Olmesartan-associated enteropathy: results of a national survey.

BACKGROUND: Recently, a new enteropathy has been described: olmesartan-associated enteropathy. However, the association has been questioned: a phase 3 trial and a cohort study found no association between gastrointestinal events and olmesartan. AIM: To collect French cases of sartan-associated enteropathy to describe further this entity, confirm or refute causality, and determine if the association exists with other sartans. METHODS: French gastroenterologists were invited to report cases of sartan-associated enteropathy and collect clinical, biological and histological data. Patients with diarrhoea and histological duodenal abnormalities were included. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients with olmesartan-associated enteropathy were reported, including 32 with villous atrophy and four without. There was only one patient with irbesartan-associated enteropathy. None of the patients died. Patients with villous atrophy had diarrhoea, vomiting, renal failure, hypokalaemia, body weight loss and hypoalbuminaemia. Thirty-one patients were hospitalised; four required intensive care. Anti-transglutaminase and anti-enterocyte antibodies were negative; anti-nuclear antibodies were positive (9/11). Endoscopic duodenal biopsies showed villous atrophy (32/32) and polyclonal intra-epithelial CD3+CD8+ lymphocytosis (11/11). Exactly, 14/15 patients responded to steroids and/or immunosuppressants, prescribed because of suspected autoimmune enteropathy. Ten olmesartan interruptions were followed by reintroductions before steroids or immunosuppressants. Interruptions were followed by remissions (9/10), but reintroductions were followed by relapses (9/9). Twenty-nine patients were in remission since olmesartan interruption, including 26 without immunosuppressants. Patients with normal villi had similar clinical characteristics, but mild histological abnormalities (intra-epithelial lymphocytosis and lamina propria lymphocytic infiltration). CONCLUSIONS: Olmesartan causes a severe and immune-mediated enteropathy, with or without villous atrophy. Enteropathy associated with other sartans seems to be very rare.

[Whipple disease associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction after antibiotic therapy]. / Maladie de Whipple associée à une hypertension artérielle pulmonaire. Réaction de Jarisch-Herxheimer après antibiothérapie.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension is an uncommon feature of Whipple's disease and the underlying pathophysiological mechanism remains a subject of debate. CASE REPORT: A 57-year-old woman was hospitalized for exploration of migrating joint pain that had developed for 5 years. Histologically proven Whipple's disease was diagnosed on duodenal biopsies. The lung angiogram performed to explore signs of right heart failure demonstrated pulmonary hypertension and ruled out pulmonary embolism. Abundant pericardial effusion developed progressively. Antibiotic therapy using sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprime led to a systemic Jarisch Herxheilmer reaction. The pulmonary hypertension resolved rapidly, the pericardial effusion more slowly. DISCUSSION: The pulmonary hypertension in this patient appeared to be directly related to Whipple's disease, probably via vascular infiltration by Tropheryma whippeli.

[Rare association of hypoparathyroidism and mediastinal-pulmonary sarcoidosis]. / Association rare d'une hypoparathyroïdie et d'une sarcoïdose médiastino-pulmonaire.

We report the case of a 52-year-old woman who presented hypoparathyroidism and sarcoidosis. The hypoparathyroidism developed 8 years after the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. No element in favor of an autoimmune disease of the parathyroid could be evidenced. Pathology and immunology blood tests were equally noncontributive. Another pathophysiological mechanism, possibly sarcoidic granulomatous infiltration of the parathyroid glands, was suspected. The patient also presented apparently coincidental vitiligo.

[Right heart failure caused by thiamine deficiency (cardiac beriberi)]. / Insuffisance cardiaque droite due à un déficit en thiamine (béribéri cardiaque).

BACKGROUND: Vitamin B1 deficiency (beriberi) is very uncommon in France. It leads to high output cardiac failure totally different from the situation observed in alcoholic patients. We report a typical case of cardiac beriberi. CASE REPORT: The patient was referred for dyspnea with high output cardiac failure. Echocardiography evidenced severe pulmonary hypertension and high cardiac output. The more common causes of heart failure were ruled out. The dietary habits of the patient (suggested beriberi which was confirmed by the low serum thiamin and therapeutic test with vitamin B1. DISCUSSION: High output cardiac failure should suggest possible Shoshin beriberi, particularly in subjects with imported dietary habits living in a precarious socioeconomic situation.

[Colonic involvement in ileal Crohn's disease]. / Etude de l'extension colique des maladies de Crohn iléales.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the risk and predictive factors for colonic extension in patients with ileal Crohn's disease. METHODS: One hundred and fifty patients with ileal Crohn's disease and no specific colonic lesions on initial colonoscopy were studied retrospectively (median follow-up: 51 months). RESULTS: Twelve patients (8%) developed colonic lesions. Ten-year cumulated risks (95% confidence interval) for colonic extension were 17.2% (range: 5.8-28.6) in the whole group, and 22.4% (range: 8.7-36.1) in the group of 86 patients with repeated colonoscopy. Young age at diagnosis was the only factor predicting colonic extension. Seven patients with colonic extension required immunosuppressive therapy but none underwent surgery. CONCLUSION: Ileal Crohn's disease has a low tendency for colonic extension. Colonic extension has no major prognostic implications.