[Thyroid cardiac diseases in the African hospital milieu: experience of the Principal Hospital of Dakar, Senegal].

The incidence of cardiomyopathy associated with hyperthyroidism in black Africa is unclear. A prospective study was carried out at the Principal Hospital in Dakar, Senegal to systematically screen for thyrocardiac disease using cardiologic examinations including electrocardiography and ultrasound in a series of 15 men and 35 women with hyperthyroidism. Cardiac manifestations were detected in 3 men and 8 women including right ventricular insufficiency in 9 cases, left ventricular insufficiency and angor in one. After treatment of hyperthyroidism, atrial fibrillation disappeared in two cases and angor in one. Isolated dilated hypokinetic cardiomyopathy observed in 6 patients was the most common ultrasound finding and disappeared after treatment of thyroid dysfunction in 5. Manifestations occurred in two patients with mitro-aortic valve disease and one patient with isolated aortic valve disease. Based on these findings, the incidence of cardiomyopathy in patients with hyperthyroidism in Senegal was estimated to be 22 per 100 cases. This is similar to the incidence reported in industrialized countries. However the age of occurrence is lower and rheumatic valve disease was the most common associated cardiopathy.