[Central corneal thickness in black children examined under general anesthesia at the Yalgado Ouédraogo University Medical Center]. / Épaisseur cornéenne centrale chez les enfants mélanodermes examinés sous anesthésie générale au Centre hospitalier universitaire Yalgado Ouédraogo.

INTRODUCTION: Central corneal thickness measurement permits an evaluation of physiological and pathological corneal changes. It allows for an intra-ocular pressure correction factor. Our purpose was to determine the mean central corneal thickness in children aged 0 to 72 months and to examine factors that might affect it. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional hospital study which took place from February to December 2019 in the ophthalmology service of YO University Medical Center. It included healthy eyes of children 0-72 months of age examined under general anesthesia. Ultrasonic pachymetry was used to measure the central corneal thickness. The studied variables were age, sex, CCT, corneal diameter, intraocular pressure, and cup/disc ratio. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-seven healthy eyes of 78 children 0-72 months of age were included. The mean age was 22 months. The overall mean CCT was 554.01±34.21µm. It was 556.58µm for children from 0 to 36 months of age and 536.12µm for subjects over 36 months. The mean CCT was 555.96±32.96µm in boys and 551.80±36.16µm in girls. In patients who underwent bilateral CCT measurement, the mean CCT was 554.74±35.67µm in the right eye and 549.76±24.08µm in the left eye. Lower IOP's were found in patients with thicker corneas (p=0.00). CONCLUSION: The CCT values for black children over 36 months of age was similar to the CCT in black adults.

[Overview of visual impairment at the Yalgado Ouédraogo University Medical Center: Study of 501 cases]. / Les profils de la déficience visuelle au centre hospitalier universitaire Yalgado Ouédraogo : à propos de 501 cas.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the main causes of visual impairment according to age in patients admitted to the ophthalmology department. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 501 cases of visual impairment. Included were patients of both sexes whose best-corrected visual acuity in the better eye was strictly less than 5/10. The parameters studied were age, gender, place of residence, corrected visual acuity in the better eye, and diagnosis. The data were entered and processed with the Epi info 7.2 software. RESULTS: Subjects over 50 were the most prevalent (48.5%). In patients over 50 years of age, cataracts (54.32%) were the leading cause of visual impairment, followed by glaucoma (24.69%) and non-glaucomatous optic neuropathy (26.19%). Trauma (17.62%) was frequently found in patients aged 16 to 50 years. Tropical endemic limbo-conjunctivitis (25.00%) was the leading cause of visual impairment in subjects aged 5 to 15 years. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the results of the literature, which have shown that cataracts are the leading cause of visual impairment in developing countries. A major effort to raise awareness, provide information and therapeutic care would reduce the incidence of visual impairment.

Epidemiology of glaucoma in Burkina Faso: Determination of the prevalence and circulating glaucomatous phenotypes in Ouagadougou.

PURPOSE: Glaucoma encompasses a particular set of degenerative diseases of the optic nerve which may have predisposing genetic factors. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and phenotypes of primary glaucoma encountered in the population. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study carried out on retrospective data from three healthcare centers in the city of Ouagadougou between 2012 and 2020. Data collection was carried out using patient records. RESULTS: The population receiving diagnostic glaucoma examinations in the 3 healthcare centers during the study period consisted of 13,378 patients, of which 50.55% were female. The general prevalence of patients with primary glaucoma was 4.04% (or 540 patients). Primary open-angle glaucoma (80.37%), congenital glaucoma (15.74%) and primary angle-closure glaucoma (3.89%) were identified in the study population. CONCLUSION: Glaucoma is a public health problem in Burkina Faso. It is often diagnosed in the late stages because of its insidious progression. In a developing country, effort must be also made to equip and increase the number of healthcare centers. In addition, efforts must be made to raise awareness, and to develop and popularize molecular biologic techniques for early detection in order to provide patients with appropriate care.

[Preliminary selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) intraocular pressure results in glaucoma patients in Burkina Faso]. / Résultats tonométriques préliminaires de la trabéculoplastie sélective au laser (SLT) chez les glaucomateux au Burkina Faso.

INTRODUCTION: Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the tonometric results of SLT treatment in patients with glaucoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective study of patients with glaucoma who were seen from October 1, 2017 to July 31, 2018. All patients underwent SLT of the inferior 180°. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured before and then at 1, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120days after treatment. RESULTS: We studied 35 eyes of 31 patients. The mean age was 59.3 (±8.4years), range 43-77years. The mean IOP prior to SLT was 20.1mmHg (±7mmHg). One day after the laser, this decreased to 17.6mmHg (±8.4), for a percentage of drop of 12.4%. At 30days, it was 15.3mmHg (±5.4mmHg), i.e. a 23.9% decrease. After 60 and 90days, there was a drop of 13.9% and 15.4%, respectively. At 120days, 43.3% of treated eyes had a decrease of at least 20%. The main complication was increased IOP in 14.2% of cases. CONCLUSION: SLT reduces IOP and the number of glaucoma medications in patients. It appears to be a viable alternative in our countries. These results should be confirmed with a larger cohort and longer follow-up.

[Causes of childhood blindness and visual impairment in Ouagadougou: About 398 cases]. / Causes de cécité et déficiences visuelles chez l'enfant à Ouagadougou : à propos de 398 cas.

INTRODUCTION: Childhood blindness is a public health problem in developing countries. The goal of this study was to focus on the epidemiological and clinical patterns of moderate to severe, uni- or bilateral childhood blindness and severe visual impairment in the ophthalmology department of Yalgado Ouedraogo university hospital (YOUH) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional analytic study based on retrospective data in the ophthalmology department of YOUH from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2014. It included cases of childhood blindness and severe visual impairment (World Health Organisation: WHO) in children 0-15 years of age. The studied variables were sociodemographic and clinical data, visual outcomes, and avoidable aspects of their blindness (WHO). RESULTS: The prevalence of uni- or bilateral childhood blindness and severe visual impairment was 4.36% (398 cases out of 9125 children). The male/female ratio was 1.70. The mean age was 9±4 years old; 54% of children were school-age boys and girls; the most frequent causes among the 398 patients were traumatic (46.98%), infectious (12.31%) or congenital (10.05%). Most of the ocular injuries occured in boys (P<0.05) and school children (P<0.05). The injured structures resulting in childhood visual impairment were primarily the lens (30.65%) and the globe (27.64%). Childhood blindness and severe visual impairment were considered avoidable in 80.65% of cases. The type of visual disability was related to age, especially school age (P<0.0001) and to avoidability (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Given the high prevalence of childhood blindness and severe visual impairment, early, effective management and preventive strategies should be employed.

[What do we know about diabetic retinopathy at the Sourô Sanou university medical center in Bobo-Dioulasso (CHUSS)?] / Que savons-nous de la rétinopathie diabétique au centre hospitalier universitaire Sourô Sanou de Bobo-Dioulasso (CHUSS) ?

INTRODUCTION: Ocular damage is one of the numerous complications of diabetes. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy can result in blindness. The purpose of our work was to study the aspects of diabetic retinopathy on fundus examination in diabetic patients in Bobo-Dioulasso in a hospital environment. METHODS: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, prospective study from March 1st to August 31st 2014 of diabetic patients in the Sourô Sanou university hospital. We used the Francophone Diabetes Society's classification. RESULTS: We included 246 patients (487 eyes). The frequency of diabetic retinopathy (DR) was 47.1%, and the frequency of diabetic maculopathy 8.9%. Proliferative DR and severe Non-Proliferative DR represented 3.3% of eyes, and blindness occurred in 3%. Among diabetics with DR, the mean age was 55.75 years (standard deviation 11.04 years); the median duration of diabetes was 36 months, and 99.1% of the diabetic patients were categorized as type 2. There was a statistically significant association between diabetic retinopathy and duration of diabetes progression, history of neuropathy, presence of proteinuria on 24hour urines, hypercreatininemia, and also between triglyceride levels and diabetic maculopathy. CONCLUSION: Diabetic retinopathy affects almost half of diabetic patients at the Sourô Sanou university hospital. An earlier, multidisciplinary management approach might prevent this.

Intermediate tree cover can maximize groundwater recharge in the seasonally dry tropics.

Water scarcity contributes to the poverty of around one-third of the world's people. Despite many benefits, tree planting in dry regions is often discouraged by concerns that trees reduce water availability. Yet relevant studies from the tropics are scarce, and the impacts of intermediate tree cover remain unexplored. We developed and tested an optimum tree cover theory in which groundwater recharge is maximized at an intermediate tree density. Below this optimal tree density the benefits from any additional trees on water percolation exceed their extra water use, leading to increased groundwater recharge, while above the optimum the opposite occurs. Our results, based on groundwater budgets calibrated with measurements of drainage and transpiration in a cultivated woodland in West Africa, demonstrate that groundwater recharge was maximised at intermediate tree densities. In contrast to the prevailing view, we therefore find that moderate tree cover can increase groundwater recharge, and that tree planting and various tree management options can improve groundwater resources. We evaluate the necessary conditions for these results to hold and suggest that they are likely to be common in the seasonally dry tropics, offering potential for widespread tree establishment and increased benefits for hundreds of millions of people.

Cognitive sequelae of propofol anaesthesia.

As with any substance that interferes with nervous system functioning, anaesthetics are likely to have neural effects the duration of which extend beyond the acute loss of consciousness. Studies of recovery after anaesthesia have shown that physiological effects and psychomotor functions return to pre-anaesthesia levels within at most 90 min of the cessation of propofol administration. To date no report has been published concerning the possible longer term effects of propofol anaesthesia on higher cognitive functions such as learning, language, reasoning and planning. We evaluated a range of cognitive tasks (short and long-term memory, attention, language comprehension and planning) up to 6 h after cessation of Propofol administration, and found that this set of cognitive functions was still depressed after 3 h, but had recovered by 6 h. The results suggest that, for their security, patients should be remain in a supervised environment for at least 3 h after propofol anaesthesia, and that oral information to patients within those 3 h should be avoided.

[Risk factors for neonatal tetanus in western Burkina Faso. Case-control study]. / Facteurs de risque du tétanos néonatal dans l'ouest du Burkina Faso. Etude cas témoin.

A case control study was done in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso) during a one year period (1989), to identify practices during the pregnancy and childbirth, environmental and sociocultural factors associated with the occurrence of neonatal tetanus.

[Evaluation of cognitive functions after anesthesia with propofol]. / Evaluation des fonctions cognitives après anesthésie au propofol.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the disturbances and delay of recovery of cognitive functions following propofol anaesthesia, and to evaluate a series of simple cognitive recovery tests. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective comparative non randomized clinical study. PATIENTS: Two groups of non premedicated patients, of ASA physical class 1 and 2 were studied. The control group (n = 11) included patients undergoing gastric fibroscopy under local anaesthesia. The propofol group (n = 22) consisted of patients scheduled for coloscopy under propofol anaesthesia. METHODS: The gastric fibroscopy was performed under local anaesthesia with lidocaine and the coloscopy under general anaesthesia with propofol as the sole anaesthetic. Five cognitive tests, designed to assess short-term memory, delayed memory, the ability to plan complex tasks, attention, and language comprehension were conducted the day before, and 1 hour, 3 hours and 6 hours after the endoscopy. RESULTS: The cognitive functions remained significantly depressed for at least 3 hours after anaesthesia, and recovered fully about 6 hours after the cessation of propofol administration. The capacity for planning was the most heavily affected. CONCLUSIONS: Complete recovery can be evaluated by simple cognitive tests, which showed that cognitive functions are impaired over a longer period than psychomotor functions. Oral instructions may therefore not be fully understood by the patient within 3 hours after anaesthesia, emphasizing the importance of written instructions and the essential role played by a well-informed accompanying person.

[Anesthesia practice by nurse anesthetists in French speaking Sub-Saharan Africa]. / Pratique de l'anesthésie par les infirmier(e)s en Afrique francophone subsaharienne.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the practice of anaesthesia in French-speaking subsaharian countries. TYPE OF STUDY: Prospective survey. PERSONS: Two hundred seventeen nurse anaesthetists, from 11 different countries. METHODS: Anonymous questionnaire. RESULTS: One third of nurses were practising anaesthesia since less than five years and 1/3 since more than 10. Only 39 (18%) were working in the country side. Thirty seven (17%) had been trained outside subsaharian Africa (in Cuba 6%, France 5%, Morocco 5% and Germany 1% respectively). Two hundred thirteen (98%) were performing general anaesthesia and 169 (78%) regional anaesthesia. Hundred sixty eight (97%) used spinal anaesthesia, 57 (33%) epidural, 31 (18%) intravenous regional anaesthesia, 24 (14%) axillary block, 17 (10%) caudal block and 10 (6%) peripheral block respectively. For regional techniques, disposable devices were available in 50% of cases. For general anaesthesia, thiopental was administered by 193 (89%) and ketamine by 156 (72%) nurse anaesthetists respectively. In 50% of cases, these drugs were used alone. An ECG was available in 40%, a pulse oximeter in 14% and a capnographe in less than 2% of cases. A ventilator was present in 66% of the places, but used only in 30% of them because of the lack of maintenance and training. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, 50% of nurse anaesthetists were working alone. However, this rate is probably under-estimated, as the questionnaire did not consider anaesthesia practice in the country side.

[Creation of emergency care services in developing countries: luxury or necessity?]. / Creer un service d'aide medicale d'urgence dans un pays en developpement: luxe ou necessite?

Organization of emergency care services prior to hospital admission has progressed at a satisfactory pace in developed countries. A performance model in this field is the French emergency service called service d'aide médicale d'urgence (SAMU). Socioeconomic conditions prevailing in developing countries have pushed authorities to give priority to preventive medicine. However numerous patients especially young people and women during childbirth die as a result of inadequate facilities for transportation from hospitals and dwellings in outlying areas to major medical centers where the best medical equipment and staff are available. As a result, it may be asked if emergency care services is really a luxury. The authors base their conclusion on analysis of the conditions and outcome of emergency patient care in three African countries in which it is essentially a requirement.

[Maternal mortality in adolescents at the university hospital of Ouagadougu]. / La mortalité maternelle chez les adolescentes au C.H.U. de Ouagadougou.

This retrospective study evaluates the adolescent mortality rate at the University Hospital of Ouagadougou in the year 1995. Twenty lethal cases were collected amongst 646 deliveries giving birth to 490 children. The in-hospital adolescent maternal mortality rate come to be 4081 for 100,000 living births (4.08%) and represented 16.3% of all maternal deaths occurring during the study period. The most frequent causes of death were related to clandestine abortion (30%) and chronic anemia due to malnutrition (30%). Pregnancy in an adolescent girl is a high-risk event that requires special care due to a precarious global health status.

[Survey of nosocomial infection prevalence in the surgery department of the Central National Hospital of Ouagadougou]. / Enquête de prévalence des infections nosocomiales dans les services de Chirurgie au Centre Hospitalier National de Ouagadougou.

The objective of this study is to collect preliminary epidemiologic data about nosocomial infections (NI) in the National Hospital of Ouagadougou. A prevalence survey of NI was realized in surgical wards (116 patients). All hospitalized patients were included, excepted those stayed less than 48 hours. Using the definitions of the "Conseil Supérieur d'Hygiène Publique de France", the nosocomial infections studied were surgical wards, pneumonia and urinary tract infection. The result showed that 19 patients (16.4%) had 26 nosocomial infections (prévalence: 22.4%). Six patients had at least 2 nosocomial infections. The infection rate increases with operation, debilated preoperative physical statute, and invasive care. The average increasing of duration of hospital stay for infected patients was 10 days. This data confirm the importance of nosocomial infections and emphasize the need of surveillance and control of nosocomial infections. But deeper epidemiological studies must be undertaken before.

[Sore throat after tracheal intubation]. / Douleurs laryngées après intubation trachéale.

This study was performed to determine the incidence of sore throat 24 h after tracheal intubation in 1,268 patients ASA I or II, who had undergone elective surgery. A data form was completed. Nosing were age, sex, type of surgery, anaesthetic drug, muscle relaxant, number of intubation attempts, duration of intubation, and presence of sore throat. The incidence of sore throat was 15.06%. It was significantly higher in females than in males (19.29% vs 11.66%; P < 0.01). There was a significant difference between those patients who received fentanyl and those who received pethidine (P < 0.05). There was also a greater incidence after thyroid surgery (P < 0.01). There was no correlation between sore throat and variables such as age, muscle relaxant, narcotic drug, number of intubation attempts, or duration of intubation. Lidocaine jelly and the appropriate analgesic drug reduce the incidence of sore throat following tracheal intubation.

[Assessment of knowledge and pain management by traumatological emergencies staff of the teaching hospital of Ouagadougou]. / Evaluation des connaissances et pratiques du personnel des urgences traumatologiques de Ouagadougou sur la prise en charge de la douleur.

INTRODUCTION: Pain is a frequent reason of consultation in traumatological emergencies. Its management is characterized by oligoanalgesia whose causes are multiple. The purpose of this study is to assess the knowledge and practices of pain management by traumatological emergencies staff of the teaching hospital Yalgado Ouedraogo of Ouagadougou. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire survey of health workers performing in traumatological emergencies has been conducted. Two different questionnaires, one for medical staff and one for the paramedics were administered. RESULTS: A total of 67 health workers participated in the study with a participation rate of 98% and 100%, respectively, for the medical and paramedical staff. According to their report, 65.3% of medical and 77.7% of paramedical staff had never received training on pain and its management. For 85.7% of physicians, pain should be assessed before treatment, but 79.6% of them didn't know any conventional pain assessment method. All the nurses and 40.8% of physicians felt that pain in the emergency services should not be treated immediately to prevent misdiagnosis. Morphine and regional anesthesia were not used for pain treatment in the emergency room. 10.2% of medical staff and 27.8% of the paramedics said that they systematically search for the analgesicsside effects. CONCLUSION: The knowledge of health workers about pain and its management is insufficient. The lack of training of health workers on the management of pain is the cause and contributes to explain the oligoanalgesia in this service.

INTRODUCTION: La douleur est un motif fréquent de consultation aux urgences traumatologiques. Sa prise en charge est caractérisée par une oligoanalgésie dont les causes sont multiples. Le but de cette étude est d'évaluer les connaissances et pratiques du personnel des urgences traumatologiques du Centre hospitalier universitaire Yalgado Ouédraogo de Ouagadougou sur la prise en charge de la douleur. MATÉRIEL ET MÉTHODE: Une enquête par questionnaire auprès du personnel de santé exerçant aux urgences traumatologiques a été menée. Deux questionnaires différents, l'un pour le personnel médical et l'autre pour le personnel paramédical ont été administrés. RÉSULTATS: Au total, 67 agents de santé ont participé à l'étude avec un taux de participation de 98% et 100% respectivement pour le personnel médical et paramédical. Selon leur déclaration, 65,3% du personnel médical et 77,7% du personnel paramédicaux n'avaient jamais bénéficié de formation sur la douleur et sa prise en charge. Pour 85,7% des médecins, la douleur devrait être évaluée avant traitement mais 79,6% d'entre eux ne connaissaient aucune méthode conventionnelle d'évaluation de la douleur. L'ensemble des infirmiers et 40,8% des médecins estimaient que la douleur aux urgences ne devrait pas être traitée d'emblée afin d'éviter des erreurs diagnostiques. La morphine et l'anesthésie locorégionale n'étaient pas utilisées aux urgences pour traiter la douleur. 10,2% du personnel médical et 27,8% du personnel paramédical ont affirmé rechercher systématiquement les effets secondaires des antalgiques. CONCLUSION: Les connaissances des agents de santé sur la douleur et sa prise en charge sont insuffisantes. L'absence de formation du personnel de santé en algologie en est la cause et contribue à expliquer l'oligoanalgésie observée dans ce service.

Complications aigues métaboliques du diabète sucré dans le Service de Réanimation Polyvalente du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Yalgado Ouédraogo de Ouagadougou au Burkina Faso

Objectif : Etudier les complications aiguës métaboliques (CAM) du diabète sucré dans le Service de Réanimation Polyvalente (SRP) du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Yalgado Ouédraogo (CHU-YO) au Burkina Faso.Patients et méthodes : Etude rétrospective sur une période de cinq ans (1erjanvier 2008 au 31 décembre 2012). La population d'étude était constituée des patients admis dans ledit service pour une CAM du diabète sucré. Résultats :Soixante-six patients ont été retenus pour l'étude.La fréquence d'admission pour des CAM de diabète était de 6,5% avec un âge moyen de 55 ± 17 ans et une prédominance masculine (sex-ratio=1 ,06). Les principaux motifs d'admission étaient lecoma grave (62,1%), détresse respiratoire (81,8%) et déshydratation (15,1%).La mauvaise observance thérapeutique était retrouvée dans 64,5%.L'acidocétose constituait 59,1% des CAM suivie de l'hypoglycémie (27,3%) et du syndrome d'hyperglycémie hyperosmolaire(SHH) (13,6%). L'hyperglycémie moyenne était de 26, 31 mmol/L et l'hypoglycémie moyenne de 1,3 ± 0,7 mmol/L. Une cétonurie (69,1%) et une glycosurie (67,8%) étaient observées. Les complications étaient associées à un âge avancé (p= 0.003).L'infection constituait le principal facteur de décompensation. La durée moyenne de séjour était 5,8 ± 5,6 jours.La mortalité globale (54,55%) était liée à la gravité du coma (p=0,007).Conclusion : Les CAM du diabète sucré sont relativement fréquentes dans le SRP du CHU-YO à Ouagadougou. Le taux de mortalité est élevé. Une prise en charge précoce et adaptée pourrait améliorer le pronostic vital