[Predictors of increased cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients in frontline facilities in Sousse, Tunisia]

We assessed cardiovascular risk factors among 456 hypertensive patients in 7 health centers in Sousse. Cardiovascular risk was estimated according World Health Organization centres Mean age was 65.6 [SD = 9.8] years, male: female sex ratio was 0.18. Cardiovascular recommendations risk was not influenced by sex, age or residence. However, patients with longer duration of hypertension and more frequent co- morbidity had a significantly higher cardiovascular risk. In addition 45.9% of patients on monotherapy had high cardiovascular risk compared with 40.6% of those treated with 2 or more drugs [P = 0.02]. Non- compliance was not found to be associated with high risk

[Knowledge of patients with type 2 diabetes about their condition in Sousse, Tunisia]

We assessed the knowledge of 404 type 2 diabetic patients about their condition in order to evaluate the quality of diabetes education in primary health care units in Sousse in 2003. We found that knowledge was satisfactory in only 59% of the patients. Their knowledge about the definition of diabetes and its pathophysiology were the 2 main areas where knowledge was lacking: the proportion of correct answers were 62.6% and 50.3% respectively. More attention should be paid to educating diabetic patients within the chronic disease care national programme

[Cytological features of acute leukaemia in the central region of Tunisia]

In Tunisia, because of an absence of population registry, data on acute leukaemia are scarce. We studied the epidemiological and cytological characteristic of 193 patients with acute leukaemia. Haemograms were carried out and slides for peripheral blood and bone marrow were prepared for each patient. The age range of the patients was 10 months to 83 years with a predominance of males [ratio: 1.27]. As regards type of leukaemia, 40.4% had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, 51.8% had acute myeloblastic leukemia and 7.8% were unclassified. Diagnosis was made at less than 10 years in 31.6% of cases and 72% of these were the lymphoblastic type. Anaemia [Hb < 11 g/dL was found in 85% of cases, thrombocytopenia [platelets < 100 000/mm3] in 80.5% and hyperleukocytosis [WBC > 100 000/mm3] in 14.5% of cases with blasts in peripheral blood in 92% of cases

Clustering of cardiovascular risk factors among obese urban schoolchildren in Sousse, Tunisia

Against a background of increasing obesity among Tunisians, we conducted a transversal survey of 1569 children aged 13-19 years selected by multistage cluster sampling to evaluate the prevalence of obesity and clustering of cardiovascular risk factors among obese schoolchildren in the urban area of Sousse. Obese children were found to have higher blood pressure, higher triglyceride levels and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels than children of normal weight. In both genders, the mean height and weight across all age groups was significantly higher in urban than in rural children. Our study indicates that obesity and the adverse effects of being over the ideal body weight are no longer limited to industrialized countries

Survey of surgical and radiological semiology modules and their adaptation to the Arabic cultural environment

Many professors of medicine oppose the Arabization of the teaching of medical science in the Maghreb countries, under pretext of the inability of Arabic to convey scientific concepts objectively compared with French. We made a qualitative survey of surgical and radiological semiology used in the Faculty of Medecine, Ibn El Jazzar. Terms, expressions and synonyms were identified and classified according to their cultural load into two categories: "culturally adapted terms" and "culturally strange terms" in relation to the national culture. It was evident that the majority of the recorded expression were based on Western culture. Thus the hypothesis of the neutrality of the French language in the medical teaching is invalid. Furthermore the use of French poses difficulties for students in underst and ing the scientific matter taught, and indirectly promotes Western culture within the medical academic establishments of the Arabic world. The use of the mother tongue in teaching medicine is today an educational necessity

[Attitudes of general practitioners to pharmaceutical sales representatives in Sousse]

The therapeutic knowledge of physicians is the corner stone to the rational use of medicines; however information about medicines is generally obtained from the pharmaceutical industry via their sales representatives [reps]. We aimed to identify general practitioners' [GPs] attitudes to pharmaceutical reps and the information they provide. We surveyed 140 GPs using a self-administered questionnaire. The response rate was 78% [72 GPs from the public sector and 68 from the private sector]. About 10% of the GPs said they received daily visits from pharmaceutical reps; 84% of GPs considered them an efficient source of information and 31% said they might change their therapeutic prescribing following visits from these reps. Because of their positive perception of pharmaceutical reps, GPs are susceptible to the information they provide. Controlling the validity of the therapeutic information imparted by the pharmaceutical industry is thus a fundamental component of the programme for the rational use of medicines

[Prevalence of contraceptive use in a periurban area of Sousse, Tunisia]

A contraceptive prevalence survey was conducted among 1277 women of reproductive age, to explore knowledge of and attitudes to contraceptive use and study factors influencing contraceptive use. We found that family planning methods were generally well known. The prevalence of modern contraceptive use was 53.6%, IUDs being the most commonly used followed by sterilization and pills. The public sector was the main source for obtaining contraceptives although pills and condoms tended to be obtained from the private sector. There was a significant correlation between contraceptive use and urban residence