A Case Series of Venous Thromboembolic Disease in a Semi-urban Setting in Cameroon

Overview

Journal BMC Res Notes

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialties Biology
General Medicine

Date 2019 Jan 20

PMID 30658695

Citations 1

Authors

Clovis Nkoke

Denis Teuwafeu

Alice Mapina

Cyrille Nkouonlack

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: Our goal was to study the clinical characteristics, risk factors and outcome of patients admitted for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the medical unit of the Buea Regional Hospital, Cameroon between 1st July 2016 and 30th November 2017.

Results: Twenty-two patients were admitted for VTE. There were 12 (54.4%) men. The mean age was 54.9 ± 13.9 years (range: 31-77 years). The main risk factors were immobilization (40.9%), HIV infection (22.7%), tuberculosis (18.2%), obesity (13.6%) and cancer (13.6%). Nineteen (86.4%) patients had deep venous thrombosis (DVT), 3(13.6%) had pulmonary embolism (PE). One patient had a concomitant DVT and PE. All patients received low molecular weight heparin and 76.2% were discharged on oral vitamin K antagonist while 23.8% were discharged on direct oral anticoagulants. The median length of hospital stay was 9.5 days (range: 4-34). Three deaths (13.6%) were recorded. This study describes VTE in a semi-urban setting in Cameroon and shows that immobility, HIV infection and tuberculosis are common risk factors for VTE in this semi-urban setting.

Citing Articles

Improving anticoagulation in sub-Saharan Africa: What are the challenges and how can we overcome them?.

Mouton J, Blockman M, Sekaggya-Wiltshire C, Semakula J, Waitt C, Pirmohamed M Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2021; 87(8):3056-3068.

PMID: 33586223 PMC: 8359270. DOI: 10.1111/bcp.14768.

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