Connective tissue diseases in the hospital setting in Lomé: A retrospective study of 231 cases

Abstract

This study aimed to highlight the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic and evolutionary profile of connective tissue diseases in the hospitals setting in Lomé. We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study from January 1, 1993 to December 30, 2012. We focused on the medical records of patients with connective tissue diseases hospitalized in five Departments of Dermatology and Rheumatology at the Hospitals in Lomé. During the study period, we identified 231 cases of connective tissue diseases in the five study centers, corresponding to a frequency of 0.19% of consultations. The average age of patients was 36,96±15 years, the sex-ratio was 0,2. Major connective tissue diseases included lupus disease (50.22%), sclerodermas (21,64%) and rheumatoid polyarthritis (20.35%). Clinically, the main clinical manifestations of connective tissue diseases included discoid lupus lesions (87.50%) and photosensitivity (82.50%) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, skin sclerosis (90.48%) in patients with systemic scleroderma and distal joint involvement (100%) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (92.5%) and rheumatoid arthritis (73.47%) was based on systemic corticosteroids. Connective tissue diseases are rare in people living in Lomé, with a predominance of lupus disease. They are more frequent in young women. Treatment is based on systemic corticosteroids.