[Familial small-vessel vasculitis of the kidney]. / Vascularite familiale des vaisseaux de petit calibre des reins.

INTRODUCTION: Familial forms of small-vessel vasculitis has been reported in 14 families (including this one). CASES: A father and son were both diagnosed with renal vasculitis (pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis). Both had antimyeloperoxidase autoantibodies, and there was no evidence of a common environmental factor. DISCUSSION: These cases suggest the role of constitutional factors in the pathogenesis of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.

[Thyroid function and trisomy 21. TSH increase and rT3 deficiency]. / Fonction thyroïdienne et trisomie 21 excès de TSH et déficit en rT3.

An excess of thyrotropin (TSH) with normal levels of tetraiodothyronine (T4) and of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) was confirmed in the serum of 78 trisomy 21 children. A severe deficiency of 3,3',5'-triiodo-thyronine (rT3 or reverse T3) was observed and the decrease of the rT3/TSH ratio was highly significant. These new facts suggest that the rT3 deficiency plays a peculiar role in trisomy 21 (maybe through the regulation of one or few steps of monocarbons' metabolism). A systematic control of thyroid function (including the patient's rT3 level) is mandatory for the follow-up of every trisomy 21 patient.