[TAFRO syndrome and cutaneous necrotizing vasculitis]. / Syndrome TAFRO et vascularite nécrosante cutanée : une association inédite.

INTRODUCTION: TAFRO syndrome is a systemic inflammatory syndrome in the spectrum of Castleman's disease, associating thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever, renal failure and/or reticulin myelofibrosis and organomegaly. Its association with necrotizing cutaneous vasculitis has not yet been reported. CASE REPORT: A 69-year-old woman presented with weight loss, fever, anasarca, organomegaly, lymphadenopathy, anuria and extensive necrotic livedo occurring after acute diarrhea. Biology showed anemia, thrombocytopenia, renal failure, hypergammaglobulinemia, a circulating B-lymphocyte clone, hypoparathyroidism and autoimmune hypothyroidism. The skin biopsy showed small vessel vasculitis with fibrinoid necrosis. Methylprednisolone infusions associated with tocilizumab were ineffective and the patient became anuric. Rituximab and plasma exchanges associated to corticosteroids allowed remission for 2 months. Combination of rituximab, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone resulted in a prolonged remission. CONCLUSION: We report here the first case of severe cutaneous necrotizing vasculitis in a patient suffering from TAFRO syndrome. The possible resistance to tocilizumab should be known.

[Febrile myalgia revealing Propionibacterium acnes endocarditis]. / Myalgies fébriles révélant une endocardite infectieuse à Propionibacterium acnes.

INTRODUCTION: Propionibacterium acnes endocarditis is rare and difficult to diagnose. We report a case of Propioniacterium acnes endocarditis revealed by a lower limb fasciitis. CASE REPORT: A 54-year-old patient presented with recurrent febrile myalgia of the lower limbs, that appeared three years after an aortic surgery (aortic valve sparing reimplentation and ascending aortic prosthesis implantation). Computer tomography showed fasciitis of both legs. Positron emission tomography showed 18Fluorodeoxyglucose intake of the aortic prosthesis and in muscles of the lower limbs. Ten days after blood sample drawing, cultures showed the presence of Propionibacterium acnes. The aortic prosthesis was surgically removed, whose culture confirmed infection by Propionibacterium acnes. The diagnosis of infective endocarditis revealed by lower limb emboli was made. Evolution was favorable. CONCLUSION: In patients with vascular prostheses, Propionibacterium acnes infection must be evoked face to an atypical inflammatory process. Very prolonged blood culture incubation is needed to identify the pathogen.