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Biomedical subjects

E Bertrand

Publications and source records attributed to E Bertrand.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

[Familial Alzheimer's disease connected with mutation in presenilin gene 1 (P117L)].

We describe a Polish family with Alzheimer's disease in some of its members. Two sisters were observed and examined--also neuropathologically in the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw. The disease onset was in our patients at 32 and 33 years. The first symptoms were memory loss and disorientation. Later on myoclonus and extrapyramidal stiffness were noted in both cases. Neurovisualizing examinations performed in both sisters showed diffuse brain atrophy. The symptoms increased rapidly and in short time (several months) the patients became mute and bedbound. They died at age 35 and 37 years. We were informed that the father of the patients suffered from very similar illness and died at age of 37 years and their older brother had the some symptoms and died at the age of 28 years. Post-mortem brain examination disclosed in the both hospitalized cases diffuse atrophy of the cerebral hemispheres, particularly severe in the temporal lobes. Microscopically senile plaques of various types were found in the cortex. The density of the plaques was very high but Alzheimer's fibrillary degeneration was found occasionally only. The amyloid burden in cortex of the examined brains, estimated as the measure of parenchymal amyloidosis beta, was two to six-fold higher in most areas compared with changes in sporadic AD and Down-syndrome cases. DNA was isolated from blood and tissue of both cases and from blood of their 8 children as well. In both patients mutation in presenilin 1 (PS1) gene of Prol 117 Leu was found and it was discovered that 4 persons of their progeniture were carriers of this mutation. The described mutation causes one of the earliest so far reported onset and death in FAD kindreds. Presenilin isolated from both cases and transfected into cultures of murine neuroblastoma and human kidneys provoked production of beta amyloid with increased A-beta 42/40 ratio.

Adult↗

[Systematic cardiologic study in 37 schistosomiasis patients].

1) A systematic search was made for cardiac abnormalities (clinical, radiological and EKG) and for haemodynamic disorders (catheterisation of the right side of the heart and pulmonary artery). It was generally found that: -- 14 patients (37.8%) had no symptoms; -- 8 patients (21.6%) had pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAHT) with the corresponding cardiac signs; -- 15 patients (40.5%) had cardiac signs with no evidence of PAHT. 2) The 8 patients with PAHT (21.6%) had precapillary type of PAHT with an arteriocapillary gradient. The symptoms were those of PAHT and of the right ventricular failure; but this desorder could be latent. PAHT can be in relation with inflammatory lesions. In these 8 patients, S. Mansoni was to blame in 6 cases and 5 S. Hematobium in 2. 3) In 9 patients (24.3%), cardiac signs were connected indirectly with bilharziasis by anemia, iatrogenic injury or hypertensive myocardial disease of renal origin. 4) In 3 patients (8.1%), cardiac signs were found because of coexistant disease. 5) In 3 patients (8.1%), cardiac signs could have been due to bilharzia myocarditis. The authors reviewed the experimental and clinical discussions for such a possibility.

Adolescent↗

[Antiaggregation action of chloroquine].

The authors have studied in vitro the platelet aggregability induced with ADP, collagen and ristocetin. Chloroquine was added at increasing concentration (3,2 mgr/l, 16 mgr/l, 32 mgr/l). The results have been highly significant. They showed that chloroquine has an anti aggregating effect with the three inducing agents. This effect was increasing with the chloroquine concentration. Some previous works have been indicative of the inhibiting effect of chloroquine on platelet aggregability. In the treatment of the malaria, this inhibiting effect could be complementary with the specific antiparasitic effect. On the other hand the inhibiting effect on platelet aggregability could be useful for the prevention of thrombosis.

Adult↗

[Pulmonary thromboembolic diseases in Ivory Coast (apropos of 13 cases)].

From January 1983 to March 1984, 13 cases of pulmonary thrombo-embolic disease (PTE) were reported at the Abidjan cardiology Institute. Disease frequency is higher than usually reported in Africa. The reason is that angiography was carried out as soon as the clinical diagnosis was suspected. Radiologic examination allowed to locate with accuracy the level of the thrombosis. Under heparin, a favourable course of the disease was noted any time a phlebitis of lower extremity was involved. Two deaths occurred among the 13 cases. Few differences are noted in Africa and temperate zones as regard to disease behaviour. However, frequency of obstetrical and infectious aetiology is to be outlined.

Adult↗

[Pulmonary manifestations of schistosomiasis].

Pulmonary manifestations are not frequent. They may occur at any stage of the parasitic cycle. Acute manifestations are concurrent with the parasitic toxemia stage and suggests an immunoallergic mechanism. Acute pulmonary heart is exceptional. Chronic manifestations are the consequence of egg-laying and are dominated by chronic pulmonary heart. Treatment is based on current antischistosomal drugs but their effectiveness is only evident in parasitic toxemia stages.

Biopsy↗

Coronary heart disease in the diabetic African: frequency clinical and angiographic features.

The frequency and clinical and coronarographic features of coronary heart disease (CHD) in black African diabetic patients were assessed in a two-part study. The aim of part I was to determine the frequency of CHD in 50 diabetic patients selected by the following criteria: male, age between 40 and 60 years, diabetes history less than 20 years, no history of CHD and normal E.K.G. All 50 of these patients underwent a stress test and those who failed or for whom results were inconclusive were submitted to coronary arteriography. Part II was a retrospective study of 104 patients with CHD. Its aim was to compare the clinical and coronarographic features of CHD patients with (27 cases) and without (77 cases) diabetes mellitus. The frequency of CHD in the 50 diabetics selected for this study was 10% (31 negative exercise tests, 19 inconclusive exercise tests, 5 coronary arteriographies with significant narrowing). Of these 5 diabetics with CHD, 3 had single vessel involvement (left descending artery: 2 cases, circumflex artery: 1 case), 1 patient had double vessel involvement (right coronary circumflex artery) and 1 had triple vessel involvement (left descending, circumflex, and right coronary artery). In the retrospective study the clinical profile of the diabetic and non-diabetic CHD patients was the same with respect to sex, age, angina, myocardial infarction, and death rate. As regard the risk factors, blood cholesterol level was higher in diabetics while cigarette smoking was higher in non-diabetics. The frequency of hypertension was the same in both groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

[The action of dihydroergotoxine in acute sickling crisis. Results of a double-blind study carried out in French speaking Africa (author's transl)].

A double-blind multicentre study was undertaken in French-speaking African countries, using parallel series in 34 SC homozygous or double-heterozygous subjects suffering from vasculo-occlusive sickling crisis. In the patients treated with dihydroergotoxine, there was a reduction in the duration of the episodes by 43 hours, i.e. more than one quarter of the total duration. This decrease was statistically significant (p is less than 0.05).

Acute Disease↗

[Cardiac involvement in human African trypanosomiasis].

The authors recall the known signs; clinical, radiological, African human trypanosomiasis, signs often misappreciated or under-estimated in regard to the neurological symptomatology. The authors recall the known signs clinical, radiological, phonocardiographic, electrocardiographic. They underline the interest of reversible conduction disorders. Observed pathologic lesions concern mainly myocardium, but also endocardium and pericardium. Inflammatory lesions are not specific in humans. Trypanosoma are frequent in animals. Signs observed may regress (atrioventricular blocks treated by corticoïds, pericardial effusion) but they may also lead to death. In fatal trypanosomiasis, it often exists a cardiac stroke, which does not exist in arsenical encephalopathy. Cardiovascular signs may be linked to central nervous system stroke (anomalies of arterial pressure, modification of cardiac frequency). But other signs are probably linked to inflammatory stroke of hearts tunicae. Such signs may depend of the immunologic capability of some individuals. Interest of cardiovascular signs might be to indicate such an inflammatory state and its may be regression.

Animals↗

[Primary congestive cardiomyopathies of the adult in a tropical environment: nosologic, diagnostic and developmental data].

The authors describe the cases of 86 black african patients (75 males and 11 females), affected by a congestive primitive cardiomyopathy (CMP), confirmed by echocardiography. Echocardiographic investigation revealed, in all cases, stigmas of a developed CMP: cavitary dilatation, hypokinesia and thinness of walls, offsetting and miniaturization of the valvula mitralis. Pericardial effusion was associated in 20 cases, and thrombosis of left cavities was recognized through bi-dimensional investigation. Angiography and hemodynamics performed in 15 patients pointed out in all cases a significant falling off of the pumping function and the muscular function. Angiography, in 8 cases, displayed a left ventricular cavity distended and hypokinetic, with a moderate mitral incompetency. Evolution was characterized by the following complications: heart failure: 68 cases--systemic thromboembolism: 5 cases--pulmonary embolism: 2 cases--auricular rhythmic irregularity: 20 cases--ventricular rhythmic irregularity: 42 cases--second or third degree atrioventricular blocks: 5 cases. Death rate was 25% (22 patients). Taking into account these 86 cases, the position of the congestive CMP defined among the tropical CMP and its classification studied as well as its echocardiographic and evolutive peculiarities.

Adult↗