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Spontaneous adrenal hemorrhages (AH) are a rare condition with no consensus about their management.Patients were identified using the Medicalization of the Information System Program database, imaging software and a call for observations to internists, intensivists and obsetricians working at our institution. Adult patients whose medical records were complete and whose diagnosis was confirmed by medical imaging were included.From 2000 to 2007, 20 patients were identified, including 15 were women. The clinical onset of AH was non-specific. In five cases, AH occurred during pregnancy; four of them were unilateral and right sided. The etiology of the other fifteen (bilateral adrenal hemorrhage in 11) were as follows: antiphospholipid syndrome (n=8), heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (n=4), essential thrombocythemia (n=3), spontaneous AH due to oral anticoagulants (n=1), complication of a surgical act (n=3), and sepsis (n=3). In seven cases, two causes were concomitant. The diagnosis of AH was often confirmed by abdominal CT. An anticoagulant treatment was initiated in 16 cases. Ten of the eleven patients presenting with bilateral adrenal hematomas were treated using a long-term substitute opotherapy. One patient died because of a catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome.The clinical onset of HS is heterogeneous and non-specific. The confirmatory diagnosis is often based on abdominal CT. The search for an underlying acquired thrombophilia is essential and we found in this study etiological data comparable to the main series in the literature. Adrenal insufficiency is most of the time definitive in cases of bilateral involvement.

International audience; The association between thymoma and autoimmunity is well known. Besides myasthenia gravis, which is found in 15 to 20% of patients with thymoma, other autoimmune diseases have been reported: erythroblastopenia, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory myopathies, thyroid disorders, Isaac's syndrome or Good's syndrome. More anecdotally, Morvan's syndrome, limbic encephalitis, other autoimmune cytopenias, autoimmune hepatitis, and bullous skin diseases (pemphigus, lichen) have been reported. Autoimmune diseases occur most often before thymectomy, but they can be discovered at the time of surgery or later. Two situations require the systematic investigation of a thymoma: the occurrence of myasthenia gravis or autoimmune erythroblastopenia. Nevertheless, the late onset of systemic lupus erythematosus or the association of several autoimmune manifestations should lead to look for a thymoma. Neither the characteristics of the patients nor the pathological data can predict the occurrence of an autoimmune disease after thymectomy. Thus, thymectomy usefulness in the course of the autoimmune disease, except myasthenia gravis, has not been demonstrated. This seems to indicate the preponderant role of self-reactive T lymphocytes distributed in the peripheral immune system prior to surgery. Given the high infectious morbidity in patients with thymoma, immunoglobulin replacement therapy should be considered in patients with hypogammaglobulinemia who receive immunosuppressive therapy, even in the absence of prior infection

Summary Background Kawasaki-like syndrome (KLS) is rare in adults; one third of these patients are infected by Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Our study reports cases of KLS occurring in HIV-positive adults and reviews the literature to compare their characteristics with HIV-negative adults and children with Kawasaki disease (KD). Methods Report of cases and review of the literature. Results Amongst 20 cases reviewed, including 4 who were managed at our institution, KLS was associated with severe immunosuppression and a high HIV viral load. There was frequent co-infection by hepatitis viruses. Desquamation and liver abnormalities were more frequent in HIV-negative adults whereas headaches and gastrointestinal disorders more common in HIV-positive adults. Intravenous immunoglobulin was effective therapy. Relapse was more frequent among HIV-positive patients. No cardiovascular complications or deaths occurred. Conclusions Advanced immunosuppression due to HIV may predispose to KLS. The differential diagnosis that must be considered includes drug hypersensitivity reactions and staphylococcal infections.

Gemcitabine-induced thrombotic microangiopathy is a rare event whose management is not yet consensual. The use of eculizumab could be of interest.A 68-year-old woman was treated by gemcitabine as adjuvant chemotherapy of a pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Two months later, the patient presented with mechanical hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and high blood pressure that led to the diagnosis of thrombotic microangiopathy. Gemcitabine was stopped. Plasma exchange therapy was introduced since hematological and renal parameters had worsened. As clinical efficacy was insufficient, eculizumab was introduced at a dose of 900 mg per week 4 times, then 1200 mg every 2 weeks. Symptoms along with hematological and nephrological analysis were back to physiological standards after 7 intravenous injections.Eculizumab seems to be an effective treatment against gemcitabine-induced thrombotic microangiopathy in case of severe hematological and renal injuries associated with a lack of response to plasma exchange therapy.

International audience; Adult-onset Still's disease is a rare and difficult to diagnose multisystemic disorder considered as a multigenic autoinflammatory syndrome. Its immunopathogenesis seems to be at the crossroads between inflammasomopathies and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, the most severe manifestation of the disease. According to recent insights in the pathophysiology and thanks to cohort studies and therapeutic trials, two phenotypes of adult-onset Still's disease may be distinguished: a systemic pattern, initially highly symptomatic and with a higher risk to exhibit life-threatening complications such as reactive hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, where interleukin-1 blockade seems to be very effective, a chronic articular pattern, more indolent with arthritis in the foreground and less severe systemic manifestations, which would threat functional outcome and where interleukin-6 blockade seems to be more effective. This review focuses on these data.

Ectopic adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) syndrome is a rare condition, generally due to lung or carcinoid tumors. 18-fluorodeoxy-glucose positron emission tomography ((18)FDG-PET) can be useful where conventional localization techniques often fail. A 50-year-old man presented with sudden diffuse oedema, hypokaliemic alkalosis, Diabetes mellitus and high serum levels of ACTH and cortisol. Ectopic ACTH syndrome was confirmed leading to ketoconazole treatment. Chest-computed tomography only revealed an aspecific anterior mediastinal nodule that was hypermetabolic on the whole body-(18)FDG-PET. A thymic tumor was suspected and the patient had a thymectomy that revealed an atypical carcinoid tumor with pleural carcinosis. The postoperative course was favorable with clinical and biochemical remission of neoplastic Cushing's syndrome.

Drug-induced immune haemolytic anemia occurs in one case per million and can be fatal. Our aim was to describe the main characteristics and the type of drug involved.Cases were retrospectively identified using spontaneous notifications collected by our pharmacovigilance centre and the results of immuno-hematological investigations performed by the laboratory of French blood establishment of Lyon between 2000 and 2012. Inclusion criteria were: an immune (positive direct antiglobulin test), hemolytic, anemia (haemoglobin100 g/L), with at least a plausible causal relationship with drug exposure according to the French method of imputability or the presence of drug-dependent antibodies, and exclusion of other causes of hemolysis.Ten cases (5 men and 5 women, median age 54.4 years) were identified. Causal drugs were ambroxol, beta-interferon, cefotetan, ceftriaxone, loratadine, oxacillin, oxaliplatine, piperacillin-tazobactam, pristinamycin, and quinine. The median time to onset of anemia after starting the culprit drug was 6 days (2 hours to 16 days). The median nadir of hemoglobin was 57.9 g/L (range: 34-78). The direct antiglobulin test was positive in 8 patients: IgG only (n=4), IgG and complement (n=3), and IgA (n=1). Drug-induced immune haemolytic anemia was considered as definite in 5 cases with positive drug-induced antibodies, probable in 4 cases negative for the detection of drug-induced antibodies but with plausible or likely causal relationship with drug exposure, and probable with an autoimmune mechanism in 1 case.The diagnosis of DIIHA is often difficult because of the similarities with autoimmune haemolytic anemia and the inconstant sensitivity of immunologic tests that sometimes required repetitive assessment.

Infectious aortic aneurysms are rare conditions, being responsible of 2% of aortic aneurysms. Most published results are surgical case series concerning infected abdominal aorta. In this retrospective study, we assessed clinical features and outcome of patients presenting infectious thoracic aortic aneurysms.Diagnosis was based upon a combination of imaging evidence for thoracic aorta aneurysm and evidence for an infective aetiology including a culture of a causative pathogen, or a favourable outcome with anti-infective therapy. Retrospective case series.Six men and one woman were included, with a mean age of 66 years. All the patient presented at least one cardiovascular risk factor or atherosclerosis localisation. Fever (71%) and chest pain (42%) were the most common clinical presenting manifestations. The causative pathogens were: Staphylococcus aureus (N=1), Salmonella enteritidis (N=3) and Candida albicans (N=1). The contrast-enhanced computed-tomography disclosed an aneurysm whose diameter reached more than 50 mm (N=5), that increased rapidly in size (N=5), or presented an inflammatory aspect of the aortic wall (N=4). Management was both medical and interventional: surgery (N=3) or endoluminal repair (N=4). Outcome was favourable in six patients; one patient died from aneurysm-related complications.Clinical manifestations revealing an infectious thoracic aneurysm are variable. Diagnosis should be considered in patients presenting a rapidly-growing aneurysm, especially in the presence of elevated acute phase reactants. Endoluminal repair constitutes a treatment option. The role of FDG-PET for diagnosis and follow-up remains to be defined.

To report on the various clinical presentations, etiological diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of patients with scleritis evaluated at a tertiary care eye center.Retrospective, monocentric study on a series of 32 patients in a tertiary center.The mean age of included patients with scleritis was 46.8 years (range, 22 to 77 years). Nineteen patients were women and 13 were men. Twenty-six patients (81%) had anterior scleritis (15 nodular, 8 diffuse and 3 necrotizing), six (19%) had posterior scleritis. Unilateral inflammation was present in 24 patients (75%). Twelve out of the 32 patients (37.5%) had an underlying systemic disease: granulomatosis with polyangiitis (n=3), Behçet's disease (n=2), unspecified inflammatory arthritis (n=2), psoriatic arthritis (n=1), ankylosing spondylitis (n=1), sarcoidosis (n=1), Cogan's syndrome (n=1) and ulcerative colitis (n=1). Six patients (18.8%) were suspected of having infectious disease with herpes virus: clinical context and positive treatment response with oral valacyclovir. Systemic agents and topical agents were required in 28 patients (87.5%). The first line therapy was mainly oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in 15 patients (47%) and oral corticosteroids in 8 (25%). Immunosuppressive drugs were required in 6 patients. The mean follow-up was 16.3 months. Six patients (19%) had a decrease in visual acuity.The number of systemic disease in our series is similar to the main series in the literature. Treatment with valaciclovir might be effective in patients with suspected herpes simplex scleritis.

Parvovirus B19 causes erythema infectiosum in children, transient aplastic anemia in patients with hemoglobinopathies, pur red cell aplasia in immunocompromised persons and hydrops fetalis in pregnancy. The spectrum of clinical and biological manifestations in immunocompetent adult continues to grow up.We report on a case series of 26 patients with primary parvovirus B19 infection in immunocompetent adults. This is a retrospective study over the period 2000 to 2010 in two departments of internal medecine. The diagnostic was clinical, serological or molecular.There was a female predominance (sex-ratio 3.33/1). Median patient age at diagnostic was 38.8 years (range: 18-68). The predominant symptoms were fever (65%), peripheral and symmetrical polyarthralgia (62%) and skin rash (58%). Two patients had neurological manifestations (sixth cranial nerve palsy, distal paresthesia) and one patient had myocarditis. Abnormal laboratory values included increased acute phase reactants (73%), thrombocytopenia (43%), lymphopenia (38%) and elevated liver enzymes (37%). Antinuclear (19%), anti-DNA (28%) and anti-phospholipids antibodies (14%), and hypocomplementemia (32%) were observed. False reaction with anti-CMV and anti-EBV IgM positivity was documented in 27% of cases. Two patients had persistent parvovirus B19 infection.The diversity of the clinical manifestations of parvovirus B19 infection may be misleading for the clinician. However, the diagnosis should be suspected in immunocompetent adults to limit the risk of transmission to the patients who could develop a severe infection such as pregnant women or immunocompromised patients.

The aim of this study was to determine whether clinical, spirometric, or arterial blood gas data could predict sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) among obese patients with at least one functional complaint. Eighty three obese patients, 46 males and 37 females, aged 53.2 +/- 13.7 years, with a body mass index (BMI) above 30 kg/m2 were investigated with: clinical questionnaire; pulmonary function tests; arterial blood gas measurements; nocturnal monitoring of oronasal airflow, thoracic and abdominal movements, and arterial oxygen saturation. Thirty five patients (42.2%) had a SAS, 18 (26.7%) had nocturnal oxygen desaturations, and 30 (36.1%) had a normal nocturnal monitoring. There were 63% males in the SAS group and 32% in the group without SAS (P < 0.01). Age, weight, frequency of systemic hypertension, frequency of each clinical symptom, spirometric and arterial blood gas data were identical in the two groups. In conclusion, rate of SAS is very high in obese patients presenting a BMI above 30 and at least one functional complaint. No predictive test is identified.

Although primary immunodeficiencies (PID) are typically marked by increased susceptibility to infections, autoimmune manifestations have increasingly been recognized as an important component of several forms of PID. Here, we discuss two forms of PID in which autoimmune cytopenias are particularly common and may be the first manifestation of the disease in adults: autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) and common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). Approximately one fifth of patients with CVID develop autoimmune diseases, and immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AHA) are the most common. Since autoimmune cytopenias frequently precede the diagnosis of CVID, testing for immunoglobulin levels should be performed in patients diagnosed with AITP and AHA. Patients with CVID in association with autoimmune cytopenias have a "particular phenotype" with lower susceptibility to infection and higher susceptibility to autoimmune manifestations and, for patients with AHA, a more frequent development of splenomegaly and lymphoma. Corticosteroids and high doses of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) seem to have the same efficacy as in idiopathic AITP and AHA. Splenectomy and rituximab are as effective as in idiopathic autoimmune cytopenias but are associated with an increased risk of severe infection and should, in our opinion, be considered only for those rare patients with "refractory diseases". The course and outcome of autoimmune cytopenias is not affected by supportive IVIg therapy. Autoimmune destruction of blood cells affects over 70% of ALPS patients. The median age of first presentation is 24 months of age, but with increasing awareness of this condition, adults with autoimmune cytopenias are now being diagnosed more frequently. Testing for ALPS should therefore be considered in young adults with unexplained Evan's syndrome. Patients usually respond to immunosuppressive medications, including corticosteroids. Unlike many patients with idiopathic autoimmune cytopenias, the cytopenias in patients with ALPS typically do not respond to IVIg. After corticosteroids, the immunosuppressive drug that is the most studied in ALPS patients is mycophenolate mofetyl. Rituximab and splenectomy are relatively contraindicated in ALPS because of an increase risk of severe infection and should be reserved for patients who fail all other therapies.

We investigated the effects on glucose metabolism of the infusion of either long-chain triglycerides (LCT), a mixture of long-chain and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT/LCT), D-beta-hydroxybutyrate (D-beta-OHB), or saline in normal postabsorptive subjects. Plasma insulin, C-peptide, and glucagon concentrations were unchanged in all groups. LCT and MCT/LCT infusions increased levels of plasma free fatty acids (FFA) compared with those of the saline group, whereas D-beta-OHB decreased them. Plasma ketone body concentrations were higher during the D-beta-OHB and triglyceride infusions than during the saline test. Glucose concentrations and appearance (Ra) and disappearance (Rd) rates were not modified during saline infusion. Glucose levels decreased only in the D-beta-OHB and MCT/LCT groups (P.05), whereas they were unchanged during LCT infusion. Glucose Ra decreased slightly by 15% to 17% in LCT, MCT/LCT, and D-beta-OHB groups (P.05 v saline). Glucose Rd decreased by 14% to 16% in each lipid-infusion group (P.05 v saline). Glucose clearance rates decreased by 14% only in the LCT group (P.001). Glucose oxidation rates did not change significantly during the lipid substrate infusions compared with saline infusion. In conclusion, (1) the effects of fatty acids on glucose metabolism appear to depend on the fatty acid chain length, since only LCT infusion significantly impaired glucose utilization; and (2) in subjects with normal endocrine pancreas function, we found no adverse effects of a short-term increase in lipid substrate availability on glucose production rate and concentration.

Ketone bodies and/or fatty acids might play a protein-sparing role during prolonged fasting or parenteral nutrition. To assess this problem, we studied whole body leucine metabolism, using L-[1-13C]leucine in normal postabsorptive volunteers who received either long-chain triglycerides (LCT, 0.15 g.kg-1.h-1, 6 subjects), a 50-50 mixture of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) and LCT (0.15 g.kg-1.h-1, 6 subjects), D-beta-hydroxybutyrate (540 mumol.kg-1.h-1, 6 subjects), or saline (4 subjects). Leucine concentration decreased only with MCT-LCT. Leucine flux decreased by 10-20% from basal in all groups. Leucine oxidation, which was corrected for the contribution to 13CO2 of the 13C natural abundance of the infused substrates, decreased during LCT infusion (0.31 +/- 0.02 to 0.24 +/- 0.01 mumol.kg-1.min-1, P less than 0.01), but was unaffected by MCT-LCT (despite plasma free fatty acid levels similar to those obtained with LCT), D-beta-hydroxybutyrate, or saline infusion. Therefore, 1) the effect of fatty acids on amino acid oxidation is not mediated by ketone bodies, 2) it depends on the fatty acid chain length, 3) long-chain fatty acids but not medium-chain fatty acids could play a protein-sparing role during parenteral nutrition.

Uveitis consists of a large group of diseases characterized by intraocular inflammation involving the uveal tract. This heterogeneity makes the diagnosis and the treatment of uveitis frequently challenging. The purpose of this study was to describe the various clinical and etiologic aspects of uveitis, through the new standardized uveitis classification and the use of modern investigations for its diagnostic work-up.The medical records of 121 new patients with uveitis referred to our tertiary ophthalmologic centre between January 2002 and December 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. Uveitis associated to human immunodeficiency virus and secondary to exogenous endophthalmitis were excluded. All patients had a complete ophthalmological examination and appropriate clinical and paraclinical examination. The diagnosis was established according to the recent international criteria.One hundred and twenty-one patients were included. The four main etiologies were: toxoplasmosis (14%), sarcoidosis (11.6%), spondylarthritis or HLA B27-associated uveitis (13.2%) and Herpes virus infections (9.1%) that represented almost half of the uveitis causes (47.9%). Various diseases constituted the remaining causes of the uveitis (20.9%). Uveitis remained unexplained in the remaining 36 patients (29.7%). Overall, associated systemic diseases were diagnosed in 35.5% of our uveitis patients (34 patients), associated infectious conditions in 26.4% (32 patients) and specific ocular diseases in 8.3% (12 patients).Despite a limited number of patients, our study showed an etiologic distribution similar to that of the main series reported in the literature. Nevertheless, we observed an elevated frequency of sarcoidosis and systemic diseases, which emphasizes a management that takes into account standardized clinical and paraclinical criteria and the usefulness of a collaboration with the internist.

Hypereosinophilic syndromes rarely manifest as polyserositis. Imatinib mesylate is the reference treatment for myeloid variants of FIP1L1-PDGFRA-positive hypereosinophilic syndromes. A response to imatinib has also been reported in FIP1L1-PDGFRA-negative hypereosinophilic syndromes.We report a 25-year-old man who presented with a FIP1L1-PDGFRA-negative hypereosinophilic syndrome, with severe pericardial effusion and bilateral pleuritis. Imatinib mesylate at the dose of 100mg daily was started because of high-dose corticosteroids dependence. A response was noted after 15 days of treatment. Corticosteroids were discontinued after 7 months and the patient remained asymptomatic after 23 months of treatment.This report evidences the association of polyserositis with hypereosinophilic syndromes and the potential efficacy of imatinib mesylate even in FIP1L1-PDGFRA-negative patients.

In 2002, the French Federation of Comprehensive Cancer Centers published clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the management of carcinomas of unknown primary (CUP).A controlled "before-after" study at two centers (experimental in Lyon, France and control in Edmonton, Canada) to assess the impact of CPGs on CUP management. Fifty-CUP patients treated in 2000-2001, i.e. before CPG publication, and 50 patients treated in 2003-2004, were analyzed for both centers.In both groups, compliance for diagnostic workup was the same before or after CPGs publication. Non-adenocarcinoma histology and performance status (PS)2 were independent factors for CPGs compliance. In the experimental group, 75% of patients underwent inappropriate investigations. The proportion of patients from this group with unfavourable clinicopathologic entity and PSor = 1, who received cisplatin-based chemotherapy did not significantly change (2000-2001: 27% vs. 2003-2004: 37.5%; P = 0.45). However, most patients treated in the pre period received organ-specific regimens, while most patients treated in the post period received taxane or gemcitabine-based regimens. Patients from the control group generally received taxane/carboplatin.Our study show that simply distributing CUP CPGs did not change practice and underline the necessity to disseminate and implement CPGs, both to oncologists and organ-specialist physicians.

Ectopic adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) syndrome is a rare condition, generally due to lung or carcinoid tumors. 18-fluorodeoxy-glucose positron emission tomography ((18)FDG-PET) can be useful where conventional localization techniques often fail. A 50-year-old man presented with sudden diffuse oedema, hypokaliemic alkalosis, Diabetes mellitus and high serum levels of ACTH and cortisol. Ectopic ACTH syndrome was confirmed leading to ketoconazole treatment. Chest-computed tomography only revealed an aspecific anterior mediastinal nodule that was hypermetabolic on the whole body-(18)FDG-PET. A thymic tumor was suspected and the patient had a thymectomy that revealed an atypical carcinoid tumor with pleural carcinosis. The postoperative course was favorable with clinical and biochemical remission of neoplastic Cushing's syndrome.

Granulomatous myositis is a rare condition that has been described in association with sarcoidosis. In the absence of sarcoidosis or other underlying disease, a diagnosis of isolated granulomatous myositis is considered.A 61-year-old African man presented with progressive limitation in running and proximal atrophy of the lower limbs for the past year. Quadricipital muscle biopsy revealed non-caseating epithelioid granulomas and multinuclear giant cells. Whole body fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)FDG-PET) revealed hypermetabolic activity of salivary and lachrymal glands, and mild hypermetabolism in the mediastinal lymph nodes. Minor salivary gland biopsy was consistent with sarcoidosis.To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of sarcoid myopathy demonstrating the diagnostic usefulness of (18)FDG-PET.

This is a multicentric retrospective study of aspergillosis in patients treated by corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressive drugs for systemic diseases and a review of the literature. Nine patients, 5 men and 4 women, mean age of 62.8 years old were included among which Horton's diseases (3 cases), systemic lupus erythematosus (2), polymyositis (1), microscopic polyangiitis (1), idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (1), rheumatoid polyarthritis (1). Aspergillosis occurred in average 28.4 month after the diagnosis of systemic disease, and 28 months after the beginning of its treatment: corticosteroids in all cases, at a dose of 50.8 mg/day (equivalent prednisone) in average, cyclophosphamide (2 cases), methotrexate (1), intravenous immunoglobulins (1), leflunomide (1). All cases were invasive or chronic pulmonary aspergillosis located in the lungs (6 cases), or in the brain (3). Revealing symptoms were mild and non specific. Lymphopenia was severe in most cases, in average 472 lymphocytes/mm3 and 283 CD4+/mm3. The diagnosis was confirmed 20.75 days after the first symptoms in invasive aspergillosis, and 18.5 months in the chronic pulmonary cases, by cultures in 7 cases (broncho-alveolar lavage: 4; cerebral biopsy: 3), and direct microscopy examination of broncho-alveolar lavage in 2 cases. Specific serology was positive in 4 cases. Patients were treated by voriconazole (4 cases), itraconazole (2), amphotericin B (1), association of caspofungin and voriconazole (1), successive voriconazole and itraconazole (1). Six patients recovered from aspergillosis with 10.8 months of following time, 3 patients died a few days after confirmation of the diagnosis. Fifty-four cases of the literature are analysed.

After exclusion of a masquerade syndrome, uveitis may be associated with infection, systemic diseases, specific ocular diseases, or may be drug-induced. In order to improve diagnostic strategy in uveitis, we performed a comparative study to assess the importance of internist and ophtalmologist's collaboration and we proposed a well-adapted diagnostic procedure.A comparative study was performed in a tertiary centre. The population was divided in two groups. The first one was retrospective and consisted of patients treated at the Ophthalmology department of Croix Rousse Hospital from 1991 to 2002 without internist's collaboration. The second one was prospective and consisted of patients referred in the same centre in 2003 and 2004 with intervention of an internist. Patients of less than 18 years of age with pre-existent diagnosis, specific ocular diseases, toxoplasmosis infection, or with human immunodeficiency virus infection were excluded.Sixty-six patients were included. Anterior uveitis was the most frequent form (25 cases), followed by panuveitis (20 cases), posterior uveitis (14) and intermediate uveitis (7). The most frequent cause of uveitis was systemic disease (19 cases) followed by infection (7 cases) and neurological entities (4 cases). The rate of diagnosis was 30.3% without internist's intervention and 60.6% when patients were referred to an internist (P=0,01). The internist intervention was contributive in 75% of diagnoses.The internist intervention significantly enhances the rate of etiological diagnoses in uveitis. These results should further strengthen the internist/ophthalmologist collaboration for patients with uveitis.

Like Fusobacterium necrophorum, Fusobacterium nucleatum is capable causing Lemierre's syndrome. Various locations of venous thrombosis have been described associated with Fusobacterium sp. septicemia.We describe a 43-year old alcoholic patient with F.nucleatum septicemia complicated with hepatic abscesses, middle hepatic venous thrombosis, osteomyelitis and infiltrative pneumonia. A pancreatic prosthesis was the only potentially identified infectious entrance.Our patient showed an alternative presentation of Lemierre's syndrome, a "digestive variant". To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of Fusobacterium septicemia associated with hepatic venous thrombosis. This report is close to the cases of portal thrombosis and opens the clinical sphere of the lemierre's syndrome, whose incidence is increasing.

Carcinoma of unknown primary site is a common clinical syndrome, accounting for 2% of cancer patients. Diagnosis is a recurrent challenge for internists. Treatment is difficult and prognosis is still poor. This review presents one synthesis of diagnosis strategies and therapeutic trials. It envisages the interest of new molecular biology methods as well as therapeutic perspectives.Pathologic examination completed with immunohistochemical tests, and, depending on cases, with electron microscopy, cytogenetics, and molecular biology is a key-point for diagnosis. Diagnosis work-up, based on histological type and on individualization of some clinical presentation, proceeds in three steps. Positron emission tomography is recommended when a curative treatment is planed, particularly in cases of isolated metastasis. Functional status analysed using the performance status and simple biologic parameters (serum lactate dehydrogenase, serum alkaline phosphatase) permit us to assess prognosis. Chemotherapy is offered for patients with a good general health status.Further evaluation of positron emission tomography, as well as cost-benefit analyses, is warranted. Further randomised trials are necessary to determine the optimal chemotherapy regimen in good-risk patients and the interest of chemotherapy in patients with poor-risk disease. Gene expression profiling and proteomic evaluation, as well as pharmacogenomic offer new investigation fields.

Autoimmune manifestations (AIM) are associated to common variable immunodeficiency (CVI) in about 20 to 25% of the cases. This study presents the clinical, biological characteristics and the evolution of nine patients developing CVI and AIM. A peripheral B-cell compartment analysis has been performed in seven cases.This multicenter retrospective study analyses nine patients, six men and three women, within a population of 32 CVI.The mean age was 27 years at the time of diagnosis of AIM and 30 years at the time of diagnosis of CVI. The diagnosis of AIM preceded the diagnosis of CVI in five cases. Thirteen AIM of different types were observed: autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AHA, 3), immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP, 2), Evan's syndrome (2), primary biliary cirrhosis (1), rheumatoid arthritis (1), alopecia totalis (1), myasthenia gravis (1). The peripheral B-cell compartment was investigated in seven patients: five patients with autoimmune cytopenia presented with a diminution of memory B cells (CD27+IgD-) and immature B cells (CD21-) levels; the patient with primary biliary cirrhosis and myasthenia gravis had only a diminution of memory B cells level; the last patient with ITP presented with a normal level of memory B cells. Five among the seven patients with autoimmune cytopenia required a specific treatment using corticosteroids, high dosages of intravenous immunoglobulin, then splenectomy after failure of the medical management, with severe infectious complications in one case.The association of AIM and CVI is not fortuitous. The most common AIM is autoimmune cytopenia. The peripheral B-cell compartment analyses show that a majority of patients have a defect in memory B-cells. Treatment regimens are not standardized and splenectomy increases the risk of infectious complications.

Parvovirus B19 (B19) causes many clinical disorders, of which the most common are erythema infectiosum, aplastic crisis complicating chronic hemolytic anemia, and hydrops fetalis. In young adults, the skin eruption caused by B19 is accompanied by polyarthritis and polyarthralgia in 60% of the cases. Rheumatoid factors and other antibodies including antinuclear antibodies, anti-ADN, and antiphospholipids can be produced in the wake of B19 infection.These features may simulate systemic diseases as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (lupus-like eruption over the cheeks, cytopenia, etc.) or vasculitis (purpura, renal involvement). In addition, there have been a few reports of SLE, vasculitis and other connective tissue diseases developing shortly after a B19 infection associated with virus clearance suggesting that B19 can act as a trigger of systemic disease. However, studies in large series indicate that in fact B19 is probably an extremely rare cause of RA, SLE or vasculitis.In fundamental studies B19 interacts with inflammatory cells by regulation of cytokines. More recently, two studies suggest that viral infection due to B19 may affect the course of SLE, leading to specific biological subsets. These preliminary findings require confirmation to elucidate the significance of the presence of B19 in systemic disease.

Review of the literature on adult Kawasaki disease.Kawasaki disease is an acute multisystemic vasculitis affecting predominantly young children. Several studies have suggested that Kawasaki disease is mediated by bacterial superantigens. The diagnosis is established on clinical criteria since no specific laboratory test yet exists for this disorder. The severity of Kawasaki disease relates to the possible occurrence of coronary aneurysms in 20% of childhood cases. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins before day 10 is recommended to prevent aneurysm formation. The occurrence of Kawasaki disease is unusual in adults and 52 cases only have been reported in adult patients. Seventy-one per cent of cases occur between 18 and 30 years. The incidence of specific clinical features is quite similar between adults and children. However meningitis and thrombocytosis are more common in children than in adults, while conversely both arthralgias and liver function abnormalities are more common among adults. Coronary aneurysms are less common in the adults with Kawasaki disease. Other diseases with similar clinical presentation such as drug hypersensitivity reaction and the toxic shock syndrome must be ruled out. Kawasaki disease is often diagnosed after the acute phase at the step of desquamation, when it is too late to expect any beneficial effect from immunoglobulins.Diagnostic criteria of Kawasaki disease have not been validated in an adult population. Criteria of exclusion are necessary to eliminate toxic shock syndrome and drug hypersensitivity syndrome. An international retrospective study to collect data on epidemiologic, clinical, laboratory, and cardiovascular features of adult Kawasaki disease is necessary to validate specific diagnostic criteria and to improve the knowledge on this disease.

Introduction Parmi toutes les formes anatomiques d’uveites, l’uveite anterieure est la presentation clinique la plus frequente (jusqu’a 40 % des cas). Elle represente en France 12 nouveaux cas par an pour 100 000 habitants. Objectifs et Methodes Notre etude a porte sur tous les cas d’uveites anterieures prises en charge dans le service d’ophtalmologie entre 2002 et 2007. Etaient exclues les uveites chez les patients immunodeprimes et les reactions inflammatoires post operatoires. Les patients etaient suivis, lorsque cela etait necessaire, en collaboration avec le service de medecine interne. Resultats Notre etude a porte sur 68 patients. La moyenne d’âge etait de 47,7 ans (± 4,6). Les uveites anterieures entrant dans le cadre d’une spondylarthropathie etaient les plus frequentes (29,4 %). Les uveites anterieures liees a un Herpes Virus representaient 22 % des cas. On retrouvait egalement de nombreuses autres etiologies aussi bien infectieuses (tuberculose, leptospirose…) qu’inflammatoires (sarcoidose, arthrite juvenile idiopathique, maladie de Behcet…). Enfin, les uveites anterieures dites idiopathiques representaient 23,5 % des cas. Discussion Les etiologies des uveites sont nombreuses et diverses. On distingue cependant 3 grandes etiologies, remarquables pour les uveites anterieures qui sont les spondylarthropathies, les Herpes Virus et les uveites dites idiopathiques. Ces 3 cadres etiologiques representent 3/4 des uveites anterieures. Les donnees de l’examen clinique et l’apport d’une consultation par un medecin interniste sont indispensables pour guider le bilan. Conclusion Le diagnostic des uveites anterieures reste difficile du fait du grand nombre d’etiologies. Si pour les entites telles que l’infection herpetique, le diagnostic reste essentiellement ophtalmologique, le role du medecin interniste est primordial dans l’aide au diagnostic de maladies systemiques ou generalisees qu’elles soient inflammatoires, infectieuses ou immunitaires.

The spectrum of Bartonella quintana infections is expanding constantly. The first cases of bacteremia were described in 1915 under the name of trench fever, but more recently B. quintana has been related with bacillary angiomatosis [1]. In the 1990s new forms of B. quintana bacteremia, which were different from historical trench fever, were described in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients (mostly homeless people with body lice or with chronic alcoholism) under the name of urban trench fever [2]. Bartonella quintana has also been reported as an agent of bacterial endocarditis in HIVpositive or homeless patients [3]. We report here a case of liver and spleen abscesses due to B. quintana not associated with endocarditis, homelessness or immunodepression.

To report the overall French experience, obtained through the collaboration of seven centers (EVADIAC [Evaluation dans le Diabète du Traitement par Implants Actifs] register), on the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of intraperitoneal insulin therapy by programmable implantable pumps, using three different devices.This is a multicenter prospective study involving 224 type I diabetic patients implanted with a programmable implantable pump (cumulative follow-up: 353 patient-years; mean duration: 1.5 +/- 0.9 years [mean +/- SD]. The Infusaid and the Promedos devices are equipped with a side port and refilled with U100 insulin (Hoechst 21 PH); the Minimed pump is not equipped with a side port and is refilled with U400 insulin (Hoechst 21 PH). Metabolic data and adverse events were recorded in a central register run by EVADIAC.A total of 29 local pump-pocket events (8/100 patient-years) and 9 pump failures (2.5/100 patient-years) occurred. The major technical problems were 1) pump flow rate reduction related to insulin aggregates, reversible after alkaline rinsing of the pump, and 2) 47 catheter obstructions requiring laparoscopic or conventional surgery. Pump therapy was abandoned in only 11 patients. HbA1c (7.4 +/- 1.8 vs. 6.8 +/- 1.0%, P0.001), mean glycemia (8.7 +/- 1.5 vs. 7.8 +/- 1.0 mmol/l, P0.001), and blood glucose SDs (3.8 +/- 0.8 vs. 3.3 +/- 0.8 mol/l, P0.001) decreased significantly after 6 months and remained lower than baseline thereafter.Intraperitoneal insulin infusion using an implantable programmable pump is a feasible and relatively safe technique that may improve metabolic control and glycemic stability. Long-term studies, however, are needed to demonstrate whether or not the improvement in glycemic control could be sustained for several years.

Simultaneous elevation of thyreostimulin and thyroid hormones values, when associated with clinical hyperthyroidism, raises a dual problem of diagnosis and treatment. We report a case of hyperthyroidism with elevated thyreostimulin in a young adult man. The values of free triiodothyronin and free thyroxin were elevated and the thyroxin binding globulin was normal. A normal pituitary tomodensitometry, the normal values of the alpha sub-unit of thyreostimulin and the dynamic tests of thyreostimulin secretion allowed us to rule out the hypothesis of a pituitary adenoma. Non-tumoral inappropriate secretions of thyreostimulin are at present regarded as syndromes of resistance to thyroid hormones. Their biological translation is a simultaneous elevation of thyreostimulin and thyroid hormones. Peripheral resistance, which is rarely complete, finds its expression in clinical hyperthyroidism or in normal clinical condition, whereas pituitary resistance, which causes the lack of feedback on the secretion of thyreostimulin expresses itself by clinical hyperthyroidism, sometimes with goitre owing to the trophic action of thyreostimulin on the thyroid. Generalized syndromes of resistance are the most common. Our patient had a selective pituitary resistance to thyroid hormones and less than thirty cases are reported in the literature. Treatment with a beta-blocker remains indicated when facing clinical evidence for hyperthyroidism and oral triiodothyronin seems to be able to slow down the inappropriate secretion of thyreostimulin. Regarding our patient who experienced a clinical and biological relapse after the stopping of the treatment, we join many authors who recommend a prolonged treatment.

The aim of this study was to determine whether clinical, spirometric, or arterial blood gas data could predict sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) among obese patients with at least one functional complaint. Eighty three obese patients, 46 males and 37 females, aged 53.2 +/- 13.7 years, with a body mass index (BMI) above 30 kg/m2 were investigated with: clinical questionnaire; pulmonary function tests; arterial blood gas measurements; nocturnal monitoring of oronasal airflow, thoracic and abdominal movements, and arterial oxygen saturation. Thirty five patients (42.2%) had a SAS, 18 (26.7%) had nocturnal oxygen desaturations, and 30 (36.1%) had a normal nocturnal monitoring. There were 63% males in the SAS group and 32% in the group without SAS (P0.01). Age, weight, frequency of systemic hypertension, frequency of each clinical symptom, spirometric and arterial blood gas data were identical in the two groups. In conclusion, rate of SAS is very high in obese patients presenting a BMI above 30 and at least one functional complaint. No predictive test is identified.

Limitations of intensive diabetes treatment with subcutaneous insulin include achievement of only near-normoglycaemia and increased risk of hypoglycaemia. Programmable implantable pumps permit variable rates of intraperitoneal insulin infusion. The French experience represents 224 type I adult diabetic patients followed up for 353 patient-years in seven centres. Compared with pre-implantation values with intensive subcutaneous insulin, glycaemic control was significantly improved with implantable pumps: glycosylated haemoglobin fell from 7.4 (1.8)% to 6.8 (1.0)% at 6 months (mean, SD, p0.001). The incidence of severe episodes of hypoglycaemia decreased from 15.2 to 2.5 per 100 patient-years (p0.001). Intraperitoneal insulin delivery with implantable pumps improved the risk-benefit ratio of intensive insulin.

Introduction Les uveites intermediaires (UI) representent 9 a 12 % des uveites. Les deux principales causes sont la sarcoidose et la sclerose en plaques (SEP), mais les UI sont dans 80 % idiopathiques. Plusieurs etudes ont montre une association entre UI et SEP. Materiels et Methodes Parmi les 15 patients pris en charge pour une UI entre de 2003 a 2007, 12 ont beneficie d’une ponction lombaire et d’une IRM cerebromedullaire. Ont ete exclues les patients presentant une uveite anterieure et/posterieure associee a l’UI, les patients connus porteurs d’une pathologie generale associee aux UI. Resultats Il s’agissait de 7 femmes ; l’âge median est de 36 ans. Une etiologie a ete retenu dans 3 cas : SEP, lymphome oculocerebral et VKH. Parmi les 9 patients avec une uveite idiopathique, 4 avaient une synthese intrathecale d’immunoglobulines, dont 2 avec des antecedents familiaux de SEP. Un typage HLA a ete realise pour 9 patients. Apres un suivi median de 2 ans, aucun des 9 patients presentant une UI idiopathique n’a developpe de SEP. Discussion Notre etude montre une synthese intrathecale d’immunoglobulines chez la plupart des patients presentant une UI isolee. Conclusion Ces resultats confortent l’hypothese d’un continuum entre UI et SEP, qui restent a confirmer dans des etudes complementaires incluant un plus grand nombre de patients avec un suivi prolonge.

Introduction La tomographie a emission de positons au fluorodeoxyglucose est une nouvelle technique d’imagerie utilisee pour le diagnostic et le suivi de sarcoidoses (BBS) neurologique ou cardiaque chez des patients ayant une tomodensitometrie thoracique normale. Materiels et Methodes La realisation d’une tomographie a emission de positons au fluorodeoxyglucose a ete proposee a tous les patients presentant une uveite chronique inexpliquee, suivis dans notre centre tertiaire, de novembre 2005 a octobre 2007. Resultats Parmi les 102 patients suivis pendant cette periode, 37 patients presentaient, une uveite inexpliquee et 21 repondaient aux criteres d’eligibilite. Onze tomographies a emission de positons au fluorodeoxyglucose ont montre des fixations mediastinales ou des glandes salivaires (2 pts) et lacrymales (1 pt) compatibles avec le diagnostic de BBS. Dix patients ont eu des biopsies bronchiques avec un lavage bronchiolo-alveolaire considere comme normaux. Le diagnostic de BBS a ete confirme par mediastinoscopie dans 3 cas. Un diagnostic n’a pu etre retenu pour les 7 patients ayant une tomographie a emission de positons au fluorodeoxyglucose normale. Discussion La tomographie a emission de positons montre des fixations mediastinales suggestives de BBS chez une majorite de patients de notre serie. Conclusion Meme si le diagnostic histologique demeure le « gold standard », nos resultats suggerent fortement l’interet de la tomographie a emission de positons au fluorodeoxyglucose.

Risk factors for non proliferative retinopathy were investigated by comparing two groups of insulin dependent diabetic patients: group NR of 25 patients without retinopathy and group R of 25 patients studied at the time of discovery of non proliferative retinopathy. The two groups were matched for age, sex and diabete duration. They were significantly different for insulin treatment regimens, blood glucose control and blood pressure. Lipid parameters and renal function were similar in the two groups.

Non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus results from the combination in varying proportions of low plasma insulin levels (insulinopenia), peripheral resistance to insulin and increased hepatic glucose production. Abnormalities of insulin secretion can be demonstrated without and after stimulation. Insulin resistance mainly occurs in skeletal muscle and is primarily due to a "postreceptor" defect. A pancreatic peptide, amylin, may participate in insulin resistance. Hepatic glucose production correlates with high fasting plasma glucose concentrations. Whatever its initial mechanism, hyperglycaemia maintains low insulin secretion and insulin resistance by its toxicity. In the light of these data, the effects of weight loss in obese non insulin-dependent diabetics have become clearer. The action of biguanides on insulin sensitivity is confirmed. Sulphonylureas have a pancreatic and an extrapancreatic action. The normoglycaemia obtained by intermittent insulin therapy can break the vicious circle of glucose toxicity. The use of prolonged insulin therapy is discussed. Finally, new compounds with an original mode of action offer hopes for the future.

Introduction Recemment la classification clinique des uveites a ete redefinie par un comite d’experts internationaux dans la Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN), distinguant 4 grands types anatomiques : uveites anterieures, intermediaires, posterieures et pan uveites. On distingue egalement 3 grands cadres d’etiologies : infectieuses, non infectieuses et entites ophtalmologiques specifiques. Le but de notre etude est une analyse descriptive des differents aspects anatomiques, cliniques ou encore etiologiques de cette pathologie oculaire. Materiels et Methodes Il s’agit d’une analyse prospective des cas d’uveites de toutes entites anatomiques, s’etant presentes, de 2002 a 2006, dans notre service d’ophtalmologie. Une partie d’entre eux etait egalement vue par un medecin interniste. Ont ete exclus : les patients atteints du Virus d’Immunodeficience Humaine (VIH) et les endophtalmies endogenes ou exogenes. Resultats L’etude a porte sur 125 patients. Les uveites anterieures et les pan uveites etaient les plus representees. Les etiologies les plus frequentes etaient l’infection par le toxoplasme (13,6 %), la sarcoidose (11,2 %), les spondylarthropathies (12,8 %) et les infections a herpes virus (8,8 %). Parmi le groupe des entites ophtalmologiques, 1 maladie de Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada, 2 heterochromies de Fuchs, 1 choroidite serpigineuse ou encore 1 maladie de Birdshot ont ete retrouvees. 1 cas de traumatisme oculaire a ete diagnostique. 37 cas (32,8 %) etaient consideres comme idiopathiques et 4 etaient en cours de bilan. Discussion Les uveites representent un grand groupe de pathologie inflammatoire de l’œil, au sein duquel on distingue plusieurs formes anatomiques et de nombreuses etiologies d’uveites. Une orientation diagnostique est possible par l’ophtalmologiste avec une approche anatomique et clinique, mais une prise en charge diagnostique pluri disciplinaire semble de plus en plus utile. Conclusion Malgre un bilan parfois extensif et prolonge dans le temps, un nombre consequent d’uveites reste sans cause retrouvee.

Introduction La sarcoidose est de diagnostic difficile. Nous avons etudie la rentabilite des examens paracliniques pour le diagnostic d’uveites sarcoidosiques. Objectifs et Methodes Etude retrospective collaborative ophtalmologiste-interniste effectuee a partir de 92 patients pris en charge pour une uveite de novembre 2003 a novembre 2006. Les examens biologiques, l’imagerie morphologique et nucleaire ainsi que les prelevements biopsiques sont etudies. Resultats 13 patients caucasiens ont ete identifies. L’enzyme de conversion de l’angiotensine, le lysozyme serique, la radiographie pulmonaire et la tomographie thoracique ont ete realises systematiquement avec respectivement des resultats contributifs dans 92 %, 72 %, 15 %, 69 % des cas ; une alveolite lymphocytaire pathologique etait presente dans 6/10 cas ; le diagnostic histologique a ete fait a partir des biopsies d’adenopathies en mediastinoscopie (4/4), des biopsies de sarcoides cutanees (2/2), d’une biopsie de nodule conjonctival (1/1), d’une biopsie de glandes salivaires accessoires (1/9), d’une biopsie bronchique (1/6). Sur 4 scintigraphies au Gallium, la moitie etait contributive. La tomographie par emission de positrons a montre une fixation cervicale alors que les autres techniques d’imagerie etaient negatives (1 cas) ou a montre une fixation mediastinale evocatrice de sarcoidose alors que la scintigraphie au Gallium etait douteuse (2 cas). Discussion Nous confirmons la meilleure rentabilite du scanner thoracique par rapport a la radiographie pulmonaire et la sensibilite de l’enzyme de conversion de l’angiotensine. Des etudes recentes ont montre l’interet d’examens paracliniques pour le diagnostic d’uveites sarcoidosiques en l’absence de preuve histologique. Conclusion La mise en evidence du granulome typique reste l’examen diagnostique de reference. L’imagerie nucleaire constitue un examen de deuxieme intention en cas de forte presomption clinique. Notre etude suggere l’interet de la tomographie par emission de positrons en comparaison de la scintigraphie au Gallium.