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P Bielefeld

Publications and source records attributed to P Bielefeld.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[Interest of cotrimoxazole in relapsing idiopathic anterior scleritis: about six cases].

INTRODUCTION: Anterior scleritis is defined as an inflammation of the sclera, located anteriorly to the equator of the eye. Cotrimoxazole is an antibiotic with an immunomodulatory action. EXEGESIS: In case of idiopathic anterior scleritis or scleritis associated with autoimmune diseases, immunosuppressive treatment is often required. We report on six patients with anterior idiopathic scleritis non sensitive to local treatment where cotrimoxazole improved or cured the symptoms. CONCLUSION: Cotrimoxazole seems to be an interesting therapeutic treatment in non threatening anterior scleritis.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Short-term corticosteroids then lamivudine and plasma exchanges to treat hepatitis B virus-related polyarteritis nodosa.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of lamivudine, an antiviral agent that strongly inhibits hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA replication, combined with plasma exchanges after short-term corticosteroids for HBV-related polyartertitis nodosa (PAN). METHODS: Ten patients (8 men, 2 women, mean +/- SD age 50.4 +/- 14.4 years) with previously untreated HBV-related PAN were included in a multicenter, prospective, observational trial. Oral prednisone (1 mg/kg/day) was given for 1 week, then tapered and withdrawn within 1 week. Then, lamivudine (100 mg/day or less in the case of renal insufficiency) was started for a maximum of 6 months. Plasma exchanges were performed simultaneously and scheduled as follows: 3/week for 3 weeks, 2/week for 2 weeks, then 1/week until hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) to anti-HBe antibody (HBeAb) seroconversion was obtained or until 2-3 months of clinical recovery was sustained. The primary trial endpoint was clinical recovery from HBV-PAN at 6 months. The secondary endpoint was loss of detectable serum HBeAg and HBV DNA, and HBeAg to HBeAb seroconversion at 9 months. RESULTS: One death, attributed to catheter-related septicemia, was recorded. At 6 months, all 9 survivors had achieved clinical recovery and by 9 months, 6 of 9 (66%) had seroconverted. CONCLUSION: The strategy of short-term steroids followed by lamivudine and plasma exchanges effectively led to recovery from HBV-PAN. Because of its oral administration and good safety profile, lamivudine should henceforth be considered the antiviral agent of choice to treat HBV-related PAN.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2003

[Analysis of 12 cases of McArdle's disease diagnosed after 30 years].

PURPOSE: McArdle's disease (MAD) or glycogen storage disease type V, usually starts in childhood or adolescence. Generally diagnosis is made before the early adulthood because patients present well defined syndrome and are constrained. METHOD: We retrospectively investigated all MAD cases diagnosed in the biochemical laboratory from Debrousse Hospital in Lyon, during 40 years (1962-2002). We then selected patients whose diagnosis had been made after 30 years. RESULTS: Fifteen patients answered our criteria but only 11 files could be analysed. A twelfth patient (service of internal medicine--Royan) supplemented the series. We sought the reasons of a late diagnosis: early age of beginning but few symptoms (7 cases), age of beginning higher than 20 years (5 cases including 3 after 45 years). The principal symptoms were muscular deficit and muscular pains (8 cases) and second wind phenomenon (7 cases). Creatinine phosphokinase level was constantly high. Ischemic effort test when it was carried out was constantly abnormal. Conversely electromyogram was often normal (5 cases). Several biopsies were necessary in a third of the cases to evoke the diagnosis, particularly among the patients with late onset symptoms. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of metabolic MAD is generally easy if the interrogation finds inaugural symptoms in childhood or adolescence even if the patient consults very late in the life. The diagnosis can become much more difficult if it begins late in life (atypical symptoms, need for several muscular biopsy).

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Adult cutaneous periarteritis nodosa and dental infections. Role of streptococci].

INTRODUCTION: Periarteritis nodosa can be associated with streptococcal infections in children. We report two cases of adult cutaneous periarteritis nodosa that disappeared after the treatment of dental infection. EXEGESIS: A 23-year-old woman presented with necrotic ulceration on the legs for 6 months, with a histology of necrotizing vasculitis. Many sites of dental infections could be noted. Immunological data were negative and so were serologies of hepatitis. Corticosteroid therapy failed. The teeth removal with antibiotic therapy allowed the disappearance of cutaneous lesions in a month. A 26-year-old woman was hospitalized for growing thin, fever, diffuse arthralgia and myalgia and cutaneous nodules on the legs with necrotizing vasculitis on dermal vessels at histological analysis. The biology showed no pecularity. Radiography of the teeth showed many dental infection sites. The removal of six teeth with antibiotic therapy led to the disappearance of vasculitis in 6 weeks. CONCLUSION: The search for an infectious problem is important when vasculitis is diagnosed, in particular periarteritis nodosa. The treatment of dental infection could occasionally mean avoiding immunosuppressive therapy in certain cases.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed2001

[Sarcoidosis during the treatment of hepatitis C by interferon-alpha and ribavirin: 2 cases].

INTRODUCTION: Interferon-alpha (IFN alpha) used to treat chronic hepatitis C can be responsible for some side effects. We report two cases of sarcoidosis which appeared in patients treated with IFN alpha and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C. EXEGESIS: A first patient, treated for 5 months with IFN alpha and ribavirin because of chronic hepatitis C, after the failure of a first treatment with IFN alpha alone, was hospitalized for dyspnea. The chest X-ray and scanner revealed an interstitial syndrome and mediastinal adenopathies. Biopsies of bronchial spurs revealed epithelioid and giganto-cellular granuloma. After discontinuation of antiviral treatment and starting corticosteroid therapy, the evolution was favourable but viremia reappeared. A second patient with IFN alpha and ribavirin for 4 months because of chronic hepatitis C (after the failure of a first treatment with IFN alpha alone) was hospitalized for fever, arthralgias, erythema nodosa and modification of previous skin scars. The biopsy of a scar showed an epithelioid and giganto-cellular granuloma. After discontinuation of antiviral therapy and starting corticosteroid treatment, the evolution was favourable. CONCLUSION: Some publications mention occurrence of sarcoidosis during IFN alpha therapy, occasionally associated with ribavirin, disappearing after discontinuation of the treatment, though sometimes corticotherapy is necessary. The roles of IFN alpha and ribavirin are discussed.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed2001

[Cogan's syndrome. A case report].

Cogan's syndrome is an inflammatory disease that is characterized by ocular inflammation (typically interstitial keratitis) and is associated with Ménière-like vestibuloauditory dysfunction. Ocular inflammation usually resolves after several weeks or months but deafness is often irreversible. We report on a case of Cogan's syndrome in a 23-year-old woman who initially presented with bilateral anterior uveitis, an unusual clinical feature for this disease. We discuss the clinical aspects, the pathogenic mechanisms, the laboratory investigations, the differential diagnosis, and the treatment of Cogan's syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

A prospective, multicenter, randomized trial comparing steroids and pulse cyclophosphamide versus steroids and oral cyclophosphamide in the treatment of generalized Wegener's granulomatosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness and side effects of oral versus pulse cyclophosphamide (CYC) in combination with corticosteroids (CS) in the treatment of systemic Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). METHODS: Patients with newly diagnosed systemic WG were enrolled in a prospective, randomized trial. At the time of diagnosis, prior to randomization, every patient received a daily injection of methylprednisolone for 3 days, followed by daily oral prednisone (1 mg/kg/day) and a 0.7-gm/m2 pulse of CYC. Patients were then randomly assigned to receive either prednisone plus intravenous pulse CYC (group A) or prednisone plus oral CYC (group B) as first-line treatment. CYC was given for at least 1 year and was then progressively tapered and discontinued. RESULTS: Fifty patients were included in the study: 27 in group A and 23 in group B. At 6 months, 24 group A patients (88.9%) were in remission, versus 18 group B patients (78.3%). At the end of the trial, 18 group A patients (66.7%) and 13 group B patients (56.5%) were in remission. In group A, 66.7% of the patients experienced side effects, versus 69.6% in group B. Infectious side effects were significantly more frequent in group B (69.6%) than in group A (40.7%) (P < 0.05). The incidence of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was higher in oral CYC-treated patients (30.4%) than in pulse CYC-treated patients (11.1%). Nine group A patients (33.3%) and 10 group B patients (43.5%) died. Actuarial curves showed that relapses were significantly more frequent in group A (59.2%) than in group B (13%) (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that pulse CYC is as effective as oral CYC in achieving initial remission of WG and is associated with fewer side effects and lower mortality. However, in the long term, treatment with pulse CYC does not maintain remission or prevent relapses as well as oral CYC.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1997

Bilateral loss of vision and macular ischemia related to Behçet disease.

PURPOSE: To report a 61-year-old man with sudden onset of visual loss in both eyes related to bilateral macular ischemia. METHODS: The patient underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examination including slit-lamp and fundus examination, fluorescein angiography, and visual field testing as well as biologic screening. RESULTS: Bilateral macular ischemia associated with peripheral retinal vasculitis was confirmed by angiography. We diagnosed Behçet disease by association of ocular, oral, and cutaneous involvement according to the criteria of the international study group for Behçet disease. The patient was treated with corticosteroids. CONCLUSION: In Behçet disease, sudden onset of bilateral vision loss may be associated with bilateral retinal vascular disease and macular ischemia. Prompt diagnosis and treatment with systemic corticosteroids may be beneficial.

Behcet Syndrome↗
PubMed1997

[Yersinia bacteremia and iron overload].

A retrospective multicentric study was conducted to determine the real prevalence of underlying iron overloads during Yersinia bacteremias. Ninety-seven cases of bacteremias (84 Yersinia enterocolitica, 13 Yersinia pseudotuberculosis) were registered between 1990 and 1996 in eastern France. Available data were collected in 70 cases (72.2%). Laboratory investigations of iron status were done in 53% (37/70). Three patients had a past record of known hemochromatosis, meanwhile in nine other cases an iron overload was discovered during the Yersinia bacteremia. Two cases of hemochromatosis were confirmed by liver histology. In all of these 12 cases, Yersinia enterocolitica was the causal agent. The effective prevalence of underlying iron overload in Yersinia bacteremias is 40% when researched, greater than data commonly published (1.8-14%), showing both epidemiological and clinical under estimation of iron's importance in Yersinia infection pathogenesis. A Yersinia bacteremia must be considered as an indicator of possible iron overload. Yersinia infection must be suspected in febrile hemochromatosic patients. A multicentric study must be conducted to evaluate incidence and characteristics of bacteremias in hemochromatosic patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

[Present status of cortisone myopathy].

Steroid myopathy is one of the various side effects of prolonged treatments, particularly with the 9 alpha fluorinated steroids. The receptor protein probably plays a major role with a decrease in protein synthesis. There is no mean to detect this myopathy before clinical signs appear. Neither muscular testing nor enzymes nor electromyography give arguments and muscular biopsy is aggressive. Low density scanner and MNR could help diagnosis. Frequency of disease is not known. A total cumulative maintenance steroid dosage of 400 mg can be sufficient. Proximal muscles are usually involved, quadriceps and other pelvic girdle muscles being more severely affected. Fast twitch glycolytic type IIB fibers are particularly susceptible. Physical exercise is effective in preventing myopathy. Nevertheless, no special rehabilitation program has been tested for the moment in human beings.

Glucocorticoids↗
PubMed1996

[Systemic scleroderma and cancers: 21 cases and review of the literature].

Twenty one cases of the association systemic scleroderma and cancer are reported. Neoplasic localisations were the following: pulmonary five cases; breast two cases; esophageal cancer one case; stomach one case; colon one case; uterus four cases; ovarian cancer one case; prostatic cancer one case; renal cancer one case; malignant hemopathies six cases. In the literature, more than three hundred cases of such an association have been reported since 1886, essentially lung cancers (more than 100). Recent epidemiological studies allow to conclude to a higher frequency of lung and breast cancers. We suggest that systemic scleroderma patients should be examined attentively and carefully for these risks.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

A double-blind randomized placebo trial on very high doses of acyclovir in weakly symptomatic HIV-patients.

Herpesvirus infections are thought to be cofactors of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, and high concentrations of acyclovir (ACV) are active on all herpesviruses. Because ACV was shown to delay the cytopathic effect of HIV in vitro, we evaluated the effect of intermittent high doses of ACV in mildly symptomatic HIV-patients in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial with a 4-month treatment period. A total of 30 CDC II and III patients were enrolled; 24 (80%) completed the study. Placebo and ACV were given once a week in a 3-h infusion with 1 g oral probenecid. Each dose of ACV was 50 mg/kg. Pharmacokinetic data were obtained from patients of the preliminary open study. The obtained concentrations were effective against both herpesviruses and HIV: peak concentrations were 197 and 11 mumol/l in serum and CSF, respectively; the CSF:serum ratio of the areas under the curve was 82%. Two patients with placebo acquired hairy leukoplakia and detectable antigenemia vs. none in the ACV group (p = 0.23). T-helper cell count over the 4-month period decreased in the placebo group while it increased in the ACV-treated group (mean of change = -105 c/microliters vs. +68 c/microliters; p = 0.06). beta 2-microglobulin increased with placebo and did not with ACV (mean of change = +0.63 mg/l vs. -0.27 mg/l, p less than 0.025). Only one patient had, at one time, transient elevation of creatinemia related to ACV. We concluded that weekly high doses of ACV were able to delay the progression of some significant markers of HIV disease. Thus, preventive/prophylactic treatment of herpesvirus infections could be useful in mildly symptomatic HIV patients. Further larger trials using a more feasible treatment are warranted.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1987

[Combination of a 3d-generation cephalosporin (cefotaxime or ceftazidime) and a new quinolone (pefloxacine) in the treatment of febrile episodes in neutropenic diseases (37 cases)].

The combination of beta-lactam antibiotics and new quinolones is a form of broad spectrum antibiotic therapy rapidly bactericidal in vitro which could be an alternative to the classical combination of beta-lactam antibiotics and aminoglycosides in the first line treatment of febrile episodes in patients with neutropenia. The treatment of 37 initial febrile episodes (12 cases of septicemia, 7 infectious sites and 38 cases of fever of unknown origin) in 33 neutropenic patients (PMN leucocytes less than 500/mm3) using the combination of a third generation cephalosporin (cefotaxime or ceftazidime) and a new quinolone (pefloxacin) resulted in an 86% immediate success rate (32 cases/37). Results and course during treatment were similar in both groups (cefotaxime or ceftazidime). A second febrile episode occurred in 11 cases (4 superinfections, 2 chest infections, 5 fevers of unknown origin). Clinical acceptability was satisfactory in both groups. Minimal and transient changes in liver function tests were observed in 19% of the successfully treated patients. Study of quantitative aerobic stool cultures revealed the emergence of resistant bacterial strains, essentially Pseudomonas sp. (6 cases). More extensive trials should provide a better view of the role of this new combination in the first line treatment of febrile episodes in the neutropenic patient.

Agranulocytosis↗