[Asthma and intolerance to benzoates]. / Asthme et intolérance aux benzoates.

BACKGROUND: Some foods and drug additives may induce allergic reactions. CASE REPORT: A girl with a family history of asthma in both parents developed asthma in her early life. She was successfully given continuous bronchodilator therapy until the age of 7 years. At that time, she had more frequent and severe exacerbations (8 within 10 months) despite reinforced continuous treatment. Oral challenges with bisulfite and sodium benzoate, both additives abundantly ingested by the patient, revealed heightened sensitivity to administration of sodium benzoate. Avoidance of this additive was followed by complete and prolonged disappearance of episodes of coughing and wheezing. CONCLUSION: Adverse reactions to benzoate in this patient required avoidance of some drugs, some of those classically prescribed under the form of syrups in asthma.

[Turner's syndrome and isoforms of LH and FSH. Value of polyclonal enzymatic techniques]. / Syndrome de Turner et isoformes de LH et FSH. Intérêt des techniques enzymatiques polyclonales.

BACKGROUND: The glycoproteic hormones, LH and FSH, circulate under heterogenous molecular forms, the isoforms. The more acidic isoforms of FSH are found in hypogonadic patients and a displacement towards the basic forms is observed during substitutive treatment. CASE REPORT: A 13 year-old girl with Turner syndrome was examined for pubertal delay. Ultrasonography failed to see both ovaries and endocrine investigations showed a type P1 response (LH-RH test using immunological method). Control of hormonal levels by a polyclonal immunoenzymatic method confirmed primary hypogonadism. CONCLUSIONS: Radioimmunological methods using monoclonal antibodies can underevaluate FSH and LH levels under circumstances in which the distribution of isoforms may vary. Discrepancy must lead to the measure of gonadotrophins using polyclonal immunoenzymatic methods.