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Biomedical subjects

Jean-Yves Devaux

Publications and source records attributed to Jean-Yves Devaux.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Which thyroid cancer patients need periodic stimulation tests?

PURPOSE: Recurrences are frequent in thyroid cancer patients and long-term follow-up is therefore necessary. We evaluated the yield of rhTSH stimulation in three groups of patients, classified according to the UICC/TNM risk stratification and the results of first follow-up testing. METHODS: The study population comprised 129 patients referred for rhTSH testing. All had undergone first follow-up testing after thyroid hormone withdrawal (off-T4) within 1 year of 131I ablation. Negative first follow-up testing was defined as Tg <2 ng/ml and no neck uptake on 131I diagnostic whole-body scan. Seventy-five patients had stage I thyroid cancer and negative first follow-up testing (group A), 19 had stage I disease and positive first follow-up testing (group B), and 35 had stage II-IV disease (group C). RhTSH stimulation was performed an average of 6 years after first follow-up testing. RESULTS: 131I diagnostic scanning after rhTSH was negative in all 75 group A patients. Only one group A patient had detectable Tg after rhTSH injection (1.5 ng/ml), but Tg had also been detected at baseline in this patient (1.45 ng/ml). Given the absence of a response to stimulation, suggesting an interference, Tg was reassessed with a different technique and proved to be undetectable (<0.1 ng/ml). Stimulation with rhTSH in group B showed residual Tg in seven patients and residual 131I uptake in the thyroid bed in two patients, but none of these patients had signs of disease progression. Five group C patients (14%) had a positive rhTSH test result, and this was suggestive of disease progression in at least two cases. CONCLUSION: The first follow-up testing is essential for prognostic classification after 131I ablation of thyroid cancer. In stage I patients, undetectable Tg and negative 131I scan 1 year after ablation define a large population of subjects who have a very low risk of recurrence and who do not require further stimulation tests. In contrast, periodic rhTSH stimulation tests appear useful in higher-risk patients.

Adolescent↗

Psychogenic parkinsonism: a combination of clinical, electrophysiological, and [(123)I]-FP-CIT SPECT scan explorations improves diagnostic accuracy.

We evaluated the concordance between independent clinical, electrophysiological, and [(123)I]-FP-CIT SPECT scan explorations as a staged procedure for an accurate diagnosis in 9 patients referred with a diagnosis of suspected psychogenic parkinsonism. Three patients were reclassified as pure psychogenic parkinsonism (PP), 6 with a form of combined psychogenic parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease (PP + PD), and none with pure Parkinson's disease (PD). Electrophysiological recordings showed the characteristics of psychogenic tremor in 5 of 7 patients with tremor. In two of these 5, PD tremor was also recorded. SPECT scan results were abnormal in five of 9 patients. In one case of clinically suspected PP + PD, SPECT scan results were normal. Long-term follow-up supported the final diagnosis of PP (initial clinical misdiagnosis). Electrophysiology contributes to the clinical diagnosis of psychogenic tremor and may help confirm associated organic PD tremor. [(123)I]-FP-CIT SPECT is a robust test to ascertain dopaminergic denervation and increase the confidence of the clinical and electrophysiological diagnosis of associated PD. A combination of clinical, electrophysiological, and [(123)I]-FP-CIT SPECT scan explorations improves diagnostic accuracy in order to distinguish PP from PP + PD.

Adult↗

[PET in thyroid cancers].

FDG PET can detect thyroid cancer in patients referred for exploration of a different cancer. Because of its lack of specificity, however, this modality is not indicated for examination of thyroid nodules: ultrasonography and fine needle biopsy with cytology allow histological diagnosis, which can be completed by iodine-123 scintigraphy when an autonomous nodule is suspected. No information is currently available about the utility of FDG PET in preoperative staging. In follow-up of patients undergoing thyroidectomy for adenocarcinoma, FDG PET is useful for detecting recurrence in cases where serum thyroglobulin levels rise and iodine-131 scintigraphy is negative: surgical resection may be appropriate. Nonetheless FDG PET should be performed more widely and earlier: the initial presence of foci positive for FDG is a major predictor of shorter survival, and most cancer lesions take up either iodine or FDG. In follow-up of medullary carcinoma, FDG PET detects residual tissue better than any other scintigraphic procedures, especially when serum levels of CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) are rising rapidly. FDOPA PET seems to have better sensitivity than FDG-PET and may be useful in occult recurrence, as three case reports indicate.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Effect of perindopril on the onset and progression of left ventricular dysfunction in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research was to examine the effects of perindopril on cardiac function in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). BACKGROUND: Duchenne muscular dystrophy, an inherited X-linked disease, is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and myocardial involvement. METHODS: In phase I, 57 children with DMD and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >55% (mean 65.0 +/- 5.4%), 9.5 to 13 years of age (mean 10.7 +/- 1.2 years), were enrolled in a three-year multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial of perindopril, 2 to 4 mg/day (group 1), versus placebo (group 2). In phase II, all patients received open-label perindopril for 24 more months; LVEF was measured at 0, 36, and 60 months. RESULTS: Phase I was completed by 56 (27 in group 1 and 29 in group 2) and phase II by 51 patients (24 in group 1 and 27 in group 2). There was no difference in baseline characteristics between the treatment groups. At the end of phase I, mean LVEF was 60.7 +/- 7.6% in group 1 versus 64.4 +/- 9.8% in group 2, and was <45% in a single patient in each group (p = NS). At 60 months, LVEF was 58.6 +/- 8.1% in group 1 versus 56.0 +/- 15.5% in group 2 (p = NS). A single patient had an LVEF <45% in group 1 versus eight patients in group 2 (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Early treatment with perindopril delayed the onset and progression of prominent left ventricle dysfunction in children with DMD.

Adolescent↗

Myocardial contractility is early affected in systemic sclerosis: a tissue Doppler echocardiography study.

AIMS: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disorder characterized by frequent myocardial involvement. Alteration in left ventricular (LV) function is reported to be rare; however, it may be underestimated by conventional measurements. Our aim was to prospectively investigate LV function in SSc patients, using Tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE), a modern and accurate method of assessing myocardial function. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seventeen consecutive SSc patients with normal cardiac examination, pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and radionuclide LV ejection fraction (EF) were prospectively investigated. Myocardial perfusion was investigated using single-photon-emission computerized tomography (SPECT). Echocardiography (ECHO), systolic and diastolic strain-rate (SR) measured in the posterior wall by TDE were used to investigate myocardial function, and compared with results of 15 matched controls. All patients (53+/-8 years; 14 women; systolic PAP 33+/-6 mmHg; LVEF 67+/-8%) had myocardial SPECT perfusion abnormalities. Despite normal ECHO, they had lower systolic SR than controls (1.7+/-0.5 versus 3.8+/-1.7 cm-1, p<0.0001), and lower diastolic SR (3.7+/-1.5 versus 5.6+/-1.2 cm-1, p=0.0004). Ten SSc patients had reduced systolic SR<1.7 cm-1 and 11 reduced diastolic SR<3.5 cm-1. CONCLUSION: Frequent abnormal myocardial perfusion is confirmed in SSc patients. Reduced contractility is also frequent as detected by TDE, despite normal radionuclide LVEF.

Blood Flow Velocity↗

High prevalence of right ventricular systolic dysfunction in early systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess right ventricular (RV) function in patients with early systemic sclerosis (SSc) and the acute effects of calcium channel blockers on RV ejection fraction (RVEF). METHODS: Forty-two consecutive patients with SSc with less than 5 years' disease duration and normal pulmonary arterial pressure (35 women, 7 men; mean age 54.3 +/- 9.7 years; 16 with diffuse and 26 with limited cutaneous forms, systolic pulmonary arterial pressure 30.3 +/- 5.4 mmHg) were prospectively evaluated. All underwent pulmonary function testing, echocardiography, and radionuclide ventriculography at rest and 2 hours after receiving 40 mg oral nicardipine, and were compared at baseline with 20 gender and age matched controls. RESULTS: None of the patients with SSc had clinical evidence of heart failure. At baseline, SSc patients had significantly lower LVEF (68.5% +/- 7.9 vs 72.4% +/- 5.0, p = 0.049) and RVEF (36.5% +/- 7.0 vs 45.8% +/- 5.7, p < 0.0001). Sixteen patients had reduced RVEF (< 35%), 3 had reduced LVEF (< 55%), and 10 had reduced peak filling rate (PFR). RVEF correlated to both LVEF and PFR (r = 0.64, p < 0.0001, and r = 0.36, p = 0.0037, respectively), whereas no correlation was found with pulmonary function impairment or pulmonary arterial pressure. Nicardipine resulted in a significant increase in RVEF (from 36.5% +/- 7.0 to 42.3% +/- 8.4, p < 0.001) whereas afterload indicated by mean arterial pressure did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION: Reduced RVEF appears to be a common feature in early SSc; it may be due to intrinsic myocardial involvement and is acutely improved by nicardipine.

Adult↗

[B-type natriuretic peptide for the diagnostic and prognostic assessment in cardiology. Its interest and perspectives of application].

A HORMONE REVEALING VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION: B-type natriuretic peptide or Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a neurohormone secreted by the ventricular myocytes in response to volume expansion and pressure overload. It is a sensitive marker of ventricular dysfunction in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, and its dosage is correlated with the severity of the dysfunction. INDICATION FOR ITS DOSAGE IN HEART FAILURE: Since the results of recent studies, many authors recommend its routine use in heart failure, in order to confirm the diagnosis in difficult cases, assess severity, prognosis and the efficacy of treatment. Such use requires that the results of these studies be known and that the threshold value be adapted according to the age, concomitant diseases and indication of the dosage. OTHER AFFECTIONS: Its diagnostic and prognostic interest in acute coronary syndromes and hypertension is presently being studied.

Acute Disease↗

Detection of myocardial involvement in patients with sarcoidosis applying T2-weighted, contrast-enhanced, and cine magnetic resonance imaging: initial results of a prospective study.

PURPOSE: To assess myocardial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in sarcoidosis. METHODS: Cardiac assessment was prospectively performed in patients with sarcoidosis and included physical examination, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy, and coronary angiography if coronary disease was suspected. T2-weighted black-blood single-shot and inversion recovery fast spin echo, functional gradient echo, and T1-weighted gadolinium-DTPA-enhanced cardiac MRI examinations were performed in 40 patients while other cardiac disease was excluded. RESULTS: Results of the MRI images were normal in cardiac-asymptomatic stage I or Lofgren syndrome patients (n = 4). Among the patients with cardiac-asymptomatic multiple organ sarcoidosis, 17 of 31 patients (54%) had MRI myocardial abnormalities similar to those observed in five patients with cardiac symptoms: nodular peripheral increased intramyocardial signal intensity on both T2-weighted and contrast-enhanced images (n = 5), focal or patchy increased signal on contrast-enhanced images with or without myocardial thickening (n = 10), and focal increased signal only on T2-weighted images with or without myocardial thinning (n = 2). Focal contractility abnormalities were noticed in nine patients. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results emphasize the occurrence of subclinical myocardial MRI abnormalities in patients with ongoing systemic sarcoidosis.

Adult↗