Epidemiology of Sleep Disorders among Chronic Hemodialysis Patients in Senegal: A Multicentric Study

Introduction: Sleep disorders (SD) are common dialysis patients and can impact their quality of life. In previous studies, black ethnicity was associated with higher incidence of SD but a few data are available in African patients. This study aimed to describe prevalence and risk factors of SD among Senegalese dialysis patients. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study between February 15th and April 30th 2012 including 127 patients (75 males and 52 females) aged 46.8 ± 16.9 (16 - 85 years) and dialysed since >6 months in three dialysis centres. For each patient, we assessed insomnia according to international definition, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) with the Berlin questionnaire, restless leg syndrome (RLS) using abridged version of Cambridge-Hopkins RLS questionnaire, and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) with Epworth sleepiness scale. Logistic multivariate regression was used to identify factors associated with different SD. Results: Overall prevalence of SD was 88% comprising: insomnia (64.3%), OSAS (49.1%), RLS (24.1%) and EDS (20.5%). Forty-two patients presented at least two disorders. No difference was noticed in prevalence of SD between genders (p = 0.14). Level of blood pressure were not different across patients with and without SD. Insomnia correlated with anemia, inflammation and EDS. OSAS was associated with age ≥50 years, EDS and neck circumference ≥25 cm. RLS correlated with anemia and EDS. Other parameters such as gender, dialysis vintage, KT/V, obesity, diabetes status and hypoalbuminemia were not associated with the different SD. The majority of patients had not been diagnosed before the survey and none of them was under treatment. Conclusions: Our findings are compatible with high prevalence of sleep disorders reported in other populations. Insomnia and OSAS are the most frequent SD but some patients combined many disorders. Nephrologists should be more aware of these SD in order to detect them early and provide efficient treatment.

Secondary Hypertension in Sub-Saharan African Populations: A Retrospective Study between 2011 and 2016 at Regional Hospital of Saint-Louis, Senegal

Introduction: High blood pressure (HBP) is a worldwide health issue responsible of high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Even though essential HBP is far the most frequently reported in patients, secondary causes must be known because of their severity and the possibility of aetiological treatment. No recent epidemiological data are available about secondary causes of HBP in black African populations. The aim of this study was to describe aetiological patterns of secondary HBP in patients followed at Saint-Louis Hospital. Patients and Method: We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study in regional hospital of Saint-Louis. All patients aged ≥15 years old admitted from January 1st 2011 to January 31st 2015 in internal medicine, nephrology, emergency and cardiology departments were included. Clinical, paraclinical data and patients outcomes were collected from medical records. Hypertension was defined according to JNC8 criteria. Secondary HBP was considered if explorations identified a clear aetiology to hypertension. Statistical analysis was done with Excel 2010 and STATA 12.0. Results: We included 9253 patients with mean age of 35 ± 12 years (15 - 83 years) and sex-ratio of 1.6. Overall 67.5% of patients had hypertension and secondary causes were found in 10.5% of them. The majority of patients presented clinical symptoms suggesting a secondary cause of HBP and first-line laboratory explorations were normal in half of cases. Renal diseases were responsible for 79.1% of secondary HBP cases mainly dominated by glomerulonephritis (22.6%), vascular nephropathies (18.7%) and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (5.8%). They were followed by preeclampsia (13.6%) and endocrinal aetiologies such as hyperthyroidism (5.8%), hypercorticism (0.5%), pheochromcytoma (0.5%), primary hyperparathyroidism (0.4%) and Conn’s adenoma (0.1%). Combination of ≥3 antihypertensive drugs was necessary in 71.5% of cases and surgical treatment was performed in three patients. Blood pressure was normalized in only 27.7% of patients. Conclusion: Secondary causes are frequent in our young patients with HBP. In the majority of patients complete clinical examination and minimal laboratory investigations recommended by World Health Organisation can give an aetiological orientation that needs further radiological and hormonal explorations.

Connective Tissue Diseases on the Elderly Population in Dakar Hospital Setting

Introduction: Immunosenescence contributes to the development of auto-antibodies. However, while the prevalence of some autoantibodies increases with age, the incidence of connective tissue diseases decreases with age. This study aims to determine the clinical and paraclinical characteristics of connective tissue diseases in the elderly population. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study, from March 2010 to March 2021, in the Internal Medicine Department of Aristide Le Dantec Hospital, including all the medical records of patients followed up for connective tissue disease and whose symptomatology began at an age greater than or equal to 65 years. Epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, therapeutic and evolutionary data were collected from a pre-established survey form and then processed using SPSS software. Results: Overall, 22 cases were collected out of 275 seen on consultation. They involved 16 women and 6 men, aged between 65 and 85 years with a median of 70 years. The mean duration of the clinical picture was 15.7 months with extremes of 1 and 96 months. The clinical symptoms were joint pain in 21 patients associated with dry eye and mouth syndrome in seven cases and one patient underwent isolated dry eye and mouth syndrome. Joint involvement was deforming in 13 patients. Poor general condition was noted in 20 patients. Biology showed anemia in 14 patients, hyperleukocytosis (2 patients) and thrombocytosis (5 patients). The sedimentation rate (SR) was accelerated in 9 patients and the C-reactive protein (CRP) was positive in 12 patients. Immunology showed a positive Latex test (3 patients/6), Waaler-Rose reaction (8 patients/13), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP) antibodies (11 patients/11), anti-nuclear antibodies (2 patients/4). Anti-extractable nuclear antigens (anti-ENA) antibody testing in 4 patients showed positive anti-U1RNP (1 case), anti-SSA and anti-SSB (1 case). Plain X-Rays of the hands, wrists and feet showed destructive lesions in 16 patients. The diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was set in 21 patients, one of which was associated with Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) and one with primary Sjogren’s syndrome. Treatment was based on prednisone (21 cases), methotrexate (17 patients), and hydroxychloroquine (9 patients). The evolution was remarkable in 10 patients. Conclusion: Autoimmune diseases in the elderly are uncommon compared to the young adult population. In our study, we only found cases of rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren’s syndrome. As the population ages, connective tissue diseases may be increasingly diagnosed.

Indications and Results of Thyroidectomies in Northern Senegal

Goiters account for a very high prevalence disease. In Senegal, surgery is a very important part of the management. Our aim is to determine indications and results of thyroidectomies at the regional hospital of St. Louis. Patient and Method: We conducted a descriptive retrospective study over a period of 6 years on 81 records. All patients who underwent thyroidectomy during the study period were included. Computer software EPI INFO and Excel were used for collection and processing of data. Results: The average age of our patients was 40 years with a sex ratio at 0.05. The determination of TSH found 88.9% in euthyroid, 1.2% in hypothyroidism and 9.9% in hyperthyroidism. Thyroid ultrasound was performed in 97.5% of patients. Surgically, gestures performed were divided between the lobo-isthmectomies (43.1%), subtotal thyroidectomy (9.8%), total thyroidectomy (46.91%). The postoperative course was uneventful in all patients. The histology was benign in 88.9% of surgical specimens and found adenocarcinoma in 11.1%. Conclusion: Our study confirms the predominance of female thyroid pathology. The thyroidectomy which is getting better codified occupies an important place in the management. It offers the advantage around the problem of therapeutic non-compliance and also stockouts in our region.