Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Fluvastatin on IL-8 Production Induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus fumigatus Antigens in Cystic Fibrosis

International audienceBACKGROUND: Early in life, patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are infected with microorganisms including bacteria and fungi, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus fumigatus. Since recent research has identified the anti-inflammatory properties of statins (besides their lipid-lowering effects), we investigated the effect of fluvastatin on the production of the potent neutrophil chemoattractant chemokine, IL-8, in whole blood from CF patients, stimulated by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (LPS) and Aspergillus fumigatus (AFA) antigens. RESULTS: Whole blood from adult patients with CF and from healthy volunteers was collected at the Rennes University Hospital (France). Blood was pretreated for 1 h with fluvastatin (0-300 µM) and incubated for 24 h with LPS (10 µg/mL) and/or AFA (diluted 1/200). IL-8 protein levels, quantified by ELISA, were increased in a concentration-dependent manner when cells were stimulated by LPS or AFA. Fluvastatin strongly decreased the levels of IL-8, in a concentration-dependent manner, in whole blood from CF patients. However, its inhibitory effect was decreased or absent in whole blood from healthy subjects. Furthermore, the inhibition induced by fluvastatin in CF whole blood was reversed in the presence of intermediates within the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway, mevalonate, farnesyl pyprophosphate or geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate that activate small GTPases by isoprenylation. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, the inhibitory effects of fluvastatin on CF systemic inflammation may reveal the important therapeutic potential of statins in pathological conditions associated with the over-production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines as observed during the manifestation of CF. The anti-inflammatory effect could be related to the modulation of the prenylation of signalling proteins

Test de dépistage de la tuberculose par détection de l'interféron gamma dans le sang (bilan de son utilisation dans le service de pneumologie rennais d'avril 2007 à mars 2008)

RENNES1-BU Santé (352382103) / SudocPARIS-BIUM (751062103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Analyse de la morbi-mortalité et des modalités de prise en charge en fin de vie de patients adultes atteints de mucoviscidose suivis au CHU de Rennes et décédés entre 1997 et 2009

La mucoviscidose est la maladie génétique la plus fréquemment létale dans la population caucasienne au XXIème siècle. Nous avons analysé les 21 décès de patients adultes suivis au CHU de Rennes entre 1997 et 2009. Les patients sont morts jeunes et sévèrement atteints au niveau respiratoire (63 % au stade de la greffe), nutritionnel (80 % dénutris) et hépatique (20 % de cirrhose). Plus souvent traités pour une ABPA (52 %) et porteurs de Burkholderia cepacia (28,6 %), ils décédaient de cause respiratoire (71,4 %) puis de complications de transplantations (23,8 %). Ces décès sont survenus à l'hôpital (85 %) et en réanimation intubés en attente de greffe (63 %) après échec de VNI. La sévérité de l'atteinte respiratoire reste le facteur péjoratif prépondérant aggravé par des bactéries multi-résistantes et des champignons. La ventilation mécanique reste grevée d'un pronostic sombre surtout après échec de VNI. En l'absence de solutions thérapeutiques, il semble nécessaire d'insister sur des soins de confort.RENNES1-BU Santé (352382103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Sarcoïdose au cours du traitement de l'hépatite C par interféron alpha (à propos d'un cas et revue de la littérature)

RENNES1-BU Santé (352382103) / SudocPARIS-BIUM (751062103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Infection à Nocardia farcinica chez un patient porteur d’une mucoviscidose [Nocardia farcinica infection in a patient with cystic fibrosis].

International audienceInfections by Nocardia species are uncommon and generally affect immunocompromised patients. This bacteria has rarely been isolated from cystic fibrosis patients (CF), especially those who are not taking oral corticosteroids. We report a case of a patient with CF harbouring Nocardia farcinica. An 18-year-old male diagnosed with CF at the age of eight (F508 del/G85E) had been treated for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in 1998 with itraconazole, and a first colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa was eradicated in 2003. From May 2006, he presented with recurrent left- and right-sided pneumothorax. In June 2006, he presented with dyspnoea, fever, and nodular eruption on his ankles. Chest X-ray and CT scan revealed a right pneumothorax, severe bronchiectasis and bilateral alveolar consolidation. N. farcinica was idolated from his sputum without any other pathogens. Treatment with intravenous cotrimoxazole associated with imipenem and amikacin was initiated for three weeks followed by oral cotrimoxazole for a further nine months. The patient's symptoms and alveolar consolidation on CT scan improved. During 2007, his respiratory condition worsened and his FEV(1) declined from 50 to 26 % predicted. His pneumothorax recurred. He had chronic colonization with P. aeruginosa and was on the list for lung transplantation. Nocardia, a Gram positive bacillus, causes mainly pulmonary infection, usually in the context of immune suppression. The most frequent species is N. asteroides. In CF, very few cases have been reported; almost always N. asteroides, but exceptionally N. farcinica. In CF patients with worsening pulmonary condition, Nocardia should be considered, as well as other unusual pathogens

Performance of Molecular Approaches for Aspergillus Detection and Azole Resistance Surveillance in Cystic Fibrosis

International audienceAspergillus fumigatus triazole resistance is an emerging concern for treating chronically infected/colonized patients. This study sought to evaluate the performance of PCR assays to detect Aspergillus fungi together with azole resistance in sputum samples from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. In total, 119 sputum samples from 87 CF patients were prospectively processed for Aspergillus detection by means of mycological culture and four qPCR assays, 2 in-house methods and two commercial multiplex real-time PCR assays simultaneously detecting Aspergillus and the most relevant cyp51A gene mutations (MycoGENIE (R) and AsperGenius (R)). Azole susceptibility of A. fumigatus isolates was assessed using Etest (R) method and cyp51A gene mutation were characterized by sequencing. The overall rate of Aspergillus detection with the four qPCR assays ranged from 47.9 to 57.1%, contrasting with 42/119 (35.3%) positive cultures with A. fumigatus. The high sensitivity of PCR on sputum could then contribute to more effective grading of Aspergillus disease in CF patients. Five out of 41 isolated strains (12.2%) exhibited azoleresistant MIC patterns, three of which harbored cyp51A mutations and only 1/3 with the sequence TR34/L98H. Combined with culture, PCR assay achieved high sensitivity Aspergillus screening in CF samples. However, cyp51A targeting was only moderately effective for azole resistance monitoring, while Aspergillus resistance remains of great concern

Absence de récidive sous adalimumab, chez une patiente ayant présenté un asthme induit par l’infliximab

National audienceIntroduction Les cas d’asthmes induits par les anti-TNF-α sont rares, et il n’a jamais été décrit de tentative de réintroduction d’une molécule de même classe. Il n’existe pas de recommandations concernant la conduite à tenir dans ces situations. Observation Nous rapportons le cas d’une femme de 45 ans, non-fumeuse, sans antécédent personnel d’asthme, qui était atteinte d’une maladie de Crohn depuis l’adolescence. En 2009, elle a été traitée par infliximab. La réponse digestive a été rapidement efficace, cependant après 4 semaines de traitement, elle commençait à présenter une toux sèche associée à une dyspnée inhabituelle. Ces symptômes évocateurs d’hyperréactivité bronchique s’aggravèrent progressivement, et les explorations fonctionnelles respiratoires confirmèrent le diagnostic d’asthme. Malgré des traitements adaptés, la sévérité de la situation imposa l’arrêt de l’infliximab. L’asthme s’est alors amélioré, mais en raison de l’atteinte digestive un nouveau traitement dut être débuté : l’adalimumab, sans rechute d’asthme à ce jour. Conclusion Ce cas clinique met en évidence la possibilité de réintroduire un nouvel anti-TNF-α après un premier épisode d’asthme induit par cette classe médicamenteuse. Cette option pourrait être extrêmement utile chez les patients présentant des atteintes sévères (polyarthrite rhumatoïde, maladies inflammatoires chroniques de l’intestin) en l’absence d’alternative thérapeutiqu

Ambulatory management of large spontaneous pneumothorax with pigtail catheters

International audienceSTUDY OBJECTIVE: There is no consensus about the management of large spontaneous pneumothoraces. Guidelines recommend either needle aspiration or chest tube drainage and most patients are hospitalized. We assess the efficiency of ambulatory management of large spontaneous pneumothoraces with pigtail catheters. METHODS: From February 2007 to January 2011, all primary and secondary large spontaneous pneumothoraces from Lorient's hospital (France) were managed with pigtail catheters with a 1-way valve. The patients were discharged immediately and then evaluated every 2 days according to a specific algorithm. RESULTS: Of the 132 consecutive patients (110 primary, 22 secondary), 103 were exclusively managed as outpatients, with full resolution of the pneumothorax by day 2 or 4, which represents an ambulatory success rate of 78%. Mean time (SD) of drainage was 3.4 days (1.8). Seven patients were initially hospitalized but quickly discharged and had full resolution by day 2 or 4, leading to a total success rate of 83%. The use of analgesics was low. The 1-year recurrence rate was 26%. If successful, this outpatient management is potentially cost saving, with a mean cost of \926, assuming up to 2 outpatient visits and 1 chest radiograph, compared with \4,276 if a chest tube was placed and the patient was admitted to the hospital for 4 days. CONCLUSION: Ambulatory management with pigtail catheters with 1-way valves could be a reasonable first-line of treatment for large spontaneous pneumothoraces. Compared with that of other studies, our protocol does not require hospitalization and is cost saving

Personalised medicine in asthma: from curative to preventive medicine

The concept of asthma has changed substantially in recent years. Asthma is now recognised as a heterogeneous entity that is complex to treat. The subdivision of asthma, provided by “cluster” analyses, has revealed various groups of asthma patients who share phenotypic features. These phenotypes underlie the need for personalised asthma therapy because, in contrast to the previous approach, treatment must be tailored to the individual patient. Determination of the patient's asthma phenotype is therefore essential but sometimes challenging, particularly in elderly patients with a multitude of comorbidities and a complex exposure history. This review first describes the various asthma phenotypes, some of which were defined empirically and others through cluster analysis, and then discusses personalisation of the patient's diagnosis and therapy, addressing in particular biological therapies and patient education. This personalised approach to curative medicine should make way in the coming years for personalised preventive and predictive medicine, focused on subjects at risk who are not yet ill, with the aim of preventing asthma before it occurs. The concept of personalised preventive medicine may seem a long way off, but is it really