Brachial circumference as an alternative to body mass index for the detection of in-hospital undernutrition in a referal hospital, Cameroon.

The prevalence of undernutrition in hospitals in Africa is estimated at about 57 %. Simple anthropometric methods are available to detect it, including measurement of the brachial circumference (BC) and the body mass index (BMI). The aim of this study was to identify a threshold value that might make it possible to diagnose undernutrition in hospitals. It was a cross sectional study carried out at Douala General Hospital - Cameroon over a five months period. The measurements studied were: BMI, BC and percentage of weight loss. The Pearson test was used to compare the quantitative variables. The Receiving Operating Characteristic curve enabled us to determine a threshold value of the BC according to BMI. The study included 333 patients, with a mean age of 45 ± 16 years (range : 18-86). BMI and BC were strongly correlated; BC =11.69 + 0.68(BMI), with r2 = 0.65 (P < 0.01)). The threshold value of BC retained to detect undernutrition was 27 cm. The prevalence of undernutrition at the Douala General Hospital varies according to the anthropometric parameter used. At a BC threshold of 27 cm, the prevalence of undenutrition in our population was 24,3%.

[Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C viruses, HIV-1/2 and syphilis among blood donors in the Yaoundé Central Hospital in the centre region of Cameroon]. / Séroprévalence des virus des hépatites B et C, du VIH-1/2 et de la syphilis chez les donneurs de sang de l'hôpital central de Yaoundé, région du centre, Cameroun.

OBJECTIVES: Prevention of blood transfusion-transmitted infections includes blood donor screening and effective infectious markers screening for donated blood. This study had two main objectives: to determine seroprevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV and syphilis in blood donors of the Yaoundé Central Hospital and to study sociodemographic factors of blood donors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of consecutive blood donors' records from January to December 2013 was conducted. Seroprevalence of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency viruses and syphilis were determined in 9024 whole blood donations collected in the Yaoundé Central Hospital in the centre region, Cameroon using Elisa kits. RESULTS: Mean age of donors was 28 years. The male to female ratio was 14.8. Most of blood donors were replacement donors (97.2%) and first-time donors (76.8%). Up to 19.3% of the donors tested positive for at least one infectious agent, in which 0.1% presented a positive test for three viruses (HIV, HCV and HBV). The overall seroprevalence in blood donors was 12.6% for HBsAg, 3.2% for hepatitis C antibody, 3.3% for HIV-1/2 antibodies and 0.2% for syphilis. The prevalence of HBsAg was significantly higher in men (P=0.001), among first-time donors (P=0.003), in blood group A (P=0.01) and those with the rhesus positive blood (P=0.01). The prevalence of anti-HCV was significantly higher among first-time donors (P=0.05). The prevalence of anti-HIV was significantly higher in first-time donors (3.7% vs 2.2%, P=0.02). CONCLUSION: First-time blood donors and replacement donors are the two types of donors in Cameroon. Replacement donors are considered as having a major risk of transmission of infections to recipients. The seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis among these donors is high and reflects how much these agents are present in Cameroon. Effective infectious markers screening and organization of blood donors into an association of volunteer's donors are necessary to secure blood transfusion in Cameroon.

[Risk factors associated with gastroduodenal lesions in a Douala referral hospital (Cameroon)]. / Facteurs de risques associés aux lésions gastroduodénales dans un hôpital de référence à Douala (Cameroun).

INTRODUCTION: The causes of gastroduodenal lesions are multifactorial, and few studies have assessed the impact of each of these factors in Africa. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with the occurrence of gastroduodenal lesions in Cameroon. METHOD: This prospective, analytical study took place over a 5-month period in the endoscopy unit of the Douala General Hospital. Lifestyle, medical history, demographic, and clinical variables were collected. Infection with Helicobacter pylori was determined with a rapid urease (CLO) test. Multivariate regression was used to determine risk factors. RESULTS: The study included 234 of 265 patients seen in the department over the study period. Gastroscopy was normal for 54.2% of the subjects. The prevalence of peptic ulcers was 17.1% and of inflammatory lesions 26.4%. Risk factors associated with a gastroduodenal lesion were: age greater than 60 years [OR age = 2.953; 95% CI: 1.399 to 6.231; p = 0.004], H. pylori infection [OR = 2.953; 95% CI: 1.399 to 6.231; p = 0.003] and regular NSAID use [OR = 0.912; 95% CI: 0.112 to 2.733; p = 0.044] either a month before the examination or over the long term. CONCLUSION: Age greater than 60 years, NSAID consumption, and H. pylori infection are associated with the occurrence of gastroduodenal lesions.