Université des Montagnes

People living with epilepsy (PLWE) often face significant barriers to oral healthcare due to stigma, marginalization, and limited access to services, especially in low-resource settings. This study compared the oral health status and dental care needs of people living with epilepsy with matched controls without epilepsy at Laquintinie Hospital in Douala, Cameroon. We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study from February to May 2024. A total of 210 participants were enrolled, including 70 PLWE and 140 age-, sex-, and lifestyle-matched non-PLWE controls. PLWE were eligible if they had been diagnosed at least six months prior. Participants were consecutively recruited from the Neurology Department outpatient clinic. Oral health was assessed using the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S), Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN), and the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index. Associations were evaluated using chi-square tests and odds ratios, with significance set at p < 0.05. PLWE had significantly higher rates of poor oral hygiene compared with controls (85.7

Injuries caused by bicycle handlebars are often associated with the « ring sign », which is a major indicator of severe intra-abdominal injuries. The « double ring sign » in a patient with motorcycle handlebar injuries is rare. We report the case of a patient who was involved in a road traffic accident and suffered motorcycle handlebar injuries, in whom a "double ring sign" was observed. A 40 year-old male farmer, right-handed with a BMI of 23 Kg/m2, was admitted in our facility after a road traffic accident. The main complaints were agitation, painful abdomen and pelvic. The diagnosis of hemoperitoneum associated with severe intra-abdominal injuries was made based on the patient's state of shock, generalized abdominal contracture, and the abdominal ring sign indicating intra-abdominal injuries related to the motorcycle handlebars. During a midline xyphopubic laparotomy, a traumatic abdominal wall hernia was observed, mesenteric tear, complete rupture of the small bowel as well as two intestinal wounds, and an hemorrhagic tear of the left iliopsoas muscle. The patient was fully treated in a category 4 rural hospital with a favorable outcome. Patients who have been involved in motorcycle accidents on public roads should be thoroughly examined for signs of ring-shaped or « double ring » bruising caused motorcycle handlebars, as the injuries underlying this symptom are usually severe.

Introduction:Thrombotic risk refers to the likelihood of a thrombus, or blood clot, forming in the vascular system, which can obstruct blood flow and cause serious complications. This risk is closely linked to the function of physiological coagulation inhibitors. The causes of thrombosis are multiple, including damage to the vascular wall caused by blood vessel injury, trauma, surgery, or vascular inflammation; these can initiate stasis, or slow blood flow, thus promoting blood cell aggregation and clot formation. These factors are encountered during several pathological processes, including sickle cell disease. This study aimed to evaluate physiological coagulation inhibitors and their association with inflammation and to deduce the thrombotic risk in patients with sickle cell disease. Materials and methods:We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study over 1 year. The Bafoussam Regional Hospital served as the framework for this research. The study population consisted of homozygous sickle cell patients regularly followed in the hospital and recruited in the hematology department. The collected blood samples were sent to the Hematology and Hemostasis laboratory. The analyses carried out were the hemogram by the flow cytometry method; the determination of the activity of protein C, protein S, and antithrombin with a coagulometer by the magnetic method; and finally, the exploration of inflammation from CRP dosage by the ultrasensitive method and the dosage of interleukin-6 by the ELISA sandwich method. The data obtained were recorded in an Excel 2013 spreadsheet and analyzed using the statistical software R Version 4.1.1. Results:A total of 150 homozygous sickle cell patients were included in this study. Of these, 98 (65.34%) presented a thrombotic risk. A high frequency of anemia (94.7%) was reported. Moreover, 82.7% and 64.0%, respectively, of leukocytosis and thrombocytosis were reported. An elevation of inflammatory parameters was observed characterized by an elevation of CRP (100% of patients at risk versus none in the group without it) and a significantly higher median IL-6 level in the group of patients at thrombotic risk (50.1 [28.7-76.6] [pg/mL]) compared to those without it (32.3 [14.1-44.4] pg/mL) (p = 0.001). A decrease in coagulation inhibitors was observed, notably a significant decrease in protein C in patients with thrombotic risk compared to those without, with respective proportions of 71.6% and 50% (p = 0.001). The median antithrombin level was 79.0% (77.0-92.0) in patients with thrombotic risk and 94.0% (84.0-102) in those without (p < 0.001). Patients at risk of thrombosis had a significant decrease in protein S (76.6% vs. 50% [p < 0.001]); the decrease in the latter was identified as a predictive factor of thrombotic risk during sickle cell disease (aOR = 1.5 [1.1; 5.2]; p = 0.04). Conclusion:This study reports a significant frequency of thrombotic risk in the sickle cell population characterized by a decrease in physiological coagulation inhibitors. This highlights the need for a systematic exploration of these markers for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in this patient group.

Introduction : Les céphalées chroniques quotidiennes (CCQ) sont fréquentes et altèrent significativement la qualité de vie. Leur impact est peu documente au Cameroun. Méthodologie : Étude transversale réalisée à Douala incluant 120 patients présentant des CCQ. La qualité de vie a été évaluée par le questionnaire HIT-6. Résultats : L’age moyen était de 42 +/- 15 ans. Le score HIT-6 moyen était de 62 +/- 8, traduisant un impact sévère sur la qualité de vie. Les femmes étaient plus touchées que les hommes. Conclusion : Les CCQ ont un impact majeur sur la qualité de vie a Douala. Une prise en charge spécialisée est nécessaire. Mots-clés : céphalées chroniques quotidiennes, qualité de vie, HIT-6, Douala.

Women and girls affected by armed conflict and forced displacement are exposed to a high burden of potentially traumatic events, gendered insecurity, disrupted social networks, and barriers to mental health care. Evidence on protective psychological resources among internally displaced women in Central Africa remains limited. This study examined trauma load, personal sense of coherence (SoC), and sense of community coherence (SoCC) as predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity among women internally displaced by the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon. A sample of 133 female internally displaced persons (IDPs), aged 18 to 65 years, was recruited from two humanitarian organizations. Trauma exposure was assessed using the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 and a crisis-specific trauma checklist; PTSD symptom severity was measured with the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5; and SoC and SoCC were assessed with validated self-report scales. Among six trauma-load indicators, self-experienced traumatic event types related to the Anglophone Crisis were the only trauma-related predictor retained in the final regression model. The final model included self-experienced Anglophone Crisis-related trauma (β = .23, p = .009) and personal SoC (β = −.18, p = .035), F(2, 130) = 7.41, p < .001, adjusted R2 = .09. Using the PCL-5 screening cut-off of 31, 127 of 133 women (95.5%) met the threshold for probable PTSD. The findings do not establish causal mediation, but they support the interpretation that individual comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness are clinically relevant resilience-related resources for displaced women. Interventions for female IDPs should combine trauma-focused care with strategies that strengthen individual coping and meaning-making while acknowledging that displacement can disrupt community-level protection.