[Toxocariasis and functional intestinal disorders. Presentation of 4 cases].

We report 4 cases of adults patients, suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, which had been attributed late to toxocariasis and for whom the treatment led to recovery. Hypereosinophilia was present only in 3 cases. These cases show that toxocariasis is not limited anymore to its two classical expressions: visceral larva migrans and ocular toxocariasis.

[Primary prevention of digestive hemorrhage, caused by rupture of esophageal varices, by endoscopic sclerotherapy in patients with liver cirrhosis. Multicenter randomized controlled study].

The severity of esophageal variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients justifies prophylactic therapy. A multicenter controlled study was carried out in Languedoc in 116 cirrhotic patients with esophageal varices and no history of bleeding. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: 60 control patients without therapy; 56 patients treated by endoscopic sclerotherapy (209 sessions).

[Acute pancreatitis caused by foreign bodies. 2 cases].

We report the cases of two patients with acute pancreatitis caused by the insertion of foreign bodies in the ampulla of Vater: vegetal residues in the first case and beltbuckle in the second case. The acute pancreatitis was revealed by severe epigastric pain, jaundice and a serum amylase increase to more than 9 times the upper limit of normal level. The presence of foreign bodies was detected by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography and pancreatography in the first case and by abdominal X-ray examination in the second case.

[Lactitol in the treatment of constipation in the adult. Open, non-comparative study of its efficacy and its clinical and biological tolerance].

To study clinical and biological tolerability, 114 chronically constipated patients of both sexes, aged 18-70, without any organic alteration of the colon, received lactitol over a period of one or two months. Clinical tolerability was found to be good by 80 per cent of patients and biological tolerability excellent. Clinical efficacy was found correct for 80 per cent of patients with a dosage of 20 g (single dose in the evening).

[Hepatitis caused by clometacin (Dupéran). Retrospective study of 30 cases. A model of autoimmune drug-induced hepatitis?].

Thirty cases of clometacin-induced hepatitis were retrospectively collected over a nine-year period in hepatogastroenterological units of non university, public hospitals. There was a strong female predominance (90 percent). Clometacin (Dupéran) was taken because of arthritis in 8 out of 10 cases.

[Severity of desmoid tumors with retroperitoneal development in Gardner's syndrome. Apropos of 2 cases].

We report two cases of retroperitoneal desmoid tumours in patients with Gardner's syndrome. These tumours are rare and of poor prognosis. In our two cases, the predominant clinical manifestations were caused by compression of the ureters, bladder and nerve roots.

[Maintenance therapy of ulcer disease. Comparative multicenter study of sucralfate, cimetidine and a placebo].

Relapse rates were studied in one hundred patients in a multicentric, randomized trial during and after maintenance therapy comparing sucralfate, cimetidine and placebo. These patients were previously treated by cimetidine for peptic ulcer and were considered cured after endoscopic examination. Outpatients were randomly assigned to a 6 month maintenance treatment with either cimetidine (600 mg daily), sucralfate (300 mg daily) or a placebo.

[Cerebromeningeal location of chronic lymphoid leukemia. Rapid immunochemical diagnosis and complete remission by intrathecal chemotherapy].

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is a rare complication of chronic lymphoid leukaemia (CLL). The occurrence of lymphocytic meningitis in the course of CLL suggests either CNS involvement by the leukaemic process or infection (especially tuberculosis) related to continuous immunodepression. We report a case of CLL in which leukaemic cells had surface IgM and produced IgM kappa without significant depression of other immunoglobulins.