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We report a new case of polyostotic fibrous dysplasia (FD). A 26-year-old woman was referred to our department complaining of pain in her left arm. She had suffered for tow fractures in left leg and arm previously. Plain radiographs showed osteolytics lesions at the left humerus and radius. Histological examination of the surgical specimens showed FD. She has beneficed with zoledronic acid perfusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the possible role of Chlamydia in patients with reactive or unclassified arthritis in North Africa. This study used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to survey this population. In addition, we compared the results in three different laboratories for PCR analyses for Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) in synovial fluid (SF) and tissue (ST) from these North African patients with reactive arthritis (ReA), undifferentiated arthritis (UA), and in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). Eight ReA (six posturethritic, two postenteritic), 23 UA, 13 OA, and 12 RA patients were studied in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. Serum, SF, and ST were obtained from each patient. Ct-PCR was performed in the three different laboratories and compared to Ct-serology [microimmunofluorescence (MIF) and anti-hsp60 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)] performed in one laboratory. The rate of Ct-PCR positivity in SF/ST was low: none out of the eight ReA and three out of 23 UA patients. In the controls, Ct DNA was detected in two OA SF and in one RA SF. There was no concordance for Ct-PCR positivity between the three laboratories. MIF suggested previous Ct infection (IgG-positive) in two out of five posturethritic ReA, none out of one postenteritic ReA, one out of 17 UA, and nine out of 21 RA/OA patients tested. No MIF-positive patient was PCR-positive from SF or ST. However, anti-hsp60 IgG was detected in all four out of four patients positive by PCR and in 11 out of 44 PCR-negative patients ( p = 0.002). In this multinational comparative study, the rate of Ct-PCR-positive synovial specimens in North African ReA/UA patients was low. Concordance among the three PCR testing laboratories was poor indicating the need for test standardization. All Ct-PCR-positive patients were found positive by anti-hsp60 IgG serology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to estimate the status of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] in a healthy section of the population in Tunisia and to compare the achieved results with other published data. A transverse descriptive inquiry was carried out between January and March 2002. Three hundred and eighty-nine subjects aged 20-60 years were included in the study. A questionnaire was used to investigate clinical characteristics: sunlight exposure to ultraviolet light and, for women, parity, breast feeding, whether or not they wore the veil, and menopause. A dietary investigation estimated calcium and vitamin D intake. Morning fasting blood was collected from each subject for the measurement of the following parameters: serum calcium, phosphorus, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone (PTH). Hypovitaminosis D was defined by a cut-off of 37.5 nmol/l. The population studied was largely female, for the greater part housewives. The accumulated prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was 47.6%, increasing with age. Hypovitaminosis is highly prevalent in women (P<0.001). Multiparity, menopause, wearing the veil, and calcium and vitamin D dietary intake are factors associated with hypovitaminosis D (P<0.05). Analysis of logistic regression shows that only multiparity and vitamin D dietary intake are independent predictive factors. The status of serum 25(OH)D in Tunisia resembles that in southern European countries rather than in Middle Eastern countries. Insufficient vitamin D diet intake, higher parity and wearing the veil explain this deficiency in Tunisia. Dietary enrichment or supplementation by vitamin D and a more outdoor lifestyle, especially for older people, should be seriously considered as a way to reduce this deficiency in Tunisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two brothers and a sister with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia tarda who subsequently developed severe generalised peripheral arthropathy are described. The condition appeared to be transmitted as an autosomal recessive trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metastasis to bone in the pelvis occurred in a woman with a choriocarcinoma. The diagnosis was made on the basis of high levels of HCG and a bone biopsy. The presence of bone metastases in a young woman requires vigorous systemic search for a primary lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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