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Biomedical subjects

J Escourrou

Publications and source records attributed to J Escourrou.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Microscopic examination of bile directly collected during endoscopic cannulation of the papilla. Utility in patients with suspected microlithiasis.

The usefulness of microscopic examination of pure bile directly collected from the biliary tract during endoscopic retrograde cholangiography and without hormonal simulation was prospectively evaluated in 72 patients. According to clinical, biochemical, ultrasonographic, and radiographic data, the patients were separated into two groups: group 1, patients with proven stones (N = 50), and group 2, patients with suspected microlithiasis presenting symptoms suggestive of cholelithiasis but without evidence of macroscopic stones at echography or cholangiography (N = 22). Cholesterol crystals and/or bilirubinate granules were observed (eg, positive examination) in the bile of 41 of the 50 patients of group 1 (82%). Among patients of group 2, seven (32%) had a positive bile examination: cholecystectomy (N = 2) or endoscopic sphincterotomy (N = 5) disclosed minute stones in all cases. In the 15 patients of group 2 with a negative bile examination, cholecystectomy (N = 3), sphincterotomy (N = 2), and clinical (and/or echographic) 20-month follow-up (N = 9) revealed biliary lithiasis in only one patient, in whom recurrent cholangitis led to disclosure of one bile duct stone. According to these results, microscopic examination of bile samples collected during endoscopic retrograde cholangiography exhibited a sensitivity and a specificity for cholelithiasis recognition of 82.7% and 100%, respectively, with a positive predictive value of 88%. We conclude that the accuracy of this method makes it useful to investigate and manage patients with suspected microlithiasis.

Aged

[Incidence, treatment and prognosis of cancer of the pancreas in Haute-Garonne (1982-1986)].

The characteristics of incident cases of pancreatic carcinoma found in the area of Haute-Garonne (France), as determined by the Digestive Cancer Registry, are reported. Two hundred and forty-six new cases were collected during a 5 year period in a population of 820,000 inhabitants. The annual standardized incidence rate per 100,000 inhabitants was 4.7 for men and 2.6 for women, respectively. This represents a low risk and corresponds to 7 percent of all intestinal tract tumors. The tumors were shown histologically to be adenocarcinoma in 85 percent of cases. The tumor was localized in the head of the gland in 64 percent of cases, while metastases were present at the time of diagnosis in 43 percent of cases. Ultrasonography was the initial investigation (44 percent of cases) and was performed well before endoscopic retrograde wirsungography (12.8 percent) and computed tomography (18 percent). Eighty-six percent of the patients were operated on. Curative surgery, however, was possible in only 12.5 percent of patients. The incidence of carcinoma remained stable during the observation period and no change was noticed with regard to housing conditions. During follow-up, 50 of 215 patients died within one month following the diagnosis (23 percent). Actuarial survival was 36 percent at 6 months, 17.4 percent at one year, and 3.6 percent at 3 years. These data were comparable to those observed in the Côte-d'Or and Calvados areas. These findings suggest that the French Digestive Tumor Registries should develop co-operative studies particularly in the analytic epidemiological fields.

Actuarial Analysis

[The main indications for lower endoscopies].

There are three main groups of indications of lower digestive tract endoscopy: (1) endoscopy may be performed to detect adenomatous polyps and thus prevent colorectal cancer by systematic excision of these polyps before they become invasive malignancies; (2) it may also be performed in patients whose symptoms (e.g. pain, diarrhoea or anaemia) may be due to a lesion of the colon. It usually provides evidence of such diseases as colorectal adenocarcinoma, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, pseudomembranous colitis, post-irradiation colitis, collagen colitis, ischaemic colitis or colonic angiodysplasia; (3) finally, emergency endoscopy can be used in case of rectal haemorrhage, where it is often completed by haemostasis, or in case of volvulus, where it removes the occlusion.

Colitis

The pharmacokinetics of bendazac-lysine and 5-hydroxybendazac, its main metabolite, in patients with hepatic cirrhosis.

We have studied the pharmacokinetics of bendazac and its major metabolite, 5-hydroxybendazac, in 11 patients with hepatic cirrhosis after the oral administration of a single 500 mg tablet of bendazac-lysine, and compared them with those obtained from 10 healthy adults. The rate of absorption of bendazac, as assessed by tmax and Cmax, is similar in patients and in healthy subjects. The drug is eliminated mostly by metabolism in healthy adults, more than 60% of the dose being excreted in the urine as 5-hydroxybendazac and its glucuronide. Hepatic insufficiency impairs this metabolism, a two-fold decrease in apparent plasma clearance (CL/f) being observed in the patients. Although the plasma unbound fraction of bendazac is increased in patients (the drug is highly bound to plasma albumin), the apparent volume of distribution (V/f) is unchanged. In consequence, the half-life of bendazac is increased two-fold in the patients. Impairment of metabolism decreases the formation of 5-hydroxybendazac, but metabolism remains the main route of its elimination. Renal excretion of bendazac accounts for about 10% of the dose in both patients with cirrhosis and healthy subjects. We conclude that in patients with severe hepatic insufficiency the daily dose of bendazac-lysine should be halved.

Adult

[Posttraumatic false aneurysm of the superficial temporal artery. Apropos of a case report and review of the medical literature].

Traumatic false aneurysm of superficial temporal artery is infrequent. About 21 cases were published during these last fifty-three years (1932-1985) in medical literature. The authors report a case of traumatic false aneurysm in a 50 y. o. woman, having had a frontal trauma one month before. They discuss the physiopathologic mechanism of this rare lesion. False aneurysm is always secondary to an arterial wall rupture. This rupture may be complete in arterial wound or partial with disruption of intima and media in simple contusion. It depends not only on the nature and the intensity of the trauma but also on the particular topography of the artery which is prone to such a complication.

Aneurysm

[Treatment of rectal cancer with the neodymium-YAG laser].

Fifty-two non-surgical patients presenting rectal carcinoma were treated initially with palliative laser Nd-YAG. Their mean age was 79 years (49-92). Thirty patients had a severe diarrheic syndrome, associated with tenesmus in 27 cases; 20 patients had repeated hematochezia (5 presenting diarrhea as well); 6 had obstructive signs and one was symptom-free. Thirty lesions were less than 6 cm in size, 12 were between 7 and 10 cm and 10 were greater than 10 cm. Twenty-two lesions were circumferential. During the study period, 444 laser sessions were performed (mean 8.5/patient). Bleeding was stopped in all cases during the first session. Improvement of the diarrheic syndrome, obtained in 24 of the 30 patients, was correlated with the reduction of tumor volume. Tenesmus disappeared after 1 or 2 sessions, regardless of whether the tumor was destroyed or not. Failure was observed in 6 patients with lesions larger than 10 cm. Colostomy was avoided in 4 of the 6 obstructed patients. Negative biopsies were repeatedly obtained after mucosal repair in 9 patients with small lesions (less than 6 cm). Mean follow-up is now 8.2 months for the patients still alive. Complications were: 2 cicatricial stenosis and 3 hemorrhages (one required blood transfusion). Laser Nd-YAG allows palliative but conservative and effective treatment for rectal cancers. Although complete destruction is possible for small lesions, indications with curative intent are currently limited to patients with major contraindications to surgery.

Adenocarcinoma

[Presence of hormonal polypeptides in the pure pancreatic secretion in man under stimulation by cerulein and secretin].

We have investigated in stimulated human pancreatic juice the presence of the following peptides: insulin, glucagon, gastrin, somatostatin, VIP and secretin. Collection of pancreatic juice (3 periods: 20 min each) was completed by endoscopic cannulation of the pancreatic duct during the infusion of secretin (0.5 U/kg/h) and cerulein (75 ng/kg/h) in 6 healthy volunteers. Pure pancreatic juice was recovered in the presence of kallikrein inhibitor (iniprol 8,000 U/ml) in refrigerated collection tubes (4 degrees C). The material was acidified, boiled for 5 min and centrifuged. Radioimmunoassays were performed on the supernatant solutions. The elution profiles on Sephadex G 25 gel filtration of the immunoreactivities were compared with standard samples of hormones, immuno-reactive insulin, glucagon and somatostatin were found in every sample: insulin was present at a constant level (50 microU/ml) during the three periods of collection; glucagon was encountered in large amounts in the first sample and decreased significantly during the subsequent periods; somatostatin which occurred at a low level during the first period was significantly increased in the following periods. Gastrin, VIP and secretin were undetectable or only inconstantly found in very small amounts. These results are in agreement with a two-directional secretion of the human pancreatic endocrine cells. The cellular origin and function of these exocrine secreted peptides need further studies.

Adult

Pharmacokinetics of CM 57755, a new histamine H2-receptor antagonist, after single oral doses in man.

The plasma pharmacokinetics and urinary excretion of CM 57755, an H2-receptor antagonist, were studied after administration of single oral doses in a range between a 100 and 700 mg in human volunteers. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated model-independent. Absorption of CM 57755 was bimodal and the maximum plasma concentration was reached between 2 and 4 h after dosing. The drug was widely distributed with an apparent volume of distribution between 140 and 200 l. The plasma clearance was between 56 and 69 L/h. The plasma concentrations declined following a monoexponential function with an elimination half-life of 2 h. No modification in the plasma clearance or other pharmacokinetic parameters with these doses was observed. Therefore, a linear pharmacokinetic profile of CM 57755 was proposed. About 40% of the parent drug was unchanged in urine excreted over the 24 h. The drug was compared with cimetidine and ranitidine, the three compounds seemed to exhibit a consistent pharmacokinetic profile.

Administration, Oral