[Clinical aspects, outcome and prognosis of Horton's disease. Retrospective study of 47 cases]. / Aspect clinique, évolution et pronostic de la maladie de Horton. Etude rétrospective de 47 observations.

The authors report their experience of Horton's disease in 47 histologically confirmed cases treated between 1966 and 1979. The symptomatology is recalled with the incidence of the various clinical and biochemical signs. The actuarial survival curve shows a 71.2 p. cent three year and a 61 p. cent five year survival rate. There was no statistically significant difference at three years with a control population. The duration of maintenance therapy was, on average, of 24.8 months, never less than 15 months and sometimes reaching 60 months. The average maintenance dose was 12 mg. Specific and non-specific complications are discussed. The incidence of refractory and cortico-dependent forms shows that the optimal treatment for this disease has yet to be found; the often brilliant initial results of corticotherapy do not reflect its long-term efficacy.

[Superior vena cava syndrome: a rare complication of endocavitary cardiac pacing]. / Syndrome cave supérieur: complication rare de l'entraînement électrosystolique par voie endocavitaire.

The superior vena cava syndrome is an exceptionally rare complication of endocavitary cardiac pacing, asymptomatic venous thrombosis being much more common. Two cases wee observed as late complications of pacemaker implantation. In the first case the clinical signs regressed with the development of a collateral circulation under heparin therapy after failure of fibrinolytic drugs. In the second one, the severity of the superior vena cava syndrome and the poor quality of the collateral circulation led to the implantation of a Gore-Tex prosthesis. This surgical bypass led to a rapid and complete regression of the clinical signs. It would seem to be a valuable alternative when anticoagulant therapy fails.

[A differential diagnosis of sural phlebitis: popliteal cysts. Value of ultrasonography (author's transl)]. / Un diagnostic différentiel des phlébites surales: le kyste poplité. Intérêt de l'échotomographie.

Two cases are reported of popliteal cysts simulating sural phlebitis, one in a patient with lupus, the other during the course of rheumatoid arthritis. Diagnosis is based upon the following signs: sudden onset of pain, sometimes after effort, and in the knee rather than in the calf, and more especially ecchymosis occurring in the internal supramalleolar region. The decision as to whether anticoagulant treatment should be instituted must be based on the certitude of the diagnosis, and this can be obtained in an atraumatic manner by ultrasonography of the popliteal fossa as shown by iconography.

[Hip prosthesis and post-abortion streptococcal infection in lupus]. / Protheses de hanche et infection streptococcique post-abortum au cours d'une maladie lupique.

PIP: The authors report on a case of hip osteonecrosis caused by lupus which necessitated a complete hip prosthesis. 3 years after the intervention, on the occasion of an induced abortion done without preventive antibiotic therapy, a severe infection of the prosthesis was noted, complicated by streptococcal bacteriosis. Being that lupus is very sensitive to all forms of infection, it is important to take all possible precautions to avoid secondary infections, which are common among people who wear prostheses, and which usually develop years after initial surgery.^ieng