RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Morbidity and mortality linked to injury has become an increasingly important public health concern worldwide, especially in developing countries. Despite the potentially severe nature of torso injury, little is known about the population-based epidemiology of torso injury in sub-Saharan Africa. OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence, identify common mechanisms, and assess the socioeconomic consequences of torso injury in Cameroon. METHODS: We performed a torso injury sub-analysis of a larger descriptive cross-sectional community-based study on injury epidemiology in the preceding 12 months in the Southwest region of Cameroon. Sampling was done using the three-stage cluster sampling technique. The differences between groups were evaluated using χ² and adjusted Wald tests. RESULTS: We identified 39 cases of torso injuries out of 8 065 participants, providing a yearly incidence estimate of 488 (95% confidence interval (CI) 356 - 668) per 100 000 person-years. Road traffic injury was the most common mechanism of torso injury. The median (interquartile range (IQR)) cost of treatment for torso injury was USD58 (10 - 137), over four times the median (IQR) cost for non-torso injury at USD12 (3 - 43) (p=0.0004). About half of affected households (51%) reported being unable to afford necessities such as rent and food after injury v. 33% of households with members with non-torso injuries (p=0.018). CONCLUSION: Torso injuries have an incidence of 488/100 000 person-years, and road traffic injuries account for the majority of the injuries. Road traffic control measures and trauma care strengthening may reduce the impact of torso injuries and injuries in Cameroon.
RESUMEN
PURPOSE: Surgical disease is being increasingly recognized as a significant health burden in Africa. Efforts have been made to describe surgical disease and capacity at the district hospital level. Little is known about patterns seen at regional hospitals supporting the district hospital network. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at Uganda's Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, serving eight districts. Data were collected from July 2010 to March 2012 using operative and inpatient records as available. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed to explore patterns of procedures performed and in-patient diagnoses. RESULTS: There were 8511 procedures recorded in the operative log between July 2010 and June 2011, averaging 709 per month. Caesarian sections (41 %), dilation and evacuations (28 %), and laparotomies (19 %) were most frequent. Referrals to Soroti averaged 260 per month, while transfers out averaged 5 patients per month. Inpatient records documented 2949 surgically related diagnoses between July 2010 and May 2011. In patients >4 years old, 21 % of mortality was due to surgical disease, 29 % of which was trauma-related. Women comprised 80 % of violent injury. Common hospital record elements, such as demographic data, important clinical information, and operative notes were absent from these data sources. CONCLUSIONS: The World Health Assembly recently recognized strengthening of first referral hospitals as a crucial element to achieving universal health coverage. Inconsistencies in recordkeeping despite the large volume of surgical disease suggest that sustainable surveillance systems and capacity building at the referral hospital level are potential building blocks to improving access to surgical care.
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Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud/organización & administración , Investigación sobre Servicios de Salud , Hospitales Rurales/estadística & datos numéricos , Derivación y Consulta/organización & administración , Procedimientos Quirúrgicos Operativos/estadística & datos numéricos , Distribución por Edad , Preescolar , Países en Desarrollo , Femenino , Necesidades y Demandas de Servicios de Salud , Hospitales de Distrito , Hospitales Rurales/organización & administración , Humanos , Lactante , Recién Nacido , Masculino , Derivación y Consulta/estadística & datos numéricos , Estudios Retrospectivos , Servicio de Cirugía en Hospital , Uganda/epidemiología , Recursos HumanosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Treating dermatomyositis (DM) with isolated skin involvement is difficult and inconsistently performed. Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) are recommended for corticoresistant or corticodependant DM, but only a few cases of IVIg use in DM with isolated skin involvement have been reported. DESIGN: We performed a retrospective monocentric study of 27 patients who were treated with IVIg for severe DM skin lesions (no or minor muscle involvement) after failure of photoprotection and at least one line of treatment. RESULTS: Nineteen patients (70%) exhibited a major response, four patients exhibited a partial response and four patients exhibited no response, including two patients with grade 3 side effects (headaches). The mean number of IVIg courses was 4.8 (range 1-15). Ten patients (53%) relapsed, with a median time of 6.2 months after the last IVIg course. Six of these patients were successfully treated with a new IVIg course. Muscle disease developed in six patients. CONCLUSION: IVIg may be an effective and safe treatment for DM with isolated skin involvement. Relapse occurred frequently, but treatment with a new course of IVIg was successful. Controlled studies are required to confirm these results.
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Dermatomiositis/tratamiento farmacológico , Inmunoglobulinas Intravenosas/uso terapéutico , Enfermedades de la Piel/tratamiento farmacológico , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Retrospectivos , Resultado del TratamientoAsunto(s)
Corticoesteroides/administración & dosificación , Esclerodermia Localizada/tratamiento farmacológico , Administración Oral , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Recurrencia , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Mortality from road traffic injuries in sub-Saharan Africa is among the highest in the world, yet data from the region are sparse. To date, no multi-site population-based survey on road traffic injuries has been reported from Nigeria, the most populated country in Africa. OBJECTIVE: To explore the epidemiology of road traffic injury in Nigeria and provide data on the populations affected and risk factors for road traffic injury. DESIGN: Data from a population-based survey using two-stage stratified cluster sampling. SUBJECTS/ SETTING: Road traffic injury status and demographic information were collected on 3082 respondents living in 553 households in seven of Nigeria's 37 states. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence rates were estimated with confidence intervals based on a Poisson distribution; Poisson regression analysis was used to calculate relative risks for associated factors. RESULTS: The overall road traffic injury rate was 41 per 1000 population (95% CI 34 to 49), and mortality from road traffic injuries was 1.6 per 1000 population (95% CI 0.5 to 3.8). Motorcycle crashes accounted for 54% of all road traffic injuries. The road traffic injury rates found for rural and urban respondents were not significantly different. Increased risk of injury was associated with male gender among those aged 18-44 years, with a relative risk of 2.96 when compared with women in the same age range (95% CI 1.72 to 5.09, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The road traffic injury rates found in this survey highlight a neglected public health problem in Nigeria. Simple extrapolations from this survey suggest that over 4 million people may be injured and as many as 200 000 potentially killed as the result of road traffic crashes annually in Nigeria. Appropriate interventions in both the health and transport sectors are needed to address this significant cause of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria.
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Accidentes de Tránsito/estadística & datos numéricos , Heridas y Lesiones/epidemiología , Accidentes de Tránsito/mortalidad , Adolescente , Adulto , Niño , Preescolar , Métodos Epidemiológicos , Femenino , Humanos , Incidencia , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Motocicletas/estadística & datos numéricos , Nigeria/epidemiología , Salud Pública/estadística & datos numéricos , Población Rural/estadística & datos numéricos , Población Urbana/estadística & datos numéricos , Heridas y Lesiones/mortalidad , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Interferon-beta (IFN-beta) achieves its beneficial effect on multiple sclerosis (MS) via anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we assessed the expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients treated or not with IFN-beta. Intracellular BDNF was measured by Western blot and ELISA and compared with serum BDNF. We found higher levels of BDNF in PBMC of IFN-beta-treated versus non-treated patients, whereas serum levels of BDNF were similar. We hypothesize that the increased intracellular BDNF secondary to IFN-beta is not released in the periphery. This release is probably not tissue specific but in MS patients, BDNF could be specifically delivered by PBMC at the site of re-activation, i.e. within the central nervous system.
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Factor Neurotrófico Derivado del Encéfalo/metabolismo , Factores Inmunológicos/farmacología , Interferón beta/farmacología , Leucocitos Mononucleares/efectos de los fármacos , Esclerosis Múltiple/patología , Adulto , Western Blotting/métodos , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Relación Dosis-Respuesta a Droga , Ensayo de Inmunoadsorción Enzimática/métodos , Femenino , Regulación de la Expresión Génica/efectos de los fármacos , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana EdadAsunto(s)
Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1/diagnóstico , Glositis/diagnóstico , Glucagonoma/diagnóstico , Neoplasia Endocrina Múltiple Tipo 2a/diagnóstico , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/diagnóstico , Acantosis Nigricans/diagnóstico , Adolescente , Adulto , Cetoacidosis Diabética/diagnóstico , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Femenino , Glosalgia/diagnóstico , Humanos , Masculino , Papiloma/diagnóstico , Neoplasias de la Lengua/diagnóstico , Xerostomía/diagnósticoRESUMEN
We investigated whether glatiramer acetate (GA) treatment may affect Th1 differentiation at various T-cell maturation stages. Specifically, we analyzed the effect of in vivo GA treatment on intracellular synthesis of IL-2 and TNF-alpha by naive, memory and effector CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells by five-colour flow cytometry. Our data indicate that GA treatment downregulates/normalizes an accelerated Th1 differentiation of CD4(+) T cells in RRMS patients at all stages of T-cell maturation. Most notably, we conclude that, by altering naive, unprimed CD4(+) T cells, GA treatment appears to affect T-cell differentiation, at least in part, in an antigen-independent manner.
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Linfocitos T CD4-Positivos/efectos de los fármacos , Diferenciación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Inmunosupresores/uso terapéutico , Esclerosis Múltiple/tratamiento farmacológico , Péptidos/uso terapéutico , Adulto , Linfocitos T CD4-Positivos/citología , Diferenciación Celular/inmunología , Femenino , Citometría de Flujo , Acetato de Glatiramer , Humanos , Interleucina-2/biosíntesis , Masculino , Esclerosis Múltiple/inmunología , Células TH1 , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/biosíntesis , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
Multiple sclerosis (MS) has been associated with an imbalance in the T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th2 subsets. We investigated, at the single-cell level, the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines by CD4 and CD8 T cells from MS patients. We report the relationship between priming of CD4 and CD8 T cells for interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and disease evolution in MS patients, clinically subdivided into relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) in remission, RRMS in relapse, or chronic progressive MS (CPMS). Moreover, we report the in vivo influence of co-polymer 1 (COP) treatment on the pattern of cytokine producers in RRMS patients. We show that the frequency of CD4 T cells primed for TNF-alpha synthesis increased in all stages of MS, including RRMS remitting, and was normalized to control values in COP-treated patients (43.2 +/- 11.8% in treated patients versus 47 +/- 7.3% in RRMS remitting versus 40.3 +/- 8% in controls). In addition, a significant decrease in the frequency of CD4 T cells primed for IL-2 was found in COP-treated patients as compared to the other groups of patients, reaching values below that of controls (59.1 +/- 9.9% in treated patients versus 70 +/- 11.6% in RRMS remitting versus 67.1 +/- 7.4% in controls). Unexpectedly, COP-treated patients also showed a significantly decreased priming for IFN-gamma at the CD4 T-cell level (9.1 +/- 3.4% in treated patients versus 18.8 +/- 0.6.4% in RRMS remitting versus 15.4 +/- 4.7% in controls), but not at the CD8 T-cell level. This bystander suppression on the inflammatory cells should be considered in the monitoring of MS patients submitted to COP treatment, in order to evaluate better its clinical efficacy.
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Linfocitos T CD4-Positivos/inmunología , Citocinas/biosíntesis , Inmunosupresores/inmunología , Esclerosis Múltiple/inmunología , Péptidos/inmunología , Adulto , Complejo CD3/sangre , Linfocitos T CD8-positivos/inmunología , Células Cultivadas , Femenino , Acetato de Glatiramer , Humanos , Inmunosupresores/uso terapéutico , Interleucina-2/biosíntesis , Activación de Linfocitos/inmunología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Esclerosis Múltiple/terapia , Péptidos/uso terapéutico , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/biosíntesisRESUMEN
The aim of this study was to develop a test allowing to monitor disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). A simple, fast and reliable test was used to assess the cytokine production capacity of blood leucocytes. The whole blood test (WBT) involved in vitro stimulation of a whole blood sample with either the mitogen phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), or specific antigens. We focused our attention on the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF), because of the possible involvement of this cytokine in MS pathogenesis. Under in vitro stimulation with PHA or MBP, TNF production was found to be significantly higher in patients during the clinical relapses than during remissions. The increment of TNF production correlated with the severity of the relapses, as determined by the modification of Kurtzke EDSS scale. Moreover, each clinical relapse appeared to be preceded by a peak of TNF production. We then retrospectively analysed 21 patients with the relapsing-remitting form of the disease, in whom the WBT was performed every 2-4 weeks, for periods ranging from 16 to 52 months. Seventy-three peaks of TNF production (defined as the doubling or more of the individual baseline value, which was found to be stable for each patient during remissions), and 47 relapses, including 36 objective and 11 subjective, were observed. Forty-seven out of the 73 TNF peaks were followed by or concomitant with a clinical relapse. In 10 out of the 26 cases where no relapse followed the TNF peak, another cause (mainly infections) of increased TNF production was found. Thus, by excluding other causes, the specificity of the WBT, i.e., the probability to develop a relapse when a TNF peak was found to be 74.6% (47/63). The sensitivity of the WBT was 100%, since all the 47 relapses were preceded by a TNF peak. Assessment of TNF production capacity by the WBT may thus be useful in the follow-up of MS patients, particularly for the follow-up of various treatments. Information provided by the WBT may also be useful to orientate the therapeutic decision for an incipient relapse. Earlier treatment is likely to result in an improved prevention of neurological damage.
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Esclerosis Múltiple/inmunología , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/biosíntesis , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Estudios de Evaluación como Asunto , Humanos , Técnicas In Vitro , Leucocitos/efectos de los fármacos , Leucocitos/inmunología , Esclerosis Múltiple/sangre , Esclerosis Múltiple/etiología , Proteína Básica de Mielina/farmacología , Fitohemaglutininas/farmacología , Recurrencia , Estudios Retrospectivos , Sensibilidad y EspecificidadRESUMEN
The adhesion properties of brain microvascular endothelial cells (MVEC) and leukocytes derived from patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) were investigated. Leukocytes and brain MVEC from MS patients exhibited significantly higher adhesion capacity than the same cells isolated from normal donors. Flow cytometry showed that MS-derived brain MVEC constitutively expressed higher levels of ICAM-1 and contained an increased proportion of MHC class II positive cells than normal brain MVEC. In contrast, no difference was seen for vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and endothelial cell leukocyte adhesion molecule-1. Circulating leukocytes from MS patients expressed higher levels of LFA-1, a ligand of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), than did normal leukocytes. The data presented here suggest that the ICAM-1/LFA-1 interaction may determine cytoadherence of leukocytes to brain MVEC in MS.
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Encéfalo/irrigación sanguínea , Circulación Cerebrovascular , Endotelio Vascular/fisiopatología , Leucocitos/fisiología , Esclerosis Múltiple/fisiopatología , Adhesión Celular , Células Cultivadas , Endotelio Vascular/patología , Endotelio Vascular/ultraestructura , Citometría de Flujo , Antígenos HLA-D/análisis , Humanos , Molécula 1 de Adhesión Intercelular/análisis , Molécula 1 de Adhesión Intercelular/biosíntesis , Leucocitos/patología , Leucocitos/ultraestructura , Antígeno-1 Asociado a Función de Linfocito/análisis , Antígeno-1 Asociado a Función de Linfocito/biosíntesis , Microcirculación , Esclerosis Múltiple/sangre , Esclerosis Múltiple/patología , Valores de Referencia , Uniones Estrechas/patología , Uniones Estrechas/fisiología , Uniones Estrechas/ultraestructura , Molécula 1 de Adhesión Celular Vascular/análisis , Molécula 1 de Adhesión Celular Vascular/biosíntesisRESUMEN
No biological parameter is currently available as a specific marker of multiple sclerosis (MS) activity. The aim of this study was to determine whether an evolution of the neurological disability is associated with a modified profile of cytokine production. Clinical disease activity was quantitated by the Kurtzke's expanded disability status scale (EDSS). Whole blood was stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) for 2 hours at 37 degrees C and the activated plasma was assayed for Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta). Relapsing-remitting MS patients enduring a relapse (RRMS, in relapse) (721 +/- 58 pg/ml, n = 27) and chronic progressive MS (CPMS) patients (516 +/- 33 pg/ml, n = 17) had an higher TNF-alpha production capacity as compared to healthy subjects (143 +/- 25 pg/ml, n = 17), RRMS, stable patients, (123 +/- 11 pg/ml, n = 26) or other neurological diseases (OND) without immunological or inflammatory disease in the peripheral immune compartment (131 +/- 24 pg/ml, n = 14) (t test: p < 0.0001). IL-1 beta production was also significantly higher but to a lesser extent in the same conditions. Concentration of TNF-alpha was also found to be significantly higher in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of CPMS patients (199 +/- 7.8 pg/ml, n = 7, p < 0.0001) but also in RRMS, in relapse (149 +/- 5.7 pg/ml, n = 11, p < 0.05) as compared to RRMS, stable (130 +/- 4.4 pg/ml, n = 7) or OND without inflammatory or immunological disease of the central nervous system (CNS) (142 +/- 6.2 pg/ml, n = 8).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Esclerosis Múltiple/inmunología , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/biosíntesis , Adulto , Biomarcadores/sangre , Biomarcadores/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Femenino , Humanos , Inmunosupresores/uso terapéutico , Interleucina-1/biosíntesis , Interleucina-1/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Esclerosis Múltiple/tratamiento farmacológico , Esclerosis Múltiple/etiología , Recurrencia , Factores de Tiempo , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/líquido cefalorraquídeoRESUMEN
In this preliminary study we demonstrated that cytokine production by short whole blood PHA stimulated culture is correlated with clinical evolution of MS patients. The TNF alpha production could forewarn the physician of a new relapse.