[Renal denervation for treating hypertension: experience at the University Hospital in Lyon]. / Dénervation rénale dans le traitement de l'hypertension artérielle résistante : expérience du CHU de Lyon.

AIM: We report the first experience of Lyon's university hospital regarding renal denervation to treat patients with resistant essential hypertension. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Over a one-year period, 17 patients were treated (12 men, 5 women) with renal denervation. Baseline characteristics were as follows: age 56.5±11.5 years, BMI 33±5kg/m(2) and ambulatory blood pressure 157±16/87±13mmHg with 4.2±1.5 anti-hypertensive treatment. RESULTS: We did not observe intra-operative or early complications. After a median follow-up of 3 months and with the same anti-hypertensive treatment, office systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) decrease respectively of 20±15 (P<0.001) and 10±13mmHg (P=0.014) (n=17). After six months of follow-up, ambulatory blood pressure (ABPM) decrease of 17.5±14.9mmHg (P=0.027) for SBP and of 10.5±9.6mmHg (P=0.029) for DBP (n=6). Among these patients, five of them were controlled (ABPM inferior to 130/80mmHg) and electrical left ventricular hypertrophy indexes decreased: R wave in aVL lead of 4±3mm (P=0.031), Sokolow index of 3±3mm (P=0.205), Cornell voltage criterion of 9±7mm (P=0.027) and Cornell product of 1310±1104 (P=0.027). CONCLUSION: Our results are in accordance with data from other centers. On average blood pressure decreases significantly but important inter individual variations are observed. The procedure seems safe.

[Pneumomediastinum, giant subcutaneous emphysema and pneumoperitoneum revealed by jaw pain. Uncommon physiopathology of pneumomediastinum]. / Pneumomédiastin, emphysème sous-cutané géant et pneumopéritoine d'origine dentaire Physiopathologie inhabituelle d'un pneumomédiastin.

INTRODUCTION: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare entity, predominantly described in young man. The association of acute dyspnea, chest pains and subcutaneous emphysema is usually reported. CASE REPORT: We report the observation of a pneumomediastinum, fortuitously discovered in front of an isolated giant subcutaneous emphysema in a 59 year old man. The recent clinical history was only marked by the presence of intense and acute dental pains. Associated with a pneumoperitoneum, a retro-pneumoperitoneum, this clinical presentation is uncommon and differs from previous published case reports. Despite a complete evaluation of classical risk factors, its origin remains uncertain. However, the presence of huge dental injuries led to consider such local origin, facilitating air diffusion. CONCLUSION: This case report allows to reconsider spontaneous pneumomediastinum entity and to propose additional physiopathological mechanisms. This original description underlines the interest to systematically perform dental examination in the presence of unexplained pneumomediastinum.

[Primary prevention of coronary thrombosis by antithrombotic agents]. / Prévention primaire de la thrombose coronaire par les antithrombotiques.

At the start of the eighties, in the wake of the good results obtained with aspirin in secondary prevention, two studies were launched aimed at testing the effect of aspirin on the primary prevention of myocardial infarction. The results published in 1988 and 1989 were divergent: the study conducted by British doctors showed no benefit with aspirin, that conducted by American doctors showed a very distinct benefit concerning myocardial infarction but no advantage for cerebral vascular accidents. Besides, in both studies an additional risk of haemorrhagic cerebral vascular accident was described. Methodological reasons were the origin of these facts, but it resulted in a certain confusion as to the practical conduct to adopt. Ten years later it is much more clear after the publication of three supplementary trials. The benefits of aspirin in terms of prevention of myocardial infarction are certain and considerable, at the price of a haemorrhagic risk equally certain but moderate. On the other hand, questions remain concerning the preventive effect of aspirin on cerebral vascular accidents and also on the expected benefits in the female sex. In practice, the prescription of aspirin with the objective of primary prevention must take into account the absolute benefit which can be expected. This is a function of the individual absolute risk before treatment which therefore signifies an evaluation based on the risk factors. Only subjects exposed to a substantial risk before treatment are likely to benefit from aspirin. For the others, the risks linked with aspirin could counterbalance its preventive advantages.