[Horton's disease and rhizomelic pseudopolyarthritis. Developmental data apropos of 95 cases]. / Maladie de Horton et pseudopolyarthrite rhizomélique. Données évolutives à propos de 95 cas.

The many common factors linking rhizomelic pseudopolyarthritis and Horton's disease prompt to compare their respective evolutions and the long-term results of their treatments. The comparative study of 28 patients with temporal Horton's arteritis, proven histologically, and 28 rhizomelic pseudopolyarthritis without arteritis on biopsy, in a total population of 95 patients, confirms the similarity of their clinical and biological signs and show a closely related evolution in the three groups. The evolution leads to a cure approximately 16.4 +/- 14 months in 41 p. cent of the cases. 34 p. cent of the patients are at an advanced stage with a mean follow-up of 37 months and relapses during the weaning period were frequent. 25 p. cent of the patients died. Most deaths occur in the first month of the disease, and occur readily in patients who have received a short treatment with steroids discontinued because of a iatrogenic accident. Cerebral vascular accidents and coronary accidents, arterial hypertension and iatrogenic gastro-intestinal ulcerations are the most frequent complications.

[Acupuncture and sciatica in the acute phase. Double-blind study of 30 cases]. / Acupuncture et lombosciatique à la phase aiguë. Etude en double aveugle de trente cas.

Responses to acupuncture were studied in 30 patients with acute sciatica. Objective and subjective criteria were analyzed before treatment and after five sessions of acupuncture. The study was double blind. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: 15 were treated on electrically detected points and 15 on "placebo" points. In the "placebo" group, no significant improvement was recorded. Conversely, in the treated group, study of objective criteria showed improvement of the Lasegue sign. Among subjective symptoms, positive responses were recorded in the duration of improvement, degree of improvement in decubitus and after ten minutes standing, and use of analgesics. Compared to the "placebo" group these changes are statistically significant.

[Muscles and nerves in rheumatoid arthritis]. / Muscle et nerf dans la polyarthrite rhumatoïde.

The authors report the results of a systematic study of 37 hospitalized cases of rheumatoid arthritis. The neurological and muscular clinical signs are usually discrete. Electrophysiological examination is the basis for a classification in terms of the extent and the intensity of the neuropathy. Clinical and laboratory correlations are established permitting the individualization of a group of patients with severe neuropathy. The histological, morphometric and ultrastructural examination of 12 muscle and nerve biopsies reveal the high incidence of these lesions and the constancy of capillary involvement.

[Serum immune complexes in rheumatoid arthritis (a study of 100 cases). Comparison of the results obtained by four different detection techniques]. / Les complexes immuns dans le sérum au cours de la polyarthrite rhumatoïde. A propos de 100 cas. Comparaison des résultats obtenus par quatre techniques de détection différentes.

The detection of serum immune complexes in cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was performed using four different detection techniques: cryoglobuline (CG), the polyethylene glycol C1q test (PEGC1q), the 125I labelled C1q test (C1qBA) and the detection of anticomplement power (ACP). CG, PEGC1q, and C1qBA are more often positive in cases of sero-positive RA than in sero-negative RA (p less than 0,001 for each test). There are significant and relatively concordant correlations between the positivity of these three tests and certain clinical and laboratory parameters in particular, the level of rheumatoid factor (p less than 0,001) and the presence of extra-articular manifestations. When ACP is found in cases of RA of recent onset, it is associated, in sero-positive cases of RA, with the presence of immune complexes and a more severe form of the disease.

[Rheumatoid arthritis, obliterating bronchiolitis and D-penicillamine. Apropos of a new case with ultrastructural examination and review of the literature]. / Polyarthrite rhumatoïde, bronchiolite oblitérante et D-penicillamine. A propos d'un nouveau cas avec examen ultrastructural et revue de la littérature.

Over recent years, several cases have been reported of bronchiolitis obliterans, of very rapid onset and serious clinical course in patients with rheumatoid arthritis being treated with D-Penicillamine. After reporting a new case, the authors stress the unusual features of this bronchiolar condition which is probably of iatrogenic origin and irreversible, with death occurring within a few years. The pathogenesis is poorly understood and many questions still remain concerning the relationships between rheumatoid arthritis, the bronchiolar lesions and D-Penicillamine in this disease of pulmonary collagen. The ultrastructural examination and the morphometric examination of this new case suggest the presence of predominantly type III collagen, which is normally present in the lungs in only small quantities.

[Current methods of vascular exploration: Doppler, thermography, capillaroscopy]. / Explorations vasculaires courantes: Doppler, thermographie, capillaroscopie.

According to a national study, the currently available vascular investigations give fragmentary information. Ultrasound velocimetry is usually normal, but sometimes, it reveals, early in the course of the disease, an original finding, diastolic flow. Thermography demonstrates thermic gradients in phase I, hyper- or iso-thermia in phase II and hypothermia in phase III. Capillaroscopy can demonstrate pericapillary edema, venulo-capillary stasis and tortuosities which are non-specific criteria, only significant by their associations. This study needs to be pursued in order to define the course of these vasomotor changes.