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Biomedical subjects

Y Bertrand

Publications and source records attributed to Y Bertrand.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Mitoxantrone and high dose Ara-C for the treatment of ANLL in childhood: a pilot study of the EORTC CLCG (EORTC 58 872).

Since January 1988, 91 children with ANLL have been treated with a polychemotherapy regimen containing Mitoxantrone (MTZ), excluding other anthracyclines. Induction consisted of Ara-C, MTZ, and VP 16. Consolidation lasted 6 weeks with Vincristine, MTZ, Ara-C and 6-thioguanine (6TG), and was followed by 2 intensification courses combining High-dose Ara-C with respectively MTZ or VP 16. Maintenance therapy associated 6TG, Ara-C and MTZ up to a cumulative dose of 150 mg/m2. 91 patients are evaluable: 70 (76.9%) achieved complete remission, 59 (64.8%) after induction alone. There were 7 early deaths, 5 deaths in complete remission, and 17 relapses. Major toxic side effects were observed during the consolidation phase, mainly infectious complications, and the median duration of neutropenia was 82 days in this phase, leading to decrease the MTZ dose from 10 to 8 mg/m2. The event-free survival at three years is 38%. Cardiac toxicity is presently absent in children without previous cardiopathy.

Adolescent↗

[Candida albicans arthritis during induction treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

Candida arthritis is a rare event which is a result of direct intraarticular inoculation, or--in compromised host--of hematogenous spread. We report on the case of an 18-month-old boy who experienced such an infection during induction treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia with aplastic onset. He was healed by daily systemic amphotericin B administered over a period of 3 wks associated with intravenous flucytosine during the first 2 wks; the treatment was continued with oral administration of ketoconazole for 5 wks. Treatment control was performed by drug monitoring in plasma and synovial fluid, as well as by determination of Candida antigenemia and antibody levels. We consider that the required doses of amphotericin B should be based upon plasma concentrations greater than 0.5 or 1 mg/l to be maintained during 2-3 wks. Providing that there is no resistance, the association with flucytosine may be useful.

Antifungal Agents↗

Comparison of HIV detection by virus isolation in lymphocyte cultures and molecular amplification of HIV DNA and RNA by PCR in offspring of seropositive mothers.

An early and accurate diagnosis of HIV infection is needed in the offspring of seropositive mothers. To this end, we have used two techniques for the direct detection of HIV in 12 newborns tested within 2 weeks after birth and 12 children. HIV isolation was carried out in lymphocyte cocultures and compared with detection of DNA and RNA sequences by molecular amplification using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In lymphocyte cocultures, HIV was isolated in 8 of 24 cases (33%), including 3 newborns, 3 symptomatic children, and 2 asymptomatic ones. HIV DNA was detected by PCR in twice as many cases, i.e., in 16/24 cases (66%), including 7/12 newborns, 4/4 symptomatic children, and 5/8 asymptomatic ones, 2 of whom became seronegative, HIV RNA was detected in 10 of 16 cases (60%) with detectable HIV DNA, including all of the cases who had a positive HIV isolation. Only children with clinical or biological signs of HIV infection were positive for HIV RNA. Furthermore, signs of HIV infection appeared within 6 months in three of the four newborns who were positive for HIV RNA at birth. These results indicate that HIV DNA detection by PCR is far more sensitive than HIV isolation in culture for the early diagnosis of HIV infection in offspring of seropositive mothers. HIV RNA detection appears to be a useful prognostic marker since it does correlate with disease progression and may serve as a clue for HIV replication in vivo.

Cells, Cultured↗

Exercise induces pentane production and neutrophil activation in humans. Effect of propranolol.

The effect of beta-adrenergic receptor blockade on exercise-induced lipid peroxidation in man has been examined by measuring the production of pentane in expired air. For this purpose, five healthy male subjects were subjected to dynamic exercise of graded intensity on a cycle ergometer (10 min at 45%, 5 min at 60% and 75% maximal oxygen uptake 1 h after ingestion of either a placebo or 40-mg propranolol. At rest, mean pentane concentration [( pent]) with placebo was 4.13 pmol.l-1, SD 2.14. After exercise, this value significantly increased by 310% (17.1 pmol.l-1, SD 7.73, P less than 0.01). Oral administration of 40-mg propranolol significantly lowered the mean resting [pent] to 1.75 pmol.l-1, SD 0.77, P less than 0.05. After exercise, the increase of [pent] was much smaller (240%) and was less significant (P less than 0.2) than with the placebo. The mechanism of this inhibitory effect of propranolol remains to be elucidated. However, as indicated by the measurement of plasma myeloperoxidase concentration, it can be concluded that the antioxidant property of propranolol cannot be attributed to the inhibition of neutrophil activation, a possible source of free radicals during exercise.

Adult↗

[Transfusion of concentrates enriched in neocytes in the thalassemic child. Preliminary results].

In this study, we compared the results of young red cells transfusion for 12 months with the administration of conventional red cells units during the year before, in three thalassemic children. We used the Neocel system (Cutter laboratories) to prepare neocytes. A quality control of neocyte units was developed: especially the phthalate oil technique which shows a 70% enrichment of young red cells. These patients received 170.4 +/- 9 ml/kg of body weight of neocytes compared with 197 +/- 20 ml/kg of body weight of conventional red cells concentrates. The mean decrease of hemoglobin transfused per kg of body weight per year was 22%. The mean pretransfusion hemoglobin level did not change during the 2 years of study. The children grow without any problem and no pathologic event occurred during the study. The control of the serological ferritin levels does not allow for definitive conclusions in the evolution of the iron overload of our three patients. However, this overload seems to decrease. It's why it's necessary to carry on with our study.

Blood Transfusion↗

[Granulocytic sarcoma (chloroma): rare extramedullary tumors associated with acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia].

The authors report 5 new cases of pediatric granulocytic sarcomas. These rare extramedullary tumors are composed of immature granulocytic cells, usually associated with an acute non lymphoblastic leukemia, but may appear several months before. Their characteristics are exposed (epidemiology, clinical features, cytology and cytogenetics), and therapeutic rules are discussed, especially for the granulocytic sarcomas without evidence of bone marrow involvement. The prognosis is known to be poor.

Child, Preschool↗

Differences in tocopherol-lipid ratios in ARDS and non-ARDS patients.

Plasma tocopherol, plasma total lipid levels and tocopherol-lipid ratio were measured every 6 h during 48 h in 12 critically ill patients and compared with those of a control group. The patients were divided into two groups. Group I comprised 6 critically ill patients with ARDS and group II comprised 6 severely ill patients without ARDS. The means for all observations of plasma tocopherol, total lipid levels and tocopherol-lipid ratio in groups I and II were significantly depressed relative to a control group (p less than 0.0001). The difference in the average tocopherol-lipid ratio between the three groups (p less than 0.0001) and between the groups I and II was statistically significant (p less than 0.0001). Our results indicated: (1) a decrease of vitamin E concentrations in the critically ill patients, particularly in ARDS patients; (2) the importance of the relationship between plasma tocopherol and plasma lipids levels in evaluating the deficiency in vitamin E which was evident in ARDS patients.

Adult↗

[Parvovirus infections in children with hemolytic anemia].

Acute episodes of erythroblastopenia in children with chronic hemolytic anemias have been recognized for a considerable length of time. In 1981, a small virus with a single strand of DNA, parvovirus B 19, was identified as the causative agent in most such episodes. Other diseases have been ascribed to parvovirus B 19, including erythema infectiosum or fifth disease, polyarthralgia, fetal death. Schonlein-Henoch disease, and bone marrow aplasia. In acute attacks of erythroblastopenia, anemia is the most prominent manifestation, but coexistence of neutropenia and thrombopenia has been reported. Hematologic disorders last for approximately ten days. The diagnosis of recent parvovirus B 19 infection rests on detection of specific IgM antibodies, or direct visualisation of the virus by electron microscopy. More recently, detection of the viral genome using molecular hybridization techniques has been achieved. In vitro studies have confirmed the inhibiting effect of parvovirus B 19 on red cell line progenitors, particularly CFU-E, but the exact mechanism of the inhibition remains uncertain. Other diseases due to parvovirus B 19 or other parvoviruses probably remain to be discovered.

Anemia, Hemolytic↗

[Treatment of vaso-occlusive crisis of sickle-cell disease with pentoxifylline].

Sickle-cell disease is usually complicated by vaso-occlusive attacks. A review of the case-histories of 26 patients permitted an analysis of 92 severe attacks. We compared the outcome of 52 attacks treated with hyperhydration associated with a modifying erythrocyte membrane agent (pentoxifylline), with 40 attacks treated with hyperhydration and other drugs. This result compares well the current knowledge of the rheologic mechanisms involved in vaso-occlusive attacks of sickle-cell disease.

Adolescent↗

Acute myeloblastic leukemia presenting as apparent acute otitis media.

Three cases of acute myeloblastic leukemia of FAB-M2 type revealed by an isolated otitis media are reported. This mean of revelation is valuable for early diagnosis and treatment of the disease. A karyotype was performed in two cases and showed an 8;21 translocation. As far as we know, these are the first acute myeloblastic leukemia cases with otitis media reported in which an 8;21 translocation was detected.

Acute Disease↗

Evoked otoacoustic emissions: normative data and presbycusis.

Evoked acoustic emission (EAEs) recordings hold some promise as a fast, objective and non-invasive audiological procedure to study the cochlea at the outer hair cell (OHC) level. However, accurate interpretation in the EAE response must be based on a knowledge of its variations with age. In order to investigate age-related changes of EAEs, the properties of EAEs (incidence, threshold and spectrum) were studied in 151 ears from subjects whose age varied between 2 and 88 years. EAEs were present in 100% of the tested subjects until the age of 60 years. After this age, EAE incidence fell to 35%. EAE threshold did not vary until the age of 40 years but increased linearly after this age. Thus, complementary information on OHC degenerative changes in presbycusis could be deduced from these data.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

[Fatal cerebral toxoplasmosis in a leukemia child in remission].

We report the case of a 4 year-old boy who died from cerebral toxoplasmosis while in remission from acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The clinical picture was remarkably insidious and non specific: diagnosis is particularly difficult in immunodepressed patients. Diagnosis was made on seroconversion. No autopsy was performed. An association of sulfadiazine-pyrimethamine is often effective, but the prognosis is poor in the absence of a specific and precocious treatment.

Brain Diseases↗

[Mucormycosis and diabetes in acute leukemia].

The authors report the case of 5 1/2 year-old boy with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus revealed during the induction therapy of an acute leukemia of the mixed type, and who presented with an unusual type of pulmonary fungal infection: mucormycosis. It had a favourable outcome with surgical excision preceded and followed by amphotericin B treatment.

Acute Disease↗