[Treatment of conjunctival epithelial tumors: brachytherapy with ruthenium-106]. / Traitement des tumeurs épithéliales de la conjonctive: intérêt de la curiethérapie au ruthénium-106.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of conjunctival epithelial tumors is not standardized because it is difficult to compare large series in this rare disease. Surgical excision is usual, but the recurrence rate has led several authors to propose alternative therapies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During the past 20 years, brachytherapy using ophthalmic applicators has been developed and the results of different studies have confirmed the usefulness of this therapy. We report a retrospective study of 13 patients presenting with a conjunctival epithelial tumor treated with ruthenium106 applicators and followed up in our department since 1987. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There was no recurrence during a mean follow-up of 48 months. Complications depended on the size of the area treated and the dose of radiation.

Short-chain fatty acid enemas fail to decrease colonic hypersensitivity and inflammation in TNBS-induced colonic inflammation in rats.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) (especially butyrate) enemas are widely used to reduce symptoms associated with human inflammatory bowel disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate their real effect on colonic sensitivity in rats. METHODS: The effects of saline and SCFA enemas (acetate, propionate and particularly butyrate) were studied on visceral pain thresholds following colonic distension in control rats and in rats with colitis (instilled with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)). RESULTS: Butyrate enemas (40 mM twice daily for 14 days) decreased colonic pain thresholds in control rats; they did not reduce the TNBS-induced hypersensitivity, but on the contrary increased its duration (without modifying the inflammation score). This pronociceptive effect was confirmed in control rats receiving twice daily enemas of 80 mM for 3 days and two enemas of 240 mM of a butyrate solution. The other SCFA enemas did not modify the hypersensitivity of rats with colitis and induced proinflammatory effects. CONCLUSIONS: The beneficial effect of SCFA (especially butyrate) enemas on hypersensitivity and inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease is questionable and needs to be thoroughly investigated in humans.

[Neuromuscular complications of D-penicillamine in rheumatoid arthritis]. / Complications neuromusculaires de la D. pénicillamine dans la polyarthrite rhumatoïde.

Between 1979 and 1990 we have seen 8 patients (7 females) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who developed a neuro-muscular involvement while on D-penicillamine (D.P.). Five of them had a drug-induced myasthenia. D.P. withdrawal led to a complete recovery in 1.5 to 5 months. Another patient presented with a myopathy which led to the diagnosis of Grave's disease. She was treated with D.P. for 4 months. D.P. was reintroduced and 5 months later a myasthenic syndrome developed. A thymoma was discovered 1 year later. In the last 2 patients D.P. induced polymyositis which, in one, was associated with features of systemic lupus erythematosus. In the other patient, the evolution was fatal in spite of D.P. withdrawal, high dose steroids and plasma exchanges. A literature survey has shown 150 D.P. induced myasthenia and 38 D.P. induced polymyositis cases.