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J Meadeb

Publications and source records attributed to J Meadeb.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Efficacy of C1-C2 block with posterior parasagittal approach in the treatment of Arnold neuralgia in 24 patients].

UNLABELLED: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of C1-C2 block from a posterior parasagittal approach to treat Arnold neuralgia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 24 patients have been interviewed after 33 blocks were performed. The mean delay was 22 months. The posterior approach had always been performed using fluoroscopy. 27 blocks were performed with Hydrocortancyl((R)), 6 with Altim((R)). RESULTS: 71% of patients were symptomatically improved after one month, 62% after 3 months and more than 50% after one year. Using a visual analogue scale, pain was reduced of 5.8, i.e. 70% of patients were improved. An important reduction of pain killer requirements was noted for improved patients, patients with pain recurrence asked for a new infiltration. No significant side effect was noted. CONCLUSION: Our method seems to be an efficient alternative to blocks performed on the origin of the nerve and to surgical treatment.

Adult↗

Forceful sacrococcygeal injections in the treatment of postdiscectomy sciatica. A controlled study versus glucocorticoid injections.

UNLABELLED: The role of epidural fibrosis in postoperative sciatica is unclear. Few therapeutic trials have been published. We evaluated the mechanical effects of forceful saline injections through the sacrococcygeal hiatus comparatively with glucocorticoid injections. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-seven patients with postdiscectomy sciatica but no evidence of compression by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging were included in a multicenter, randomized, controlled, parallel-group study comparing forceful injections of saline (20 ml) with or without prednisolone acetate (125 mg) to epidural prednisolone acetate (125 mg) alone. Each of the three treatments was given once a month for three consecutive months. Outcome measures were pain severity on a visual analog scale (VAS) and the scores on the Dallas algofunctional self-questionnaire on day 0, day 60, and day 120. Analysis of variance for repeated measures and Student's t test for paired series were used to evaluate the data. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were evaluated. The VAS score improved significantly between day 0 and day 30 in the glucocorticoid group as compared to the forceful injection group (P = 0.01). No other significant differences were found across the groups. The VAS score improved steadily in the forceful injection group, producing a nearly significant difference on day 120 as compared to baseline (P = 0.08). CONCLUSION: Forceful epidural injections produced a non-significant improvement in postdiscectomy sciatica four months after surgery. Epidural glucocorticoids used alone induced short-lived pain relief.

Adolescent↗

Prompt regression of paravertebral and epidural abscesses in patients with pyogenic discitis. Sixteen cases evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether spinal magnetic resonance imaging performed one month into anti-microbial therapy for pyogenic discitis demonstrated changes of value for predicting outcomes and making therapeutic decisions. METHODS: Prospective study of 16 patients with discitis. A physical evaluation, laboratory tests for inflammation, plain radiographs centered on the affected vertebral level, and magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium injection were performed at baseline and on day 30. All 16 patients were reevaluated after three months and 15 after six months. RESULTS: The 12 men and four women had a mean age of 59 years. Fourteen patients had a paravertebral abscess (n=12) and/or an epidural abscess (n=6). On day 30, 14 of the 16 patients were clinically improved and ten were radiologically improved. The C-reactive protein level was still elevated in five cases. All reevaluated patients were improved after three months (16/16) and six months (15/15). Only two magnetic resonance imaging features improved during the first month: the size of paravertebral abscesses decreased in 11 of 12 patients, and the size of epidural abscesses decreased in four of six patients. CONCLUSION: Paravertebral and epidural abscesses improve promptly under antimicrobial therapy. However, the presence of these lesions have no prognostic significance. Magnetic resonance imaging does not add significantly to the follow-up of patients who respond clinically to antimicrobial therapy. However, in patients with an unsatisfactory clinical response, follow-up magnetic resonance imaging can provide useful therapeutic orientation by showing whether the paravertebral and/or epidural abscesses have decreased in size.

Adult↗

Analysis of TNFalpha microsatellites in 35 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: Although the cause of Sjögren's syndrome remains unknown, many arguments suggest a role for both environmental and genetic factors. An association with HLA molecules has been established. Other genes on the short arm of chromosome 6 may be involved, most notably the TNF gene, which may be pivotal in the development of the epithelial lesions. METHODS: We investigated TNFalpha microsatellites in 35 patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome and in 146 healthy controls. RESULTS: The frequency of the TNFalpha10 allele showed a non-significant increase in the Sjögren's disease group (28.6% vs 15.8%; P = NS). We found significant increases when we considered only those Sjögren's disease patients with joint manifestations (N = 24; 37.5% vs 15.7%; P < 0.05) or only those with anti-Ro(SSA) antibodies (N = 10; 50% vs 15.7%; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our data support a role for the TNFalpha10 allele in primary Sjögren's syndrome, particularly those forms with joint symptoms and anti-Ro(SS-A) antibodies.

Adult↗

Elevated parathyroid hormone 44-68 and osteoarticular changes in patients with genetic hemochromatosis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the osteoarticular changes associated with genetic hemochromatosis could be explained by metabolic parathyroid hormone (PTH) disorders. METHODS: The study involved 210 patients with liver iron overload syndromes. Osteoarticular changes were numerically scored as the number of damaged joints. PTH 1-84 and 44-68 were assayed. RESULTS: An increase in serum PTH 44-68 levels was found in one-third of untreated patients who had no calcium or PTH 1-84 abnormalities. Serum PTH 44-68 levels correlated positively with serum ferritin levels. In multivariate analyses, the number of affected joints correlated positively with age, serum PTH 44-68 levels, and serum ferritin levels. CONCLUSION: Liver iron overload syndromes, especially genetic hemochromatosis, are associated with elevated circulating levels of PTH fragments containing the 44-68 region, which appears to play a role in osteoarticular changes. This increase seems to be a consequence of iron overload.

Adolescent↗

DPB1 polymorphism in rheumatoid arthritis: evidence of an association with allele DPB1 0401.

HLA-DP polymorphism was examined in 71 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 148 controls, using dot-blot analysis with 14 synthetic oligonucleotide probes specific for the variable region of the DPB1 second exon. The DPB1 0401 allele was found to be significantly more frequent in RA patients than in controls (77.46% vs 55.40%, p less than 0.002, pc less than 0.03, relative risk value: 2.74). An association between DPB1 0401 and seropositivity for rhumatoid factors was also observed: 44 of the 55 seropositive RA patients were DPB1 0401 (p less than 0.001). Analyzing the HLA DPB1 alleles frequencies in 57 HLA-DR-typed RA patients did not show any linkage between the DPB1 0401 and the DR4 specificities. Furthermore, the DPB1 0401 homozygous frequency was increased in DR4-negative RA patients. Our findings suggest an independent role of the DPB1 0401 allele in the genetic susceptibility to RA.

Adult↗

[Real effects of sport on the bone mass in women].

What is the role of physical training in the prevention of osteoporosis? The authors tried to answer the question, comparing the positive and negative effects of exercise on women bone mass before and after the menopause and proposed a way of management of bone loss in amenorrheic women athletes.

Amenorrhea↗

[Syndrome of compression of the external saphenous nerve (or the sural nerve)].

The authors describe a new canal syndrome, which they call the "superficial sural aponeurosis canal syndrome" or "sural nerve tunnel syndrome". Mostly seen in sportsmen, it was observed in this case in the context of a myositis ossificans circumscripta of the tendo-muscular junction of the heel. The clinical signs are caused by compression of the sural nerve where it passes through a nonextensible tunnel formed by the fold of the posterior sural aponeurosis. This is distinguished from a loge syndrome; the most typical clinical sign is increased pain in the territory of the sural nerve during plantar flexion of the ankle; in this position reduced sensory conduction velocity is measured. The treatment consists in a section of the fibro-aponeurotic arch.

Female↗

[Medial and lateral discoid menisci in the same knee. Apropos of a case].

To our knowledge, the case of association of discoid lateral and medial menisci in the same knee has not yet been reported. There are several factors which may contribute in the development of discoid meniscus: usually congenital, the types described by SMILLIE and WRISBERG must be distinguished and have not the same prognosis; thus, the discoid meniscus only acquired after birth seems rare.

Adolescent↗

[Morning changes in the sigma ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (Westergren) and C-reactive protein].

A comparative study of the morning variation of the Sigma and Westergren sedimentation rates, and C-reactive protein was undertaken in 90 patients with osteoarticular disease (measurements at 07:00, 09:00, 10:00, and 12:00). The mean values of all three tests were elevated at 07:00 in patients with inflammatory disease, and no significant variation was observed in the Westergren sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein throughout the morning, irregardless of whether an anti-inflammatory agent was used. On the other hand, there was a very significant increase in the Sigma sedimentation rate at 09:00 in untreated patients (p less than 0.0001, n = 24). This morning increase of the Sigma sedimentation rate was not related to food intake, identical value being obtained in fasting or postprandial samples from the same patients. The Sigma sedimentation rate at 09:00 was significantly reduced however, in patients treated with an effective level of an anti-inflammatory agent (p less than 0.001, n = 32). This decrease varied in size and duration depending on the anti-inflammatory agent used. The existence of a circadian rhythm of the Sigma sedimentation rate which can be reversed with anti-inflammatory drug usage is helpful in understanding the chronobiologic aspects of the inflammatory process. Numerous therapeutic applications can be foreseen.

Adult↗