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: Introduction: Many HIV‐positive individuals in Africa have advanced disease when initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) so have high risks of opportunistic infections and death. The REALITY trial found that an enhanced‐prophylaxis package including fluconazole reduced mortality by 27% in individuals starting ART with CD4 Methods: The REALITY trial enrolled from June 2013 to April 2015. A decision‐analytic model was developed to estimate the cost‐effectiveness of six management strategies in individuals initiating ART in the REALITY trial countries. Strategies included standard‐prophylaxis, enhanced‐prophylaxis, standard‐prophylaxis with fluconazole; and three CrAg testing strategies, the first stratifying individuals to enhanced‐prophylaxis (CrAg‐positive) or standard‐prophylaxis (CrAg‐negative), the second to enhanced‐prophylaxis (CrAg‐positive) or enhanced‐prophylaxis without fluconazole (CrAg‐negative) and the third to standard‐prophylaxis with fluconazole (CrAg‐positive) or without fluconazole (CrAg‐negative). The model estimated costs, life‐years and quality‐adjusted life‐years (QALY) over 48 weeks using three competing mortality risks: cryptococcal meningitis; tuberculosis, serious bacterial infection or other known cause; and unknown cause. Results: Enhanced‐prophylaxis was cost‐effective at cost‐effectiveness thresholds of US$300 and US$500 per QALY with an incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) of US$157 per QALY in the CD4 Conclusions: The REALITY enhanced‐prophylaxis package in individuals with advanced HIV starting ART reduces morbidity and mortality, is practical to administer and is cost‐effective. Efforts should continue to ensure that components are accessed at lowest available prices., Introduction In low‐ and middle‐income settings, more than a third of HIV‐positive individuals starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) present with advanced disease (CD4 ≤ 200 cells/mm[sup.3]); over half of these have [...]

Infective endocarditis is a rare complication of patent ductus arteriosus nowadays. About two patients, aged 7 and 5 years old, we diagnosed and treated a patent ductus arteriosus complicated with an infective vegetative endocarditis with a risk of pulmonary embolism. We report in this observation this clinical and surgical experience., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The objective of this study was to determine the outcome of neglected minimal or moderate aortic regurgitation during mitral or mitro-tricuspid valve surgery. 42 patients were included in this survey between 1985 and 2002. There were 17 men and 25 women aged 9-54 years (mean age: 22 +/- 10 years). Etiology was dominated by acute rheumatic fever (91%). Associated lesions were observed: mitral valve incompetence 11 cases, mitral valve stenosis 9 cases, mitral valve incompetence plus mitral valve stenosis in 8 pateints and mitro-tricuspid valve disease in 14 others. All the patients were symptomatic (NYHA class II 79%, NYHA class III or IV 20%). 90% of patients had a radiological cardiomegaly: mean cardio-thoracic was 0.62. At electrocardiogram, 79% of patients were in sinus rhythm and 57% presented a left ventricular hypertrophy. Minimal or moderate aortic regurgitation has been confirmed by echocardiography and angiocardiography in all patients. Surgical treatment was a mitral valve replacement (n = 35.83%), a mitral valvuloplasty (n = 5.12%), a mitral valve replacement and a tricuspid valve annuloplasty according to DE VEGA technique (n = 2.5%). The operative mortality was 4.7% (2 deaths) due to an acute cardiac failure (1 case) and prosthetic valve endocarditis (1 case). 19 patients have been followed up from a mean 1 month to13 years (mean follow-up: 5 years). The follow-up has been marked by a regression or a stability of the neglected aortic incompetence , a regression of the mean cardio-thoracic ratio from 0.62 preoperatively to 0.56 postoperatively, an improvement of the functional status (84% of cases). We conclude that the neglected aortic incompetence during mitral or mitro-tricuspid valve surgery do not tend to aggravate during follow-up.

Objective: The purpose of this work was to report our experience with surgical management of lungs destroyed by tuberculosis and to analyze our results., Material and Methods: We reviewed the cases of 45 patients who underwent surgery between January 1978 and December 2004 after medical treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis considered successful. The series included 31 men and 14 women, mean age 31 years (range: 7-55 yr). Indications for surgery were chronic bronchorrhea (91.1%) and hemoptoic sputum associated with bronchorrhea (8.9%). Lung function tests were preformed in 42 patients and noted a restrictive syndrome with shunt in all: mean FEV1 was 1 890 ml. All patients were given a preoperative medical regimen for at least four weeks. Pneumectomy (17 right and 28 left) was performed; all bronchial sutures were made manually and protected. Operative bleeding was a constant feature and blood transfusion was needed (mean 1,500 cc)., Results: Operative mortality was 4.4% from hemorrhagic and infectious causes. Complications were non-fatal (16.3%) and marked by bleeding (0.9%) empyema with bronchopleural fistulae (8.9%). Mean postoperative hospital stay was 13 days without empyema and 150 days with empyema. Long-term outcome was satisfactory after a mean 7.5 years follow-up (range: 4 months - 20 years)., Conclusion: Indications are patient comfort and necessity. Morbidity and mortality are acceptable with adequate preoperative preparation.

This retrospective study aims to analyse our surgical procedures and our results after surgery of patent ductus arteriosus (P.D.A.) in children. Since 1978 to 1992 we have reported Abidjan Cardiology Institute 145 children operated cases. The average age was 4.7 years, the average weight 16 kg. There was female predominance with a sex ratio of 2.3/1. All patent ductus arteriosus had been confirmed by two dimensional echocardiography (2D echocardiography) and cardiac catheterization. Type 11a of NADAS' Classification was the most frequent (50%). Double or triple ligation supported on teflon felt was the most frequent technique used (86 times ie 59.3%). This technique gave good results in view of the absence of hospital mortality, only 4 cases of ductus "recanalization" supervened, a low rate of ductus arteriosus recurrence patency at long follow up of all patients from one to 10 years (mean 5 years). Double or triple ligation on teflon felt according to Wright procedure seems to be a securising technique alternative in our countries.

Seven patients underwent cardiac transplantation at Ste-Justine Hospital between June 1984 and October 1988 (age 3-16 years). Indices derived from M-mode echocardiography--left ventricular mass (LVM), isovolumetric relaxation time (IRT), shortening fraction (SF), velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (VCF), ejection fraction (EF), LV pre-ejection period/ejection time (PEP/ET), isometric contraction time (ICT)--and electrocardiography--summation of potentials (Sum Pot)--were used as non-invasive markers of rejection (367 studies), while rejection status was monitored by serial endomyocardial biopsy (55 biopsies). Spontaneous variation of such indices, as defined by the 90% distribution interval of their variation when biopsy was unchanged, was found to be important: -20% to +28% for IRT, -30% to +28% for LVM, -30% to 32% for Sum Pot, -32% to 42% for PEP/ET, etc. Using limits of spontaneous variation such as thresholds, none of the studied indices could consistently predict the 2 biopsy-documented episodes of rejection or the 7 episodes of improvement. Among all the studied indices, IRT was the most promising, correctly predicting 1 of the episodes of rejection and almost predicting the 2nd. Remeasurement of all M-mode tracings by an unique observer, following strict rules to maximize reproducibility, did not decrease the spontaneous variation of these indices, nor did it improve their performance as predictors of changes in the rejection status. These results warrant the continuing search for other non-invasive methods for accurate monitoring of the rejection status.

Congenital anomalies of the atrium, of the pulmonary and systemic venous return, and of the great vessels are sometimes regarded as contraindications to heart transplantation. Among 10 children who underwent heart transplantation in our institution, five, aged 4 to 15 years and weighting 9 to 32 kg, previously operated on, had congenital anomalies. These lesions, encountered singly or in association, were single atrium (2), previous Mustard operation (1), hypoplastic left atrium (1), anomalous systemic venous return (3), anomalous pulmonary venous return (2), transposition or malposition of the great vessels (5), pulmonary artery hypoplasia (1). To enable correction of these lesions and to perform heart transplantation, the donor heart preparation was modified in four ways. The surgical techniques used for correcting these anomalies in this group were atrial septation, atrial enlargement, superior and inferior reroofing, double venous rerouting, septal realignment, full-length mobilization of the great vessels, and pulmonary artery reconstruction. All children survived operation and left the hospital in excellent condition. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 3 years. All children are totally asymptomatic. As demonstrated by echocardiography, heart catheterization, and angiography, there are no stenoses, no shunts, and there is good atrial size and good orientation of the great vessels. On the basis of our experience, we conclude that with appropriate surgical techniques, most atrial, venous return, and intrapericardial great vessel anomalies are correctable at the time of orthotopic transplantation and that these techniques allow for a successful outcome in children.

In view of the frequency and the severity of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and of endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) in the african child, the indication of a valvular surgical procedure is frequent in Abidjan. Between 1978 and 1983, 127 open-heart procedures have been performed in 113 patients. The ages ranged from 2 to 15 years, with a mean of 11 years. There were 67 RHD, 37 EMF, 9 bacterial endocarditis. The status of the patients was severe, there was a cardiomegaly (mean CTR of 0.70). 3 patients were in atrial fibrillation. The patients underwent 97 valve replacements (70 mitral, 18 tricuspid, 9 aortic) essentially by a bioprosthesis (n : 87). A mitral valvuloplasty was done in 27 cases. Associate procedures have been employed including : 35 endocardectomies, 11 aortic valvuloplasties, 6 tricuspid annuloplasties. 12 patients have been reoperated for bacterial endocarditis of a mitral prosthesis (n : 4), calcification of a mitral bioprosthesis (n : 5), failure of mitral valvuloplasty (n : 3). There were 13 deaths (10.2 p. 100 mostly in EMF surgery : 7 deaths (5.5 p. 100). No patient with a bioprosthesis received anticoagulants post-operatively. All surviving patients have been improved, with a mean post-operative follow-up of 32 months. There were 11 late deaths (8.6 p. 100). The authors discuss several points including : severity of children valvular diseases in tropical areas; necessity to use the bioprosthesis in this area of the world; increasing tendency to conservative surgery in the mitral and also the aortic position.

Between 1977 and 1988, 20 patients underwent the Fontan operation. Their age ranged from 4 to 24 years (mean 11 years). The basic disease was tricuspid atresia with ventriculo arterial concordance and right ventricular hypoplasia. Pulmonary stenosis was present in 16 patients. Twenty-eight palliative procedures had been performed previously in the group of patients presenting some forms of pulmonary stenosis. In 2 cases a non-valved conduit has been used for correction, in a third case a valve conduit was utilised, and in a fourth case a right atrioventricular connection was carried out. In the remaining 16 patients, a wide posterior connection between the right atrium and the pulmonary arteries was performed. There were 2 early deaths (10%), and 2 late deaths (10%). After a follow-up ranging from 6 months to 11 years, all survivors are in a satisfying functional condition. We think that a wide unrestricting atriopulmonary anastomosis is mainly responsible for those good functional results. Age at operation has not influenced the results. Previous and long standing shunts may be responsible for immediate and late postoperate cardiac failure. Consequently, we now prefer an earlier corrective procedure, particularly when the patient has a patent systemic pulmonary shunt.

Two cases of pulmonary artery aneurysm are reported in patients with persistent ductus arteriosus (PDA). The first was a mycotic aneurysm complicating staphylococcal pneumonia; the other was a calcific aneurysm of the right pulmonary artery. The mycotic origin was confirmed in the first case. The aetiological roles of pulmonary hypertension and previous endocarditis are discussed in the second case. Based on these two observations, the authors analyse the aetiology and evolution of mycotic aneurysms and review the therapeutic problems posed by their association with PDA.