[Late relapse of sarcoidosis. Report of 3 cases]. / Rechutes tardives de sarcoïdose. A propos de 3 cas.

We report patients who were treated with corticosteroids for sarcoïdosis and developed recurrent disease after 9 and 28 years of remission. The clinical latency, the type III radiographic aspect different from the initial presentation and the spontaneous course with periods of partial or total remission are characteristic of these late relapses. Clinicians should be aware of this uncommon clinical course and monitor cured cases for prolonged periods.

[Chronic pseudo-hypertrophic myopathy in sarcoidosis. Apropos of 3 cases]. / Myopathie chronique pseudo-hypertrophique au cours de la sarcoïdose. A propos de 3 cas.

We report three cases of pseudohypertrophic chronic myopathy in patients with sarcoidosis. The patients were aged 41-50 years and were of African or mixed ethnic origin. All three patients had multiorgan sarcoidosis recently diagnosed by the presence of hiliary and/or mediastinal node enlargement with or without reticulomicronodulation in the lung fields. Hypertrophy of the proximal portion of the limbs dominated the clinical presentation. In 2 cases, the myopathy was preceded by myalgia and in 2 cases associated with muscle nodules. The muscle enzymes were elevated in 2 cases. The importance of tuberculoid granulomas and the discretion of the myopathy characterised the histological findings in all 3 cases. Cortisone therapy was given early and long-term treatment led to favorable course in 2 cases, probably due to the importance of the granulomatous muscle mass. In the third case, peripheral neuropathy developed.

[Peritoneal pseudomyxoma with pleural metastases. A case report]. / Pseudomyxome péritonéal avec métastases pleurales. A propos d'un cas.

The authors report a case of a 69 year old man with a peritoneal pseudo-myxoma probably secondary to a mucocele of the appendix and complicated by pleural metastases which were nodular, unilateral and asymptomatic. These were discovered on computerised tomography during examination for the recurrence of the peritoneal disease. A study of the histology of the pleural fragments obtained by thoracotomy showed the presence of lesions which were identical to those found in the peritoneal masses.

[Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections]. / Infections à Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a pathogenic micro-organism frequently held responsible for acute respiratory infection. The disease is ubiquitous and often proceeds in epidemics among small communities of young people (families, army barracks, universities). Its usual clinical manifestations consist of a stubborn cough symptomatic of tracheo-bronchitis with or without fever, and inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. Cases where chest X-rays show a pulmonary infiltrate are less frequent, but they differ from other lung diseases in that the respiratory signs at physical examination are discreet. The presence of cold agglutinins is not specific, but it contributes to the diagnosis. Cutaneous, neuromeningeal, cardiovascular and osteo-articular manifestations are rare, usually delayed and of lesser importance. Diagnosis rests on positive cultures of tracheo-bronchial or pharyngeal samples and/or on a significant increase in the titers of serum antibodies directed against M. pneumoniae. The disease is usually benign. Antibiotic therapy with macrolides or tetracyclines shortens its duration and reduces the incidence of complications. The latter chiefly concern elderly subjects and patients with COLD for whom M. pneumoniae infection constitutes a major risk of respiratory failure.