State of knowledge of Cameroonian drug prescribers on pharmacovigilance.

INTRODUCTION: The present study conducted in Cameroon from June 2013 to February 2014 aimed to estimating the level of pharmacovigilance knowledge and practice of health professionals in Cameroon. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional survey on 149 health professionals in Cameroon from June to September 2013. Data were analyzed using software IBM SPSS 20.0. We calculated proportions and odd ratio, and confident interval of their values, keeping a threshold of p of 0.05 to determine the level of significance. RESULTS: Ninety percent (90%) of declaration of side effects were made to the medical representatives and 4% to the National Pharmacovigilance Centre. Fifty four percent (54%) of physicians were not aware of the existence of a National Pharmacovigilance system. Ten (10%) of prescribers had never heard of pharmacovigilance, however respondents answered unanimously that they need training on pharmacovigilance. A wrong definition was given by most of the nurses and dentists (61,1% and 58,3% respectively) as compared to physicians and pharmacists (respectively 15.2% and 26,5%). Given the results of this study, the establishment of a National Pharmacovigilance system based on a solid legal foundation is necessary in Cameroon. This implementation must go through the involvement of all stakeholders and their awareness raising on the importance of this activity and its positive impact on the health of populations. CONCLUSION: Pharmacovigilance is a public health problem in Cameroon, with due to lack of good knowledge and practice of prescribers, precisely physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and dentists who are not always aware of an existing pharmacovigilance system in Cameroon.

Sensitization to workplace respiratory allergens among bakery workers in Douala, Cameroon: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Sensitization to flour or fungal alpha-amylase is a prerequisite for the development of respiratory allergy in bakers. The knowledge of occupational allergen sensitization among bakery workers will facilitate the implementation of preventive measures for respiratory allergies in bakeries. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with sensitization to wheat flour and α-amylase in bakers in Douala. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 42 of the 151 bakeries that are present in the city of Douala. Demographics, clinical data, as well as results of skin prick tests to wheat flour, α-amylase and common aeroallergens were collected from all participants. A logistic regression model of the SPSS.20 software was used to identify factors associated with sensitization to wheat flour and α-amylase. RESULTS: Of the 229 participants included in the study, 222 (96.9%) were male. The mean age was 36.3 ± 8.9 years. The prevalence of sensitization to flour and α-amylase were 16.6% and 8.3% respectively. After multivariate analysis, factors associated with sensitization to flour were work seniority and sensitization to storage mites while an age of 30 years and above was the only factor associated with sensitization to α-amylase. CONCLUSION: Bakers in Douala are at risk of sensitization to occupational allergens. The environmental hygiene in bakeries, health surveillance and the use of personal protective equipment could reduce the risk of respiratory allergies among bakers.

Prevalence and risk factors for allergic rhinitis in bakers in Douala, Cameroon.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and risk factors of allergic rhinitis among bakers in Douala. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study; the logistic regression model was use to find the risk factors of allergic rhinitis. SETTING: The study was conducted in 42 bakeries randomly selected among a total of 151 bakeries in the city of Douala. PARTICIPANTS: All bakers who consented to participate in the study between 1 May and 31 July 2013. OUTCOME MEASURES: Allergic rhinitis was the outcome of interest. It was defined as the presence of the following symptoms: itchy nose, rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction and sneezing. RESULTS: During the study period, a total of 273 bakers were invited and 229 finally agreed to participate in this study. Males were the most represented gender with 222 (96.9%) participants. The mean age of the participants was 36.29±8.9 years. Smoking was found in 55 participants (24.5%). The symptoms of allergic rhinitis were observed in 24.5% of participants. Work related nasal symptoms were present in 15% of participants. Sensitisation to wheat flour and α-amylase was found in 16.6% and 8.3% of participants, respectively. The Prick test was positive for mites in 12.2% of participants. After multivariate analysis, sensitisation to flour (OR 3.95, 95% CI 1.85 to 8.47) and storage mites (OR 3.44, 95% CI 1.45 to 8.18) were the factors independently associated with symptoms of allergic rhinitis. CONCLUSIONS: Allergic rhinitis is frequent among bakers in Cameroon. Implementation of preventive measures against inhalation of airborne allergens in bakeries and clinical monitoring of bakers sensitised to wheat flour and mites could help to reduce the prevalence of allergic rhinitis among bakers.

Impact of heavy load activity on cardiovascular system: echocardiographic assessment of informal construction workers heart in Cameroon.

INTRODUCTION: Physiological cardiac hypertrophy and dilation are common findings in heavy physical load activity. We carried out this study to investigate the relationship between construction work and cardiac parameters adaptations, by comparing healthy masons to office workers on heart ultrasound. METHODS: The study was carried out on, 50 construction workers and 50 office workers matched for their weight, height and age. Systolic and Diastolic blood pressures, Left Ventricular diameter and thickness, Septum wall thickness and Left ventricular mass index were measured and calculated. RESULTS: Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were lower in construction workers, as compared to office workers: respectively 63±7 bpm vs. 75±6 bpm (p = 0.000); 120.1±7 mmHg vs. 130.5±9 mmHg (p = 0.000) and 68.5±7 mmHg vs. 77.0 ±9 mmHg (p = 0.000). Construction workers had a thicker septum and posterior wall: respectively 10.3 ± 1.1 mm vs. 8.9 ± 0.9 mm (p = 0.000); and 9.0 ± 1.2 mm vs. 8.1 ± 0.8 mm (p = 0.000). CONCLUSION: Conclusion We deducted that heavy load work has an impact on the heart mensuration. The past occupational history has to be taken into consideration during initial medical assessing of a worker in for a new job so as to avoid erroneous conclusions.

Effects of antiretroviral therapy on arterial stiffness in Cameroonian HIV-infected patients.

BACKGROUND: HIV infection increases cardiovascular risk and highly active antiretroviral therapy may further augment it. We hypothesized that an increase in large artery stiffness may be a mechanism of enhanced cardiovascular risk in treated HIV-infected (HIV-T) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AI) were measured in 108 Cameroonian untreated HIV-infected (HIV-UT) patients and in 130 HIV-T patients. RESULTS: Brachial and aortic systolic blood pressure (BP), diastolic BP, and pulse pressure were higher in HIV-T patients than in HIV-UT patients (all, P < 0.01). PWV was comparable in HIV-T and HIV-UT patients (7.2 ± 1.5 vs. 7.46 ± 2.2 m/s, respectively, P = 0.3), whereas AI was higher in HIV-T patients than in HIV-UT patients (7.9 ± 5 vs. 5.76 ± 4%, respectively, P = 0.003). AI was associated independently with age, brachial systolic BP, brachial diastolic BP, and height in HIV patients (R = 0.75, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study shows that pulse pressure and AI were increased in HIV-T patients, compared with matched HIV-UT patients, suggesting that highly active antiretroviral therapy could increase cardiovascular risk. However, PWV was not accelerated in HIV-T patients.