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Distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) was more frequent among Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patients. The reliable tool for its diagnosis is not available everywhere in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to estimate the frequency of DSP among HIV patients in Libreville. We’ve conducted a cross-sectional study including all consecutives HIV-patients admitted to the HIV clinic in the University Teaching Hospital of Libreville (Gabon) between 1 May and 31 July 2014. All patients underwent a full neurological examination doing by two neurologists. The diagnosis of DSP was based on Brief Peripheral Neuropathy Screen (BPNS). We also collected the data concerning past medical history, the use of neurotoxic drug, history of disease and data of High Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART). The logistic regression was used to study the factors associated with DSP. They were 620 patients aged from 17 to 74 years with the mean age of 42.1 years ± 11.0 years and 570 (91.9%) were on HAART. The mean duration of disease was 57.6 ± 42.5 months. Among the 620 patients 170 fulfilled criteria for DSP, and the overall frequency of DSP was 27.4%. The associated factors in univariate analysis were the age, the occupation, the use of HAART, the HAART option, the stage of the disease, opportunistic disease, alcohol consumption, exposure to isoniazid, diabetes mellitus and the modes of contamination. But in multivariate analysis the associated factors were the stage of disease OR 2.7 [1.2 - 3.7], diabetes mellitus OR 2.4 [1.4 - 5.8] and the use of D4T in HAART OR 1.9 [1.1 - 4.9]. The main symptoms among the patients were burning feet (47.6%), the tingling (40.0%), numbness (27.6%), alteration of ankle reflex (87.6%) and alteration of vibration sensation (27.6%). The DSP was more frequent among HIV patients and could be explained by the duration of the disease, the association with metabolic disease and the use of D4T.

Background: Coma is a highly frequent situation associated with several diseases. Objective: That is to assess the prognostic factors of comas at the intensive care unit of the university teaching hospital of Parakou. Patients and Methods: It is a cross-sectional study with descriptive and analytical purpose based on prospective gathering of data. It has been performed from March 1 to July 31, 2014. The population study consists of 100 adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit for coma. The vital and functional prognosis data are studied. Results: The admission frequency of comatose patients to the intensive care unit is 44.4%. Patients’ mean age is 27 ± 13.9 years with extremes of 16 and 88 years. The average length of stay in the intensive care unit is 5.2 ± 5.6 days with extremes of 2 hours 30 minutes and 30 days. Mortality rate is 30%. Poor prognostic factors are: average Glasgow score of 6.8 ± 2.9 (p = 0.01), average outpatient simplified severity index (OSSI) of 9.1 ± 3.5 (p = 0.02), pupillary abnormality (p = 0.00), motor weakness (p = 0.00), average glycemia of 1.5 ± 0.82 g/L (p = 0.02), average systolic blood pressure of 130.9 ± 44.5 mm Hg (p = 0.03), average diastolic blood pressure of 80.8 ± 22.3 mm Hg (p = 0.03), average respiratory rate of 30.9 ± 10.6 cycles/min (p = 0.03) and average temperature of 37.8°C ± 1.2°C (p = 0.03). Conclusion: Coma is a pathological entity with high frequency in clinical medicine. Its positive diagnosis is easy, but etiological research is hard. Hospital mortality is high and influenced by several factors. Taking into account, those factors in care strategies can improve their prognosis.

Background: The distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) was more frequent among diabetics, although its determinant was not well known among diabetics in Benin. Objective: We aimed to assess the frequency of DSP and its determinants among diabetics at Parakou. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study carried out from 1 March to 31 August 2012 and included 336 diabetics followed at the diabetes unit of Parakou hospital. The diagnosis of DSP was based on DNS (Diabetic Neuropathy Score) criteria and other criteria. All data concerning the diabetes mellitus were recorded. We used Epi-Info and SPSS 16.0 software to perform analysis. Results: They were 187 females (56.0%) with the mean age of 54.9 ± 10.9 years. 298 patients fulfilled criteria for DSP; the overall prevalence of DSP was 88.7%. The main associated factors in multivariate analysis were treatment duration of diabetes more than 4 years: OR = 36.7 [4.0 - 336.9]; the elevated glycaemia: OR = 3.1 [1.4 - 7.1]; the activity with high income: OR = 0.2 [0.0 - 0.8]; the ethnicity: nagots/fon: OR: 3.7 [1.4 - 12.5]. Conclusion: Those results suggested the high frequency of DSP among diabetics at Parakou.