[Crusted scabies induced by topical corticosteroids: A case report]. / Gale hyperkératosique favorisée par l'utilisation de dermocorticoïdes : à propos d'un cas.

The frequency of scabies is increasing in France. Crusted (or Norwegian) scabies is a very contagious form of scabies because of the huge number of mites in the skin. It is observed in patients suffering from immunodepression, motor or sensory deficiency, or mental retardation. The clinical presentation, except for the classic manifestation of scabies, is characterized by crusted lesions. Treatment is not easy and requires hospitalization. Topical corticosteroids are frequently used for children's dermatological diseases. Their long-term and inappropriate application in an infested scabies child can induce crusted scabies. We report on a case of an 8-year-old boy who developed crusted scabies induced by topical corticosteroid application. We discuss the therapeutic aspects of this severe form of scabies.

[Epidemiology of anorexia nervosa: a review]. / Épidémiologie de l'anorexie mentale : revue de la littérature.

UNLABELLED: A critical review of the literature was conducted to provide answers to three questions: firstly, are we facing a national and/or international epidemic of anorexia nervosa (AN) as claimed in the media by certain professionals? Secondly, is AN simply an ordinary crisis of adolescence? Thirdly, is it a pathology that solely affects the higher socio-professional categories? METHOD: A Medline search was conducted and backed up by a manual search to find all the studies or literature reviews published on prevalence, incidence rates, outcomes, morbidity and mortality in AN and its links with social class, covering the period 2000-2011. RESULTS: The differing methodologies of the studies on these themes have a considerable impact on the interpretation of results. For each indicator retained, the results observed in the different studies are detailed and commented in the light of these differences. The prevalence of AN in women aged 11 to 65 in non-clinical population ranges from 0 to 2.2 %. It varies in particular with the age of the studied subjects, the measurements used, and the definition criteria for AN. Among men, the lifetime prevalence is around 0.3%. The marked disparities in incidence rates observed are related to the nature of the samples considered: subjects consulting in hospital, whether in a specialised department or in any department, those consulting general practitioners (GPs), or subjects from general population samples recruited in different surveys (girls in schools for example). The incidence of female cases is low in general medicine or specialised consultation in town (whatever the speciality): from 4.2 and 8.3/100,000 individuals per year. It is much higher in the general population, ranging from 109 to 270/100,000 individuals per year. In fact, the studies reporting variations in the incidence of AN were conducted on samples from clinical populations in certain countries (United States and United Kingdom). They are probably more a reflection of variations in detection rates and use of healthcare, than of variations in the incidence in the general population. The mean duration of AN appears shorter in the general population than in clinical populations. On average, 47% of the individuals treated for AN recovered, 34% improved, 21% had a chronic eating disorder, and 5% died. The outcome is better for subjects treated during adolescence. Mortality is frequently expressed in crude mortality rate (CMR), which is not very informative on account of the heterogeneous natures of the cohorts followed; only the studies reporting standardised mortality rate (SMR) are informative. AN appears as having one of the highest mortality rates among psychiatric pathologies. Mortality varies according to the population considered. Rates observed are 6.2 to 10.6 times greater than that observed in the general population for a follow-up duration ranging respectively from 13 to 10 years. It is lower for longer follow-up periods, only 3.7 times more frequent than in the general population for follow-up periods of 20 to 40 years. It appears lower for subjects treated before the age of 20. The main causes of death are eating disorder complications, suicide and cancer. One review of the literature concluded in the absence of any significant link between this pathology and social class. DISCUSSION: There is nothing in the incidence and prevalence data to back up the notion of a recent "epidemic" of AN. AN is not simply a crisis of adolescence: morbidity and mortality are considerable in this pathology. The relationship between AN and social class is not established.

[Severe bacterial infections and sudden death in children less than 4-years-old: 3 case reports]. / Infections bactériennes sévères et morts inattendues de l'enfant de moins de 4ans: à propos de 3 observations.

Infectious factors contribute to sudden infant death in about 1 case out of 3. We report 3 children less than 4-years-old who died suddenly of bacterial infection due to Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus. The bacteria were isolated from central and peripheral samples. A bacterial origin should be sought in all cases of sudden death in children. When a bacterial origin is confirmed, the question of immunodeficiency should be raised.

[Alcohol and pregnancy]. / Alcool et grossesse.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is a major cause of mental retardation in Western countries. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is mainly characterized by pre- and postnatal stunted growth, neurocognitive disorders, and facial dysmorphism. It compromises the intellectual and behavioral prognosis of the child. Prevention tools exist, through better information of health professionals, for optimal care of high-risk women before, during, and after pregnancy, which would decrease the incidence of SAF in the future.

Osteopenia and vitamin D deficiency in children with sickle cell disease.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence in children with sickle cell disease of low bone mineral density (BMD), a feature found in up to 82% of adults but not well known in children. METHODS: In 53 children (45 SS, 4 SC, 4 Sbeta-thalassemia) with a mean age of 12.8 +/- 2.4 years, we assessed height; weight; sexual maturation; number of hospitalizations, painful crises, and transfusions in the last 3 years; calcium intake; steady-state hemoglobin and leukocyte count; calcaemia, phosphataemia, and calciuria/creatinuria; serum 25-(OH)D and PTH concentrations; and osteocalcin, urinary deoxypyridinoline, and the C-terminal component of pro-collagen type I. BMD was assessed using dual X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Mean lumbar spine Z-score was -1.1 +/- 1.3 (-3.9 to +1.8). The Z score was significantly lower in girls than in boys in the prepubertal subgroup (-1.74 +/- 0.27 vs. -0.53 +/- 0.31) (P = 0.0169), but not in the pubertal group (-1.15 +/- 0.41 vs. -1.33 +/- 0.70). BMD was not associated with any of the disease-severity markers in girls but was unexpectedly associated with fewer vaso-occlusive crises and hospitalizations in boys. BMD did not correlate with hemoglobin or leukocyte counts. Vitamin D deficiency [25-(OH)D < 12 ng/mL] was found in 76% of patients and secondary hyperparathyroidism (PTH > 46 pg/mL) in 38%. BMD was not related to calcium intake, vitamin D status, osteocalcin, or bone resorption markers. CONCLUSION: A slight BMD decrease was found in SCD children, starting before puberty and being more marked in females. The decrease was unrelated to disease severity, vitamin D deficiency, or bone hyperresorption, suggesting abnormal bone formation as the underlying mechanism.