[Subacute neuropathy, multiple cancers, and Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome: contribution of anti-Hu antibody]. / Neuropathie subaiguë, cancers multiples et syndrome de Gougerot-Sjögren: intérêt des anticorps anti-Hu.

We report the case of a patient presenting a subacute, predominantly sensory neuropathy. The work up revealed a Sjögren's syndrome and a breast carcinoma. The presence of anti-Hu antibodies, identified by Western Blot using purified recombinant HuD protein, and the absence of the Hu antigen in the breast carcinoma ruled out the responsibility of the Sjögren's syndrome or breast carcinoma. In this context, the most likely diagnosis was a subacute neuropathy associated with small cell lung cancer, which was indeed discovered 3 years later.

Association of small cell lung cancer and the anti-Hu paraneoplastic syndrome: radiographic and CT findings.

OBJECTIVE: The anti-Hu syndrome (bearing the name of the patient in whom the antibody was first discovered) is characterized by a paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis or sensory neuronopathy and the presence of a specific antibody in the serum or CSF and is associated with lung cancer in most patients who have the syndrome. The objective of this study was to determine the relative merits of chest radiography and CT in the imaging of patients with the anti-Hu syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chest radiographic and CT findings of 11 patients with anti-Hu syndrome were reviewed and correlated with results of bronchoscopy, surgery, or autopsy. RESULTS: Ten of the 11 patients had small cell lung cancer; in the remaining patient, no cancer was found. Small cell lung cancer was first revealed on radiographs in one patient and solely on CT in the remaining nine patients with small cell lung cancer. In six of these nine patients, the initial CT findings were positive for lung cancer. Tumor was found on follow-up CT in 4-8 months when initial CT findings were negative. Mediastinal adenopathy was present in all 10 cancer patients. Hilar adenopathy was present in four. Parenchymal involvement was seen in three of the 10 patients with cancer. In two patients, the only CT finding of small cell lung cancer was one mediastinal lymph node of 10 mm in each patient. CONCLUSION: Chest CT should be recommended for patients with anti-Hu syndrome, even when chest radiographic findings are interpreted as normal.

CD8+ lymphocytic pneumonitis in a patient receiving cyproterone acetate.

A large number of drugs can induce pulmonary disease. We report the case of a female patient who was receiving cyproterone acetate for severe hirsutism. After 4 months of cyproterone therapy, she had dyspnea, pulmonary infiltrates, and a restrictive ventilatory defect. Bronchoalveolar lavage showed CD8+ lymphocytosis as well as increased neutrophils and eosinophils, a profile highly suggestive of an iatrogenic process. The patient showed no other significant clinical or biologic abnormality. Symptoms and functional abnormalities disappeared after withdrawal of cyproterone and reappeared after its reintroduction. This suggests that cyproterone acetate, a substance used to treat hirsutism and prostate cancer and in the composition of certain oral contraceptives, can be added to the list of drugs that may cause lymphocytic pneumonitis.

A phase II study of cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and etoposide in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

The aim of this study was to define the efficacy of a combination of cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), leucovorin, and etoposide (VP-16) in locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). From September 1991 to November 1994, 28 patients were treated with cisplatin, 100 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1; 5-FU and leucovorin, 500 mg/m2 on days 1, 2, 3, and 4 by i.v. continuous infusion; and VP-16, 70 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1, 2, 3, and 4 (combination, PFL-VP-16). Cycles were repeated every 3 weeks. There were 22 men and six women. The median age was 58 (range, 41-76). All had measurable diseases (one was stage IIIA, six were IIIB, and 21 were IV). None had previously received chemotherapy for metastatic disease. There was one complete response and six partial responses, for an overall response rate of 25% (95% confidence interval 9-41%). The median response duration and the overall survival were 8 and 9 months, respectively. Limiting toxicity was myelosuppression and oral mucositis. Grade 3 or 4 leucopenia was observed in 20% of all of the 95 cycles administered, and oral mucositis in 13%. No grade 3 or 4 renal toxicity occurred, and neurologic toxicities were limited (3% of the 28 patients experienced grade 3). PFL-VP-16 is active and can easily be administered to patients with advanced NSCLC. However, according to the results obtained with this schedule, VP-16 does not increase either response rate or survival compared with the regimen previously described by Vokes et al. (PFL).

Arterial blood gases in elderly persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

With the increasing number of elderly people in developed countries, physicians are often confronted with patients whose arterial oxygen tension, PaO2, is lower than that of normal young adults. The normal values predicted in the literature for very old individuals are generally extrapolated from younger subjects. The purpose of the present study was to obtain PaO2 values from a large population of elderly subjects with normal and obstructive ventilatory function. We measured arterial blood gases in 274 subjects, aged 65-100 yrs (mean 82 yrs), with chronic bronchitis and moderate airways obstruction (mean forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), 53% pred). Mean PaO2 was 10.0 +/- 1.4 kPa (75.2 +/- 10.8 mmHg) and mean arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) was 5.4 +/- 0.8 kPa (40.5 +/- 6.1 mmHg). Both PaO2 and PaCO2 were independent of age. Blood gas abnormalities were associated with airways obstruction: PaO2 was positively correlated to FEV1 and PaCo2 was negatively correlated to FEV1. PaO2 was 10.8 +/- 1.4 kPa (81.5 +/- 10.7 mmHg) in the patients with FEV1 > or = 90% predicted versus 9.5 +/- 1.3 kPa (71.5 +/- 10.1 mmHg) in those with FEV1 < or = 35% pred. These findings suggest that the predicted PaO2 extrapolated from younger normal values are often erroneously underestimated. It is probably more accurate to accept as normal a PaO2 of 10.6-11.3 kPa (80-85 mmHg) for all subjects over 65 yrs, irrespective of their age.

Oral immunization with bacterial extracts for protection against acute bronchitis in elderly institutionalized patients with chronic bronchitis.

Acute bronchitis is a major source of morbidity in elderly patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the preventive effects of oral immunisation with a bacterial extract. Three hundred and fifty four patients with chronic bronchitis, living in institutions for the elderly (aged > 65 yrs), were included in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. The purpose of the study was to assess preventive effects of OM-85 BV (an immunostimulating agent consisting of lyophilized fractions of eight of the most common pathogens isolated in respiratory tract infections) against acute lower respiratory tract infections. Two hundred and ninety patients completed the study (143 taking placebo and 147 taking OM-85 BV). There was a 28% reduction in the number of lower respiratory tract infections in the patients treated with OM-85 BV; this was entirely due to 40% reduction in the number of episodes of acute bronchitis (p < 0.01), with no difference in the number of episodes of pneumonia and bronchopneumonia. A larger number of patients in the OM-85 BV group were free of acute bronchitis throughout the 6 month study period (96 vs 69) and there was a 28% reduction in the number of antibiotic prescriptions in the OM-85 BV treated group. These results suggest that OM-85 BV has a protective effect against acute bronchitis in elderly patients living in institutions.

[Preventive effect of an immunomodulator, OM-85 BV, on acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis in elderly patients. Preliminary results at six months in 291 patients]. / Effet préventif d'un immunomodulateur, l'OM-85 BV, sur les exacerbations aiguës de bronchite chronique du sujet âgé. Résultats préliminaires à 6 mois chez 291 patients.

Three hundred fifty six patients aged 65 years or more (mean age 81.8 years) who were suffering from chronic bronchitis were included in a double-blind trial against placebo to assess the preventative effect of OM-85 BV against acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. OM-85 BV is an immunostimulant composed of lyophilised factions of 8 bacteria which are most frequently encountered during the course of respiratory tract infections. 291 patients completed the study. In the group treated by OM-85 BV, a significant increase in the number of patients with no episode of acute bronchitis was noted (96 versus 71, p = 0.006). There was a 38.8% reduction in the absolute numbers of episodes of acute bronchitis and a 33% reduction in the number of prescriptions for antibiotics, however there was no difference in the number of pneumonias and bronchopneumonias. These results show the protective effect of OM-85 BV against bronchial superinfections in a large population of elderly patients suffering from chronic bronchitis.

[Chronic hiccups]. / Le hoquet chronique.

We report 18 cases of chronic hiccup (defined as lasting for more than 48 hours) in adults. Among the numerous possible causes, reflux esophagitis proved to be by far the most frequent (50% of the cases). However, hiccup often initiated a self-perpetuating vicious circle. This is possibly because hiccup per se can give esophageal dyskinesia, which in turn leads to gastro-esophageal reflux. The treatment was difficult and whenever possible has been directed chiefly towards the cause. However hiccup remained intractable in many cases even after a possible cause had been adequately cured (e.g., successful Nissen procedure in reflux cases). Central nervous system depressants and myorelaxing drugs were not very helpful, except for baclofen (initial response rate = 60%).

[Broncholithiasis of the upper right lobe]. / Broncholithiase du lobe supérieur droit.

A case of right upper lobe broncholithiasis is reported in a 50 years old smoker man. The first diagnosis was bronchial carcinoma but the diagnosis was made finally by fiberoptic bronchoscopy and scannography. The outcome remains favourable without treatment. The value of scannography for diagnosis and follow-up is underlined.