Design and Rationale of the National Observational Multicentric Tunisian Registry of Hypertension: Protocol for Evaluating Hypertensive Patient Care in Clinical Practice.

Background: This study was designed to evaluate the care of hypertensive patients in daily clinical practice in public and private centers in all Tunisian regions.

Objective: This study will provide us an overview of hypertension (HTN) management in Tunisia and the degree of adherence of practitioners to international recommendations.

Methods: This is a national observational cross-sectional multicenter study that will include patients older than 18 years with HTN for a duration of 4 weeks, managed in the public sector from primary and secondary care centers as well as patients managed in the private sector.

Epidemiologic features and management of hypertension in Tunisia, the results from the Hypertension National Registry (NaTuRe HTN).

Background: Hypertension is the leading cause of morbi-mortality in our country. Thus, we conducted this national survey on hypertension to analyze the profile of the Tunisian hypertensive patient and to assess the level of blood pressure control.

Methods: Nature HTN is an observational multicentric survey, including hypertensive individuals and consulting their doctors during the period of the study.

[Pseudotumor phenotype of sarcoidosis: about two cases].

Introduction: Sarcoidosis is a multisystem benign granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. It can sometimes cause diagnostic confusion by presenting in the form of a pseudotumor, thus constituting a trap for the unwary.

Comments: The authors report two cases of pseudotumor sarcoidosis.

[Mediastinal mature teratoma with spontaneous malignant transformation].

Introduction: Malignant teratomas can be either immature teratomas or they can develop after treatment of other malignant germ cell tumors with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Spontaneous malignant transformation of mature teratomas is very rare.

Observation: We report the case of a patient complaining of atypical chest pain.

[Increased cardiovascular risk and premature atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis].

Unlabelled: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk of mortality compared with the general population. Evidence suggests that this increased mortality can largely be attributed to increased cardiovascular (CV) death. In a prospective study, 34 patients with RA were compared with age- and sex-matched controls.

Intima-media thickness of carotid artery in patients with Behçet's disease.

Background And Aims: In this study we investigated the carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in Tunisian patients with Behçet's disease (BD), and we evaluated the relationship between traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors, disease manifestations, disease severity, use of immunosuppressive agents and cIMT in patients with BD.

Methods: Fifty patients with BD were individually matched to 50 control subjects on the basis of age, gender and traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Subjects with diabetes mellitus, evidence of myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular disease were excluded from the study.

[MR imaging features of tuberculosis of the sellar region].

Purpose: Tuberculosis of the sellar region, especially the pituitary gland, is rare. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate through a review of five clinical cases the value of imaging, especially MR imaging, in the evaluation of this pathology.

Patients And Methods: CT and MRI of the brain were obtained in all cases along with a chest radiograph.

A novel dominant mutation in SIX1, affecting a highly conserved residue, result in only auditory defects in humans.

Branchio-oto-renal (BOR) and Branchio-otic (BO) syndromes are dominant disorders characterized by variable hearing impairment (HI) and branchial defects. BOR includes additional kidney malformations. BO/BOR syndromes are genetically heterogeneous and caused by mutations in EYA1 and SIX1 genes.

Diffuse axonal injury in patients with head injuries: an epidemiologic and prognosis study of 124 cases.

Background: Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is usually associated to severe trauma. Recent imaging advances made its diagnosis easier. Its prognosis impact is not yet well established.

How MRI can contribute to the diagnosis of acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis in children.

Objective: To illustrate through 10 pediatric cases, the clinical features, course, and importance of neuroimaging (especially MRI) in guiding the diagnosis of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and controlling patients after treatment.

Methods: A retrospective review of 10 pediatric cases of ADEM, with special regard to the MRI features, presenting to the Pediatric Departments, Hedi Chaker Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia between January 2002 and December 2008.

Results: Children with ADEM presented with variable and multiple neurological signs most often occurring after an infectious episode, especially after upper respiratory tract infection.

Tumoral calcinosis, calciphylaxis, hyperparathyroidism and tuberculosis in a dialysis patient.

Tumoral calcinosis and calciphylaxis are uncommon but severe complications in uremic patients. They occur generally after long-term hemodialysis (HD) treatment explained by advanced secondary hyperparathyroidism and longstanding high calcium phosphorus product (Ca × P). Other factors such granulomatous diseases may worsen the calcium phosphate homeostasis alterations.

[Bilateral emphysematous pyelonephritis caused by Candida glabrata: An exceptional entity].

Acute emphysematous pyelonephritis (AEP) is a severe form of urinary tract infection. It occurs usually in diabetics. The most concerned agents are the Gram-negative bacilli.

Pulmonary embolism in intensive care unit: Predictive factors, clinical manifestations and outcome.

Objective: To determine predictive factors, clinical and demographics characteristics of patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) in ICU, and to identify factors associated with poor outcome in the hospital and in the ICU.

Methods: During a four-year prospective study, a medical committee of six ICU physicians prospectively examined all available data for each patient in order to classify patients according to the level of clinical suspicion of pulmonary thromboembolism. During the study periods, all patients admitted to our ICU were classified into four groups.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the parotid with facial nerve invasion.

Background: Adenoid cystic carcinoma comprises approximately 10% of all epithelial salivary neoplasms and most frequently involves the parotid. Perineural invasion is a common feature but intraneural invasion and spread is less common.

Aim: The authors report a case of parotid adenoid cystic carcinoma with invasion and spread via the facial nerve with an emphasis on radiologic features.

[Hydatid cysts of the spigelian lobe (segment I) of the liver: clinical and therapeutic particularities].

Objective: Hydatid cysts of the spigelian lobe, that is, segment I of the liver, are rare. We analyzed their clinical and therapeutic particularities.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective search for the hydatid cysts of the liver treated surgically in our department from January 1, 1994, through December 31, 2005.

[Central neurocytoma: three case reports].

Central neurocytoma is classically recognized as an intraventricular benign brain tumour. Extraventricular localisation is rarer. We report two intraventricular neurocytoma and another bulbar extraventricular neurocytoma.

[Melanotic schwannoma of the temporozygomatic region].

Introduction: Melanotic schwannoma is a rare benign tumor, which arises from nerve sheath cells. Melanotic differentiation is its most histologic characteristic.

Case Report: We report a case of melanotic schwannoma arising in the temporozygomatic region for a man of 38-year-old.