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Biomedical subjects

J Pasquier

Publications and source records attributed to J Pasquier.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Anticoagulant treatment of venous thromboembolic disease: optimal duration of antivitamin K therapy. Review of the literature].

Every clinician managing a patient with venous thromboembolism of the lower limbs is faced with two opposing problems: first the risk of antivitamin K induced haemorrhage requires adequate but not excessive hypocoaguability of limited duration (international normalized ratio between 2 and 3); second the threat of recurrence requiring an adequate level of hypocoaguability of sufficient duration. Recently reported clinical data have greatly changed management attitudes. Current recommendations favour a 6 week regimen of antivitamin K for distal venous thrombosis in patients with thromboembolism of lower limb veins without any other aggravating factor and a 12 week regimen for proximal vein thrombosis or pulmonary emboli, although the therapeutic efficacity and risk remain to be demonstrated with precision. In France, we are conducting a multicentric controlled study with sufficient power (1800 patients) comparing parallel groups of patients: those with distal deep venous thrombosis treated 6 versus 12 week regimens, those with proximal deep venous thrombosis and/or pulmonary emboli treated 12 versus 24 week regimens. The "DOTAVK" study (Durée Optimale du Traitement Antivitamine K) involves patients with first time venous thrombosis or pulmonary emboli and no underlying neoplasia or coagulation disease. The two criteria of outcome are haemorrhage complications and thromboembolic recurrence during treatment and the first year after treatment withdrawal.

4-Hydroxycoumarins↗

[Triple association: extramembranous glomerulonephritis, renal adenocarcinoma and splenic hamartoma. Apropos of a case].

We report the case of a 36 year old woman who presented a renal cell carcinoma, associated to a membranous nephropathy as a paraneoplastic syndrome. The concomitant association with a splenic hamartoma was probably fortuitous. Five years after nephrectomy, the patient was asymptomatic and her proteinuria was very low. We studied in the literature 93 cases which reported a such association between cancer, nephrotic syndrome and membranous nephropathy. Carcinoma of the lung and adenocarcinoma of the gastrointestinal tract are the most frequently implicated. This association can occur at every age and more often in men (75%) than in women. The survival is directly linked to the evolution of the cancer. Proteinuria and membranous nephropathy can totally disappear after surgical resection of the carcinoma. The glomerular injury is mediated by immune complexes composed at least in part of tumour associated antigens. The development of several types of glomerular injury in patients with carcinoma have been described but membranous glomerulonephritis is the most commonly observed.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Implantable access system for prolonged intrapleural immunotherapy.

We describe our experience using an implantable Port-A-Cath access system for intrapleural administration of gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) in malignant mesothelioma patients. Twenty nine patients, with histologically proven malignant mesotheliomas were included in this study. To avoid complications the device was implanted in a subcutaneous pocket, and the catheter was connected via a tunnel. Also, a suction drain was installed in the pocket after placement. This procedure greatly reduced the high infection rate (64%) encountered with conventional open chest tubes. Patients' tolerance was excellent and maintenance minimal. In our opinion, the Port-A-Cath system is the most suitable device for intra-cavitary long-term therapy of malignant pleural effusions.

Aged↗

[Pilot study of screening of prostate cancer by the assay of prostate specific antigen in occupational milieu].

The goal of this study was to confirm the capacity of occupational medicine to become involved in cooperative screening programs with a dosage of the PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) determined by immunoradiometric assay. Two thousands and five hundred seventy three salaried workers in the building sector, between 50 and 65 years old, participated in this investigation. Thirty seven individual ie 1.4% had a PSA level above or equal to 10 micrograms/l. Among them, 35 were checked within three months and 17 were found to have a persistently elevated PSA level. In this subgroup 15 pathologies including two cancers were found. We observed a great variability in the results of PSA determination in the groups of individuals whose initial assay level was above or equal to 10 micrograms/l. The linear correlation coefficient between the two assays (on the same individual), carried out at a six week interval on average, was low (r = 0.52 for N = 35). In our series, 3.5% of patients followed up had undergone a rectal examination less than a year previously. Occupational medicine seems to be an efficient setting for screening intervention. However, the people mainly concerned by our study, (salaried workers seen through the physicians interviewed) did not seem very aware of this type of action.

Adult↗

[Cytoplasm antibodies of polynuclear neutrophils in Wegener's granulomatosis and systemic vasculitis].

In retrospective and prospective studies the sera of 442 patients recruited from an Internal Medicine department were examined by acetone indirect immunofluorescence and immunoblot in search of anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA). Twenty-three patients had Wegener's granulomatosis, and 419 had various control diseases including connective tissue diseases, vasculitis and granulomatosis. The sera from 100 healthy blood donors were used as controls. Among the 23 patients with generalized (n = 15) or localized (n = 8) Wegener's granulomatosis (active in 21/23), the indirect immunofluorescence test was positive in 92 percent of those with the generalized form and in 62 percent of those with the localized form. Nine of the 13 sera examined by immunoblot (69 percent) were positive (31 +/- 57 kDa bands). On the other hand, the sera from 38 (6.9 percent) patients with control diseases were positive at immunofluorescence: vasculitis (14 cases, 50 percent), connective tissue diseases (4 cases, 14.3 percent) and miscellaneous diseases including 3 neoplasms (10 cases, 35.7 percent). Only 6 of these 28 sera showed a 1/100th titer of ANCA. The sera of all healthy controls were negative. The sensitivity of ANCA for Wegener's granulomatosis at all stages was 72.2 percent, and its specificity 94.4 percent. This study confirms the value of ANCA as third diagnostic criterion of Wegener's granulomatosis, after the clinical and histological criteria.

Adolescent↗

[Lambert-Eaton syndrome and small cell cancer. Etiopathogenic considerations apropos of 2 cases].

The authors report two cases of Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome associated with small cell lung carcinoma. Following the observations, the clinical diagnosis of this syndrome is considered. We discuss the autoimmune pathogenesis and the relation between paraneoplastic syndrome and small cell cancer. This syndrome is caused by autoantibodies that block the voltage-dependent calcium channels at motor nerve terminals. Small cell carcinoma cells appear to express calcium channels, suggesting that autoantibody production may be triggered by tumor calcium channels determinants. The autoimmune paraneoplastic syndrome theory refers to cross-antigenicity.

Carcinoma, Small Cell↗

Incidence rate and risk factors for thyroid dysfunction during recombinant interleukin-2 therapy in advanced malignancies.

Immunotherapy using recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL-2) has been shown to induce thyroid dysfunction in some cancer patients. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the incidence and risk factors of this adverse autoimmune response. Triiodothyronine, thyroxine and thyrotropin levels were measured serially in 146 consecutive patients treated with rIL-2 for refractory solid tumor (77 patients) or malign hemopathy (69 patients); rIL-2 was administered intravenously in 5-day cycles (18 x 10(6)-24 x 10(6) IU.m-2.day-1) either alone in 79 cases or in combination with autologous bone marrow transplantation in 26 cases, with interferon-gamma in 37 cases, with tumor necrosis factor-alpha in 13 and with cyclophosphamide in five cases. Some patients underwent more than one therapeutic protocol. Peripheral hypothyroidism was present upon entry in nine (6.2%) patients. Thyroid dysfunction appeared or worsened during rIL-2 therapy in 24 (16.4%) patients. Sixteen (10.9%) patients exhibited peripheral hypothyroidism, out of which four exhibited biphasic thyroiditis. Another five (3.4%) patients developed transient hyperthyroidism. Anomaly could not be classified in three patients. Thyroid dysfunction appeared early after one or two cycles. All surviving patients recovered. Only gender and presence of antithyroid antibody were correlated significantly with rIL-2-induced thyroid abnormalities. No correlation was found with any of the other risk factors studied, i.e. type of malignancy, rIL-2 treatment procedure, clinical efficacy, evolution of circulating lymphocyte subsets or other autoimmune antibodies. Antithyroid antibodies were detected in 60.9% of patients with this complication. Thyroid-stimulating antibodies were never detected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

[Clinical study of 12 cases of malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the orbital region].

Over an 8-year period in the Departments of Hematology, Ophthalmology and Internal Medicine of our hospital, 12 cases of orbital and adnexal malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were reported. Diagnostic elements varied, including local tumefaction, watering eyes, uveitis, and unexplained, long-term fever. Nine patients had primary paraocular lymphomas involving either orbital structures, the lacrimal gland or the eyeball, but after appropriate staging, the disease was found to be disseminated in 5; the 3 other cases were secondary orbital lymphomas. Intermediate or high grade histological types were predominant (9 patients) in our series. Radiation therapy, alone or combined (5 patients) with chemotherapy, was administered in 8 cases; other treatments consisted of chemotherapy (2 cases) or steroids (2 cases). Evolution was poor, with only 4 patients surviving at 34-180 months of follow-up. The main prognostic factors were tumor stage and histological grade. The clinical characteristics of this group are compared to those reported in the literature.

Adult↗

[Surveillance of renal function by scintigraphy with 99m Tc-DMSA after a trans-ileal cutaneous ureterostomy].

The renal function of sixty one adult patients was monitored by 99mTc-DMSA renal scan after cystectomy for a malignant tumour followed by ileal conduit urinary diversion. The postoperative follow-up period was 10 years. The stenosis rate of the uretero-ileal anastomosis was 12.8% and the incidence of pyelonephritis was 8% The mean value for overall renal function and for the function of each kidney did not deteriorate significantly (p = 0.1 and p = 0.7, respectively) over time. However, 26% of kidneys evaluated at 1 year and at 5 years showed a markedly decreased uptake on the renogram. In 70% of cases, this decreased uptake was related to the development of stenosis of the uretero-ileal anastomosis or pyelonephritis. Renal function remained stable at 5 years in group A, corresponding to patients with good initial renal function (n = 22, p = 0.07), and in group B, corresponding to patients with poor initial renal function (n = 7, p = 0.9). Similarly, the function of solitary kidneys did not deteriorate over the 5-year postoperative follow-up period (n = 7, p = 0.5). The functional value of the kidneys was therefore not globally altered after ileal conduit urinary diversion. The existence of a mechanical or infectious complication should be systematically investigated in the presence of a deterioration in renal function. DMSA isotope renal scan is a complete, qualitative and quantitative, follow-up examination after this type of urinary diversion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

[Immunogenetics of Horton's disease and of rhizomelic pseudo-polyarthritis].

The etiopathogenesis of temporal arteritis and rhizomelic pseudo-polyarthritis still remains undefined. A genetic predisposition would seem probable in view of epidemiological data (higher frequency in white caucasian races and in certain countries), the existence of rare familial forms (25 families reported), and the significant increase in incidence in unconnected cases with HLA DR4 antigen (6 studies). Environment may intervene as a precipitating factor in the condition and the role of an infectious agent, to account for the seasonal incidence of this disorder and the rare existence of cases in non consanguineous couples, has been suggested but remains unproven. Disordered immune function probably plays an essential role in the creation of the vascular histological lesions characteristic of the condition. The disordered function involves cellular immunity (fall in OK T8. in blood) and especially humoral immunity with the very frequent presence of circulating immune complexes in the serum and deposition of immunoglobulins and complement at arterial wall level.

Antibody Formation↗

Systematic association of PAP and PSA determinations to bone scintigraphy in prostatic cancer.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was compared to prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) in patients with prostatic cancer suspected to have bone metastases. Bone scans were classified according to metastatic skeletal involvement. The sensitivity of PSA in predicting the presence of metastatic disease (68%) was better than that of PAP (53%). Specificity was 79% for PSA and 90% for PAP. Thirty-five patients had a positive PSA level and a normal scintigraphy (false-positive); 14 of them had only endoscopic prostate resection. Thirty-eight patients underwent a further exploration 3-18 months later. PSA level during disease was correlated to scintigraphy in 32 of 38 patients.

Acid Phosphatase↗