Musculoskeletal conditions in children attending two Togolese hospitals

Citation
M. Mijiyawa et al., Musculoskeletal conditions in children attending two Togolese hospitals, RHEUMATOLOG, 38(10), 1999, pp. 1010-1013
Citations number
21
Categorie Soggetti
Rheumatology
Journal title
RHEUMATOLOGY
ISSN journal
14620324 → ACNP
Volume
38
Issue
10
Year of publication
1999
Pages
1010 - 1013
Database
ISI
SICI code
1462-0324(199910)38:10<1010:MCICAT>2.0.ZU;2-N
Abstract
Objective. A retrospective study was conducted in order to point out the di fferent kinds of musculoskeletal conditions observed in children attending two Togolese hospitals. Results. A total of 434 (242 females, 192 males) of the 29 620 children exa mined (1.5%) were suffering from these conditions. Probable joint and bone infections (187 patients, 43%), limb deformities (106 patients, 24%), osteo chondrosis (60 patients, 14%) and vaso-occlusive crisis due to haemoglobino pathies (29 patients, 7%) were the main conditions observed. Osteomyelitis observed in 128 patients affected the humerus (25 patients), radius (10 pat ients), femur (68 patients), tibia (15 patients), fibula (five patients), a nd both tibia and fibula (five patients). Probably, infectious arthritis se en in 30 patients affected mainly the hip (11 patients) and the knee (13 pa tients). In the spine, infection affected the midthoracic and upper lumbar areas. Underdevelopment, sickle cell anaemia and sickle cell haemoglobin C disease were the main risk factors in determining susceptibility to infecti ons. Vaso-occlusive crises were due to sickle cell anaemia (11 patients) an d sickle cell haemoglobin C disease (18 patients). Osteochondrosis seen in 60 patients free from haemoglobinopathy involved the spine (Scheuermann's d isease, 38 patients) and the hip (Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, 22 patients). Limb deformities were observed in the knee (varus and valgus deformities i n 64 patients) and the foot (talipes varus equin in 40 patients). Conclusion. This study's findings, which require further confirmation, sugg est some conclusions. Scheuermann's disease can explain in part the degener ative disc conditions observed in African adults. Valgus and varus deformit ies play an important role in the development of knee osteoarthritis in Bla ck Africa. An African child with joint or bone pain should be investigated for sickle cell anaemia. In the future, improved lifestyle and better healt h care will be essential to reduce bone and joint infections, and allow ref ined diagnosis of connective tissue diseases now probably underestimated in African children.