[Value of continuous monitoring of the electrocardiogram in asymptomatic subjects]. / Intérêt de l'enregistrement continu de l'électrocardiogramme chez le sujet asymptomatique.

The authors analysed the prevalence of atrioventricular conduction defects and sinus node dysfunction by Holter monitoring in three population groups with similar clinical characteristics: 50 controls (Group I), 17 physically fit subjects with an atrioventricular conduction defect on the resting ECG which was usually asymptomatic (Group II), and 48 professional pilots who were also physically fit but who had no conduction defects on resting ECG (Group III). The 24 hour recordings showed: --a similar incidence of sinus dysrhythmias and atrioventricular conduction defects in the three groups although the frequency of low degree block was a little higher in sportsmen; --a preponderance of the association of first degree block and nocturnal Luciani-Wenckebach periods, sometimes with episodes of Mobitz II block; --the absence of progression to high-degree atrioventricular block. Holter monitoring would therefore seem to be a good method of detecting and following up abnormalities of sinus node function and atrioventricular conduction defects in asymptomatic patients. In addition, it gives a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the recorded changes and provides a means of monitoring their evolution.

Naftidrofuryl in chronic arterial disease. Results of a six month controlled multicenter study using Naftidrofuryl tablets 200 mg.

The study was carried out on patients with intermittent claudication (Fontaine's stage II). The arterial and atheromatous origin of the disease was confirmed and localized by angiography or Doppler velocimetry examination. One hundred eighty-six patients were selected initially. Their pain-free walking distance on a treadmill (at a speed of 3 km/hour and an inclination of 10%) had to be 150-300 m. During the first month all patients received 3 placebo tablets daily. At the end of this run-in period (D-30; D 0) and after checking walking distance stability (allowed variation: +/- 20% between the two measurements) the patients were included in the study. One hundred fifty-four patients were selected and 118 remained during the whole study. The study was designed as a double-blind, using two parallel randomly selected groups. Sixty-four patients received for six months Naftidrofuryl (3 X 200 mg tablets daily with meals); 54 patients received placebo under the same conditions. During this period, clinical and paraclinical examinations were carried out every quarter (D 90 and D 180). After checking the initial homogeneity of the Naftidrofuryl and placebo-groups, the comparison between groups indicates a significant improvement in Naftidrofuryl group after 3 and 6 months of treatment. At the end of the study the observed differences in walking distance with Naftidrofuryl are approximately twice the difference in the reference group (D 90: p less than 0.05; D 180: p less than 0.02). The results of this study indicate that Naftidrofuryl is an efficient pharmacological tool for treatment of patients with chronic arterial disease (Fontaine's stage II).

Cardiac arrhythmias in space. Role of vagotonia.

Rhythm disorders observed in space have always been minor but they are not unfrequent. They include: ventricular or supra-ventricular extrasystoles, nodal arrhythmias, auriculo-ventricular conduction disorders. There are several etiopathogenetic hypotheses: a strict selection must permit its elimination of an underlying heart disease; the potassium deficiency is often advanced but its role is not certain; the role of catecholamines is also discussed; the role of hypervagotony is extensively analysed as great clinical and electro-cardiographic evidence speaks for it. It can induce disorders which are more serious than those observed so far, particularly fibrillation or intermittent atrial flutter; weightlessness itself could partly condition the vagotonic state; and the effects of fluid shifts are also discussed from this point of view. The possible therapies for various atrial, nodal, ventricular disorders are reviewed, with greater detail for vagal atrial arrhythmias.

[Drepanocytemia and air transport (author's transl)]. / Drépanocytose et aviation.

Acute complications due to a drepanocytic condition, and happening during air transport are rare. The question is of little importance for the homozygotic form but is a frequent problem with no easy answer for the heterozygotic forms (AS, SC and Th.S). Passengers, stewards and pilots raise different problems requiring different regulations and preventive measures.

[Liebow desquamative interstitial pneumopathy. Review of the literature; discussion of a new case]. / La pneumopathie interstitielle desquamative de Liebow. Revue de la littérature. A propos d'une nouvelle observation.

After a new observation, the authors make as complete a review as possible of the literature on this disease right up to the end of June 1974. They counted 104 observations and analyzed 91 of them. They think the clinical description could be enlarged to include the extra-thoracic signs. Similarly they point at biological peculiarities which unfortunately have only been looked for in a small number of the observations. Out of 77 cases they draw the main evolutive lines of the disease treated or untreated, debating on the reaction to corticosteroids. Finally they debate on the pathogenic hypotheses mainly on histological grounds.

[Diffuse articular chondrocalcinosis and Paget's disease]. / Chondrocalcinose articulaire diffuse et maladie de Paget

At the time of a personal observation of Paget's disease associated with a diffuse articular chondrocalcinosis (ACC) in a 75-year-old man suffering from diabetes and hyperuricaemia, the authors re-examined 61 patients suffering from Paget's disease to look for this association which had been previously mentioned by Radi et al. with the unusual frequency of 42 percent of cases. In 52 percent of their patients, who had undergone complete radiological examination of the skeleton, the authors found only one case of ACC, or 1.9 percent. Taking into account the respective frequencies of Paget's disease and of diffuse ACC in the general population aged more than 40 years, the results of this careful study led the authors to conclude that an association of ACC and Paget's disease is due to chance.

[Value of the determination of gamma glutamyl transpeptidase in the detection of hepatic metastases of bronch-pulmonary cancers]. / Intérêt du dosage de la gamma glutamyl transpeptidase dans le dépistage des métastases hépatiques des cancers broncho-pulmonaires

The authors have dosed gamma glutamyl transpeptidase in 42 patients with primary bronchopulmonary cancer, of whom 14 had liver metastases. In these 14 patients the level of gamma glutamyl transpeptidase was always high, except in 1 case; while in the remaining lot, a moderate and mostly belated increase was noticed in only 32 percent of cases. The dosing of gamma glutamyl transpeptidase present some interest in the detection of liver metastases in primary bronchopulmonary cancers, specially when coupled with the dosing of alcaline phosphatase. Interpretation of results should take into account the existence of an associated liver-gall bladder involvement and of a recent surgical operation; both factors being capable of raising the level of gamma glutamyl transpeptidase.