[Amiodaron neuropathy: clinical and pathological study of a new drug induced lipidosis (author's transl)]. / Neuropathie au chlorhydrate d'amiodarone. Etude clinique et histopathologique d'une nouvelle lipidose médicamenteuse.

The authors report a case of amiodaron-induced neuropathy in a seventy one years old man. First signs appeared seventeen months after the treatment was started with 400 mg/day for one year and continued with 200 mg/day. Examination on the 29th month disclosed a severe sensory and motor deficit of the limbs with distal predominancy. Motor nerve conduction velocity was strongly impaired without modification of distal latencies. Fundi were normal. The patient improved quickly after drug withdrawal. The authors review the rare similar cases reported in the literature and attempt to describe the clinical caracteristics of amiodaron neuropathy. Qualitative and quantitative light and electron microscopical studies of nerve, muscle and skin biopsies, including teased fibers preparations were performed and they disclosed a marked reduction of the number of myelinated fibers. Wallerian degeneration predominated (31 p. 100) other segmental demyalination (25 p. 100). Numerous polymorphous lipid-laden lysosomes were present in Schwann cells, fibrocytes, pericytes, endothelial and muscle cells. These previously undescribed morphological findings are similar to those present in perhexiline maleate intoxications. We believe amiodaron neuropathy is a new neuropathy with drug-induced lipidosis.

[Nitroglycerin infusion in patients with or without cardiac failure. Demonstration by multifactorial analysis (analysis of correspondences) of three types of hemodynamic response dependent upon the initial state (author's transl)]. / La trinitrine intraveineuse chez les malades avec et sans insuffisance cardiaque. Mise en évidence par une analyse multifactorielle (analyse des correspondances) de 3 types de réponse hémodynamique dépendant de l'état initial.

The effects of nitroglycerin on systemic vascular resistance and cardiac output are highly debated. This study demonstrates that these effects depend on the initial haemodynamic condition, and explains the conflicting results previously reported. 31 patients presenting initially with a fairly wide spectrum of various haemodynamic parameters underwent cardiac catheterisation with measures of parameters before and after nitroglycerin infusion. Multifactorial statistical analysis by correspondence analysis identifies 3 types of haemodynamic responses and demonstrates the association of each response with a particular haemodynamic profile. It is demonstrated that systemic vascular resistance is decreased only when it is initially elevated and cardiac output is increased only when initial pulmonary wedge pressure and systemic vascular resistance are elevated and cardiac output is low. The effects of nitroglycerin on cardiac output, systemic vascular resistance, heart rate and arterial pressure differ significantly according to the presence or not of cardiac insufficiency and depend mainly on the initial value of three parameters: systemic vascular resistance, pulmonary wedge pressure and cardiac output.

[The treatment of recent myocardial infarction by prolonged infusion of trinitrin (author's transl)]. / Traitement de l'infarctus myocardique récent par perfusion prolongée de trinitrine.

Seventy four clinically comparable cases of myocardial infarction, admitted on average at the 10th hour were divided at random in two groups: thirty nine were treated with a prolonged intravenous infusion of trinitrin lasting for 24 hours in 12 cases and during 5 at 7 days in 27 cases: 35 served as controls. The results showed the following: a) the good tolerance of the drug used in this way; b) on the basis of precordial cartography, a reduction of 56.2 +/- 14.5% to 30 +/- 7.3% in the index of secondary extension of necrosis; c) clinical signs of left ventricular failure developed in 60% of the controls as compared with 45.8% of the treated group; d) the prevalence of rhythm disturbances was also lower in those treated; e) overall mortality during the first 4 weeks was 8 amongst the 35 controls and 2 of the treated patients (p less than 0.05).