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J H Barrier

Publications and source records attributed to J H Barrier.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Fibronectin in HIV-infected patients: a prospective study.

Fibronectin, a non-specific opsonin involved in the clearance of microorganisms, is thought to play a role in various infectious disease processes. Its diagnostic value as a biological marker of infection and/or prognosis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients is questionable. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate plasma fibronectin levels in patients with HIV infection at different stages of the disease. Eighty-one consecutive HIV-infected patients seen in our department were evaluated clinically and biologically. Classifications according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stages were: Group II (n = 22), Group III (n = 17), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (n = 17) and AIDS related complex (n = 25). Plasma fibronectin levels were measured by a radial immunodiffusion assay. Plasma fibronectin levels were not different between HIV-infected patients (344 +/- 128 mg/L) and controls (n = 20, 335 +/- 45 mg/L). Among the 81 patients, plasma fibronectin levels were within normal value in 79%, with no significant difference of mean plasma fibronectin between the different CDC groups. No correlation was found between plasma fibronectin and other biological parameters including CD4+ cells, p24 antigen, beta-2-microglobulin. Furthermore, no correlation was noted between fibronectin and complement levels or presence of circulating immune complexes. These results suggest that plasma fibronectin is not a useful marker in patients with HIV infection.

AIDS-Related Complex↗
PubMed1991

Endocrine function in 98 HIV-infected patients: a prospective study.

Endocrine function was prospectively evaluated in 98 patients (73 men and 25 women) infected by HIV in various stages of illness: Centers for Disease Control groups II (19), III (20), IVA and IVC2 (27), IVC1 and IVD (32). Testing included baseline and post-stimulation evaluation of gonadal, thyroidal, and adrenal axes. Although adrenal function was within normal values in most cases, with no differences between patient groups, nine out of 98 patients had either a low baseline or post-stimulation serum cortisol, cytomegalovirus adrenalitis being suspected in two cases. Mineralocorticoid response was normal in all individuals. The main abnormalities were sick euthyroid syndrome with low tri-idothyronine and/or thyroxine in 16% of patients and hypotestosteronemia in 29% of men with AIDS. These abnormalities, related to a functional deficiency of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, were highly correlated with the degree of illness, i.e. weight loss and low CD4+ cell count. It was concluded that endocrine dysfunction in HIV-infected patients is rarely of clinical significance, that it is related more to cachexia and advanced disease than to HIV or opportunistic infections, and that it could serve as a prognostic marker.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

[Epidemiology of Horton's disease. Is there an environmental factor, infective in particular?].

Epidemiological studies of temporal arteritis have essentially only been reported in the English literature. The authors of this study were concerned with this aspect of temporal arteritis in the Loire-Atlantique region of France over a period of 10 years (1970-1979). The high prevalence in white races has been confirmed. The annual incidence in France is comparable to that seen in Northern Europe and the USA. The incidence of the disease is especially high between 70 and 80 years. The apparent female predominance is related to the greater life expectancy in women. The study of several conjugal cases does not suggest the intervention of an infectious agent. The same is true for isolated cases where the responsibility of a bacterial or viral agent has not been demonstrated. Other environmental factors (sun exposure, life-style, socio-professional classification) do not affect the incidence of the disease. The genetic background would seem to be of particular importance. This study found a significantly higher prevalence of HLA DR4 antigen, confirming the results of American and British studies. However, in contrast to previous studies, this series did not confirm an increase in HLA B8 antigen.

Environment↗
PubMed1988

The efficacy of selective unilateral temporal artery biopsy versus bilateral biopsies for diagnosis of giant cell arteritis.

Two hundred bilateral temporal artery biopsies performed prospectively in 200 patients suspected of having giant cell arteritis (GCA) were always preceded by Doppler flow study and local clinical examination. If bilateral temporal artery biopsies had been guided by positive local clinical examination, 24 positive biopsies would have been found, and Doppler studies would have improved the diagnostic score to 39; however, the biopsies gave 42 histologically positive results, providing the best diagnostic yield. The possibility of GCA with normal Doppler flow studies was noted as well as the existence of relatively asymptomatic forms of GCA, so that systematic performance of bilateral temporal artery biopsy would seem justified in any case of suspected GCA.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Respective prevalences and frequencies of Horton's disease and rhizomelic pseudopolyarthritis. Epidemiological study in the Loire-Atlantic department using a general practice research network (RESOMED 44)].

Using a research network of general practitioners (Resomed 44) representing the 20th of all GP's in the Loire Atlantique region and distributed at random according to district, age and sex made it possible to evaluate the respective prevalences of temporal arteritis (TA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) in all the systemic immune diseases listed. Among these diseases, rheumatoid arthritis was the most frequent (35.39%). TA (18.8%) and PMR (18.54%) had about the same prevalence. For each of these diseases the year/physician prevalence was evaluated at 0.11, which means that the probability for each GP to see 1 TA and 1 RP at once in 10 years. At the time of the survey, 52.9% of TA patients and 78.8% of PMR patients were surviving. GP's alone follow up more TA's and PMR's than the other systemic immune diseases.

Aftercare↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Temporal artery syndrome in amyloidosis AL associated with myeloma].

The authors report a case of amyloidosis AL associated with light lambda chain myeloma, mimicking giant cell temporal arteritis. The normality of inflammatory proteins, the primary resistance to corcicosteroids and the results of temporal artery biopsy (amyloid deposits without giant cell granuloma) excluded a diagnosis of giant cell arteritis associated with amyloidosis. The most probable mechanism was infiltration of branches of the external carotid artery. In patients with temporal arteritis, amyloidosis must be suspected and sought, particularly in case of monoclonal dysglobulinaemia or manifestations that are not typical of giant cell temporal arteritis. The prognosis of vascular amyloidosis seems to be more favourable than that of the classical visceral types. The primary amyloidosis of these patients must be treated with melphalan combined with prednisone and colchicine.

Aged↗