[Clinical and etiological epidemiological profiles of hospitalized pleurisia in the pneumo-phtisiology department at N'Djamena's National Reference General Hospital, Chad].

INTRODUCTION

Pleurisy is one of the frequent reasons for hospitalization in the pneumo-phtisiology department. Their etiologies are diverse. The objective of our study was to determine the clinical and etiological epidemiological profiles of hospitalized pleurisia in the pneumo-phtisiology department in order to improve their management.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

We conducted a descriptive retrospective study covering a 1-year period from January 01 to December 31, 2018 collecting clinical and biological epidemiological data from hospitalized patients for exploration of pleural effusion.

RESULTS

Our study covered the period from January to December 2018 in the pneumo-phtisiology department of the N'Djamena National Reference General Hospital and covered all cases of adult patients in hospital. A total of 963 patients including 130 cases of pleurisy (13.6%), with a sex ratio of 1.5. More than half (54%) patients were HIV-30 and the average age of patients was 36.30 (±14 years). The main history was smoking (38.5%) ethyl (43.1%). The dominant general signs were fever (95.4%), asthenia (83%), and weight loss (81%). Clinical manifestations were dominated by chest pain (90.8%) cough (85%). Pleural puncture was performed in all patients. The appearance of pleural fluid was citrin yellow in 96% of cases, purulent in 13% of cases and sero-hematic in 5% of cases. Pleural biopsy performed in 25 patients found tuberculosis in 28% of cases followed by adenocarcinoma in 16% of cases, and squamous cell carcinoma in 11% bacterial in 4% of cases.

CONCLUSION

In our series, the etiologies of pleurisy are dominated by tuberculosis. We will stress the resurgence of this condition in this context of HIV requiring early and appropriate therapeutic management. However, delayed diagnosis can be life-threatening.