Disclosure of HIV status and adherence to antiretroviral treatment in children and adolescents from Lomé and Abidjan.

Introduction: in Africa, the proportion of minors with AIDS is ever increasing and adherence to treatment protocols is still suboptimal. The study investigated the conditions of HIV status disclosure and adherence to treatment in patients < 19 in two West African cities. Methods: in 2016, thirteen health professionals and four parents filled out questionnaires to identify problems and solutions relative to disclosure of HIV status and adherence to treatment in 208 children and adolescents seen at University Hospitals in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and Lomé (Togo). Results: medians (extrema) of patients´ ages at start and end of status disclosure process were 10 (8-13) and 15 (13-17.5) years. In 61% of cases, disclosure was made individually after preparation sessions. The main difficulties were: parents´ disapproval, skipped visits, and rarity of psychologists. The solutions proposed were: recruiting more full-time psychologists, improving personnel training, and promoting patients´ "clubs". One out of three respondents was not satisfied with patients´ adherence to treatments. The major reasons were: intake frequencies, frequent omissions, school constraints, adverse effects, and lack of perceived effect. Nevertheless, 94% of the respondents confirmed the existence of support groups, interviews with psychologists, and home visits. To improve adherence, the respondents proposed increasing the number of support groups, sustaining reminder phone calls and home visits, and supporting therapeutic mentoring. Conclusion: despite persisting disclosure and adherence problems, appropriate measures already put into practice still need to be taken further, especially through engaging psychologists, training counsellors, and promoting therapeutic support groups.

[Etiological and evolving profile of renal disability of children in hospital in Togo]. / Profil étiologique et évolutif de l'insuffisance rénale de l'enfant en milieu hospitalier au Togo.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the etiological and evolutionary profile of renal failure of chidren in Togo. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study over the period of 12 months (2016-2017) including children aged 1 to 18 years hospitalized in the pediatric ward of Sylvanus Olympio university teaching hospital of Lome (Togo) for renal failure. RESULTS: Of 2374 patients hospitalized in our unit, 58 (2.4%) had renal failure. The mean age was 8.17±4 years with a sex ratio of 1.32. The average consultation time was 11.9 days. The mean duration of hospitalization was 12.7±7.7 days. Thirty-seven patients (63.8%) were referred from a peripheral center. Thirty-seven children out of 58 (63.1%) were oligoanuric. Renal failure was acute in 94.8% and chronic in 5.2%. Anemia was found in 84.4% of children. The main etiologies found were severe malaria (63.8%), glomerulonephritis (10.3%) and nephrotic syndrome (10.3%). Thirteen children (22.4%) benefited from dialysis sessions. The evolution was favorable in 79.3% of the cases. CONCLUSION: The renal failure of child is relatively common in our daily practice. The low socio-economic level and the lack of adapted equipment make the care difficult.