Tele-ECG improves diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome and ST-elevation myocardial infarction in Côte d'Ivoire.

Introduction: The emergence of cardiovascular risk factors in sub-Saharan Africa suggests an increasing incidence of acute coronary syndromes and STEMI. The aim of the study was to define the prevalence of STEMI and to describe the characteristics of patients diagnosed with STEMI within the tele-electrocardiogram (ECG) network in Côte d'Ivoire. Method: A retrospective study was conducted from January 2015 to August 2019. All adult patients managed by one of the six hospitals within the telemedicine network who benefited from a remote interpretation of their ECG by the cardiology department of Bouaké University Hospital were included. The main reason for ECG interpretation, patient and ECG characteristics, diagnosis, response time and treatment were described. Results: A total of 5649 patients were included. The prevalence of STEMI was 0.7% (n = 44 cases) with a mean age of 58.6 ± 11.8 years and a M/F sex ratio of 1.93. Among STEMI patients, chest pain was the main reason for ECG testing (56.8%). Most ECGs were interpreted within 12 hours (72.8%). The anterior inter-ventricular artery location (59.1%, n = 26) was predominant. The Q wave of necrosis was absent in 18% (n = 8) of cases. All patients received double anti-platelet aggregation and 50% (n = 22) additional heparin therapy. No patient underwent primary angioplasty or thrombolysis, 65.9% (n = 29) were referred to the Bouaké Cardiology Department and 34.1% (n = 15) to the Abidjan Heart Institute. Scheduled angioplasty was performed in 20% (n = 3) of patients in Abidjan. Conclusion: Tele-ECG was an effective means of STEMI screening in Côte d'Ivoire. Systematic telethrombolysis of all patients diagnosed could improve their prognosis.

[Acute heart failure with altered ejection fraction : Electrocardiographic signs with mortality at the Abidjan cardiology institute]. / Insuffisance cardiaque aiguë à fraction d'éjection altérée : signes électrocardiographiques associés à la mortalité à l'institut de cardiologie d'Abidjan.

INTRODUCTION: Heart failure with impaired ejection fraction (HFIEF) represents the end-stage of most cardiac diseases, and is responsible for a high mortality rate. In order to identify patients at risk, numerous clinical and paraclinical prognostic factors have been proposed. The electrocardiogram (ECG), easy to perform and inexpensive, retains a powerful role in the prognostic evaluation of heart failure patients. The aim was to evaluate ECG signs associated with mortality in a retrospective cohort of patients with ICFEA. METHODOLOGY: The study was observational and analytical based on retrospective data collected from patients benefiting from a primary hospitalization for ICFEA at the Abidjan Heart Institute from January 2018 to July 2020. RESULTS: Of the 370 patients included, 197 had died by August 1, 2020, representing an overall mortality of 53%. Mortality progressed gradually up to one year, then remained unchanged up to 30 months. In multivariate Cox regression including ECG variables only, the presence of intra-ventricular conduction disorders (OR: 1.80; 95% CI [1.01-3.25]), microvoltage (OR: 1.82; 95% CI [1.05-16]), and pathological Q waves (OR: 1.70; 95% CI [1.02-2.83]), were significantly associated with overall mortality. When ECG variables and clinical, paraclinical and therapeutic demographic variables were included, only the presence of pathological Q waves (OR:1.74; 95% CI [1.01-3.01]) persisted as a risk factor for mortality. Hypertension and treatment of heart failure, in particular ACEI/ARII, beta-blockers and ARM, were protective factors. The presence of Q waves was associated with a significant reduction in survival, based on curves obtained using the Kaplan-Meier model. CONCLUSION: ICFEA is responsible for high mortality, mainly in the year following the 1st hospitalization for cardiac decompensation. The presence of pathological Q waves is the only electrocardiographic sign that remains statistically associated with a poor prognosis, after adjustment.

Post discharge management of heart failure patients: clinical findings at the first medical visit in a single-center study.

BACKGROUND: The Post Discharge Management of patients with heart failure impact significantly their incomes. This study aims to analyze the clinical findings and management at the first medical visit of these patients in our context. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study on consecutive files of patients hospitalized for heart failure from January to December 2018 in our Department. We analyse data from the first post discharge medical visit including medical visit time, clinical conditions and management. RESULTS: Three hundred and eight patients (mean age: 53.4 ± 17.0 years, 60% males) were hospitalized on median duration of 4 days [1-22 days]. One hundred and fifty-three patients (49,67%) were presented at the first medical visit after 66.53 days[0.06-369] on average, 10 (3.24%) patients died before this first medical visit and 145 (47.07%) had been lost to follow-up. The re-hospitalization and treatment non-compliance rates were 9.4% and 3.6%, respectively. Male gender (p = 0.048), renal failure (p = 0.010), and Vitamin K antagonist (VKA) /direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) (p = 0.049) were the main lost to follow-up factors in univariate analysis without statistic signification in multivariate analysis. Hyponatremia (OR = 2.339; CI 95% = 0.908-6.027; p = 0.020) and atrial fibrillation (OR = 2.673; CI 95% = 1.321-5.408; p = 0.012) were the major mortality factors. CONCLUSION: The management of patients with heart failure after discharge from hospital seems to be insufficient and inadequate. A specialized unit is required to optimize this management.

[Pulmonary embolism and complete atrioventricular block]. / Embolie pulmonaire et bloc auriculoventriculaire complet.

Complete atrioventricular block is a rare complication of pulmonary embolism. We describe the case of a black African patient, aged 42 years, who presented to the emergency department of Abidjan Heart Institute for sudden onset dyspnea and hemoptysis. ECG revealed a third degree atrioventricular block. Computed tomographic angiography showed proximal pulmonary embolism of the right main pulmonary artery. To our knowledge, this is the first case of complete atrioventricular block in pulmonary embolism in Sub-Saharan Africa. In case of pulmonary embolism, clinical and electrocardiographic monitoring is necessary in order to identify this uncommon and potentially serious outcome.

[Presumption of sleep apnea in a black African hypertensive population: Importance of the Epworth sleepiness scale in the diagnostic approach]. / Présomption d'apnées du sommeil dans une population d'hypertendus Noirs africains : intérêt de l'échelle de somnolence diurne d'Epworth dans l'approche diagnostique.

INTRODUCTION: Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is very little described in the hypertensive black African. PURPOSE: To screen sleep apnea syndrome using the rating scale of Epworth daytime sleepiness, and to investigate the determinant factors and to infer therapeutic consequences. METHOD: This is a retrospective and prospective study with descriptive and analytical purpose that focused on 200 hypertensive outpatients of the Cardiology Institute of Abidjan. The primary endpoint studied was the SAS. The diagnostic approach of SAS was performed using the rating scale of Epworth daytime sleepiness. RESULTS: The prevalence of sleep apnea was 45%. The average age of sleep apnea carriers was 56.1 years, with a male predominance (60%). The determinant factors of sleep apnea syndrome were male gender (60% versus 40%, P=0.021), obesity (77.8% versus 62.7%, P<0.0001), diabetes (26.7% versus 15.5%, P=0.5) and dyslipidemia (54.4% versus 27.3%, P=0.0009). Life in urban areas, occupation and smoking were not correlated with SAS in our series. The control of hypertension was better in non-apneic patients compared to apneic patients (63.6% versus 38.9%, P=0.04). The visceral impact of hypertension in apneic patients was highly significant (77.8% versus 41.7%, P=0.014). Therapeutically, it was noted the preferential prescription of combination therapy in apneic patients compared to non-apneic patients (82.3% versus 74.4%).

[Peripheral arterial disease of the lower limbs in African diabetic patients: ultrasonography and determining factors]. / Artériopathie des membres inférieurs du diabétique noir africain: aspects ultrasoniques et facteurs déterminants.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) of the lower limbs is underdiagnosed. METHODOLOGY: This was a prospective study conducted over a six-month period from November 2012 to April 2013. A total of 308 diabetic patients were included from three diabetes centers in Abidjan (Ivory Coast). AIM: To screen for PAD of the lower limbs in a diabetic population and to identify the determining factors. RESULTS: Among the 308 patients, the ankle-brachial index (ABI) was<0.9 in 68 (22.07%) patients considered to have PAD; the ABI was>1.3 in 56 (18.2%) patients who had suspected mediacalcosis. The average age of the PAD patients was 60.2 years. Female gender predominated (55.9%). The mean duration of diabetes was 9.6 years: 97.1% type 2 diabetes. The other cardiovascular risk factors in this population were hypertension (58.8%) and dyslipidemia (40.9%). Smoking was present in 29.4% of patients and obesity in 23.9%. PAD of the lower limbs was mild in 46 patients (67.6%), moderate in 16 (23.5%) and severe in 6 (8.8%). Duplex Doppler commonly showed lesions of the tibial arteries. Determining factors of diabetic PAD of the lower limbs were hypertension (58.8% vs 36.6%; OR=2.46; 95% CI: 1.13-5.36; P=0.034) and dyslipidemia (40.9% vs 8.3%; OR=7.6; 95% CI: 2.31-25.08; P=0.0009). For mediacalcosis, male gender (71.5% vs 39.7; OR=0.26 95% CI/0.10-0.64. P=0.004) was the only factor identified. CONCLUSION: Hypertension and dyslipidemia were predictive factors for diabetic PAD of the lower limbs in our African population.

[Pulse pressure monitoring in hypertensive black Africans]. / Intérêt du suivi de la pression pulsée chez l'hypertendu noir Africain

AIM: A pulse pressure above 60 mmHg in hypertensive subjects is an independent cardiovascular risk factor. There are few data on pulse pressure in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to describe the pulse pressure in black Africans with arterial hypertension. METHODS: A 10-year study was carried out on 640 hypertensive sub-Saharan African subjects at the outpatient department of the Abidjan Heart Institute. The primary endpoint was to determine the prevalence of a high pulse pressure, the correlation between pulse pressure and cardiovascular risk factors, the impact of pulse pressure on target organs, and the variation in pulse pressure while on treatment during follow up. Evaluations were made at the start of the study, and in the first, third, sixth and twelfth months of follow up. The mean age was 56.2 years and 56% were female. RESULTS: The prevalence of a high pulse pressure in our patients was 60% at the start of the study. The factors contributing to a high pulse pressure were age over 50 years (75.3 vs 24.7%, p < 0001), gender (60 vs 40%, p = 0.02), and diabetes (76.7 vs 23.3%, p = 0.0006). Smoking, obesity and dyslipidaemia were not related to an elevation in pulse pressure. The control of pulse pressure was poor during monitoring. Only 17.8% of patients had their pulse pressure lowered below 60 mmHg between the first and fifth consultations. A high pulse pressure was a predictor of future myocardial complications but few target organs were significantly affected. Dual therapy with a diuretic was more effective in controlling the pulse pressure, with a reduction rate of 22% during follow up (19.2 mmHg), against a rate reduction of 11% (8.4 mmHg) in patients without a dual diuretic. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of pulse pressure above 60 mmHg was higher in hypertensive black Africans. Their control was poor, but dual therapy with a diuretic was more effective. Myocardial consequences were significant.

Management of hypertension in the elderly patient at abidjan cardiology institute (ivory coast).

Background. Since the treatment of hypertension is beneficial for the elderly, we have undertaken this study that aims to evaluate the management of hypertension in elderly patient in Côte d'Ivoire. Methods. A retrospective study was conducted among 854 hypertensive elderly patients of Abidjan Cardiology Institute who were followed for a minimum of one year, between January 2000 and December 2009. Results. The patients mean age was 73.1 ± 5.3 years, and 59% were women. At the first presentation, it was mostly systolic-diastolic hypertension (51.8%) and isolated systolic hypertension (38.5%). Mean blood pressure was 169.4 ± 28.4 mmHg for systolic, 95.3 ± 15.7 mmHg for diastolic, and 74.1 ± 22.8 mmHg for pulse pressure. Pulse pressure was ≥60 mmHg in 80.4%. According to the European Guidelines stratification of the cardiovascular risk-excess attributable to high blood pressure, 82.1% of the sample had a very high added risk. The pharmacological therapy was prescribed in 93.5%. More than 66% of patients were receiving ≥2 antihypertensive drugs including fixed-dose combination drugs. The most common agents used were diuretics (63.5%) followed by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers in 61.3%. The most common agents used for monotherapy were calcium antagonists. When ≥2 drugs were used, diuretics and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers were the most common. Blood pressure control was achieved in 42.6%. Conclusion. The control of elderly hypertension can be effective in Sub-Saharan Africa. He required at least two antihypertensive drugs to meet the recommended blood pressure target.

[Impact of anaemia on the prognosis of myocardial infarction in black Africans]. / Impact de l'anemie sur le pronostic de l'infarctus du myocarde chez le noir Africain.

OBJECTIVE: Anaemia is increasingly being described as a negative predictor of outcome after myocardial infarction. The objective of our study was to assess the prognosis post myocardial infarction in the short and medium term in black Africans with chronic anaemia. METHODS: We carried out a comparative case-control study on 272 patients (93 anaemic and 179 non-anaemic) hospitalised for myocardial infarction at the Cardiology Institute of Abidjan. One group included 93 patients who presented with anaemia concurrent with the myocardial infarction (haemoglobin level low: 13 g/dl for males and 12 g/dl for females, respectively). The other group comprised 172 patients who presented without anaemia during the acute phase of myocardial infarction. The haemoglobin rate was measured at admission, as were the biological markers of myocardial infarction. RESULTS: The mean age was 53.5 years for the anaemic patients and 52.6 years for the non-anaemic patients. We noticed a clear male predominance in both populations (81.7 vs 78.8%; p = 0.56). The mean haemoglobin level was lower in the anaemic patients compared to that in the non-anaemic patients (10.2 vs 15 g/dl). The anaemic patients were eight times more at risk for an unfavourable outcome (complications or death) compared to the non-anaemic patients (91.4 vs 57%; OR = 8.02; 95% CI: 3.5-19.07; chi(2) = 33.74; p < 0.0001). The anaemic patients were 3.7 times more at risk for right ventricular failure (NYHA class II and III) compared to the control population (69.9 vs 38.5%; OR = 3.7; 95% CI: 08-6.60; chi(2) = 24.06; p < 0.0001) and six times more at risk for cardiogenic shock (24.7 vs 5.3%; OR = 6.21; 95% CI: 2.56-15.43; chi(2) = 22.89; p < 0.0001). The mortality rate was significantly higher in the anaemic than the non-anaemic patients (35.5 vs 12.8%; OR = 3.73; 95% CI: 1.94-7.19; chi(2) = 19.18; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Anaemia is an independent risk factor for a poor prognosis during the acute phase of myocardial infarction in black Africans.

[Unusual association of endomyocardial fibrosis and aberrant migration of Dracunculus medinensis in the pericardium]. / Association inhabituelle d'une fibrose endomyocardique et d'une impasse parasitaire péricardique de Dracunculus medinensis.

We report one case of endomyocardial fibrosis with a relapsing pericarditis, associated with an aberrant migration of Dracunculus medinensis in the pericardium, in a 22-year-old patient from an endemic zone of bilharziasis and dracunculosis in Côte d'Ivoire. The evolution has been marked by the appearance of thrombus in the right atrium. The patient died on the 49th day of hospitalization following an refractory cardiac insufficiency.

[Unusual venous thrombosis revealing a human immunodeficiency virus infection and a protein S deficiency. Two cases and literature review]. / Thromboses veineuses inhabituelles révélatrices d'une infection par le virus de l'immunodéficience humaine et d'un déficit en protéine S. A propos de deux cas et revue de la littérature.

The authors report two cases of unusual venous thrombosis associated with protein S deficiency in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The first case was a superior mesenteric vein thrombosis caused by HIV-1 infection associated with protein S deficiency in a 53-year-old patient. The second case was a cerebral venous thrombosis in a 34-year-old patient with HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections associated with protein S deficiency. None of the two patients were receiving antiretroviral therapy at the time of diagnosis. The evolution of thrombosis was favorable in both patients with heparin therapy and antivitamin K (AVK).

[Clinical and electrophysiological study of asymptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome]. / Etude clinique et électrophysiologique du syndrome de Wolff-Parkinson-White asymptomatique.

AIM: This study was designed to describe clinical characteristics and electrophysiologic in patients with asymptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. METHODS: From December 2000 to August 2005, a total of 154 patients with accessory pathway-mediated reentry mechanism underwent electrophysiologic studies at Sainte-Marguerite and Timone hospitals in Marseille. Ninety-six patients had WPW syndrome, out of which 78 were symptomatic patients and 18 were asymptomatic. The mean age was 26 years. Sex (masculine) 17. RESULTS: The incidence of intermittent arrhythmia associated with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome was lower in 2 patients (11%). There was a higher occurrence of rapid induced tachycardia in 9 patients (50%). However, atrial fibrillation occurred more commonly in 6 (33%) patients. The anterograde accessory pathway effective refractory period (APRP) in patients was much shorter (less than 250 ms [N=16]) 13 patients with accessory pathways were managed by ablation. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the difference in the electrophysiologic characteristics of anterograde accessory pathway and the atrioventricular node in asymptomatic WPW patients, and thus concluded that radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation is a safe and effective method to manage patients with asymptomatic WPW syndrome.

[Acute nontraumatic limb ischemia]. / Ischemies aigues on traumatiques des membres.

Twenty four patients (18 males, 6 females, Mean age 50 years) with acute non traumatic limb ischemia were operated on in our institution. The ischemia has been observed after 24 hours in 15 patients (62,5 % versus 7 patients (37,5 %) within 24 hours. The arterial femoral was often (54,1 %) the site of occlusion. Embolism (29,2 %) and thrombosis (54,2 % were the cause of acute limb ischemia. All patients were treated by embolectomy or thrombectomy. The overall mortality was 29,2 % with a limb salvage rate of 45,8 % and secondary amputation rate of 29,2 %. According to our experience, the diagnosis of acute non traumatic limb ischemia is not instituted early and the rate of hospital mortality and morbidity remain high.