Clinical features and prognosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Africa: the TROPALS study.

OBJECTIVE: We describe and compare the sociodemographic and clinical features, treatments, and prognoses and survival times of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Africa. METHODOLOGY: We conducted a multicentre, hospital-based cohort study in Africa. Patients with ALS diagnosed in the neurology departments of participating hospitals from 2005 to 2017 were included. Subgroup analysis was performed by subcontinent. Survival analyses were conducted using the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Nine centres from eight African countries participated. A total of 185 patients with ALS were included: 114 from Northern Africa, 41 from Western Africa and 30 from Southern Africa. A male predominance (male to female ratio 2.9) was evident. The median age at onset was 53.0 years (IQR 44.5-64.0 years). The onset was bulbar in 22.7%. Only 47 patients (26.3%) received riluzole, mainly in Northern and Western Africa. The median survival from the time of diagnosis was 14.0 months (95% CI 10.7 to 17.2 months). The median survival was longer in Northern Africa (19.0 months, 95% CI 10.8 to 27.2 months) than in Western (4.0 months, 95% CI 0.8 to 7.1 months) and Southern (11.0 months, 95% CI 5.6 to 16.4 months) Africa (Breslow test, p<0.0001). Both subcontinental location and riluzole treatment independently affected survival. CONCLUSION: More African patients with ALS were male and younger and exhibited a lower proportion of bulbar onset compared with patients with ALS from Western nations. Survival was consistent with that in Western registers but far shorter than what would be expected for young patients with ALS. The research improves our understanding of the disease in Africa.

Homocysteinemie et accidents vasculaires cerebraux ischemiques au CHU campus de Lome

L'hyperhomocystéinémie est un facteur de risque vasculaire indépendant et modifiable. Sa place dans les accidents vasculaires cérébraux ischémiques est mal connue en Afrique sub-saharienne.Objectifs Evaluer la prévalence et les facteurs de risque vasculaires associés à l'hyperhomocystéinémie chez des patients à la phase aigue d'une ischémie cérébrale. Methode Il s'agit d'une étude prospective réalisée pendant 12 mois dans le service de neurologie du CHU Campus, portant sur 145 malades victimes d'AVCI. Resultats Nous avions recensé 90 hommes et 55 femmes soit un sex-ratio de 1,6. L'homocystéinémie moyenne globale était de 19.33 µmol/l. L'homocystéinémie était normale chez 44.1 % des patients.L'hyperhomocystéinémie modérée avait été retrouvée chez 44.8 % des patients (n=65) et l'hyperhomocystéinémie intermédiaire chez 11 % (n=16). L'analyse multivariée entre la variable homocystéine (patients avec hyperhomocystéinémie, patients sans hyperhomocystéinémie) et les autres facteurs (sexe, âge, diabète et hypertension artérielle) ne révèle aucune corrélation significative. Enfin 84.9% de nos patients étaient hypertendus tandis que 15.1% présentaient l'hyperhomocystéinémie comme seul facteur de risque cérébro-vasculaire. Conclusion La présence de l'hyperhomocystéinémie chez 55.9 % des patients souffrant d'AVCI impose une prise en charge adéquate de ce facteur de risque vasculaire

Accident vasculaires cerebraux chez le sujet jeune (15 a 45 ans) dans le service de neurologie du CHU campus de Lome

Introduction En Afrique subsaharienne les accidents vasculaires cerebraux (AVC) representent la troisieme cause de mortalite et la premiere cause d'incapacite motrice dans les grands centres de neurologie. Ils surviennent souvent chez des sujets de plus de 50 ans. L'OMS a note que le nombre de deces chez les adultes jeunes (15-45 ans) est relativement eleve dans les pays en voie de developpement : plus de 30contre 20dans les pays riches. Objectif Notre travail avait pour buts d'etudier la frequence; la morbidite; la mortalite des AVC et d'identifier leurs facteurs de risque chez les adultes jeunes dans le service de neurologie a Lome. Methode Il s'etait agi d'une etude transversale prospective realisee entre le 1er Janvier 1998 et le 31 Decembre 2007 chez des patients hospitalises; ages de 15 a 45 ans; sur des arguments cliniques et tomodensitometriques. Resultats Sur les 3976 patients hospitalises; 1309 presentaient un AVC (32; 9). Parmi eux 141 etaient ages de 15 a 45 ans (10;8des AVC et 3;5des hospitalisations). Le deficit hemi corporel (51;1); les troubles de la conscience (48;2) et du langage (21;3) etaient les principaux motifs d'hospitalisation. L'hypertension arterielle (HTA) etait observee dans 102 cas (72;3). Le taux de mortalite globale etait de 21(18;8pour ceux victimes d'AVC ischemique contre 24;3pour les AVC hemorragiques). Conclusion L'HTA represente le principal facteur de risque des AVC chez les sujets jeunes. Son depistage et sa prise en charge devraient etre precoces

[Hospitalization charges for patients in the Neurology Department of Lomé Teaching Hospital]. / Prix de revient d'une hospitalisation dans le service de neurologie du CHU de Lomé (Togo).

For many years the cost of health care in sub-Saharan Africa was largely covered by the State. But in September 1987, in view of the economical problems those countries had to face, the WHO regional committee adopted the "Bainako's Initiative" resolution. This meant that from then on everybody was to pay for their health expenses. The purpose of this prospective study which was conducted from March 1, 1996 to February 28, 1999 among 316 patients was to assess hospitalization charges incurred for patients in the Neurology Department of Lomé Teaching Hospital with a view to improve the quality of the services provided and the accessibility of care. A questionnaire was used and every expense relating to the hospitalization of each patient was recorded on a daily basis. The average cost is 389,586 (48,485 FCFA for an average stay of 19.7 (2.5 days. This average cost is 19 times the minimal monthly salary of a state employee. It can be broken down as follows: Accommodation costs represent 52%, medical acts and tests 20.3% while drug costs amount to 21.2% and accompanist expenses represent 6.5%. The average cost of HIV-infected patients is 635,017 (190,624 FCFA for an average stay of 57 (12.9 days. The average cost of HIV-negative patients is 257,354 (12,837 FCFA for an average stay of 24.4 (1.8 days. To improve the quality of the services and the accessibility of care, it is necessary to prescribe and make drugs available in their generic form. After a few days in hospital, some disabling diseases as strokes, myelopathy and myopathy should be treated at home to reduce the length of stay in hospital or in cheaper places such as prolonged accommodation centres.