« Paradoxe des fumeurs » et stratégie de reperfusion à la phase aiguë de l’infarctus du myocarde

Previous studies have shown that smokers with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) treated by thrombolysis have lower mortality rates than nonsmokers, a phenomenon often termed “smoker's paradox”. This “smoker's paradox” has been rarely studied in case of primary angioplasty.

Aim of the study

To evaluate the impact of smoking status on the early mortality of patients admitted with AMI with regard to the strategy of reperfusion (intravenous thrombolysis versus primary angioplasty).

Patients and methods

Study undertaken from the Monsatir registry of ST elevation MI including 688 patients having had either a hospital or a prehospital thrombolysis (n = 397) or a primary angioplasty (n = 291). Among those patients, 482 (70.1%) were active smokers.

Results

In the thrombolysis group, the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and anterior location of MI was significantly less among smokers. In the group primary angioplasty, only diabetes and hypertension were less frequent. The immediate mortality was significantly less among smokers in case of thrombolysis comparatively to non-smokers (5.3 vs 13%; p = 0.008). By multivariate analysis, cardiogenic shock (p < 0.0001), anterior MI (p = 0.03) and active smoking (p = 0.03) were independent predictive factors of mortality in case of thrombolysis. A trend toward a lower mortality among smokers was observed in the primary angioplasty group (10 vs 17.6%; p = 0.07).

Conclusion

“The smoker's paradox” seems to be observed mainly among patients having had thrombolysis.     

Squamous cell carcinoma arising in a papillary carcinoma of the thyroid: a case report

BACKGROUND: primary squamous cell carcinoma (scc) of the thyroid is a rare malignant tumor that needs to be distinguished from other neoplasms. Cases of papillary carcinoma merging in association with squamous cell carcinoma are extremely rare. AIM: the characteristics of such association will be studied herein through a review of literature. CASE REPORT: we report a case of an 87-year-old patient presented with an enlarged right lobe of the thyroid. Thyroid scintigraphy revealed a cold nodule. Clinically, malignancy was suspected. Histopathologic diagnosis was a well-differentiated scc associated with areas of papillary carcinoma. Exhaustive clinical, endoscopic and radiological examinations did not reveal any primary site of scc or any contiguous spread from neighboring structures. Surgery was followed by radiotherapy, but the patient died 6 months later. CONCLUSION: the coexistence of epidermoide and papillary carcinomas in the thyroid gland must be known because of its prognostic impact.     

Mal de Meleda. 16 cases

Mal de Meleda is a recessive transgression palmoplantar keratoderma. We report the epidemiological, clinical and progressiveness aspects of the disease in 16 patients of a large consanguineous tunisian family. The age ranged from 3 to 90 years. Nine were male and 7 female patients. Onset in early infancy was characterized by erythema of the palms and soles, followed by a diffuse yellowish hyperkeratosis. Thickness of the dorsal aspect of the fingers started in childhood. Extension of hyperkeratosis to the dorsal of the hand were reported only in adults and usually precede the involvement of the feet Palmoplantar hyperhidrosis with fetid odor between the toes was frequently seen as well as conical distal phalanges. In some adults keratoderma gave contracture of the fingers leading to limitation of movements Mal de Meleda must be differentiated from other recessive palmoplantar keratoderma such as Papillon-Lefévre syndrome and Mal de Naxos. the remaining inherited palmoplantar keratoderma being autosomal dominant. Mal de Meleda is a rare disease but is still relatively frequent in some tunisian regions, due to the high rate of consanguinity Mal de Meleda remains an afflicting and disabling disease.