Complications de l' epaule de l'hemiplegique vasculaire : prevalence et facteurs associes au sein d 'une population de cerebroleses vasculaires au Chu d'Abidjan (Cote D'ivoire)

Objectif Evaluer la fréquence des complications de l'épaule de l'hémiplégique vasculaire et identifier les facteurs associés à ces complications Méthodes C'est une étude prospective réalisée entre Juin et Octobre 2005 au Centre hospitalo-universitaire de Cocody (Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire). Elle concerne des patients admis en consultation de rééducation fonctionnelle (RF) ou en hospitalisation de neurologie.Résultats Cinquante patients âgés en moyenne de 56,6 ± 13,4 ans (extrêmes de 29 et 85 ans) avec un sexe ratio de 1,17 en faveur des femmes, recrutés le plus souvent en RF (60%) ont été inclus dans cette étude. Ils avaient un accident vasculaire cérébral (AVC) principalement ischémique (72%), qui évoluait en moyenne depuis 11,3 ± 12,9 semaines. Parmi eux 28 (56%) avaient une complication de l'épaule qui était : une douleur (DL, n=25), un syndrome épaule-main (SEM, n=10) ou une subluxation (SUB, n=18). Ces complications étaient associées dans 46,4% des cas. Ces patients étaient plus âgés, avaient un AVC plus ancien, un index moteur du membre supérieur plus faible mais un niveau d'autonomie globale semblable à celui des patients sans complications. Ni l'âge, ni la durée d'évolution de l'AVC n'était différent selon le type de complication diagnostiqué. La fonctionnalité était associé à la SUB (dans 72,2% des SUB le Frenchay arm test était égal à 0 vs 37,5% chez les patients sans SUB p=0,02) tandis que le tonus des adducteurs du bras était associé à la DL (dans 40% des DL le tonus des adducteurs était égal à 1 vs 84% chez les patients ne présentant pas de DL p=0,006).Conclusion L'épaule douloureuse de l'hémiplégique est donc une complication fréquemment retrouvée dans notre étude. Des études ultérieures seront utiles pour conforter la fréquence de ces complications, l'impact des différents facteurs qui semblent s'y associer et analyser les possibilités de prise en charge tant curative que préventive dans notre milieu

[Topography of ischemic strokes in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire): a computed tomographic approach]. / Approche tomodensitométrique des accidents vasculaires cérébraux ischémiques à Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire).

OBJECTIVE: The authors used computed tomography (CT) to assess and categorize the topography of ischemic strokes (IS) among blacks living in Abidjan, the commercial and administrative center of Côte d'Ivoire, in West Africa. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed CT data of patients admitted to the Sainte Anne Marie Polyclinic (the principal private hospital in the country) and to the neurology department of the university hospital center in Cocody, from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2001. The study included patients who met World Health Organisation criteria for stroke and had CT performed during the hospitalization for this stroke. We examined CT data to find early and late signs of IS, analyze lesion diameter (15 mm cutoff used to distinguish infarcts from lacuna), and determine their topography (cerebral arterial territory and localization, that is, brain lobes, basal ganglia and posterior cerebral fossa). RESULTS: We included 260 subjects (58% males) with a median age of 45 years (range: 20-80 years). CT findings were abnormal for 224 patients with infarcts (72.7%), lacuna (27.3%), or both (8%). As reported elsewhere, the anterior arterial territory was most often affected (83.9%) with a middle cerebral artery lesion in 79.4% of patients. Posterior territory (16.1%) lesions and lacuna were probably underestimated because CT exploration is reported to be less useful for this area than for the carotid area. On the other hand, CT diagnoses infarcts more easily than it does lacuna. CT was normal for 36 patients although performed no more than 3 days after IS. These patients did not undergo CT angiography, which might have shown cerebral artery occlusion. CONCLUSION: Our study included IS of all types and typography. Stroke registries in Africa would provide useful data for better assessment of prevalence for specific topographic and etiologic types of stroke.

[Tuberculosis and stroke: case report and literature review]. / Tuberculose et accident vasculaire cérébral: un cas et revue de la littérature.

UNLABELLED: Tuberculosis remains a public health problem in Côte-d'Ivoire, a sub-saharan region country, where infection with a prevalence of 2-10% increase tuberculosis incidence assesed to 290 per 100,000 habitants. Authors report a case of a ischemic stroke (IS) and unknown HIV and tuberculosis infection; discuss these infections responsibility in the occurrence of this IS and past neurological signs. The patient presented with a left hemiparesis without infectious sign nor drowsiness. Medical history noticed a weight loss and two months ago a completely regressive tetraparesia. CT cerebral scan didn't found other sign than a IS located in the right middle cerebral artery territory as describe in the literature. The cerebrospinal fluid (CS) blood cell count was high and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT) was found at direct exam. Positive HIV blood serology and MT where noticed at direct spit smears without chest radiograph lesion. After MT six month treatment progresses was good with no MT in CS and spit smears. Because of financial problems HIV treatment was unitialized at this time and MT was prolonged to 12 months. Literature point out different forms sometimes associated of intracranial tuberculosis (meningitis, hydrocephalus, tuberculoma, milliary, abscess, empyema). MT at direct exam was scarce, in spite of news biological methods MT diagnosis can be difficult and need a biopsy or a test treatment. Arachnoid's enhancement is frequent but MT can be misdiagnosed by CT scan which is sometimes less efficient than IRM. CONCLUSION: This case argue that tuberculosis may be evocated as a stroke aetiology especially in presence of HIV infection even if some cardiovascular risk factors are present.

[Causes of encephalopathy: descriptive study at Abidjan (Cote-d'Ivoire)]. / Etiologies des encéphalopathies: étude descriptive à Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire).

OBJECTIVE: Assess the etiology and course of cases of encephalopathy seen in the neurology department of the Cocody University Hospital in Abidjan (Côte-d'Ivoire), a city of more than three million inhabitants. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patients admitted to the hospital neurology unit from 1 December, 1998, through 31 December, 2000; with a lesion of the brain, brainstem, cerebellum or meninges. Lesions were either confirmed by computed tomography or clinically obvious; MRI was unavailable. RESULTS: Overall, 1011 subjects met the inclusion criteria: 58% were male; their median age was 45 years (range: 1 to 93 years); more than 40% were not working, and 92% had a medical history. The etiology was vascular (445), infectious (380) or undetermined (125); rare cases were degenerative (5) or traumatic (4). Of 35 cases of metabolic encephalopathy, half were associated with another etiology. Pathological confirmation of cerebral tumors (22) was unavailable. All cases of toxic encephalopathy (11) involved adults and alcohol. Global lethality was 26% and did not differ significantly according to whether or not the etiology was identified (26% vs 28.8%). Another 13% were lost to follow-up (left without discharge), and 61% patients recovered and were discharged after a median hospitalization of 12.5 days. CONCLUSION: The proportion of cases with an undetermined etiology is worrisome. Better knowledge would be useful to develop indicators to evaluate improvements in the medical management of these diseases.