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Biomedical subjects

C Arnaud

Publications and source records attributed to C Arnaud.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

[Modelization of growth between 0 and 3 years of age in children born in Toulouse in 1993-1994 and comparison with Sempé's growth curves].

AIM: The growth charts usually used in France were established by Sempé et al from the study of children born in 1953-1955. The aim of our study was to construct longitudinal growth charts from 0 to 3-year-old children born in 1993-1994, and to compare those with the charts made 40 years ago. POPULATION AND METHODS: One hundred forty-five term neonates (75 boys and 70 girls) born in Toulouse in 1993-1994 were included in our study. Their heights were noted every 3 months during the first year of life, then every 6 months until the age of 3. A two-stage model to modelize growth curves was used for the available data (66 boys and 61 girls). RESULTS: Mean heights were higher in our study than in Sempé's. In each sex, the mean curve was 0.6 to 0.8 SD far from Sempé's mean curve. Standard deviations rose from 2.0 to 4.0 cm between the ages of 2 months and 3 years. At the age of 3, boys and girls were respectively 2.7 cm and 2.3 cm taller than in the Sempé's study. Differences could not be explained by sample bias. DISCUSSION: Constructions and publication of recent French growth charts seem necessary in order to be able to compare one child's growth to the growth of same age and sex children.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1999

[Long-term consequences of co-infection by hepatitis G virus in hepatitis c virus infected kidney transplant patients].

The objectives of this retrospective study were to determine the prevalence of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in hepatitis C virus positive (HCV+ve) renal transplant (RT) patients and to evaluate the impact of HGV both on liver function tests, liver histology tests and renal parameters such as the prevalence of acute rejection and renal function. Seventy-one HCV+ve renal transplant patients with a functioning graft for whom a post renal transplant liver biopsy was available, were included. Serum HGV RNA was assessed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction before, at the time of, and after renal transplantation. A total of 21 (30%) of the HCV+ve RT patients had a positive HGV RNA (Group 1); seventeen of these patients (81%) were already HGV RNA+ve when the most recent renal transplantation was performed. The other 4 patients became HGV RNA+ve following renal transplantation. The mean duration of HGV infection was at least 119 +/- 64 months (18-240). Patients in group 1 did not statistically differ from the 50 HGV RNA-ve/HCV+ve RT patients (Group 2) according to sex ratio; time on dialysis; number of blood transfusions; HLA matching; the duration of HCV infection; duration and type of immunosuppression or levels of liver enzymes i.e. aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase; serum HCV RNA concentration; or frequency of genotype 1b. However, Group 1 patients were statistically younger (41 +/- 10 y compared to 47 +/- 10 y; p = 0.016) than Group 2 patients. Liver histology showed a significantly lower degree of fibrosis in Group 1 (0.4 +/- 0.5) than in Group 2 (1 +/- 1.2; p = 0.02); two patients from Group 2 but none of Group 1 had overt cirrhosis. Conversely, the extent of hepatic inflammation and hepatocellular necrosis was not statistically different between the two groups. The number of patients who experienced at least one acute rejection episode was significantly higher in Group 1 (76.2%) than in Group 2 (46%; p = 0.02), although the difference was no longer significant in the multivariate analysis. In conclusion, this study shows that: i) HGV infection was often present when the patients seroconverted for HCV; ii) HGV RNA+ve/HCV+ve RT patients experience acute rejection more frequently than HGV RNA-ve/HCV+ve RT patients; iii) HGV infection seems to have no detrimental effect upon liver enzymes or liver histology in HCV+ve RT patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Pregnancy and labor of women born in Maghreb and Black Africa followed to delivery at the Maternity Hospital of Toulouse].

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors related to maternal ethnic origin. METHODS: Retrospective review of 5808 cases of French, Maghrebian and Black African women who delivered between 1988 and 1994 at the Maternity of La Grave Hospital in Toulouse. RESULTS: Pathological pregnancies were more frequent (60% vs 45%), specifically anemia OR = 10.2[6.3-16.7] and OR = 5.7[4.0-8.3]) and genital infections (OR = 1.7[1.2-2.6] and OR = 1.7[1.4-2.1]) in African and Maghrebian respectively. than in French women. These differences cannot be referred to any classical risk factors but only to the mother's ethnic origin. Moreover, cesarean delivery occurred almost twice as much in African women 34% vs 19%) and no specific medical indication was found to explain this increase. CONCLUSION: Our data concluded that important risk factors were related to the mother's ethnic origin. This finding demonstrates that management of perinatal care and epidemiologic studies should take maternal ethnic origin into account.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Proposed classification criteria of psoriatic arthritis. A preliminary study in 260 patients.

UNLABELLED: Psoriatic arthritis probably owes to its radioclinical presentation its position as the most controversial and poorly understood of all major chronic inflammatory joint diseases. Differentiating psoriatic arthritis from ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis remains difficult. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a statistical analysis aimed at identifying clinical, radiological, and laboratory criteria for classifying psoriatic arthritis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 260 patients were studied retrospectively, including 100 cases with psoriatic arthritis and 160 controls with ankylosing spondylitis meeting Amor's criteria (n = 80) or with rheumatoid arthritis meeting American College of Rheumatology criteria (n = 80). Mean disease duration was five years. Thirty-nine variables were recorded for each patient. Multiple logistic regression and discriminant analysis were used to select the classification criteria. RESULTS: Each of the two statistical methods selected the same nine criteria. After assigning a weighting coefficient to each of these criteria, sensitivity and specificity were better with the multiple logistic regression model (95% and 98%, respectively) than with the discriminant analysis model. CONCLUSION: Our classification criteria require further evaluation in multicenter prospective studies.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Impact of hepatitis C virus duration and hepatitis C virus genotypes on renal transplant patients: correlation with clinicopathological features.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term impact of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on the liver in renal transplant patients. METHODS: We studied 78 patients for whom at least one posttransplant liver biopsy (LB) was available and for whom the duration of HCV infection was precisely defined. The LB were graded according to a histological activity index, i.e., the Knodell score, divided into the activity score and the fibrosis score. They were also classified as either normal or showing evidence of chronic persistent hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis (CAH), or cirrhosis. RESULTS: The study comprised 7 HCV-positive/hepatitis B surface antigen-positive patients (group 1); 4 HCV-positive/RNA-negative patients (group 2); and 67 HCV-positive/RNA-positive patients (group 3). The three groups were comparable according to demographic data and baseline immunosuppression. The median time from transplantation to LB was 38 months (range, 10-306 months). At that time, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels had increased in 71.4%, 0%, and 42% of patients from groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P=0.07). The total Knodell score showed significantly more severe lesions in group 1 patients (6.2+/-3.2) than in group 2 (1+/-1.2) or in group 3 (4.6+/-2.4) patients (P=0.007). The Knodell score also showed that the fibrosis score was significantly higher in group 1 (2.3+/-1.6) than in group 2 (0) or in group 3 (0.9+/-1.1) patients (P=0.007). Overall, there were 28 cases of CAH (36%) and 4 cases of cirrhosis (5%). We did not observe any correlation between liver histology and characteristics of HCV infection or the type of chronic immunosuppression (double-drug versus triple-drug therapy). However, liver histology (total Knodell score) and the activity score were significantly correlated with ALT levels. Multivariate analysis did identify (i) four independent variables that could explain the degree of liver fibrosis-the sex of the patient, the number of blood units received before transplantation, increased ALT levels at the time of LB, and the occurrence of at least one acute rejection episode (thus the receipt of methylprednisolone pulses); and (ii) two independent variables associated with the occurrence of CAH-the number of blood units before transplantation and increased ALT levels at the time of LB. CONCLUSION: This study showed that renal transplant patients infected by HCV for more than 10 years, with a mean posttransplant follow-up of more than 5 years, showed more severe liver lesions when coinfected by hepatitis B virus. Overall, we observed only four cases of cirrhosis (5%) and evidence of histological CAH lesions in 36% of the patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Salivary defence factor concentrations in relation to oral and general parameters in HIV positive patients.

The objective of this study was to determine the relationships between saliva protein concentrations, oral mucosal lesions, and systemic parameters in HIV positive patients and controls. Twenty-three control volunteers and 58 HIV-antibody positive patients received a complete oral examination and medical evaluation. In saliva and serum samples, protein concentrations were recorded by a nephelometric method. The systemic parameters assessed were CD4+ cell count, CDC stages and antiretroviral therapy. Oral mucosal lesion prevalence was higher among subjects with lower CD4+ counts. Considering the protein profile, correlations were recorded between saliva and serum protein concentration for IgA, haptoglobin and alpha1-proteinase inhibitor. Using assays of immune and non-immune saliva defence factors, we found that the evolution of cellular immuno-suppression during HIV infection was correlated to oral mucosal disease, showing a relationship between local and general systems.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Visual impairment in children: prevalence, aetiology and care, 1976-85.

Visual impairment (corrected visual acuity in the best eye < 0.3) was evaluated in a retrospective study of 296 children born between 1976 and 1985 and recruited from three French departments. For children younger than 9 years, the overall prevalence was 0.80 per 1000 and that of blindness was 0.28 per 1000. No decrease in prevalence was noted over this decade. The most common aetiologies were antenatal factors (48%), which were observed mainly in the cases of poor vision, and perinatal factors (27%), which were more common in the cases of blindness. Fifty-six per cent of the children had an additional severe handicap. The most common association was with motor impairment and mental retardation. The mean age of first medical care (3.1 years) did not change over the decade: 2.0 years for children with an associated handicap, 2.9 years for cases of isolated blindness and 5.1 years for cases of isolated poor vision. Among children with isolated visual impairment, there was a significantly higher percentage of scholastic underachievers in those presenting after the age of 5 years (39.3% vs. 14.6%).

Achievement↗
PubMed1998

The intermediate stage and paradoxical sleep in the rat: influence of three generations of hypnotics.

Paradoxical sleep in the rat, cat and mouse is preceded and sometimes followed by a short-lasting intermediate stage characterized by high-amplitude anterior cortex spindles and low-frequency hippocampal theta rhythm. Several neurophysiological arguments suggest that the intermediate stage corresponds to a brief functional disconnection of the forebrain from the brainstem. This paper is devoted to the review of quantitative and qualitative influences of three generations of hypnotics on the intermediate stage-paradoxical sleep couple. Barbiturates, first-generation hypnotics, extend the intermediate stage at the expense of paradoxical sleep. Three benzodiazepines are compared, two with a short half-life (triazolam and midazolam) and one with a long half-life (diazepam). They also decrease sleep occurrence latency and increase the intermediate stage at the expense of paradoxical sleep, except for midazolam, which increases both the intermediate stage and paradoxical sleep at low dose. Zolpidem and zopiclone, hypnotics of third generation, decrease paradoxical sleep but the intermediate stage never substitutes for paradoxical sleep. The results are discussed in relationship to the functional aspects of this turning-point period of sleep.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Haemostatic system activation and prediction of vascular events in patients presenting with stable peripheral arterial disease of moderate severity. Royat Study Group.

This study reports on the predictive value of some haemostatic factors [fibrinogen, factor VII and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)], a marker of endothelial damage (soluble thrombomodulin) and several markers of haemostatic system activation (factor VIIa, prothrombin fragment 1+2, thrombin-antithrombin complexes and D-dimers) on the incidence of vascular events in male, non-diabetic patients with chronic ischaemia of the lower limbs. The patients (n=324) were recruited consecutively in the thermal resort of Royat, France. The low incidence of death from vascular causes during the 2-year survey period (two patients) and the high percentage of former smokers (71%) indicated that this population of patients was affected by an arteriopathy of moderate intensity. After 2 years' follow-up, vascular events had occurred in 51 patients. The clinical and biological profiles did not differ significantly between patients with and without vascular events. However, the risk of vascular events during the 2 years of follow-up was significantly higher in those with high levels of PAI antigen and thrombin-antithrombin complexes. Thus, even in a population of patients with only moderately severe arteriopathy, high levels of thrombin-antithrombin complexes and PAI are predictive of vascular complications.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Influence of a GABA(B) receptor antagonist on the sleep-waking cycle in the rat.

The influence of CGP 35348 (a GABA(B) receptor antagonist) on the sleep-waking cycle was studied in rats. The animals were injected i.p. at the beginning of the light period and the data expressed by 2-h periods and total duration (6 h). At 100 mg/kg, slow-wave sleep (SWS) was decreased during the 6-h recording with a peculiar decrease during the first 2 h. SWS was subdivided into three stages: slow-waves; spindles occurring as SWS deepens; and intermediate stage appearing prior to paradoxical sleep (PS). Only the slow-wave stage and intermediate stage were decreased. Waking was increased during the 6-h recording. It was subdivided into waking with hippocampal theta rhythm (psychomotor active waking) and waking without theta activity (quiet waking). Both were increased during the first 2 h. However, quiet waking was increased throughout the recording duration. At 300 mg/kg, SWS was decreased during the three 2-h periods. This decrease was principally related to a decrease of the slow-wave stage. PS was increased over the 6-h recording with a marked increase during the second 2-h period. Consequently, under the influence of the GABA(B) receptor antagonist, the SWS was decreased at the expense of behavioral stages with cortical low-voltage activity (waking and PS). GABAergic neurons are present in the mesopontine structures responsible for these two stages. We can conclude that endogenous GABA acting at the GABA(B) receptor level participates in the regulation of waking and PS.

Activity Cycles↗
PubMed1997

Influence of zopiclone, a new generation hypnotic, on the intermediate stage and paradoxical sleep in the rat.

This study examined the influence of zopiclone, a third generation hypnotic, on the transition from slow wave sleep to paradoxical sleep (PS) which is increased at the expense of PS by barbiturates and benzodiazepines. The compound decreased sleep latency and increased the latency of the intermediate stage (IS) and PS at 2.5, 5 and 7.5 mg/kg IP. The amount of the IS was decreased because of the decrease in phase number up to 6 h at all doses. PS amount was decreased during 2 h at 2.5 mg/kg and during 4 h at 5 and 7.5 mg/kg also because of the decrease in phase number. The IS never substituted for PS. The IS spindle characteristics were not modified and the theta rhythm frequency slightly decreased at 5 mg/kg (IS) and 7.5 mg/kg (PS).

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Plasma fibronectin: predictive factor in gestational hypertension?

Our purpose was to evaluate fibronectin as a marker of endothelial cell injury, and as a test for predicting preeclampsia. A retrospective study was performed from November 1993 to March 1995. Results from 142 women were examined: 108 normal pregnant women and 34 pregnant women with evidence of preeclampsia. The plasma fibronectin concentration was significantly higher in pre-eclamptic gravidas (620 +/- 210 mg/l) than in normotensive gravidae women (390 +/- 130 mg/l). A fibronectin concentration lower than 400 mg/l predicted the non-development of a hypertension with a negative predictive value of 96%. The present findings suggest that fibronectin is rather an exclusion parameter than predictive test for hypertension disorders of pregnancy.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

A controlled trial of raloxifene (LY139481) HCl: impact on bone turnover and serum lipid profile in healthy postmenopausal women.

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, 8-week study evaluated short-term effects of raloxifene on bone turnover, serum lipids, and endometrium in healthy, postmenopausal women. A total of 251 women received either placebo, raloxifene HCl 200 or 600 mg/day, or conjugated estrogens (Premarin, 0.625 mg/day). Bone turnover (serum alkaline phosphatase, serum osteocalcin, urinary pyridinoline cross-links, urinary calcium excretion, urinary hydroxyproline) and serum lipids (total serum cholesterol, high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C and LDL-C]) were evaluated at weeks 0, 2, 4, and 8. Endometrial biopsies were performed at weeks 0 and 8. Treatment groups were compared for each parameter for baseline-to-endpoint changes. The estrogen and raloxifene groups experienced similar decreases in serum alkaline phosphatase (range 10-11%), serum osteocalcin (range 21-26%), urinary pyridinoline cross-links (range 20-26%), and urinary calcium excretion (range 45-72%). These decreases differed significantly compared with placebo-treated subjects for all markers except serum osteocalcin, the raloxifene HCl 200 mg group. LDL-C decreased significantly in the estrogen and both raloxifene groups (range 5-9%) compared with placebo-treated subjects. HDL-C increased significantly in the estrogen group (16%) but was unchanged in the raloxifene groups. HDL-C:LDL-C ratios increased significantly in the estrogen and raloxifene groups (range 9-29%). Serum cholesterol decreased significantly in both raloxifene groups (range 4-8%) but was unchanged in the estrogen group. Uterine biopsies of raloxifene-treated subjects showed no change in the endometrium during this short-term treatment. Biopsies of the estrogen group showed significant endometrial stimulation. The only adverse event possibly related to raloxifene was vasodilatation (hot flashes) which was most common in the raloxifene HCl 600 mg group. Study results indicate that raloxifene may provide beneficial effects to bone and serum lipids in humans without uterine stimulatory effects.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Influence of paradoxical sleep deprivation on the intermediate stage of sleep in the rat.

In the rat, paradoxical sleep (PS) is preceded by a short-lasting stage characterized by high amplitude cortical spindles and low frequency hippocampal theta rhythm. This intermediate stage (IS) is massively extended at the expense of PS by barbiturates and benzodiazepines. To further study the relationship between the IS and PS, six rats were PS deprived for 48 h by sitting on one of three small platforms surrounded by water. A control group of six other rats remained in dry cages with shavings. After 24 h PS deprivation the latency of IS occurrence increased, was unchanged after 48 h deprivation and decreased during recovery on shavings after 52 h deprivation. The total IS duration, number of episodes and mean duration per episode were unchanged during deprivation but increased during recovery. This recovery was characterized by an increase in the number of PS episodes and the total duration while the latency of PS occurrence decreased. The frequency of theta rhythm, unchanged for PS, increased for the IS during deprivation and recovery. In conclusion, the IS did not substitute for PS after selective deprivation.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Prevalence, aetiology, and care of severe and profound hearing loss.

Severe and profound hearing loss (> 70 dB) were analysed in a retrospective study of 226 children, born between 1976 and 1985, and recruited from three French administrative departments. The prevalence was 0.54 per 1000 children under 9 years old, with no decrease over the study period. A hereditary origin was identified in 20.8% of cases and an infectious origin in 11.5%. Perinatal risk factors were present in 11.5%, while the aetiology was undetermined in more than half the cases. In 85.8% of the children there was no other severe impairment. Marked learning difficulties were observed: 36% of the children were two years behind their age group and 28% were more than two years behind. The age of initial care decreased over the study period but is still too advanced. Systematic neonatal screening would enable earlier care, which should limit the social and educational impact of hearing loss.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Study of demographic, environmental and congenital factors in the development of nevi in children between three and fifteen years old. Early results].

A survey of benign melanocytic naevi was conducted among school children in Montpellier (France) in 1993 with the aim to assess the evolution with age of the number of naevi and the factors influencing their number. Children in different age groups (3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 years) attending randomly selected public schools where included in the study. Dermatologists examined 651 children and recorded the number of naevi of more than 2 mm of diameter. Analysis was restricted to 565 children whose parents responded to a historical questionnaire of exposure and sociodemographic data. Among these children the number of naevi per unit of area increased progressively with age although the number of naevi per unit of skin area reached a plateau at about 11 years of age for the girls and around 15 years of age for the boys. Puberty is a regulative factor for the number of naevi and the number of naevi per unit of area. Children whose parents were born in Europe were most likely to have naevi. Susceptibility to burns were also associated with few number of naevi and number of naevi per unit of skin area. The cumulative exposure to sun since birth and the cumulative exposure during the holidays increased the number of naevi and the number of naevi per unit of area but these variables are the last introduced into the logistic model. A prospective questionnaire can be used to assess the exposures and protection variables allowing a better estimation of the skin reaction to sun.

Adolescent↗