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Objective: To describe the strategies and outcomes of mechanical ventilation in a poorly equipped facility. Methods: This retrospective descriptive study included patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and mechanically ventilated between September 1, 2020, and May 31, 2021. Data were collected from medical records and databases. Results: 54 Patients aged (62.9±13.3) years were included. Among these cases, 79.6% had at least one comorbidity. On admission, all patients had hypoxia. The median peripheral oxygen saturation in room air was 76% (61%, 83%). Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) was performed in 75.9% of the patients, and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in 68.5%. IMV was performed on patients due to severe coma (8.1%), failure of standard oxygen therapy (27.0%), and failure of NIV (64.9%). An arterial blood gas test was performed in 14.8% of the patients. NIV failed in 90.2% of cases and succeeded in 9.8%. IMV was successful in 5.4% of cases, vs. 94.6% of mortality. The overall mortality rate of patients on ventilation in the ICU was 88.9%. The causes of death included severe respiratory distress syndrome (85.2%), multiple organ failure (14.8%), and pulmonary embolism (13.0%). Conclusions: The ventilation management of COVID-19 patients in the ICU with NIV and IMV in a scarce resource setting is associated with a high mortality rate. Shortcomings are identified in ventilation strategies, protocols, and monitoring. Required improvements were also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In HIV-infected patients thromboembolic disease is a complication linked to heightened risk. In Ivory Coast no study has been conducted on HIVinfected patients treated in HIV Services. The aim of our study is to describe HIV-associated thromboembolic manifestations in patients treated or untreated with antiretroviral drugs whose data were collected in the Infectious and Tropical Diseases Service (ITDS). We conducted a retrospective study by reviewing the medical records of HIV-infected patients hospitalized with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), arterial thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism over the period January 2005-July 2015. Diagnosis was based on Doppler ultrasound of vessels and/or on thoracic angioscanner. Diagnostic, therapeutic and evolutionary features of thromboembolic manifestations in these patients were analyzed. The medical records of 36 patients, including 23 women (64%), with a sex-ratio M/F of 0.57 and an average age of 43±12 years were selected. Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) was found in 26 (72.2%) patients, pulmonary embolism (PE) in 9 (25%) patients and arterial thrombosis in 1 patient (2.8%). DVT was unilateral in 81% of cases and predominantly left-sided in 77% of cases. PE was unilateral and right-sided in 100% of cases while arterial thrombosis was bilateral in 2.7% of cases. In patients with DVT, the femoral vein (39%) and the popliteal vein (35%) were most commonly affected by thrombosis. PE involved the pulmonary arteries in 77.8% of cases while arterial thrombosis involved the left and right internal carotid. The majority of patients was under antiretroviral treatment (69%). The most commonly associated opportunistic infections included oral candidiasis (31%) and tuberculosis (33%). Nine patients died (25%). This study highlights high rates of DVT in HIV-infected patients. Other studies are necessary to better understand the role of HIV in the occurrence of thromboembolic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tetanus still remains a public health problem in Togo despite the existence of the Expanded Program on Immunization., Patients and Method: A retrospective and descriptive cohort study was performed from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2018 in the infectious and tropical diseases department of Sylvanus Olympio teaching hospital of Lome (Togo) on tetanus cases., Results: We included 208 tetanus cases accounting for 6.5% of the whole hospitalizations in the infectious and tropical diseases department at this hospital. The median age of the patients was 23 [13-38 years] with male predominance (81.2%). The patients were workers (63.5%) and came mainly from urban areas (65.9%). Tetanus vaccination was only up to date in 9.3% of patients. Gateways were dominated by skin wounds (66.8%). Antitetanus serum was administered in 191 patients (91.8%) mainly through intrathecal route (189 patients (91.1%)). Complications were marked by superinfection of the wound (n=8), septic shock (n=3), acute respiratory failure and skin necrosis in 1 case respectively. The lethality was 27.4%., Conclusion: The morbidity of tetanus, in particular juvenile morbidity, remains high with significant lethality. It is therefore important to place particular emphasis on the vaccine booster component., (Copyright © 2023 SFMTSI.)

In HIV-infected patients thromboembolic disease is a complication linked to heightened risk. In Ivory Coast no study has been conducted on HIV-infected patients treated in HIV Services. The aim of our study is to describe HIV-associated thromboembolic manifestations in patients treated or untreated with antiretroviral drugs whose data were collected in the Infectious and Tropical Diseases Service (ITDS). We conducted a retrospective study by reviewing the medical records of HIV-infected patients hospitalized with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), arterial thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism over the period January 2005-July 2015. Diagnosis was based on Doppler ultrasound of vessels and/or on thoracic angioscanner. Diagnostic, therapeutic and evolutionary features of thromboembolic manifestations in these patients were analyzed. The medical records of 36 patients, including 23 women (64%), with a sex-ratio M/F of 0.57 and an average age of 43±12 years were selected. Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) was found in 26 (72.2%) patients, pulmonary embolism (PE) in 9 (25%) patients and arterial thrombosis in 1 patient (2.8%). DVT was unilateral in 81% of cases and predominantly left-sided in 77% of cases. PE was unilateral and right-sided in 100% of cases while arterial thrombosis was bilateral in 2.7% of cases. In patients with DVT, the femoral vein (39%) and the popliteal vein (35%) were most commonly affected by thrombosis. PE involved the pulmonary arteries in 77.8% of cases while arterial thrombosis involved the left and right internal carotid. The majority of patients was under antiretroviral treatment (69%). The most commonly associated opportunistic infections included oral candidiasis (31%) and tuberculosis (33%). Nine patients died (25%). This study highlights high rates of DVT in HIV-infected patients. Other studies are necessary to better understand the role of HIV in the occurrence of thromboembolic disease., Competing Interests: Les auteurs ne déclarent aucun conflit d’intérêts.