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T Schaeverbeke

Publications and source records attributed to T Schaeverbeke.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

In-vitro activity of grepafloxacin, a new fluoroquinolone, against mycoplasmas.

The in-vitro activity of grepafloxacin, a new oral fluoroquinolone antibiotic, was compared with those of three other fluoroquinolones and two unrelated antimicrobials, doxycycline and erythromycin, against various Mycoplasma spp. For 65 mycoplasma and 42 ureaplasma strains, grepafloxacin (MIC range 0.03-2 mg/L) was some two to 16 times more active than ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, showing similar activity to that of sparfloxacin. MBCs of grepafloxacin increased two- to 16-fold when compared with MICs and were comparable to those of sparfloxacin, and lower than those of ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed1999

Mutations in the gyrA, parC, and parE genes associated with fluoroquinolone resistance in clinical isolates of Mycoplasma hominis.

Five clinical isolates of Mycoplasma hominis from three different patients were examined for resistance to fluoroquinolones; some of these isolates were probably identical. All five isolates harbored amino acid substitutions in the quinolone resistance-determining regions of both DNA gyrase (GyrA) and topoisomerase IV (ParC or ParE). Furthermore, the novobiocin MIC for three isolates showed a significant increase. This is the first characterization of fluoroquinolone-resistant clinical mycoplasma isolates from humans.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed1999

Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE): a form of paraneoplastic polyarthritis?

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and laboratory features and outcome of 6 patients presenting with remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) revealing a solid tumor. METHODS: Patients with RS3PE who presented with a solid tumor and who had been seen between January 1, 1994, and December 31, 1996, were included in a retrospective multicenter analysis. These patients fulfilled McCarty's description of RS3PE and the following criteria: (1) bilateral pitting edema of both hands, (2) sudden onset of polyarthritis, (3) age >50 years, and (4) absence of rheumatoid factor (RF). RESULTS: Six male patients with RS3PE are described, of mean age 74 years (range 72-78), presenting prostatic (n = 4), gastric (n = 1), and colic (n = 1) adenocarcinomas. The clini cal picture was characterized by the classical form of RS3PE syndrome and by a deterioration in general condition, sometimes with fever. All patients were negative for RF and antinuclear antibodies. In 2 cases of prostatic adenocarcinoma serum levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) were high, but decreased with treatment. In these 6 patients, the articular manifestations regressed totally or partially in response to corticosteroids, sometimes at low doses, associated in most cases with specific antitumoral therapy. None displayed erosion or distal bone destruction. The mean survival following discovery of RS3PE was 11 months (range 6-18), 5 patients dying of metastatic dissemination of their cancer and the 6th of myocardial infarction. CONCLUSION: RS3PE is a heterogeneous syndrome that can reveal a solid tumor, notably an adenocarcinoma. There exist no specific criteria to define its forms, but this syndrome should be kept in mind in the face of a deterioration in general health. Although the pathogenic mechanism is unknown, this could involve a type of paraneoplastic polyarthritis linked to the synthesis of a factor such as IL-6.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Propionibacterium acnes isolated from synovial tissue and fluid in a patient with oligoarthritis associated with acne and pustulosis.

This report describes the case of a patient with a 14-month course of severe oligoarthritis associated with acne. Pure cultures of Propionibacterium acnes were isolated from synovial tissue and synovial fluid specimens collected from the same joint after a 4-month interval. After 2 months of treatment with roxithromycin 300 mg/day, rifampicin 1,200 mg/day, and a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID), followed by 4 months of treatment with azithromycin 1 gm/week and an NSAID, the synovitis persisted. Cultures of skin lesions and synovial fluid at this time were negative. Although P acnes has previously been isolated from bone specimens obtained from patients with osteitis associated with acne, this is the first report of the isolation of this microorganism from the synovial tissue of a patient with arthritis associated with acne. Our findings raise the question of the role of P acnes in the pathogenesis of arthritis associated with acne.

Acne Vulgaris↗
PubMed1998

Genotypic characterization of seven strains of Mycoplasma fermentans isolated from synovial fluids of patients with arthritis.

We performed a genotypic characterization of seven strains of Mycoplasma fermentans which have been isolated from the synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (n = 2), spondyloarthropathy (n = 1), and unclassified arthritis (n = 4). We compared them to three reference strains (strains PG18 and K7 and incognitus strain) and to a clinical isolate from the urethra of a patient with nongonococcal urethritis. The characterization methods included electrophoresis of native DNA, arbitrarily primed PCR, and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis following conventional and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Southern blot analysis with a probe internal to an insertion sequence was performed with the restriction products produced by the last two techniques. No extrachromosomal DNA sequences were detected. The M. fermentans strains identified by these methods did not present a unique profile, but they could be separated into two main categories: four articular isolates were genetically related to PG18 and the three other isolates, the urethral isolate, and the incognitus strain were related to K7. We also looked for the presence of the bacteriophage MAV1 (associated with the arthritogenic property of Mycoplasma arthritidis in rodents) in the M. fermentans strains. MAV1 DNA was not detected in either the clinical isolates or the reference strains of M. fermentans.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Molecular diagnosis of Ureaplasma urealyticum in an immunocompetent patient with destructive reactive polyarthritis.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, which is a useful method for detecting infectious agents in joints, has potential utility in the molecular diagnosis of venereal-associated arthritis. Among pathogens detected by this technique, Ureaplasma urealyticum, which is primarily associated with reactive arthritis (ReA), is also implicated in septic arthritis in immunocompromised patients. We report here a case of destructive polyarthritis, initially suggestive of septic arthritis, in an immunocompetent patient whose PCR positivity for U. urealyticum DNA in one joint, in conjunction with the disease outcome and histologic findings, led to the diagnosis of destructive ReA.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Environmental factors and iatrogenic elements in systemic scleroderma and related syndromes. Review of the literature].

The etiology of scleroderma remains unknown. Although a genetic susceptibility seems to play a role, some environmental and iatrogenic factors have been suggested to trigger the disease. Contact for many months or years with natural or synthetic "toxic" products (by inhalation, cutaneous contact, injection, swallowing or surgical implant) could be implicated in the development of typical scleroderma or pseudo-scleroderma. These products are either occupational or non occupational like those used at home in daily life. We will sum up the knowledges about this subject.

Environmental Exposure↗
PubMed1997

Systematic detection of mycoplasmas by culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedures in 209 synovial fluid samples.

The objective was to investigate the presence of mycoplasmas in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other chronic arthritides. Samples of synovial fluid (SF) were systematically collected from all patients presenting with an articular effusion. Each sample was divided into three parts. The first was kept for cytological count and culture on standard media for pyogens and mycobacteria, the second was cultivated on specific media for mycoplasmas and the third frozen for subsequent study by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 209 samples were studied. Half of the patients had inflammatory rheumatic diseases: RA (27), spondyloarthropathy (28), connective tissue disease (5), unclassified arthritis (45). The remaining suffered from other conditions, including osteoarthritis (60), gouty arthritis (19), haemarthrosis (5), post-traumatic effusion (2). Eight samples were positive by culture, two for Mycoplasma hominis; three for M. fermentans, one for M. salivarium, one for M. orale and one for Ureaplasma urealyticum. All the patients concerned had an inflammatory rheumatic disease: five had RA, one had psoriatic arthritis and two had unclassified arthritis. These results were confirmed by PCR in two cases (one M. fermentans, one U. urealyticum). The lack of sensitivity of the conventional PCR assay on SF is discussed. Mycoplasmas were mainly detected in SF of RA patients. These results raise the question of the possible role of mycoplasmas in the triggering and maintenance of inflammatory rheumatic diseases, especially RA.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Mycoplasmas and arthritides.

Rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases might be triggered by infectious agents. We have reviewed the evidence suggesting that mycoplasmas may play a role in the genesis of arthritis. Mycoplasmas are a common cause of spontaneous arthritis in many animal species. Numerous experimental models of mycoplasma-induced arthritis have been developed, some with mycoplasmas known to cause disease in humans. Mycoplasmas entertain complex relationships with the immune system of their hosts and frequently induce autoimmune events such as rheumatoid factor production. However, the potential role of mycoplasmas in human joint disease remains unknown. Mycoplasmas can be responsible for septic arthritis in patients with immune deficiencies, especially hypogammaglobulinemia. Whether mycoplasmas can incite or perpetuate inflammatory joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis remains controversial. Advances in molecular biology techniques for detecting infectious agents can be expected to settle this issue in the near future.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Prednisolone concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid after oral prednisone. Preliminary data.

Penetration of prednisolone across the blood-brain barrier was studied in 17 patients (ten women and seven men) with a mean age of 64 +/- 17 years admitted for nerve root pain warranting a lumbar puncture. One blood sample and one cerebrospinal fluid sample were obtained concomitantly from each patient, two hours (n = 7), four hours (n = 5) or six hours (n = 5) after an oral dose of 40 mg of prednisone. Prednisolone was assayed in all samples using high performance liquid chromatography and its binding to plasma proteins was determined using ultrafiltration. Total plasma prednisolone levels declined over time from 597 +/- 174 ng/ml two hours post-dose to 422 +/- 106 ng/ml four hours post-dose and 250 +/- 85 ng/ml six hours post-dose. Plasma levels of free prednisolone were 95 +/- 21 ng/ml, 59 +/- 17 ng/ml, and 18 +/- 14 ng/ml, respectively, at the same time points. Prednisolone was detectable in all cerebrospinal fluid samples, in levels of 14 +/- 2 ng/ml after two hours, 29 +/- 9 ng/ml after four hours and 17 +/- 7 ng/ml after six hours. These data demonstrate that equilibration of plasma and cerebrospinal fluid levels is achieved after six hours.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1997

Chronic immunity-driven polyarthritis in hairy cell leukemia. Report of a case and review of the literature.

Hairy cell leukemia can be responsible for polyarthritis due either to leukemic infiltration or to immunity-drive inflammation. The second variant can antedate or post-date the clinical onset of leukemic symptoms and usually presents as rheumatoid arthritis, more rarely as lupus or scleroderma. The presence of hairy cells in the joint fluid does not rule out autoimmune polyarthritis. The main differential diagnoses are Felty's syndrome and large granular lymphocyte leukemia. We report a case of hairy cell leukemia with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Fibrogenesis imperfecta ossium: ineffectiveness of melphalan.

Fibrogenesis imperfecta ossium (FIO) is an extremely rare, acquired, metabolic bone disease related to a collagen defect in bone matrix inducing spontaneous fractures. Among the 17 cases of FIO reported to date, four patients exhibited a monoclonal gammopathy (MCG) and one, treated with melphalan, was the first patient to present clinical and histological remission of the bone and plasma cell manifestations. We report the case of a 56-year-old woman who suffered spontaneous fractures of both patellae and olecranons. Skeletal X-rays showed generalized coarse, ill-defined trabeculae. The following biological parameters were abnormal: ESR: 50 mm/hour, alkaline phosphatase (AP) 256 IU/liter [normal (N): 40-110], serum IgG kappa light chain 11 g/liter, bone marrow aspirate 9% atypical plasma cells. Iliac crest biopsy showed the features of FIO including evidence of osteomalacia and nonbirefringent osteoid seams under polarized light. Eroded surfaces were increased, and trabecular bone volume was decreased. Melphalan (4 mg/day) was given in 1988 and was interrupted 1 year later because of leucopenia. Clinical status worsened. A second bone biopsy in 1989 showed identical features of FIO. In November 1990, an X-ray film showed several fractures, and coarser trabeculae. The patient died in December 1991. Regarding the prevalence of MCG and FIO, their association is unlikely accidental. The collagen defect might be related to a plasma cell-induced osteoblast impairment.

Aged↗