XXXX associated with benfluorex therapy: results from the French multicentre registry.

@entity1 @entity4899 @entity712 @entity101 @entity338 @entity19879 @entity340
AIMS: The aim of this paper is to report clinical characteristics, consequences, echocardiographic features, and pathological findings encountered in @entity1 suffering from @entity340 associated with benfluorex exposure in a multicentre French registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty @entity1 suffering from unexplained restrictive @entity340 with a previous exposition to @entity19879 , a @entity4899 derivative, were identified from eight French university hospitals. @entity1 were mostly @entity1 (87.5%) with a mean age of 57    9 years and high body mass index of 30    7 kg/m  ; 37.5% of them presented with severe @entity712 (NYHA class III and IV). Benfluorex mean daily dose was 415    131 mg with total therapy duration of 72    53 months. Resulting cumulative dose was 910    675 g. Common echocardiographic findings were leaflets and sub-valvular apparatus thickening and retraction. Aortic and mitral @entity338 resulting from leaflets loss of coaptation were the most frequent findings (87.5 and 82.5%) and were severe in 29 @entity1 (72.5%). Multiple valve involvements were present in 31 cases (77.5%). Pulmonary arterial @entity101 was identified in 20 cases (50%). Histopathological examination demonstrated abundant extra cellular matrix encasing the leaflets without modification of valve architecture. Fifteen @entity1 (37.5%) underwent valvular surgery. CONCLUSION: Benfluorex-related valvulopathy shares numerous characteristics with other drug-induced @entity340 . Clinical consequences may be serious with severe @entity712 that may lead to surgical treatment.
