La Revue de médecine interne
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Propionibacterium acnes endocarditis is rare and difficult to diagnose. We report a case of Propioniacterium acnes endocarditis revealed by a lower limb fasciitis. ⋯ 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.
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Lithium salts are the main treatment of bipolar disorder, which is characterized by potentially life-threatening maniac and/or depressive episodes. They have proven efficient in the prevention and treatment of acute episodes as well as in the prevention of suicidal risk. However, this efficacy is counterbalanced by a narrow therapeutic range that can lead to potentially harmful overdose, and by adverse long-term events. ⋯ Treatment cessation due to these adverse events should be a multidisciplinary and case-by-case decision based on the benefit/risk ratio. Since these toxic effects are mild and display slow progression, treatment cessation is uncommon. However, regular medical and biological check-up is needed in order to prevent these disorders, and patients might be referred to nephrologists and/or endocrinologists once the disorders are established.
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Autoimmune acquired haemophilia is a rare autoimmune disease. The purpose of immunosuppressive therapy is to stop the production of autoantibodies that inhibit clotting factors VIII or IX. A corticosteroids-cyclophosphamide combination is recommanded as first-line therapy. From our experience at the University Hospital of Nîmes, we discuss the place of rituximab in the therapeutic arsenal. ⋯ Rituximab appears to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment for autoimmune acquired haemophilia. However, its place remains to be specified.
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Review
[Hepatitis B virus infection: Natural history, clinical manifestations and therapeutic approach].
Chronic hepatitis B infection remains a major public-health problem, with approximately 260 million world-wide cases of infection. Recent advances in the understanding of the natural history of chronic hepatitis B infection have led to progress in the care of infected patients. ⋯ Assessing the risk of viral reactivation in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy is an increasingly frequent situation in clinical practice and its management is guided by both the patient's serological status and the potency of the immunosuppressive regimen. This review aims to present the clinical and biological presentations of chronic hepatitis B infection, the modalities of antiviral treatment, and how to assess the risk of viral reactivation in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy.