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Biomedical subjects

P Leclerc

Publications and source records attributed to P Leclerc.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

[Latent and postpartum thyroiditis. Prospective study].

Thyroid evaluation was performed in 85 women at childbirth, then between 2 and 7 months, and 14 months later. Transient subclinical hypothyroidism was found in one woman; antithyroid antibodies were found in 10 and were persistent in 6, suggesting a late thyroiditis. For these 6 cases, 5 HLA typing showed 3 Locus DR4. The proportion of antithyroid antibody was the same in a reference population. This finding would be in agreement with the hypothesis of a latent thyroiditis, revealed by pregnancy. Relative iodine deficiency in France could explain the low frequency of post partum thyroiditis in the present study.

Female↗

[Peripheral bronchopulmonary cancers. Diagnostic efficiency of fibroscopic samples. Prospective study on 561 patients].

The purpose of this french multicentric study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of samples collected by fibroscopy in peripheral lung cancer with normal endoscopy. Five hundred and sixty-one patients entered the study; a tumour had been diagnosed in 350 of them (62 p. 100). Among these 350 patients, 147 were examined with the help of a light-amplifier screen, and a positive diagnosis was made in 97 (66 p. 100). Guided sample collection in the pathological area (biopsy, brushing, transcatheter aspiration) proved much more rewarding than unguided sample collection (biopsy of the bronchus, simple aspiration or cytology of 3-day sputum): 45 p. 100 positive results versus 18 p. 100 (P less than 0.001). However, sputum cytology still had good diagnostic value since it provided by itself the diagnosis in 14 p. 100 of the cases. Results were significantly inferior in tumours less than 3 cm in diameter.

Adult↗

Cytogenetic study of parthenogenetically activated bovine oocytes matured in vivo and in vitro.

Three experiments were performed to evaluate the potential for parthenogenetic activation of bovine oocytes in in vitro fertilization systems and to determine the chromosome complement of the resulting parthenogenotes. In the first experiment, immature oocytes from slaughtered cattles were matured in vitro in Defined Medium (DM) for 24 h to simulate in vitro fertilization conditions. Subsequently, a portion was fixed, and the remainder were transferred to rabbit oviducts. Oocytes were then cultured for 6-8 h or for 24 h with Colcemid present during the last 6 to 8 h and fixed on slides and examined. In the second experiment, mature oocytes were collected from the preovulatory follicles, and the oocytes were subjected to the same culture as in experiment I. In the third experiment, oocytes were treated as in experiment II, except that instead of transfer to rabbit oviducts, they were cultured an additional 48 h in vitro. In experiment I, 131 oocytes were fixed after culture in DM. Of the 79 oocytes analyzed in the pre-rabbit group, 71 (90%) were at the second meiotic metaphase (MII), and 8 (10%) were at pre-MII stage; none were activated. After transfer to rabbits, 291 were fixed. Of these, 80 were analyzed; 37 (46.3%) were MII, 7 (8.6%) were pre-MII, and 36 (45%) were activated. Of the 36 activated oocytes, 26 (72.2%) were haploid, 4 (11.1%) were diploid, 1 (12.8%) was tetraploid, and 5 (13.8%) were in the process of endoreduplication. In experiment II, 51 oocytes were fixed after culture in DM of which 36 (70.6%) could be analyzed; 30 (83.3%) were MII, and 6 (16.7%) were pre-MII. After culture in the rabbit, 68 were fixed of which 27 (39.7%) could be analyzed. Of these 27, 20 (74.1%) were MII, and 7 (25.9%) were activated; 6 were haploid, and 1 was endoreduplicating. In experiment III, 30 oocytes were fixed at the end of the culture period; only 10 could be analyzed of which 8 (80%) were MII and 2 (20%) were pre-MII. In all, 46% of in vitro and 26% of in vivo matured oocytes were activated, based on chromosomal analysis. Of those activated, the majority (74.4%) were haploid, suggesting that activation occurs at or after completion of MII. Endoreduplication appears to be one of the mechanisms leading to the formation of diploid and polyploid parthenogenotes.

Animals↗

[Respiratory complications of anticancer chemotherapy].

Pulmonary toxicity associated with chemotherapy is still rare, but its incidence may increase with intensive and iterative regimens. Following a review of the four main drugs responsible for lung toxicity (bleomycin, methotrexate, busulfan and BCNU), the authors underline the risk of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy. To recognize, at an early stage, the signs suggesting lung toxicity is essential to reduce its extent and, above all, to exclude other pathologies which often have the same clinical and radiological features. Only histological studies provide evidence of toxicity. Treatment is frequently disappointing; the only hope of regression lies in withdrawal of the responsible drug and corticosteroid therapy.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

[Postpartum definitive hypothyroidism. 7 cases].

Seven cases of hypothyroidism developed within 6 months of delivery are reported. Radioimmunoassays regularly showed very low thyroxin levels and high thyroid-stimulating hormone levels, thus confirming that the thyroid deficiency was of peripheral origin. A significant rise in antimicrosomal or antithyroglobulin antibodies was noted in 5 cases. One patient had HLA-B8 and 4 had HLA-DR3, which was not significantly different from the prevalence in the regional population. In contrast with the transient post-partum hypothyroidism reported mainly in Japan, the condition proved to be permanent in 6 patients followed up for more than two years. The increased frequency of HLA-DR3 and 5 recently described in thyroiditis with transient post-partum thyrotoxicosis was not found in our series. It would appear that pregnancy, which is a period of immune incompetence, may disclose a latent lymphocytic thyroiditis.

Adult↗

[Contamination of bronchial fiberscopes by mycobacteria. Myth or reality?].

The authors report the results of a study into mycobacterial contamination of bronchial fibroscopes over a 6 year period during which 8,750 fibroscopies were performed. On 19 occasions, there were two positive results on the same day which could have led to contamination (0.07 p. 100). In 12 cases, there was heavy bacterial contamination on the first examination and at least 5 colonies on the second. Crossed transmission was not observed. The authors emphasize the role of the accessory parts and connections which are often neglected and which may lead to false positive results in the following patients; a sterilisation procedure is proposed which seems to be effective as no mycobacterial contamination has been observed since it was introduced.

Bronchoscopes↗

[Diffuse interstitial pneumopathy during treatment with gold salts].

A case of severe diffuse interstitial pneumonia is reported in a 69 year old after 5 weeks treatment with gold salts. Regression of symptoms on withdrawal of gold salts and under steroid therapy, the similarity with previously published cases, the absence of another cause lead us to incriminate the gold salts. The case is documented with optical and electronic microscopic studies of transbronchial biopsy and repeated examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. A general review of the literature is included with a critical discussion of the physiopathogenic mechanisms. The results of the examination of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid are further evidence in favour of cell-mediated hypersensitivity reaction.

Acute Disease↗

[Value of the cytologic and biochemical study of alveolar lavage fluid in the evaluation of the developmental ability of sarcoidosis].

To study indicators of disease activity in sarcoidosis, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (SACE) measurement were performed in 39 patients with active sarcoidosis and in 13 patients with inactive sarcoidosis. All patients were non-smokers. Results were compared to those from 9 non-smoking controls and 20 patients with non-granulomatous interstitial lung disease. Lymphocyte counts, IgG concentrations and the IgG/K ratio were high in BAL fluid specimens from patients with active sarcoidosis, indicating a relationship between cellular and humoral immunity. Conversely, specimens from inactive sarcoidosis patients showed supranormal lymphocyte counts with IgG levels and a IgG/K ratio that did not differ significantly from those in controls or patients with interstitial lung disease (p greater than 0,05). Patients with active sarcoidosis that abated after 6 to 12 months had an initial lymphocytosis of 28.7% and a IgG/K ratio under 170 mg/mmol. We conclude that IgG concentrations and the IgG/K ratio are better discriminators between active and non-active or nearly resolved disease than lymphocyte counts. SACE assay is not sufficiently discriminative.

Adult↗

Variations in amylase isoenzymes and lipase during acute pancreatitis, and in other disorders causing hyperamylasemia.

We compare the clinical value of assay of amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) isoenzymes with that of lipase (EC 3.1.1.3) in serum from patients with proven acute pancreatitis or with hyperamylasemia from other causes. In the former group we measured amylase, lipase, and isoamylases daily. Lipase and P(pancreas)-type isoamylases reached the highest mean values on the first day of an attack of acute pancreatitis (day one). Lipase declined rapidly, and by day four its mean activity was about the same as that of amylase and lower than that of the P-type isoamylases. Great inter-individual variations were found among patients with a similar clinical course. Of the 85 samples analyzed, amylase activity for 36 declined to within reference limits, but 18 of the 36 had high lipase activity, 18 had high P-type isoamylases activity, and 31 had P3 isoenzyme, which is not detectable in normal sera. Determination of isoamylases is a more sensitive index to acute pancreatitis than lipase assay and may be particularly useful when pancreatitis is suspected despite a normal total amylase activity. In the group of patients with hyperamylasemia from other origins, three had macroamylasemia, one had mumps, one had abdominal trauma without pancreatic injury, and one had pelvic inflammatory disease. The specific pattern of macroamylase on electrophoresis permitted a precise diagnosis of macroamylasemia; normal lipase had only ruled out pancreatitis. In the three other cases, lipase and isoamylases excluded pancreatic involvement.

Acute Disease↗

[Small-cell anaplastic bronchopulmonary cancers. Prognostic and therapeutic review apropos 49 cases].

This retrospective study of 49 patients with small-cell broncho-pulmonary carcinoma showed the principal prognostic factor to be the response to chemotherapy: an initial treatment association of cyclophosphamide (800 mg/m2), adriamycin (60 mg/m2), methotrexate (40 mg/m2) and CCNU (60 mg/m2) every four weeks was used in 40 patients, out of 46 patients who underwent chemotherapy. All cases were followed up for a minimum of 6 months except 2 who were lost to follow-up; there are 9 survivors, all of whom initially had an apparent complete remission: the extension of the disease seemed to be of less prognostic significance than the response to treatment. The response rate to this protocol was 84 p. cent with 52 p. cent apparent complete remissions. The mean global survival rate was 9 months (mean survival rate of treated patients: 11.46 months). Some patients with disseminated carcinoma initially had very prolonged survival. The association of a final session of thoracic radiotherapy seemed to be useful (the 4 patients who underwent radiotherapy after 8 to 12 sessions of chemotherapy are still alive after an average of 18 months follow-up with no signs of recurrence).

Adult↗

[Cyproterone acetate. 15 cases of hirsutism treated for 1 year].

Fifteen women with idiopathic hirsutism (N = 11) or hirsutism with androgen excess (N = 4) were treated by Cyproterone acetate orally (50 mg from the 5 th to the 25 th day of the menstrual cycle) and Ethinyl Estradiol (day 15-25). Hirsutism was improved in 86% of cases with progressive improvement at 3, 6, 12 months. At 12 months, the clinical score for hirsutism was 56% of the original score. Disturbance of menstrual cycles was more frequent than reported with Hammerstein's pattern of treatment. Clinical and biological tolerance was good. delta 4 androstenedione decreased significantly at 6 months (respectively 2,26 ng/ml - 1,25 ng/ml). There was no significant decrease of plasma testosterone. Result of B 1-24 corticotropin test remained normal after 12 months of treatment.

Administration, Oral↗