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Biomedical subjects

A Prost

Publications and source records attributed to A Prost.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Risk-benefit ratio of sodium fluoride treatment in primary vertebral osteoporosis.

The risk-benefit ratio of combined fluoride-calcium therapy in primary vertebral osteoporosis was examined prospectively in patients with at least one vertebral fracture. 257 patients were randomised to receive sodium fluoride 25 mg twice daily plus elemental calcium 1 g daily and a vitamin D2 supplement, and 209 received one of the alternative therapies usually prescribed in France. After a follow-up of 24 months the fluoride-calcium group showed a significantly lower rate of new vertebral fractures, the main adverse effect of the regimen being a higher incidence of osteoarticular pains in the ankle and foot; the risk of non-vertebral fractures was not increased, and digestive disorders arose with equal frequency in the two groups. Sodium fluoride 50 mg daily seems to represent a reasonable compromise in terms of anti-fracture effectiveness and side-effects.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1988

[Tiopronin in 69 cases of rheumatoid polyarthritis treated earlier with D-penicillamine].

This study concerns 69 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and having received successively D-penicillamine (DP) then, after a mean period of 2 years, tiopronin (TP) at a daily dose of 1,500 mg. TP demonstrated an as frequent, as marked, and as prolonged effectiveness as that of DP. 28 patients are still under TP treatment, with a mean length of treatment of 43.7 months. The rate of effectiveness of TP was similar, whether or not the response to DP was favorable: 64.1 and 64.3 p. cent respectively; 72.4 p. cent of the 29 cases which did not respond to DP, responded favorably to TP. The manifestations of intolerance to TP were similar in nature (including the first reported case of obstructive bronchiolitis) and frequency to those observed with DP. There were only a few manifestations of crossed intolerance: the rate of TP discontinuation because of intolerance was the same, whether the DP was well tolerated (29.6%) or discontinued because of poor tolerance (30%). The same undesirable effect was only observed in 4 cases: one case of pemphigus, another case of toxic dermatitis, 2 proteinurias. This study confirms that TP represents a new, major long-term treatment of RA and demonstrates that this very product is an excellent take over medication.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

[Ascariasis in Western Africa. Epidemiological review].

This paper draws, on the basis of available published reports, an outline of the epidemiological distribution of ascariasis in West Africa. This parasitic disease is easily transmitted in all humid areas which receive more than 1,400 mm rainfall every year. The endemicity pattern is typical of a contamination of the household environment. On the contrary, it is absent, with few exceptions, from a larger part of the region where drier conditions, combined with a series of specific socio-cultural factors, prevent the transmission from being anything else but sporadic. However, the author, although he recognizes that the maintenance of a short living parasite in a population is problematical under sporadic transmission conditions, warns that urban development in the future may very well result in a rapid spread of infections with ascaris.

Africa, Western↗
PubMed1987

[Acne-pustulosis-hyperostosis-osteitis syndrome. Results of a national survey. 85 cases].

The authors report the data collected by a national investigation organized by the French Society of Rheumatology, concerning the osteo-articular manifestations of severe acne, palmo-plantar pustulosis and primary thoracic and peripheral hyperostosis. This investigation collected 85 case-reports including 13 severe acne, 44 PPP and 28 hyperostosis without the dermatitis mentioned above. From this investigation, it appears that dermatological and osseous pictures described under various denominations, present common characteristics and transition forms justifying their common study under the acronym SAPHO (Syndrome Acne-Pustulosis-Hyperostosis-Osteitis). The bony involvement, especially anterior thoracic, but also vertebral and even peripheral seems to be the common denominator between these diseases. It realizes a true rheumatoid inflammatory osteitis, osseous counterpart of synovial and cartilagenous affections in inflammatory rheumatoid diseases. This group has rather loose connections with common psoriasis and slightly more definite relationships with primary ankylosing spondylarthritis. These clinical and immunogenetic connections occur also through bony involvement.

Acne Vulgaris↗
PubMed1986

The burden of blindness in adult males in the savanna villages of West Africa exposed to onchocerciasis.

Cross-sectional surveys for the prevalence of blindness in West African savanna villages misrepresent the actual burden which blindness imposes on communities. High mortality in the blind, resulting in a shorter life expectancy as compared to non-blind, is associated with high incidence rates and with a rapid turn-over in the blind population. Data collected in Burkina Faso indicate that, in hyperendemic villages, 46% of males and 35% of females aged 15 are likely to become blind before they die. Respective rates in mesoendemic villages are 14% in males and 9.8% in females. The results presented in this paper reinforce the conclusion that blindness, especially onchocerciasis associated blindness, is of greater social and economic significance than usually estimated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

[Clavicle osteolysis in MacDuffie's syndrome].

MacDuffie's syndrome emerges from systemic vasculitis as including recurrent urticaria-like skin lesions, episodic angio-oedemas, articular manifestations and abdominal pains, with a tendency to affect women. Renal involvement may burden the prognosis. Hypocomplementemia is usual by deficiency of the classical pathway. Corticosteroid therapy is habitual. The case reported, fitting to this nosological entity offers two new features: in the first place, the osteolysis of the distal part of the clavicle whereas the joints are not affected by destroying lesions; then the non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was effective within a period of one year without complication.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Bone angiomatoses in children. Apropos of 3 personal cases].

Three observations of skeletal angiomatosis are reported: one diffuse and two focal forms (Gorham's disease). The analysis of these cases and a review of the literature enhance the clinical and radiological presentation of this uncommon disease. The authors point out the interest of indirect lymphoscintigraphy and dwell on the gravity of its course, in spite of therapeutic attempts.

Angiomatosis↗
PubMed1985

Suramin in the treatment of onchocerciasis: the efficacy of low doses on the parasite in an area with vector control.

In a village hyperendemic for onchocerciasis in Burkina Faso, where the vector had been controlled by the Onchocerciasis Control Programme since 1976, 65 patients were treated with doses of 37 to 71 mg/kg suramin in 1979. The viability and fertility of the adult parasites were studied in 217 nodules excised from 42 patients one month to four years after treatment using the collagenase technique. Most of the worms had survived the treatment. Male worms were more susceptible to suramin than female worms. The development of intrauterine stages initially continued, but was completely suppressed after several months. The female worms remained sterile in those patients who had received more than 60 mg/kg suramin. In other ones 11 and 13% of the female worms showed new embryonic stages in the uteri during two follow-up examinations in the second year. In a final examination in 1983 the reproduction had declined again. However, the reproductivity of the superannuated worms had considerably decreased in the untreated patients as well. All patients had shown a very high microfilardermia in 1979. After treatment the microfilarial densities dropped to levels near zero depending on the dose of suramin administered, but in none of the patients was the reduction complete during the first year of the treatment. Microfilariae gradually reappeared in the second year in several patients who had received less than 60 mg/kg suramin. In the final follow-up in 1983 most of the treated patients had become negative in skin counts, although they still harboured viable worms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Desensitization by histamine of H2 receptor-mediated adenylate cyclase activation in the human gastric cancer cell line HGT-1.

Short-term treatment of cultured HGT-1 cells with histamine produced a time-dependent (half-life: 20 min) and homologous desensitization of histamine H2 receptor activity mediating cAMP generation in HGT-1 cells and gastric acid secretion in normal gastric mucosa. Histamine treatment resulted in loss of response of the adenylate cyclase to histamine in purified plasma membranes, but had no effect on basal, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)- or NaF-stimulated enzyme activities. We propose that the desensitization of gastric histamine H2 receptor by histamine evidenced in cellular or subcellular preparations from HGT-1 cells could be involved in the physiological regulation and pharmacological control of gastric cell function in man.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1984

[Multiple hyperostosis with unilateral sacroiliitis. A new spondyloarthropathy].

Six patients (4 male and 2 female) presenting with an original, predominantly osseous disease are reported. The disease is characterized by a chronic inflammatory process affecting the thorax, the spine, the femur in 1 case and in all patients only one of the sacro-iliac joints. The condition had begun 11 to 28 years previously and had been active for 6 to 24 years. One case started with regressive polyarthritis. There was no visceral involvement. Radiograms showed bone condensation with hyperostosis, sometimes hypertrophic, unrelated to any articular space. Depending on each patient, the lesions involved the clavicles, the sternum, the posterior arch of the ribs, the vertebrae, the inferior femoral metaphysis. The only joints involved were the sacro-iliac and anubrio-sternal joints. The areas affected showed high radioisotope uptake. There was discrete biochemical inflammatory syndrome. Three of the 6 patients belonged to the HLA group B 27. The multiple biopsies performed showed no specific lesions. The disease proceeds by successive attacks lasting several months and responding poorly to anti-inflammatory drugs. One patient developed Crohn's disease, another, retroperitoneal fibrosis. In some respects, this condition is remindful of sterno-clavicular hyperostosis and of the osteo-arthropathy in palmoplantar pustulosis or acne conglobata. It seems to constitute a new variety of spondylo-arthropathy intermediate between the above-mentioned diseases and genuine ankylosing spondylitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Activation of the cAMP-generating system by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the human laryngeal malignant cell line HEp-2.

In the presence of 3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthine, VIP produced a dose-related (3 X 10(-9)-10(-7) M) increase (8-fold) in cAMP production in isolated HEp-2 cells incubated at 15 degrees C in KRP buffer. Among the peptides structurally related to VIP, including secretin (10(-7) M), pancreatic glucagon (10(-6) M), PHI, somatostatin-14 (10(-6) M), hpGRF (10(-8)-4 X 10(-6) M), GIP (2 X 10(-7) M), only PHI (3 X 10(-7) M and above) is able to activate the cAMP-generating system in HEp-2 cells, but at 10(2) times lower potency. Under the same conditions, histamine (10(-3) M) was also ineffective, while PGE2 (10(-7)-10(-4) M) increased (4-fold) basal cAMP levels in HEp-2 cells. The VIP effect is related to the interaction of the peptide on VIP recognition sites (125I-VIP-binding capacity), coupled to the membrane-bound adenylate cyclase. The results indicate that the transformed laryngeal cell line HEp-2 possesses a receptor-cAMP system preferentially activated by VIP (relative potencies: VIP greater than PHI much greater than other peptides of the secretin family), and suggest that this neuropeptide could modulate biological functions in normal laryngeal epithelia in man.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed1984

The economics of blindness prevention in Upper Volta under the Onchocerciasis Control Program.

This paper proposes a new approach to the economics of blindness prevention under the Onchocerciasis Control Program in Upper Volta. It differs from previous economic analyses of onchocerciasis control in three important respects. First, it uses empirical data as the basis of an estimate of the epidemiological effectiveness of the intervention. Second, it focuses on the prevention of permanent disability and premature death due to onchocercal blindness as the major health improvement attributable to onchocerciasis control. Third, it emphasizes cost-effectiveness rather than cost-benefit analysis. This limitation is imposed by the difficulty of undertaking a comprehensive assessment of the benefits of onchocerciasis control. In particular, the extent to which control of partial visual impairment and infection without ocular involvement would increase the effective supply of labor, and also the extent to which control would increase the effective supply of land by inducing new settlement in the river valleys, have not been clearly established. The cost-effectiveness approach is limited because it foregoes the opportunity provided by cost-benefit analysis to compare the relative desirability of investing in onchocerciasis control with alternative investments in other sectors. However, it does permit useful judgments to be made about the relative efficiency of allocating scarce resources to onchocerciasis control compared to other possible investments within the health sector. For this purpose, an illustrative comparison is made with estimates of the cost-effectiveness of measles immunization.

Blindness↗
PubMed1984

Cost-effectiveness of blindness prevention by the Onchocerciasis Control Programme in Upper Volta.

The article presents a cost-effectiveness analysis of the Onchocerciasis Control Programme in Upper Volta. The analysis uses a new approach to the measurement of health project effectiveness, by considering the number of healthy years of life added by the prevention of permanent disability and premature death attributable to onchocercal blindness. The approach emphasizes the central role of social value judgements in allocating health resources-in particular the relative weights assigned to preventing disability and postponing death, present and future health benefits, and health gains among productive and non-productive individuals. The quantitative results yield the following cost-effectiveness estimates for blindness prevention through onchocerciasis control: US$20 per year of healthy life and per productive year of healthy life added, and US$150 per discounted year of healthy life and per discounted productive year of healthy life added. As an illustrative example, a comparison is made with estimates of the cost-effectiveness of measles immunization.

Adult↗