Correction to: Rarely occurring mutation of ACVR1 gene in Moroccan patient with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva

Clinical Rheumatology - One of the author’s name on this article was incorrectly spelled as “Renata Borcciadi”. The correct spelling is “Renata Bocciardi” and is now...     

A clinical study of non-parkinsonian tremor in Moroccan patients

Objective

To report the characteristics of the most frequent tremors in a population of Moroccan patients.

Background

Tremor is the most common movement disorder. It implies a wide variety of disorders with Parkinson's disease and essential tremor being the most frequent.

Methods

A retrospective study of 148 patients with tremor referred to our movement disorders outpatient clinic was performed. Clinical features and treatment regimens were analyzed. Patients with parkinsonian tremor were excluded.

Results

We included 62 patients with non-parkinsonian tremor. The etiologies were as follows: essential tremor (54.8%), dystonic tremor (19.4%), tremor associated with dystonia (14.5%), enhanced physiological tremor (3.2%), cerebellar tremor (3.2%), psychogenic tremor (3.2%) and Holmes’ tremor (1.6%). The characteristics of essential tremor patients were analyzed. Female patients accounted for 67.6% of patients. Mean age at the onset of tremor was 52.2 ± 16.4 years. Family history of tremor was reported in 17.6% of cases. Tremor affected the arms (94.1%), head (52.9%), voice (35.3%) and legs (8.8%). Tremor was bilateral in 87.5% but was asymmetrical in 50% of patients. Patients had postural tremor (76.5%), kinetic tremor (79.4%) and rest tremor (associated in 11.8%). Treatment relied on propranolol (88.3%), primidone (14.7%), gabapentin (14.7%), clonazepam (14.7%), alprazolam (11.8%), topiramate (5.9%) and, in one patient, radiosurgery.

Conclusions

Essential tremor was the predominant diagnosis, confirming its high prevalence. There was a predominance of female patients and a peak of age at onset in the fifth and sixth decades. Asymmetry of the disease was noted in half of patients.     

Stroke and syphilis: A retrospective study of 53 patients

Objective

The aim of this study was to describe the clinical, biological and radiological characteristics of patients with syphilitic vasculitis, and to assess the outcome after treatment.

Vascular epulis or lobular capillary hemangioma

Vascular epulide or Lobular capillary hemangioma is a form of epulide which is marked by an inflammatory infiltrate rich of blood vessels. Angiogenic factors seem to be responsible of the important vascular proliferation. Therapeutic implications include cautions toward hemorrhagic risk. Complete ablation is also required to avoid the risk of high recurrence.     

Neurological manifestations of Behçet's disease: evaluation of 40 patients treated by cyclophosphamide

IntroductionNeurological manifestations in Behçet's disease represent between 4 to 49% of systemic manifestations and remain, in the long term, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality.MethodsRetrospective series of 40 severe Neurobehçet cases fulfilling the International Study Group criteria for Behçet's disease were consecutively recruited over a period from June 2004 to December 2010. All patients had clinical and ophthalmologic examinations; they underwent laboratory and imaging investigations. They received corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide as initial bolus of 600 mg/m² of BSA in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th day followed by a bolus of 600 mg/m² BSA every 2 months for 2 years. Antithrombotic therapy was given to patients with cerebral deep venous thrombosis. Patient follow-up and tolerance to treatment were analyzed.ResultsThe average age at diagnosis was 34 ± 13 years, with a sex-ratio of 1.78. The clinical presentation was dominated by the meningoencephalitis in 48.8% of cases, cerebral deep venous thrombosis in 43.6% of cases and myelopathy in 7.7% of cases. The 40 patients receiving cyclophosphamide bolus, despite two aggravated cases, evolved positively with clinical improvement and good tolerance.ConclusionThe demographic and clinical aspects of our series are similar to those reported in the literature. In contrast to previously reported cases of a poor prognosis in severe neurobehçet's disease, our study suggests that immediate and aggressive treatment by cyclophosphamide may ameliorate the prognosis. However, a multicenter study is needed to confirm the possible efficacy of cyclophosphamide and further assess the long-term tolerance.     

Giant pelvic epidermoid cyst: a rare observation

Epidermoid cyst is a frequent benign tumor. It gives rise to destruction of adjoining tissues, chiefly in the skull. The pelvic epidermoid cyst is rare. We report the second case of giant pelvic epidermoid cyst with a 25-year-old girl. Ultrasound exploration and computed tomography evoked an ovarian origin. The surgery discovers an epidermoid cyst under the peritoneum. Ovaries and uterus were undamaged. We realized an evacuation of cyst, which contained lamellas of keratin. Histology allowed confirmation of diagnosis. The patient is always observed after 18 months.