Early Alterations of QTc in Patients with COVID-19 Treated with Hydroxychloroquine or Chloroquine in Libreville, Gabon.

The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine associated with azithromycin on the QTc interval in Gabonese patients treated for COVID-19. METHODS: This was an observational study conducted from April to June 2020, at the Libreville University Hospital Center in Gabon. Patients admitted for COVID-19 and treated with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine, each combined with azithromycin were included. The QTc interval was measured upon admission and 48 h after starting treatment. The primary endpoint was QTc prolongation exceeding 60 ms and/or a QTc value exceeding 500 ms at 48 h. RESULTS: Data from 224 patients, 102 (45.5%) who received hydroxychloroquine and 122 treated with chloroquine, were analyzed. The median baseline QTc was 396 (369-419) ms. After 48 h of treatment, 50 (22.3%) patients had a significant prolongation of QTc. This tended to be more frequent in patients treated with chloroquine (n = 33; 27.0%) than in those treated with hydroxychloroquine (n = 17; 16.7%) (p = 0.06). QTc prolongation exceeding 60 ms was found in 48 (21.3%) patients, while 11 patients had a (4.9%) QTc exceeding 60 ms at admission and exceeding 500 ms after 48 h. CONCLUSION: Early QTc prolongation is frequent in COVID-19 patients treated with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine in association with azithromycin.

Profil clinique et évolutif des patients atteints du COVID-19 à Libreville étude rétrospective et mono-centrique / Clinical and evolutionary profile of patients with COVID-19 in Libreville: A Retrospective Cohort study

Introduction : L'étude clinique des patients infectés par le SARS-CoV2 est nécessaire pour la mise en œuvre des mesures préventives de lutte contre la COVID-19. L'objectif de l'étude a été de déterminer le profil clinique et évolutif des patients Covid-19 au CHU de Libreville.Méthodes : Il s'agit d'une étude rétrospective à viser analytique menée en secteur d'infectiologie COVID du SICOV du CHU de Libreville sur une période d'activité allant du 15 mars au 30 juin. La régression logistique univariée et multivariée pour explorer les facteurs de risque associés à la mortalité au SICOV a été utilisée. Résultats : Au total 441 patients COVID-19 étaient inclus dans l'étude, parmi lesquels 398 survivants (90,2%) et 43 décédés (9,8%). La population de moins de 65 ans représentait 88,0% de l'effectif. Le sex-ratio était de 1,34. Par rapport aux 398 survivants, les 43 patients décédés étaient significativement plus âgés (âge médian, 59 ans vs 48 ans ; p <0,001). Les lésions pulmonaires avec atteinte critique > 75% étaient plus importantes chez les patients décédés (29,2% vs 3,0% ; p=0,001). Cependant, après ajustement en analyse multivariée, l'âge supérieur à 65 ans était le seul facteur de risque indépendant de décès (p<0,001 ; OR=4,632 IC95% [2,243 ­ 9,565]).Conclusion : L'âge supérieur à 65 ans était le facteur de risque indépendant de décès, nécessitant un renforcement de mesure de contrôle de l'infection dans cette population

Introduction: The study of the prognostic factors of death of patients infected with SARS-CoV2 is necessary for the implementation of preventive measures against COVID-19. Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted in the COVID infectious disease sector of the SICOV of the University Hospital of Libreville over a period of activity from March 15 to June 30. The clinical course of the survivors and the deceased were compared. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression to explore risk factors associated with SICOV deaths were used.Results: A total of 441 COVID-19 patients were included in the study, of which 398 survivors (90.2%) and 43 died (9.8%). The population under 65 represented 88.0% of the workforce. The sex ratio was 1.34. Compared to the 398 survivors, the 43 patients who died were significantly older (median age, 59 years vs 48 years; p <0.001). Lung lesions with critical impairment > 75% were greater in deceased patients (29.2% vs. 3.0%; p = 0.001). On multivariate analysis, age over 65 was the main independent risk factor for death (p <0.001; OR = 4.632 95% CI [2.243 - 9.565]).Conclusion: Age over 65 was the independent risk factor for death, requiring increased infection control measures in this population

Complications des prothèses valvulaires mécaniques: à propos de cinq cas au service de cardiologie du Centre Hospitalier de Libreville / Complications of mechanical prothetic heart valves : about five cases in the cardiology Department of the Libreville University Hospital Center

Introduction : La présence de matériel prothétique intracardiaque expose au risque thromboembolique, infectieux et/ou hémorragique. L'objectif de ce travail était de décrire les particularités cliniques et étiologiques des complications de prothèses valvulaires mécaniques.Cas cliniques : Il s'agit d'une série de cinq observations de patients présentant une complication de prothèses valvulaires mécaniques colligées au service de cardiologie du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Libreville durant la période allant de Janvier 2017 à Décembre 2021. Les complications rapportées étaient deux cas de thrombose obstructive de prothèse, un accident vasculaire cérébral sur microthrombose, une endocardite infectieuse et un accident hémorragique sous antivitamines K. Ce dernier était responsable d'un décès. Conclusion : Ces cas cliniques mettent en exergue les difficultés liées au suivi de l'anticoagulation au long cours chez les patients porteurs de prothèse valvulaire mécanique dans notre contexte. La mise en place d'un programme d'éducation thérapeutique pourrait diminuer ces complications parfois létales

Introduction: The presence of intracardiac prosthetic material exposes to thromboembolic, infectious and/or hemorrhagic risk. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical and etiological particularities of mechanical valve prostheses complications. Clinical cases: five observations of patients presenting with a complication of mechanical valve prostheses collected in the cardiology department of the Libreville University Hospital Center during the period from January 2017 to December 2021, were reported. Complications observed were two cases of obstructive prosthesis thrombosis, a cerebrovascular stroke coming from microthrombosis, an infective endocarditis and a hemorrhagic accident under vitamin K antagonists. This last was responsible for the one death. Conclusion: These clinical cases highlight the difficulties related to the monitoring of long-term anticoagulation in patients with mechanical valve prosthesis in our context. The development of a therapeutic education program could reduce these potentially lethal complications

Les syndromes coronariens aigus chez les patients COVID-19: à propos de trois cas au Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Libreville, au Gabon / Acute coronary syndromes in COVID-19 patients : about three cases in the Libreville University Hospital Center, in Gabon

Introduction : Les thromboses artérielles, notamment coronaires, font partie des nombreuses manifestations extrapulmonaires de l'infection au coronavirus SARSCoV-2 dans les pays industrialisés. Cas cliniques: Ce travail rapporte trois observations de patients hospitalisés au Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Libreville pour lesquels un diagnostic de syndrome coronarien aigu avait été retenu dans un contexte de Covid-19 durant la période allant du 1er mai au 30 septembre 2020. La première rapporte l'échec d'une thrombolyse avec la formation précoce d'un thrombus intraventriculaire gauche chez un patient de 59 ans ayant présenté un syndrome coronaire aigu antérieur étendu. Cette évolution particulière témoigne du caractère hautement inflammatoire et prothrombogène de la Covid-19. Les deux autres observations mettent l'accent sur les présentations parfois atypiques et les difficultés diagnostiques des syndromes coronariens aigus dans cette situation à Libreville. Conclusion : Le diagnostic et la prise en charge des syndromes coronariens aigus sont complexes dans le contexte d'infection à SARSCoV-2 dans nos régions

Introduction: Arterial thrombosis, particularly coronary thrombosis, is one of the many extrapulmonary manifestations of infection with the SARSCoV-2 coronavirus in industrialized countries. Clinical cases: This work reports three observations of patients hospitalized at the Center Hospitalier Universitaire de Libreville for whom a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome had been made in Covid-19 during the period from May 1 to September 30, 2020. The first reports a thrombolysis failure with early formation of a left intraventricular thrombus in a 59-year-old patient with extensive anterior acute coronary syndrome. This particular evolution demonstrates the highly inflammatory and prothrombogenic context of Covid-19.The other two observations focus on the atypical presentations and the diagnostic difficulties of acute coronary syndromes in this infectious atmosphere in Libreville. Conclusion: The diagnosis and management of acute coronary syndromes are difficult in the context of SARSCoV-2 infection in our regions.

Distal sensory polyneuropathy among HIV-infected patients at Parakou University Hospital, Benin, 2011.

Distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) is the most frequent neurological complication among HIV patients, and its risk increases with use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). We aimed to assess the prevalence of DSP and the factors associated with it among HIV-infected outpatients treated at Parakou University Hospital. This cross-sectional study took place from April 15 to July 15, 2011, and included 262 patients. All patients underwent a neurological examination by two neurologists with training and clinical experience in these examinations and in the Brief Peripheral Neuropathy Screening (BPNS), which was the primary tool used here. Data from nutritional status (body mass index: BMI), social and demographic information, HAART status, and CD4 count were recorded. The factors associated with DSP were studied with multivariate analysis, using a logistic regression model and a significance level of 0.05. The study included 60 men (22.9 %). Patients' ages ranged from 16 to 74 years and averaged 36.8±10 years. All patients but one patient were infected by HIV type 1 only; that one was coinfected by types 1 and 2. The mean BMI was 22.5+/-4.2 kg/m2. In all, 213 (81.3 %) received HAART, and the mean CD4 count was 355.0 cells/mm3+/-236.1. The prevalence of DSP was 42.4 %. The factors associated with it on univariate analysis were age, marital status, HAART status, duration of HIV infection, and duration of HAART. Only advanced age (OR 1.8, 95 % CI 1.1-5.3) and HAART use (OR 2.3, 95 % CI 1.5-4.9) were associated with DSP in the multivariate analysis. The main symptoms were paresthesia (numbness:75.7%; burning: 39.6%; pins and needles sensation 32.4 %) and pain (23.4 %). Vibration perception at the toes was missing or reduced for 84.4 %. According to the sensory symptoms grade, 93.7 % of patients were classified in Grades 2 or 3. This study showed that the prevalence of DSP is high and that it is associated with age and HAART.

Infirmite motrice d'origine cerebrale chez l'enfant de 2 a 15 ans a Libreville : facteurs associes et prise en charge therapeutique

Objectif : Decrire la situation epidemiologique; clinique et therapeutique de l'IMOC a Libreville et analyser les facteurs qui lui sont associes.Patients et methodes :Il s'agissait d'une etude observationnelle; retrospective et analytique de type cas-temoins realisee a Libreville durant la periode du 1er Juillet 2010 au 31 Juillet 2011; couvrant un intervalle de 2005 a 2010. Cette etude s'est deroulee conjointement au Centre Hospitalier de Libreville; a l'Hopital d'Instruction des Armees Omar Bongo Ondimba; a la Fondation Horizons Nouveaux; a la Polyclinique El Rapha; a la Fondation Jeanne Ebori et a la Clinique Medi-vision. Les enfants ages de 2 a 15 ans presentant un trouble moteur associe ou non a des troubles cognitifs ou ayant des troubles neurologiques avant l'age de 2 ans etaient eligibles. Pour chaque cas; les temoins etaient recrutes dans la meme structure et hospitalises pendant la meme periode. Les variables qualitatives etaient exprimees en pourcentage avec leur intervalle de confiance a 95 et les variables quantitatives en moyenne avec un ecart type. Les caracteristiques des deux groupes ont ete comparees par le test de chi 2 de Pearson; le test de Fisher (n5) et le test de Student. Les differences etaient considerees comme etant significatives pour p 0.05.Resultats :Durant la periode d'etude; 180 enfants etaient inclus dont 60 cas et 120 temoins. La repartition des enfants montrait une legere predominance du sexe masculin (96/120 soit 53;3) avec un sexe ratio de 1;14. Les troubles du langage (91;7); du tonus (85) et le deficit moteur (61.7) etaient les caracteristiques cliniques les plus observees chez ces enfants. Apres analyse multivariee par regression logistique nous avions releve que le risque d'avoir une IMOC etait plus eleve chez les enfants dont la grossesse n'etait pas suivie ou suivi par une personne autre qu'une sage-femme (p

[Prevalence of epilepsy in adults at Tourou, in northern Benin]. / Enquête sur la prévalence de l'épilepsie chez l'adulte à Tourou au nord du Bénin en 2011.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the prevalence of epilepsy and the factors associated with it in Tourou in northern Benin. METHODS: We conducted a door-to-door survey in the village of Tourou, in Parakou in northern Benin from March 1-31, 2011. It included 1031 subjects older than 15 years selected by two-stage cluster sampling. The diagnosis of epilepsy was based on the definition of the International League against Epilepsy, and the subjects were interviewed with its diagnostic questionnaire. The data were analyzed with SPSS 16.0 software. The associations between epilepsy and various factors were estimated by calculating their odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: The study included 1031 adults with a mean age of 44.03 ± 18.26 years; 682 were men. Seven subjects had epilepsy. Its prevalence was thus 7‰, 95% CI [0.2 to 20]. In the univariate analysis the factors associated with epilepsy were age (p<10(-4)), not working (p = 0.002), and length of residence in Tourou (p = 0.013). In the multivariate analysis, only age less than 25 years was significantly associated with epilepsy (OR: 11.2 [2.1; 60.9]. Generalized tonic-clonic seizures were the more frequent form of epilepsy (71.4%). All patients had had at least one seizure in the last six months. Only one patient of the 7 had used antiepileptic drug therapy (phenobarbital). CONCLUSION: This study, like others in Africa, suggests that epilepsy is not rare among young adults at Tourou in Northern Benin and that treatment of epilepsy in this area is inadequate.

Cerebral malaria and sequelar epilepsy: first matched case-control study in Gabon.

PURPOSE: Cerebral malaria (CM) is suspected to be a potential cause of epilepsy in tropical areas. The purpose of this article was to evaluate the relationship between CM and epilepsy in Gabon. METHODS: A matched case-control study was carried out on a sample of subjects aged six months to 25 years and hospitalized between 1990 and 2004 in three hospitals in Libreville, Gabon. Cases were defined as patients suffering from epilepsy and confirmed by a neurologist. Controls were defined as patients without epilepsy. The exposure of interest was CM according to WHO criteria. RESULTS: In total, 296 cases and 296 controls were included. Of these, 36 (26 cases and 10 controls) had a CM history. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) to develop epilepsy after CM was 3.9 [95% CI: 1.7-8.9], p<0.001. Additional risk factors were identified: family history of epilepsy: aOR=6.0 [95% CI: 2.6-14.1], p<0.0001, and febrile convulsions: aOR=9.2 [95% CI 4.0-21.1], p<0.0001. CONCLUSIONS: This first case-control study on that issue suggests that epilepsy-related CM is an underrecognized problem. It emphasizes the need for further studies to better evaluate the role of convulsions during CM.

[Epidemiology of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa: a review]. / Epidémiologie de l'épilepsie en Afrique subsaharienne : une revue de la littérature.

Epilepsy is, above all tropical, moreover, very african in its frequency and gravity. Data on the prevalence of epilepsy shows it to be two or three times more prevalent in tropical zones than in industrialized countries in non tropical areas, however it is rare to find data on the incidence and prognosis of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa. It is difficult to determine the relative contribution of each of the causes of epilepsy. Only a few case-control studies have been carried out in sub-Saharan Africa. Infectious diseases, in particular parasitic diseases such as neurocysticercosis or cerebral malaria, seem to be the cause of the majority of the cases of epilepsy. However it is necessary to do additional epidemiological studies to determine the etiologies of epilepsy more precisely in sub-Saharan Africa.

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy with functional disability. long term results concerning 18 patients operated on by anterior approach in Gabon

Objectif : Rapporter notre experience sur le devenir fonctionnel de dix huit (18) patients operes pour une myelopathie cervicarthrosique (MPCA) invalidante et suivis sur une periode de 4 a 15 ans. Patients et methodes: Cette etude retrospective (1982 a 1999) a concerne 18 patients operes pour une myelopathie cervicarthrosique dont le handicap fonctionnel a ete evalue selon la classification de Nurick : grade III : 9; grade IV: 6; grade V : 3 . Treize d'entre eux se plaignaient egalement d'une cervicalgie-8; cervicobrachialgie-3 ou d'une paresthesie-2. Tous presentaient un deficit moteur (tetraparesie : 13; paraparesie : 4; tetraplegie : 1) et une spasticite. La voie d'abord cervicale antero-laterale droite fut la seule utilisee. La duree moyenne de suivi a ete de 6;9 ans .Resultat : Les plaintes douloureuses ont disparu. La recuperation neurologique a ete complete (Grade 0) : 1 ; quasi complete (Grade I) : 9 ou incomplete (Grade II) : 7; le deficit moteur est reste inchange dans un cas de Grade IV. Toutes les lesions ont consolide entre 3 et 5 mois. Conclusion: La myelopathie cervicarthrosique necessite une prise en charge pluridisciplinaire precoce des patients et un long suivi