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Abstract

Introduction: Malnutrition continues to be a significant health problem in developing countries like Cameroon. Impairment of the heart in children with severe acute malnutrition is not often taken into account, especially while taking care of them. Thus, at that moment many sudden deaths are noticed unfortunately. The aim of our study was to assess, clinically, by electrocardiogram and by ultrasound, structural and functional state of the heart in children from 6 months to 5 years of age, suffering from severe acute malnutrition in Yaound�©. Methodology: A transversal and descriptive study was carried out in 03 hospitals in the town of Yaound�© in Cameroon, for a period of 07 months, beginning from January to July 2015. We included all children hospitalized from 06 months to 05 years of age with severe acute malnutrition according to WHO criteria based on anthropometric parameters. Were excluded from the study, all very ill children presenting with severe anemia, shock, cardiac disease, known chronic illness (HIV, sickle cell anemia, diabetes, cancer). After clinical evaluation, laboratories tests were made, including HIV test, glycemia, electrophoresis of hemoglobin, full blood count. Electro cardiograms and echo cardiograms were made for children retained for the study with an appropriate schedule. Results: From January to July 2015, we recruited 78 children, but excluded 41 of them and retained only 37. Infants of less than 18 months represented 81,08%. Boys were more than girls representing a ratio of 0,60. Maras represented 78,38% of cases. Clinically, hypotension, bradycardia and alignment of refilling time were noticed respectively in 97,3%, 59,5% and 24,32% of cases. By electrocardiogram sinus arrhythmia and alignment of QTS interval were found respectively in 3% and 50% of cases. By echo cardiography, pericardial effusion, diminution left ventricular mass, diminution of thickness of posterior wall of left ventricle and diminution of thickness of septal wall in respectively 8%, 83,8%, 78,4%and 75,7% of cases. Conclusion: Abnormalities of the heart exist in children with severe acute malnutrition in Yaound�©. To avoid cardiac failure and other heart complications, during the management of those children, it is very important to check up the cardiac structural and functional status.

Biography

Marie Christine was born in the eastern Chad town of Iriba in 1957. After secondary school, she studied law for one year at the University of N'Djamena, interrupting her studies to enroll in secretarial school in Yaoundé, Cameroon. She worked for several Chadian state agencies in Cameroon, including the civil service, and was later named the minister of Foreign Affairs at the embassy of Chad. His research interests are Respiratory tract infections and Acute malnutrition.