La Revue de médecine interne
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Phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGL) are rare neuroendocrine tumors that arise from the adrenal medulla or sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglia. These tumors produce most often catecholamines in excess, causing hypertension and sometimes severe acute cardiovascular complications. The diagnosis is based on plasma or urines metanephrines measurements and on conventional and nuclear medicine imaging. ⋯ Therapeutic management consists mostly of surgical excision, after drug preparation, and should be done in referral centers. About 40% of pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas occur in the context of an autosomal inherited syndrome, making genetic testing essential. The follow-up must be prolonged because a metastatic evolution or a recurrence can be observed in about 15% of the cases.
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Review Case Reports
[Opioid-induced adrenal insufficiency: Case report and synthesis of the literature].
Opioid therapy for pain relief is associated with several adverse effects. Herein, we report the potential consequences of opioid use on the adrenal function. ⋯ Opioids suppress cortisol secretion, primarily mediated by direct negative effect on hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Further studies are needed to define the incidence and the clinical significance of opioid-induced adrenal insufficiency, as well as the need for hormone replacement.
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Cervical cancer is the twelfth most frequent cancer in women in France. Glassy cell carcinoma is a rare histological entity, rapidly aggressive, associated with a poor prognosis. ⋯ The glassy cell carcinoma of the cervix should be considered as an aetiology of bone metastases in young female patients.
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Observational Study
[Clinical presentation and performance of urine dipstick for diagnosis of urinary infection in geriatric population].
Urinary tract infections (UTI) are the second cause of community-acquired bacterial infections in the elderly. Distinguishing symptomatic UTI from asymptomatic bacteriuria is problematic, as older adults are less likely to present with localized urinary symptoms. We evaluated characteristics of patients presenting UTI among elderly with sepsis. Moreover, we aimed to evaluate the sensibility and specificity of urine dipstick tests in the diagnosis of UTI in geriatric population. ⋯ For suspicion of UTI among elderly, few criteria are specific. Negative dipstick tests can suggest an absence of UTI due to its high negative predictive value.
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A huge variety of medical diseases may potentially present with isolated psychotic symptoms, and disease-specific treatment or management is available for a significant part of them. The initial medical work-up of a first-episode psychosis (FEP) is of crucial importance. ⋯ Each patient presenting with a first-episode psychosis should be evaluated with a precise anamnesis, a careful clinical examination, and routine laboratory tests. Brain imaging and tests (depending on the context) should be performed in the presence of atypical clinical features or "red flags", leading to suspect an organic disease.