Susceptibility of Enterobacteriaceae to beta-lactam agents and fluoroquinolones: a 3-year survey in France.

Objective: To assess trends in the susceptibility to beta-lactam agents and to fluoroquinolones of clinically relevant Enterobacteriaceae isolated over a 3-year period in 14 French hospital laboratories.

Methods: During the second quarter of 1996, 1997 and 1998, 180 consecutive non-duplicate isolates of Enterobacteriaceae were collected in each center. Sixteen beta-lactams and four quinolones were tested by the disk diffusion method.

Active and inactive caries lesions in a selected elderly institutionalised French population.

Various epidemiological investigations have shown the high prevalence and incidence of caries in geriatric populations. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the dental status and some salivary parameters of elderly French subjects institutionalised in a geriatric hospital. The study population included 117 subjects (31 males and 86 females) who were neither demented nor edentulous, with a mean age of 83.

[Campylobacter fetus meningitis in adults].

Campylobacter fetus is an uncommon cause of meningitis in the adult. We report a case observed in an 84-year-old man with alcoholic cirrhosis. The patient presented fever, jaundice and a state of mental confusion.

Prevalence and pathogenicity of Clostridium difficile in hospitalized patients. A French multicenter study.

Background: Although Clostridium difficile is the main agent responsible for nosocomial diarrhea in adults, its prevalence in stool cultures sent to hospital microbiology laboratories is not clearly established.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of C difficile in inpatient stools sent to hospital microbiology laboratories and to assess the relationship between serotypes and toxigenicity of the strains isolated and the clinical data.

Methods: From January 18, 1993, to July 31, 1993, the presence of C difficile was systematically investigated in a case-control study on 3921 stool samples sent for stool culture to 11 French hospital microbiology laboratories.

[Giant-cell tumor of the lower end of the radius treated by resection-arthrodesis. Report of 9 cases].

Nine benign giant cell tumors of the lower end of the radius, resulting in arthrodesis of the wrist mostly because of failed curettage-filling treatment, have enabled the authors to describe a resection-arthrodesis technique which allows continued mobility in the medio-carpal joint in some cases. Because this reconstruction is fragile immediately after operation, it must be protected by a plaster cast or better still by an external fixation. The systematic resection of the distal end of the ulna enables subnormal pronosupination to be maintained.

Platelet serotonin content and plasma tryptophan in peri- and postmenopausal women: variations with plasma oestrogen levels and depressive symptoms.

Platelet serotonin content was measured by high pressure liquid chromatography in 56 peri- and postmenopausal women, in order to study variations of this parameter with hormonal status and depressive mood symptoms. Clinical symptoms were assessed by a self-report depression symptom scale (CES-D of NIMH). Thirty-eight women with a score of 16 or more were considered as presenting depressive symptoms (mean score +/- SD = 28.

Endometrium and plasma hormone profile in the peri-menopause and post-menopause.

Endometrial histology and plasma levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), 17 beta-oestradiol (E2), oestrone (E1) and progesterone (P) were studied in 483 women over a period of 13 yr (6 yr before and 7 yr after the start of definitive amenorrhoea, defined as the last menstrual bleeding). The patterns for these parameters were established on the basis of the results of 1227 gonadotrophin and steroid determinations and 721 endometrial biopsies. Three periods were identified.

[Progressive lengthening of the femur using Wagner's technic. Apropos of 48 cases].

Forty eight progressive femoral lengthenings using the Wagner technique have been performed on patients aged between 6 and 18 years (average 12 years). The main aetiology of the shortening was congenital deformity (25 cases). The mean lengthening obtained was 5.

Multicentre study of effects of Org OD 14 on endometrium, vaginal cytology and cervical mucus in post-menopausal and oophorectomized women.

A multicentre study covering 69 post-menopausal or oophorectomized women was performed to determine whether Org OD 14 [7 alpha, 17 alpha)-17-hydroxy-7-methyl-19-norpregn-5(10)-en-20-yn-3-one) administered orally in a daily dose of 2.5 mg for 90 consecutive days induces endometrial proliferation. The treatment with Org OD 14 was continued in combination with 1 mg/day of lynestrenol from day 91 for 10 days to ascertain whether secretory transformation of the endometrium and subsequent withdrawal bleeding would occur.

[Preservation of the ovaries in peri-menopause].

The authors analyse the motivation for allowing conservation of healthy ovaries when surgical operations are being undertaken round about the time of the menopause. When patients who are at risk are excluded, and when pathological ovaries are excluded, as also when there is a technical impossibility of conserving the ovaries, they can be conserved. This implies that one should check the ovary that is left behind histologically, especially looking for the risk of cancer developing later.

Efficacy and safety of Org OD 14 in the treatment of climacteric complaints.

To study the effect of Org OD 14 [17 alpha, 17 alpha)-17-hydroxy-7-methyl-19-norpregn-5(10)-en-20-yn-3-one) on the endometrium, 9 healthy post-menopausal women were given a daily dose of 2.5 mg of Org OD 14 for 100 consecutive days. In addition, during days 91-100 a daily oral dose of 1 mg of lynestrenol was taken by each volunteer.

Ovestin vaginal cream and suppositories for the treatment of menopausal vaginal atrophy.

Eighty-two postmenopausal women with vaginal atrophy and associated symptoms were treated with either Ovestin vaginal cream (54 women) or vaginal suppositories (28 women) containing 0.5 mg of E3/dose, daily for 3 weeks. A maintenance dose of 0.

[A histological and hormonal study of 399 women near the menopause or with confirmed menopause (author's transl)].

This work is concerned with 399 women who were either near the menopause or had had the menopause and on whom 476 hormone levels and 169 examinations of the endometrium had been carried out. It is possible to put the women into three groups. 13 p.

[Breast cancer diagnosed in the pre-clinical stage with the phenomena of histological regression (author's transl)].

The discovery of carcinomatous cells in a discharge from a breast, without any other clinical, mammographic or thermographic sign, allowed the removal of a carcinoma in its pre-clinical stage. The histological study in a series of cuts showed a carcinoma that was still intraductal and which showed signs of cellular regression accompanied by marked peri-canalicular sclerosis associated with inflammatory infiltration. This observation allows commentaries to be made concerning the immunological process that goes with carcinoma in its intra-epithelial stage and permits the possibility of predicting an advance in the understanding and treatment of carcinomata which should be diagnosed very early.

[A previously unpublished indication for sulpiride: functional uterine hemorrhages].

Sulpiridin has been shown to be remarkably efficient in treating functional uterine haemorrhage (70 per cent success). It is especially so in the pre-menopause. Its mode of action takes place on three levels: the hypothalamus, where it works on the clonic centre for the release of gonadotrophins (the tonic centre not being affected); the ovaries, where it lessens the sensitivity of the reaction of the ovary to gonadotrophins; the uterus, where there is direct action on the thickness of the mucous lining of the uterus and on its blood supply.