Challenges in the diagnosis and management of anti-phospholipid syndrome: a case from Cameroon.

Background: Anti-phospholipid syndrome (APLS) is a condition characterized by the presence of raised plasma levels of anti-phospholipid antibodies associated with thrombo-embolic disease and/or poor obstetrical outcomes in women. The epidemiology of APLS is unknown in most sub-Saharan African countries due to limited access to diagnosis tools. We report the case of APLS in a 29-year-old obese woman that was preceded by pre-eclampsia and fetal death.

Patterns and trends in mortality among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients in a major Internal Medicine Unit in Yaoundé, Cameroon: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To describe the trends in mortality and the spectrum of disease in HIV-infected and -uninfected inpatients in a population in Yaoundé.

Design: A retrospective study.

Setting: Internal Medicine Unit, University Hospital Centre, Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Shone's anomaly: a report of one case in sub-Saharan Africa.

Shone's anomaly is a rare congenital cardiac malformation consisting of four obstructive lesions of the left heart and the aortic arch: a supramitral membrane; parachute mitral valve; subaortic stenosis; and coarctation of the aorta which occurs most commonly in its incomplete form. We report on a 17-year-old male Cameroonian with a variant of shone anomaly consisting of sub-valvular aortic stenosis, coarctation of the aorta and parachute mitral valve. He was referred for the investigation of a cardiac murmur after he presented with shortness of breath preceded by flu like syndrome.

Approach to hypertension among primary care physicians in the West Region of Cameroon: substantial room for improvement.

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and approach of primary care physician (PCP) towards the management of hypertension in Cameroon.

Methods: In 2012 we surveyed 77 PCPs among the 111 working in the West region of Cameroon. We used a standardized questionnaire assessing practices regarding the detection, evaluation and treatment of hypertension, and source of information about updates on hypertension.

A Centre for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Tuberculosis (CDT) in a resource-limited setting: a dragnet for patients with heart disease?

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a growing public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Cough and dyspnea are symptoms of both lung diseases and heart failure. This study aimed at determining the contribution of cardiac diseases versus pulmonary diseases in the etiological profile of patients presenting with cough and dyspnea in a Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Tuberculosis (CDT), in a semi-rural area in Cameroon.

The spectrum of cardiac disease in the West Region of Cameroon: a hospital-based cross-sectional study.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a growing public health problem in Africa. The extent of heart disease in Cameroon remains largely unknown. This study aimed at reporting the etiology of cardiac disease in a cardiologic clinic situated in a semi-urban area in the West region of Cameroon.