted from 3 weeks to 1 month on average; it was reproduced and often more prolonged after a repeat injection. Pain associated with bone metastases seems to constitute the best indication, notably in breast and lung cancer and in myeloma. Visceral (pancreas) or neural pain requires higher doses to respond. Failures (22%) were due to such factors as insufficient dosage at the very beginning of our experience or severe depressive syndrome. The perineal and sphincteral pain of rectal cancer often resists treatment. This simple, inexpensive and very effective method with no other complication than a frequent tendency to fatigue should rank among other analgesic measures in cancer. The lack of respiratory depression is a major advantage over catheter spinal opiate analgesia. We consider that its main indications are pain associated with osteolytic metastases of adenocarcinomas, and myelomas. Owing to the absence of formal toxicological data, its use must be limited to cancer pain and to patients with a life expectancy of less than 2 years.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Management of splenic artery aneurysms and false aneurysms with endovascular treatment in 12 patients.

PURPOSE: To assess the endovascular treatment of splenic artery aneurysms and false aneurysms. METHODS: Twelve patients (mean age 59 years, range 47-75 years) with splenic artery aneurysm (n = 10) or false aneurysm (n = 2) were treated. The lesion was asymptomatic in 11 patients; hemobilia was observed in one patient. The lesion was juxta-ostial in one case, located on the intermediate segment of the splenic artery in four, near the splenic hilus in six, and affected the whole length of the artery in one patient. In 10 cases, the maximum lesion diameter was greater than 2 cm; in one case 30% growth of an aneurysm 18 mm in diameter had occurred in 6 months; in the last case, two distal aneurysms were associated (17 and 18 mm in diameter). In one case, stent-grafting was attempted; one detachable balloon occlusion was performed; the 10 other patients were treated with coils. RESULTS: Endovascular treatment was possible in 11 patients (92%) (one failure: stenting attempt). In four cases among 11, the initial treatment was not successful (residual perfusion of aneurysm); surgical treatment was carried out in one case, and a second embolization in two. Thus in nine cases (75%) endovascular treatment was successful: complete and persistent exclusion of the aneurysm but with spleen perfusion persisting at the end of follow-up on CT scans (mean 13 months). An early and transient elevation of pancreatic enzymes was observed in four cases. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound and CT have made the diagnosis of splenic artery aneurysm or false aneurysm more frequent. Endovascular treatment, the morbidity of which is low, is effective and spares the spleen.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Complicated polycystic liver disease with intracystic hemorrhage and obstructive jaundice].

Polycystic liver disease, which is generally part of the autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, is often asymptomatic. We report a case of obstructive jaundice caused by compression of the biliary tract by a large haemorrhagic liver cyst. The patient was a man with sporadic polycystic liver disease without polycystic kidney disease and with normal renal function for his age. Ultrasound combined with cholangio-MRI provided non-invasive confirmation of intracystic bleeding and intrahepatic biliary dilatation. Obstructive jaundice was confirmed by cyst puncture-aspiration which resolved symptoms and normalized biology. The initial treatment of haemorrhagic liver cyst complicating polycystic liver disease must be medical with cyst aspiration-drainage and sclerotherapy to avoid surgery in these fragile patients.

Aged↗