AA amyloidosis in systemic lupus erythematosus: an unusual complication.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to F Mignon.
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PURPOSE: To prospectively evaluate magnetic resonance (MR) venography in the assessment of the adequacy of superficial veins for creation of hemodialysis access fistulas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight upper limbs in 24 patients were imaged with MR and conventional venography. MR venography was performed with sequential multisection two-dimensional fast low-angle shot acquisitions in the axial plane from the wrist through the arm. Two observers independently evaluated MR venograms without knowledge of conventional venographic results. MR and venographic data were compared with each other and with surgical data in 21 patients. Diameters measured on MR and conventional venograms were compared by using linear regression analysis. Qualitative comparisons were performed with the kappa coefficient. RESULTS: Conventional and MR venographic diameter measurements were closely correlated overall (r = 0.91, P < .001) and on a vein-by-vein basis (r = 0.84-0.98, P < .001). MR and conventional venographic results were also well correlated in terms of demonstration of superficial veins (kappa = 0.83). MR venography demonstrated more patent veins than venography did, but the difference was not significant. The correlation between MR venographic and surgical findings (kappa = 0.78) was superior to that between conventional venographic and surgical findings (kappa = 056). CONCLUSION: MR venography is an accurate, noninvasive technique that is as useful as conventional venography for the planning of hemodialysis access fistula creation.
Only 30 years ago, the inevitable short-term outcome in patients with end-stage renal disease was death. Today, the widespread development of dialysis-transplantation programs and extended indications have totally revolutionalized the situation, yet despite great progress, quality of life and life expectancy remain inferior in uremic patients. Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of mortality, 50% of all deaths in chronic dialysis patients resulting from complex mechanisms leading to left ventricular hypertrophy, coronary artery disease and atheroma of the great vessels. A large number of factors are involved in disease progression including age, genetic factors and personal health status prior to dialysis as well as the nature of the initial renal disease and dialysis-related metabolic and cardiac output disorders among others. Morbidity is also higher in dialysis patients, mainly due to altered blood volume and pressure which respond variably to treatment. Other conditions include rythm disorders, diabetes, potassium depletion, hypoxemia. Angina is frequent and ischemia can occur in several territories, including the mesentery as reported by Hachache et of in this issue of La Presse Médicale. Prognosis depends heavily on events which occur prior to dialysis and thus on close collaboration between the nephrology team, the family physician and other specialists who must coordinate their efforts to identify early curable renal diseases and correctly manage moderate disease to prevent progression and avoid emergency dialysis situations.
We report a case of renal cell carcinoma with solitary metachronous contralateral adrenal metastasis occurring 23 years after radical nephrectomy. The patient was treated with adrenalectomy. He is alive with no evidence of disease 1 year postoperatively. Solitary metachronous contralateral adrenal metastases from renal cell carcinoma are rare clinical conditions that may occur very late. Metastasectomy is advocated and is probably beneficial for limited metastatic renal cell cancer.
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is common and is an independent cardiac risk factor in dialysis patients. The aim of this study was to assess hemodynamic determinants of LVH and, more particularly, the relationship between left ventricular mass, myocardial contractility, and load conditions. Eighty dialysis patients aged 51 +/- 15 years were prospectively studied by echocardiography. LVH was detected in 62 patients (78%). Left ventricular mass was significantly correlated to both end-diastolic volume (r = 0.54; P < 0.001) and end-systolic stress/end-systolic volume, an index of contractility (r = -0.66; P < 0.001), but not to systolic blood pressure or end-systolic stress, both indexes of afterload. Thus, in dialysis patients, the degree of LVH is significantly correlated with the severity of both left ventricular dilatation and contractile myocardial failure, but not with left ventricular afterload.
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Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHu-EPO) in the treatment of renal anemia might predispose to an increased risk of thrombotic complications. In an attempt to comprehend the involvement of the physiologic inhibitors of coagulation in this process, we studied 2 groups of hemodialysis patients. Group I included 21 patients receiving a starting dose of 90 IU/kg/week s.c., and group II included 17 patients without rHu-EPO. The following coagulation tests were performed before rHu-EPO treatment, and after 1, 6 and 12 months: prothrombin time; activated partial fistula thromboplastin time; fibrinogen; plasminogen activity; antithrombin III activity; protein C activity; total and free protein S antigens, and C4b binding protein. Only the latter three parameters were changed in group 1, while high baseline levels of protein S antigens were found in both groups. A decrease in total and free protein S was observed within 1 month of treatment. At the 6th month total protein S returned to near pretreatment values, whereas a significant fall in free protein S (p = 0.007) was observed. All three parameters returned to near baseline values by 12 months. These results suggest that protein S activity can be altered at the beginning of EPO therapy, a change that under favoring circumstances might contribute to the thrombotic events reported during the early phase of rHu-EPO treatment.
The aim of this study is to report the spiral CT findings of an endobronchial foreign body (chicken's bone) unknown on the postero-anterior chest radiograph and on the first bronchoscopy. The double originality of this case is the association with endobronchial actinomycosis mimicking a bronchial neoplasm and the utilization of virtual endoscopy by endoluminal 3D reconstruction in this context which has never been reported. The endoluminal 3D reconstruction of the bronchial tree could help guide the endoscopic procedure by better localization of the lesions.
One case of typical focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver on CT but not proven at pathology was associated with a variation of the intrahepatic portal venous system. The absence of the horizontal segment of the left portal vein with portal supply between the anterior segmental branch of the right portal vein and the umbilical portion of the left portal vein was observed. This finding observed is significant for planning liver surgical procedure such hepatic lobectomy as the incision would interrupt the portal supply.
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The particularity of geriatric medicine and the lack of information due to the fact that geriatric nephrology dates back only 10 years explains why the management of chronic uraemia among the elderly presents itself as a succession of difficult dilemmas. (1) Should causes of chronic renal failure be systematically determined and treated? Risk-benefit assessments of the investigations and treatments involved in preventing or slowing down the evolution to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are required to answer this question. (2) In cases of ESRD, should dialysis always be considered? The fact that life expectancy is limited for the aged does not justify depriving them of treatment. Nevertheless, in some borderline situations, conservative treatment may be preferable. (3) When should dialysis be started? Currently the mortality before the 90th day of dialysis is very high among elderly patients. To improve results it is probably necessary to determine appropriate criteria for starting treatment before complications occur. (4) What is the best method for the first treatment? There is much controversy about the respective advantages of haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. The choice depends on the individual's medical and social conditions. (5) Should dialysis treatment be stopped, and, if so, in this case, when? The large acceptance rate of elderly patients for dialysis implies that withdrawal of treatment must sometimes be considered. Fears linked to this dilemma probably explain why some physicians choose to exclude elderly patients from dialysis. It seems to us more ethical to treat this group of patients and assume responsibility for stopping treatment should it be necessary.
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There have been improvements in the technique of peritoneal dialysis (PD) over the last ten years. However, peritoneal infections remain the major complication associated with this treatment, and the risk of infection cannot be accurately predicted. Nevertheless, it is widely accepted that simple connections should be replaced by improved systems of connection, and that patient training is important. Peritoneal infection should be suspected when the dialysate is turbid, whether or not associated with peritoneal irritation. None of the various techniques used for the culture of dialysates has been shown to be either more sensitive or more specific than any of the others. Thus, collaboration between the physicians supervising the dialysis and microbiologists is necessary to choose the culture techniques best adapted. The sensitivity should be at least 85 to 90%. If the sensitivity is lower, the techniques used should be reconsidered. There have been several hundred publications assessing treatments of peritoneal infections associated with PD. However, no particular antibiotic treatment has been demonstrated to be systematically superior. The use of associated antibiotics seems to be preferable initially, until the causative agent has been identified. For example, vancomycin with a third generation cephalosporin seems to be the association of choice, because of its efficacy, tolerance and ease of use. The optimal duration of treatment has not been established by randomised study, but 10 days is commonly used for Gram-positive infections, and longer for Gram-negative. Whatever the treatment used, the success rate should be at least 80 to 90%. Randomised trials with sufficiently large numbers of patients are required to determine the indications and delay before withdrawal of the DP catheter in cases of peritonitis which do not respond to antibiotics.
Atherosclerotic heart disease is the leading cause of death in patients with end stage renal disease, but its non invasive detection remains difficult because of a low efficacy of exercise testing. The aim of the study was to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of thallium myocardial imaging after dipyridamole combined with exercise. Forty two chronic dialysis patients (34 men, 8 women) aged 55 +/- 11 years (range: 36 to 75) without symptom of angina nor myocardial infarction were studied. In each patient, an echocardiography, a myocardial scintigraphy with dipyridamole combined with symptom-limited exercise, and coronarography were performed. A coronary heart disease was diagnosed by coronarography in 10 patients (4.5 and 1 respectively with 1, 2 and 3 vessels diseased). Echocardiography detected a left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in 26 patients and a regional asynergia in 14 patients. A positive scintigraphy was present in 11 patients. Three false-positive and 2 false-negative on scintigraphy were noted. Sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were respectively evaluated at 80, 73, 73 and 93%. All the five patients with either false-positive or false-negative scintigraphy exhibited a LVH. CONCLUSION. In chronic dialysis patients, coronary heart disease may be detected by thallium myocardial imaging after dipyridamole combined with exercise.
OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: The aim of this study was to describe the main features of sclerosing peritonitis, using a retrospective study in 10 patients. RESULTS: The main causes of sclerosing peritonitis were continual ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (n = 3), peritoneal chemotherapy (n = 2) and liver cirrhosis (n = 2). Sclerosing peritonitis was revealed by acute or chronic bowel obstruction (n = 8). Small bowel X-rays and abdominal tomodensitometry showed a small bowel dilatation with a normal mucosa (n = 7), ascites (n = 5) as well as agglutination and fixation of small bowel loops within a cocoon (n = 3). Surgical viscerolysis was performed in 9 patients and allowed prolonged clinical remission in 4; 3 patients died postoperatively (1 had a cirrhosis and 2 were treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis), 1 patient had a complicated postoperative course with recurrent enterocutaneous fistulae. CONCLUSION: Sclerosing peritonitis may be suspected in a patient who presents a combination of bowel obstruction, small bowel dilatation without mucosal disease and ascites. Surgical viscerolysis is a dangerous operation associated with high mortality in patients with renal failure or cirrhosis.
The pharmacokinetics of rilmenidine (1 mg orally) was studied in 3 groups of patients with stable chronic renal insufficiency. This was an open, single-blind study following a single administration, and after 15 days of treatment. Group 1 included 11 patients with a creatinine clearance between 15 and 80 mL/min. Group 2 included 17 patients with a creatinine clearance < 15 mL/min. Group III included 10 hemodialysis patients. In patients with chronic renal failure, total plasma clearance and renal clearance of rilmenidine decreased; terminal half-life was 30-42 hours, which is clearly longer than previous values achieved in healthy volunteers. After repeated administration (1 mg daily in group 1, 1 mg every other day in group 2, 1 mg at the end of each dialysis session in group 3), the area under the curve was significantly increased, corresponding to drug accumulation. The steady state was reached after 6 days in patients in group 1 and after 8 days in patients in group 2. The pharmacokinetics of rilmenidine was linear since the terminal elimination half-life and renal clearance were not significantly different after single and repeated administration of rilmenidine. A positive correlation was found between rilmenidine total plasma clearance and creatinine clearance, and between rilmenidine renal clearance and creatinine clearance. Mean rilmenidine hemodialysance was 85 mL/min, that is, 26% of the rilmenidine renal clearance value achieved in healthy volunteers (330 mL/min). Thus, the following dosage schedule can be proposed. In patients whose creatinine clearance ranges between 15 and 80 mL/min, a 1 mg dose every day can be recommended.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
OBJECTIVE: To compare the ability of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and beta blockers to slow the development of end stage renal failure in non-diabetic patients with chronic renal failure. DESIGN: Open randomised multicentre trial with three year follow up. SETTING: Outpatient departments of six French hospitals. PATIENTS: 100 hypertensive patients with chronic renal failure (initial serum creatinine 200-400 mumol/l. 52 randomised to enalapril and 48 to beta blockers (conventional treatment). INTERVENTIONS: Enalapril or beta blocker was combined with frusemide and, if necessary, a calcium blocker or centrally acting drug in patients whose diastolic pressure remained above 90 mm Hg. RESULTS: 17 patients receiving conventional treatment and 10 receiving enalapril developed end stage renal failure. The cumulative renal survival rate was significantly better in the enalapril group than in the conventional group (P < 0.05). The slope of the reciprocal serum creatinine concentration was steeper in the conventionally treated patients (-6.89 x 10(-5)l/mumol/month) than in the enalapril group (-4.17 x 10(-5)l/mumol/month; P < 0.05). No difference in blood pressure was found between groups. CONCLUSION: In hypertensive patients with chronic renal failure enalapril slows progression towards end stage renal failure compared with beta blockers. This effect was probably not mediated through controlling blood pressure.