The aim of this cross-sectional multicenter study was to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for hypothyroidism in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. Free T4, free T3, and thyroid-stimulating hormone levels were determined. Data on age, sex, weight variation, smoking status, duration of HIV infection, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention disease stage, CD4 cell count, HIV RNA load, lipodystrophy, HIV-hepatitis C virus coinfection, and antiretroviral treatment (type of drugs and total cumulative dose) were collected. The prevalence study included 350 HIV-infected patients. Sixteen percent of patients had hypothyroidism: 2.6% had overt hypothyroidism, 6.6% had subclinical hypothyroidism, and 6.8% had a low free T4 level. The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism was higher among HIV-infected men than among HIV-infected women. A case-control study was conducted that compared hypothyroid (n=56) and euthyroid (n=287) patients. In the multivariate analysis, receipt of stavudine and low CD4 cell count were associated with hypothyroidism. Therefore, screening may be indicated for patients, especially men, who have received stavudine or have decreased CD4 cell counts.

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Background: Owing to its low incidence, the management of Mycobacterium xenopi pulmonary infections is not clearly defined. A multicentre retrospective study was performed to describe the features of the disease and to evaluate its prognosis. Methods: All patients with M xenopi satisfying the 1997 ATS/IDSA criteria from 13 hospitals in north-east France (1983France ( -2003 were included in the study. Clinical, radiological and bacteriological characteristics and data on the management and outcome were collected. Results: 136 patients were included in the analysis, only 12 of whom presented with no co-morbidity. Three types of the disease were identified: (1) a classical cavitary form in patients with pre-existing pulmonary disease (n = 39, 31%); (2) a solitary nodular form in immunocompetent patients (n = 41, 33%) and (3) an acute infiltrate form in immunosuppressed patients (n = 45, 36%). 56 patients did not receive any treatment; the other 80 patients received first-line treatment containing rifamycin (87.5%), ethambutol (75%), isoniazid (66.2%), clarithromycin (30%) or fluoroquinolones (21%). After a follow-up of 36 months, 80 patients (69.1%) had died; the median survival was 16 months (range 10-22). Two independent prognostic factors were found: the acute infiltrate form was associated with a bad prognosis (hazard ratio 2.6, p = 0.001) and rifamycin-containing regimens provided protection (hazard ratio 0.325, p = 0.006). Clarithromycin-containing regimens did not improve the prognosis. Conclusions: In contrast to recent guidelines, this study showed three different types of the disease (cavitary, nodular or diffuse infiltrate forms) with a different prognosis. In order to improve survival, all patients with M xenopi infection should be treated with a rifamycincontaining regimen. The usefulness of clarithromycin remains to be evaluated.Mycobacterium xenopi is a non-tuberculous mycobacterium responsible for lung disease, 1 especially in north-east France, south-east UK and in Ontario, Canada. 2 3 According to the recent ATS/ IDSA statement, its usual feature is an apical cavitary process in patients with obstructive pulmonary disease. 4 However, other features have been described. 5 M xenopi infections are difficult to treat and there is no standard treatment. 2 3 5 Rifampin, ethambutol and sometimes isoniazid or fluoroquinolones are usually recommended in combination with clarithromycin. 4 Two randomised clinical trials have been conducted by Jenkins et al. 6 7 In the first study, 42 patients were treated with rifampin and ethambutol with or without isoniazid, without any difference in the clinical response. 6 The overall mortality rate at 5 years was 69%. In the second study, Jenkins et al compared clarithromycin with a ciprofloxacin-containing regimen in 371 patients infected with non-tuberculous mycobacteria and found no difference in the 34 patients infected with M xenopi. 7 As M xenopi infection could present with different clinical and radiological patterns depending on the patient's immuno...

Background: Disruptions in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow during aging could compromise protein clearance from the brain and contribute to the etiology of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Objective: To determine whether CSF flow is associated with cognitive deficit in elderly patients (>70 years). Methods: We studied 92 patients admitted to our geriatric unit for non-acute reasons using phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) to calculate their ventricular and spinal CSF flow, and assessed their global cognitive status, memory, executive functions, and praxis. Multivariable regressions with backward selection (criterion p < 0.15) were performed to determine associations between cognitive tests and ventricular and spinal CSF flow, adjusting for depression, anxiety, and cardiovascular risk factors. Results: The cohort comprised 71 women (77%) and 21 (33%) men, aged 84.1 ± 5.2 years (range, 73–96). Net ventricular CSF flow was 52 ± 40 μL/cc (range, 0–210), and net spinal CSF flow was 500 ± 295 μL/cc (range, 0–1420). Ventricular CSF flow was associated with the number of BEC96 figures recognized (β = 0.18, CI, 0.02–0.33; p = 0.025). Spinal CSF flow was associated with the WAIS Digit Span Backward test (β = 0.06, CI, 0.01–0.12; p = 0.034), and categoric verbal fluency (β = 0.53, CI, 0.07–0.98; p = 0.024) and semantic verbal fluency (β = 0.55, CI, 0.07–1.02; p = 0.024). Conclusion: Patients with lower CSF flow had significantly worse memory, visuo-constructive capacities, and verbal fluency. Alterations in CSF flow could contribute to some of the cognitive deficit observed in patients with AD. Diagnosis and treatment of CSF flow alterations in geriatric patients with neurocognitive disorders could contribute to the prevention of their cognitive decline.

BackgroundThe chemotherapy used to treat lung cancer causes febrile neutropenia in 10 to 40% of patients. Although most episodes are of undetermined origin, an infectious etiology can be suspected in 30% of cases. In view of the scarcity of data on lung cancer patients with febrile neutropenia, we performed a retrospective study of the microbiological characteristics of cases recorded in three medical centers in the Picardy region of northern France.MethodsWe analyzed the medical records of lung cancer patients with neutropenia (neutrophil count < 500/mm3) and fever (temperature > 38.3°C).ResultsThe study included 87 lung cancer patients with febrile neutropenia (mean age: 64.2). Two thirds of the patients had metastases and half had poor performance status. Thirty-three of the 87 cases were microbiologically documented. Gram-negative bacteria (mainly enterobacteriaceae from the urinary and digestive tracts) were identified in 59% of these cases. Staphylococcus species (mainly S. aureus) accounted for a high proportion of the identified Gram-positive bacteria. Bacteremia accounted for 60% of the microbiologically documented cases of fever. 23% of the blood cultures were positive. 14% of the infections were probably hospital-acquired and 14% were caused by multidrug-resistant strains. The overall mortality rate at day 30 was 33% and the infection-related mortality rate was 16.1%. Treatment with antibiotics was successful in 82.8% of cases. In a multivariate analysis, predictive factors for treatment failure were age >60 and thrombocytopenia < 20000/mm3.ConclusionGram-negative species were the most frequently identified bacteria in lung cancer patients with febrile neutropenia. Despite the success of antibiotic treatment and a low-risk neutropenic patient group, mortality is high in this particular population.