Transmission of tumors in Locusta migratoria Linnaeus by nucleic acid extracted from the tumors.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to P Joly.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
A CD8+ lymphocytic infiltration of the lungs is frequently observed in HIV-infected patients, even prior to the onset of opportunistic infections. In such patients, we could demonstrate that most of these CD8+ alveolar T lymphocytes displayed the D44 marker and were functional cytolytic T lymphocytes directed against autologous HIV-infected alveolar macrophages. This primary cytolytic activity was HLA-restricted and, at least partially, specific for the HIV envelope protein, since HLA-A2 alveolar T lymphocytes could specifically lyse cell lines expressing both the HLA-A2 and Env antigens. In contrast to data obtained in peripheral blood, no ADCC activity was observed against the Env antigen. HIV-specific alveolar T-lymphocyte cytolytic activity decreased with progression towards AIDS as shown by studies of a series of 40 patients. Functional abnormalities of the lung epithelium could be associated with the specific lysis of alveolar macrophages, suggesting that local tissue injury could result from the in vivo immune conflict between alveolar HIV-specific CTL and HIV-infected macrophages.
INTRODUCTION: Pathogenesis of sarcoidosis remains partially unknown. Cutaneous lesions are frequent (20 to 35% of cases). Their clinical features and follow-up data are highly variable. Numerous treatments have been proposed. The clinical features and follow up data of four patients with chronic cutaneous sarcoidosis treated with methotrexate are reported. CASE REPORT: Mean age of patients (3 female, 1 male) was 40 years old (34-49 years). One patient presented with a lupus pernio, two patients with papules and nodules, and the last with an annular lesion of the face. All patients had been previously treated with topical corticosteroids and/or hydroxychloroquine without any success. Patients were treated with methotrexate at doses ranging from 12.5 mg to 30 mg per week for at least 6 months. Complete remission of cutaneous lesions was observed in 3 of 4 patients after a mean treatment duration of 29 months (16 to 36). Methotrexate side effects were observed in one patient (elevated liver enzymes) leading to methotrexate discontinuation. DISCUSSION: Methotrexate seems to be an effective treatment of cutaneous sarcoidosis. It should be used namely in patients who failed to respond to previous treatments with topical corticosteroids or antimalarial drugs.
BACKGROUND: We recently carried out a study concerning consultations by French dermatologists in private practice. We evaluated consultations at the dermatology departments of 3 university teaching hospitals in France. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a 2-month prospective study conducted in 2003 at the dermatology departments of the university teaching hospitals of Amiens, Lille and Rouen. Each consultant completed a questionnaire covering the duration of the study. The following data were recorded: consultation date, function of the consultant, study centre, type of consultation, type of disease, and whether or not the patient was hospitalised after the consultation. RESULTS: 7296 files were examined during the study. 38% of the consultations were performed by part-time hospital consultants, 29% by dermatology interns, 18% by hospital practitioners, 9% by university professors and 6% by clinical heads or assistant heads. The most commonly encountered diseases were allergies (17%), cancer (16%), arteriovenous disease (15%) and infectious disease (11%). Three types of consultation were identified: emergency consultations without an appointment, consultations by appointment for a specific problem and consultations by appointment without a specific problem. The number of resulting hospital admissions ranged from 2 to 10% of consultations, depending on the type of consultation and the role of the consultant in question. DISCUSSION: This study shows that in France, consultations at hospital dermatology departments differ greatly from those of dermatologists in private practice. The main diseases seen (cancer, arteriovenous disease, allergy, infectious dermatosis) accounted for the majority of hospitalisations in these departments. The organisation of hospital consultations is increasingly tending both towards treatment of highly specialised diseases through specifically oriented consultations and also towards the emergency treatment of certain forms of acute dermatosis.
BACKGROUND: We report a case of necrolytic migratory erythema in a patient with Waldmann's disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 55-year-old male patient with a history of Waldmann's disease was hospitalized for a rash on the trunk and limbs comprising annular polycyclic lesions with peripheral scaling evocative of necrolytic migratory erythema. High-protein and fatty-acid-supplemented parenteral feeding led to rapid improvement of the patient's cutaneous lesions. DISCUSSION: Waldmann's disease is characterized by intestinal lymphatic abnormalities leading to exudative intestinal disease causing protein loss in the bowel lumen and deficient fatty acid absorption. The pathogenesis of necrolytic migratory erythema is not fully understood. Increased serum glucagon does not appear to be the only mechanism involved. The occurrence of necrolytic migratory erythema in a patient with Waldmann's disease supports the current physiopathological hypothesis of the role of decreased plasma protein and amino acid levels in necrolytic migratory erythema.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is an important physiological inhibitor of fibrinolysis. It circulates in blood both in free active form and in inactive form complexed with tissue type plasminogen activator (t-PA). Control mechanisms for its synthesis and release from hepatocytes and endothelial cells are important in the pathogenesis of thrombosis. Possible risk factors for myocardial infarction include high insulin and PAI-1 levels, which correlate with one another in healthy subjects, and fibrinogen, which together with PAI-1, is an acute-phase reactant. We therefore studied the interrelationships between PAI-1, plasma insulin, and acute-phase proteins in 67 patients with angina pectoris. Plasma insulin correlated strongly (r = 0.59, p less than 0.001) with PAI activity, free PAI-1 antigen (r = 0.60, p less than 0.001), and total PAI-1 antigen (r = 0.58, p less than 0.001). The acute-phase proteins, fibrinogen and C-reactive protein, correlated significantly with t-PA antigen, total PAI-1 antigen, and PAI-1/t-PA complexes but not with PAI activity or free PAI-1. The results suggest that insulin stimulates synthesis and release of free PAI-1 (probably via hepatocytes as previously shown with cell culture) and that endothelial cell synthesis and release of t-PA, together with PAI-1, reflects a nonspecific acute-phase response to chronic vascular disease. Hyperinsulinemia found in patients with angina pectoris could play a role in the development of myocardial infarction via the induction of high plasma PAI-1 activity.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
INTRODUCTION: The necessity of excising melanomas characterized by a slight thickness at an early stage, leads dermatologists to remove pigmented lesions which do not correspond to melanomas. The aims of this study were: a) to prospectively assess the accuracy of melanoma diagnosis, b) to quantify the number of excisions performed according to the degree of melanoma suspicion, c) to determine the specific clinical sign or signs of relevant diagnostic value. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted prospectively from January 1996 to August 1997 by dermatologists in private practice and dermatologists from a University Hospital staff. When it was decided to excise a pigmented lesion, a form was filled out choosing the most appropriate clinical diagnosis, the degree of melanoma suspicion, and clinical signs which lead to surgery. Based on histological findings as the reference, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of melanoma diagnosis and the kappa test that evaluates the concordance between clinical and histological diagnosis, were performed. The diagnostic value of clinical signs was assessed by variance analysis. RESULTS: Of the 353 excised lesions, 38 (10.7 p. 100) were identified as melanoma on histologic examination. The sensitivity, the specificity and diagnostic accuracy were: 79 p. 100, 94 p. 100 and 53 p. 100 respectively. The kappa test concordance between clinical and histological diagnosis was 0.66. Two hundred and two lesions (57 p. 100) were excised even though the clinical suspicion of melanoma was poorly considered. Only one of these 202 lesions was identified histologically as a true melanoma. Thirty seven (24.5 p. 100) of the 151 remaining excised lesions with an "average" or "strong" suspicion were true melanomas. The clinical signs considered, alone or associated, had a poor predictive positive value (< 38 p. 100). An analytical approach performed with a logistic model permitted the identification of two associated signs suggesting a best diagnostic value. DISCUSSION: This is the only study, to our knowledge, reported in the literature which prospectively assesses the sensitivity, specificity and concordance between clinical and histological diagnosis of melanoma. Results were considered from average to good. The originality of this study was to assess the number of pigmented lesions excised according to the degree of melanoma suspicion, suggesting the possibility of reducing the number of nevi removed when the melanoma risk was considered clinically poor. Finally, this study emphasizes the limits of clinical semiology and the need for future diagnostic methods in the assessment of melanoma.
BACKGROUND: Epidermolysis bullosa aquisista can leave several functional sequelae. The lesions sometimes resist treatment. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 25-year-old young man presenting with a severe epidermolysis bullosa acquisita confirmed by the electronic immunomicroscopy. He had a major ocular involvement with symblepharon and cicatricial synechial lesions. He was almost blind because of corneal scars. All immunosuppressive treatments had failed: systemic corticoids, cyclosporin, azathioprine. The introduction of extracorporeal photochemotherapy resulted in the healing of the lesions, after a total of 32 procedures. All treatment are now stopped, and the lesions are purely cicatricial, without any relapse of the disease since 9 months. Corneal grafts are now under process, to try to recover a part of the lost visual acuity. DISCUSSION: This case demonstrates the efficacy of extracorporeal chemotherapy to be tried in case other treatments failed.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
BACKGROUND: In 1995, the French consensus conference on management of patients with grade I malignant melanoma recommended clinical examination for patient monitoring. To date, only one survey has been conducted to evaluate these recommendations and their consequences, providing no means of assessing follow-up practices. The aim of this study was to assess follow-up practices in patients with grade I malignant melanoma followed in an outpatient private practice setting and in a hospital setting with regular appointments. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted in collaboration with private practice and hospital dermatologists, all members of an association of continuing medical education. Medical records of 584 patients with grade I malignant melanoma who had undergone surgery between January 1, 1991 and December 31, 1995 were reviewed. Three hundred twenty-nine patients were followed in an exclusively outpatient setting by their private dermatologist and 265 were followed in a hospital setting. Follow-up data were: age, sex, date of surgical excision of the melanoma, Breslow thickness, date of each follow-up visit, presence of possible metastases and mode of diagnosis. RESULTS: Patient features were different in the two groups: mainly greater Breslow thickness and more frequent metastatic course in patients followed in a hospital setting. Among all patients, 65 (11 p. 100) developed metastases. Diagnosis of metastasis was made clinically in 95 p. 100 whatever the mode of monitoring considered. The number of patients lost to follow-up was 11p. 100 among those followed in a hospital setting and 42 p. 100 in those followed in a private practice setting. Patients lost to follow-up had a higher risk of developing metastasis as their average Breslow thickness was 1.7 mm. CONCLUSION: This study shows that patients followed in a hospital setting have a more severe prognosis than patients followed in private practice. It confirms that systematic use of complementary tests is of little interest in detecting metastases since over the period considered, the diagnosis of metastasis was made clinically in most cases. It also discloses difficulties encountered in exclusively outpatient follow-up as a high number of patients were lost to follow-up in this setting. A systematic appointment fixed by the private dermatologist during the follow-up period appears to be needed to ensure good quality follow-up. Such an appointment system should help reduce the number of patients lost to follow-up.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
BACKGROUND: Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial drug often used in dermatology for its photo-protective effects. Four cases of photodermatosis induced by hydroxychloroquine are reported. CASE REPORTS: Four patients, aged from 21 to 68 years, developed a photolocalized eruption from 6 days to 10 weeks after starting hydroxychloroquine. The minimal erythemal dose was decreased in the total spectra and UVA at the onset of the eruption and became normal after stopping hydroxychloroquine in the 2 patients that were controlled. In 3 cases, hydroxychloroquine was the only single drug imputable; chronological imputability was plausible. In the last case, both hydroxychloroquine, carbamazepine and fluvoxamine had a common imputability which was plausible. In the 4 cases, a favourable outcome was observed after stopping hydroxychloroquine, and no recurrence occurred with a mean follow-up of 3.8 years (1-4 years). In one case, a photodistributed eruption occurred during treatment with a related molecule: chloroquine. DISCUSSION: Photodermatosis with hydroxychloroquine have rarely been described in the literature, while quinine from which hydroxychloroquine is derived, is well known for its risk of photosensibilization. The main differential diagnosis of these drug eruptions is an eruption caused by the photodermatosis that initially required treatment with hydroxychloroquine.
We here report a case of endocarditis due to Cardiobacterium hominis in a 53-year-old patient, who presented with large vegetations on the mitral valve. Good cooperation between clinicians and microbiologists and an efficient automated blood culture system were the decisive factors in establishing the diagnosis. Early and appropriate treatment prevented the septic embolisms often observed in this pathology.
This work aims to define the interest and the limits of free light chain (FLC) determination in serum and urine for the investigation of monoclonal gammopathies. Based on the study of nine typical cases extracted from laboratory practice, the authors demonstrate the interest of this determination for the diagnosis and the monitoring of FLC and non secretory myelomas. This test is also useful for the evaluation of response to chemotherapy and the early detection of relapses in intact immunoglobulin multiple myelomas. These results are discussed in the light of the literature with a special emphasis on AL amyloidosis and monoclonal gammapathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Finally the authors underline some limitations leading to an overestimation of the results in certain patients together with the difficulty to interpret data when a renal damage is associated.
We performed a retrospective study of two sequential series of operations designed to correct high myopia in phakic eyes. The first series consisted of 21 eyes with refractive error ranging from -11.00 diopters to -21.00 D (mean -16.9 D). They received a commercially prepared, lyophilized, myopic epikeratoplasty lenticule sutured into a circular keratectomy. Seven lenticules had to be removed within the first year because of poor refractive results, corneal ulceration, or melting. The nine eyes followed from 12 to 24 months after surgery demonstrated residual refractive errors from +4.00 D to -11.25 D. We also studied an initial series of 41 eyes with preoperative myopia ranging from -9.00 D to -35.00 D (mean -15.00 D) that received a minus power anterior chamber intraocular lens. The lens had an open loop design with an anterior vault, four point angle fixation, and an optic diameter of 4.5 mm. Recovery of visual acuity was faster with the intraocular lens than with epikeratoplasty. Three intraocular lenses were removed; two because they were the wrong size and one because it was the wrong power. Two of the lenses were replaced with acceptable results. Of the 34 eyes followed for 12 months, all had a residual refractive error within +/- 2.00 D of emmetropia. During the short-term follow-up, no elevated intraocular pressure, cataract formation, or excessive endothelial damage was observed. We concluded that anterior chamber minus power intraocular lenses gave more rapid and predictable optical correction in high myopic eyes than did myopic epikeratoplasty. Longer follow-up is required before conclusions can be reached about the safety of these intraocular lenses.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.