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Biomedical subjects

F Clément

Publications and source records attributed to F Clément.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Abortive infection of Mycobacterium leprae by the mycobacteriophage D29.

The interactions of mycobacteriophage D29 and Mycobacterium leprae were examined. It was demonstrated that after adsorption D29 injected its DNA in M. leprae. While the synthesis of host proteins and lipids were inhibited in M. tuberculosis and in M. smegmatis during infection by D29, the results were inconclusive in the case of M. leprae because these bacteria did not incorporate the appropriate substrates.

DNA, Bacterial↗

[Usefulness of biologic tests in malignant hemopathies].

In the haematological malignant diseases, especially Hodgkin's disease and other lymphomas, many of the disturbed biological tests reflect the inflammatory process and therefore lack any specificity. Of particular interest are blood sedimentation, the protein-C-reactive test, serum iron, transferrin, serum copper and ferritin. Other tests such as lactic dehydrogenase and beta 2-microglobulin appear to be in the nature of "markers". In 118 patients, serum levels of beta 2-microglobulin above 2.50 mg/l were observed in 83% of the lymphoproliferative disorders and also in 16% of patients without malignant diseases. However, the highest values (greater than 5.00 mg/l) were observed only in 12 patients with lymphoproliferative disorders and 1 patient with "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome".

Hodgkin Disease↗

[Beta 2 microglobulin].

Serum beta 2 microglobulin (beta 2 mu) level was determined in 157 patients followed up for 1 to 38 months. In 42 patients with nonremissional lymphoproliferative malignancies, the observed values (mean 4.35 +/- 2.24 mg/l) were much higher than the beta 2 mu levels obtained either in the 37 healthy subjects (mean 1.86 +/- 0.30 mg/l) or in the 39 patients with various nonmalignant diseases (mean 2.68 +/- 1.76 mg/l). However, for diagnostic purposes serum beta 2 mu level determination is still of very limited value: if the beta 2 mu level is below 2.50 mg/l, the beginning of a hematologic malignancy cannot be excluded; beta 2 mu levels between 2.50 and 5.00 mg/l are observed, in most cases, with lymphoproliferative or myeloproliferative disorders, but these values are also often found in various diseases, particularly of viral or autoimmunological etiology; a serum beta 2 mu level above 5.00 mg/l was obtained only in lymphoproliferative malignancies and in one case of "acquired immuno deficiency syndrome" (AIDS) in a homosexual male. Serum beta 2 mu determination is of chief advantage in follow-up of Hodgkin's disease, of non-Hodgkin malignant lymphoma, of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and of multiple myeloma either during treatment or in remission.

Beta-Globulins↗

[Acquired immunologic deficiency syndrome, opportunistic infections and homosexuality. Presentation of 3 cases studied in Switzerland].

Three cases of multiple opportunistic infections in previously healthy homosexual males were observed in 3 different University Hospitals in Switzerland. Two of the patients died. Infections were multiple, with P. carinii pneumonia (3 cases), chronic mucocutaneous ulcers probably due to Herpes simplex virus (2 cases), mucosal candidiasis (2 cases) and disseminated infections due to cytomegalovirus (1 case) and Mycobacterium avium (1 case). All patients had depressed cellular immunity with marked lymphopenia. These cases are similar to those recently observed in the United States, but two of the patients had never been to the USA although both had vacationed in Haïti where the syndrome has been described. These patients illustrate that this new syndrome should also be suspected outside the USA when a patient (especially a male homosexual) presents with persistent fever of unknown origin and develops opportunistic infections without obvious underlying disease.

Adult↗

Lasting Hb F reactivation and Hb A2 reduction induced by the treatment of Hodgkin's disease in a woman heterozygous for beta-thalassemia and the Swiss type of the heterocellular hereditary persistence of Hb F.

A remarkable augmentation of Hb F and a reduction of Hb A2 were observed in a Sicilian woman during and after a course of treatment for Hodgkin's disease. An inverse correlation between the proportion of Hb F and Hb A2 was found over an 8-year period, as well as in populations of red blood cells fractionated by density gradient. She exhibited two genetic defects, the Swiss type of heterocellular hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin and a beta-thalassemia trait, which were confirmed by the study of the hemoglobin synthesis and by a family study. The lasting reactivation of Hb F synthesis is attributable to the interaction of several acquired and inherited factors.

Adult↗

[Silent pericardial effusion in late pregnancy: echocardiographic detection in the third trimester of pregnancy (author's transl)].

Of 123 healthy pregnant women (mean age 28 yrs) who have been studied at various stages of their gestation by Tm and two dimensional echocardiography, 46 were in their late pregnancy (32nd to 38th week of pregnancy). Echocardiograms showed definite signs of pericardial effusion (PE) in 19 of those 46 women: the effusion was large in two, moderate in four and small in thirteen cases. PE was clinically silent as neither precordial pain nor pericardial friction rub was present. In all cases, pregnancies were uncomplicated; clinical examination was normal; however blood pressure was slightly elevated in three women. The electrocardiogram was normal or showed non specific ST-T change. PE appeared in the late pregnancy and did not occur before the 32 nd week; it was always transient and could not any longer be seen within the two months following delivery. It was likely to result from water and salt inflation as the mean weight gain was significantly higher in the group of women with PE. PE has not been reported so far during normal pregnancy. Echocardiography affords a safe and reliable approach of its diagnostic.

Adult↗

[The polycythemias].

The primary polycythemias result from malignant proliferation of myeloid stem-cell. Typically, an increase of red cell mass and a decrease of erythropoietin is found. In polycythemia vera, augmentation of PCV is frequently associated with elevation of WBC and platelets, as well as splenomegaly. The treatment consists of venosection and administration of P32 or cytostatics; all of which methods exhibit a specific risk. In secondary polycythemias, augmentation of red cell mass is consecutive to increased erythropoietin production; these hypererythropoietinemias may be induced by hypoxia or, rarely, may result from an inappropriate tumoral (malignant or benign) secretion. "Spurious" polycythemias are finally defined by the more or less normal red cell mass. They are divided into three groups: micropolycythemias, relative polycythemias and "spurious" chronic polycythemias. The latter are frequent and exhibit relatively important morbidity and mortality, and therefore the recently proposed new therapeutic approaches should be considered. Tobacco addiction appears to be one of the major causes of these "spurious" polycythemias.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

[Acquired chronic erythroblastopaenia followed by myelofibrosis. Remission with immunosuppressive therapy (author's transl)].

A 42-year-old patient with a regenerative erythroblastopenic anaemia (7 g % Hb), considered as Pure Red Cell Aplasia (PRCA) is submitted to an immunosuppressive treatment (cyclophosphamide + prednisone). For three times, this treatment gives a complete remission, followed by relapse when medication stopped. Hereafter the patient develops a Myelofibrosis with Myeloid Metaplasia (MMM). Between the different hypothesis, the most probable one seems to be an autoimmune PRCA secondary to MMM but appearing before the latter. This observation allows discussion about the role of immunological phenomens in MMM.

Anemia↗

[Induced malignant hemopathies. 6 new cases with 1 patient surviving 45 months].

Among 246 patients (49 with Hodgkin's disease, 29 with multiple myeloma, 75 with other lympho- and immunoproliferative syndromes, 70 with carcinomas and 23 with non-malignant affections) treated by cytostatic or immunosuppressive chemotherapy, 6 developed malignant hemopathy (acute myeloblastic leukemia, erythroleukemia and erythremia) apparently induced during the last 7 1/2 years. In addition, 2 carcinomas have been noted. All have received melphalan or chlorambucil, alone or associated with other cytostatic drugs. 5 out of these 6 patients also underwent radiotherapy. The lenght of chemotherapy ranged between 7 and 110 months and the latency between 45 and 110 months. A "preleukemic" cytopenia phase was observed in 4 out of 6 cases. An exceptional 45-month survival was secured in case 1 (acute myeloblastic leukemia in a patient probably cured of Hodgkin's disease IIIB). Observation 2 is the 3rd case ever published of induced acute leukemia in disseminated lupus erythematosus. All these observations are compared with the latest findings in the literature. To the very extent that the utilization of cytostatic drugs produces improvement in the prognosis of very serious diseases, their leukemogenic potential becomes more dangerous and demands limitation of their use.

Acute Disease↗