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Purpose: To study pneumococcal immunization coverage in older patients in hospital, and the impact of two actions aiming at improving this coverage., Methods: We reported a prospective and descriptive study conducted from November 2009 to August 2010, including all new patients ≥75 years old received in a geriatric short-stay department and residing in Val-de-Marne, France. This study was performed in three successive three-month periods, to assess the vaccination coverage in the months following hospital release. Period I was the reference; Period II included an awareness campaign of general practitioners relying on the hospitalization discharge report, containing an indication for the vaccination; Period III consisted in a systematic proposal of vaccination by the geriatric hospital department., Results: Indication for pneumococcal vaccination has been given to 139 patients (61.2%) in 227 processed questionnaires. The main indication was heart failure for 105 patients (75.5%). Twenty-four patients were already vaccinated (17.2%). No vaccination was reported in the three months following period I in 33 included patients. The awareness campaign targeting regular doctors resulted in only one vaccination out of 37 patients. Immunization coverage in the department had reached 84.5% of inoculation (38 of 45 patients)., Conclusion: Pneumococcal vaccination is often prescribed in elderly patients but generally not executed. The awareness campaign did not result in a big enough immunization coverage improvement, compared to a codified proposal of vaccination during hospital stay., (Copyright © 2014 Société nationale française de médecine interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) in a multiracial/multiethnic population., Methods: A cross-sectional study with 5 case-retrieval sources identified adults with primary SS living in the Greater Paris area (population 1,172,482 adults) in 2007. Diagnoses were verified by the American-European Consensus Group (AECG) criteria and study-specific enlarged criteria based on the presence of ≥3 of 4 AECG items among subjective oral or ocular dryness, anti-SSA/SSB positivity, and positive minor salivary gland biopsy results. Prevalence estimates were standardized to those for the world population and a 5-source capture-recapture analysis (CRA) was used. Racial/ethnic differences in primary SS features were evaluated., Results: In all, 133 subjects met the AECG criteria and 203 met the enlarged criteria. The 2007 prevalence of primary SS was 1.02 cases per 10,000 adults (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.85-1.22) for the AECG criteria and 1.52 cases per 10,000 adults (95% CI 1.30-1.76) for the enlarged criteria. The CRA indicated completeness of case findings of ∼90%. Compared to subjects with European backgrounds, those with non-European backgrounds had 2.1-2.3 times higher primary SS prevalence and were younger (P < 0.0001) and were more likely to have polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia (P < 0.0001) and anti-SSA/SSB antibodies (P = 0.0005 and P < 0.0001 for the AECG and enlarged criteria, respectively)., Conclusion: The figure of 1.02–1.52 cases per 10,000 adults we found and estimates from the few other population-based census surveys support that the prevalence of diagnosed primary SS is between 1 and 9 cases per 10,000 (0.01-0.09%) [corrected] in the general population. Non-European race/ethnicity may be associated with increased primary SS risk and a distinct disease profile., (Copyright © 2014 by the American College of Rheumatology.)

Study Design: This cross-sectional study compared the androgen and growth factor profiles and the bone turnover of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) versus able-bodied controls (AB)., Objective: Determine whether androgens, GH, or either IGF-I or IGFBP-3, are implicated in bone turnover alteration in patients with recent SCI., Setting: Propara Center, Montpellier, France., Methods: In all, 16 men (31.3 years) with complete SCI, seven paraplegics and nine tetraplegics, who had sustained injury an average of 3 months earlier, and 12 AB who served as controls (27.5 years) participated. Androgens, growth hormone and its mediators were investigated. The bone resorption process was evaluated by urinary and plasma type I collagen C-telopeptide (CTXu, CTXp), while bone formation was evaluated by osteocalcin (OC) and bone alkaline phosphatase., Results: Total testosterone (TT) and the free androgen index (FAI) were significantly lower in the SCI patients, whereas FSH was significantly higher (P<0.05). These hormonal variations were not related to the level of neurological lesion. There was no significant difference in GH, IGF-I, or IGFBP-3 levels. CTXu and CTXp indicated high bone resorption activity in the SCI patients (P<0.05). Regarding bone formation markers, only OC was affected by neurological lesion (P<0.05). Basal hormone levels did not correlate with markers of bone turnover., Conclusion: The high bone resorption process observed in SCI patients did not seem directly related to testicular endocrine abnormalities or an altered growth factor profile. Nevertheless, the reduced TT and FAI levels could be aggravating factors in the development of acute bone loss.

Objective: To assess the management of patients aged 18 years or older with colonic adenocarcinoma (including the rectosigmoid junction), compared with French guidelines (ANAES and SOR)., Methods: This retrospective study carried out in 2003 by the Ile-de-France regional union of health insurance funds from hospital discharge and operative and pathology reports of patients exempted from copayment between April 2001 and March 2002., Results: In all, 1 842 patients were included; mean age was 68.7 +/- 12.7 years and the M/F ratio was 1.09. 17.3% of patients were diagnosed after complications (obstruction, perforation); 25.1% had synchronous metastases, 79.7% with at least one liver metastasis. Serum CEA assay was performed in 50.0% of patients, in combination with CA 19-9 in 31.1% of patients. In 24.9%, less than 8 lymph nodes were analyzed. 37.7% of stage II patients had chemotherapy while 10.8% of stage III and 9.8% of stage IV patients did not. Age was a determining factor in the decision of chemotherapy (P<0.0001)., Conclusion: Implementation of guidelines for the management of colon cancer can be improved, notably regarding pathologic analysis and indications of chemotherapy.

This study analyzed the temporal and regional variations in bone loss and explored bone cell activities via biochemical markers during an extended follow-up in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). In parallel, the possible role of the osteoprotegerin (OPG)/RANKL system in disuse osteoporosis was investigated. Seven male patients with acute and complete SCI (31.3 +/- 9.5 years) and 12 able-bodied (AB) men (26.9 +/- 4.2 years) participated in the study. Measurements were performed 16, 24, 36, 48, and 71 weeks after injury. At week 16, marked calcium homeostasis disturbance and a concomitant increase in bone resorption markers were observed, reflecting an intense bone degradation process. Resorption activity decreased continuously with time. Contrasting with the great rise in the resorption markers, the bone formation markers showed little variation. During the period of investigation, a loss in bone mineral density (BMD) was demonstrated for the total body (-4.3%), pelvis (-15.7%) and lower limbs (-15.2%), whereas BMD did not change at the lumbar spine, upper limbs, or skull. At all stages, SCI patients had lower serum RANKL levels and higher serum OPG levels than did AB controls, but no significant variation with time was observed for either cytokine. These findings suggest that bone resorption persisted long after SCI and specifically affected BMD at sublesional sites. The marked modification of serum OPG/RANKL levels in SCI patients suggests that this system is affected, in disuse osteoporosis. However, the precise biologic role of the OPG/RANKL system in the bone tissue of SCI patients has yet to be determined.

Background: Since 2000, the incidence of syphilis has increased in France. The study objective was to estimate the frequency of syphilis in Languedoc Roussillon region in Southern France., Method: The prospective study was conducted between January 1, 2003 and June 30, 2003 in different medical wards in a French University Hospital, Nimes. The diseased patients in this study answered to a questionnaire, providing epidemiological and socio-economic data, symptomatology and treatment-seeking behaviour. Blood specimens were tested for syphilis by the serological methods (TPHA, VDRL, FTA)., Results: In 6 months, serologic evidence of syphilis infection was found in 30 patients. Men were more than twice as likely as women to be infected with syphilis. Most men (64.7%) acquired the infection homosexually. Four women acquired infection during pregnancy. The mean age of study population was 46.3 years. 40.7% were married. Out of 27 cases, 70.4% cases had an associated sexually transmitted infection (HIV, hepatitis, herpes, and gonorrhoea)., Conclusions: These data confirm the increase of syphilis in south of France and underline the importance of a permanent monitoring of sexually transmitted infection in target populations to allow a timely diagnosis and an appropriate treatment, and to plan preventive strategies.

The first ever case of spondylodiscitis caused by Clostridium ramosum in an elderly immunocompetent patient has been reported. C. ramosum is usually an intestinal bacterium but may occasionally be isolated in clinical specimens as an opportunistic pathogen. This report shows that this anaerobic organism can cause bone tropism without there having been any contamination due to spinal surgery. The infection cleared after empirical therapy using intravenous amoxicillin and oral metronidazole.

This study compared the analgesic efficacy and safety of the cyclo-oxygenase-2 specific inhibitor celecoxib with the non-specific non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, naproxen, in patients with acute shoulder pain. Adult patients with shoulder pain, onset within the previous 14 days and shoulder pain of > or = 40 mm on a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS), were treated with oral doses of celecoxib or naproxen for 14 days and followed by a visit at day 42 in a double-blind, randomized study. The primary efficacy assessment was change in maximum pain at rest on a 100 mm VAS at day 14 compared with baseline. In addition, secondary efficacy pain and functional assessments were analysed at baseline, day 14 and day 42. A total of 202 patients were included in the trial (99 celecoxib 400 mg/day; 103 naproxen 1 g/day). The difference in change from baseline at day 14 in maximum pain at rest was not statistically significant between the two treatment groups, but was numerically higher for celecoxib than for naproxen (-47.9 +/- 2.5 versus -42.3 +/- 2.5, respectively). According to the limits of the 95% confidence interval of the difference between groups (-12.52; 1.38), celecoxib appeared to be at least as effective as naproxen. All secondary efficacy measures followed the same pattern, showing similarity between the two treatments with a trend in favour of celecoxib. The incidences of adverse events were similar for both groups. Fewer patients experienced epigastric pain with celecoxib (seven patients versus 14 with naproxen). This adverse event led to discontinuation in two patients receiving celecoxib and five receiving naproxen. Celecoxib 400 mg/day was at least as effective as naproxen 1 g/day in managing pain in this condition.

Aims: To compare the basal plasma reproductive hormonal profile in three groups of athletes involved in different training programs, and to define the relationship between androgen level and bone mineral density (BMD) in male athletes., Methods: Basal serum total testosterone (TT), free androgen index (FAI), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), cortisol, cortisol to TT ratio, luteinizing hormone (LH), estrogen and BMD were evaluated in cyclists (CY; n = 11), triathletes (TR; n = 14) and swimmers (SW; n = 13) and compared with less active controls (n = 10)., Results: TT and FAI levels were lower (p < 0.05) in CY and TR, whereas the ratio of cortisol to TT was increased in CY only (p < 0.05). No alteration in serum LH, SHBG, estrogen or cortisol concentration was observed. BMD was higher in the proximal femur in TR (p < 0.05). No BMD or hormonal differences were found in SW., Conclusion: Only the endurance training of CY and TR induced androgen deficiency without apparent alteration of BMD., (Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel)

Our cross-sectional study aimed at the early determination of changes in bone metabolism in terms of bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover in persons with complete spinal cord injury (SCI) during the acute phase of paraplegia. Combined dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and specific biochemical markers of bone turnover were used to determine bone metabolism. Seven persons with SCI (age, 31.3 +/- 9.5 years) who had sustained injury an average of 3 months earlier (103 +/- 10.8 days) were compared with 10 able-bodied controls (27.5 +/- 4.3 years). Four paraplegics and 3 quadriplegics composed the SCI group. BMD was measured by DXA, while bone turnover was evaluated by serum osteocalcin (OC), bone alkaline phosphatase (B-ALP), and serum and urinary type I collagen C-telopeptide (CTXs and CTXu). Regional BMD (proximal femur, lumbar spine, radius, lower limb) was similar in the 2 groups except in the upper limb (P <.05). CTXs and CTXu were significantly higher in SCI (P <.01 and P <.001, respectively), whereas among the bone formation markers used, only serum OC was affected by immobilization (P <.05). The SCI group developed hypercalciuria (0.76 +/- 0.37 v 0.35 +/- 0.14), whereas calcemia was normal (2.42 +/- 0.09 v 2.31 +/- 0.10). Intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) and 1.25 (OH)(2) vitamin D levels were suppressed in persons with SCI (P <.001) by 80.6% and 66%, respectively. In conclusion, it was not possible to detect any variation in BMD from the DXA technique at this early stage of demineralization, but the sensitivity and early response of the biochemical markers strongly suggested their usefulness for the early identification of persons with SCI at risk of severe osteoporosis., (Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.)

Shoulder pain is usually caused by periarthritis. Impingement syndrome and frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) are the more frequently clinical aspect observed. A shoulder standardised clinical examination often give a precise lesional diagnostic. Complementary examinations are useful to distinguish other cause of shoulder pain.

Three cases of nerve root compromise in elderly women with insufficiency fractures of the sacrum are reported. Neurological compromise is generally felt to be exceedingly rare in this setting. A review of 493 cases of sacral insufficiency fractures reported in the literature suggested an incidence of about 2%. The true incidence is probably higher since many case-reports provided only scant information on symptoms; furthermore, sphincter dysfunction and lower limb paresthesia were the most common symptoms and can readily be overlooked or misinterpreted in elderly patients with multiple health problems. The neurological manifestations were delayed in some cases. A full recovery was the rule. The characteristics of the sacral fracture were not consistently related with the risk of neurological compromise. In most cases there was no displacement and in many the foramina were not involved. The pathophysiology of the neurological manifestations remains unclear. We suggest that patients with sacral insufficiency fractures should be carefully monitored for neurological manifestations.

A case of tophaceous gout of the navicular bone in a 24-year-old woman is reported. Emphasis is placed on the conditions that might have been precipitating, i.e., anorexia nervosa and alcoholism, and the mechanisms by which increased uric acid level may be explained. The main radiographic patterns of tophaceous gout of the foot are recalled to avoid unnecessary surgery in future cases.

In healthy subjects, the shoulder internal rotator muscle strength overrides the external rotators. This has been confirmed in different isokinetic studies showing the ratio of the relative strengths of the internal to external rotators to range from 1.3 to 1.5 points, depending on the study. The authors previously reported a decrease in the relative strength ratio of the internal to external rotators to close to 1 in patients suffering from Neer's impingement syndrome. The aim of the present study was to assess, long after surgery (mean, 44.5 months), the isokinetic strength performance of shoulder rotator muscles in 72 patients who had had operative treatment for chronic subacromial impingement using anterior acromioplasty, sometimes combined with cuff repair surgery. Tests were conducted with a Biodex Multi-Joint System in the plane of the scapula and in 45 degrees abduction at 60 degrees and 180 degrees per second. Peak torque and average power were calculated. The mean ratios of relative strengths of the internal to external rotators ranged from 1.3 to 1.6 points depending on the parameter studied and the test speed. These results indicate that surgery restores normal muscular balance between shoulder rotator muscles affected by the impingement syndrome.

We describe the case of a 84-year-old man with a subcutaneous abscess and osteitis of the lower limb caused by Nocardia asteroides. Attention is drawn to the infrequency of Nocardia asteroides cutaneous infection without previous pulmonary involvement. Moreover, sulfonamides were surprisingly not effective in this case, but pefloxacin was.

Results of three clinical tests for detecting shoulder impingement syndrome (Neer's, Hawkins', and Yocum's tests) and four tests for determining the location of the rotator cuff lesion (Jobe's test [supraspinatus], Patte's test [infraspinatus], lift-off test [subscapularis], and palm-up test [long head of the biceps brachii]) were compared to intraoperatively observed anatomic lesions in 55 consecutive patients who had surgery for Neer's syndrome. For Jobe's and Patte's tests, both pain (denoting tendinitis) and functional impairment (denoting tendon rupture) were evaluated. All clinical tests were done by the same examiner and all surgical procedures (acromioplasty with or without rotator cuff repair) by the same surgeon. The location and extent of the lesions (size of the tear in the 34 patients with rotator cuff defects) were determined intraoperatively. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of each test were calculated. Sensitivity was satisfactory but specificity was poor, in particular for determining the location and type of rotator cuff lesions. The severity of functional impairment during Jobe's and Patte's maneuvers was not correlated with the size of the tear.

The case of an 81-year-old woman with persistent post-traumatic pain of the knee linked to tophaceous gout of the patella is presented. This gout was associated with adenomatous primary hyperparathyroidism. The relationship between hyperuricemia, hyperparathyroidism and chronic renal failure is discussed.

The conversion of endogenous arachidonic acid (AA) by polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was studied before (D0) and one day (D1) after antiinflammatory drug therapy. The biosynthesis of 5,15-diHETE and lipoxins (LXS), were investigated ex vivo, after PMN stimulation by ionophore A23187 without exogenous addition of 15-HETE. The eicosanoids were resolved by RP-HPLC and simultaneously detected at 246 and 302 nm respectively. Large amounts of 5,15-diHETE (50 to 400 ng/10(7) PMN) and significant levels of LXS (from 2 to 20 ng/10(7) PMN) were produced with individual differences between donors. Metabolite levels varied between patients but this work showed for the first time a linear relationship between the amounts of 5,15-diHETE and LXS. Moreover LXS production after treatment may be related to long-term clinical improvement of patients.

Study Design: A case of multiple psoas abscesses after Dove lumbar spine fixation is reported., Objectives: To review the diagnosis and treatment of deep infection after internal spinal fixation., Methods: The possibility of septic complications after spinal surgery that may present with a degenerative pattern is examined. The clinical and computed tomographic findings of a psoas abscess are recalled., Results: Surgical drainage of the purulent collection was performed along with prolonged parenteral antibiotic treatment., Conclusion: Infection should be considered as a cause of recurrence of pain after internal fixation of the lumbar spine.

Human blood polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) from seven patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were compared for their capacities to produce leukotrienes ex vivo before (D0) and 24 hr (D1) after glucocorticoid pulse therapy. The present study shows for the first time that endogenous arachidonic acid metabolism via 5-lipoxygenase pathway is significantly increased after glucocorticoid administration, leading to increased generation of the unstable precursor leukotriene A4 (LTA4) followed by predominant non-enzymatic LTA4 opening and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) omega-hydroxylation pathway. These results are unexpected since usually glucocorticoids are usually thought to decrease inflammatory mediator biosynthesis and, moreover, they work to the detriment of the clinical improvement of the patient. The results are discussed in terms of product inactivation and cellular cooperation with monocytes and endothelial cells.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether imbalance of the internal and external rotator musculature of the shoulder were etiological factors implicated in impingement syndrome. Shoulder torque measurements were obtained from 15 asymptomatic volunteers and 30 patients with chronic impingement syndrome, 15 of whom were evaluated after arthroscopic anterior acromioplasty. Isokinetic strength was assessed using the Biodex system in a modified position (in the plane of the scapula and in 45 degrees abduction) with test speeds of 60 degrees and 180 degrees per second. Internal and external rotator strength values and ratios were calculated for both peak torque and average power. Shoulder rotational strength values and the internal rotator/external rotator ratio were significantly higher in the dominant and nondominant control group shoulders than in the involved and uninvolved impingement shoulders for operated on and nonoperated on patients. These data demonstrate that primary change in the normal internal rotator/external rotator ratio of the shoulder is an etiological factor implicated in impingement syndrome not modified by anterior acromioplasty.

Drooping shoulder is a roentgenographic abnormality consisting in a discontinuity in the scapulo-humeral arch due to inferior subdislocation of the humeral head. Drooping shoulder is commonly seen in patients with injuries to the shoulder or neurological loss. Two cases of drooping shoulder due to staphylococcal arthritis (after local corticosteroid injections) are reported herein. The mechanism of the downward humeral displacement in septic arthritis is discussed. The other causes of drooping shoulder are reviewed. Precautions needed to avoid increasing the displacement during rehabilitation therapy are outlined.

Cauda equina metastases have been exceptionally described in sinusal neoplasms. MRI with gadolinium injection show up the primitive lesion and its neurologic extension. We report a case of cauda equina syndrome in which, only MRI, had show up intradural metastases and localised the ethmoïd sinus carcinoma.

The authors determined the in vivo displacement of the instantaneous center of rotation (ICR) of the shoulder from data supplied by an optoelectronic system (ELITE System) which uses a specifically designed software program to achieve 3-dimensional analysis of abduction. The study involved 10 control subjects and 20 patients suffering from a periarticular disorder of the shoulder capsule retraction in 10 cases and rotator cuff tears before and after rehabilitation in 10 cases. This method provides an objective assessment of humeral head misalignment in relation to the glenoid cavity induced by the periarticular shoulder disorder and of the realignment achieved through rehabilitation. The proposed ICR calculation technique is entirely harmless for the patient in (particular because it requires no radiation analysis).

A meningoencephalitis Behçet's disease revealing is reported. Magnetic resonance imaging is more sensitive than computerized tomography in detecting encephalitic lesions. However, no specific pattern may be retained. This exploration is non invasive and can be used to monitor the evolution after treatment.

In women with lumbar osteoarthritis, measurement of the os calcis bone mineral density (BMD) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) as an indication of vertebral fracture was evaluated. The in vivo precision of the method was 1.28%. Age- and sex-matched control curves were evaluated using a control of 193 females. The correlation between spine BMD and os calcis BMD was significant (r = 0.65, p << 0.001). For the osteoporotic women without osteoarthritis (n = 34), there was no significant difference in the spine and the os calcis Z-scores (-1.99SD and -1.83SD respectively). Whereas for osteoporotic women with osteoarthritis (n = 30) the spine Z-score was -0.49SD the os calcis Z-score was -1.92SD. The difference was significant (p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves demonstrate the superiority of the os calcis as a measurement site over the lumbar spine, in correlation with existing crush fractures in the presence of osteoarthritis. It is concluded that when lumbar osteoarthritis occurs measurement of the os calcis BMD using DEXA is clinically useful for the estimation of bone mass.

This report concerns 15 adults (nine men and six women) who experienced lumbar and sciatic pain associated with an unusual defect of the edges of the vertebral bodies together with a small bony ridge protruding into the spinal canal. This lesion was well demonstrated by computed tomography and easily differentiated from the posterior longitudinal ligament or herniated disc calcifications, as well as from posterior degenerative ridge osteophytes. This lesion looked like the so-called lumbar posterior marginal node. First described in adolescents, this entity was considered as a traumatic fracture of the posterior ring apophysis. Recently, identical cases were noted in young adults in the absence of previous trauma, which were a particular type of marginal cartilaginous node. In the cases reported here, the computed tomographic scans suggested several mechanisms of formation of the vertebral lesion: a variant of marginal cartilaginous nodes; traumatic avulsion; avulsion related to disc herniation; and fusion of the avulsed bony fragment with the vertebral body.

Methotrexate (MTX) has been proved to be effective in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The mechanism of action of MTX in this disease remains unelucidated but may involve inhibition of the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase. Arachidonic acid metabolites were studied in eight patients with active RA immediately prior to and 24 hours after the first intramuscular injection of 10 mg MTX. None of the patients were taking corticosteroids. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs were withdrawn four days before the study. Reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography was used to quantitate metabolites produced by 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) and 12-LO in plasma (full spectrum of blood cells) and purified neutrophils (PN) after stimulation with calcium ionophore A 21387 (50 microM for 30 minutes and 5 microM for 5 minutes, respectively). LTB4 production by PNs was significantly decreased (-32%, p < 0.01) 24 hours after MTX administration. A moderate (-17%), nonsignificant (NS) fall in LTB4 omega-oxidation products (wP) was seen. Production of 5-HETE was also slightly decreased (-15%, NS). Findings in plasma were comparable, with a significant decrease in total LTB4 (-29.8%, p < 0.01) and moderate falls in wP (-18.8%, NS) and in 5-HETE production (-17%, NS). Production of 12-HETE was unchanged. These findings suggest that MTX in a single dose is responsible for a decrease in the synthesis of LTB4 and 5-LO products in neutrophils and other blood cells in RA patients but does not affect 12-LO activity.

Certain morphologic features frequently observed in radiography or computed tomography (CT) scan in patients with hyperostosis led us to study the association between a narrowed spinal canal and vertebral hyperostosis. Twenty-eight items were selected and studied by three different investigators (two rheumatologists and one radiologist) in radiographs and CT scans of 100 patients with acquired stenosis of the lumbar canal, with or without hyperostosis (46 and 54 cases, respectively). The most distinctive points that we suggest can be used as diagnostic criteria of the hyperostotic narrowed lumbar canal are anterior or posterior lateral marginal somatic osseous proliferations, proliferations of the nonarticular aspects of the posterior apophyses, and ossifications of the posterior articular capsule and of the ligaments (yellow ligament, posterior longitudinal ligament, and the supraspinal ligament). Four of these six criteria should be present to establish the diagnosis of hyperostotic lumbar stenosis. The appearance of lumbar hyperostosis on X-ray or CT scans differs from that of simple degenerative changes due to arthrosis, and the hyperostosis can be held responsible for dural compression.

The inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase could be involved in the mechanism of action of methotrexate (MTX). We studied 8 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) immediately before and the day after the first dose of MTX (10 mg intramuscularly). Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) formation by polymorphonuclear leukocytes was significantly decreased (32%, p less than 0.01). This essentially involved released LTB4. A slight decrease was also obtained in omega-oxidation products. Similar results were obtained for plasma LTB4 (30%, p less than 0.02). A non-significant decrease in 5-HETE was noted. Conversely, 12-HETE was not modified. Our results suggest MTX has an effect on the 5-lipoxygenase pathway, particularly at the LTA4 epoxide hydrolase step, since 5-HETE and 6-trans-LTB4 isomers are not involved.

Kinematics of shoulder rotation-abduction in the plane of the scapula were analysed using the Elite system. We evaluated 10 asymptomatic subjects and 20 patients with painful conditions affecting the shoulder, 10 adhesive capsulitis and 10 rotator cuff-tears. The last pathologic cases were reexamined after rehabilitation treatment. The Elite system computed on line the trajectories of 8 retro reflective markers glued on the main reference points (3 on the spine, 3 on the scapula and 2 on the humerus). Angles and linear velocities were also evaluated. The lower humeral site displacement and gleno-humeral angle increase allowed differentiation of the normal shoulder rotation-abduction from the abnormal movement. Hence, rehabilitation progress could be followed up.

The authors report one case of pubic post-fracture osteolysis, an uncommon and as yet not well understood pathology. It corresponds to an unusual healing of an insufficiency fracture in osteoporotic patients. Its pathogenesis is unclear, but the biomechanical theory seems to be the most convincing.