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Biomedical subjects

F Bart

Publications and source records attributed to F Bart.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[General practice patients at risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: epidemiologic survey of 3 411 patients].

OBJECTIVES: Describe patients at risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and analyze general practitioners' (GPs) management of COPD patients in France in 2003-2004. METHODS: EDEN, a national epidemiological survey, recruited 2 378 GPs. Each GP was to include 3 consecutive patients (aged 36-80 years) who were current or former smokers and presented respiratory symptoms (any of expectoration, cough, or dyspnea) without asthma or previously diagnosed COPD. The physician completed a standardized, anonymous questionnaire for each patient, including measurement of peak expiratory flow (PEF). RESULTS: The sample of 3 411 current smokers or former smokers with respiratory symptoms included twice as many men as women. The mean age was 58 years, with women significantly younger (p<0.0001). Men and older patients had more severe disease. Women were more often current smokers, but they smoked less than men. All patients had at least one respiratory symptom, but only 63.5% were seeing their GP for that reason. Overall, 56.5% patients reported repeated acute bronchitis, and 36.3% of these at least 3 episodes. PEF was measured in 87.7% of patients and the ratio of mean measured PEF/predicted PEF was 73.2%. GPs concluded that 92.1% of these patients had COPD, but prescribed respiratory function tests useful for only 73.8% and referred only 71.2% to a specialist. CONCLUSION: Former and current smokers underestimated their respiratory symptoms, and so did the GPs. Accordingly, COPD is diagnosed later and at a more advanced stage. Increasing GPs' awareness of COPD would improve early detection in at-risk subjects.

Adult↗

The effect of tiotropium on hyperinflation and exercise capacity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by airflow limitation, which results in the progressive development of dyspnea and exercise limitation. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: To compare the effect of tiotropium with placebo on forced vital capacity (FVC) in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD and lung hyperinflation, using exercise endurance, dyspnea and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as secondary endpoints. One hundred patients were randomized to receive either tiotropium 18 mug once daily or placebo for 12 weeks. RESULTS: Trough (predose) FVC was significantly improved with tiotropium compared to placebo on day 42 (0.27 +/- 0.08 liters) and 84 (0.20 +/- 0.08 liters; p < 0.05 for both). Trough inspiratory capacity (IC) was also significantly improved with tiotropium compared to placebo on day 42 (0.16 +/- 0.07 liters) and 84 (0.15 +/- 0.07 liters; p < 0.05 for both). Tiotropium increased the mean distance walked during the shuttle walking test by 33 +/- 12 (day 42) and 36 +/- 14 m (day 84) compared to placebo (p < 0.05 for both). On day 84, 59% of the patients in the tiotropium group and 35% of the patients in the placebo group had significant and clinically meaningful improvements in the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire total score (p < 0.05). Numerical decreases in the focal score in the Transition Dyspnea Index in patients receiving tiotropium versus placebo suggest that tiotropium also improved dyspnea during activities of daily living. CONCLUSION: Tiotropium 18 mug once daily reduced hyperinflation with consequent improvements in walking distance and HRQoL in patients with COPD and lung hyperinflation.

Adult↗

[The significance of maximal expiratory concentrations of CO2 (MEC CO2) in the negative diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism in chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathies].

The aim of this prospective study was to analyse the contribution of the measurement of alveolar arterial gradients of CO2 during forced expiration in the diagnosis of pulmonary emboli occurring in chronic airflow obstruction (COPD) as a result of smoking. The study was carried out on 178 patients: Group 1: 54 subjects without emboli (14 controls, 33 COPD and 7 patients with chest pain); Group 2: 72 patients with proved emboli (49 non COPD, 23 COPD); Group 3: 52 patients COPD presenting with varied non-embolic broncho-pulmonary pathology (pneumonia, bronchospasm, pulmonary oedema, bronchial neoplasm). The diagnosis of pulmonary emboli was confirmed by scintigraphy in patients with non COPD or angiography (in patients with COPD). The maximal fraction of CO2 was measured using a capnologue during a forced expiration which was long and prolonged until residual volume was achieved. The PaCO2 was measured simultaneously by an analysis of arterial blood gases. The D index was calculated according to the formula [(PaCO2-PEM CO2)/PaCO2] x 100. The D index was significantly lower in Group 1 (3.42 +/- 3.8% p < 0.0001) than in Group 2 (20.8 +/- 10%) and Group 3 (17.6 +/- 11.7%) (not significant between Groups 2 and 3). In patients with COPD the specificity and sensitivity and the predicted positive and negative value were 100% for a D limit of 7%. In COPD patients these values were respectively 82, 95, 75 and 96% for a D limit of 7%; on the other hand for a D below 5% the values were 60, 100, 64 and 100% respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

[Myeloma with intrathoracic tumor expression].

We report a case of a patient of 58 years old who suffered from a left apical opacity occurring in a context of deterioration in general health. Subsequent clinical developments were dominated by the ophthalmic disease and a frontal syndrome. The radiological work-up showed tumoral lesions which had developed from the first rib, from the structures at the base of the cranium and the frontal area and were associated with multiple lacunae of the cranial vault. There was evidence of hyperproteinaemia, and an IgG gamma monoclonal gammopathy, a significant medullary plasmocytosis with morphological anomalies of the plasmocytes leading to a diagnosis of myeloma with a plasmocytoma of the rib and the retro-orbital area. Thoracic disease associated with this pathology is common but mainly present as osteolytic lesions. The occurrence of intrathoracic plasma cell tumours is rarer as are orbital manifestations. In spite of treatment which can frequently lead to an objective response, the prognosis of this disorder remains gloomy.

Bone Neoplasms↗

[Extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma with thoracic localization].

We report two cases of extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma revealed by large volume thoracic tumour lesions, occurring in a clinical context of an alteration in general health. The tumour mass was occupying the upper half of the left hemithorax, and was invading the thoracic wall posteriorly in the first case; it occupied the whole of the right hemithorax with invasion of the first three ribs in the second case. The first patient received five treatments with chemotherapy, using cyclophosphamide in association with adriamycin, which led to a partial response and was completed with surgical excision and a further five doses of chemotherapy using cyclophosphamide in association with etoposide. Subsequently radiotherapy was given. There was an unfavorable outcome, with recurrence in the 13th month. The second patient received three courses of chemotherapy using cyclophosphamide in association with actinomycin D and vincristine, which allowed for an 80% reduction in the tumour volume. Surgical resection was then carried out, followed by five courses with the same chemotherapy protocol. Forty-two months after the diagnosis this patient remained in complete remission. These two cases enable us to stress the value of associating a chemotherapy protocol consisting of cyclophosphamide, actinomycin D and vincristine, with systemic surgical excision in tumours with a high potential for development.

Adult↗

Bronchoalveolar lavage in allergic granulomatosis and angiitis.

Pulmonary involvement occurs in approximatively half of patients with allergic granulomatosis and angiitis (AGA). We studied bronchoalveolar cells from six patients with histologically proven AGA and compared our results with those obtained from four patients with chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP), nine nonsmoking patients with bronchial asthma and blood eosinophilia, and 10 healthy nonsmokers. Pulmonary infiltrates were present in 5 out of 6 AGA patients. None of these patients was receiving corticosteroids at the time of entry to the study. Pulmonary function tests were normal in two cases, and demonstrated on obstructive ventilatory disorder with hypoxaemia in four cases. Total cell yield did not differ between AGA patients (22.4 +/- 4.9 x 10(4) cells.ml-1), asthmatics (9.6 +/- 1.7 x 10(4) cells.ml-1) and controls (11.3 +/- 1.5 x 10(4) cells.ml-1), whereas it was dramatically increased in patients with CEP (186.4 +/- 26.3 x 10(4) cells.ml-1). All six AGA patients demonstrated an increased percentage of alveolar eosinophils (mean: 31.1 +/- 9.9%; range 6-66%). In two patients evaluation of alveolar eosinophil subpopulations showed a low percentage (27 and 36%) of hypodense cells, when compared to the high levels (> 80%) found in CEP. No significant correlation could be established between bronchoalveolar (BAL) results and clinical data, pulmonary function abnormalities, or biological results. Sequential evaluation of alveolitis in two AGA patients undergoing corticosteroid therapy demonstrated persistent alveolar eosinophilia, despite disappearance of clinical, radiological and biological abnormalities. Our data demonstrate that eosinophils are present in the alveolar spaces of patients with AGA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Superoxide anion generation by alveolar inflammatory cells in simple pneumoconiosis and in progressive massive fibrosis of nonsmoking coal workers.

We have examined superoxide anion (O2-) release by alveolar inflammatory cells recovered by bronchoalveolar lavage from the lower respiratory tract of 10 healthy nonsmokers and 25 nonsmoking pneumoconiotic patients, 11 with radiographic changes of simple pneumoconiosis (SP) and 14 with changes of progressive massive fibrosis (PMF). Significant increased number of cells was recovered from the lower respiratory tract from both patients with SP or with PMF. Alveolitis was made up predominantly of alveolar macrophages (AM) and an increased percentage of neutrophils in patients with PMF (3.3 +/- 0.7%). O2- release was evaluated using a superoxide dismutase (SOD)-inhibitable lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence method. Spontaneous O2- generation by alveolar inflammatory cells from pneumoconiotic patients with SP was three to four times greater than that from 10 age-matched, healthy control subjects. O2- release by alveolar inflammatory cells from patients with PMF was dramatically increased when compared with that in patients with SP and with that in control subjects and was observed before and after stimulation by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) (p less than 0.001). The increased O2- release was not due to a lack of enzyme antioxidant system within AM since intracellular superoxide dismutase was not lower in AM from patients than in AM from control subjects (p less than 0.05). Alteration of DLCO correlated with PMA-induced superoxide release by alveolar inflammatory cells in patients with PMF (p less than 0.05). Our data demonstrate that alveolar inflammatory cells from pneumoconiotic patients with PMF are in the activated state and release more oxygen-reactive species that do those from patients with SP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

[Pulmonary sarcoidosis simulating primary acute interstitial fibrosis at presentation. Clinical, radiologic, functional and bronchoalveolar cytologic study in 3 cases].

Sarcoidosis very rarely progresses towards severe subacute respiratory failure. We report three observations of recent atypical cases of pulmonary sarcoidosis which were proven by open lung biopsy and developed severe diffuse pulmonary granulomatosis in a few weeks with an associated interstitial fibrosis. In these patients there were diffuse crepitant rales, a dramatic reduction in lung function of 30-60% of lung volumes and diffusion capacity accompanied by major hypoxemia (m +/- DS: 63.3 +/- 4.0 mmHg) without hypercapnia. Bronchoalveolar lavage showed an alveolar neutrophil leucocytosis (7.3 +/- 5.5%) without a lymphocytosis (4.3 +/- 11.5%). In the three cases under study, the clinical picture, the radiological and lung function studies, as well as the data from the bronchoalveolar lavage, were more suggestive of an acute diffuse interstitial fibrosis than of sarcoidosis.

Adult↗

[Pulmonary hemorrhagic syndromes. Clinical and diagnostic approach].

The diagnosis of pulmonary hemorrhage syndromes (PHS) rests on a body of clinical and paraclinical evidence found in all etiologic forms. Usually, the combination of hemoptysis, iron deficiency anemia, and roentgenologic infiltrates is easy to recognize; in more atypical cases, alveolar bleeding can be demonstrated by determination of the Golde score on bronchoalveolar lavage specimens. Whereas clinical features are nearly invariable, etiologies cover a broad spectrum including some glomerular diseases, idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis, connective tissue disorders, pulmonary conditions related to compromised immunity, airborne pulmonary aggressions, and some apparently primary vascular disorders. Regardless of the severity of clinical features at presentation, pulmonary hemorrhage syndromes are always a diagnostic and therapeutic emergency.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid↗

A comparison of three severity score indexes in an evaluation of serious bacterial pneumonia.

Two non specific severity scoring systems, acute physiological score (APS) and simplified acute physiological score (SAPS) are compared with a specific index (Sc) in an evaluation of 96 ICU patients with "serious" bacterial pneumonia. The three scores were measured during the first 24 h following ICU admission. There is a good correlation between APS, SAPS or Sc. Accuracy and efficiency of the non specific scoring indexes and Sc are similar. There is no statistical difference in sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, receiver operating characteristic curves of the three indexes. Simple and reliable non specific index such as SAPS, valid for a variety of pathologies, can be used in an evaluation of mortality and comparative studies of groups of patients with serious bacterial pneumonia.

Adolescent↗

Activated alveolar macrophages in subclinical pulmonary inflammation in collagen vascular diseases.

A study was initiated to determine whether alveolar macrophages from patients with collagen vascular diseases but free of pulmonary symptoms were spontaneously activated and whether they released various mediators related to the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. Alveolar macrophages obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage from 32 patients with proved collagen vascular disease but no evidence of lung disease were compared with those from 10 patients with collagen vascular disease with interstitial lung disease (CVD-ILD) and from 10 healthy controls. The total number of alveolar macrophages did not differ between patients with collagen vascular disease and controls but were substantially increased in the CVD-ILD group. Alveolar macrophages from 31 of the 32 patients with collagen vascular disease and from all 10 in the CVD-ILD group had at least one criterion of activation. Neutrophil chemotactic activity was detected in supernatants from alveolar macrophage culture in 23 of the 32 patients with collagen vascular disease and from nine of the 10 in the CVD-ILD group; fibronectin secretion by alveolar macrophages was increased in 12 of the 32 patients with collagen vascular disease and in nine of the 10 in the CVD-ILD group. Furthermore, alveolar macrophages from 20 of the 32 patients with collagen vascular disease and four of the 10 CVD-ILD patients spontaneously released increased amounts of superoxide anion. Thus alveolar macrophages were spontaneously activated in a high proportion of patients with collagen vascular disease.

Adult↗

Alveolar macrophage dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus.

A high frequency of pulmonary infections has been a well-described feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Alveolar macrophages (AM) play a crucial role in pulmonary bacterial defense. We therefore examined the antibacterial activity of AM and generation of superoxide anion in 17 patients with SLE without clinical or radiologic pulmonary changes and in 8 control subjects. Total cell count and cellular viability of AM (trypan blue exclusion) did not differ significantly between patients and control subjects. Antibacterial activity v/s Staphylococcus aureus was significantly decreased in both untreated and corticosteroid-treated patients (respectively, -16.2 +/- 7.4 and -42 +/- 12% compared with the normal value of 51 +/- 12%, p less than 0.001). The defect of antibacterial activity was observed as well v/s S. aureus as v/s Escherichia coli. In contrast, chemiluminescence response of AM before and after stimulation by either phorbol myristate acetate or opsonized zymosan did not differ among control subjects and treated and untreated patients with SLE. We did not find any correlation between disease activity and AM function. Antibacterial activity of normal AM was shown to be significantly reduced by previous incubation with SLE serum compared with normal human serum. Thus, our findings suggest that alteration of antibacterial activity of AM may contribute to the increased susceptibility to lung infections observed in SLE.

Adolescent↗

[Value of x-ray computed tomography in assessing the extent of invasive lympho-epithelial thymoma in the adult. Therapeutic implications].

This study concerns 12 patients who were in hospital for the work-up and treatment of an invasive lympho-epithelial thymoma. The extent of the disease was studied by systemic computed tomographic (CT) scanning of the thorax and abdomen. Three patients out of nine examined presented initially with asymptomatic renal metastasis. Three patients were treated straight away by poly-chemotherapy; the nine others benefitted either from radiotherapy alone (four cases) or from radiotherapy associated with surgery (4 cases) or an isolated surgical exploration (1 case). CT examination was carried out in 11 patients 3 months after the beginning of treatment and 7 times clinically latent metastasis were rediscovered (renal, adrenal, hepatic, thyroid, cerebral and osseous). These 11 patients benefitted secondarily from polychemotherapy. The results confirm the gravity of the condition: only three patients are living and in complete remission with a follow up of 24 to 48 months. The frequency of latent metastasis, detected by CT scanning, during the course of a malignant thymoma justifies the systematic performance of this examination in the work up of the disease extent and therapeutic surveillance in these patients, and leads one to reconsider the place of chemotherapy in the therapeutic strategy of these tumours.

Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms↗

[Surgery of microcellular bronchial cancer: retrospective multicenter study apropos of 110 cases].

The results of a multicentric retrospective study of 110 cases of small cell bronchial cancer are reported. In 57 of these patients the histological diagnosis was unknown before surgery. Among the remaining 53 patients, 22 were operated upon immediately and 31 after chemo-and/or radiotherapy (12 full responders, 10 partial responders, 5 no change and 4 in relapse). Operative data were as follows: 100 excisions and 10 exploratory thoracotomies; 19 perioperative complications, including 12 deaths; excision considered complete in 78 cases; pericardial involvement in 14 cases; invasion of the hilar lymph nodes in 57 cases, of the mediastinal lymph nodes in 39 cases; positive bronchial section in 16 cases. Overall median survival was 13.8 months for all patients and 18.3 months (perioperative deaths excluded) for patients whose tumour had been excised. At the moment, 46 patients have relapsed with recurrence at the initial site of malignancy alone in 6 cases (13%) and both at this site and at one or several metastatic sites in 10 cases (21.7%). Nineteen patients have survived for more than 2 years. An analysis of the subgroups in this population showed that the longest survivals were obtained in patients who had undergone preoperative chemotherapy.

Adult↗