[Glucocorticoid-induced hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in premature infants: apropos of 4 cases]. / Myocardiopathie hypertrophique induite par les glucocorticoïdes chez le prématuré: à propos de quatre cas.

BACKGROUND: The steroidal treatment used to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BD) in the preterm babies may be the cause of several complications, one of them being hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. CASE REPORT: Four infants developed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy during glucocorticoid (dexamethasone and/or betamethasone) treatment for bronchopulmonary dysplasia. In one of them, septal hypertrophy led to left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and congestive heart failure. All four were premature infants born after 2 weeks of gestation and weighing 780 to 1,080 g. The first echocardiographic changes appeared between the 4th and 15th day of the glucocorticoid course when the cumulated dose was respectively 1.82-1.87-3.51 and 3.86 mg/kg. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy resolved completely between 2 and 4 weeks after cessation of the treatment. CONCLUSION: The glucocorticoid dosage to prevent BD should be reduced to 0.3 mg/kg/j and the myocardial function should be monitored by repeated echocardiograms during the first 15 days of treatment.

[Post-traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts]. / Les pseudokystes pulmonaires post-traumatiques.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary pseudocyst is an unusual complication of chest trauma. CASE REPORT: A 12-year-old boy suffered from a non penetrating chest trauma. Examination was normal except mild hemoptysis. Chest X-rays and tomodensitometry showed several cystic lesions surrounded by areas of pulmonary contusion in the right lower lobe. X-rays performed a few years before the trauma were normal. The cystic lesions progressively disappeared within a few months. CONCLUSION: This is a new case of post-traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst whose diagnosis may be difficult until spontaneous cure.

[Cerebral arteriovenous malformations in a probable familial form of Rendu-Osler disease]. / Malformations artério-veineuses cérébrales dans une probable forme familiale de maladie de Rendu-Osler.

Cerebral arteriovenous malformations with neonatal manifestations are infrequent and virtually always fatal. Heart failure with an intracranial bruit is the most common presentation. Exceptionally, the aneurysm is a manifestation of Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome which is inherited on an autosomal dominant basis. Development of cerebral arteriovenous malformations occurs very early as demonstrated by the discovery of two aneurysms with major repercussions on the cerebral parenchyma in a female with severe prematurity. Pregnant women with suspected Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome should undergo ultrasound studies targeted at identifying untreatable cerebral lesions antenatally.