Search

Background: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare cause of heart failure occurring during pregnancy. Its prevalence seems more frequent in Africa but its epidemiological, clinical and evolutionary particularities remain unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological features and mortality risk factors of PPCM., Material and Method: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study over 38 months (January 2018 to March 2021) in 3 hospitals in the city of Douala(Cameroon). We included all patients with heart failure between the last month of pregnancy and 5 months after delivery without an identified cause. Were excluded, files not containing data on echocardiography, patients with heart failure without dilation or with LVEF≥ 45% and patients with a history of heart disease of known aetiology. Chi² tests and binary logistic regression were used for data analysis; the survival curve according to Kaplan Meier was drawn for the evolution. The threshold of significance was set at 0.05., Results: A total of 2102 medical records of women with heart failure were searched. In these records, a total of 59 patients showed signs of peripartum heart failure and only 29 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. From a socio-demographic point of view, the average age was 29 ± 7 years and 51.7% of patients were over 30 years old. Among these patients, 79.3% of patients lived in urban areas and 10.3% of patients had a low socio-economic level. The hospital frequency of PPCM was 1.3%. Clinically, primiparous and pauciparous women were the most affected; the diagnosis was made after more than a month of progression in 65.5% of patients. Dyspnea was present in all patients. In addition, 89.7% of patients had a left ventricular end-diastolic diameter ≥ 62 m, 48.3 % had a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) between 30% and 45%, and 51.7% had an LVEF < 30%. The associated mortality rate was 27.7%. The only prognostic factor independently associated with mortality was age < 30 years., Conclusion: The frequency of PPCM is relatively low in Cameroonian urban settings. Moreover, its diagnosis is generally delayed and it induces high mortality. Its occurrence in a woman under the age of 30 is a factor of poor prognosis., Competing Interests: Competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Lactational breast abscesses are uncommon in the puerperium but when they do develop, delays in specialist referral may occur especially in resource low settings. There is a dearth of studies regarding lactational breast abscesses in Cameroon. We aimed to estimate the incidence of lactational breast abscess and describe its management by percutaneous aspiration at the Douala General Hospital, Cameroon., Methods: We conducted an observational prospective study of 25 breastfeeding women at the Douala General Hospital from January 1, 2015, to October 31, 2015. Participants were consenting breastfeeding women who completed a baseline questionnaire after diagnosis of lactational breast abscesses and underwent percutaneous needle aspiration under local anaesthesia. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics., Results: The estimated incidence of lactational breast abscesses was 0.74% (28/3792). The age range of babies at the onset of breast abscess was 4 to 35 weeks; mean 28.3 ± 10.85 weeks. Forty-four per cent of participants underwent three lactational abscess aspirations and in 24 to 28% of them, it took 8 to 9 days for the abscess to resolve. In 72% of participants, treatment was with needle aspiration plus flucloxacillin. Seventy-six per cent of participants continued breastfeeding after abscess treatment., Conclusion: The estimated incidence of lactational breast abscess at the Douala General Hospital is 0.74%. Percutaneous needle aspiration under local anaesthesia is an effective treatment for superficial lactational breast abscesses in most cases with or without ultrasound guidance and should be recommended worldwide as first line treatment. Further research is needed to understand the outcome of local infiltration of antibiotics on the abscess cavity.

The rate of uterine scars, an established risk factor for obstetric morbidity, is increasing worldwide. In developing countries, spontaneous uterine ruptures may constitute 87.4% of cases. Tratment is a problem in modern obstetrics, in particular in these countries. This study aims to describe healthcare chain and materno-fetal follow-up of post-partum women with uterine scar in three university hospitals in the city of Yaoundé in order to highlight morbidity management problems in low-resource countries at the dawn of sustainable development goals. We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study based on the collection of prospective data over a period of six months in 2014. The study included all consenting post-partum women with uterine scar, having given birth to a gestational at a gestational age greater than or equal to a total of 28 weeks of amenorrhea. The sampling was consecutive and exhaustive. Chi square test statistic was applied in all research areas, with a reliability threshold of p≤ 0.05. Data on 252 women with uterine scars, reflecting a rate of 8% (252/3145), were collected during the study period. Prenatal consultations were performed by inadequate staff in an inadequate sanitary structure in 30% of cases. Women were referred due to delivery complications after first admission to an inadequate sanitary structure in 25% of cases (6 uterine ruptures and 7 dead fetus before admission). There was indication for cesarean section/laparotomy on admission in 39% of cases; the rate of vaginal delivery was of 23%; there was indication for trial of scar in 30% of cases, with a success rate of 76.3%. Vaginal delivery was related to parity, a history of vaginal delivery, fetal macrosomia and was inversely related to the number of scars. Maternal mortality was zero and cesarean section was related to materno-fetal morbidity. The poor quality of prenatal consultations and the management of delivery are the main determinants of problems during vaginal birth after cesarean section in our environment. The establishment of a system facilitating access to skilled health care practitioners/adequate health care facilities for pregnant women with uterine scar would improve the prognosis of post-partum women with uterine scar.