High prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in pregnant women in Benin.

Introduction: Modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) are highly prevalent in SubSaharan African communities. In these countries the burden of CVRF during early pregnancy has been poorly documented.

Aim: The objective of this study was to describe the frequency of CVRF in pregnant women before the 20th week of gestation in Benin.

Upper respiratory tract and orofacial manifestations of new-onset giant cell arteritis: results from a large, prospective inception cohort study.

Objectives: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) often features upper respiratory tract (URT) and orofacial manifestations, which signal the involvement of external carotid artery branches. In this study, we aimed to describe the frequency of various URT/orofacial symptoms at GCA onset, as well as the main characteristics of patients presenting these symptoms.

Methods: We included all patients who were newly diagnosed with GCA between 1976 and April 2022 at the Internal Medicine Department of a tertiary-care hospital.

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Patients Treated for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Primary Sjögren's Syndrome, or Systemic Sclerosis in a French Rural Region.

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is composed of a wide range of interventions and frequently used in parallel with conventional medicine. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, modalities, and association factors of CAM utilization in patients treated for systemic lupus erythematosus, primary Sjögren's syndrome, or systemic sclerosis.

Patients And Methods: This was a prospective single-center observational study conducted in a French university hospital center.

Frequency and Significance of Hepatic Involvement in New-Onset Giant Cell Arteritis: A Study of 514 Patients.

Abnormalities of liver function in giant cell arteritis (GCA) have long been described and are present at the acute phase of the disease in 30% to 60% of cases. Hepatic involvement is mostly anicteric cholestasis (eg, elevated alkaline phosphatase [ALP] and gamma-glutamyl transferase [GGT]), and, more rarely, cytolytic hepatitis (eg, elevated aspartate aminotransferase [AST] and/or alanine aminotransferase [ALT]).

French National Diagnostic and Care Protocol for antiphospholipid syndrome in adults and children.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a chronic autoimmune disease involving vascular thrombosis and/or obstetric morbidity and persistent antibodies to phospholipids or certain phospholipid-associated proteins. It is a rare condition in adults and even rarer in children. The diagnosis of APS can be facilitated by the use of classification criteria based on a combination of clinical and biological features.

BOB-ACG study: Pulse methylprednisolone to prevent bilateral ophthalmologic damage in giant cell arteritis. A multicentre retrospective study with propensity score analysis.

Introduction: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is complicated in 10 to 20% of cases by permanent visual ischemia (PVI). International guidelines advocate the use of intravenous pulse of methylprednisolone from 250 to 1000mg per day, for three days, followed by oral prednisone at 1mg/kg per day. The aim of this study is to assess whether this strategy significantly reduces the risk of early PVI of the second eye, compared with direct prednisone at 1mg/kg per day.

Precipitating factors of catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome: the role of anticoagulant treatment in a series of 112 patients.

Background: The prevention of catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS), a rare complication of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), is a major goal.

Objectives: We analyzed its precipitating factors, focusing on anticoagulation immediately before CAPS episodes.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients in the French multicenter APS/systemic lupus erythematosus database with at least 1 CAPS episode.

Immune-Mediated Diseases Following COVID-19 Vaccination: Report of a Teaching Hospital-Based Case-Series.

The occurrence and course of immune-mediated diseases (IMDs) following COVID-19 vaccination has been little explored so far. We retrieved, among adult patients hospitalized at the Internal Department of a French university hospital up to May 2022, all those who had developed, or relapsed to, an IMD less than 3 weeks following COVID-19 vaccination, without other triggers. Twenty-seven (24 new-onset) post-COVID-19 vaccine IMDs were recorded.

Characterisation of a high-risk profile for maternal thrombotic and severe haemorrhagic complications in pregnant women with antiphospholipid syndrome in France (GR2): a multicentre, prospective, observational study.

Background: Prospective data about the risks of thrombotic and severe haemorrhagic complications during pregnancy and post partum are unavailable for women with antiphospholipid syndrome. We aimed to assess thrombotic and haemorrhagic events in a prospective cohort of pregnant women with antiphospholipid syndrome.

Methods: This multicentre, prospective, observational study was done at 76 centres in France.

Giant cell arteritis-related stroke in a large inception cohort: A comparative study.

Objective: Stroke caused by giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a rare but devastating condition and early recognition is of critical importance. The features of GCA-related stroke were compared with those of GCA without stroke and atherosclerosis-related or embolic stroke with the aim of more readily diagnosing GCA.

Methods: The study group consisted of 19 patients who experienced GCA-related strokes within an inception cohort (1982-2021) of GCA from the internal medicine department, and the control groups each consisted of 541 GCA patients without a stroke and 40 consecutive patients > 50 years of age with usual first ever stroke from the neurology department of a French university hospital.

Obstetric medicine care in South Europe.

Obstetric medicine is an emerging area of interest within Internal Medicine in Europe. Despite that, "OM" is still an unpopular concept and an unrecognised subspecialty in South Europe. A considerable number of internists and medical specialists deal with maternal medical problems in association with obstetricians and other specialists on a daily basis.

[Social representations of cardiovascular disease in the Tanvè Health Study (TAHES) cohort in Benin].

Objective: To describe the social representations associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in the village of Tanvè in Benin.

Methods: Focus groups discussions and semi-structured interviews were conducted among participants of Tanvè Health Study (TAHES) cohort. Audio recordings were made during the interviews, as well as some note-taking.

Systematic review of observational studies of the impact of cardiovascular risk factors on preeclampsia in sub-saharan Africa.

Background: Maternal mortality is a public health issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the region most affected worldwide by maternal mortality, and preeclampsia is one of the main causes. We performed a systematic review of observational studies to identify the impact of cardiovascular risk factors on preeclampsia in SSA with a more representative sample.

Abdominal symptoms during Sjogren's syndrome: a pilot study.

Background: Abdominal symptoms in patients with primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) are poorly documented. The objective of the study was to describe the abdominal symptoms of patients with pSS and to assess their association with characteristics of the disease.

Methods: One hundred and fifty patients with pSS were evaluated using a composite global symptom score for abdominal symptoms and their severity.

Giant cell arteritis or polymyalgia rheumatica after influenza vaccination: A study of 12 patients and a literature review.

Introduction: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are inflammatory rheumatic diseases common in people over the age of 50 years. Seasonal influenza vaccination (IV) is strongly recommended in this population, among whom it is considered to be effective and well tolerated. IV-induced GCA or PMR are thought to be exceptional.

Risk profiling for a refractory course of giant cell arteritis: The importance of age and body weight: "Risk profiling for GC resistance in GCA".

Background: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a disease that relapses often, and some patients run a refractory course. Although prompt recognition of resistant GCA is a major issue, there is no well-recognized, baseline risk factor for poor response to glucocorticoid (GC) treatment.

Methods: We included all patients consecutively diagnosed with GCA and homogeneously treated since 1976 in a single department and regularly followed-up for at least 18 months.

Obstetrical outcome and treatments in seronegative primary APS: data from European retrospective study.

Objective: To compare characteristics, pregnancies and treatments during pregnancies of seronegative and seropositive antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), to analyse factors associated with obstetrical outcome.

Patients And Methods: Inclusion criteria were: (1) thrombotic and/or obstetrical APS (Sydney criteria); (2) absence of conventional antiphospholipid antibodies (APL); (3) at least one persistent non-conventional APL among IgA anticardiolipin antibodies, IgA anti-B2GPI, anti-vimentin G/M, anti-annexin V G/M, anti-phosphatidylethanolamine G/M and anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin G/M antibodies. The exclusion criteria were: (1) systemic lupus erythematosus ( SLE) or SLE-like disease; and (2) other connective tissue disease.

Features and prognosis of giant cell arteritis in patients over 85 years of age: A case-control study.

Background: We examined the initial features, course, and prognosis of giant cell arteritis (GCA) in patients ≥ 85 years of age (≥85 year) and compared them to those of younger patients.

Methods: The present retrospective study included all patients who were newly diagnosed with GCA in the Internal Departments of two French University Hospitals from 1976 or 1998 to 2017 and who were followed up for at least 6 months. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify baseline and prognostic characteristics associated with being ≥85 year.

[Isolated hemorrhagic pleurisy due to Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive Staphylococcus aureus].

Panton-Valentine leucocidin is a major virulence factor produced by some strains of Staphylococcus aureus (SA-PVL). The best-described invasive infection is a necrotizing haemorrhagic pneumonia. Pleural effusion is not uncommon but is always associated with a parenchymal lesion.

[Hemorrhagic syndrome due to a heparin-like anticoagulant in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus].

Introduction: In systemic lupus erythematosus, hemostasis disorders are mainly thrombotic, but more rarely hemorrhagic.

Case Report: A 25-year-old man presented with a macrophagic activation syndrome revealing a systemic lupus erythematosus, secondarily complicated by a hemorrhagic syndrome ; biological investigations revealed an increase thrombin time and an activated partial thromboplastin time, normalized by protamin neutralization in vitro, thus confirming the presence of a heparin-like anticoagulant. The hemostasis balance normalized after the specific treatment of lupus.

A Prospective International Study on Adherence to Treatment in 305 Patients With Flaring SLE: Assessment by Drug Levels and Self-Administered Questionnaires.

Nonadherence to treatment is a major cause of lupus flares. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), a major medication in systemic lupus erythematosus, has a long half-life and can be quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. This international study evaluated nonadherence in 305 lupus patients with flares using drug levels (HCQ < 200 ng/ml or undetectable desethylchloroquine), and self-administered questionnaires (MASRI < 80%).