A multicentric study of 41 cases of B-prolymphocytic leukemia: two evolutive forms.

B-prolymphocytic leukemia (B-PLL) is an infrequent disease with a poor prognosis. We present the clinical and biological features of 41 patients. Median age was 67 years [42-89] and male-female sex ratio was 2.4. The immunophenotyping revealed B-cell phenotype, with a high level expression of surface IgM and/or IgD in all cases, FMC7+ in 76 % of cases and CD5+ in 67%. Marked spontaneous in-vitro apoptosis was observed in most cases tested (n = 12). The median overall survival time was 5 years and the event-free survival time was 37 months. As detected by univariate and multivariate analysis, the only variables associated with a poor prognosis were advanced age and anemia. No significant difference was observed between de novo PLL (n = 27) and prolymphocytoid transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (n = 14). Two groups of patients were individualized according to their clinical course: patients who died within one year of diagnosis (n = 14) and patients who had a prolonged survival (n = 23) without any treatment in some cases. The comparison between the 2 groups showed that they differed in age (p = 0.01) and anemia (p = 0.02). We also observed that the patients with p53 mutations had a worse clinical outcome. Taken together these data confirm that B-PLL should be regarded as a distinct form of chronic lymphoproliferative disorder and suggest the existence of two patterns of clinical evolution.

[Chronic rhinopathies of childhood (apropos of 265 cases)]. / Les rhinopathies chroniques de l'enfant (à propos de 265 observations).

We observed among 265 children with a chronic rhinopathy: 187 allergic rhinopathies, associating sneezing, rhinorrhea and nasal eosinophilia, particularly caused by a sensitization for mites. 10 non allergic eosinophilic rhinopathies with identical clinical signs, and major nasal eosinophilia without any allergic factor. 68 non allergic non eosinophilic rhinopathies, where are preponderant nasal obstruction, olfaction troubles, ORL infections (otitis and sinusitis). Their etiology is probably various: psychic factors, ciliary dyskinesias, vasomotor phenomena...

[Successes and failures of the activated partial thromboplastin time in the preoperative evaluation]. / Heurs et malheurs du temps de céphaline activée dans le bilan préopératoire.

In a prospective study assessing haemostatic functions, the activated partial thromboplastin time was prolonged in 134 out of 10,229 patients studied, without an increase in the prothrombin or thrombin times; this abnormality persisted in only 37 of them on a new blood sample. A retrospective analysis was made of 265 patients who had such an isolated prolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time on two successive blood samples: the causal abnormality remained unexplained in 135 patients; a well defined coagulation disorder without abnormal bleeding tendency was present in 110 patients (1 severe factor XII deficiency, 58 partial factor XI or XII deficiencies and 51 lupus anticoagulants); a bleeding disorder was diagnosed in 20 patients (8 haemophilias, 8 Von Willebrand's diseases, 4 factor VIII inhibitors). The well-iron efficacy of the activated partial thromboplastin time for detecting coagulation abnormalities is counter-balanced by some disadvantages such as the delay for biologic conclusions. In the preoperative assessment of haemostatic functions, rather than taking a routine approach, it would seem better to determine for each patient the need and the extent of biological testing according to the type of planned surgery, the clinical status of the patient and possible bleeding symptoms.