Treatment outcomes and factors associated with unfavourable outcome among previously treated tuberculosis patients with isoniazid resistance in four regions of Cameroon.

INTRODUCTION: it is unclear what the optimal treatment regimen for previously treated patients with rifampicin-susceptible isoniazid resistant tuberculosis should be. Conflicting evidence exists as to the effectiveness of the WHO standardized category II regimen in these patients. The objectives were to compare treatment outcomes between previously treated rifampicin-susceptible pulmonary tuberculosis patients with and without isoniazid resistance using the category II regimen and determine factors associated with an unfavourable outcome in those with isoniazid resistance in four regions of Cameroon. METHODS: we conducted a retrospective review of all bacteriologically confirmed previously treated rifampicin-susceptible patients with and without isoniazid resistance registered in four regions of Cameroon from January 2012 to March 2015. RESULTS: a total of 753 patients with a mean age of 38 ± 12 years including 498(66%) males were registered. Forty seven of the 753 had isoniazid-resistant TB, giving a prevalence of 6.2% (95% CI: 4.7-8.2). Treatment outcomes could only be ascertained for 733 patients as 20 (2.7%) were transferred out to other regions. Twenty-nine percent of patients with isoniazid resistance as against 21% of isoniazid susceptible patients had an unfavourable outcome (p = 0.32). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, only HIV infection was significantly associated with an unfavourable outcome in isoniazid-resistant patients (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: treatment outcomes using WHO category II regimen in previously treated rifampicin -susceptible pulmonary tuberculosis patients with and without isoniazid resistance in four regions of Cameroon are similar. HIV infection is an independent risk factor for an unfavourable outcome in patients with rifampicin-susceptible isoniazid-resistant disease treated with this regimen.

Validation of Pediatric Weight Estimation Formulae in a Suburban Cameroonian Population: A Cross-sectional Study.

We assessed the accuracy of the Nelson, Best Guess and Advanced Pediatric Life Support (APLS) formulae in estimating weight in a suburban Cameroonian pediatric population, by conducting a cross-sectional study using 544 children aged 1 month to 12 years. Agreement between measured and estimated weight was poor for Nelson [concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) 0.89 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87-0.90)] and Best Guess [CCC 0.88 (95% CI 0.86-0.90)] formulae, and moderate for the APLS formula [CCC 0.92 (95% CI 0.90-0.93)]. On Bland-Altman analysis, all three methods had limits of agreement (APLS -42.2 to -45.6%, Best Guess -42.7 to -55.1%, Nelson -36.4 to -42.4%) above the -10 to -10% set as criteria for clinical agreement. Conclusively, the accuracy of all three formulae was clinically unacceptable in our study population, suggesting the need for studies aimed at deriving more accurate formulae adapted for use in our context.

Risk factors of lower limb cellulitis in a level-two healthcare facility in Cameroon: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Cellulitis is a common infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissues. It is associated with significant morbidity from necrosectomies and amputations especially in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed at identifying the risk factors and burden of lower limb cellulitis to inform preventive strategies in Cameroon. METHODS: This was a hospital-based case-control study carried out in the Bamenda Regional Hospital (BRH) between September 2015 and August 2016. Cases were defined as consenting adults admitted to the surgical unit who presented with a localised area of lower limb erythema, warmth, oedema and pain, associated with fever (temperature ≥ 38 °C) and/or chills of sudden onset. Controls were adults hospitalised for diseases other than cellulitis, necrotising fasciitis, myositis, abscess or other variants of dermo-hypodermitis. Cases and controls were matched (1:2) for age and sex. RESULTS: Of the 183 participants (61 cases of cellulitis and 122 controls) included in the study, the median age was 52 years [Interquartile range (IQR): 32.5-74.5]. After controlling for potential confounders, obesity [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 4.7, 95% CI (1.5-14.7); p = 0.009], history of skin disruption [AOR = 12.4 (3.9-39.1); p < 0.001], and presence of toe-web intertrigo [AOR = 51.4 (11.7-225.6); p < 0.001] were significantly associated with cellulitis. Median hospital stay was longer (14 days [IQR: 6-28]) in cases compared to the controls (3 days [IQR: 2-7]). Among the cases, Streptococci species were the most frequent (n = 50, 82%) isolated germ followed by staphylococci species (n = 9, 15%). Patients with cellulitis were more likely to undergo necrosectomy (OR: 21.2; 95% CI: 7.6-59.2). Toe-web intertrigo had the highest (48.9%) population attributable risk for cellulitis, followed by history of disruption of skin barrier (37.8%) and obesity (20.6%). CONCLUSION: This study showed a high disease burden among patients with cellulitis. While risk factors identified are similar to prior literature, this study provides a contextual evidence-base for clinicians in this region to be more aggressive in management of these risk factors to prevent disease progression and development of cellulitis.