[Epidemiologic study of urinary calculi in Western France]. / Etude épidémiologique des calculs urinaires dans l'Ouest de la France.

OBJECTIVES: An epidemiologic study of urinary calculi (N = 1843) was conducted in Western France: distribution according to the main chemical compounds, age and sex. Comparison with the results of a study with national recruitment (N = 10,617) and a study with regional recruitment (N = 1774). METHOD: The study involved 1843 stones characterized beforehand by morphological analysis associated with infra-red spectrophotometry (FTIR). If analysis of the composition of the stones was carried out on the totality of calculi, studies related to age and sex included only 1583 cases. Comparison of percentages was made using chi 2 test. RESULTS: The composition in main compounds of calculi was comparable with the results of other studies; minor significant compounds presented great differences, raising the problem of interpretation of the infra-red spectra of the latter. Hence, our work was directed towards the analysis of the major compounds and we showed, like most authors, that monohydrate calcium oxalate is predominant in male (46%) as well as in females (37%). Calculi average sex-ratio was 2.19 but dehydrated calcium oxalate sex-ratio was 4.42, suggesting that this compound is found mainly in men. Conversely, for the majority of phosphate stones, the sex-ratio was lower or equal to one, indicating that they predominate in women. Infectious calculi (particularly struvite calculi) appeared slightly more frequent in our population than in other studies, whereas the number of uric acid calculi was lower. This, however, remains to be confirmed. CONCLUSION: The population studied was not significantly different from the national population regarding lithiasis, except perhaps for uric acid and struvite calculi, despite specific regional differences in diet and the role of nutritional factors in lithogenesis.

Detection of hepatitis B viral DNA by polymerase chain reaction in dialysis patients.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to search for hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA sequences in the sera of 51 dialyzed patients (26 women, 25 men; mean age 60.5 years, range 35 to 85). Two different sets of specific primers for HBV core and surface gene sequences were synthesized and used for each sample. Controls were 90 HBV negative blood donors. Results were analyzed according to other serological markers of HBV. Among the eight HBsAg positive patients (anti-HBc+: 8/8), seven were positive for HBV DNA. Four of eight patients were vaccinated but later developed acute HBs hepatitis. The presence of HBV DNA was detected in six of 43 HBsAg negative patients (anti-HBc+: 5/6; anti-HBs+: 3 of 6; HBeAg: 0 of 6; anti-HBe: 2 of 6). These six patients were vaccinated and four of six developed mild and transient cytolytic hepatitis (3 before vaccination; 2 later). These results showed that HBsAg seronegative patients can be infectious. The role of HBV vaccination and/or the existence of variations in the structure of the viral genome is discussed.

[Results of dietary evaluation during calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate lithiasis]. / Résultats du bilan alimentaire au cours de la lithiase oxalo-phospho-calcique.

In order to better understand the role of diet in etiology of urolithiasis, 84 oxalo-phospho-calcic-lithiasic patients (52 men, 32 women) have been studied by a nutritional week-interview and by urinary and blood testing. Diet data were compared to an ideal standard. Total caloric intake was 2428 +/- 651 calories/d; this intake is high in 7% women and 40% men. 79% out of patients are fat. Protidic intake is 87 +/- 21 g/d higher than 1 g/kg/d in 84.5% of patients. Lipids are high in 38.9 +/- 7%, glucid are low in 45.3 +/- 7%. Calcium intake is 934 +/- 406 mg/d, sodium intake is 12.9 + 3 g/d. Water intake is 2305 +/- 759 ml/d. Different groups of patients are studied: a) 21 patients with mean age of 43 +/- 12 years have recurrent lithiasis (R). This group is compared to 48 patients with 37 +/- 44 years who have a single lithiasis. Half of (R) patients have hypercalciuria, hyperphosphaturia and hyperoxaluria. Diet study is no different between these two groups. b) Other groups are studied: 21 have hyperophosphaturia (HPU) without hypophosphoremia and they have hypercalciuria, hyperuraturia and high urinary urea; diet shows higher glucicid and potassium intake than group with normal phosphaturia; 23 have hypercalciuria (HCU) and high uraturia and phosphaturia: diet study shows no difference with a group with normal calciuria. 21 have hyperoxaluria (HOU): diet study of a normal oxaluric group shows higher lipid intake, lower glucidic and calcium intake; 22 have hyperuraturia (HAU) and higher urinary urea, sodium and potassium than normouraturia group: in this group potassium intake is higher.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Evolution of motor nerve conduction and Hoffmann reflex in 100 patients with chronic renal failure treated by periodic hemodialysis (author's transl)]. / Evolution de la vitesse de conduction nerveuse motrice et du réflexe d'Hoffmann chez cent dialysés chroniques.

The study of motor nerve conduction (MNC) and H. reflex was carried out on 100 chronic uraemic patients, fifty-four males and fourty-six females, treated by periodic hemodialysis. The MNCV is more frequently normal in females than in males. Periodic hemodialysis improves MNCV but sometimes uraemic neuropathy appears with hemodialysis. The MNCV is oftener improved than H. reflex latency. Results are neither significantly improved by a greater number of hemodialysis seances nor in function of the different dialyzers. Any kidney activity does not modify the nerve conduction.

[Postoperative peritonitis. Use of metabolic disorders as criteria for reoperations]. / Les péritonites post-opératoires. Utilisation des perturbations métaboliques comme critères de réintervention

The authors compared three groups of subjects: - the first group (11 patients) : re-operated for post-operative peritonitis; - the second group (6 patients) : re-operated for evisceration without any underlying lesion; - the third group (8 patients) : non-reoperated, complicated abdominal surgery. Study of the different laboratory parameters helped to identify a number of changes which could plead in favor of reintervention, in the group of peritonitis. Among these modifications, the progressive fall in the urinary Na/K ratio and the negativity of the nitrogen balance appear to play a privileged role.