Neutrophilic myositis as an extracutaneous manifestation of neutrophilic dermatosis.

Neutrophilic dermatoses are characterized histologically by a sterile infiltration of neutrophils throughout the dermis. The condition may affect various internal organs, notably the lungs, the digestive tract, and the joints, whereas muscle impairment is considered to be extremely rare. We describe the case of a patient with pyoderma gangrenosum in whom severe sterile neutrophilic myositis developed as the first manifestation of an acute myelogenous leukemia.

[Relapsing polychondritis. Histochemical, histoenzymological, immunoflourescent and ultrastructural studies of ear cartilage in three cases (author's transl)]. / La polychondrite chronique atrophiante. Etude du cartilae auriculaire par histochimie, histoenzymologie, immunoflourescence et microscopie électronique. (A propos de 3 observations).

Ear cartilage has been studied by histochemistry, histoenzymology, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy in three cases of relapsing polychondritis. The most significant lesions have been observed at the cellular level, both by enzymology and electron microscopy : chondrocytes of peripheral zones seem to be first hypertrophic and then necrotic ; at the opposite, there is no correlation between histochemical and electron microscopic studies about the chondroid intercellular substance whose lesions are probably secondary to the cellular ones. A few chondrocytes are positive with antiimmunoglobulins sera (IgM and IgA) ; this fact could be a proof of the dysimmune nature of this disease.

[Chronic atrophic polychondritis and renal and cardiopulmonary amylosis: a case report and literature review (author's transl)]. / Polychondrite atrophiante chronique avec amylose rénale et cardio-pulmonaire. Une observation et revue de la littérature.

Glomerular lesions with a nephrotic syndrome and impaired renal function developed secondary to a chronic atrophic polychondritis confirmed by auricular biopsy. In the absence of renal histology data, the possibility of an iatrogenic complication or a renal lesion specific to the affection itself were successively eliminated. Pos-mortem histological examination demonstrated renal and cardiopulmonary amylosis, the latter being clinically asymptomatic. The probable autoimmune origin of the chronic atrophic polychondritis has to be discussed in parallel with the dysimmunity mechanism responsible for the amyloid lesions, but no relationship between them was demonstrated.

[Relapsing polychondritis. Histochemical, histoenzymological, immunofluorescent and ultrastructural studies of ear cartilage in three cases (author's transl)]. / La polychondrite chronique atrophiante. Etude du cartilage auriculaire par histochimie, histoenzymologie, immunofluorescence et microscopie électronique. (A propos de 3 observations).

Ear cartilage has been studied by histochemistry, histoenzymology, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy in three cases of relapsing polychondritis. The most significant lesions have been observed at the cellular level, both by enzymology and electron microscopy: chondrocytes of peripheral zones seem to be first hypertrophic and then necrotic; at the opposite, their is no correlation between histochemical and electron microscopic studies about the chondroid intercellular substance whom lesions are probably secondary to the cellular ones. A few chondrocytes are positive with antiimmunoglobulins sera (IgM and IgA); this fact could be a proof of the dysimmune nature of this disease.

[Non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis. Autopsy study, clinico-pathological correlations (author's transl)]. / Les endocardites marastiques. Etude anatomique. Corrélations anatomo-cliniques.

During the course of 6 000 autopsies, the number of cases of non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis discovered was 130 (absolute frequency of 2.1 p. cent). Frequency was highest among patients with cancer, of which there were many in this series (4 p. cent of 2 287 autopsies). In 83 p. cent of cases, therefore, the endocarditis was of paraneoplasic origin, usually associated with adenocarcinomas, especially those of bronchopulmonary, pancreatic or gastric origin. Less frequently, they developed during the course of shock or debilitating affections. The endocarditis lesion consists of a coagulated fibrin and platelet mass without microbial germs, located electively on the mitral and aortal valves. Emboli are a frequent consequence (47 p. cent of cases) affecting primarily the central nervous system, the kidneys, spleen, and hart. Ischemic effects of these latter, observed in 75 p. cent of cases, are generally latent. In some cases they produce clinical manifestations, and they may be the cause of death from a cerebral or myocardial infarct. Pathological examination demonstrates the frequent association of these endocarditis lesions with often multiple vascular thromboses, and disseminated intravascular coagulation affecting the same regions as the emboli. This emphasizes the major role of coagulation disorders in their genesis.