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J Van den Ende

Publications and source records attributed to J Van den Ende.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Intrathecal vs. intramuscular administration of human antitetanus immunoglobulin or equine tetanus antitoxin in the treatment of tetanus: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mortality caused by tetanus is still a serious health problem in developing countries. Apart from immunization, early treatment with equine antitetanus serum (ATS) or human tetanus immunoglobulin (TIG) is the real treatment that can avoid death. On pathophysiological grounds intrathecal administration would be preferred because of high concentrations of the antiserum in cerebrospinal fluid and thus around the nerve roots. Many studies concluded on its effectiveness whereas others did not find any superiority of this method. However, most of those studies were not random and/or had no sufficient weight. OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of intrathecal therapy with ATS in neonates and adults. METHODS: Meta-analysis: Clinical trials were identified by searching Medline, the Cochrane library and Current Contents. Published randomized studies in English or French comparing intrathecal therapy and intramuscular therapy (IMS) were analysed with Revman, R, and Stata software. Treatment effects were evaluated by relative risk (RR) between intrathecal vs. intramuscular administration. RESULTS: A total of 942 patients were included in 12 trials, 484 in the intrathecal group and 458 in the intramuscular one. The combined RR of mortality for intrathecal vs. IMS was 0.71 (95% CI, 0.62-0.81). The superiority of intrathecal therapy also emerged when the analysis was performed in subcategories of both adults and neonates and for high and low dose of intrathecal serotherapy. Intrathecal administration of ATS or TIG is more beneficial than intramuscular administration in the treatment of tetanus.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Non-invasive management of Ascaris lumbricoides biliary tact migration: a prospective study in 69 patients from Ecuador.

Ascariasis is one of the most common helminthic diseases. Its most feared complication is migration into the biliary tree. Some authors recommend immediate duodenoscopy in all cases of biliary migration, with sphincterotomy for the extraction of the parasites, and surgical extraction in case of intrahepatic ascariasis. We followed prospectively 69 patients with ultrasonographical evidence of migration. Initial treatment consisted of intravenous analgesics and antispasmodics, and albendazole 800 mg by mouth. Only patients with persisting symptoms or with high amylasaemia underwent duodenoscopy, with extraction in case of a visible worm. Surgery was limited to cases with persistent or progressive complications. In 97% of our cases the worms disappeared with noninvasive therapy alone. A duodenoscopy was done in 30 (42%) cases; in 10 (14%) a worm was found in the ampulla of Vater and extracted without sphincterotomy. In none of the 6 cases with A. lumbricoides in the intrahepatic biliary tree did the parasite persist. Only one patient required surgical intervention. Treatment of A. lumbricoides migration to the biliary tract should be principally medical. Duodenoscopy with extraction of a visible worm should be limited to cases with persisting pain and/or hyperamylasaemia. Invasive methods like sphincterotomy and surgery should be restricted to patients who do not respond to conservative treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Recurring aseptic meningitis after travel to the tropics: a case of Mollaret's meningitis? Case report with review of the literature.

Recurrent aseptic meningitis in a 35-year-old caucasian woman is described. She had many attacks over a period of 9 years. The first attack occurred after travel in the tropics. In spite of extensive examinations no cause could be found for the recurrent attacks. Both the clinical presentation and characteristics of the cerebrospinal fluid are compatible with the diagnosis of Mollaret's meningitis. There is no known cure for this condition, although colchicine and indomethacin have been mentioned to relieve symptoms. In our patient, a treatment with indomethacin during the last attack resulted in a clear and rapid improvement of symptoms. Since this episode only mild relapses have occurred, all of which responded well to the same treatment. This case highlights the long time span in which attacks of Mollaret's meningitis can occur, and the spectacular benefit of indomethacin.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Hyperreactive malaria in expatriates returning from sub-Saharan Africa.

The extreme presentation of hyperreactive malaria is hyperreactive malarial splenomegaly syndrome (HMS). Some patients present with a less pronounced syndrome. To investigate whether the degree of splenomegaly correlates with the degree of immune stimulation, whether prophylaxis or recent treatment play a role, and whether short therapy alone is effective, we examined retrospectively the medical records of expatriates with exposure to P. falciparum who attended our outpatient department from 1986 to 1997, particularly subacute symptoms or signs, strongly elevated malarial antibodies and elevated total serum IgM. We analysed duration of stay, prophlyaxis intake, spleen size, serum IgM levels and response to antimalarial treatment. Serum IgM levels were significantly higher in patients with larger splenomegaly. The use of chloroquine alone as treatment for presumptive or proved malaria attacks was correlated with larger spleen size. Short adequate antimalarial therapy resulted in marked improvement or complete recovery. In nine patients the hyperreactive response reappeared after re-exposure, in four of them twice. We conclude that patients with subacute symptoms but without gross splenomegaly may have very high levels of IgM and malarial antibodies, and relapse on re-exposure, suggesting the existence of a variant of the hyperreactive malarial splenomegaly syndrome without gross splenomegaly.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Recurrence of blackwater fever: triggering of relapses by different antimalarials.

Five cases of blackwater fever (BWF) are described, all of whom had a history of recent quinine therapy. In two cases a second haemolytic crisis was induced by halofantrine, in one case also a third. Increasing frequency of this syndrome with its dramatic clinical presentation is to be expected as imported P. falciparum infection, parasite resistance to chloroquine and the use of quinine and other related antimalarials become more frequent.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Splenic rupture as a complication of P. falciparum malaria after residence in the tropics. Report of two cases.

Splenic rupture is an uncommon complication of malaria, which requires urgent medical investigation, close follow-up and adequate treatment. Until present, this complication was reported more often in P. vivax infections than in infections with other species. Rupture can happen spontaneously or as a result of trauma, which may be minor and unnoticed. The diagnosis is made by physical examination, ultrasound and CT-scan. Especially in malaria endemic areas the management of splenic rupture in malaria should be focused on splenic preservation. We describe two cases of splenic rupture during a P. falciparum infection, both requiring finally splenectomy.

Abdominal Injuries↗
PubMed1998

A cluster of airport malaria in Belgium in 1995.

In Europe 64 cases of airport malaria have been registered between 1969 and 1996, most of them in France, Switzerland and Belgium. In the summer of 1995 six cases of airport malaria occurred at the International airport of Brussels, Belgium. Of the six patients three were airport employees, three were occasional visitors. One patient died, the diagnosis was made by PCR amplification and DNA sequencing after exhumation. Two different species of Plasmodium were detected, and infections occurred on at least two different floors of the airport. An inquiry revealed that the cabin of airplanes is correctly sprayed, according to WHO recommendations, but that the inside of the hand luggage, the cargo hold, the animal compartment, the wheel bays and container flights remain possible shelters for infected mosquitoes. In a case of fever of unknown origin, airport malaria should be considered in the differential diagnosis, especially during hot summers, and when thrombocytopenia is present. Additional antimosquito measures should be generalised, encompassing highly exposed personnel, container content and handling buildings, animal cages, wheel bays, and the boundary between the sorting and the reception of luggage.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Exchange blood transfusion in severe falciparum malaria: retrospective evaluation of 61 patients treated with, compared to 63 patients treated without, exchange transfusion.

The rationale for exchange blood transfusion (ET) in severe falciparum malaria is threefold: reduction of parasitaemia, reduction of presumptive 'toxic' factors, and improvement of the rheological quality of the blood. We evaluated the records of 61 patients treated with ET to describe the present status of malaria treatment in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and to assess the efficacy of ET. Clinical data of 61 patients treated with ET were compared to data of 63 patients treated in 2 hospitals where ETs were generally not performed. We found that exchange transfusion is applied according to the clinician's subjective impression rather than strict guidelines. Logistic regression analysis adjusting for the differences in clinical parameters between patients treated with or without ET did not identify treatment as a prognostic indicator (odds ratio for relative risk of death with ET: 1.3; 95% CI: 0.4-4.9). Exchange transfusion did not significantly improve the unfavourable prognosis in cases of severe falciparum malaria. However, failure to reach statistical significance may be due to the retrospective design of the study and therefore non-systematic approach.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Kabisa: an interactive computer-assisted training program for tropical diseases.

In Europe, tropical pathology is usually taught in special short courses, intended for those planning to practise in developing countries. The theoretical knowledge to be assimilated during this short period is considerable, and turning such newly acquired knowledge into competence is difficult. Kabisa is a computer-based training program for tropical diseases. Instead of concentrating on strictly tropical diseases, students are trained in recognizing diseases in patients presenting randomly in an imaginary reference hospital in a developing country. Databases are compiled by experts from experiences in various parts of Africa, Asia and tropical America. Seven languages and three levels of competence can be chosen by the student. Updating of all databases is possible by teachers who want to describe a particular setting. A 'consistency checker' verifies the internal consistency of a new configuration. The logical engine is based upon both a 'cluster' and a Bayesian logic, with built-in corrections for related disease characteristics. This correction allows calculated probabilities to stay closer to real probabilities, and avoids the 'probability overshoot' that is inherent to 'idiot Bayes' calculations. The program provides training in diagnostic skills in an imaginary second-line setting in a tropical country. It puts tropical and cosmopolitan diseases in perspective and combines applied clinical epidemiology and pattern recognition within varying sets of presenting symptoms. Students are guided in searching for the most relevant disease characteristics, in ranking disease probability, and in deciding when to stop investigating.

Belgium↗
PubMed1996

[Sleeping sickness as an import pathology following a stay in Zaire].

A 32-year-old Italian man developed fever and general malaise 3 weeks after arrival in Zaïre. Malaria was diagnosed by a thick blood film, but consequent treatment with quinine was unsuccessful. After repatriation, the diagnosis of early stage sleeping sickness was established. Treatment with eflornithine (Ornidyl) resulted in complete recovery.

Adult↗