Impact of renal failure on survival of African patients with cirrhosis.

To assess the effect of renal failure on the survival of black African patients with cirrhosis, we studied 132 (82 males, 50 females) cirrhotic black African patients with mean age of 47.5+/-14.4 years and mean follow-up period of 373+/-194 days. The edema and ascitis were the main reasons for admission to hospital. Renal failure was present in 30 (22.7%) patients, and it was positively correlated to the severity of the stage of the liver disease, and associated with severe hyponatremia. Survival at 1 year was 60.1% and 37.6% in the absence or presence of renal failure, respectively (p<0.001)). The stage of the liver disease was significantly inversely correlated with survival, which was further diminished in the presence of renal failure:23.7% versus 12.5% for Child-Pugh-Turcote (CPT) A-B in the absence or presence of renal failure, respectively (p=0.67), 30.2% versus 81.8% for CPT C in the absence or the presence of renal failure respectively (p<0.001). Hyponatremia has also appeared detrimental to survival, since mortality was 38.4% versus 81.8% in the absence or the presence of hyponatremia respectively (p<0.001). By multivariate analysis, renal failure, CPT stage C, and hyponatremia independently significantly correlated to mortality in patients with cirrhosis. We conclude that renal failure is frequently associated with decompensated cirrhosis. The presence of renal failure in this setting often results in high mortality. Renal failure that occurs in the setting of a severe liver disease and hyponatremia may be part of hepatorenal syndrome.

[Antitubercular drug treatment failure and HIV infection in Abidjan (Ivory Coast)]. / Echec du traitement antituberculeux et infection due au VIH à Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire).

A retrospective study from 1989 to 1993 was carried out on eighty patients out of 106 cases of tuberculosis treatment failure; representing 2.2% of persons with active pulmonary tuberculosis followed at the tuberculosis screening center of Abidjan. The rate of HIV seropositivity was 43.7%. At the beginning of the therapy, 80% of HIV-positive and 89% of HIV-negative had diffuse pulmonary lesions (no significant difference: P > 0.05. At the end of second month therapy, 49% of co-infected and 51% of HIV-negative patients showed bacteriological negative sputum. The treatment administered after reporting failure, led to 63% of recovery among the HIV-positive (22/35) and 62% among the HIV-negative (28/45). On the other hand, the rate of patients out of touch was high in both populations; respectively 29% of HIV infected and 31% of HIV-negative spreading the risk of contamination of neighbourhood by probably resistant bacilli.

[Clinical, endoscopic and histologic aspects of chronic Helicobacter pylori gastritis in Côte d'Ivoire: study of 102 patients]. / Aspects cliniques, endoscopiques et histologiques des gastrites chroniques à Helicobacter pylori en Côte d'Ivoire: étude de 102 patients.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the most frequent aetiological factor of chronic gastritis (CG). The relationship between H. pylori gastritis, gastro-duodenal ulcer and some gastric cancers (adenocarcinoma, gastric MALT lymphoma) has now been proven. AIM: Describe clinical, endoscopical and histological aspects of H. pylori gastritis in Côte d'Ivoire. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 1960 gastroscopy reports carry out between January 1994 and December 1995. Analysis of clinical and gastric histological results in 137 patients. FINDINGS: Among 137 patients with gastric biopsy, 102 had H. pylori gastritis (68 men, 38 women, mean age: 39.3 years) and 35 had chemical gastritis. Epigastric pain was the most frequent symptom. The mucosa was frequently erythematous or exsudative at endoscopy. Histological anomalies were located in the antrum, the fundus or generalised, respectively in 33.3%, 25.5% and 41.2% of cases. Mild atrophic CG was more frequent in various locations. Gastritis activity was present in 81.4%, intestinal metaplasia in 18.6% and follicular lymphoid hyperplasia in 36.3% of cases. CONCLUSION: Clinical and endoscopical aspects of H. pylori gastritis did not present any particularities. Fundic gastritis without antral localisation was not unusual. This situation could be the result of antibiotic and gastric acid secretion inhibitor treatments.