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Biomedical subjects

C Halimi

Publications and source records attributed to C Halimi.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Brachial plexopathy associated with diffuse edematous scleroderma.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS) involvement is rare in systemic sclerosis (SSc), usually restricted to peripheral nerve entrapment. To our knowledge, only one case of scleroderma with brachial plexus involvement has been reported previously. We report here on a 61-year-old woman with past history of limited cutaneous SSc who developed motor deficiency in the left arm concomitant with diffuse edematous scleroderma without evidence for trauma or compression of the brachial plexus. After six months intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide therapy, dramatic improvement of skin and neurological involvement was observed.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1999

[Hepatic brucelloma: 2 cases and a review of the literature].

We report two new cases of hepatic brucelloma in addition to the 22 previously reported cases in the literature. Our analysis of these cases reveals certain characteristics. Hepatic brucelloma is a rare localization that follows previously undetected acute brucellosis. Brucelloma is a result of caseification of a granulomatous reaction induced by persistent Brucella in macrophages. Clinical manifestations can mimic malignant liver tumors or pyogenic, amebic liver abscess. Diagnosis is based on the association of characteristic imaging features (central calcification and peripheral necrotic areas), positive serology and hepatic granulomas. Brucella is rarely isolated in the blood or liver. Awareness of this clinical variant can prevent unnecessary laparotomy. Treatment should begin with rifampicine (900 mg per day) and doxycyclin (200 mg per day) for 3 months. If medical treatment is unsuccessful, percutaneous or surgical drainage should be performed. A cure should be achieved in all cases.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1997

Blind loop syndrome: an unusual cause of panniculitis.

We describe a 52-year-old woman with panniculitis and blind loop syndrome. She had undergone a gastrectomy for peptic ulcer 4 years before. Tender erythematous nodules on her palms and soles were associated with diarrhea and weight loss. A biopsy specimen revealed septal and lobular panniculitis. A glucose hydrogen breath test was consistent with bacterial overgrowth. These results were consistent with panniculitis associated with a blind loop syndrome. Only four cases of this association have been reported previously.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Biclonal immunoglobulin M dysglobulinaemia: evolving aspects in a case of primary Sjögren's syndrome.

The observation of suggestive clinical symptoms in a patient suffering from a Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome led to a search for a cryoglobulin. Unusual physico-chemical features of this cryoglobulin were discovered, using standard electrophoresis, immunoelectrophoresis, immunofixation and electroimmunotransfer. The main unusual finding was that the cryoprecipitate was made up of a biclonal IgM kappa associated to polyclonal IgG. Therefore, we suggest that this new form of cryoglobulin be classified as a subtype IIb, thus distinguishing two subtypes in the usual classification.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

[Portal hypertension caused by intra-hepatic block in chronic lymphoid leukemia].

A 83-year-old woman with chronic lymphoid leukemia--well controlled for 14 years with chemotherapy--was admitted for ascitis due to portal hypertension. Liver biopsy showed major portal infiltration with monomorphic little lymphocytes. Portal hypertension during chronic lymphoid leukemia might be caused by this periportal lymphoid infiltration or by intraportal venous thrombosis due to thrombophilia or by increasing of hepatic blood flow. Our observation showed that hepatic localizations of the disease may induce acute symptoms even when the lymphoid leukemia seems to be under control both in terms of blood parameters and lymphadenopathy.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

[Role of hepatitis C virus in the genesis of hepatic lesions observed in alcoholic patients with liver cirrhosis].

The aim of study was to assess the role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in 164 alcoholic cirrhotic patients. We studied the prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies using ELISA and RIBA first and second generation tests. Twenty-two % of the patients had anti-HCV antibodies detected by ELISA 2, RIBA 2 test was positive in 10% of the patients and indeterminate in 3%. We compared epidemiological, biological and histological characteristics according to the results of the tests. By comparing ELISA 2-RIBA 2 positive patients to ELISA 2 negative patients, we observed, in the former, a) a higher serum aminotransferase activity, b) a lower serum gammaglutamyl transpeptidase activity, and c) a lower histological score of alcoholic hepatitis. In addition, in a group of ELISA 2 positive RIBA 2 negative patients, the values were intermediate between those of the two former groups. However, most of these patients had a negative third generation ELISA test. The whole results suggest that HCV is likely to play a role in the pathogenesis of liver damage in a high number of alcoholic cirrhotic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Pathogenesis of liver cirrhosis in alcoholic patients: histological evidence for hepatitis C virus responsibility.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been proposed to be a cofactor in the pathogenesis of cirrhosis in patients with chronic alcoholism. The demonstration of a different liver histological pattern in anti-HCV positive patients might provide additional evidence. We studied 164 patients with chronic alcoholism, and histologically proven cirrhosis. For all of them, serum samples were collected at the time of a liver biopsy and stored at -80 degrees C. Testing for anti-HCV antibodies was done using the Ortho Diagnostic Systems Anti-HCV ELISA test. Only reproducible results were considered positive. A semi-quantitative assessment of seven histological parameters was made independently on liver biopsy samples. In the study group, 29 patients (18%) had anti-HCV antibodies. When compared with anti-HCV negative patients, both groups had similar ALT and AST seric activities. Anti-HCV positive patients had a greater score of mononuclear cells infiltrate (0.71 +/- 0.57 vs 0.41 +/- 0.52; p less than 0.05) and a lesser score of alcoholic hepatitis (0.19 +/- 0.57 vs 0.74 +/- 0.74; p less than 0.005). The scores for steatosis, perisinusoidal and perinodular fibrosis, and hepatocellular necrosis were similar in the two groups. In anti-HCV positive patients, with a clearly positive recombinant immunobinding assay (RIBA, Chiron-Ortho Diagnostic Systems), a greater score for hepatic necrosis and a lesser one for fibrosis were demonstrated. Among the seven patients with active cirrhosis, six were anti-HCV positive. Therefore, HCV is likely to play a role in the pathogenesis of liver damage in a few patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, especially, those with active cirrhosis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Role of suindac in the treatment of familial adenomatous polyposis coli].

Familial adenomatous polyposis is a rare genetic disease characterized by the development of colorectal adenomatous polyps. Extracolonic digestive and extra-digestive manifestations can also appear. Inevitably, colorectal cancer occurs if a colectomy is not performed. Sulindac is an indolic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory indole drug which decreases colonic tumoral proliferation. The different trials published since 1983 have shown that sulindac caused regression of colorectal adenomatous polyps, but it does not affect the other manifestations of familial adenomatous polyposis. However, colorectal polyps recurred after cessation of this therapy; the effect of long-term sulindac therapy is unknown; and sulindac may cause, as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, digestive side-effects. Moreover, treatment with sulindac does not completely eliminate the risk of cancer. For patients with familial adenomatous polyposis, total colectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is the recommended procedure for most patients. However, sulindac is useful for patients who have had subtotal colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis, if these patients have only a few rectal stump polyps and accept regular and strict follow-up of the rectal stump. Sulindac is also indicated for patients who have not undergone colectomy because surgery is contraindicated or has been refused.

Adenocarcinoma↗