Prevalence and Sensitization and Intestinal Parasitic Infestation of Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis in School Children of Kinshasa

Background: There is no study that estimates the prevalence of vernal keratoconjunctivitis and the association between vernal keratoconjunctivitis and intestinal parasitic infestation in our setting. Purpose: This study aimed to estimate the vernal keratoconjunctivitis prevalence, describe the profile of sensitization and determine the association between vernal keratoconjunctivitis disease and intestinal parasitic infestation in school children of Kinshasa during the scholar year from 2022 to 2023. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was performed from September 2022 to June 2023. The children with vernal keratoconjunctivitis were recruited by using the four-stage probability sampling technique. Children attending in the school children of Kinshasa with vernal keratoconjunctivitis were enrolled in the classroom and underwent a clinical examination and skin prick test for 11 allergens and stool examination direct with microscope in the Laboratory. Data were entered in Microsoft Sheets using SPSS version 20.0. The Chi-square test was used to compare the sex, age groups, home environment (grow trees and/or flowers around the yard), dampness in the house, keeping pets (cat and/or dog), number of people per household, number of people sharing a bedroom and intestinal parasitic infestation. The significant level was set to a value of p Results: A total of 28,800 students from four-stage probabilist sampling technique in school of Kinshasa were included, and 2100 students had symptoms according to the vernal keratoconjunctivitis-related symptom questionnaire. Children with vernal keratoconjunctivitis were enrolled and the mean age ± standard was 7.2 ± 3.7 years, with a prevalence of 7.2% and gender was three boys for one girl. All vernal keratoconjunctivitis children recruited in urban and rural part had 33.1% positive skin prick test (SPT) and 67.9% showed polysensitization. Children an urban part was more sensitized than rural respectively with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus 28.1% vs 28.9%, p = 0.00001, Blomia tropicalis. 15.9% vs 14.9%, p = 0.00001 and cockroach 12% vs 13%, p = 0.00001 in both parts. Vernal keratoconjunctivitis children in rural part were more affected to the intestinal parasite than urban with Ascaris lumbricoides 14% vs 18.3%, p = 0.0006, followed by Ancylostoma duodenale 9.5% vs 12.5%, p = 0.003, Anguillule 7.9% vs 10.1%, p = 0.001, Oxyure 5.7% vs 8.2%, p = 0.0001 and Trichuris trichiura 2.6% vs 3.3%, p = 0.0009. Conclusion: This study outlines that the prevalence of vernal keratoconjunctivitis was 7.2% and 33.1% of children attending for vernal keratoconjunctivitis in school children had a positive skin prick test to at least one allergen, in particular for Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Blomia tropicalis and cockroach. The most common intestinal parasitic infestation was Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodenale, Anguillule and Trichuris trichiura.

Serum Lipase in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in Kinshasa—A Hospital Based Study

Context: The increase of serum lipase is established for pancreatic and bile duct disorders. However, the production of this enzyme by other organs, including the lungs, leads to the question of its potential role in the diagnosis of other conditions including lung diseases. Objective: The aim of the present study was to describe the profile of serum lipase in patients who suffered from the pulmonary tuberculosis and to identify its determinants. Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was performed from July to October 2013 in four hospitals of Kinshasa (The University Hospital of Kinshasa, Lisanga medical Center and 2 medical centers of Save Army). Patients who suffered from tuberculosis were included. The levels of serum lipase, triglyceridemia, cholesterolemia, c-reactive protein were noted, as so as the hemogram profile and the prescribed treatment (category and phase). Results: One hundred and twenty-eight patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis were included. Forty three women (33.6%) and 85 men (66.4%). The sex ratio M/F was 1:9. Hyperlipasemia was observed in 44.5% of patients. The average level of serum lipase was 36.6 ± 5.0 IU/L (normal value: ≤ 38 IU/L) in tuberculosis patients and 30 ± 2.3 IU/L in controls The lipid profile of the patients was normal. Conclusion: L Hyperlipasemia can be encountered, in varying proportions, during pulmonary tuberculosis. It would be an indication of inflammation of the pulmonary parenchyma.

Serum Vitamin D Levels of Children with Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis and Normal in Kinshasa

Background: Data on the serum vitamin D3 levels of vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) children are not known well in Central Africa. Children with vernal keratoconjunctivitis are less exposed to sunlight. There is no study that shows the breadth of the serum vitamin D3 levels of vernal keratoconjunctivitis children and normal in our setting. Purpose: This study aimed to compare the serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D3] levels of children with and without VKC. Methods: An observational, case-control study was performed from September 2019 to February 2020 in the Ophthalmology Department and the Clinical Biology Department of the University Hospital of Kinshasa. The case group was recruited consecutively in the consultation while the control group was enrolled in the nearest Rehoboth school complex using a systematic sample method (k = 4) on the presence register. Both cases and controls underwent the routine ophthalmological examination of the anterior segment and serum vitamin D3 levels were measured in both cases and controls using Mindray Chimic-Luminescence (CL)-1200i. Data were entered in Microsoft Sheets and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. The Mann-Whitney-U test (M-U), and the t-Student test were used respectively to compare the mean serum vitamin D3 levels in both cases and controls. The correlation of Spearman (rho) was used to determine the association between Body Mass Index and serum vitamin D3 levels in the case group. Results: A total of 75 children with VKC (mean age 7.8 ± 4.4 years) and 75 children without VKC non-atopic control group (mean age 7.9 ± 4.3 years) were enrolled in this study. The vitamin D3 deficiency was more frequent among the case group than in the control group (40% vs 8%, p = 0.0001). Vitamin D3 insufficiency was more frequent in the case group than in the control group (33.3% vs 18.6%, p = 0.04). The mean serum vitamin 25(OH)D3 levels were statistically lower in children with VKC compared to those without (25.5 ± 8.7 ng/ml and 44.3 ± 18.5 ng/ml, p = 0.0001). Time spent outdoors during daylight by children with VKC was statistically lower than children without VKC (1.59 ± 0.71 hours and 2.28 ± 1.08 hours, respectively) (p = 0.0001). Body Mass Index and serum vitamin D3 levels in VKC children showed a negative correlation statistically significant (Spearman, rho = -0.452, p = 0.0001). Conclusion: This study showed statistically values of serum vitamin D3 levels in VKC children lower than in children without VKC.