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H Courtois

Publications and source records attributed to H Courtois.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

[Deep venous thrombosis of the upper limbs. Apropos of 49 cases].

PURPOSE: Upper-extremity thrombosis appears to be more frequent today, comprising about 2% of all deep venous limb thrombosis. Its severity depends on the type of possible complications, i.e., pulmonary embolism and post-thrombotic sequelae. In this retrospective series, we investigated both the predisposing factors and the evolution of upper-extremity deep venous thrombosis. METHODS: Forty-nine consecutive patients (24 men and 25 women, mean age 50.2 years) with upper extremity deep venous thrombosis documented by color Doppler ultrasonography (n = 47) or phlebography (n = 2) were included in the study. RESULTS: Clinical manifestations were mainly pain (81.6%) and edema (93.9%). Mean time between the onset of clinical signs and diagnosis was 7.2 days. Thrombosis involved humeral (26.5%), axillary (46.9%), subclavian (73.5%) and jugular (24.5%) veins. Causative factors were malignancies (32.7%), venous catheters (22.4%), deep venous thrombosis related to effort or thoracic outlet syndrome (22.5%) and thrombophilic states (8.2%). During the 6-month follow-up, six patients developed symptomatic pulmonary embolism (12.2%); one recurrence (2.2%) and 19 post-thrombotic sequelae such as residual edema (36.7%) were also observed. Initial therapy included heparin administration, principally subcutaneous low molecular weight heparins (n = 36/49). CONCLUSION: This series highlights the fact that upper-extremity deep venous thrombosis is mainly secondary to either malignancies or catheterization. Moreover, it confirms that color Doppler ultrasonography may be useful in the diagnosis of the disease and also underlines the high frequency of severe complications, i.e., pulmonary embolism and post-thrombotic sequelae. Finally, this study also demonstrates that low molecular weight heparins should be considered as the initial treatment of choice.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[A rare cause of intra-alveolar hemorrhage: a transfusion-related incident with leukoagglutination due to antigranulocyte antibodies (Trali syndrome)].

INTRODUCTION: Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is an infrequent but life-threatening complication of hemotherapy, usually secondary to passive transfer of antibody from the donor's plasma to the recipient. TRALI is a diagnosis of exclusion often masked by underlying factors. EXEGESIS: We report a new case of TRALI in a patient with severe multinevritis associated with Sjögren's syndrome and cryoglobulinemia, who had received intravenous immunoglobulins. CONCLUSION: This case report underlines the difficulty to establish a diagnosis in both acute respiratory failure and intra-alveolar hemorrhage in patients with auto-immune disorders. This case report also emphasizes the necessity of taking precautions in these immunocompromised patients in whom hemoglobin transfusion is required.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

[An unusual way of detecting Horton's disease: inflammatory abdominal aortitis].

We report an original case of giant cell arteritis, revealed by abdominal aortic arteritis on CT-scan, which was performed because the patient presented with a biological inflammatory syndrome. Course was favorable with steroid therapy. CT-scan, one month later, demonstrated a stable appearance of both regular and concentric thickening of the abdominal aortic wall. Aortic involvement is rare and occurs late in the course of giant cell arteritis. Usually clinical and biological manifestations of aortitis associated with giant cell arteritis either absent or non specific, leading to diagnostic difficulties. Furthermore, aortic giant cell arteritis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Gravity of aortic impairment is mainly linked to the risk of development of aneurysm and/or acute dissection. A search for aortic involvement should therefore routinely be carried out, once a year, in patients with giant cell arteritis, particularly a complete vascular clinical examination and a chest X-ray. Finally, our case report suggests that non invasive methods, notably CT-scan, may serve as a helpful test in diagnosis and follow-up of aortic giant cell arteritis.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

[Estrogen therapy and venous thromboembolic disease].

A link between venous thromboembolism and oral contraceptive users is well established. This paper analyzes recent epidemiological studies affecting risk of venous thromboembolism with the use of oral contraceptive or with postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy. Four epidemiological studies showed a two-fold increase of venous thromboembolism with the use of oral contraceptives containing third generation progestins (gestodene and desogesterel, relative to second-generations product (levonorgestrel); relative risk 3.8 per 100,000 women years in non-user women, 16 per 100,000 women years in women using levonorgestrel containing oral contraceptive) and 29 per 100,000 women years in women using gestodene containing oral contraceptive). Third-generation oral contraceptives induce a resistance to the activated protein C of almost the same magnitude as the resistance induced by a mutation in coagulation factor V. Studies with postmenopausal estrogen-replacement therapy show a two-fold risk of venous thromboembolism with estrogen only as well as with combined estrogen-progestagen hormone replacement therapy. However venous thromboembolism risk is very small compared with the cardiovascular and other benefits.

Contraceptives, Oral↗
PubMed1997

[Cost of low molecular weight heparin used in the prevention or therapy of thromboembolic disease].

Low-molecular-weight heparin are widely used for prophylaxis or curative treatment of thromboembolic disease. In France, low molecular weight heparin can only be used for the surgical prophylaxis (general and orthopaedic) of thromboembolic disease, for the initial treatment of deep vein thrombosis and in haemodialysis. In an economic approach we try to assess costing information which takes account of drug acquisition costs but also costs of drug administration and costs of drug therapy failure (failed prophylaxis, bleeding and recurrent thrombosis). At least, it has been argued that low molecular weight heparin may take it possible to discharge patients earlier and even to treat patients at home or as out-patients, thus creating further cost savings.

Cost Control↗
PubMed1997

[Red fingers syndrome in the course of HIV infection. A new case].

Human immunodeficiency virus can be associated with vascular manifestations such as arteritis mainly with cerebrovascular localization, arterial aneurysms or accelerated formation of atherosclerosis lesions. Red fingers syndrome has been recently described in i.v.-drug patients with HIV and hepatitis C infection. We report a new case in a 36-year old woman, and suggest that this syndrome must be considered as a new microcirculatory manifestation of HIV infection. Red fingers syndrome in patients with HIV is likely secondary to co-infection with hepatitis C or immunological disturbances-associated such as cryoglobulinemia.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1997

[The vascular risk of third generation contraceptive pills].

The new progestative molecules have allowed the reduction of the doses of steroids in estroprogestative pills. They have a reduced androgenic activity allowing the positive effects of ethinylestradiol on lipid metabolism with decreased myocardial infarct, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. However it is necessary to consider the woman's entire risk factor profile when prescribing oral contraceptives. Unfortunately, combined estroprogestatives containing low-dose estrogen and the progestagens desogestrel or gestodene are associated with an increased risk for nonfatal venous thromboembolic disease. The occurrence of venous thromboembolic disease in a woman with oral contraceptive requires to search for a hereditary abnormality especially a resistance to the anticoagulant effect of activated protein C. Conversely it seems necessary to screen for the factor V Leiden mutation in women starting oral contraceptives who have a history of a familial venous thrombosis story.

Blood Coagulation Factors↗
PubMed1997

[Thrombophlebitis and cancer: evaluation of the diagnostic value of abdominal ultrasonography in the acute phase of a deep venous thrombosis. Report of 148 consecutive examinations].

If an association between venous thromboembolism and malignancy is now well established, there is no consensus about the investigations which should be performed to detect occult malignancy after deep vein thrombosis episode. We investigated the usefulness of systematic abdomino-pelvic ultrasonography in 148 consecutive patients older than 40 with deep vein thrombosis and or pulmonary embolism. Ultrasonography was abnormal in 8 patients (5.4%) and detected only 6 cancers. In 5 cases, clinical examination and laboratory tests were sufficient to suggest malignancy. Our results suggest that ultrasonography should not be systematically performed in patients with deep vein thrombosis. Decisions to performed additional diagnostic tests can be based on the finding of the initial clinical examination, that includes medical history, physical examination, routine laboratory tests and chest-x-ray.

Abdomen↗