Estimation of diagnostic reference levels for pediatric head computed tomography in Yaoundé.

The diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) are determined from dosimetry studies to compare and manage patient doses in medical imaging procedures. The aim of this work was to establish the first DRLs for pediatric patients during the most common computed tomography (CT) procedures in Yaoundé, Cameroon during routine head CT examinations to know how to improve our clinical practice tomorrow. The sample was classified per age group: ≤ 1-, 1-5-, 5-10- and 10-15-y-old.

Chronic diseases and mortality among hospitalised COVID-19 patients at Bafoussam Regional Hospital in the West region of Cameroon.

Reducing mortality among COVID-19 cases is a major challenge for most health systems worldwide. Estimating the risk of preexisting comorbidities on COVID-19 mortality may promote the importance of targeting at-risk populations to improve survival through primary and secondary prevention. This study was conducted to explore the contribution of exposure to some chronic diseases on the mortality of COVID-19.

ESTABLISHMENT OF LOCAL DIAGNOSTIC REFERENCE LEVEL FOR ROUTINE PAEDIATRIC COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY EXAMINATIONS IN BAFOUSSAM WEST CAMEROON.

The main purpose of this study was to determine local diagnostic reference level (LDRL) for routine computed tomography (CT) examination in Bafoussam, western Cameroon. The exposure parameters and dose quantities were collected manually. This retrospective, evaluative and comparative study was conducted to determine LDRLs for routine head CT examination in Bafoussam, to optimize these procedures in the region.

Addition of digital VIA/VILI to conventional naked-eye examination for triage of HPV-positive women: A study conducted in a low-resource setting.

Background: World Health Organization guidelines for cervical cancer screening recommend HPV testing followed by visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) for triage if HPV positive. In order to improve visual assessment and identification of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 and worse (CIN2+), providers may use visual aids such as digital cameras.

Objectives: To determine whether combined examination by naked-eye and digital VIA (D-VIA) and VILI (D-VILI) improves detection of CIN2+ as compared to the conventional evaluation.

Mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the West Cameroon Regional Hospital.

Introduction: despite its relatively low case-fatality rate, COVID-19 is a concern with high mortality and morbidity of hospitalized cases. This study was conducted to assess the relationship between time to consultation, presence of respiratory complications at hospital admission and fatal outcome of COVID-19 cases.

Methods: this was a case control study with data collected from records of all patients admitted in the Bafoussam Regional Hospital (BRH) from March 2020 to April 2021.

Implementation of an Africa-specific donor health questionnaire for human immunodeficiency virus risk screening.

Background And Objectives: We had previously developed an Africa-specific donor health questionnaire (ASDHQ) based on local risk factors and designed a scoring scheme. This study assessed the performance of a new donor health questionnaire by comparing the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status in accepted versus deferred donors by ASDHQ and comparing the rate of risk deferrals with historical data.

Materials And Methods: Data were collected during a cross-sectional study conducted over 15 months at three referral-hospital-based blood services in Cameroon.

Smartphone-Based Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid: An Innovative Tool to Improve Cervical Cancer Screening in Low-Resource Setting.

Visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) is recommended by the World Health Organization for primary cervical cancer screening or triage of human papillomavirus-positive women living in low-resource settings. Nonetheless, traditional VIA with the naked-eye is associated with large variabilities in the detection of pre-cancer and with a lack of quality control. Digital-VIA (D-VIA), using high definition cameras, allows magnification and zooming on transformation zones and suspicious cervical regions, as well as simultaneously compare native and post-VIA images in real-time.

Haptoglobin Gene Polymorphism among Sickle Cell Patients in West Cameroon: Hematological and Clinical Implications.

Haptoglobin is a protein involved in protecting the body from the harmful effects of free hemoglobin. The haptoglobin gene exhibits a polymorphism, and the different genotypes do not have the same capacity to combat the free hemoglobin effects. The present study aimed at determining the polymorphic distribution of haptoglobin in sickle cell patients (SCPs) from West Cameroon and their impact on the hematological parameters, as well as clinical manifestations of the disease severity.

Use of WhatsApp®, for distance teaching during COVID-19 pandemic: Experience and perception from a sub-Saharan African setting.

Background: In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, to palliate to the lockdown and cover academic programs, the faculty of medicine and pharmaceutical sciences (FMPS) of the university of Dschang (UDs) in Cameroon has implemented e-learning using WhatsApp®.

Aim: Describe the opinion of students and lecturers after its implementation of e-learning at the FMPS of UDs.

Methods: We designed a uniform teaching scheme using WhatsApp® during the university lockdown.

Neurological manifestations in patients with symptomatic COVID-19 admitted to the Bafoussam Regional Hospital, Cameroon.

Introduction: although the main manifestations of COVID-19 are respiratory, several neurological symptoms and complications have also been reported. The pandemic seems to have some epidemiological specificities in sub-Saharan Africa, and this may be reflected in the type and frequency of neurological symptoms. This study aimed to report neurological manifestations associated with symptomatic COVID-19 in a sub-Saharan African setting.

Poor knowledge of COVID-19 and unfavourable perception of the response to the pandemic by healthcare workers at the Bafoussam Regional Hospital (West Region-Cameroon).

Introduction: WHO warned against a dramatic impact of COVID-19 in Africa unless adequate response strategies are implemented. Whatever the strategy, the role of health staff is pivotal. Objective: Assess knowledge and perception of the response to COVID-19 among health staff.

Knowledge of peri-menarcheal changes and a comparative analysis of the age at menarche among young adolescent school girls in urban and rural Cameroon.

Background: Menarche is an expected event that occurs during the development of every normal young girl. We designed this study to evaluate the knowledge of young school girls on puberty, menarche, and menstruation, and to update data on the age at menarche in a rural and urban setting in Cameroon.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey from February to March 2017, targeting female students aged 9 to 16 years in Yaoundé (urban) and Bamougoum (rural).

Long-term prognosis of patients with permanent cardiac pacemaker indication in three referral cardiac centers in Cameroon: Insights from the National pacemaker registry.

Background: There is evidence that cardiac pacemakers improve symptoms and quality of life in patients with severe bradycardia. Globally, the number of pacemaker implantations is on the rise. However, the associated high-cost limits pacemaker's accessibility in low resource settings.

Implementing the 3T-approach for cervical cancer screening in Cameroon: Preliminary results on program performance.

Option recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) includes human papillomavirus (HPV) primary screening followed by visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) triage. We implemented a program based on a 3T-approach (Test-Triage and Treat). Our objective was to verify the effectiveness of the program by defining a set of performance indices.

Neuroimaging findings in headache with normal neurologic examination: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine if pooled estimates of the prevalence of unexpected findings in patients with headache and normal neurologic examination support current expert opinion-based neuroimaging guidelines.

Methods: We searched PubMed and EMBASE for studies reporting neuroimaging findings in patients with headache and normal neurologic examination up to September 30, 2017. The overall and disease-specific prevalence of unexpected findings were pooled through random-effects meta-analysis.

Clinical features of extra-uterine pregnancy in Cameroon: a review of 148 cases at the Yaounde Central Hospital.

Background: Extra-uterine pregnancy (EUP) is frequent in Cameroon but little is known about its clinical features.

Objective: To describe the epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic features of extra-uterine EUPs at the Yaounde Central Hospital in Cameroon.

Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study from the 1 st of January 2015 till January 31 st 2016 at the maternity of the Yaounde Central Hospital.

Neuroimaging of headaches in patients with normal neurological examination: protocol for a systematic review.

Introduction: Headache disorders (HD) are among the most frequent neurological disorders seen in neurology practice. Because secondary HD are rare, patients' examination is most often unremarkable. However, the will to relieve patients' anxiety and the fear of prosecutions lead to overuse of neuroimaging thus resulting in the discovery of incidental findings (IF) or normal variants that can lead to futile or harmful procedures.

Impact of a pioneer diabetes camp experience on glycemic control among children and adolescents living with type 1 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: The metabolic impact of participating in a diabetes camp is little known among children and adolescents living with type 1 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to assess the changes in glycemic control and insulin doses in a group of children and adolescents living with type 1 diabetes in Cameroon during and after camp attendance.

Methods: During a 5-day camp, we collected data on insulin doses, HbA1c, weight and blood glucose at least six times per day in a group of children and adolescents living with type 1 diabetes.

Assessing the knowledge, attitude and practice of family planning among women living in the Mbouda health district, Cameroon.

Background And Objective: Promotion of family planning has been shown to reduce poverty, hunger, maternal and infant mortality, and contribute to women's empowerment. But many resource-limited countries still have very low rates of contraceptive use. The present study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of family planning among women living in a resource-poor rural setting.

New-onset diabetic ketoacidosis in a 13-months old african toddler: a case report.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is very rare in infants and toddlers and is usually associated with high mortality when complicated with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Toddlers in DKA are often missed in our typical African setting where there is low index of suspicion. Usually, the classical symptoms are not usually at the forefront and many infants and toddlers who develop DKA are mistreated for infections.