The uveitis and its relationship with disease activity and quality of life in Moroccan children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

The aim of our study is to investigate ocular involvement in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and its relationship with disease activity and quality of life in Moroccan patients who suffer from JIA. This is a cross-sectional study conducted between January and June 2012 which includes patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (n = 30). All patients have undergone clinical and paraclinical assessment of JIA and a complete eye examination. Functional impairment is assessed by the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire while visual function is studied by the Effect of Youngsters' Eyesight in Quality of Life instrument (EYE-Q). Quality of life is assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0). Four patients (13.33 %) have uveitis with a confidence interval between 3.4 and 30.7. Involvement is bilateral in three children (75 %). One patient (25 %) has elevated intraocular pressure with loss of the right eye due to glaucoma. There is a strong but not significant relationship between uveitis and the number of awakenings (r = 0.71, p = 0.69) and morning stiffness (r = 3.05, p = 0, 21). This relationship is moderate with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = 0.48, p = 0.78) and C-reactive protein (r = 0.25, p = 0.88). A strong but not significant association is found between the overall quality of life assessed by the PedsQL 4.0 and visual function assessed by EYE-Q in the uveitis group (r = -0.64, p = 0.55). This study suggests that uveitis associated with JIA can present serious complications and could have a direct relationship with the activity of the JIA as well as with the quality of life of the patient.

Regression of liver metastases of occult carcinoid tumor with slow release lanreotide therapy.

Few clinical studies have demonstrated an anti-proliferative activity of somatostatin (SST) analogs in carcinoids. We report the case of a woman with liver metastases of neuroendocrine tumor and no evidence of the primary tumor. The liver metastases were characterized by high proliferation index, immunoreactiviy for somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-1, 2, 3 and 5 and positive octreoscan. Urinary 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid, serum serotonin and chromogranin A were elevated. Slow release lanreotide (SR-LAN) therapy for 3 mo controlled clinical and biochemical signs of carcinoid tumor and caused a clear-cut reduction in the diameter of two liver metastases and disappearance of another lesion, with further reduction after 6 and 18 mo. We demonstrated a clear-cut long-lasting anti-proliferative effect of SR-LAN on liver metastases of occult carcinoid with high proliferation index and immunoreactivity for SSTR-1, 2, 3, and 5. Immuno-histochemistry for SSTRs could be a suitable method for the selection of patients with metastatic carcinoid that may benefit from SST analog therapy.