A Panorama of the Urological Diseases at the Former Military Teaching Hospital of Cotonou

Background: Urological care has been advancing quickly over the last ten years in Benin. In order to conveniently support that trend towards better urological care standards, decision-makers need sound data on urological diseases in the country. Objective: To determine the prevalence of urological diseases in the former Military Teaching Hospital of Cotonou. Patients and Method: We retrospectively collected the urological diseases that the institution had managed from January 2012 to December 2020. We used Excel© 2010 and SPSS© to analyze the collected data. Results: 4244 patients, i.e. 3717 males (87.58%) and 527 females (12.42%) were managed during the study period. The main diseases diagnosed were benign prostatic hyperplasia (32.61%, n = 1384), erectile dysfunction (10.44%, n = 443), chronic prostatitis (5.94%, n = 252), prostate cancer (4.03%, n = 171), and ejaculatory disorders (3.44%, n = 146). In patients ≤ 15 years, predominant diseases were peritoneal vaginal canal (15.9%, n = 43), circumcision (15.6%, n = 42), testicular dystopia (10.7%, n = 29), hydrocele (7.8%, n = 21), and hypospadias (5.6%, n = 15). Wilms tumor (1.9%, n = 5) was the first cancer, testicular (0.4%, n = 1) and para-testicular (0.4%, n = 1) tumors were the next. In patients > 15 and ≤40 years, the main diseases were infertility (14.1%, n = 189), chronic prostatitis (12.9%, n = 173), erectile dysfunction (10.1%, n = 135), ejaculatory disorders (6.2%, n = 83), genital infections (6.2%, n = 83) and urinary stone (4.9%, n = 66). The first cancer was kidney cancer (0.97%, n = 13) followed by bladder cancer (0.3%, n = 4) and testicular tumor (0.3%, n = 4). In patients >40 years, the most prevalent diseases were BPH (52.0%, n = 1370), erectile dysfunction (11.7%, n = 308), prostate cancer (6.5%, n = 171), inguinal hernia (5.1%, n = 134), and urinary stone (3.9%, n = 102). Prostate cancer is the first cancer;the next were bladder (0.95%, n = 25) and kidney (0.68%, n = 18) cancers. Conclusion: Benign prostatic hyperplasia and urological cancers (prostate, bladder and kidney cancers) were the main urological diseases at the former Military Teaching Hospital of Cotonou. Urological malformations and Wilms tumor were the main diseases in the children.

Epidemiological Aspects and Anatomopathological of Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) and Cervico-Facial (CF) Cancers at the Military Hospital of Nouakchott

This retrospective study, the first of its kind in Mauritania, was carried out at the military hospital of Nouakchott. We sought to approximate the epidemio-logical, anatomopathological profile of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) and cervico-facial (CF) cancers in Mauritania. Over a period of two years, from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020, we noted 36 histologically confirmed cases, they represented 15.47% of all patients consulted in ENT and CF cancers affected the age group between 25 and 70 years, the age group most affected was that of 50 and 59 years, with 33.33% of cases. More affected in the proportion of 2 men to women, which can be explained by the risk factors mainly found in men, including smoking. First rank was cancers of the upper aero-digestive tract, the pharyngolarynx in head. Histologically, ENT and CF cancers were dominated by squamous cell carcinomas 78%, well ahead of papillary carcinomas 8% and vesicular thyroid carcinomas 5%, UCNTs, adenosquamous carcinomas and lymphomas each represented 3%.

Psychological stress and long-term blood pressure variability of military young males:The cardiorespiratory fitness and hospitalization events in armed forces study

BACKGROUND Acute stress might increase short-term heart rate variability and blood pressure variability(BPV);however,chronic stress would not alter short-term BPV in animal models.AIM To examine the association of psychological stress with long-term BPV in young male humans.METHODS We prospectively examined the association of chronic psychological stress with long-term BPV in 1112 healthy military males,averaged 32.2 years from the cardiorespiratory fitness and hospitalization events in armed forces study in Taiwan.Psychological stress was quantitatively evaluated with the Brief Symptom Rating Scale(BSRS-5),from the least symptom of 0 to the most severe of 20,and the five components of anxiety,insomnia,depression,interpersonal sensitivity,and hostility(the severity score in each component from 0 to 4).Longterm BPV was assessed by standard deviation(SD)for systolic and diastolic blood pressure(SBP and DBP),and average real variability(ARV),defined as the average absolute difference between successive measurements of SBP or DBP,across four visits in the study period from 2012 to 2018(2012-14,2014-15,2015-16,and 2016-18).RESULTS The results of multivariable linear regressions showed that there were no correlations of the BSRS-5 score with SDSBP,SDDBP,ARVSBP,and ARVDBP after adjusting for all the covariates[β(SE):-0.022(0.024),-0.023(0.026),-0.001(0.018),and 0.001(0.020),respectively;P>0.05 for all].In addition,there were also no correlations between each component of the BSRS score and the long-term BPV indexes.CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that chronic psychological stress might not be associated with long-term BPV in military young male humans.

The Peripheral Hospital as Focal Point for Pacemaker Activity: Review of the Last 300 Implantations Carried out at the Haute Correze Hospital Center

Background: Pacemaker implantation is a very old activity which has revolutionized the cardiology practice throughout the world. This activity is effective at the Haute Correze Hospital Center since more than 20 years. Due to progress in this area, and the increasing request within this center located at the outskirts of town, we set out to evaluate our pacemaker activity in general and more specifically to assess the post-procedural complications in our series patients. Methodology: This was a retrospective longitudinal study. Data were recorded for period of 90 months from 27/05/2016 to 19/11/2023. This data collection was possible via a specific register completed by computerized patient data from the SillageTM software. All files of patients implanted with single or dual chamber pacemakers were included, generator replacements, upgrading procedures and addition of leads were excluded. The sampling was non-probabilistic, consecutive and non-exhaustive. Statistical analysis was carried out using the Excel 2019 spreadsheet and SPSS version 23 software. The quantitative variables were presented as mean ± standard deviation, the qualitative data as proportions. Results: A total of 303 first-time pacemaker’s implantations were carried out during the study period (rate of 40 per year). The average age in the population was 79.7 ± 9.4 years (44 - 99 years) with a male predominance of 63.7% (n = 193). Atrioventricular block (2nd and 3rd degree) was the main indication for pacemaker implantation in 42.9% of cases (n = 130). Patients were most often implanted with a dual-chamber pacemaker (57.7%, n = 175). The approach was most often cephalic in 72.6% of cases (n = 220), followed by the subclavian access in 27.4% of cases (n = 84). The average fluoroscopy time was 7.9 min ± 2.4 (1 - 43). The average irradiation dose in gray/cm2 was 12.4 ± 9.3 (0.22 - 117.5). The average length of hospitalization was 7 ± 4 (2 - 26) days. The overall complication rate at one year was 12.9% (n = 39). These complications are distributed as follows: Leads dislodgement in 8.2% (n = 25), hematoma 3.6% (n = 11) all without clinical consequences, pneumothorax 0.7% (n = 2), both cases of pneumothorax did not require specific care, infection (superficial) in 0.3% (n = 1). Leads dislodgement occurred after a median time of 18 days (IQR: 3 - 36). The earliest dislodgement was observed on D0 and the latest on D207. No serious complications were recorded. The average atrial threshold at implantation/first control/last follow-up was 0.7/1.3/0.8 V, respectively. The average ventricular threshold at implantation/first control/last follow-up was 0.5/1.08/0.87 V, respectively. The average atrial detection at implantation/first control/last follow-up was 3.2/2.3/ 2.05 mv, respectively. The average ventricular detection at implantation/first control/last follow-up was 10.3/11.03/10.8 mv. The average atrial impedance at implantation/first control/last follow-up was 610/457/457 ohms. The average ventricular impedance at implantation/first control/last follow-up was 754/547/563 ohms. Conclusion: Pacemaker implantation is safe at the Haute Correze Hospital Center with a relatively low rate of complications, in this case an almost zero major infection and no serious hematoma. The peripheral hospital should remain a focal point of this activity in order to respond more quickly to the needs of the populations.

Echocardiographic Aspects of Type 2 Diabetics Patients Hospitalized in the Medicine and Endocrinology Department of the Mali Hospital

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in diabetics. The objective of our study was to investigate the echocardiographic aspects of type 2 diabetics. Patients and Method: Descriptive and cross-sectional study of 12 months from June 2020 to June 2021. We included hospitalized type 2 diabetics who underwent transthoracic cardiac ultrasound in the Department of Medicine and Endocrinology at the Mali Hospital. Results: We collected 128 type 2 diabetics. The predominance was male with a sex ratio of 1.2. The mean age of patients was 60.06 ± 11.54 years with extremes of 28 and 84 years. Echocardiographic abnormalities were dominated by abnormal relaxation of left ventricle in 62.5%, increased of left ventricle mass in 54.7% and left atrium dilation in 28.1%. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension had more left atrium dilation with a p of 0.02. Disorders of global kinetics and systolic dysfunction were more prevalent in smoking patients with statistically significant associations, respectively, p = 0.02;p = 0.03. Dyslipidemia had a statistically significant association with segmental kinetic disorders with a p of 0.008. Duration of diabetes greater than 5 years was associated with left atrium dilation and p-value was 0.04. Conclusion: Diabetes is responsible for cardiovascular manifestations that can be identified with transthoracic echocardiography. Its performance in diabetic patients makes it possible to refine the patient’s management.

Epidemiological, Clinical, Therapeutic, and Evolutionary Aspects of Heart Failure in the Medical Department at Gao Regional Hospital

Introduction: Heart failure is a major public health pandemic, particularly in Africa, where its prevalence continues to increase. In northern Mali, few data exist, hence the interest of this study with the objective of studying the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic and evolutionary aspects of Heart failure at the regional hospital of Gao. Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study that took place from July 2022 to June 2023 in the medical department at Gao Hospital. Results: The hospital prevalence of heart failure was 44.1%. The mean age was 47.30 ± 20 years (range: 16-88). Hypertension was the most common with 46.1%, followed by a sedentary lifestyle, and diabetes with 18.2% and 8.3% respectively;NYHA stage III-IV dyspnea was found in 83.9%. Reduced EF heart failure was present in 110 patients (76.9%), seventeen cases with moderately reduced EF (11.9%) and sixteen patients had preserved EF (11.2%). Global heart failure was the dominant (91.6%). The main etiologies of heart failure were dominated by hypertensive heart disease in 46 patients (32.2%), followed by postpartum cardiomyopathy with 43 cases (30.1%), primary dilated cardiomyopathy in 18 patients (12.6%), ischemic heart disease in 16 patients with 11.2%. Seven cases of valvular heart disease, or 4.9%. The evolution was favorable under treatment in 104 patients or 72.7%. In-hospital mortality was 14.7%. Conclusion: Heart failure is a common condition in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in our country.

Profile of Anemia in Cirrhotic Patients at the National Hospital of Niamey

Objective: To study the profile of anemia in cirrhotic patients diagnosed in the Hepato-Gastroenterology (HGE) department of the National Hospital of Niamey. Patients and Method: This was a prospective and descriptive study carried out from August 1, 2023 to February 29, 2024, including cirrhotic patients, with anemia on the blood count, outside of any recent blood transfusion and/or treatment. History of anemia. Results: The diagnosis of anemia was made in 91 patients out of the 100 cirrhotics recorded, 91%. Men were more common, with a sex ratio of 2.79. The average age was 50 ± 14.22 years old. Anemia was moderate in 52.75% of cases (n = 48). It was non-microcytic in 50.55% (n = 46) and iron deficient in 55.56% of cases (n = 20). There was a statistically significant correlation between the severity of anemia and upper gastrointestinal bleeding with a p-value = 0.000. Conclusion: Cirrhotic anemia is multifactorial, which makes its etiological diagnosis complex.

Pericarditis in Cardiology at a Regional Hospital

Introduction: Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium with or without pericardial fluid effusion. Its prevalence is difficult to determine given the many forms that are not symptomatic. In Africa, its prevalence was 6.3% in Gabon in 2020 and 7.2% in Mali in 2022. In Europe, an Italian study estimates the incidence of acute pericarditis at 27.7 cases per 100,000 people per year. In another study conducted in Finland over a period of 9 years, the incidence of pericarditis requiring hospitalisation was 3.32 cases per 100,000 people per year. The aim of our study was to describe the clinical and paraclinical characteristics of pericarditis observed in the cardiology department of the regional hospital in Mali. Methodology: This was a single centre cross-sectional study from 30 January 2018 to 30 June 2020 in the cardiology department of the Ségou regional hospital. All consenting patients, regardless of age or sex hospitalised in the department for pericarditis confirmed on cardiac ultrasound were included. Data were collected using an individual patient follow-up form recording sociodemographic, clinical, biological, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic data, as well as the course of the disease. Results: Out of 879 patients hospitalized, the hospital frequency was 7.28%. Females predominated, with a sex ratio of 0.42. More than half the patients were aged 45 or younger (59.4%). The mean age of patients was 41.8 ± 18.1 years. Cardiovascular risk factors were dominated by hypertension and smoking (46.9% and 12.5% respectively). The reasons for consultation were dyspnoea (84.3%), chest pain (54.7%), cough (71.9%) and fever (34.4%). Physical signs included muffled heart sounds (76.6%), tachycardia (70.3%), pericardial friction (17.2%) and signs of peripheral stasis in 53.1% of cases. We observed elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) in 57.8% of cases, hypercreatininaemia in 37.5% and positive HIV serology in 3.1%. The major radiographic signs were cardiomegaly in 82.8% and pleural effusion in 37.5%. On electrocardiogram (ECG), 51.6% of patients had a repolarisation disorder and sinus tachycardia;34.4% had QRS microvoltage. Echocardiography revealed tamponade in 1.6% and pericardial effusion in 100%. The effusion was very large in 17.3% of cases. The pericardial fluid was citrine yellow in 18.8%, serosanguineous in 9.4% and haemorrhagic in 7.8%. The aetiology of the pericarditis was idiopathic in 42.1% and secondary to HIV in 3.1%. Transudative fluid was observed in 16.5% of cases. The outcome was generally favourable, with 92.2% of cases cured, but 1.6% with persistent effusion, 3.1% with recurrence, and 3.1% with mortality.

Therapeutic Compliance of Hypertensive Patients Followed in Ambulatory in the Cardiology Department of Kati University Hospital

Introduction: High blood pressure is a major public health problem worldwide due to its frequency and cardiovascular complications. Adherence to treatment for chronic diseases is a global problem. The aim was to study therapeutic adherence in hypertensive patients followed in ambulatory. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study with prospective recruitment that took place from July 1 to December 31, 2022 (6 months) in the cardiology department of the university hospital of Kati. The variables studied were sociodemographic data, cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidities, the possession of insurance and compliance (the Girerd questionnaire was used to assess adherence). Results: A total of 1182 patients were consulted, including 887 for hypertension, a frequency of 75%. Fifty-six patients were included in the study. The average age was 58.18 ± 13.25 years with extremes of 30 and 80 years. There was a female predominance (75%) with a sex ratio of 0.3. The majority of patients lived in urban areas (89.3%). Out-of-school patients accounted for 44.6%, more than half of patients or 55.4% had no income, patients with medical coverage accounted for 67.9% of cases. The main risk factors were physical inactivity (25%) followed by smoking 14.3%. More than 71% of patients had a compliance problem and the main reasons were forgetting to take the drug with 73.2%, followed by delayed treatment of 50% and drug discontinuation of 28.6%. Conclusion: Compliance is a real challenge and a major public health issue. This study allowed us to find a real problem of compliance in our hypertensive patients. There was a statistically significant relationship between drug adherence and forgetting to take the drug and drug discontinuation.

MTTSNet:Military time-sensitive targets stealth network via real-time mask generation

The automatic stealth task of military time-sensitive targets plays a crucial role in maintaining national military security and mastering battlefield dynamics in military applications.We propose a novel Military Time-sensitive Targets Stealth Network via Real-time Mask Generation(MTTSNet).According to our knowledge,this is the first technology to automatically remove military targets in real-time from videos.The critical steps of MTTSNet are as follows:First,we designed a real-time mask generation network based on the encoder-decoder framework,combined with the domain expansion structure,to effectively extract mask images.Specifically,the ASPP structure in the encoder could achieve advanced semantic feature fusion.The decoder stacked high-dimensional information with low-dimensional information to obtain an effective mask layer.Subsequently,the domain expansion module guided the adaptive expansion of mask images.Second,a context adversarial generation network based on gated convolution was constructed to achieve background restoration of mask positions in the original image.In addition,our method worked in an end-to-end manner.A particular semantic segmentation dataset for military time-sensitive targets has been constructed,called the Military Time-sensitive Target Masking Dataset(MTMD).The MTMD dataset experiment successfully demonstrated that this method could create a mask that completely occludes the target and that the target could be hidden in real time using this mask.We demonstrated the concealment performance of our proposed method by comparing it to a number of well-known and highly optimized baselines.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Acute Coronary Syndromes at the Mother-Child University Hospital Luxembourg in Bamako

Introduction: Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are a diagnostic and therapeutic emergency. Objective: Studying the feasibility, difficulties and results of coronary angioplasty in acute coronary syndromes at the Luxembourg Mother-Child University Hospital in Bamako. Patients and Methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive study with prospective recruitment over 18 months from September 2020 to February 2022. All patients aged at least 18 years old admitted for SCA and having undergone PCI during the study period were included. Result: We collected 249 patients for SCA, of whom 160 underwent angioplasty, either an angioplasty/SCA ratio of 0.64. The average age of the patients was 59.54 ± 11.62 with extremes of 32 and 92 years. The age group of 45 to 65 years was the most representative. The predominance was male, sex ratio of 2.4. The main cardiovascular risk factors were high blood pressure (58.23%) and diabetes (45.78%). Persistent ST-segment elevation on the electrocardiogram was present in 71.48%. The treatment time was more than 12 hours after the first medical contact in 95.5%. The approach was radial in 96.5% of cases. Coronarography was pathological in 91.16% of our patients. The lesions were tri-truncular in 34.13% with the anterior inter ventricular as culprit artery in 72% of cases. The majority of patients (64%) had undergone angioplasty with implantation of an active stent. Angioplasty was performed successfully in 98% and per procedural mortality was 1.87%. Only 6.45% of ACS with ST elevation benefited from primary angioplasty. Conclusion: Percutaneous coronary intervention is performed routinely in our center with satisfactory results. Difficulties exist, related to the diagnostic delay of ACS and the high cost of angioplasty.

Medical appraisal of Chinese military aircrew with abnormal results of coronary computed tomographic angiography

BACKGROUND Coronary artery diseases can cause myocardial ischemia and hypoxia,angina pectoris,myocardial infarction,arrhythmia,and even sudden death led to inflight incapacitation of aircrew.As the main cause of grounding due to illness,they severe threats to the health and fighting strength of military aircrew.Early warning in an early and accurate manner and early intervention of diseases possibly resulting in inflight incapacitation are key emphases of aeromedical support in clinic.AIM To figure out the flight factors and clinical characteristics of military aircrew with abnormal results of coronary artery computed tomographic angiography(CTA),thereby rendering theoretical references for clinical aeromedical support of military flying personnel.METHODS The clinical data of 15 flying personnel who received physical examinations in a military medical center from December 2020 to June 2023 and were diagnosed with coronary artery diseases by coronary artery CTA were collected and retrospectively analyzed,and a descriptive statistical analysis was conducted on their onset age,aircraft type and clinical data.RESULTS The 15 military flying personnel diagnosed with coronary artery diseases by coronary artery CTA were composed of 9 pilots,1 navigator and 5 air combat service workers.Multi-vessel disease was detected in 9 flying personnel,among which 8(88.9%)were pilots.Flying personnel with multi-vessel disease had higher content of cholesterol,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B than those with single-vessel disease.CONCLUSION Coronary artery diseases are the major heart disease for the grounding of flying personnel due to illness,which can lead to inflight incapacitation.Coronary artery CTA is conducive to early detection and early intervention treatment of such diseases in clinic.

Epidemiological and Clinical Aspects of Male Infertility in Patients Consulting at the Urology Department of the Yaounde Central Hospital

Introduction: About 10 to 15% of couples in the world and 20 to 30% in Cameroon consult for infertility problems. Infertility is of male origin in 40% of cases. Our objective was to evaluate the epidemiological and clinical aspects of male infertility in our setting. Methods: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study, with retrospective data collection from the files of patients received for male infertility, over 5 years and 6 months (from January 1st, 2016 to April 30th, 2021) at the Urology Department of the Yaounde Central Hospital. Phone calls were made to patients with incomplete records for completion following a verbal consent. Data reported on data collection forms were entered into a data entry form designed on CSPro software version 7.2. The database was later exported for descriptive statistics using the IBM SPSS software version 23. Qualitative variables were summarized in frequencies and percentages while quantitative variables were summarized in means with their standard deviations for normally distributed data, or medians and interquartile ranges otherwise. Results: Out of 110 patients whose records were analyzed, the median age was 37.0 years, with an interquartile range of 8.3, with 55.5% in the age group 30 to 39 years. Of these 95 (86.4%) were married, 58 (52.7%) were from the West region, 76 (69.1%) were employed. Past history was dominated by mumps 40 (36.4%), varicocele surgery 25 (22.7%), alcoholism 87 (79.1%) and smoking 15 (13.6%). A disorder of spermatogenesis was found in all our patients: 37 (33.6%) azoospermia, 27 (24.6%) asthenospermia and 26 (23.7%) oligospermia patients. Paraclinical evidence of chlamydia and gonococcal infections were found respectively in 38 (34.5%) and 14 (12.7%) patients, varicocele and testicular dystrophy respectively in 95 (86.4%) and 38 (34.5%) patients. Infertility was primary in 67 (60.9%) patients. Conclusion: Most patients with infertility were in their thirties, had risky social habits and comorbidities. An early start of health promotion activities, comorbidities prevention and early detection of spermogram abnormalities would make it possible to reduce the frequency of male infertility.

Temporal patterns and clinical characteristics of healthcare-associated infections in surgery patients:A retrospective study in a major Chinese tertiary hospital

Background:Given the preventable nature of most healthcare-associated infections(HAIs),it is crucial to under-stand their characteristics and temporal patterns to reduce their occurrence.Methods:A retrospective analysis of medical record cover pages from a Chinese hospital information system was conducted for surgery inpatients from 2010 to 2019.Association rules mining(ARM)was employed to explore the association between disease,procedure,and HAIs.Joinpoint models were used to estimate the annual HAI trend.The time series of each type of HAI was decomposed to analyze the temporal patterns of HAIs.Results:The study included data from 623,290 surgery inpatients over 10 years,and a significant decline in the HAI rate was observed.Compared with patients without HAIs,those with HAIs had a longer length of stay(29 days vs.9 days),higher medical costs(96226.57 CNY vs.22351.98 CNY),and an increased risk of death(6.42%vs.0.18%).The most common diseases for each type of HAI differed,although bone marrow and spleen operations were the most frequent procedures for most HAI types.ARM detected that some uncommon diagnoses could strongly associate with HAIs.The time series pattern varied for each type of HAI,with the peak occurring in January for respiratory system infections,and in August and July for surgical site and bloodstream infections,respectively.Conclusions:Our findings demonstrate that HAIs impose a significant burden on surgery patients.The differing time series patterns for each type of HAI highlight the importance of tailored surveillance strategies for specific types of HAI.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Anemia among People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Followed at the Outpatient Treatment Centre of Panzi General Referral Hospital in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Introduction: Anemia in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) is a major health problem. Although anemia often responds to combination antiretroviral therapy, many patients remain anemic despite treatment, and such persistent anemia continues to adversely affect prognosis, regardless of drug response. Scientists have identified some of the factors involved. However, the mechanisms put in place have not been effective in overcoming them. Examples include the withdrawal of zidovudine from antiretroviral treatment lines, iron and folate supplementation, etc. Anemia is still a major concern in HIV-positive patients. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among PLHIV followed up at the outpatient treatment centre (CTA) of the Panzi General Reference Hospital (HGR) in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Method: We conducted a cross-sectional, comparative study of 276 HIV-infected adults on antiretroviral therapy (ART) followed up at the CTA of Panzi HGR. Socio-demographic and nutritional parameters were collected using a survey questionnaire, and clinical assessment and nutritional status were performed at the centre. Hemoglobin, seric albumin and viral load determinations were performed at the HGRP laboratory. We constructed univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to assess factors associated with anemia in people living with HIV/AIDS. Results: We found a prevalence of anemia of 39.4%, including 4.1% severe anemia, 17.7% moderate anemia and 17.5% mild anemia. After multivariate adjustment, the factors associated with anemia in our PLHIV were: moderate undernutrition (aOR = 1.26;95% CI: 1.50 - 4.20;p = 0.001), severe undernutrition (aOR = 115.4;95% CI: 2.04 - 164.52;p = 0.021), hypoalbuminemia (aOR = 2.11;95% CI: 1.87 - 5.10;p = 0.004) and the lower degree of dietary diversity (aOR = 1.56;95% CI: 1.10 - 4.32;p = 0.034). Conclusion: The prevalence of anemia in PLHIV on ART is high. This greatly affects quality of life and increases the need for care. Early detection tools and management algorithms are essential in the follow-up of PLWHIV.

Vulvectomy: Indications and Results in the General Surgery Department of the Ignace Deen Chu Hospital in Conakry

Introduction: The aim of this study was to report the indications and evaluate the results of vulvectomy in the general surgery department of Ignace Deen Hospital, CHU Conakry. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study, conducted over a period of five (05) years from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022, in the general surgery department of Ignace Deen Hospital, CHU Conakry. We included in our study all patient records in whom vulvectomy was performed. Results: We recorded 15 cases of vulvectomy out of 453 perineal surgeries, i.e. 3.31%, with a mean age of 43.56 years and extremes of 35 and 69 years. Vulvar cancer was the most common diagnosis (46.67%), followed by Buschke-Lowenstein (33.33%) and anal canal cancer extending to the vulva (20%). Six patients had undergone biopsy (40%). Vulvectomy with lymph node dissection was performed in only 9 patients (60%), and all surgical specimens were sent to anatomical pathology (100%). Conclusion: Vulvectomy is a surgical technique most often indicated for the treatment of vulvar cancer.

Epidemiological, Clinical, Therapeutic, and Evolutionary Aspects of Chronic End-Stage Renal Failure in the Nephrology Department of the University Hospital of Brazzaville in 2023

Objective: Chronic end-stage renal failure is a major public health problem in developing countries and is poorly documented. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic, and evolutionary aspects of patients admitted for end-stage renal failure to the Department of Nephrology at the University Hospital of Brazzaville. Patients and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study collecting prospective data that took place over 10 months. We included 128 patients who were exhaustively identified. Sociodemographic, clinical, therapeutic and developmental data were collected using a standardized and pretested pre-established survey form. The EPI info software enabled the analysis and processing of the data. Results: We reported a male predominance with a sex ratio of 2.5. The median age was 50 years. The first cause found was diabetes (55%) followed by hypertension (46%). The majority of patients had a dialysis emergency and half could not be dialyzed for financial reasons. Conclusion: Our results highlighted that certain epidemiological parameters of end-stage renal failure are constantly changing, such as frequency, while others remain static, including the main etiologies, gender, and age. However, mortality continues to increase and deserves more attention.

Prescription of Antibiotics in Oral-Dental Practice: Case of the Dental Practice at the Coyah Prefectoral Hospital in the Republic of Guinea 2019-2020

Introduction: Antibiotics are medications that have the property of destroying bacteria or preventing their proliferation. The aim of this study is to evaluate antibiotic prescriptions in oral practice: case of the dental office of the Coyah prefectural hospital. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study which took place from August 2019 to January 2020 inclusive, i.e. a duration of six (6) months, during which 400 patients were identified. Results: Our results revealed a frequency of 70% of antibiotic prescriptions. The 16 - 25-year-old age group was the most dismayed, at 47.25% and with an average age of 27.78 years. Men represent 55% compared to 45% of women, i.e. sex ratio of 1.22. Pulp gangrene was the most common pathology in 55% of cases. The most prescribed family was Betalactamine or 61.71% and the most represented molecules were Amoxicillin with 56.10% followed by Metronidazole or 34.16%. And the favorable prognosis was observed in 99% of cases. Conclusion: Prescription should always be based on the benefit-risk ratio. This prescription by practitioners aims to prevent or eradicate infections and pain in order to obtain a good therapeutic result.

Postpartum Family Planning at the Timbuktu Hospital in Mali

Introduction: Postpartum family planning is the prevention of pregnancies during the 12 months following childbirth. Few studies have been devoted to postpartum family planning in Mali. Our work will contribute to reducing unmet need for family planning. Objective: To study the use of contraceptive methods in the postpartum period in the obstetrics and gynecology unit of Timbuktu hospital. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study with prospective collection of data from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2023. All women who gave birth having chosen and benefited from a contraceptive method were included. The statistical test used was the Fisher test with a significance threshold fixed at 5%. Results: The frequency of contraception in the postpartum period was 17.03%. The average age of clients was 26.14% with extremes of 14 and 45 years. They were paupiparous at 56.4% with an inter-birth interval of less than 12 months at 12.3%. More than half of the counseling (58.5%) was done during postnatal visits. The methods chosen were implants at 48.1%, injectable progestins at 21.3%, intrauterine device at 14.7%, miro-progestin pills at 13.5%, tubal ligation at 1 .4% and condoms at 1%. The regular follow-up rate was 51.1% of cases and 25.6% had no follow-up. Conclusion: The overall rate of postpartum family planning of 17.08% remains low. Improving FP staff skills will reduce unmet needs and contribute to increasing contraceptive prevalence in Timbuktu.

Study of Factors Associated with Maternal Deaths at Timbuktu Hospital in Mali

Introduction: Despite progress in universal health coverage, maternal mortality remains a concern for developing countries, including Mali. The problem is not due only to a lack of health services but to a combination of factors that need to be identified to give hope to women of childbearing age. Objective: Determine the factors associated with maternal mortality in the Timbuktu region of Mali. Methodology: Retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional and analytical study from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022 using a questionnaire and an interview guide to determine the factors associated with maternal mortality in the Timbuktu region of Mali. Results: A total of 112 maternal deaths were recorded between 2018 and 2022. The average age of the women who died was 26 years (standard deviation 7.6 years). The 14 – 23-year-old age group is the most affected (43.8%). 66.1% of women came from rural areas. Illiteracy (77.7%), lack of ANC (54.5%), distance of households from health facilities (76%) and insecurity (52.7%) have been identified as factors contributing to maternal mortality. Conclusion: This study reported a high prevalence of maternal mortality rates that may be associated with women’s socioeconomic conditions. Actions must be developed to integrate CPN into an advanced strategy for women living in rural areas in Mali.