[Non-medical factors in perinatal health. A study of socioeconomic anc cultural features of women admitted to the maternity hospital in Lens (Pas-de-Calais)]. / Rôle des facteurs non médicaux dans la santé périnatale. Etude des caractéristiques socioéconomiques et culturelles de la population accueillie à la maternité du centre hospitalier de Lens (Pas-de-Calais).

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of medical and non-medical factors on perinatal health in an underpriviledged area, the ex-coal mines of Lens (Pas-de-Calais). POPULATION AND METHODS: This prospective study concerned 1,000 women who delivered in the maternity hospital of Lens between January 5, 1993 and May 13, 1993. The relationships between preterm delivery, low birth weight and maternal socioeconomic and cultural characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: The women included presented adverse pregnancy outcomes. Preterm delivery, low birth weight and neonatal transfer rates were respectively 6.9%, 7.3% and 12.7% higher than the average regional rates. In contrast with these results, antenatal care could be considered correct or even better. The poor socioeconomic status of the population appeared to be a very significant perinatal risk factor. CONCLUSION: At present, in an unfavourable regional conjuncture, socioeconomic and cultural factors have adverse effects on perinatal morbidity and mortality independent of medical factors like prenatal care. The prevention of poor perinatal outcome should be based on these data. Not the access to the health care system but the manner of dispensing health care should require great consideration.

[Congenital fibromatosis. Anatomical and clinical study on three observations (author's transl)]. / La fibromatose congénitale. Etude anatomo-clinique de trois observations.

Three congenital fibromatosis are studied. Six years later, the subcutaneous and skeletal lesions of the first patient have disappeared with no recurrence. Regression was also observed in the second one, a generalized fibromatosis with skeletal, subcutaneous and almost certainly pulmonary and laryngeal lesions. The last case is now progressing (vertebral lesion) with a vascular invasion, the prognostic of which is unknown. A review is made about microscopical appearance, origin and difficulties in diagnosis.

[Molecular study of a false outbreak of ticarcillin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in a clinical hematology department]. / Etude moléculaire d'une pseudo-épidémie d'infections à Pseudomonas aeruginosa résistant à la ticarcilline dans un service d'hématologie clinique.

Molecular methods for bacterial strain typing are becoming available outside teaching hospitals and large structures. Although it seems reasonable to use conventional markers, most notably the serotype, whenever possible, the limitations of these methods are particularly conspicuous with P. aeruginosa. Combined use of several methods such as quantitative antibiotic susceptibility testing and serotype determination has proved adequate for characterizing P. aeruginosa strains in some cases. In the case of the outbreak reported herein, this approach failed to provide high quality epidemiological data. In contrast, pulsed field gel electrophoresis ruled out epidemic spread of a P. aeruginosa strain in the clinical hematology department.