[Routine electrocardiographic criteria for the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy: performance in Black Africans]. / Indices électrocardiographiques de routine pour le diagnostic de l'hypertrophie ventriculaire gauche: performances chez le sujet noir africain.

OBJECTIVE: To determine, in Black Africans, the performance of routine electrocardiographic criteria in the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). METHODS: Thirty voluntary healthy subjects and 154 patients were explored at echocardiography (according to Pen convention) and 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG). The performance of Lewis, Sokolow and Cornell (Cornell S1 for a threshold of 28 mm in men, and Cornell S2, for a threshold of 24 mm) criteria were defined by their sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values. RESULTS: The prevalence of LVH in the 154 patients ranged from 15.6% to 35.7%, according to the ECG criteria. Sensitivities were of 0.19, 0.43, 0.30 and 0.76 for the Lewis, Sokolow, Cornell S1 respectively, and the specificities were of 0.89, 0.73, 0.91 and 0.54. Positive predictive value ranged from 0.16 (Cornell S2) to 0.91 (Cornell S2), and the negative predictive value, from 0.48 (Lewis) to 0.86 (Cornell S2). CONCLUSION: Routine ECG criteria for the diagnosis LVH have low performance in Black African. There is a need of new ECG criteria with better performance.

[Cardiovascular diseases and HIV infection: study of 79 cases at the National Hospital of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)]. / Atteintes cardio-vasculaires et infection par le VIH: étude de 79 cas au CHN de Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso).

Cardiovascular diseases during HIV infection are frequent and serious. The aim of this first study in Burkina Faso was to analyse cardiovascular affections in HIV-positive African patients, admitted to the adult cardiology unit of the Yalgado Ouedraogo National Hospital of Ouagadougou. We conducted a retrospective study of consecutive cases admitted to the cardiology unit between 1 January 1993 and 31 March 1999. The inclusion criteria were: progressive heart affection, positive HIV serology, and the absence of cardiovascular antecedents or pathology. We studied age, sex, clinical and complementary parameters (electrocardiogram, thoracic radiography, electrocardiography), treatment and evolution. 79 black Africans were included, 44 men and 35 women. The mean age was 36.3 +/- 9.8 years. The clinical presentation was principally heart failure (79% of cases). Myocarditis or cardiomyopathy was found in 45 cases (57%); isolated pericarditis--in 25 cases (32%); pulmonary hypertension--in 4 cases (5%); pulmonary embolism--in 3 cases; and myocardial infarction--in 2 cases. According to the Atlanta CDC classification for HIV infection, 70% of the patients where in stage C. The overall hospital mortality rate was 15%. Cardiac lesions were present principally with myocardium and pericardium, with high specific mortality.

[Left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive African blacks: echocardiographic study of 452 patients]. / L'hypertrophie ventriculaire gauche du Noir Africain hypertendu: étude échocardiographique chez 452 sujets.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to define in a population of hypertensive Black African, the frequency of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), the different kind of LVH, and the factors of LVH occurring. METHODS: Clinical and echographic (according to Penn convention) data was collected in 452 consecutive hypertensive patients (193 women and 259 men). LVH was defined as an indexed left ventricular mass (ILVM) > 134 g/m2 in man and 110 g/m2 in woman. RESULTS: The mean systolic blood pressure was 187 mmHg, and the mean diastolic, 111 mmHg. The mean ILVM was 135.25 g/m2. LVH was present in 53.3% of the patients. Concentric LVH represented 48.5%, eccentric LVH 41.1%, and asymmetric hypertrophy of the septum, 10.4%. LVH increased with patient's age (p = 0.008), hypertension severity (p = 0.0001), and the ancientness of the hypertension (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: LVH is frequent in hypertensive black African, and concentric LVH is the most frequent kind of LVH. Factors of LVH occurring are patient's age, severity and the ancientness of the hypertension.

[Efficacy of cibenzoline in a case of atrial fibrillation due to cardiac thyrotoxicosis]. / Efficacité de la cibenzoline dans un cas de fibrillation auriculaire sur cardiothyréose.

The authors report a case of reduction of thyrotoxicosis-related atrial fibrillation by cibenzoline. The initial clinical features of heart failure rapidly resolved and the echocardiographic left ventricular shortening fraction returned to normal. Cibenzoline could be used as antiarrhythmic treatment in atrial fibrillation related to thyrotoxicosis.