Observational Study of a French and Belgian Multicenter Cohort of 23 Patients Diagnosed in Adulthood With Mevalonate Kinase Deficiency

The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and biological features of Mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD) in patients diagnosed in adulthood. This is a French and Belgian observational retrospective study from 2000 to 2014. To constitute the cohort, we cross-check the genetic and biochemical databases. The clinical, enzymatic, and genetic data were gathered from medical records. Twenty-three patients were analyzed. The mean age at diagnosis was 40 years, with a mean age at onset of symptoms of 3 years. All symptomatic patients had fever. Febrile attacks were mostly associated with arthralgia (90.9%); lymphadenopathy, abdominal pain, and skin lesions (86.4%); pharyngitis (63.6%); cough (59.1%); diarrhea, and hepatosplenomegaly (50.0%). Seven patients had psychiatric symptoms (31.8%). One patient developed recurrent seizures. Three patients experienced renal involvement (13.6%). Two patients had angiomyolipoma (9.1%). All but one tested patients had elevated serum immunoglobulin (Ig) D level. Twenty-one patients had genetic diagnosis; most of them were compound heterozygote (76.2%). p.Val377Ile was the most prevalent mutation. Structural articular damages and systemic AA amyloidosis were the 2 most serious complications. More than 65% of patients displayed decrease in severity and frequency of attacks with increasing age, but only 35% achieved remission. MKD diagnosed in adulthood shared clinical and genetic features with classical pediatric disease. An elevated IgD concentration is a good marker for MKD in adults. Despite a decrease of severity and frequency of attacks with age, only one-third of patients achieved spontaneous remission.

Detection of hospital outbreaks of influenza-like illness based on excess of incidence rates compared to the community

The risk of nosocomial influenza-like illness (noso-ILI) compared with that of community-acquired ILI was calculated during 3 influenza seasons (2004-2007) at a 1100-bed university hospital with a total of 21,519 hospitalized patients. Outbreaks of noso-ILI occurred in each season, although a protective effect against noso-ILI was also identified for other wards.

Influenza vaccination of healthcare workers in acute-care hospitals: a case-control study of its effect on hospital-acquired influenza among patients

BACKGROUND

In acute-care hospitals, no evidence of a protective effect of healthcare worker (HCW) vaccination on hospital-acquired influenza (HAI) in patients has been documented. Our study objective was to ascertain the effectiveness of influenza vaccination of HCW on HAI among patients.

METHODS

A nested case-control investigation was implemented in a prospective surveillance study of influenza-like illness (ILI) in a tertiary acute-care university hospital. Cases were patients with virologically-confirmed influenza occurring ≥ 72 h after admission, and controls were patients with ILI presenting during hospitalisation with negative influenza results after nasal swab testing. Four controls per case, matched per influenza season (2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07), were randomly selected. Univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression models were fitted to assess factors associated with HAI among patients.

RESULTS

In total, among 55 patients analysed, 11 (20%) had laboratory-confirmed HAI. The median HCW vaccination rate in the units was 36%. The median proportion of vaccinated HCW in these units was 11.5% for cases vs. 36.1% for the controls (P = 0.11); 2 (20%) cases and 21 (48%) controls were vaccinated against influenza in the current season (P = 0.16). The proportion of ≥ 35% vaccinated HCW in short-stay units appeared to protect against HAI among patients (odds ratio = 0.07; 95% confidence interval 0.005-0.98), independently of patient age, influenza season and potential influenza source in the units.

CONCLUSIONS

Our observational study indicates a shielding effect of more than 35% of vaccinated HCW on HAI among patients in acute-care units. Investigations, such as controlled clinical trials, are needed to validate the benefits of HCW vaccination on HAI incidence in patients.

Reactive hemophagocytic syndrome in adult-onset Still disease: clinical features and long-term outcome: a case-control study of 8 patients

Reactive hemophagocytic syndrome (RHS) is a rare, life-threatening, and little-known complication of rheumatic diseases. This disorder is characterized by fever, pancytopenia, liver failure, coagulopathy, and neurologic symptoms. RHS may develop in patents who have lymphoma, organ transplantation, serious infection, and rheumatic diseases, most notably systemic lupus erythematosus and adult-onset Still disease (AOSD). Observations of specific cases of RHS in AOSD remain rare, and the significance of this syndrome during the course of AOSD remains unknown. We retrospectively studied 16 episodes of AOSD-associated RHS in 8 patients. To determine whether RHS is associated with a particular phenotype of AOSD, we conducted a case-control study from the cohort of AOSD patients seen during the same period. The estimated frequency of RHS in AOSD patients from our cohort was 15.3% (8/52). The median age at RHS diagnosis was 44.5 years. We collected clinical and laboratory data. RHS was the first manifestation of AOSD in 7 cases. The main symptoms were fever (n = 8), salmon rash (n = 6), arthralgia (n = 7), lymphadenopathy (n = 6), and shock (n = 4). Serum ferritin concentration was consistently elevated (>1000 microg/L in 8 cases), and the level of glycosylated ferritin was low in all cases (<5% in 7 cases, 15% in 1 case). Six patients presented with coagulopathy; hypertriglyceridemia was found in 6 cases. Admission to the intensive care unit was required in 4 cases. Treatment included corticosteroids (n = 8) and intravenous immunoglobulin (n = 6), cyclophosphamide in 2 cases, infliximab in the same 2 cases, and cyclosporine in 1 case. With a follow-up ranging from 2 to 15 years, the patients were in remission with prednisone plus methotrexate (n = 4), prednisone plus infliximab (n = 2), and low-dose prednisone alone (n = 2). We compared the 8 patients included in this study with 44 control patients with AOSD without RHS. Low haptoglobin levels, very high ferritin levels (>10,000 microg/L), and a normal or low neutrophil count seem to be predictive factors of the occurrence of RHS in AOSD.

Efficacy and tolerability of rituximab with or without PEGylated interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin in severe hepatitis C virus-related vasculitis: a long-term followup study of thirty-two patients

OBJECTIVE

To report on the long-term followup of a cohort of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related vasculitis treated with rituximab with or without PEGylated interferon alfa-2b (PEG-IFN alfa-2b) plus ribavirin.

METHODS

The study group comprised 32 HCV RNA-positive patients with HCV-related vasculitis: 20 patients were treated with rituximab and PEG-IFN alfa-2b (9 of whom had not previously received antiviral treatment and 11 of whom had experienced disease resistance to or relapse with antiviral treatment), and 12 antiviral-intolerant patients were treated with rituximab alone.

RESULTS

Treatment with rituximab and PEG-IFN alfa-2b plus ribavirin induced a complete clinical response and a partial clinical response in 80% and 15% of patients, respectively, a complete immunologic response and a partial immunologic response in 67% and 33% of patients, respectively, and a sustained virologic response in 55% of patients. Treatment with rituximab alone induced a complete clinical response and a partial clinical response in 58% and 9% of patients, respectively, and a complete immunologic response and a partial immunologic response in 46% and 36% of patients, respectively. B cell depletion was achieved in 96% of patients, and B cell recovery began after a median delay of 12 months. After a mean+/-SD followup period of 23+/-12 months, 22% of patients experienced a clinical relapse, and 34% of patients experienced an immunologic relapse. All relapses were associated with the absence of virologic control, and 78% of relapses were associated with B cell recovery. Six patients were re-treated with rituximab. All 6 of these patients had a complete clinical response, 50% had a complete immunologic response, and 50% had a partial immunologic response. Rituximab was well tolerated overall.

CONCLUSION

Rituximab is an effective treatment of severe and/or refractory HCV-related vasculitis. Relapses were consistently associated with the absence of virologic control. The clinical and immunologic efficacy of rituximab after repeated infusion appeared to be the same as that observed after induction therapy.

Successful treatment of cytomegalovirus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome by intravenous immunoglobulins

Virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (VAHS) is a rare complication in early cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. There is no standard therapy for VAHS and the clinical course is variable. Data on the use of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in the treatment of CMV-associated VAHS are limited. We report a previously healthy, 32-year-old woman who presented with general malaise, fever, chills, and splenomegaly. Laboratory examination showed marked elevation of aminotransferase, leucopoenia, and thrombocytopenia. Acute CMV-infection was documented by the presence of immunoglobulin M anti-CMV and positive viremia in blood sample. Bone marrow examination revealed extensive hemophagocytosis. IVIG was administered after the diagnosis of CMV-associated VAHS. Her symptoms and laboratory abnormalities improved dramatically after the onset of the treatment and she did not require antiviral agent.

[Non-inferiority trial used in venous thromboembolic disease. A warily interpretation is necessary!]

INTRODUCTION

Equivalence trials are actually frequently used to prove non-inferiority in anticoagulant therapy. Equivalence trials consist to demonstrate that two treatments are not too much different. This difference has to be under a margin previously determined. The margin corresponds to an efficacy loss that is defined to be acceptable, in accordance to the advantages due to the new treatment. The aim of this work is to explore the equivalence trial published in the thromboembolic disease by focus on the non-inferiority margin used.

METHODS

We identified published equivalence trials in the venous thromboembolic disease, by a systematic search in Medline. We calculated the efficacy loss by reference with the value of the smallest effect size of the standard treatment compared to placebo.

RESULTS

We found 9 equivalence trials used in venous thromboembolic disease. The mean value of the efficacy loss was 434%, and the median value was 357%. Eighty-five percent of the values of the efficacy loss were above 100%.

DISCUSSION

Eighty-five percent of the equivalence trials conclude to equivalence despite a complete efficacy loss of the effect of the standard treatment compared to placebo. The results of equivalence trials should be interpreted warily. The corresponding non-inferiority margin should be chosen more rigorously and by reference with the value of the smallest effect size of the standard treatment compared to placebo.

Spontaneous proximal deep vein thrombosis in a patient with severe haemophilia A

Venous thrombosis is a very rare occurrence in patients with haemophilia A. The majority of these cases occurred during or after the administration of clotting factor concentrates. We report the case of a patient with severe haemophilia A, who spontaneously developed a deep venous thrombosis (DVT). The thrombosis occurred in the superficial femoral vein with an extension in the profunda femoris vein. Neither any local anatomic compression nor any predisposing thrombophilic risk factors were identified. Treatment with recombinant factor VIII at prophylactic doses associated with unfractionated heparin led to a successful resolution. This case illustrates the possibility for severe haemophilia patients to develop authentic spontaneous DVT without anti-haemophilic treatment and predisposing risk factors.

[Cholesterol embolism in the lower limbs]

An atheromatous aorta may be the source of micro-emboli composed of cholesterol crystals. These cholesterol emboli presumably result from dislodgment of atheromatous material occurring either spontaneously, or consecutively to a coronary angiography, an aortic surgery or even an anticoagulant or thrombolytic treatment. Even if the best known clinical feature is the "blue toe" syndrome together with renal insufficiency, the spectrum of disease caused by cholesterol emboli ranges from asymptomatic to rapidly progressive multiple system failure. Therefore cholesterol embolism is a serious complication of aortic atherosclerosis and often holds a poor prognosis. Diagnosis is confirmed by skin or muscle biopsy and fundoscopic examination. The optimal treatment remains to be established.

[Clinical study of 12 cases of malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the orbital region]

Over an 8-year period in the Departments of Hematology, Ophthalmology and Internal Medicine of our hospital, 12 cases of orbital and adnexal malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were reported. Diagnostic elements varied, including local tumefaction, watering eyes, uveitis, and unexplained, long-term fever. Nine patients had primary paraocular lymphomas involving either orbital structures, the lacrimal gland or the eyeball, but after appropriate staging, the disease was found to be disseminated in 5; the 3 other cases were secondary orbital lymphomas. Intermediate or high grade histological types were predominant (9 patients) in our series. Radiation therapy, alone or combined (5 patients) with chemotherapy, was administered in 8 cases; other treatments consisted of chemotherapy (2 cases) or steroids (2 cases). Evolution was poor, with only 4 patients surviving at 34-180 months of follow-up. The main prognostic factors were tumor stage and histological grade. The clinical characteristics of this group are compared to those reported in the literature.