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Biomedical subjects

B Jarrousse

Publications and source records attributed to B Jarrousse.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Factors associated with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in Wegener's granulomatosis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the factors associated with the occurrence of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). METHODS: We retrospectively compared a group of 12 patients with WG and PCP (PCP group), with 32 WG patients without PCP followed over the same period in the same centres (control group). RESULTS: The mean delay of onset of PCP after the start of the immunosuppressive therapy was 127 (SD 128) days. Before treatment, the clinical and biological features of the two groups were similar, except for the mean lymphocyte count which was lower in the PCP group than in the control group (1060/mm3 v 1426/mm3; p = 0.04). During treatment, both groups were lymphopenic. There was a significant difference between the lowest absolute lymphocyte count in each group (244/mm3 in the PCP group v 738/mm3 in the control group; p = 0.001). During the first three months of treatment, the lymphocyte count was less than 600/mm3 at least once in 10 of the 12 patients in the PCP group and in 11 of the 32 patients in the control group (p < 0.01). The mean cumulative dose of cyclophosphamide was greater in the PCP group than in the control group at the end of both the second (1.55 mg/kg/day v 0.99 mg/kg/day; p = 0.05) and the third (1.67 mg/kg/day v 0.97 mg/kg/day; p = 0.03) months. However, in multivariate analysis, the only two factors independently and significantly associated with the occurrence of PCP were the pretreatment lymphocyte count (p = 0.018) and the lymphocyte count three months after the start of the immunosuppressive treatment (p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: The severity of lymphocytopenia before and during immunosuppressive treatment is the factor best associated with PCP in WG.

Female↗
PubMed1995

Gastrointestinal tract involvement in polyarteritis nodosa and Churg-Strauss syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To study the nature and incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations in polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) and Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) and define their therapeutic and prognostic implications. METHODS: Fifty-three patients (29 males, 24 females) affected with PAN or CSS and followed in our institution were included in a retrospective study. Patients were divided into 2 groups: patients without GI manifestations (group A) and patients with GI manifestations (group B). Among patients with GI manifestations we have studied a subgroup with a possibly poorer prognosis in whom the following symptoms were present: GI tract hemorrhage, intestinal perforation, digestive tract surgery due to PAN manifestations, intractable abdominal pain and weight loss greater than 20% of normal weight due to GI tract ischemia. RESULTS: The clinical manifestations were those that are classically encountered in PAN and CSS. Every patient fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for PAN and CSS. Thirty-five patients without GI manifestations were included in group A and 18 patients (34%) with GI manifestations in group B. The mean age of the group at the time of diagnosis was 56.9 +/- 19.1 years (range: 21-71 years) in group A and 47.5 +/- 16.8 years (range: 12-82) in group B. GI manifestations were considered as one of the symptoms revealing PAN in 7 (13.2%) cases. Six of the 18 patients with GI manifestations had definite organ involvement related to vasculitis. Abdominal pain without characteristic organ involvement or surgical emergency was present in 12/18 patients. HBV infection was more frequently observed in group B than in group A. Survival curves showed that at 10 years, 80% of the patients in group A were alive versus 67% in group B (P not significant). For the 9 patients with severe GI manifestations, the survival curves showed that, at 10 years, 44% of them were alive versus 80% in the other group A (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: GI manifestations are frequent in PAN and CSS and were present in 34% of our patients. Prognosis of PAN with GI manifestations is not statistically different than in PAN without GI involvement, except for patients with severe digestive complications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Administration of an anti-interleukin-6 monoclonal antibody to patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and lymphoma: effect on lymphoma growth and on B clinical symptoms.

Increased interleukin-6 (IL-6) production and expression by malignant cells of the IL-6 receptor has been evidenced in a subgroup of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, suggesting that this cytokine plays a role in lymphoma growth and in B clinical symptoms. In this study, the effect of the administration of an anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) was analyzed in 11 patients seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus-1 and suffering from an immunoblastic or a polymorphic large-cell lymphoma. The antibody (BE-8, 10 to 40 mg/day) was administered for 21 days. Neutralization of in vivo IL-6 effect was assessed by monitoring C-reactive protein levels in the serum. In 5 patients, the lymphoma progressed during treatment. Among them were the 2 patients in whom endogenous IL-6 effect was not neutralized. Five patients experienced a stabilization, and 1 a partial remission. This effect on lymphoma growth lasted for 8 to 28 weeks. The anti-IL-6 MoAb had a clear effect on lymphoma-associated fever and cachexia. The mean body weight increase was 1.4 +/- 0.5 kg between day 1 and day 21, and reached 12 kg in 120 days in 1 patient who received three courses of treatment. Side effects were a consistent but moderate thrombocytopenia, and an occasional and moderate decrease of neutrophil counts. Immunization against the MoAb was observed in only 2 patients. These results indicate that in some cases of lymphomas growth of malignant cells may be partially IL-6-dependent and that neutralizing endogenous effect of IL-6 completely abrogates B clinical symptoms.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1994

[Nodular and granulomatous form of periarteritis nodosa caused by the hepatitis B virus].

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is, in rare cases, associated with subcutaneous nodules and pathology does not usually show the presence of peri and extravascular granulomas. When present in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) related PAN these facts demonstrate that classification of PAN is not homogeneous. CASE REPORT. A patient infected by HBV developed a PAN demonstrated by clinical symptoms and pathology. The disease was characterized by the presence of subcutaneous nodules and histologically by peri- and extra-vascular granuloma which surrounded necrosis of medium-sized vessels. Outcome was also unusual in the patient who did not respond to the association of plasma exchanges and antiviral agents and was only slightly improved by steroids and cyclophosphamide. COMMENTS. HBV-related PAN is considered to be an immune complex disorder. In the present case report granuloma were present as observed in Churg Strauss syndrome or Wegener's granulomatosis which are the consequence of other pathogenetic mechanisms as anticytoplasmic neutrophil antibodies (ANCA). This case reports underlines the heterogeneity of the PAN group of vasculitis and the probable role for various pathogenetic mechanisms.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1994

Long-term plasma exchange. Analysis of indications, outcome and side effects.

In order to determine the characteristics and the course of diseases treated with long-term plasmapheresis (e.g., more than 25 plasma exchanges), we retrospectively studied 850 patients who underwent plasmapheresis. Long-term plasma exchange was prescribed to 38 patients who failed to respond to conventional therapy; cryoglobulinemias, peripheral neuropathies and monoclonal gammopathies were their most frequent underlying diseases. Improvement was noted in 65.8% cases. Only minor side effects were observed and the risk/benefit ratio for such therapy was excellent.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Failure of intravenous immunoglobulins in certain systemic diseases. 5 cases].

Human polyvalent immunoglobulins administered intravenously have shown to be effective in some immune diseases. We administered high dose-IV Ig (2g/kg/session) in five patients with severe chronic systemic diseases. Their condition did not improve, except in one case where a transient response was noticed. Considering the inconsistent results and high cost of IV Ig, double blind studies are required to determine the conditions in which high dose IV Ig may be more effective than conventional treatments.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Synchronization of plasma exchange and cyclophosphamide in severe systemic diseases. A consecutive study of 10 patients].

Ten patients with severe systemic diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 2), polymyositis (n = 2), essential mixed cryoglobulinaemia (n = 2), rheumatoid arthritis vasculitis (n = 3) and Wegener's granulomatosis (n = 1), were treated with 3 consecutive plasma exchanges synchronized with pulse cyclophosphamide. This therapeutic regimen was applied every 4 weeks initially and thereafter every 6 weeks in case of positive response after the first 3 cycles; it was combined in all patients with corticosteroid therapy. The treatment was administered for severe flare-up of the disease in 7 patients and for failure of previous treatments, including corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide and plasmapheresis, in 3 patients. Three kinds of response were observed: lasting complete remission without relapse after synchronization had ceased in 4 patients, partial clinical remission with post-synchronization relapse in 5 patients, and primary failure without any clinical response to treatment in only 1 patient. These results suggest that repeated plasma exchanges synchronized with cyclophosphamide are effective against progressive autoimmune diseases and in cases where conventionally administered immunosuppressive treatments had failed. However, this type of treatment cannot prevent long-term relapses, and only a prospective study can evaluate its success in terms of survival.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Successful treatment of HIV-related vasculitis with peripheral neuropathy with short-term steroids followed by the association of zidovudine and plasmapheresis.

OBJECTIVE: treatment of HIV-related vasculitis, avoiding prolonged immunosuppressive therapy. DESIGN: prospective pilot study of HIV-related neurological vasculitis. PATIENTS: two HIV-infected patients with histologically proven vasculitis. INTERVENTION: short-term corticosteroid followed by zidovudine combined with plasmapheresis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: clinical, biological, immunological and electromyographic evaluation. RESULTS: complete neurological recovery. CONCLUSION: excellent tolerance and efficacy of combined zidovudine and plasmapheresis therapy in peripheral neurological HIV-related vasculitis.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1993

New application of myocardial antimyosin scintigraphy: diagnosis of myocardial disease in polymyositis.

Heart disease is a rare but important complication of polymyositis. Diagnosis of myocardial disease is usually based on non-specific clinical, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic data. This paper reports a case of polymyositis with myocardial disease diagnosed by myocardial imaging with radiolabelled antibody to myosin, a specific marker of the necrotic myocardial fibre.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

[Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in macroscopic periarteritis nodosa. 7 cases].

Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) is rarely associated with macroscopic polyarteritis nodosa (PAN), as seen in this series of 7 out of 235 patients. The clinical symptoms of PAN were as follows: myalgias 6; fever 1; arthralgias and mononeuropathy multiplex 5; cutaneous vasculitis 3; arterial hypertension 4, 3 of which were malignant. The mean proteinuria was 2.7 g/24 h; creatininemia 458 microM/l; microscopic hematuria was present in 4 of the 7 patients; only 1 patient was anuric. Markers of hepatitis B virus were absent in all cases. Arteriography revealed microaneurysms and renal infarcts in 6 patients and distal arterial stenosis in one. Renal biopsies from all 7 patients demonstrated extracapillary glomerulonephritis, which was associated with tubulointerstitial fibrosis in one. Necrotizing vasculitis lesions were associated in 5 cases. Immunofluorescence was positive in 5 cases. The association of RPGN and PAN exists and may be underestimated due to the lack of systematic angiographic examinations during RPGN and renal biopsies in PAN patients with renal involvement.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Lack of superiority of steroids plus plasma exchange to steroids alone in the treatment of polyarteritis nodosa and Churg-Strauss syndrome. A prospective, randomized trial in 78 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To define the most effective treatment for polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) and Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS). METHODS: We conducted a prospective, randomized, multicenter trial in which 78 patients were randomly assigned to receive either prednisone and plasma exchange (group A; n = 36) or prednisone alone (group B; n = 42) as first-line treatment of PAN and CSS. Patients with hepatitis B virus-related PAN were not included in this study. The end point of the study was control of the disease (recovery and remission) or death. RESULTS: Clinical symptoms and laboratory findings did not differ statistically in the 2 groups at study entry. Initial control of the disease was similar in both groups. The assigned treatment was stopped in 16 patients because of lack of efficacy. Oral cyclophosphamide or dapsone therapy reversed the disease evolution in 7 of these 10 group A patients and in 4 of these 6 group B patients. At 7 years of followup, 56 patients had completely recovered (27 in group A, 29 in group B), 7 patients were in clinical remission, and 15 patients had died (19.2%; 6 group A patients and 9 group B patients). The prednisone-plasma exchange combination was no more beneficial than corticosteroids alone in preventing relapses over the long term. There was no significant difference in the 7-year cumulative survival rates of the two groups (83% and 79%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Based on our data, we conclude that combined treatment with prednisone and plasma exchange is not superior to treatment with prednisone alone and must not be systematically employed for initial treatment of PAN and CSS. In most cases, cyclophosphamide as second-line treatment is effective and well tolerated.

Adult↗