Effectiveness of an osteoporosis prevention educational program in Tunisian premenopausal women working in sedentary occupations: a quasi-experimental study.

Unlabelled: The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an osteoporosis prevention program on knowledge and perception of self-efficacy in adopting preventive osteoporosis behaviors in premenopausal women working in sedentary occupations. Results show the improvement in knowledge and self-efficacy was statistically significant respectively (p < 0.001) and (p = 0.

Saliva diagnostic utility in patients with type 2 diabetes: Future standard method.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to assess saliva reliability in diagnosis and monitoring type 2 diabetes instead of blood.

Methods: Blood and unstimulated whole saliva were collected from 300 type 2 diabetic subjects and 300 healthy controls in fasting. Then, the salivary flow rate was calculated.

[Unexplained diffuse arteriosclerosis in a 26-year-old patient].

Arteriosclerosis is an alteration of the blood vessels whose walls calcify, lose their elasticity and thicken. The result is a decrease in circulating blood flow and ischemic manifestations. Calcification of the arteries is a physiological phenomenon in the elderly but young subjects may also be affected.

Anti-C1q antibodies and systemic lupus erythematosus in the Tunisian population.

Objectives: The presence of a wide variety of autoantibodies is a characteristic feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Although non-specific, anti-complement C1q (anti-C1q) were shown to correlate with the occurrence of active nephritis. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anti-C1q in Tunisian SLE patients and their association with clinical manifestations, especially renal involvement.

[Screening for depression in an elderly population living at home. Interest of the Mini-Geriatric Depression Scale].

Background: Depression is the most usual mental disorder in the elderly, but underdiagnosed and undertreated. Its prevalence is variable. Symptoms of depression present in the elderly can be masked and difficult to recognize.

[Vertebral primary malignant germ cell tumor of thoracic spine: an exceptional observation].

Vertebral primary malignant germ cell tumors are rarely located in thoracic spine. We report the case of a 44-year-old female, in which a symptomatology including dorsal rachidial pain, intercostal neuralgia, straight and transit disorder revealed a thoracic vertebral primary malignant germ cell tumor. The sole location of a vertebral primary malignant germ cell tumor in adult, exceptionally reported in the literature, prompted us to relate this observation.

A Seropositive Nodular Rheumatoid Polyarthritis without Arthritis: Does It Exist?

The rheumatoid polyarthritis is the most frequent chronic polyarthritis. It affects essentially the woman between 40 and 60 years. Rheumatic subcutaneous nodules and tenosynovitis are usually associated with seropositive symptomatic rheumatoid polyarthritis.

[Isolated abdominal pain revealing a paraprosthetic fistula in a patient with Takayasu arteritis].

Aortic aneurysms and stenosis occurring in Takayasu arteritis may require aortic prosthesis that can be complicated by aorto-digestive fistula. We report a 41-year-old female who presented with an isolated abdominal pain revealing a para-prosthetic aorto-duodenal fistula complicating a Takayasu arteritis. The diagnosis of aorto-digestive fistula may be difficult if abdominal pain is isolated and imaging inconclusive.

[Hereditary multiple exostosis revealed by deep vein and arterial popliteal thrombosis].

We report a 38-year-old man who presented successively a thrombosis of the right popliteal vein and the right popliteal artery, responsible of a painful edema of the leg. There was no known thrombophilic predisposing condition. Radiologic assessment, guided by clinical findings, evidenced bilateral femoral and tibial exostosis resulting in a diagnosis of hereditary multiples exostosis.

[Polymyositis and dermatomyositis in adults. Tunisian multicentre study].

Introduction: To study the clinical features and the outcome of polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) in Tunisia.

Methods: Retrospective multicentre study conducted by the Tunisian Society of Internal Medicine. Adult patients with confirmed and probable PM and DM, according to the Bohan and Peter's criteria, were included in the study and followed-up between 1987 and 2005.

[Metronidazole-induced reversible cerebellar lesions and peripheral neuropathy].

Introduction: Metronidazole is a widely prescribed treatment for amoebic and anaerobic germ infections. Its neurologic toxicity is rare but can be serious.

Case Report: We report the case of a 27-year-old male patient, treated with metronidazole for a cerebral abscess.

[Diagnostic strategy and management of anemia: a consensus from a detailed study of 100 patients followed in internal medicine].

Anemia is a frequent reason for seeking medical care in Internal Medicine. It is not a diagnosis, but rather a symptom that needs to be investigated in order to find an etiology. In a retrospective review of 100 cases of anemia, the cause was found in 86 % of cases.

[High blood presure for people aged more than 60 years in the distrct of Sousse].

High blood pressure (HBP) is one of the most important cardiovascular risk factors all over the world. We conducted a prospective study including 600 elderly people aged more than 60 years in the district of Sousse. The mean age of our patients was 69 +/- 7.

A rare case of streptomycin-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis in a patient with tuberculosis: a therapeutic dilemma.

Objective: To report a case of streptomycin-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN).

Case Summary: A 55-year-old woman was admitted for treatment of active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). She was given standard oral anti-TB chemotherapy including isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and streptomycin.

[Antiphospholipid antibodies in 146 women with repeated pregnancy losses].

Antiphospholipid antibodies are associated with arterial and venous thrombosis and recurrent abortions. However, the prevalence of these antibodies in repeated miscarriages varies in different reports. To obtain quantitative data with restricted criteria and discuss the origin of the variability on the literature, we investigated the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies in 146 women who had 2 or more consecutive pregnancy losses and in 99 women whose pregnancies were successful.

[Vital capacity and peak expiratory flow rates in a North-African population aged 60 years and over: influence of anthropometric data and parity].

Introduction: The aims of this study were to calculate predictive equations for respiratory variables (FVC, FEV1, FEF25%-75%, and PEFR) in elderly north-African people and to study the effect of parity on the respiratory function.

Methods: FVC and forced expiratory flows were measured in a "healthy" sample of 186 subjects aged 60 years and over (66% women). The measurements were made in health centres using portable spirometers.

Dermatomyositis and malignancy in Tunisia: a multicenter national retrospective study of 20 cases.

Objective And Methods: The aim of our study was to report the epidemiologic, clinical, and biologic profiles of dermatomyositis (DM) associated with malignancy in patients from Tunisia. From January 1982 to January 2000, we collected retrospectively 20 case reports of DM associated with cancer from the different university hospital centers of Tunisia. Initial workup included anamnesis, clinical examination, cancer staging and classification, serum muscle enzymes (creatine phosphokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, aldolase, and transaminases), electromyography, and muscular biopsy.

[Superior caval syndrome in adults in central Tunisia. Apropos of 26 cases].

We report 26 cases of superior vena cava obstruction (SVC) observed in Sousse University Hospital (TUNISIA). The diagnosis was confirmed by CT scan and/or superior vena cava angiography. The underlying disease was revealed by SVC on 76.