Epidemiological and Diagnostic Profile of Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus from 2017 to 2021 in Parakou, Republic of Benin

Introduction: Viral hepatitis B is a public health problem worldwide. The objective of this study was to determine the epidemiological and diagnostic profile of chronic carriers of hepatitis B virus seen for gastroenterology consultations in Parakou, Republic of Benin. Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study with retrospective data collection. Patients seen for gastroenterology consultations from January 1, 2017 to June 30, 2021 at the Regional Teaching Hospital of Borgou/Alibori (CHUD-B/A) and having been diagnosed as chronic carriers of hepatitis B virus were included. A minimum initial assessment was required to be included. The minimum sample size was calculated with Schwartz formula. The variable of interest was the detection of HBsAg twice and at least 6 months apart. The other variables studied were sociodemographic, clinical and paraclinical data. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS 17 software. Results: A total of 2786 patients were seen for gastroenterology consultations, including 1126 (40.4%) HBsAg-positive patients. Among them, 417 patients met the inclusion criteria and were the subject of the present study. The average age of the patients was 34.8 ± 10.5 years. Two hundred and forty-seven patients (65.7%) were male, representing a sex ratio of 1.9. The discovery of positive HBsAg status was made during systematic screening in 231 patients (55.4%). Scarifications were noted in 373 patients (89.4%). Asthenia was reported in 184 patients (44.1%). Co-infections with human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C and D viruses were 0% (0 in 92), 2.8% (4 in 146) and 14.3% (2 in 146), respectively. During the initial assessment, 274 patients (65.7%) were sero-negative for chronic HBeAg infection, 21 (5%) had clinically significant fibrosis including 16 (3.8%) at the stage of cirrhosis and 7 patients (5.4%) had hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusion: In Parakou, chronic hepatitis B virus infection is common and affects young people with a male predominance. Asthenia is a non-specific symptom and the most reported by the patients. Around 5 out of 100 patients are seen for consultations at the stage of complication. Emphasis must be placed on early detection and subsidy for pre-therapeutic assessment.

Indications and Findings of Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in Elderly Patients in Parakou, Republic of Benin

Introduction: Elderly people are considered fragile and at greater risk of having malignant gastrointestinal tumors. The objective of this work was to report the reasons for performing gastrointestinal endoscopy and the lesions found during the endoscopy of this target population in Parakou. Patients and Study Methods: This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study with a retrospective collection of data from January 2016 to December 2017, then from January 2020 to December 2021. It took place in the Regional Teaching Hospital of Borgou-Alibori in Parakou and in the private gastrointestinal endoscopy center of Parakou (Northern Gastrointestinal Exploration Center). All patients aged at least 60 years who had undergone an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy during the study period were included. The variables studied were: the sex, age, indications for the examination, endoscopic lesions and data from the anatomo-pathological examination. Results: In total, out of 1540 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies performed during the study period, 249 (16.17%) involved patients aged 60 years and over. The sex ratio was 1.26. The main indication for the examination was epigastric pain (123 cases, i.e. 49.40%) followed by vomiting (53 cases, i.e. 21.29%). In terms of lesions, non-tumorous gastropathy came first in the stomach (206 cases, i.e. 82.73%) while esophageal lesions were dominated by esophageal candidiasis and cardial incompetence (39 cases, i.e. 15.66% in each of the two situations). In the duodenum, ulcer was noted in 30 patients (12.05%). In 38 patients, 12 (31.58%) were tested positive for Helicobacter pylori infection. Cancers of the gastrointestinal tract were confirmed in 11 patients (4.42%). Conclusion: Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy remains an excellent examination for the exploration of the upper gastrointestinal tract. In Parakou, epigastric pain represents the main indication for this examination in subjects over 60 years of age. Inflammatory or ulcerated non-tumorous gastropathy is the most commonly endoscopic lesion. Esophageal and gastric cancers are less common in this population group according to our study.