title: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease from contaminated growth hormone extracts in France.
abstract: We diagnosed Cruetzfeldt-Jakob disease in 34 patients (16 definite, 18 probable) who had received human growth hormone extract for various period of time (mean +/- SD, 2.9 years), but particularly during the period between January 1984 and July 1985, a potential high-risk factor. Disease duration for deceased patients (n = 30) was 17 +/- 9 months. The clinical picture was homogeneous, starting with cerebellar ataxia and ocular motor disorders in about 90% of the patients. Neurologic deterioration, including dementia and myoclonic jerks, occurred within months. The high number of cases (1.5% of those treated between 1959 and 1988, 3% of those treated during the putative high-risk period) is still unexplained. We discuss the possibility that new cases will be detected,the risk of contaminating the general public, and the sanitary measures undertaken to prevent this.
authors.affiliation: Centre National de Référence de la Maladie de Creutzfeldt-Jakob Iatrogène, INSERM U289, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Billette de Villemeur
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Deslys
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pradel
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Soubrié
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alpérovitch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tardieu
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Chaussain
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hauw
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dormont
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruberg
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Agid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D007562:Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D004340:Drug Contamination; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone