[Mesenteric lymph node cavitation disclosing celiac disease in adults]

We report a case of cavitation of the mesenteric lymph nodes, an uncommon complication of celiac diseases. Computerized tomography is the method of choice for diagnosis and follow up after gluten free diet.

Severe necroziting vasculitis in a patient with hepatitis C virus infection treated by interferon

We report a case of polyarteritis nodosa occurring in a patient with hepatitis C, ten days after the beginning of alpha-IFN therapy. There was no cryoglobulinemia. Serum HCV-RNA was detectable before INF therapy and disappeared during the vasculites. The patient received boli of methylprednisolone and the neurological and skin lesions regressed after 5 months. This observation could suggest a precocious response to alpha-INF and a relationship between INF and the occurrence of vasculites.

Hypercalcaemia in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Hypercalcaemia is common in some lymphoproliferative disorders such as myeloma or T-cell leukaemia-lymphoma, but is rarely described in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (BCLL). We report the case of a patient with BCLL, hypercalcaemia and osteolytic bone lesions. Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) mRNA was identified by Northern blot analysis of liver, spleen and lymph node tumour samples. Serum levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) were increased.

[Portal vein thrombosis: a rare complication of Crohn disease]

Among usual extra digestive manifestations of inflammatory bowel diseases, vascular injuries are rare, but often of excessive gravity. The emergence of a portal thrombosis, often accelerated by infection or traumatism, particularly surgical, remains exceptional. We report the case of a young patient who is followed for a severe crohn's disease and affected with a brutal portal vein thrombosis. Although initial prognosis was bad, the patient now lead a normal life ten months after this episode. It's the third described case of portal thrombosis in crohn's disease. We discuss the predisposing role of an acquired protein S deficiency during a estroprogestative treatment.