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Biomedical subjects

C Leroyer

Publications and source records attributed to C Leroyer.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

[Prevention of deep venous thrombosis in medical care].

Venous thromboembolism is a frequent and potentially severe ailment in medical patients; the clinical signs are unreliable and as early detection of the thrombosis process by non-invasive techniques is not available, prevention appears to be an alternative. Careful definition of the medical situations at risk from venous thromboembolism is necessary. Age, prior history of venous thromboembolism, and immobilization constitute high risk circumstances. Analysis of the published studies advocates prevention in three circumstances: myocardial infarction, stroke and intensive care. In other cases, further controlled studies, randomized versus placebo, are needed.

Clinical Trials as Topic

Cross-sectional assessment of workers with repeated exposure to chlorine over a three year period.

Airflow obstruction has been described in workers who experienced symptoms after acute exposure to chlorine. Persistent bronchial hyperresponsiveness has also been assessed, but mainly in case studies. In this cross-sectional study, we have assessed the relationship between inhalational accidents ("puffs") involving chlorine and persistent symptoms as well as hyperresponsiveness in 239 out of 255 at-risk workers (94%). No relationship was found between persistent symptoms and the exposure variables studied. Forced vital capacity (FVC) was higher in subjects who had had no symptoms after a "puff", compared with those who had experienced mild symptoms. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and FVC were significantly lower in subjects who experienced more than 10 puffs with mild symptoms than in subjects who reported no symptomatic puff. The presence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness was not related to exposure, but the methacholine dose-response slope showed a tendency to increased bronchial responsiveness with increased exposure. A significant difference was shown in subjects who experienced more than 10 puffs with mild symptoms. In this group of workers, repeated exposure to chlorine with acute respiratory symptoms was associated with a slight but significant reduction in expiratory flow rates, together with an increase in bronchial responsiveness, without long-term symptoms.

Adolescent

[Chronic hyperventilation syndrome].

Hyperventilation syndrome is a frequent, but poorly understood clinical entity. The clinical expression is a rich combination of respiratory, cardiac and neurological signs which can simulate various organic diseases. Hypocapnia remains the primum movens for most authors although the relationship with psychiatric situations, in particular in anxious patients, is increasingly emphasized. The diagnosis is currently based on the elimination of diseases associated with hyperventilation, then on Nijmegen's questionnaire and is confirmed by the reproduction of the same clinical picture in a voluntary hyperventilation test. Respiratory function tests offer little information. Treatment is based on combining rehabilitation therapy focused on the diaphragm and on relaxation. Specialized care may be needed in psychiatric patients.

Chronic Disease

Frequency of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome detected by means of a questionnaire in patients with coronary heart disease.

As previous studies have suggested an association between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) and ischaemic heart disease, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the frequency of clinically relevant OSA in this selected population. From September 1992 to April 1993, 136 patients referred to the Cardiology Unit for suspected angina pectoris were asked to participate in the study. The main inclusion criterion was a stable coronary heart disease, diagnosed by angiography. A sleep questionnaire was administered by a trained physician. Patients who experienced one of the following symptoms: association of body mass index (-weight/height2) above 27.5 and heavy snoring, breathing stops, or daytime hypersomnolence, were selected for a nocturnal oxygen saturation recording. The occurrence of at least one desaturation, defined as a 4% fall from baseline, led to a full night-time polysomnography. One hundred and eight patients (78 males), satisfied the entry criteria. A pulse oximetry was performed in 15, and three patients experienced a significant desaturation. Finally, one patient satisfied the criteria of OSA. The estimated proportion of OSA amounted to 0.92%, in accordance with the prevalence of OSA described in the general population. Clinically relevant OSA does not appear to be more frequent in patients suffering from stable coronary heart disease. Systematic sleep investigations in such patients do not appear to be useful in daily clinical practice.

Aged

[Pulmonary embolism and the level of thrombosis. A prospective study of 155 patients].

This study was designed to assess the risk of associated pulmonary embolism according to the level of deep venous thrombosis. From March 1992 to March 1994, 328 patients were referred to medical units for suspected deep venous thrombosis, with recent clinical signs, less than a week. Each patient underwent contrast venography and/or duplex ultrasounds of lower extremities, ventilation and perfusion lung scan within 48 hours and angiography in case of low or intermediate pulmonary embolism probability. Diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis was confirmed in 155 patients; location was distal in 41, proximal in 114; an associated pulmonary embolism was found in 66 patients (10 with distal, 56 with proximal deep venous thrombosis); odds ratio was 2.99 (95% Cl: 1.2-3.13). Significantly higher risk of associated pulmonary embolism when deep venous thrombosis involves proximal veins is confirmed, but as many as 10 out of 41 patients with distal thrombosis also had an associated embolism. Management of both distal and proximal deep venous thromboses appears identical.

Aged

[Plastic bronchitis].

We report a case of plastic bronchitis occurring in a 58 year-old man free from underlying pulmonary disease. Relief of symptoms was observed under steroid therapy (1 mg/kg), but relapse occurred as treatment being tapered. Such evolution is in accordance with recent published data.

Bronchitis

[Value and role of clinical findings in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism].

The value and role of clinical findings in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism were analysed in the three steps of clinical reasoning: firstly, they lead the physician to suspect the diagnosis; however, no sign or association of clinical signs allow confirmation or infirmation of the diagnosis; they are simply a guide to diagnosis; secondly, they contribute to the exclusion of a number of differential diagnoses, with the help of simple complementary investigations such as blood gases, electrocardiograms and chest X-ray; finally, when grouped together and expressed in terms of probability, clinical data are essential for the interpretation of pulmonary scintigraphy and for assessing the indications of further investigations.

Blood Gas Analysis

[Small-cell carcinoma of the trachea in a 27-year-old patient].

A rare small-cell carcinoma of the trachea was observed in a 27 year-old man. Treatment included chemotherapy and radiotherapy as for bronchogenic small cell carcinomas. This treatment regimen led to complete but temporary remission. The patient died 4 months after the end of the treatment due to multiple cerebral metastases.

Adult

Mesenchymal cystic hamartoma of the lung.

We report the case of an asymptomatic 51-year-old man, presenting with chest X-ray abnormalities consisting in multiple pulmonary nodules; the diagnosis of mesenchymal cystic hamartoma of the lung was made by an open lung biopsy, revealing both nodules of mesenchymal cells and cysts with a lining of normal or metaplastic epithelium. Clinical and pathological characteristics of this rare entity are reviewed.

Cysts

[Value of ipratropium (Atrovent) in the treatment of chronic obstructive lung diseases in myasthenic patients treated with anticholinesterase agents. Apropos of a case].

We report a case of myasthenia gravis occurring in a 70-year old patient with old chronic bronchitis. Anticholinesterase therapy led to an increase in respiratory symptoms, but relief was obtained with inhaled ipratropium. The activity of this drug was confirmed by spirography. This clinical finding is compared with similar data found in the literature.

Aged

[Malignant endobronchial melanoma, apparently primary. Apropos of a case].

This case concerns a 48 year-old patient whose endobronchial malignant melanoma was discovered on the occasion of a haemoptysis. A search for primary localization remained negative, suggesting a primary endobronchial lesion. Only a few cases of endobronchial malignant melanoma have been published, and several assumptions can be raised to explain the possibility of their primary origin.

Bronchial Neoplasms