Idiopathic chronic eosinophilic pneumonia. A clinical and follow-up study of 62 cases. The Groupe d'Etudes et de Recherche sur les Maladies "Orphelines" Pulmonaires (GERM"O"P).

Idiopathic chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) is a rare disorder of unknown cause with nonspecific respiratory and systemic symptoms but rather characteristic peripheral alveolar infiltrates on imaging, developing mainly in women and in atopic subjects. The disorder is highly responsive to oral corticosteroid therapy, but relapses are frequent on reducing or stopping treatment. The long-term course of the disease and data regarding outcome, particularly the need for prolonged oral corticosteroid therapy and the development of severe asthma, are somewhat contradictory.

Interleukin-8 secretion in patients with allergic rhinitis after an allergen challenge: interleukin-8 is not the main chemotactic factor present in nasal lavages.

Background: Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a chemotactic cytokine for neutrophils and primed eosinophils. In allergic rhinitis, allergen exposure triggers leucocyte recruitment.

Objective: We evaluated in this study IL-8 secretion and the neutrophil chemotactic activity in nasal lavages collected after a nasal allergen challenge.

Long-term follow-up of pulmonary function in chronic eosinophilic pneumonia. Groupe d'Etude en Pathologie Interstitielle de la Société de Pathologie Thoracique du Nord.

The prognosis of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) is usually good under corticosteroid therapy (CST). The main complications are relapses when treatment is tapered or discontinued. The aim of this retrospective, multicentre study was to evaluate the long-term consequences of CEP on pulmonary function tests.

[Pulmonary artery hypertension caused by carcinomatous lymphangitis ].

A 58 year old man without significant past medical history developed a cough and effort dyspnoea of a few weeks. A computed tomographic scan showed bilateral interstitial disease with linear thickening of the septa and also a ground glass effect in the lung parenchyma. Echocardiography and right heart catheterisation confirmed the existence of pulmonary arterial hypertension (mean pulmonary artery pressure 45 mmHg) with a normal pulmonary artery wedge pressure (12 mmHg).

Multiple calcified brain metastases revealing a lung carcinoma.

The case of a 50-year-old man with multiple calcified brain metastases revealing an undifferentiated lung carcinoma after a delay of two months, is reported. A slow and progressive clinical evolution was noted. Eight months after the brain lesion had been discovered, intramedullary and epidural spinal metastases appeared.

Determinants of survival in pulmonary Langerhans' cell granulomatosis (histiocytosis X). Groupe d'Etude en Pathologie Interstitielle de la Société de Pathologie Thoracique du Nord.

The course of pulmonary Langerhans' cell granulomatosis (pulmonary LCG) is variable, difficult to predict and ranges from spontaneous remission to progressive respiratory insufficiency and death. To identify the determinants of survival, we performed a survival analysis on 45 patients with pulmonary LCG. The patients were aged 28 +/- 10 yrs (mean +/- SD) (range 12-62 yrs), 32 males and 13 females, almost exclusively current smokers (96%), and 78% presented symptoms at the time of diagnosis.

[Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia or Carrington's disease].

Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) was described by Carrington in 1969. It is twice as common in women as it is in men and is probably most common at middle age. Symptoms usually associated fever, weight loss, fatigue and dyspnoea.

[Eosinophilic lung disease caused by filariasis. Apropos of a case].

A 23-year-old male Pondichery native consulted for vesperal dispnoea. The main abnormalities detected were blood and alveolar eosinophilia and bilateral micronodular lesions at radiography. The parasitic origin of these symptoms was suspected, then confirmed by serological tests for filaria.

Percutaneous transhepatic embolization of gastroesophageal varices: results in 400 patients.

During a 7-year period, bleeding esophageal varices were treated by means of percutaneous transhepatic embolization in 400 cirrhotic patients, including 258 patients with Child's class C cirrhosis (65%) and 142 patients with Child's class B cirrhosis (35%). Embolization was performed either with bucrylate or with absolute ethanol and stainless-steel coils. Variceal hemorrhage was controlled in 245 (83%) of the 297 patients in whom percutaneous transhepatic embolization was performed as an emergency treatment.