[Chronic constrictive pericarditis]. / Péricardite constrictive chronique.

Chronic constrictive pericarditis is a rare condition characterized by an impairment of myocardial relaxation due to limitation by a rigid pericardium. It is most often associated with infection, thoracic radiotherapy and heart surgery. Clinical features are that of chronic heart failure, therefore non-specific and resulting in a delay of several years before diagnosis is made. The echocardiogram and heart catheterization are part of the initial work-up. Surgical treatment consisting in pericardiectomy can be curative if the disease is recognised early. This article makes use of a case report and review of the litterature to discuss the physiopathology, clinical features and management of chronic constrictive pericarditis.

[Internal medicine in the hospital setting]. / Médecine interne hospitalière: l'année en revue.

Management of all pathologies, and in particular that of the most frequent ones, should whenever possible be based on robust evidence and arguments. New studies published this year enable rationalizing of screening in certain clinical situations, more adequate treatment of others, and open the way for novel and apparently very effective treatments. Whether it be the screening of carotid stenosis, the treatment of pericarditis, of heart failure, of chronic obstructive lung disease or spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, paradigm changes are conceivable. This selective review of the literature summarizes certain studies published this year.

[Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia]. / La pneumonie organisée cryptogénique.

Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) is a distinct clinico-pathologic entity described for the first time by Davison in 1983 and 2 years later by Epler under the name of idiopathic Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organizing Pneumonia (BOOP). It most often presents with the clinical and radiological features of an infectious pneumonia which fails to respond to antibiotic therapy. In this article, we will review the clinical and radiographic features, diagnostic assessment, and the treatment of COP.

[Nutritional deficiency after gastric bypass surgery: a review of the literature and guidelines for follow-up]. / Carence nutritionnelle apràs bypass gastrique: revue de la littérature, recommandations et suivi.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is the most frequently performed bariatric surgical procedure in Switzerland. The incidence of postoperative nutritional deficiencies is high. Therefore, guidelines have been established for patient follow-up and prophylactic treatment of such complications. This article makes use of a case report and a review of the literature to emphasize the importance of such measures.

[Rituximab-induced acute thrombocytopenia in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia]. / Un cas de thrombopénie aiguë au rituximab dans la leucémie lymphoïde chronique.

INTRODUCTION: Rituximab is a chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody generally well tolerated. However, a severe but rare rituximab-related immune-toxic syndrome, associating fever, chills and thrombocytopenia can occur shortly after the infusion. CASE REPORT: We report a case of severe acute rituximab-induced thrombocytopenia with favorable outcome in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and discuss the possible underlying mechanisms. CONCLUSION: Despite the potential initial severity of rituximab-induced thrombocytopenia in CLL, chemotherapy should not be discontinued; tolerance might increase as the hematologic disorder is controlled.

Social environment and health.

The social environment has a far greater effect on health than is generally assumed. As part of the overall environment, it is the setting in which man and agents (including exposures and other risk factors) interact, leading to symbiosis or disease; man is not proven resistant to most influences of the social environment. The social environment shapes man's perceptions of health and disease and man's reactions to disease. Social factors, and more specifically the urban environment, are thought to play major roles in most chronic diseases. The effects of the social environment are extremely complex, and much of our present knowledge is still hypothetical. Finally, for prevention of disease, only society can change significantly the social environment.