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Biomedical subjects

J Toussaint

Publications and source records attributed to J Toussaint.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhosis: clinical and laboratory features, survival and prognostic indicators.

This is a retrospective study of 35 patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and liver cirrhosis identified between 1981 and 1989. The mean age of all patients was 44 years, with a range of 16 to 68. Criteria for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis included either a positive ascites culture with a polymorphonuclear cell concentration greater than 250 cells per mm3 (18 cases) or a negative ascitic fluid culture with a polymorphonuclear cell count greater than 500 cells per mm3 and no evident intra-abdominal source of infection (17 cases). Twenty-one patients were male and 14 female. The most frequent presenting symptoms were abdominal pain and fever, noted in 20 (57%) and 19 (54%) patients, respectively, while 5 patients (14%) were completely asymptomatic. The overall mortality in this series was 54% (19 of 35 patients). The presence of encephalopathy or renal insufficiency was associated with a high mortality rate (73% and 87%, respectively). Encephalopathy was present in 67% of the non-survivors, but in only 25% of the survivors (p < 0.0025); likewise, renal failure was observed in 68% of the non-survivors, but in only 12.5% of those who survived (p < 0.001). The use of newer-generation cephalosporins and penicillins led to a diminished mortality (42%) as compared with that (64%) observed in patients treated with conventional antibiotic regimens.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

"Prokinetic" treatment of constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome: a placebo-controlled study of cisapride.

The effects of prokinetic treatment with cisapride in patients with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Sixty-nine IBS patients were assigned to a 12-week treatment with either 5 mg cisapride or placebo t.i.d.; this dosage could be changed if necessary. The mean weekly number of days on which a stool was passed in the cisapride and placebo group increased to 5.3 and 4.4 (p less than 0.05) during weeks 8-12 of treatment, and the number of days with stools of normal consistency increased to 3.5 and 1.9 (p less than 0.05), respectively. At week 12, the reduction in severity and frequency scores for abdominal pain was significantly greater (p less than or equal to 0.05) in the cisapride group (60 and 61%) than in the placebo group (40 and 32%), as it was for abdominal distension (p less than 0.05). Cisapride tended to be better than placebo in diminishing flatulence. In 71% versus 39% of the patients the overall rating for the response to treatment was good or excellent at week 12. Cisapride was well tolerated. These results suggest that the drug will be useful for the management of constipation-predominant IBS.

Abdominal Pain↗
PubMed1991

Healing and prevention of relapse of reflux oesophagitis by cisapride.

Altogether, 138 patients were included in a study aimed at evaluating the effect of cisapride on healing and relapse of oesophagitis shown endoscopically. In the first phase of the study cisapride was given in an open fashion at 10 mg four times a day for 8 to 16 weeks, and healing was obtained in 69% of patients. Healing occurred later in patients with grades II to IV oesophagitis. The total score for reflux symptoms decreased by 67%. Eighty of the healed patients were included in the second phase. They were randomly assigned to double blind treatment with either cisapride 10 mg (n = 37) or placebo (n = 43) twice a day. Control endoscopy was performed when symptoms recurred or at the end of the six month trial. The cumulative percentage of patients in remission was higher (p = 0.06, survival analysis) in the cisapride group than in the placebo group, the relapse rates being 20% and 39%. The duration of remission tended to be longer in patients with a lower initial degree of oesophagitis. Adverse effects were no more frequent with cisapride than with placebo. In conclusion, cisapride is efficacious in healing oesophagitis, and, unlike other gastrointestinal prokinetic drugs or low dose cimetidine (400-800 mg daily) or ranitidine (150 mg daily), it may prevent relapse of oesophagitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Special catheters for E.R.C.P.

The authors present the advantages of a needle and a metallic tip catheters allowing better success in conventional E.R.C.P. and in the cannulation of the accessory papilla. They consider these catheters as strictly necessary in the material available in endoscopic centers where E.R.C.P. is performed in routine.

Catheterization↗