Exploring Factors Associated with Quality of Life in Caregivers of Children and Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease and HIV: A Comparative Analysis.

Introduction: Paediatric HIV and sickle cell disease (SCD) are two stigmatising and potentially fatal illnesses that place a significant burden on families. HIV patients benefit from a longstanding free-service national programme in Cameroon, and this could considerably alleviate burden of care on HIV caregivers, possibly leading to better quality of life (QoL) in HIV caregivers compared to SCD caregivers. Our study aimed to compare the QoL between caregivers of children and adolescents with SCD and HIV and explore factors associated with this QoL in Cameroon.

Comparison of in-hospital mortality in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease in a resource-limited setting before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: COVID-19 in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD) has variable presentations (from mild to severe disease), and the main symptoms are vaso-occlusive crises (VOC) and acute chest syndrome (ACS). We hypothesized that the desertion of hospitals due to the pandemic would lead to late arrival at the emergency room and an increased mortality. In this study, we sought to measure and compare the mortality of children with sickle cell disease before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Assessment of barriers to optimal cancer control in adult cancer treatment centres in Cameroon.

Approximately 20,745 new cases of cancer were registered annually with 13,199 (64%) deaths in 2020 in Cameroon. Despite the increasing cancer burden, there is a paucity of reliable data that can enhance decision-making for cancer control in Cameroon. This assessment was, therefore, designed to generate data that may enable stakeholders, policymakers and funders to make data-driven decisions on cancer control.

Short Physical Performance Battery and Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Index in the Exploration of Frailty Among Older People in Cameroon.

To investigate the relationship between the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) index. We present data from a cross-sectional survey conducted in Cameroon. Frailty was defined as an SOF index > 0.

Failure to receive prescribed imaging is associated with increased early mortality after injury in Cameroon.

Despite having the highest rates of injury-related mortality in the world, trauma system capacity in sub-Saharan Africa remains underdeveloped. One barrier to prompt diagnosis of injury is limited access to diagnostic imaging. As part of a larger quality improvement initiative and to assist priority setting for policy makers, we evaluated trauma outcomes among patients who did and did not receive indicated imaging in the Emergency Department (ED).

High risk of virologic failure among HIV-infected children and adolescents routinely followed-up in Littoral region of Cameroon.

Virological response to antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains a challenge for HIV-infected children and adolescents due to non-optimization of pediatric ART for resource-limited settings. In this study, we aimed to investigate factors associated with virologic failure (VF) in HIV-infected-children and adolescents on ART in Cameroon. A prospective patient-based cohort study was conducted among HIV-infected children (0-9 years) and adolescents (10-19 years) followed-up between November 2018 and October 2019 in 38 healthcare centers located in the Littoral region of Cameroon.

The CBS test: Development, evaluation & cross-validation of a community-based injury severity scoring system in Cameroon.

Injury-related deaths overwhelmingly occur in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Community-based injury surveillance is essential to accurately capture trauma epidemiology in LMICs, where one-third of injured individuals never present to formal care. However, community-based studies are constrained by the lack of a validated surrogate injury severity metric.

Beliefs and attitudes of traditional healers regarding epilepsy in Cameroon.

Introduction: People living with epilepsy suffer from stigmatization, overprotection, or exclusion, thus, part of these population in developing countries uses traditional medicine as a first resort.

Methods: We prospectively conducted a study to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of traditional healers (THs) concerning epilepsy. Over a 9-month period, we included 208 THs practicing in the Littoral, Center and West regions of Cameroon who agreed to participate in the study.

Rate of virological failure and HIV-1 drug resistance among HIV-infected adolescents in routine follow-up on health facilities in Cameroon.

The objective of this study was to determine the rates of virological failure (VF) and HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) amongst adolescents on antiretroviral Therapy (ART). A retrospectively designed study was conducted in 10 healthcare centers for adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) in the two main cities of Cameroon (Yaoundé and Douala), from November 2018 to May 2019. Sociodemographic, clinical, therapeutic and laboratory parameters were collected from medical records.

Self-reported visual impairment and sarcopenia among older people in Cameroon.

Aging has been clearly associated with decline in visual and physical performance. Alteration of visual function is associated with negative health outcomes including physical frailty. We assessed the relationship between Visual Impairment (VI) and sarcopenia in older persons in Cameroon.

How trauma patients die in low resource settings: Identifying early targets for trauma quality improvement.

Background: Injury deaths in sub-Saharan Africa are among the world's highest, but hospital data rarely have sufficient granularity to direct quality improvement. We analyzed clinical care patterns among trauma patients who died in a prospective, multicenter sub-Saharan cohort to pinpoint trauma quality improvement intervention targets.

Methods: In-hospital trauma deaths in four Cameroonian hospitals between 2017 and 2019 were included.

Chronic Disease Comorbidities Among Injured Patients in Cameroon: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Introduction: Chronic diseases are increasing but underdiagnosed in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), where injury mortality is already disproportionately high. We estimated prevalence of known chronic disease comorbidities and their association with outcomes among injured patients in Cameroon.

Materials And Methods: Injured patients aged ≥15 y presenting to four Cameroonian hospitals between October 2017 and January 2020 were included.

Clinical, biochemical, and biomolecular aspects of congenital adrenal hyperplasia in a group of Cameroonian children and adolescents.

Objectives: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) remains one of the most challenging endocrine disorders to diagnose, manage, and treat, especially in Africa where there is lack of neonatal screening program, and limited access to care. Data on biomolecular anomaly are sparse, therefore type of mutations are unknown, increasing management challenges and genetic counseling. The present study aims to describe clinical, biomolecular aspects of a group of Cameroonian patients.

Epilepsy surgery in Africa: state of the art and challenges.

Objective: Epilepsy is an important public health problem representing 0.6% of the global burden of disease that particularly impacts people living in the lowest income countries where epilepsy incidence may be 10 fold more than in the developed world. The battery of treatments designed to counteract the clinical manifestations of this disease are various and range from a wide spectrum of antiseizure medicationand specific diets, to surgical techniques for resection of the epileptogenic focus.

Helicobacter pylori infection, a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes mellitus: a hospital-based cross-sectional study among dyspeptic patients in Douala-Cameroon.

Diabetic mellitus patients are usually prone to chronic infections. However, there have been contradictory reports about the association between H. pylori infection and type II diabetes.

Baseline Patient Safety Culture in Cameroon: Setting a Foundation for Trauma Quality Improvement.

Background: Trauma quality improvement (QI) has resulted in decreased trauma mortality and morbidity in high-income countries and has the potential to do the same in low- and middle-income countries. Effective implementation of QI programs relies on a foundational culture of patient safety; however, studies on trauma-related patient safety culture in Sub-Saharan Africa remain scarce. This study assesses baseline patient safety culture in Cameroon to best identify opportunities for improvement.

Financial Risk Protection and Hospital Admission for Trauma in Cameroon: An Analysis of the Cameroon National Trauma Registry.

Background: Half of the global population is at risk for catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) in the event that they require surgery. Universal health coverage fundamentally requires protection from CHE, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Financial risk protection reports in LMICs covering surgical care are limited.

Stool Antigen Testing, a Reliable Noninvasive Method of Assessment of Helicobacter pylori Infection Among Patients with Gastro-duodenal Disorders in Cameroon.

Background: Several techniques such as invasive and noninvasive are used for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection.

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the results of rapid urease test, stool antigen test and serology in diagnosing H.

Potential of selected lactic acid bacteria from Theobroma cacao fermented fruit juice and cell-free supernatants from cultures as inhibitors of Helicobacter pylori and as good probiotic.

Objective: The present study was designed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates from the fermented cocoa juice and their cell-free culture supernatants (CFS) against Helicobacter pylori strains and their potential as good probiotic. Isolation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was performed by culture and subculture of sample on MRS agar. Morphological characteristics, Gram staining and catalase reaction were used to identify the isolates.

Broad spectrum resistance in Helicobacter pylori isolated from gastric biopsies of patients with dyspepsia in Cameroon and efflux-mediated multiresistance detection in MDR isolates.

Background: Antibiotic resistance is a leading cause of treatment failure in Helicobacter pylori infection. In Africa, there are very little data concerning the susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori isolates to antibiotics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the resistance prevalence of Helicobacter pylori strains circulating in Cameroon, and to assess overexpression of efflux pump as a possible multi-drug resistance mechanisms.

Characterization of pharmaceutical medication without a medical prescription in children before hospitalization in a resource-limited setting, Cameroon.

Introduction: The use of different therapeutic approaches is common among sick children in Cameroon. The main objective of this study was to characterize the use of non-prescription drugs and describe the therapeutic itineraries of sick children before admission to the hospital.

Methods: A cross-sectional and prospective study was conducted from January to May 2017.

Malnutrition among HIV infected children under 5 years of age at the Laquintinie hospital Douala, Cameroon.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of malnutrition among HIV infected children under five years of age followed up at the Laquintinie Hospital Douala (LHD).

Methods: Medical records of children aged 13 days-59 months enrolled at initiation of antiretroviral treatment in the Day Care Unit/LHD, were reviewed for a period of 14 years (from 2002 to 2015). We used standard Z-scores, with cut-off point of <-2 SD to define low height-for-age (HAZ), low weight-for-height (WHZ) and low weight-for-age (WAZ).

Feasibility and utility of active case finding of HIV-infected children and adolescents by provider-initiated testing and counselling: evidence from the Laquintinie hospital in Douala, Cameroon.

Background: Universal HIV testing and treatment of infected children remain challenging in resource-limited settings (RLS), leading to undiagnosed children/adolescents and limited access to pediatric antiretroviral therapy (ART). Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility of active cases finding of HIV-infected children/adolescents by provider-initiated testing and counseling in a health facility.

Methods: A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted from January through April 2016 at 6 entry-points (inpatient, outpatient, neonatology, immunization/family planning, tuberculosis, day-care units) at the Laquintinie Hospital of Douala (LHD), Cameroon.

Machine learning without borders? An adaptable tool to optimize mortality prediction in diverse clinical settings.

Background: Mortality prediction aids clinical decision making and is necessary for quality improvement initiatives. Validated metrics rely on prespecified variables and often require advanced diagnostics, which are unfeasible in resource-constrained contexts. We hypothesize that machine learning will generate superior mortality prediction in both high-income and low- and middle-income country cohorts.

Potential risk factors and prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection among adult patients with dyspepsia symptoms in Cameroon.

Background: Helicobacter pylori is a Gram negative bacterium that colonizes the stomach of approximately two-thirds of the human population and it is involved in the pathogenesis of gastroduodenal diseases. This study sought to determine potential risk factors associated with seroprevalence of H. pylori among dyspepsia patients in Cameroon for a better management of the disease.