[Couple life and management of HIV infection in the pneumology department of the Teaching hospital center of Cocody, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire]. / Vie de couple et prise en charge de l'infection à VIH au service de pneumologie du CHU de Cocody, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Introduction: The life of a couple is a place of emotional support. It can allow the management of patients infected with HIV on antiretroviral therapy to be optimized.The objective of our study was to analyze the impact of married life on the therapeutic follow-up of patients living with HIV. Methodology: We carried out a mono-centric, prospective, descriptive and analytical study in the care unit of patients living with HIV of the pneumology service of the Cocody Teaching Hospital in Abidjan. The investigation took place from September 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016. Results: We included 411 patients. The sex ratio was 0.51. The average age was 43.2 years with extremes of 19 and 69 years. The patients lived as a couple in 59.1% of cases. Couple life was associated with severe immunosuppression at 12 months in 23.3% (42/180) of cases [p = 0.043 OR = 1.735 (0.964 - 3.121)], the appearance of new opportunistic conditions between the 6th and the 12th month of treatment in 5.6% (13/232) of cases [p = 0.006; OR = 9.438 (1.222 - 72.890)], information sharing with the partner before the start of treatment in 92.4% (208/225) of cases [p = 0.035; OR = 1.976 (1.005-3886)] and the existence of sexual intercourse since the discovery of the disease in 92.6% (225/243) of cases [p < 0.001; OR = 14.423 (8.174 - 25.448)]. Sexual relationships were less protected among people living in a couple 65.9% (149/226) versus 78% (64/82) among others [p = 0.027; OR = 0.544 (0.301 - 0.923)]. The loss of the sexual partner at the onset of the disease was observed regardless of marital status (p = 0.203). Conclusion: The life of a couple negatively influences the management of HIV infection. It appears necessary to set up counseling and testing programs for couples.

[Use of the Xpert® MTB/RIF test in routine screening of new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in an endemic area]. / Test Xpert® MTB/RIF et dépistage des nouveaux cas de tuberculose pulmonaire en routine dans une zone de haute endémicité tuberculeuse.

BACKGROUND: Developed initially for the diagnosis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, the Xpert® MTB/RIF test has shown to be useful for the diagnosis of tuberculosis, especially among HIV-infected subjects. The objective of the study was to determine the contribution of the Xpert® MTB/RIF test for routine pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosis in an endemic area. METHODOLOGY: We undertook a prospective study among patients presenting with cough and sputum. The sputum was submitted to microscopic examination, to the Xpert® MTB/RIF test and cultured by the Mycobacteria growth indicator tube (MGIT) technique. The study compared cases of pulmonary tuberculosis confirmed by a positive sputum culture and cases with cough but negative sputum culture. RESULTS: In multivariate analysis, the factors associated with positive cultures were the following: male gender, cough for more than 2 weeks, loss of weight and fever. The estimated clinical suspicion score consisted of 4 signs each having a coefficient of 1. The sensitivity of each clinical sign varied between 79 and 94%. In 348 cases of negative microscopic examination (composed of 295 cases with score<4 and 53 cases with score=4), the predictive positive value of the Xpert® MTB/RIF was 80% for a score equal to 4 and 40.9% for a score<4. In cases of negative microscopic examination of the sputum, the Xpert® MRT/RIF test should be undertaken if the score=4. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of tuberculosis in endemic zones could be improved by using the Xpert® MTB/RIF.

[Clinical, paraclinic and evolutive profile of HIV infected subject compared with that of non-HIV infected subject in pneumology hospitalization at Abidjan]. / Profil clinique, paraclinique et évolutif du sujet infecté par le VIH comparé à celui du sujet non infecté par le VIH en milieu pneumologique hospitalier à Abidjan.

INTRODUCTION: The HIV infection is a problem of public health in Côte d'Ivoire. Voluntary screening is encouraged for the premature management of HIV infected patients before the stage of serious opportunist affections. Antiretroviral therapy became free. The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of HIV infected subject infected in hospitalization of pneumology. METHODOLOGY: Our retrospective and analytic study concerned the activity period from January 2001 to December 2012 of pneumology department of Cocody university hospital. RESULTS: On 1141 recorded files, the prevalence of HIV infection was 48.20%. The multi-varied analysis showed the following results. Male patients were less HIV infected (OR=0.490 [0.363-0.661]) as the old patients of more than 64 years (OR=0.150 [0.080-0.280]). In case of HIV infection, infectious pathology, severe anemia and renal insufficiency were dominating respectively with OR=1.763 (1.212-2.564), OR=3.167 (2.125-4.720) and OR=2.054 (1.335-3.161). A stronger mortality was associated with HIV infection (OR=1.920 [1.312-2.809]). CONCLUSION: HIV infection always remains frequented in pneumology hospitalization in Abidjan with late discovery, source of complications and abnormally high death rate.

[Comparative diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia and pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV positive patients]. / Diagnostic comparé des pneumopathies bactériennes et de la tuberculose pulmonaire chez les patients VIH.

INTRODUCTION: Immunodepression induced by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) modifies the clinical, radiological and microbiological manifestations of pulmonary tuberculosis; leading to similarities between pulmonary tuberculosis and acute community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. A consequence is the high proportion of discordant pre- and post-mortem diagnoses of pneumonia. The aim of our study was to contribute to the improvement in the diagnosis of acute bacterial pneumonia in HIV positive patients in areas where tuberculosis is endemic. METHODS: This retrospective study in HIV positive patients has compared 94 cases of positive smear cases pulmonary tuberculosis and 78 cases of acute community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. RESULTS: Using logistic regression, the following features were positively associated with bacterial pneumonia: the sudden onset of signs (OR=8.48 [CI 95% 2.50-28.74]), a delay in the evolution of symptoms of less than 15 days (OR=3.70 [CI 95% 1.11-12.35]), chest pain (OR=2.81 [CI 95% 1.10-7.18]), radiological alveolar shadowing (OR=12.98 [CI 95% 4.66-36.12) and high leukocytosis (OR=3.52 [CI 95% 1.19-10.44]). These five variables allowed us to establish a diagnostic score for bacterial pneumonia ranging from 0 to 5. The area under the ROC curve was 0.886 [CI 95% 0.84-0.94, P<0.001]). Its specificity was >96.8% for a score of greater than or equal to 4. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic score for acute community-acquired pneumonia may improve the management of bacterial pneumonia in areas where tuberculosis is endemic.

[Dynamic of indicators of ambulatory care of tuberculosis in the antituberculous center of Adjamé]. / Dynamique des indicateurs de la prise en charge ambulatoire de la tuberculose au centre antituberculeux d'Adjamé.

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a real problem of public health in Côte d'Ivoire. The aim of our study is to describe the dynamic of anti-TB fight indicators in anti-TB center (CAT) of Adjamé. METHODOLOGY: We realized a retrospective study, comparing the anti-TB activities of two periods (1999-2001 versus 2010-2012) at the CAT of Adjamé. Over two periods, 24,520 cases of TB were recorded in the registers of TB declaration. RESULTS: Logistic regression results were the following ones. The proportion of the patients of Adjamé municipality increased to detriment of the patients coming from other municipalities. Our study showed an increase of TB contagious forms, a reduction of new cases of TB. The rate of screening of HIV infection increased. We noted a reduction of TB-HIV co-infection prevalence. The proportion of smear positive at the 2nd month decreased. We noted an increase of the rate therapeutic success and a reduction of lost at follow-up. CONCLUSION: Important progresses were realized in the TB fight and TB-HIV co-infection.

[Clinical manifestations in patients exposed to an environmental toxic accident (Abidjan, Ivory Coast 2006)]. / Manifestations cliniques chez les sujets exposés à un accident toxique environnemental (Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire 2006).

INTRODUCTION: In 2006, 528 tons of petroleum toxic waste have been released in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) during a major environmental accident. This study was aimed to describe the clinical manifestations provoked by these toxic waste. METHODS: We have analysed the records of patients admitted to the university hospital of Cocody (Abidjan) following exposure to toxic waste. All the information were recorded on specific files or on notification files created by the physicians of the National Institute of Public Health, the authority charged with the supervision of this exercise. The files were completed by the physician in the course of the examination of the patient. RESULTS: Over a period of 3-month-period, 10,598 patients were examined. The clinical manifestations affected all age groups. They were dominated by respiratory symptoms: pulmonary (74.5%) and upper respiratory (31.0%). Pulmonary symptoms included cough (48.8%), chest pain (37.9%), dyspnoea (9.5%) and a few cases of hemoptysis. Digestive symptoms mainly comprised abdominal pain (36.2%), diarrhea (23.0%), abdominal distension (19.9%) and vomiting (9.9%). The other symptoms were neurological, ophthalmic, cardiovascular and gynaecological. More than 96% of patients presented with at least two symptoms. The respiratory symptoms were significantly more frequent in patients over the age of 17 while diarrhea and vomiting were more often found in patients less than 17 years old. Chest pain was significantly more common in men while abdominal pain and vomiting predominated in women (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: The clinical consequences of toxic waste exposure were varied and sometimes serious. A medium- and long-term evaluation of the subjects is required.

[Evaluation of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment in Ivory Coast from 2008 to 2010]. / Évaluation du traitement de la tuberculose multi-résistante en Côte d'Ivoire de 2008 à 2010.

This is a retrospective study conducted from January 2008 to December 2010 on sectional descriptive analysis of records of patients treated for MDR-TB and whose follow-up was in the thoracic department of Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) of Cocody in Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire. We selected eight patients who met the inclusion criteria of 21 MDR-TB patients registered during the study period. The average age was 29.25years ranging from 21 to 39. Males accounted for 75% of the patients (6 males and 2 females). The students represented the professional social layer most affected with 37.5% of the patients. All patients had a history of tuberculosis and only one patient was HIV positive under anti-retroviral (zidovudin, lamivudin and efavirenz). All cultures found Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The resistance profile in addition to isoniazid and rifampicin, found two cases of resistance to ethambutol and streptomycin. The chest radiograph at the time of initiation of second-line treatment showed essentially excavations in 75% of cases and infiltrates in 25%. The lesions were bilateral in 7 of 8 patients (87.5%). The main side effects observed during treatment were limited to cochleovestibular disorders (2 patients) and neuropsychiatric disorders (2 patients) and digestive disorders in half of the patients with removal of the offending molecule kanamycin. After 24months of treatment, it was numbered five cures (62.5%), two failures and one death.

[Correlation of the manifestations of tuberculosis and the degree of immunosuppression in patients with HIV]. / Corrélations des manifestations de la tuberculose pulmonaire avec le degré d'immunodépression au VIH.

CONTEXT: Correlation of the manifestations of tuberculosis and the degree of immunosuppression in patients with HIV. BACKGROUND: The advent of HIV has contributed to the increase in the number of people with tuberculosis. The clinical and paraclinical of TB/HIV co-infected are polymorphic and function of immune status. OBJECTIVES: To determines the clinical and paraclinical characteristics of TB related to different levels of CD4 lymphocytes. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective case series based on analysis of 450 patients with both TB/HIV co-infections. It focused on the records of patients with pulmonary smear-positive (TPM +) with a positive HIV status. The effect of immunosuppression was analyzed in groups based on the CD4 count (<200/mm(3), of 200-350/mm(3) and>350/mm(3)), in a chronological fashion from April to September 2010 until there were 150 patients in each CD4 group. RESULTS: Among the 450 patients, 71.1% were between 25 and 45years old. The clinical signs were more significant as the level of CD4 fell. The clinical signs were predominantly fever (93%) and weight loss (62.7%). Pulmonary cavitation (59.3%), infiltrates (38.7%) and the location of the lesions at the lung apex (72%) were more common in the third group patients. By contrast, extra pulmonary lesions (mediastinal lymphadenopathy, pleurisy) and normal x-ray (9.3%) were more frequent in patients of the first group. The scarcity of cavitations (22.3% compared to 59.3% CD4>350) and the increase in associated lesions became more marked if patients were immunocompromised. Hematologic, hepatic, renal disorders were more frequent and severe in the most immunocompromised patient group. CONCLUSION: HIV-associated tuberculosis has an atypical clinical, radiological, biological presentation and is more severe when there is significant immunosuppression.

[Tuberculosis in the elderly: Epidemiology and outcomes of ambulatory followed-up in Abidjan]. / La tuberculose du sujet âgé : épidémiologie et devenir des patients suivis en ambulatoire à Abidjan.

BACKGROUND: Very few works approach elderly's tuberculosis (TB) in developing countries. The aim of this study is to present elderly's TB epidemiology and the outcomes of the ambulatory follow-up of the tuberculous patients aged more than 65years old (TBE) compared to the TB among patients less than 65years old (TBY). METHODS: Our study is retrospective covering period of January 1999 to June 2006 activities of Adjamé's antituberculous center. It is a comparative study between patients of at least 65 years and patients of less than 65years when the diagnosis of TB was made. RESULTS: Among 36,923 cases of TB, the proportion of TBE is 2.33%. In case of TBE, the sex-ratio is 2.16 versus 1.50 among TBY (P<0.001). Localization of TB is pulmonary in 61.70% among TBE versus 67.26% among TBY (P=0.058). Among elderly's TB, the osteoarticular localization is more frequent. TB-VIH co-infection prevalence is estimated to 9.05% among elderly's TB versus 44.38% among patients of less than 65 years (P<0.001). The therapeutic success rate within elderly patients is 52.16% years versus 61.42% when it was patients of less than 65 years. The proportion of lost at follow-up and the rate of patient transfers within the elderly's TB are the most raised. CONCLUSION: The elderly's TB is rare with a more masculine predominance. TB-VIH co-infection is not important among elderly's TB. The aged patient follow-up must be improved.

[Non-tuberculous pleural infections versus tuberculous pleural infections]. / Atteintes pleurales non tuberculeuses versus atteintes pleurales tuberculeuses.

INTRODUCTION: In countries where tuberculosis is endemic, the main differential diagnosis for pleural infection by common bacteria is pleural tuberculosis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to determine the differences between pleural infection by common bacteria and that caused by pleural tuberculosis. METHODOLOGY: Our study was a retrospective analysis and compared the characteristics of confirmed pleural infection by common bacteria (PIB) and that due to pleural tuberculosis (PT). RESULTS: For the PIB, the signs evolved for 2.4 ± 1.4 weeks versus 5.6 ± 2.2 weeks for the PT (P=0.01). In multivariate analysis, for PIB the onset of symptoms was more abrupt (OR=3.8 [1.5; 9.9]; P=0.01), asthenia was less frequent (OR=0.3 [0.1; 0.9]; P=0.03), pleural liquid was more purulent (OR=40.0 [15.0; 106.7]; P<0.01). The blood neutrophil count was more frequently raised in cases of PIB (OR=2.5 [1.2; 5.4]; P=0.02). Pneumothorax/hydropneumothorax was less frequent in PIB (OR=0.3 [0.1; 1.0]; P=0.04). CONCLUSION: Clinical differences exist between pleural effusions caused by tuberculosis (TB) and those due to other bacterial infections. However, they are not sufficiently sensitive and therefore the search for the tuberculous bacillus must be systematic while waiting for implementation of new diagnostic tests for the organism.

[Contribution of the surgical treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis during medical follow-up (experience of the pneumology department of the CHU of Cocody, in connection with five observations)]. / Apport du traitement chirurgical de la tuberculose à bacilles résistants au cours du suivi médical (expérience du service de pneumologie du CHU de Cocody : à propos de cinq observations).

Multidrug resistance is defined as a resistance to two major antituberculosis drugs, which are isoniazid and rifampicin. The aim of the study was to specify the place of the thoracic surgery during the medical follow-up of the TB-MDR. Five files were kept over six years during this retrospective study. On the clinical and radiological level, localised lesions and a negative HIV serology were noted in the five patients. The completion date of the surgery varied between the third month and the 22nd after the beginning of the medical treatment. This delay in carrying out the surgery was encouraged by the social conditions of the patients. Three series of expectoration culture post-surgery were all negative. After surgery, the medical treatment was drawn out over six and 12 months depending on the clinical condition of the patient. No recurrence was observed. Only one patient died one year after the surgery from hemoptysis in relation to pulmonary sequelae.

[Multi-drug resistance of tuberculosis: 81 patients monitored in an Ivory Coast pneumology unit]. / Tuberculose multirésistante: à propos de 81 patients suivis dans un service de pneumologie en Côte d'Ivoire.

BACKGROUND: The Ivory Coast management of chronic tuberculosis (TB) began in 2000. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to determine the characteristics of the patients monitored for chronic TB and note the difficulties in patient management and outcome. METHOD: A retrospective review of the medical records of the patients receiving second-line treatment for chronic tuberculosis for at least 12 months. RESULTS: Eighty-one medical records were included. The average of age was 33.37 years. The sex ratio was 2.68. All of the patients lived in conditions of promiscuity. The recommendations for the treatment of failures and relapses were not always respected: 33.33% did not comply with the protocols, 53.1% non-prescription of the mycobiogramme and 22.2% non-respect for the follow-up calendar. During the diagnosis of the chronic tuberculosis, bilateral radiological lesions were found in 72.5% of the cases and one lung was destroyed in 14.7% of the cases. The isolates were Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The multi-drug-resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was estimated at 95.5%. The side effects of the treatments were polymorphous with a frequency ranging from 46.4% to 61.3% during the follow-up period. The outcome of the patients is the following: 39.2% dropped out; 15.2% died; 30.4% were in the attack phase; 5.1% were cured; 5.1% were in the consolidation phase. CONCLUSION: The results of the treatment are disappointing. It is urgent to develop a strategy to reduce the number of drop-outs and provide the early diagnosis and treatment of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.

[Antituberculous retreatement in case of failure to category I regimen]. / Le retraitement antituberculeux en cas d'échec au régime de catégorie I.

INTRODUCTION: In Côte d'Ivoire, since April 2002, the antituberculous regime for category I patients (ARC-I) passed from 2RHZ/4RH to 2RHZE/4RH, without modification of the antituberculous regime for category II (ARC-II) for treatment of cases of the failures to respond to treatment with ARC-I (FARC-I) and patients with a relapse of tuberculosis (TR). The objective of this study was to determine the outcome of patients treated by ARC-II (2RHZES/1RHZE/5RHE). METHODOLOGY: This study was retrospective and compared outcomes during patient follow-up under ARC-II between 1999-2000 (period 1=267 cases) and 2004-2005 (period 2=434 cases). The ARC-II regime has been prescribed for 297 cases of FARC-I and 404 cases of TR. RESULTS: The failure rate of the ARC-II regime was estimated to be 11.98% during the first period compared to 5.53% during the second (P<0.001). Among FARC-I cases, therapeutic failure was estimated to 20.54% versus 5.92% in TR group (P<0,001). We noted a positive sputum smear among FARC-I : 16.16% at the second month, 13.13% to the third month and 20.54% at the fifth month versus 4.20% at the second month, 1.48% to the third month and 5.92% at the fifth month within TB cases (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Management of failures to the ARC-I regime must be reviewed to prevent the development of multidrug resistant TB.

[Smoking and educational status in Africans]. / Tabagisme et niveau d'instruction en milieu africain.

INTRODUCTION: Tobacco smoking is a scourge that continues to increase in developing countries despite its known consequences. Is the population of the Ivory Coast sufficiently informed about the consequences of smoking? For this reason, we decided to evaluate the knowledge of the effects of smoking among the people of Abidjan. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the knowledge of the effects of smoking in the population of Abidjan. To relate this knowledge to the educational level and smoking status. METHODS: We evaluated knowledge about smoking and its consequences as a function of educational level and smoking status in the population of Abidjan over the age of 15 years. This was undertaken in 3 months, from November 2005 to January 2006, in the two busiest communes in Abidjan. The minimum number of persons required was 1152 but, in fact, we interviewed 1409. RESULTS: The prevalence of smoking was 36.5% with a predominance of males (sex ratio = 3:11). They were mainly young with a mean age of 27.44 years. This population's main sources of information on the ill effects of smoking were the mass media. In general, the subjects did not have a good understanding of smoking and its consequences. With regard to the diseases related to smoking, bronchial carcinoma and cardiovascular disorders were the best known, in 53.1 and 18.1%, respectively. With regard to the components of tobacco, nicotine was the best known (92.6%). Knowledge was related to the level of education: the subjects of a higher educational level were the most knowledgeable about the consequences of smoking. As a result, these subjects were less attached to smoking than the less educated. CONCLUSION: The consequences of smoking are poorly understood by the general population. With regard to the level of education, the better educated had a better understanding of the effects of smoking and were also those who smoked the least.

[Lyell's syndrome occurring in three HIV-positive patients undergoing anti-tuberculous therapy]. / Syndrome de Lyell chez trois malades VIH (+) sous traitement antituberculeux.

We describe three cases of Lyell syndrome - toxic epidermal necrolysis - occurring in patients under the respiratory service of CHU de Cocody in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, who were undergoing anti-tuberculous (TB) chemotherapy. All three were adult males who were HIV-positive, but none of them were receiving anti-retroviral treatment. They were on standard anti-TB treatment; rifampicin, isoniazid, pyazinamide and ethambutol. The lesions appeared early during their treatment for TB (14, 20 and 45 days). The patients were on no other medication that might have caused Lyell's syndrome except one who had been on cotrimoxasole for 6 months without complications. Despite admission to the acute care facility and appropriate care two of the three patients died.

[Characteristics of supposedly bacterial community acute pneumonia among HIV-positive patients: prospective preliminary study]. / Pneumonies communautaires d'allure bactérienne chez le sujet infecté par le VIH : étude préliminaire prospective.

INTRODUCTION: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the second leading cause of hospitalization in the respirology department in Abidjan after tuberculosis. Frequently associated with HIV infection, it has a high mortality rate of about 20% to 30%. The aim of this study is to identify the specificities and severity factors associated with bacterial CAP (BCAP) outcome in HIV-positive patients. METHODS: The authors conducted a prospective and comparative preliminary study on two groups of patients: 29 HIV-positive patients with BCAP and 21 HIV-negative patients with BCAP. All of the patients were hospitalized for BCAP with symptoms of severity according to the usual score of severity. RESULTS: The sociodemographic, clinical and paraclinical characteristics were similar in both groups. Failures and deaths were more frequent in the group with HIV infection. In particular, HIV infected patients with a body mass index under 18.5 and a rate of T CD4 lymphocytes lower than 200/mm(3) presented the least favourable evolution. CONCLUSIONS: A more extensive study should help define the appropriate severity criteria for BCAP associated with HIV infection.

[Remarkable evolution of hepatic, pleural and pulmonary amoebiasis: a case report]. / Evolution spectaculaire d'une amibiase hépatique et pleuropulmonaire: à propos d'un cas.

Entamoeba histolytica, is a human pathogen which is endemic in tropical areas. The most common extra-intestinal locations for disease after the liver are pleural and pulmonary. Although the outcome of pleural and pulmonary amoebiasis is generally favourable, it is important to note that a significant proportion of patients do develop pleural and pulmonary after-effects. We report a case of pleural and pulmonary amoebiasis where the evolution of a massive pleural effusion and 3 associated liver abscesses was spectacular. The surgical management of pleural, pulmonary and liver amoebiasis is discussed.

[Removal of an intratracheobronchial foreign body opaque to X-rays in a child within a context of inadequate medical technical equipment]. / Extraction d'un corps étranger intratrachéobronchique radio-opaque chez un enfant dans un contexte de plateau sous-médicalisé.

Intratracheobronchial foreign bodies are common accidents in children. In developed countries, the removal of these intratracheobronchial foreign bodies is performed with flexible or rigid fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Resorting to surgery is rare. In the inadequate medical context described, suitable medical technical equipment doesn't exist. Removal alternatives are necessary in order to avoid sanitary evacuation which is not always within patients' means. In this study, the authors describe the removal of an intratracheobronchial foreign body opaque to X-rays with foreign body forceps. The forceps, passed through the orotracheal intubation probe, were guided by an image intensification system in a traumatology operating theatre.

[Three cases of visceral leishmaniasis in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire]. / Leishmaniose viscérale à Abidjan à propos de 3 observations.

Three cases of visceral leishmaniasis were observed in a cohort of 528 patients admitted to the Department of Pulmonary Disease of the Cocody University Hospital Center in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire from June 2001 to May 2002. All three patients including 2 women and 1 man were young Ivorians. Assessment of predisposing factors demonstrated that all three patients had diminished immune systems resulting from long-term (2-month) steroid therapy in one patient and AIDS with low rates of CD4 T cells around 100 cells/microl in 2 patients. Clinical features were variable but mainly involved constant refractory fever, anaemia, lymphadenopathy and pleurisy with clear fluid. Despite treatment with meglumine antimoniate, two patients died within the first weeks.

Similar rapid onset of action and magnitude of effect of fexofenadine and cetirizine as assessed by inhibition of histamine-induced wheal-and-flare reaction.

BACKGROUND: Histamine-induced wheal-and-flare studies are useful, objective tests for determining differences in the peripheral H1-receptor blockade activities of antihistamines. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the time of occurrence of 95% inhibition of histamine-induced wheal and flare after administration of fexofenadine hydrochloride, 180 mg, or cetirizine, 10 mg. METHODS: Forty-two volunteers (aged 18-60 years) were included in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Skin prick tests were undertaken using histamine (100 mg/mL) before treatment and 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 hours after treatment. Wheal and flare areas were evaluated, and the time to occurrence of 95% inhibition and the frequency of subjects exhibiting 95% inhibition before median time to 95% inhibition were calculated. RESULTS: Mean +/- SD time to 95% wheal inhibition was 2.46 +/- 0.71 hours with fexofenadine and 2.55 +/- 0.57 hours with cetirizine. The estimated mean difference between fexofenadine and cetirizine (-7 minutes in favor of fexofenadine; 2-sided 95% confidence interval, -21 to +7 minutes) was not statistically significant (P = .34). For wheal, 29% of subjects receiving fexofenadine and 24% receiving cetirizine achieved 95% inhibition before the median time of inhibition (2.5 hours). An exact permutation test yielded a P = .37. For flare, 26% of subjects receiving fexofenadine and 10% receiving cetirizine achieved 95% inhibition before the median time of inhibition (3 hours; P = .12 by exact permutation test). CONCLUSIONS: Fexofenadine and cetirizine have comparable onset of action times and similar frequencies of inhibition, as evaluated by the occurrence of 95% inhibition of histamine-induced wheal and flare.