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Biomedical subjects

J Petite

Publications and source records attributed to J Petite.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Long term vascular complications of Coxiella burnetii infection in Switzerland: cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the range of long term vascular manifestations of Coxiella burnetii infection. DESIGN: Cohort study in Switzerland of people affected in 1983 by the largest reported outbreak of Q fever and who were followed up 12 years later. Follow up information about possible vascular disease and endocarditis was obtained through a mailed questionnaire and death certificates. SETTING: Val de Bagnes, a rural Alpine valley in Switzerland. PARTICIPANTS: 2044 (87%) of 2355 people who had serum testing for Coxiella burnetii infection in 1983: 1247 were classed as not having been infected, 411 were classed as having been acutely infected, and 386 were classed as having been infected before 1983. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Relative risk controlled for age and sex and 12 year risk of vascular diseases and endocarditis among infected participants as compared with those who had never been infected. RESULTS: The 12 year risk of endocarditis or venous thromboembolic disease was not increased among those who had been acutely infected. The 12 year risk of arterial disease was significantly higher among those who had been acutely infected (7%) as compared with those who had never been infected (4%) (relative risk 2.2, 95% confidence interval 1.4 to 3.6). Specifically, there was an increased risk of developing a cerebrovascular accident (relative risk 3.7, 1.6 to 8.4) and cardiac ischaemia (relative risk 1.9, 1.04 to 3.4). 12 year mortality was significantly higher among the 411 people who had been acutely infected in 1983 (9.7%; age adjusted relative risk 1.8, 1.2 to 2.6) when compared with the 1247 participants who had remained serologically negative in 1983 (7.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Coxiella burnetii infection may cause long term complications including vascular disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

A new case of myelodysplastic syndrome with 6p rearrangement.

Bone marrow cells from a patient with refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts were studied cytogenetically. All metaphases analyzed revealed an abnormal karyotype with complex defects. The most prominent defect consisted of a rearrangement of the short arm of chromosome 6. Until now, 6p rearrangements have been preferentially observed in myelodysplastic patients with a history of previous exposure to toxic products such as alkylating agents or environmental factors of occupational origin. Although our patient was not exposed to alkylating agents, for about 20 years he has regularly consumed important quantities of analgesics, tranquilizers, and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. The eventual relationship between sideroblastic anemia and drug abuse, as well as the existence of chromosome sites preferentially rearranged in the bone marrow cells of myelodysplastic patients, are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Cerebral blood flow in humans following resuscitation from cardiac arrest.

Cerebral blood flow was measured by xenon-133 washout in 13 patients 6-46 hours after being resuscitated from cardiac arrest. Patients regaining consciousness had relatively normal cerebral blood flow before regaining consciousness, but all patients who died without regaining consciousness had increased cerebral blood flow that appeared within 24 hours after resuscitation (except in one patient in whom the first measurement was delayed until 28 hours after resuscitation, by which time cerebral blood flow was increased). The cause of the delayed-onset increase in cerebral blood flow is not known, but the increase may have adverse effects on brain function and may indicate the onset of irreversible brain damage.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

[Genetic factors predisposing to autoimmune diseases. Study of HLA antigens in a family with pernicious anemia and thyroid diseases].

In a family including patients suffering from autoimmune disease (2 propositi: pernicious anemia and Graves' disease, pernicious anemia and autoimmune thyroiditis), we have determined common autoantibodies and tissue antigens (HLA) in 47 patients (26 males and 21 females) from 2 generations. In this family, we have found 4 cases of pernicious anemia, 5 cases of thyroid disease (2 Graves' disease), 3 women with repetitive abortions and 2 cases of melanoma. Patients with autoantibodies, often asymptomatic, are abnormally numerous (44% in generation II, 16% in generation III). A correlation with haplotype A1B8DR3 was found only for Graves' disease. Likelihood of forming autoantibodies appears to be of multifactorial origin. Its mode of transmission remains unknown.

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed1987

[Bernard-Soulier syndrome in a Swiss family].

We report the case of a 38-year-old woman with hemorrhagic diathesis. Since early childhood she has suffered from epistaxis, gingival bleeding, ecchymoses and, since puberty, very frequent menorrhagia. Prolongation of bleeding time and thrombocytopenia (100,000 platelets/microliter) with giant platelets were observed. Since idiopathic thrombopenic purpura was suspected, splenectomy was performed. Neither this nor steroid treatment caused any improvement. The patient was able to give birth to an unaffected child, but delivery was followed by a major hemorrhage. In 1986, hysterectomy was considered because of frequent menorrhagia and, therefore, the patient's hemostasis was reinvestigated. The aforementioned abnormalities were confirmed and complementary examinations by electron microscope revealed giant platelets without granular abnormalities. While von Willebrand factor was normal, ristocetin agglutination was defective and analysis of platelet membrane glycoproteins showed absence of glycoprotein Ib. - These observations prompted the diagnosis of Bernard-Soulier syndrome. The study of the family demonstrated that 6 family members were heterozygote. This is believed to be the first large Bernard-Soulier family reported in Switzerland.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

An important outbreak of human Q fever in a Swiss Alpine valley.

We describe an important Q fever human epidemic involving 415 serologically confirmed cases in the Val de Bagnes (Valais, Switzerland) during the autumn of 1983. The ages of the 415 cases with acute Q fever ranged from 8 to 82 years with a mean of 35 years, of whom 58% (240) were men and 42% (175) were women. This outbreak started about three weeks after 12 flocks of sheep (between 850 and 900 animals) descended from the alpine pastures to the valley. Geographically, the epidemic reached all the villages in the lower part of the Val de Bagnes located along the road followed by the sheep. As a result, 21.1% of the population of these villages contracted Q fever during this period. In contrast (p less than 0.001), the inhabitants of the higher villages away from the road followed by the sheep were only slightly affected (2.9%). Better collaboration between physicians and veterinarians would prevent such outbreaks in the future.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

[Clinical aspects observed during an epidemic of 415 cases of Q fever].

The clinical findings during a major epidemic of Q-fever which affected 415 people in the Val de Bagnes (Valais, Switzerland) in the autumn of 1983 are reported. Q-fever symptoms were evident in 191 cases but inconspicuous or absent in 224 cases. The symptoms most frequently reported were prolonged high fever, headaches, severe exhaustion, loss of appetite, cough and myalgia. Amongst disorders which accompany acute Q-fever, pneumonia and granulomatous hepatitis are very frequent, while myopericarditis and glomerulonephritis are less frequently observed. Endocarditis, a later complication of Q-fever, is a severe illness which more frequently affects patients with underlying valvular lesions. New serological techniques now permit more rapid and more accurate diagnosis of both acute and chronic Q-fever.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

[IgA deficiency and Addison's disease].

A case of Addison's disease and selective IgA deficiency in a 15-year-old male is discussed. The etiology of Addison's disease in this case is unknown. Investigation of HLA-antigens in the family does not yield the usual pattern of autoimmune diseases. Nevertheless, this very rare association does not appear to be fortuitous.

Addison Disease↗