[Cognitive impairment induced by digoxin intake in patients older than 65 years]. / Troubles cognitifs chez les sujets de plus de 65 ans induits par la prise de digoxine.

Cognitive impairment or clinical signs of dementia in an old patient who receives digoxin, should suggest a digitalis intoxication. Symptoms can be present although a normal digoxin serum concentration. It is recommended to stop the treatment to obtain a regression of dementia symptoms.

[Neurosyphilis: a rare cause of dementia]. / La neurosyphilis: une cause rare de démence.

INTRODUCTION: Neurosyphilis had to be evoked in the face of an atypical dementia. CASE RECORD: We describe the case of a 65-year-old man who presented with neurosyphilis suspected to precede behavioral and cognitive problems in the context of risky sexual behavior and was confirmed by serologic tests in the cerebrospinal fluid. DISCUSSION: This case proves the necessity to investigate the possibility of neurosyphilis in subjects with dementia syndrome which does not correspond to classic etiologies.

[Paroxysmal atrioventricular block due to anticholinesterase therapy]. / Troubles de la conduction auriculoventriculaire paroxystiques liés à la prise d'un anticholinestérasique.

The authors report a case of paroxysmal syncopal complete atrioventricular block due to anticholinesterase therapy occurring after the first administration. The block was reversible. It is therefore important to exclude this cause of atrioventricular block in the elderly in view of the increasing indications of this therapy.

Influence of muscle strength and body weight and composition on regional bone mineral density in healthy women aged 60 years and over.

Although weight, lean mass, fat mass and muscular strength are often found to be intercorrelated, the respective role of each parameter in bone mineral density (BMD) remains unknown in older women. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between body weight and composition and quadriceps strength on femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD in healthy postmenopausal women. The relationship between isokinetic quadriceps strength measured by Biodex and BMD measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was studied in 56 women aged 60-81 (70.5 +/- 6.2) years in multiple regression models adjusted for age, body composition and menopausal treatment. Weight and age were associated with femoral neck BMD (33 and 10% of variance accounted for, respectively) and lumbar spine BMD (23 and 8% of its variance). When body weight and quadriceps strength were excluded from the model, lean mass and age were associated with femoral neck BMD (29 and 14% of variance explained, respectively) and lumbar spine BMD (28 and 11% of variance explained, respectively). When quadriceps strength was entered into the model, it was strongly associated with femoral neck BMD (30% of variance accounted for), in addition to lean mass (9%) and age (7%), whereas it was not associated with lumbar spine BMD. In conclusion, lean mass explains a great part of the strong association between body weight and femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD. Quadriceps strength explains a great part of the association between lean mass and BMD at the femoral neck site but not at the lumbar spine site. These results suggest a site-specific effect of muscular strength on bone and a potential role of the age-related decline of muscle strength in age-related bone loss in postmenopausal women.

Effect of egg consumption in healthy volunteers: influence of yolk, white or whole-egg on gastric emptying and on glycemic and hormonal responses.

The effects of the ingestion of 2 whole eggs (E), 2 egg whites, 2 egg yolks (Y), or no eggs with a standard breakfast on gastric emptying, glycemic and hormonal responses have been studied in 12 healthy young males. E and Y induce a significant delay of gastric emptying, together with reduced blood glucose and insulin peaks (Y). Egg ingestion, whatever the part, increases gastric inhibitory peptide level in blood. Cholecystokinin is enhanced after E or Y ingestion. The results indicate that egg ingestion, especially yolk ingestion, may be of interest in regulating metabolic variables of glucose metabolism.

Glycaemic and insulinaemic responses in healthy volunteers upon ingestion of maltitol and hydrogenated glucose syrups.

Glycaemic and insulinaemic index of maltitol and maltitol-containing chocolate have been determined in healthy subjects with reference to glucose and compared with those of sucrose solution and sucrose containing chocolate. All maltitol containing products (solutions and chocolate) show a reduced glycaemic index. Insulinaemic index of maltitol solutions is also low, while that of maltitol chocolate remains high.