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Biomedical subjects

A M Sow

Publications and source records attributed to A M Sow.

59 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Contribution to the study of endocrinopathies in black Africans (author's transl)].

For a long time endocrine pathology was unrecognized or even denied to exist in Black Africans, but this is not true. It seems to be recognized more frequently since medicalization has increased. This pathology does not present any particularities. Hyperthyroidism appears frequently, at least in urban areas. A series of 87 personal cases has permitted a review of the principal clinical and biological aspects; myasthenia seems to be particularly important; radical treatment is preferred over prolonged medical treatment which is not within the financial possibilities of our patients. There have been 30 observations of cortico-adrenal anomalies of which 7 known personally. It must be noted that the Black living in his traditional rural environment presents a certain degree of physiological hypocorticism with respect to whites and especially Blacks of higher social standing. Pathological hypocorticism is essentially due to tuberculosis; the melanodermia is evident to an alert observer. Metabolic hypercorticism produces the usual manifestations. Only 9 cases of Sheehan syndrome have been reported (5 personal). In the Black African woman, it appears earlier than in Europe often due to premature nuptiulity and the higher incidence of tachyparity. One is surprised that this syndrome is detected so rarely; it is, without a doubt, often well tolerated during a long period of time therefore goes undetected.

Adrenal Cortex Diseases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Clinical characteristics of primary hypothyroidism in Dakar. Apropos of 37 cases].

Primary hypothyroidism, other than cases of endemic goiter, has rarely been described in Africa. We conducted a retrospective study of the patients admitted to our hospital unit between 1985 and 1996. The inclusion criteria were clinical signs of hypothyroidism and low levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone. We investigated socio-demographic, clinical (hypometabolic syndrome, cutaneomucal syndrome, muscular syndrome) and etiological (spontaneous thyroid atrophy, thyroidectomy, multinodular goiter) factors. Overall, our study population contained 37 cases, 8 men and 29 women. The mean age of the men was 40.8 +/- 19.2 years and that of the women was 41.5 +/- 14.5 years. Eighteen patients (about 50%) lived in the suburbs, 25% of patients were from urban areas and 25% from rural areas. The associated clinical signs were: 1) hypometabolism: constipation (51% of cases), bradycardia (45%), physical asthenia (40%), sleeping during the day (32%), frilosity (35%); 2) cutaneomucal syndrome: hoarseness (48%), alopecia (32%), facial puffiness (27%), macroglossia (24%), hypoacousia (21%), weight gain (18%), dry skin (16%), pallor (2%); 3) muscular syndrome was rare: myalgia (4 cases), muscle weakness (2 cases). Mean total cholesterol concentration was 2.54 +/- 0.75 g/l; mean total T3 was 1.027 +/- 0.84 nmol/l; mean total T4 was 16.70 +/- 16.89 nmol/l; mean TSH concentration, measured by radiometry, was 63.74 +/- 51.01 mIU/l. The etiology was goiter in 13 cases, thyroidectomy (11 cases) and spontaneous thyroid atrophy (13 cases). Thus, primary hypothyroidism does occur in African hospitals, particularly in Senegal. This disease, which has traditionally been reported in public health studies of endemic goiter, also occurs in cosmopolitan African environments.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Hypercholesterolemia in diabetes in Dakar. Sociodemographic and etiological factors and therapeutic bases].

This study took place between January and September 1996. The inclusion criteria was a blood cholesterol concentration of at least 2.5 g/l. Thirty-three patients were included. They were aged from 37 to 77 years, with a mean age of 59 (+/- 9.4) years. Twenty-six were women and seven were men. The mean age of the women was 58.9 (+/- 10) years and that of the men was 61 (+/- 6.1) years. Sixteen patients were from urban areas, 14 from semi-rural areas and 3 were of rural origin. The mean duration of diabetes was 9 (+/- 6.5) years. Mean post-prandial blood glucose concentration was 2.2 (+/- 1.0) g/l. Mean body mass index was 25.6 (+/- 5.6). Mean systolic blood pressure was 15.0 (+/- 2.5) cm Hg and mean diastolic blood pressure was 9.0 (+/- 1.3) mm Hg. Blood cholesterol concentration was between 2.5 g/l and 5.6 g/l, and mean HDL cholesterol concentration was 0.7 (+/- 0.4) g/l. Mean blood triglyceride concentration was 1.0 (+/- 0.4) g/l. Body mass index was negatively correlated with high cholesterol levels (r = -0.29). Hypercholesterolemia was primary, with no associated high triglyceride concentration. Cholesterol levels were also negatively correlated with post-prandial blood glucose concentration (r = -0.1). Thus, treatment should involve the prescription of drugs to reduce blood lipid concentration rather than just the restriction of lipid intake.

Adult↗