Jaundice in tropical Africa: Epidemiological, clinical and diagnostic features

Bagny Aklesso 1, *, Kogoe Lidawu Roland-moise 1, Redah Debehoma Venceslas 1, Lawson Ananissoh Late Mawuli 1, Bouglouga Oumboma  2, El Hadji Yacoubou Rafiou 1 and Kaaga Laconi Yeba 1

1 Service d’hépato-gastro-entérologie, CHU Campus 15 BP 110 Lomé, Togo.
2 Service d’hépato-gastro-entérologie, CHU Kara, BP 18, Togo.
 
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2020, 07(01), 174-177
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2020.7.1.0243
 
Publication history: 
Received on 02 July 2020; revised on 11 July 2020; accepted on 13 July 2020
 
Abstract: 
Jaundice is a frequent sign in clinical practice, which results in a yellow coloration of the skin, conjunctiva and mucous membranes, caused by hyperbilirubinemia. Jaundice is a sign frequently encountered in hepatology. This study aimed to determine the epidemiological, clinical and diagnostic features of jaundice in a tertiary hospital in tropical africa. Hospital-based cross sectional study conducted between 1st January, 2016 to 31st December, 2017. Patients hospitalised for jaundice, or having presented jaundice during hospitalisation, were included. The hospital frequency of jaundice was 15.92%. The mean age of the patients was 45.07+/-14.29 years [15-95 years], with a male predominance (sex ratio=2.46). Abdominal pain was the main accompanying sign (40.07%) and mean total bilirubin was 124.94+/-123.6 mg/L [7-512 mg/L]. Liver function tests showed cytolysis in 90.9% of patients and cholestasis in 86.06% of patients. Imaging showed biliary tract obstruction in 6.01% of patients. The main etiologies were cirrhosis (51.36%), hepatocarcinoma (29.09%), biliary lithiasis (05.45%), malaria (03.64%), acute hepatonephritis (03.18%), liver metastases (02.73%), cholangiocarcinoma (1.82%), HIV infection (1.82%) and pancreatic cancer (0.91%).
 
Keywords: 
Jaundice; Epidemiology; Clinical; Diagnosis; Tropical africa
 
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