Progressive Characteristics of HIV Infection in the Elderly in the Cohort of the Internal Medicine Department of the Points G University Hospital, Bamako. Mali

Few data are available on HIV infection in the elderly and they are an important population in our different cohorts in view of the improvement in the quality of care over the last ten years. Objective: to determine the clinical and immunovirological characteristics as well as the acceptance of antiretroviral drugs in this patient population. This is a cohort study of the files of PLHIV (People living with HIV) aged 50 years or more, followed in the Internal Medicine Department of the Point G University Hospital between January 2007 and December 2012. Results: Out of 161 HIV-infected patients in the cohort, 38 were aged 50 years or older, of whom 11 met the criteria and were included. The median age was 55 years, 90.9% of whom were in the [50 - 59 years] age group, with 63.6% being women (sex ratio = 0.57). At admission, 3 patients (27.3%) had prurigo and 2 (18.2%) had oral-pharyngeal candidiasis. At inclusion, 45.5% of patients were classified as WHO stage 2 and one as WHO stage 4. All were on ARVs, including 10 on 1st line HIV-1 and 1 on HIV-2. On triple therapy, the average weight gain was 5.1 kg at D15 and 6.84 kg at M6. However, at M12 there was a weight loss of 1.04 kg. The mean CD4 T cell gain was +102/mm3 at M6 and +188/mm3 at 12 months. At D0, mean viral load = 565024.75 copies/mm3 [99 - 1100000] in 4/11. At M12, two patients had undetectable viral loads. Conclusion: The prevalence of HIV in elderly subjects is certainly underestimated. Thanks to triple antiretroviral therapy, PLHIV are aging with HIV but screening is not systematically proposed during consultations in elderly subjects. It is necessary to reinforce communication about HIV at all ages.

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: Epidemiological, Clinical, Para-Clinical and Therapeutic Aspects at the Tombouctou Hospital

Introduction: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a heart failure whose etiology is still unknown. The aim of work was to study peripartum cardiomyopathy in its epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical and therapeutic aspects at the Tombouctou hospital. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in the Medicine Department of the Timbuktu hospital from January 1 to December 31, 2019. It concerned patients who presented heart failure between the 8th month of pregnancy and the first 5 months postpartum. Results: During the study,23 patients were collected. Average age of the patients was 23.50 ± 3.50 years with extremes of 16 and 34 years. Incidence of Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) was 1/345 pregnancies. Average parity was 3.20 with extremes of 1 and 8. Symptoms appeared at postpartum with 87% of cases. A significant delay in diagnosis was observed. Global heart failure was the mode of decompensation with 70%. Electrocardiographic signs were mainly sinus tachycardia (87%) and left ventricular hypertrophy (83%). Cardiac ultrasound showed in all cases dilated cardiomyopathy and it was associated with thrombus in left ventricle cavity for three cases. Left ventricular ejection fraction was severely impaired in 70% of cases. Pulmonary hypertension was significant in 52%. Most commonly drugs we used in our series at acute stage were duretics: furosemide 100% and spironolactone 70% (100% and 70%) and ACE inhibitors (90%). Beta-blockers (bisoprolol and carvedilol) were used in 15 patients. Bromocriptine (prolactin inhibitor) was used for 2 patients. Conclusion: Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a serious cardiac complication of pregnancy of unknown cause, common in the African population.

Spontaneous External Digestive Fistula of Tuberculosis Origin, Medical Treatment: About a Case at the Timbuktu Hospital

In the literature, the management of enterocutaneous fistula of tuberculosis origin is rare. The aim of this work was to report a case of external digestive fistula of tuberculosis origin in a 10-year-old girl in northern Mali in a situation of armed conflict. She was a 10-year-old patient who was admitted to our general surgery ward for external digestive fistula evolving for more than (4) four years, at admission the general. The karnofsky index was at 40%, she could not sit or hold a cup to drink water. A 3 cm enterocutaneous fistula deafened foul-smelling liquid stools, on clinical examination, the conjunctivas were pale, the lips were dry, the eyes were sunk in the eye sockets, the ribs visible from a distance. The paraclinical aspects (Itra-Dermo-Reaction (IDR) to tubercria, anatomopathology) were positive, specifying the place of medical treatment and evolution under medical treatment. Digestive fistula of tuberculosis origin is a rare condition in surgical settings.

Congenital Heart Disease: Epidemiological and Echocardiography Aspects in the Cardiology Department of Tombouctou Hospital, Mali

Congenital heart diseases are abnormalities of heart that occur during intrauterine life. Our work aimed to study the epidemiological and echocardiographic aspects of congenital heart disease with Cardiology Department of the Tombouctou hospital. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study from November 2018 to December 31, 2019 on Doppler echocardiography reports from patients admitted to the Cardiology department. The probes used were 3.5 and 5 MHz on an Esaote Mylab40 device. The inclusion criteria concerned patients of both sexes under the age of 16, hospitalized or followed in the cardiology department for cardiac symptoms and having benefited from a cardiac Doppler ultrasound. Results: During the study period, 370 echocardiographic examinations were performed and revealed 20 cases of congenital heart disease with a prevalence of 5.45%. The female sex was the majority 13/7 cases which makes a sex ratio of 0.54. Heart murmurs were the main reason for requesting cardiac Doppler ultrasound with the 13 out of 20 cases of congenital heart disease (65%). Interventricular communication was represented by 15 cases (75%). Congenital heart disease is a reality in Africa. Its frequency and reported series are underestimated due to the inaccessibility of Doppler echocardiography.