Effect of enzyme replacement therapy with alglucosidase alfa (Myozyme®) in 12 patients with advanced late-onset Pompe disease.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in patients at an advanced stage of Pompe disease has only been addressed in a few studies. Our objective was to assess the long term effects of ERT in a cohort of patients with severe Pompe disease. METHODS: We identified patients from the French Pompe Registry with severe respiratory failure and permanent wheelchair use (assisted walk for a few meters was allowed) when starting ERT. Patients' medical records were collected and reviewed and respiratory and motor functions, before ERT initiation and upon last evaluation were compared. RESULTS: Twelve patients (7 males) were identified. Median age at symptom onset was 24years [IQR=15.5; 36.0]. At baseline ventilation was invasive in 11 patients and noninvasive in one, with a median ventilation time of 24h [IQR=21.88; 24.00] (min 20; max 24). ERT was initiated at a median age of 52.5years [IQR=35.75; 66.50]. Median treatment duration was 55months [IQR=39.5; 81.0]. During observational period no adverse reaction to ERT was recorded, five patients (41.67%) died, three decreased their ventilation time by 30, 60 and 90min and two increased their assisted walking distance, by 80 and 20m. CONCLUSION: Some patients at a very advanced stage of Pompe disease may show a mild benefit from ERT, in terms of increased time of autonomous ventilation and of enlarged distance in assisted walk. ERT can be initiated in these patients in order to retain their current level of independence and ability to perform daily life activities.

Responsiveness of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey and the Lupus Quality of Life questionnaire in SLE.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to estimate the responsiveness to change of a generic [the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36)] and a specific health-related quality of life questionnaire [the Lupus Quality if Life questionnaire (LupusQoL)] according to SLE patients' self-reported changes in health status. METHODS: In a cohort of 185 SLE patients, quality of life (QoL) was measured three times at 3 month intervals by the LupusQoL and SF-36 questionnaires. Anchors for responsiveness were defined by patients' global assessment of disease impact according to changes in a visual analogue scale (VAS), a 7-point Likert scale and a 0-3 scale of five patient-reported symptoms. Mean change and s.d. in worsening and improving patients according to anchors were estimated using mixed models for repeated measures. Standardized response means (SRMs) were calculated in each group. RESULTS: Patients [mean age 39.6 years (s.d. 10.5), mean Safety of Estrogen in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment-SLEDAI score 2.6 (s.d. 3.5)] answered a total of 515 questionnaires. For the VAS and Likert global anchors, worsening patients showed a significant decrease in all LupusQoL domains except for burden to others, body image and fatigue and all SF-36 domains with low to moderate responsiveness. Improving patients had a significant increase in all LupusQoL domains except for intimate relationship and all SF-36 domains except for physical functioning and global health with low to moderate responsiveness. Regarding similar domains in the SF-36 and LupusQoL, SRMs were higher in LupusQoL domains in improving patients, while SF-36 domains had larger SRMs in worsening patients. CONCLUSION: Both the SF-36 and LupusQoL were responsive to changes in QoL in SLE patients over a 3 month interval. LupusQoL seems to be more appropriate to measure improvements in QoL.

Central nervous system involvement of granulomatosis with polyangiitis: clinical-radiological presentation distinguishes different outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the presentation and outcomes of patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) presenting with CNS involvement. METHODS: Patients were included in this nationwide retrospective study if they had GPA according to ACR criteria and/or the European Medicines Agency algorithm and CNS involvement. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients were included in the study. CNS involvement was observed in 51% of patients at GPA diagnosis. Headache (66%) was the main symptom, followed by sensory (43%) and motor impairment (31%). CNS involvement was characterized by pachymeningitis in 20, cerebral ischaemic lesions in 15 and haemorrhagic lesions in 2, with hypophyseal involvement in 2 patients. According to the clinical-radiological presentation, we distinguished granulomatous (G-CNS) and vasculitic (V-CNS) phenotypes. G-CNS patients more frequently had headaches, while V-CNS patients more frequently had motor impairment and renal involvement. Induction therapy produced clinical responses in 86% of patients. Baseline modified Rankin scale was higher for V-CNS than G-CNS patients (3 vs 2, P = 0.002). Initial spinal cord pachymeningitis was significantly associated with the need for a new induction regimen for relapsing/refractory disease (P = 0.01). Long-term neurological sequelae were noted in 51% of patients, including 35% with G-CNS and 69% with V-CNS (P = 0.08). Neurological sequelae were mainly noted in cases of spinal cord pachymeningitis (100%) and ischaemic or haemorrhagic lesions (73%). CONCLUSION: The clinical-radiological phenotype distinguished different long-term outcomes in patients with GPA and CNS involvement. Long-term neurological sequelae persisted in half of patients, mainly those with spinal cord pachymeningitis and vasculitic lesions.

Validity of the global anti-phospholipid syndrome score to predict thrombosis: a prospective multicentre cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the validity of the global APS score (GAPSS) to predict thrombosis in patients with autoimmune diseases. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included consecutive patients with aPL or SLE. aPL, aPS-PT and GAPSS were determined. A Cox proportional hazards model assessed the validity of GAPSS and identified other potential independent predictors of thrombosis. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-seven patients [43.5 (s.d. 15.4) years old; 107 women] were followed up for a mean duration of 43.1 (s.d. 20.7) months. Mean GAPSS was significantly higher in patients who experienced a thrombotic event compared with those without [10.88 (s.d. 5.06) vs 8.15 (s.d. 5.31), respectively, P = 0.038]. In univariate analysis, age [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.04 (95% CI 1.01, 1.08)] and GAPSS above 16 [HR = 6.86 (95% CI 1.90, 24.77)] were each significantly associated with thrombosis during follow-up, while history of arterial thrombosis [HR = 2.61 (95% CI 0.87, 7.82)] failed to reach significance. Among aPL assays, IgG aPS/PT--a component of the GAPSS--was significantly associated with thrombosis [HR = 2.95 (95% CI 1.02, 8.51)]. In multivariate analysis, GAPSS above 16 remained the only significant predictor of thrombosis [HR = 6.17 (95% CI 1.70, 22.40)]. CONCLUSION: This first external validation study confirmed that GAPSS can predict thrombosis in patients with aPL and associated autoimmune diseases.

Atrial flutter or fibrillation is the most frequent and life-threatening arrhythmia in myotonic dystrophy.

BACKGROUND: Several arrhythmias were reported in myotonic dystrophy (MD). OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) in MD and the clinical consequences. METHODS: One hundred sixty-one patients, mean age 41 ± 14 years, were referred for a type 1 MD. All patients were asymptomatic except four patients and followed during 5 ± 4 years. Electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography assessing left ventricular ejection fraction, and Holter monitoring were obtained and repeated. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients (17%) presented sustained (>1 hour) AF (n = 15) or AFL (n = 12); two of them presented syncope-related 1/1 AFL. In one of them, 16 years of age, cardiac defibrillator was implanted for a diagnosis of ventricular tachycardia, but the true diagnosis was established after inappropriate shocks. AFL ablation was performed in five patients, but four developed AF. The other seven patients with AFL developed AF. During the follow-up, 22 patients died (14%) from cardiac and respiratory failure; eight patients with AF/AFL died (30%) while only 14 without AF/AFL died (10%; P < 0.01). Univariate analysis indicated that age >40 years (death: 48 ± 14 vs 40 ± 8 in alive patients), abnormal ECG, and occurrence of AF/AFL were significant factors of death. At multivariate analysis, AF at ECG (odds ratio: 3.12) and age >40 (odds ratio: 3.14) were the sole independent variables predicting death. CONCLUSIONS: AF and AFL were frequent in MD and increased mortality. AFL could present as 1/1 AFL with a poor tolerance and a risk of misdiagnosis despite frequent conduction disturbances. This arrhythmia could explain wide QRS tachycardia occurring in MD and interpreted as VT.

LupusQoL-FR is valid to assess quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To cross-culturally adapt the LupusQoL into French, to test its measurement properties and to further investigate its domain structure. METHODS: The cultural adaptation process according to guidelines and pre-testing resulted in the LupusQoL-FR. SLE patients completed the LupusQoL-FR at baseline, 15 days, 3 months and 6 months. Validity was studied through content and construct validity (factorial and Rasch analysis for structural validity, Spearman's correlation and Mann-Whitney tests for external validity). Cronbach's α and intra-class correlation coefficients were computed for reliability. The standardized response mean was computed to evaluate responsiveness. RESULTS: In all, 182 patients, age 39.6 (10.6) years, mostly outpatients [mean SELENA-SLEDAI 2.6 (3.5)] were recruited. Factor analysis with eight imposed factors was very close to the original LupusQoL. A screeplot with parallel analysis showed that LupusQoL domains could be aggregated in two physical and mental scales. Both eight- and two-factor structures showed a good Rasch fit, internal consistency (Cronbach's α: 0.85-0.95), and test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient 0.79-0.95). External convergent (correlation with SF-36, r=0.59-0.78) and divergent validity (according to SELENA-SLEDAI) were also satisfactory. CONCLUSION: The LupusQoL-FR is valid to assess quality of life in SLE patients. A two-factor structure of physical and mental aggregated scales is a valid alternative to the original eight-domain structure.

Balance control impairments in Fabry disease.

Background: Fabry disease (FD) is a rare inherited lysosomal storage disorder caused by the deficiency of the enzyme alpha-galactosidase A. This deficiency leads to an accumulation of glycosphingolipids leading to progressive and multisystemic disease, including renal, cardiac, and neurological damages. FD may also have neuro-otological and visual impairments, which can generate postural control alterations, inner ear, and vision being involved in this function. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of FD on postural control. Methods: In total, fourteen adult patients (8 men/6 women, mean age = 37.6 ± 11.4 years) and two children (mean age = 11 years) with FD and 19 healthy adults (12 men/7 women, mean age = 36.5 ± 16.9 years) and two healthy children (mean age = 10.5 years) took part in this study. Postural control was evaluated by a sensory organization test combining three visual situations (eyes open, eyes closed, and sway referenced visual surround motion) with two platform situations (stable platform and sway referenced platform motion), aiming to calculate a composite equilibrium score (CES), a high score being representative of good postural control. Somatosensory (RSOM), visual (RVIS), and vestibular (RVEST) contributions to postural control were calculated, a low score reflecting a poor use of the indicated sensory input. Results: The CES was lower in adult patients with FD compared with the healthy subjects (p < 0.001). RVIS (p = 0.001) and RVEST (p = 0.003) were lower in patients with FD compared with the control group, whereas no difference in RSOM was observed. Conclusion: Inner ear and visual pathologies associated with the central nervous system impairments are factors of postural control impairments. Physical activities, which can also be rehabilitative, by maintaining or increasing the weight of proprioception, may help diminish dependency on altered sensorial inputs.

Regional body composition and functional impairment in patients with myotonic dystrophy.

INTRODUCTION: In this study we determined regional body composition in myotonic dystrophy (DM1) and able-bodied controls and evaluated the relationship between fat and lean tissue mass and functional impairment in DM1 patients. METHODS: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was used to obtain regional measurements of fat-free mass index (FFMI) and fat mass index (FMI) in 48 DM1 and anthropometrically matched control pairs. RESULTS: DM1 patients had lower regional FFMI and higher FMI than controls (P < 0.01-0.001). In DM1 patients, total FMI increased significantly with increased muscular disability rating, decreased motor function measurement, and with both decreasing vital capacity and total lung capacity. Hypertriglyceridemia correlated with increasing FMI. CONCLUSIONS: Regional FFMI is decreased in DM1, whereas FMI is underestimated by body mass index and is negatively correlated with patients' functional capacity. DEXA may provide valuable supporting evidence in the management of DM1.

Subacute myopathy in a mature patient due to multiple acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD), also called glutaric aciduria type II, is an inherited metabolic disorder resulting from a deficiency in electron transfer flavoprotein (ETF) or of its ubiquinone oxidoreductase (ETF-QO). It usually occurs in the neonatal period or in early infancy and, very rarely, in adolescents and young adult patients. METHODS: We report the case of a 55-year-old woman who developed a painful subacute myopathy. RESULTS: Lipid accumulation was found at biopsy. MADD was confirmed by plasma acylcarnitine profile and by assessment of ETF-QO activity in muscle. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that metabolic myopathies usually found in infancy may be also diagnosed in older patients. MADD may be easily treated by riboflavin and coenzyme Q10 and therefore should be included in the differential diagnosis of adult-onset painful myopathy.

Long-term follow-up of patients with myotonic dystrophy: an electrocardiogram every year is not necessary.

A high risk of arrhythmias was reported in myotonic dystrophy (MD). The purpose of the study was to evaluate the value of non-invasive and invasive investigations for the arrhythmias detection and when to repeat the investigations. 129 patients, mean age 41 ± 14 years, with MD, were asymptomatic, except 4. Electrocardiogram (ECG), left ventricular ejection fraction determination, Holter monitoring, signal-averaged ECG, electrophysiological study (51) were obtained and repeated each year in patients without conduction abnormalities. Electrocardiogram and Holter monitoring were normal in 72 and 89 patients, respectively. Standard deviation of the mean RR intervals (SDNN) was <100 ms in 30 patients. Late potentials were present in 32 patients, without ventricular tachycardia (VT) correlation. Ejection fraction was normal in all but six patients (60±10.5%). HV interval was prolonged in 0 of 8 patients with normal ECG, 1 of 9 with isolated first degree atrioventricular block, 9 of 16 with hemiblock, and 10 of 15 with bundle branch block. Atrial fibrillation (AF) was induced in 22 patients, non-sustained VT in 6 patients, and sick sinus syndrome noted in 10 patients. The mean time for the ECG change was 5±1 years. After 10±7.5 years, AF occurred in 15 patients; 12 patients died. Multivariate analysis indicated that both AF at ECG and SDNN lower than 100 ms were independent predictors of death. HV increase was noted only in patients with abnormal ECG. The most frequent arrhythmia was AF and was associated with a high risk of death. The repetition of ECG every year is probably not useful.

Leukocyte differential for acute abdominal pain in adults.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal pain is a common symptom underlying a variety of disorders with different prognoses. Neutrophilia or lymphopenia have been used as prognostic markers in several stress- or infection-mediated disorders. We studied the clinical relevance of the leukocyte differential in the initial workup of adult patients presenting with abdominal pain. METHODS: We reviewed all leukocyte differentials and medical records of 441 consecutive patients admitted for abdominal pain in an emergency department. Patients were matched by age and sex with controls and were assigned to 4 groups: functional disorders (group FUN), infectious medical disorders (group INF) and noninfectious medical disorders (group MED), and surgical disorders (group SUR). Patients of groups INF and SUR were pooled into group INF+SUR to predict severe illness, and this group was compared with others with nonsevere illness. RESULTS: All patients exhibited neutrophilia, along with a neutrophil count that increased with illness severity. Lymphopenia, eosinopenia, and basopenia characterized patients of group INF+SUR. Neutrophilia, eosinopenia, and lymphopenia were independent predictors of the most severely affected patients. The association of a neutrophil count >9.0 × 109/L with lymphopenia (<1.4 × 109L) and eosinopenia (<0.04 × 109/L) had a specificity of 94.9% (95% confidence interval, 91.2%-97.1%) for inclusion in group INF+SUR, although with a low sensitivity (27.5%). CONCLUSION: Lymphocyte, eosinophil, and neutrophil counts should be considered in medical admissions of adults with abdominal pain. Lymphopenia associated with eosinopenia and significant neutrophilia is highly suggestive of a more severe illness.

Intra-venous bevacizumab in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT): A retrospective study of 46 patients.

BACKGROUND: Bevacizumab, an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody, has recently emerged as a new option for severe forms of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). Its utilization in this orphan disease has rapidly spread despite the lack of randomized trials and international guidelines. The objective of this study is to report the main clinical data (baseline characteristics, dose schedule, efficacy, adverse events and deaths) of HHT patients treated by intravenous bevacizumab in France. METHODS: Retrospective observational study of HHT patients treated with bevacizumab for a severe form of the disease in the 14 centers of the French HHT network. RESULTS: Forty-six patients (median age: 68 years) were treated between March 2009 and May 2015. Ten patients were treated for high output cardiac failure, 20 patients for severe hemorrhages and 16 for both indications. The standard protocol (6 infusions of 5mg/kg every 2 weeks) was initially used in 89% of the cases but diverse strategies were subsequently applied. A clinical improvement was noted by the referent physician for 74% of the patients with a median effect's duration of 6 months. Wound healing complications led to 2 amputations. Arthralgia/arthritis and arterial hypertension occurred in 5 patients each. One third of the patients were dead at the time of the final update, coherently with age and the poor prognosis of these highly symptomatic patients. CONCLUSION: Intravenous bevacizumab seems to provide a clinical benefice in severe HHT patients. Precautions concerning wound healing and vascular pathologies must be respected. Prospective double blinded versus placebo trials are needed.

Pulmonary hypertension subtypes associated with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia: Haemodynamic profiles and survival probability.

BACKGROUND: Different pulmonary hypertension (PH) mechanisms are associated with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a retrospective study of all suspected cases of PH (echocardiographically estimated systolic pulmonary artery pressure [sPAP] ≥ 40 mmHg) in patients with definite HHT recorded in the French National Reference Centre for HHT database. When right heart catheterization (RHC) was performed, PH cases were confirmed and classified among the PH groups according to the European guidelines. Among 2,598 patients in the database, 110 (4.2%) had suspected PH. Forty-seven of these 110 patients had RHC: 38/47 (81%) had a confirmed diagnosis of PH. The majority of these had isolated post-capillary PH (n = 20). We identified for the first time other haemodynamic profiles: pre-capillary pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) cases (n = 3) with slightly raised pulmonary vascular resistances (PVR), and combined post- and pre-capillary PH cases (n = 4). Compared to controls, survival probability was lower in patients with PAH. CONCLUSION: This study revealed the diversity of PH mechanisms in HHT. The description of combined post- and pre-capillary PH with/or without high cardiac output (CO) suggests either a continuum between the pre- and post-capillary haemodynamic profiles or a different course in response to high CO.

Lack of correlation between the ventilatory response to CO2 and lung function impairment in myotonic dystrophy patients: evidence for a dysregulation at central level.

Myotonic dystrophy Type 1 (DM1) is the most common muscular dystrophy in adults. Respiratory failure is common but clinical findings support a dysregulation of the control of breathing at central level, furthermore contributing to alveolar hypoventilation independently of the severity of respiratory weakness. We therefore intended to study the relationship between the ventilatory response to CO2 and the impairment of lung function in DM1 patients. Sixty-nine DM1 patients were prospectively investigated (43.5 ± 12.7 years). Systematic pulmonary lung function evaluation including spirometry, plethysmography, measurements of respiratory muscle strength, arterial blood gas analysis and ventilatory response to CO2 were performed. Thirty-one DM1 patients (45%) presented a ventilatory restriction, 38 (55%) were hypoxaemic and 15 (22%) were hypercapnic. Total lung capacity decline was correlated to hypoxaemia (p = 0.0008) and hypercapnia (p = 0.0013), but not to a decrease in ventilatory response to CO2 (p = 0.194). Ventilatory response to CO2 was reduced to 0.85 ± 0.67 L/min/mmHg and not correlated to respiratory muscle weakness. Ventilatory response to CO2 was neither different among restricted/non-restricted patients (p = 0.2395) nor among normoxaemic/hypoxaemic subjects (p = 0.6380). The reduced ventilatory response to CO2 in DM1 patients appeared independent of lung function impairment and respiratory muscle weakness, suggesting a central cause of CO2 insensitivity.

Exertional Heat Stroke and Susceptibility to Malignant Hyperthermia in an Athlete: Evidence for a Link?

OBJECTIVE: To describe the possible association (pathophysiologic and clinical features) between exertional heat stroke (EHS) and malignant hyperthermia (MH). BACKGROUND: Both EHS and MH are acute and life-threatening disorders. It has repeatedly been shown that EHS can occur in well-trained patients with known MH-associated mutation in the RYR1 gene in the absence of any extreme environmental conditions or extreme physical activity, thereby supporting a possible link between EHS and MH. In this case, a highly trained 30-year-old male athlete suddenly collapsed while running. He had initial hyperthermia (40.2°C) and progressive multiple organ failure requiring medical management in an intensive care unit. After he recovered completely, a maximal exercise test was performed and showed an obvious abnormality of oxidative metabolism in muscle; genetic analysis of the RYR1 gene identified a heterozygous missense variation p.K1393R. Consequently, the athlete was given appropriate information and allowed to progressively return to sport competition. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS: Doping, use of drugs and toxic agents, exercise-associated hyponatremia, exertional heat illness. TREATMENT: Initial management started with the basic resuscitative guidelines of airway, breathing, and circulation (intubation). Cooling, administration of fresh frozen plasma, and intensive rehydration resulted in improvement. UNIQUENESS: To our knowledge, ours is the first description of this MH mutation (p.K1393R) in the RYR1 gene that was associated with exertional rhabdomyolysis involving a dramatic impairment of oxidative metabolism in muscle. CONCLUSIONS: Common features are shared by EHS and MH. Careful attention must therefore be paid to athletes who experience EHS, especially in temperate climates or when there are no other predisposing factors.

[Current therapeutic strategies in lysosomal disorders]. / Stratégies thérapeutiques actuelles dans les maladies lysosomales.

The lysosomal storage disorders (LSD) comprise a heterogeneous group of inborn errors of metabolism. The resulting enzymatic defect leads to accumulation of its substrate in the lysosome. Their clinical patterns reflect the site of substrate storage. Central nervous system involvement is often present in the younger patients affected by the most severe phenotypes. Substantial progress has been made in the pathophysiological knowledge, leading to new therapeutic options in LSD. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) is the dominant approach and is actually proposed in six LSD: Gaucher disease, Fabry disease, Pompe disease and mucopolysaccharidoisis (MPS) I (Hurler disease), II (Hunter disease) and VI (Maroteaux-Lamy disease). This treatment reduces lysosomal storage, and sometimes reduces, but most often limits the progression of visceral involvement and of its clinical consequences. However, ERT does not cross the blood-brain barrier and is ineffective on neurological symptoms. In the younger patients with MPS I (Hurler disease) and with selected cases of other LSD, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation remains the optimal option. Other strategies using small molecules are being explored in order to cross the blood-brain barrier. This includes substrate reduction or depletion therapies, which decrease the amount of substrate, and the use of pharmacological chaperones, which enhance the residual activity of the mutant enzyme. Miglustat is the proposed substrate reduction therapy in Niemann-Pick C disease and clinical trials are actually performed in several LSD using other substrate reduction or chaperone drugs.

Supine changes in lung function correlate with chronic respiratory failure in myotonic dystrophy patients.

Quality of life and prognosis of patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (MD1) often depend on the degree of lung function impairment. This study was designed to assess the respective prevalence of ventilatory restriction, hypoxaemia and hypercapnia in MD1 patients and to determine whether postural changes in lung function could contribute to the early diagnosis of poor respiratory outcome. Fifty-eight patients (42.6±12.9 years) with MD1 were prospectively evaluated from April 2008 to June 2010 to determine their supine and upright lung function and arterial blood gases. The prevalence of ventilatory restriction was 36% and increased with the severity of muscular disability (from 7.7% to 70.6%). The prevalence of hypoxaemia and hypercapnia was 37.9% and 25.9%, respectively. Multiple regression analysis showed that the supine fall in FEV1 was the only variable associated with ventilatory restriction, hypoxaemia and hypercapnia. Our data indicate that supine evaluation of lung function could be helpful to predict poor respiratory outcome, which is closely correlated with hypoxaemia and/or hypercapnia.

[Increasing risk of tumors in myotonic dystrophy type 1]. / Augmentation du risque de tumeurs dans la dystrophie myotonique de type 1.

OBJECTIVE: Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is characterized by an unstable expansion of a CTG repeat resulting in altered mRNA biogenesis. Benign or malignant tumours are increasingly reported. The aim of the study was to evaluate the risk of tumor in a cohort of patients DM1. METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of every DM1 patient admitted in our neuromuscular center. Diagnoses of cancer and age at diagnosis were noted. The relative risk of a selected cancer was calculated using the data of the cancer registry obtained from the French "Institut de Veille Sanitaire". RESULTS: A total of 109 French DM1 patients, aged 44.1±13.0 years, were studied, and 14 malignant tumours were observed, with a significant relative risk (RR) of thymoma, of gynaecologic cancers, of lung cancers. CONCLUSION: While this cohort is small, our findings nevertheless suggest an increased risk of particular cancers in DM1. The toxic effects of mutant RNA may possibly affect oncogene expression or growth factor signalling pathways in cells. Clinical practice should include cancer screening and prevention of risk factors in DM1 patients.

Age, conduction defects and restrictive lung disease independently predict cardiac events and death in myotonic dystrophy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to identify, in addition to conduction defects, possible predictors of cardiac events and death in patients with myotonic dystrophy (DM1). METHODS AND DESIGN: A retrospective observational cohort study was undertaken. Baseline clinical and non-invasive cardiac and respiratory investigations were obtained from 107 DM1 patients, who were regularly re-examined. Primary end-points were occurrence of cardiac events (pacemaker implantation or tachyarrhythmia) or death. Probability of an event was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, while contributing factors were assessed using univariate and multivariate (Cox model) analyses. RESULTS: Cardiac events occurred in 34 patients (29%). Age, muscular impairment, infantile onset, restrictive lung disease (RLD), ECG conduction defects, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) below 50%, and arrhythmia detected during Holter monitoring were predictors of cardiac events. Multivariate analysis indicated that age, RLD, ECG conduction defects, Holter arrhythmia and LVEF remained independent predictors. Probability of cardiac events was 2.5% (5%CI: 0-7%) at 1 year and 6% (5%CI: 0-14%) at 3 years in patients younger than 42 years with normal ECG, Holter, LVEF and lung volumes. Advancing age, distal or proximal weakness and RLD characterized all non-survivors (n=14). CONCLUSION: Cardiac events or death are predicted not only by conduction defects or cardiomyopathy in DM1, but also by RLD, muscular disability and advancing age. Addition of these criteria should modulate time intervals for patient follow-up examinations. In young patients with normal baseline investigations, screening investigations every 2 or 3 years seem to be sufficient.

Superficial vein thrombosis, thrombin generation and activated protein C resistance as predictors of thromboembolic events in lupus and antiphospholipid patients. A prospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Predicting thrombosis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and/or antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) is still challenging. Our objective was to determine risk factors for thrombotic events including activated protein C (APC) resistance proven by a thrombin generation (TG) assay in patients with SLE and/or aPL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study in a French University Hospital and tertiary care center. Ninety-two consecutive patients with SLE and/or aPL without ongoing anticoagulant treatment were enrolled. The outcome was time to thrombotic event. We evaluated clinical and laboratory variables including APC sensitivity ratio (APCsr) determined by TG. An APCsr>90th percentile of a control population indicated APC resistance. RESULTS: Patients were followed-up for a median duration of 35 months (inter-quartile range: 26 to 62; 320 patient-years). Thrombosis during follow-up occurred in 18 patients. In univariate analysis, together with history of hypertension, superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) and arterial thrombosis, patients with both aPL and APC resistance had an increased risk for incident thromboembolic events (HR, 3.67 [95% confidence interval, 1.31 to 10.31]). In multivariate analysis, only history of hypertension (HR, 10.77 [95% confidence interval, 3.15 to 36.83]), SVT (HR, 7.45 [95% confidence interval, 2.25 to 24.66]) and arterial thrombosis (HR, 3.31 [95% confidence interval, 1.14 to 9.55]) remained independent risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: History of thrombosis including seemingly benign SVT have a higher predictive value for incident thrombotic events in SLE or aPL patients than APC resistance proven by TG.