Prevalence and Factors Associated with Hepatic Steatosis in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome in Cameroon: Cases of 4 Reference Hospitals

Introduction: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide and its prevalence increases with that of metabolic syndrome and its components. NAFLD is associated with complications such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Diagnosis is mainly based on liver biopsy, but there are validated non-invasive methods. The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of metabolic steatopathy in patients with metabolic syndrome in Cameroon. Methods: This was a cross-sectional and analytical study conducted over a 6-month period from January 1st, 2019, to August 31st, 2022. Included were patients with metabolic syndrome who had consulted in endocrinology or gastroenterology at Yaoundé Central Hospital, Douala General Hospital and Douala Gyneco-obstetric and Pediatric Hospital. The diagnosis of NAFLD was made on abdominal ultrasound in front of a homogeneous or heterogeneous hyperechogenic aspect of the hepatic parenchyma compared to that of the right renal cortex called “brilliant liver” and fibrosis evaluated through non-invasive scores (Fib4 and NALFD Fibrosis score). Logistic regression by a uni- and multivariate analysis made it possible to search for the associated factors. Results. We included 133 patients. The female sex represented 64.7%. The mean age was 55 ± 9 years. The prevalence of NAFLD was 48.9%. At the evaluation of fibrosis was significant according to FIB-4 and NAFLD fibrosis score respectively in 6.2% and 4.6% of cases. The independently associated factors were Triglyceridemia ≤ 1.5 g/l (OR = 0.33;95% CI [0.11 - 0.95];p = 0.04) and LDL hypercholesterolemia (OR = 2.94;95% CI [1.07 - 8.11];p = 0.036). Conclusion: NAFLD was present in almost half of patients with metabolic syndrome. We had very few patients with significant fibrosis, but it needs to be further evaluated. The associated factors are hypertriglyceridemia and LDL hypercholesterolemia.

The Value of Clinical Breast Examination, Imaging, and Fine Needle Aspiration and the Challenge of Diagnosing Breast Cancer in a Low Resource Setting: A Hospital-Based Analytical Study in Yaounde

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the world, as well as in Cameroon, where it represents about 20.1% of all cancers recorded in 2020. The number of pathologists in the country is as few as seven for a population of about 26 million. The diagnostic performances of diagnostic modalities other than histology—clinical breast examination (CBE), imaging and fine needle aspiration and cytology (FNA)—in our context are not known. Study Objectives: Our objectives were to estimate the proportions of cases managed with mammography, breast ultrasound and FNA and to estimate the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of CBE, mammography, breast ultrasound and FNA;using histology as reference. Study Methodology: The study was cross-sectional and analytical, and was carried out at the Yaoundé General Hospital. It lasted twelve months, April 2015 through March 2016 and covered the period January 2010 to February 2016. Using histology as reference, we calculated measures of diagnostic accuracy for all four modalities using the statistical methods of Galen and Gambino. Results: We recruited 107 cases, 105 females (98.1%) and 02 males. We had 112 breast lumps, 106 malignant (94.6%) and 6 benign. The mean lump size was 61.1 mm. The most frequently used diagnostic tool after CBE was FNA (49.1%), while the diagnostic accuracies were 76.8%, 79.1%, 82.9%, and 82.0% for CBE, breast US, mammography and FNA. Conclusion: The four baseline diagnostic modalities for breast cancer are used sub-optimally and FNA appears to be the most commonly used in our setting after CBE. We recommend that FNA should be considered for diagnosis as appropriate but a negative result should not stop the quest for histological elimination of presence of malignancy.

Features and Patterns of Primipara Delivery in a Cameroon Semi-Rural Area: The Case of Ayos Locality

Introduction: The delivery of a primipara, a woman giving birth for the first time, is challenging and may lead to complications and influence the obstetrical future of a woman. Materials and Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional and analytical study at the maternity of the regional hospital annex of Ayos, a semi-rural locality in Cameroon, for the period between January 2012 and December 2020. The objective was to determine the frequency and the determinants of primipara delivery. Results: We recruited 440 cases. The frequency of primipara delivery was 31.8%. The ages of the participants ranged from 12 to 35 years with a mean age of 18.01 ± 3.52 years. Single women contributed to 95.5% of cases while 97.5% were unemployed. The delivery occurred at term in 90.2% and 98.4% of pregnancies were singleton. The delivery was vaginal in 91.6%, while caesarean delivery was done in 8.4% (8% emergency and 0.4% elective). The most frequent maternal complications were genital tract tears (15.7%), post-partum hemorrhage (12.5%) and endometritis (2.7%). The birth weight of newborns ranged from 1070 to 4500 g with a mean of 3024.5 ± 511.4 g. The single marital status, a gestational age between 37 and 42 weeks and a birth weight between 1500 g and 2499 g were significantly associated with vaginal delivery. Conclusion: The frequency of primiparous delivery was relatively high (31.8%) in the Ayos semi-rural health district of Cameroon. Major complications associated with delivery included genital tract tears, post-partum hemorrhage, cesarean section and neo-natal infection.

Clinical Profile and Outcome of Pediatric Acute Kidney Injury in Cameroon: Comparison between an Urban and a Semi-Urban Health Facility

Introduction: Pediatric Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) seems to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Subsahara Africa. However, data on its epidemiology are scare and mainly originate from tertiary and urban health facilities such as large university Teaching hospitals with a nephrology service. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the epidemiology of pediatric AKI in urban and semi-urban health facility. Patients and method: We conducted a retrospective study of 16 months in a tertiary urban hospital (General Hospital of Douala) and a secondary semi-urban health facility (Region hospital of Buea). Diagnostic of AKI was done using usual criteria. Age, sex distribution, etiologies of AKI, access to dialysis, renal recovery at hospital discharge, at 1 and 3 months and patient survival at hospital discharge was compared. Results: A total of 31 patients were included (GD 17 and RHB 14). Boys were more prevalent in the semi-urban setting (86% Vs 47% p = 0.029). Median age was comparable in the both group although most semi-rural patient were older (6.5 Vs 10 years p = 0.093). Hospital acquired AKI was only found in urban setting and account for 40% of pediatric urban AKI. Malaria related AKI (mainly black water fever) and sepsis were the main etiologies of AKI in urban and semi-urban milieu. Dialysis access was the same but 30% of children could not access to it in urban setting compare to none in semi-urban area. Reasons of non-access to dialysis were lack of pediatric material and financial constraints. In Hospital mortality was the same but was more severe amount patient who could not receive dialysis. Among the survivor, CKD was only found in urban setting. Conclusion: Although mainly due to malaria, pediatric AKI differs from urban tertiary and semi-urban secondary health facility in Cameroon. Hospital acquired AKI is only found in urban setting where children are younger and less boys. AKI in urban setting seems to be more severe with less access to dialysis and more risks of CKD.

Mother to Child Transmission of HIV after Option B+ in Low Income Environment

Background: In Cameroon, the prevalence of HIV in pregnant women was 7.8% in 2012, and they were 8500 HIV positive newborns in 2013. Option B+ is the first highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) preventive protocol. The objective was to evaluate the rate of HIV transmission on children born from mothers who were on Option B+ during pregnancy, in three university teaching hospitals of the University of Yaoundé I. Methods: It was a retrospective, cross-sectional study over a period of four years (2013-2017). We included HIV positive mothers not on previous antiretroviral treatment and who received a single tablet daily of combined tenofovir (300 mg) + Lamivudine (300 mg) + Efavirenz (600 mg) started at any time during pregnancy. Newborn received nevirapine syrup according to WHO option B+ protocol. Results: 179 women were included. The average age was 33.5 ± 2.92 years, all ages were represented. Blood donation was the most frequent HIV positive screening opportunity, voluntary testing rate was 29% (29/179), and adherence rate was 98.9%. Few male partners were involved (58/179). Premature deliveries and low birth weight were rare (5/179;10/179)), the indication of mode of delivery was strictly obstetrical, newborn feeding choice didn’t affect the transmission outcome, and the mother to child transmission rate was 2.2% (4/179). Conclusion: Option B+ could achieve the lowest mother to child transmission ever in Cameroon and should be generalized in high endemicity low resources settings.

Per-Partum Anaemia and Missed Post-Partum Haemorrhage in Low Resources Settings

Background: Post-partum haemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death throughout the world, and anaemia is one of its indirect causes. Anaemia during labour increases the risk of PPH and may lead to maternal mortality even after moderate PPH. Undiagnosed PPH and post-partum anaemia increases the risk of late maternal death in the community. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of anaemia on admission for labour, the occult early post-partum haemorrhage and the magnitude of post-partum anaemia in a low resource setting. Methods: This was a longitudinal study. We included pregnant women in labour. Haemoglobin concentration was measured on admission (H0), then 24 hours (H24) and 48 (H48) hours later. The post-partum blood loss was estimated by delta haemoglobin, using the criteria of M. Driessen et al. Results: We recruited 245 pregnant women. The mean age was 27.0 ± 6.0 years. The mean hemoglobin concentration was 11.7 ± 1.9 g/dl, the frequency of anaemia was 30.6% and was related to ethnicity (P = 0.042) gestational age (p < 0.001) marital status (p = 0.014) and the inter pregnancy time space (p = 0.001). Twenty-two-point two percent had post-partum haemorrhage among which 40% were undiagnosed. The mean blood loss was 375 ml and post-partum anaemia rate was 44.5%. Conclusion: Anaemia on admission was related to socio-demographic characteristics. The frequencies of anaemia during labour, missed PPH and undiagnosed post-partum anaemia were high. Haemoglobin concentration on admission for labour and after delivery, reliable method to assess PPH should be mandatory, to better identify per and post-partum anemia, and the management of PPH, in low income environments.