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Biomedical subjects

H Courtois

Publications and source records attributed to H Courtois.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Clinical correlations and prognosis based on hyaluronic acid serum levels in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis.

The serum levels of hyaluronic acid (sHA) were measured using an affinoimmunoenzymatic assay in patients with distal (n = 16) and proximal (n = 15) progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) and in 31 controls. The severity of PSS was evaluated using a standardized organ-involvement score. The mean sHA was significantly higher in the patients with PSS than in controls (mean +/- SD:80 +/- 43.4 micrograms/l vs. 42.3 +/- 19.1 micrograms/l, P less than 0.001). sHA was significantly higher in patients with proximal PSS than in patients with distal PSS (106.4 +/- 44.6 micrograms/l vs. 55.4 +/- 23.8 micrograms/l, P less than 0.001). A positive correlation was found between sHA and the disease score (r = 0.67, P less than 0.001). sHA was also correlated with lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (r = 0.70, P less than 0.001), but only in the those patients who had abnormal lung function, and therefore presumably had lung PSS involvement. We suggest that sHA could be an indicator of the degree of systemic involvement in PSS. Its prognostic value and possible use in the follow up of patients with PSS remain to be clarified.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Evolution of atenolol kinetics when hypothyroidism is corrected.

A single oral dose of atenolol 100 mg was given to 7 hypothyroid patients (4 F, 3 M), before and after correction of hypothyroidism, mean delay 3.5 months (2 to 6.5 months). There was no change in the elimination parameters of atenolol, but the maximal plasma atenolol concentration was increased (1.66 to 7.37 mg.l-1) as was the AUC (14.9 to 52.1 mg.l-1.h) when the hypothyroidism had been treated. Only one patient differed: he had had a supra-selective vagotomy, and had similar curves before and after treatment of the hypothyroidism, both being similar to the plasma concentration curves found in the other patients after correction of the hypothyroidism. The results suggest an increase in the bioavailability of atenolol when hypothyroidism is corrected. The findings in the patient with vagotomy suggest that the decreased bioavailability during hypothyroidism might be related to changes in intestinal pH. Further studies are needed of the impact of hypothyroidism on gastric and pancreatic or biliary function and its consequences for drug absorption, and drug pharmacokinetics.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Hypoglycemic pleural mesothelioma. A case report].

Organic hypoglycemia occurs in pancreatic and mesenchymal tumors. Thirty percent of extrapancreatic tumors are intrathoracic. A patient with hypoglycemic pleural mesothelioma was treated by surgical excision without recurrence five years after surgery. The mechanisms of hypoglycemia are not clearly established. The recurrence of hypoglycemia is a good sign of tumor recurrence.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

[Vasoactive factors of endothelial origin].

The discovery of powerful vasoactive compounds synthetized by the vascular endothelium has led to the elaboration of new physiopathological concepts. We review the present state of knowledge about the role, potential therapeutic virtues, and physiopathological consequences of the three major endothelial vasoactive factors: 1. Prostacyclin (PG12), a powerful vasodilator, and the most potent known inhibitor of platelet aggregation, derived from arachidonic acid metabolism: 2: Endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) a powerful vasodilator thought to be a short-acting nitroxide; 3: Endothelin, a 21 amino-acid peptide with potent vasoconstricting properties.

Arteriosclerosis↗
PubMed1990

[Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome with predominant digestive manifestations or eosinophilic gastroenteritis? Apropos of 2 cases].

We report two cases of hypereosinophilic syndrome with predominant gastrointestinal signs, which could have been mistaken for eosinophilic gastroenteritis. In the first case, the patient presented with eosinophilic ascites; documentation of pulmonary involvement allowed to easily establish the diagnosis. In the second case, the patient presented with diarrhea and malabsorption; gastrointestinal and pancreatic involvement seemed isolated. Cases reported as eosinophilic gastroenteritis in the literature with polyvisceral involvement raise the possibility of hypereosinophilic syndrome. We suggest that diffuse eosinophilic gastroenteritis could in fact be an isolated manifestation of the idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

hCG test in gynaecomastia: further study.

In adult men referred with gynaecomastia, the prolonged plasma oestradiol (E2) response to hCG appears to be a useful tool in the diagnosis of feminizing Leydig cell tumour (LCT) of the testis. However, its specificity is uncertain. The hormonal status was therefore studied in 85 men with gynaecomastia including 17 with LCT, 52 with clinically isolated gynaecomastia and 16 hypogonadal men (13 with Klinefelter's syndrome and three with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism). The data obtained after hCG (5000 IU i.m., n = 85) or GnRH (100 micrograms i.v., n = 70) administration were compared to those of a group of control men. Means of basal gonadotrophin and of gonadotrophin responses to GnRH were similar in LCT and controls but were significantly (P less than 0.001) higher than controls in patients with either Klinefelter's syndrome or isolated gynaecomastia. Half the patients with isolated gynaecomastia had normal gonadotrophin parameters (NGG) while half had significantly (P less than 0.001) higher levels (EGG) than controls, suggesting either primary testicular failure or androgen resistance. The T responses to hCG did not differentiate patients with LCT from either isolated gynaecomastia or controls. A prolonged E2 response (greater than 300 pmol/l on day 3 following hCG) was observed in all patients with LCT, in 10/21 EGG patients and in 3/13 patients with Klinefelter's syndrome. Such a response was observed in only one NGG patient. We conclude that a prolonged E2 response to hCG does not appear to be specific to LCT but that specificity is greatly improved (from 80 to 98%) when the gonadotrophin pattern (basal and/or responses to GnRH) is also taken into account.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Cryptococcus neoformans meningitis and cirrhosis. Value of fluconazole].

We report the case of a 80-old-year woman with cryptococcal meningitis and cirrhosis. The diagnosis of this rare infectious complication is probably underestimated in patients with cirrhosis. Of diagnostic value is the detection of cryptococcal antigen in cerebral fluid. Fluconazole could improve an otherwise poor prognostic.

Aged↗