title: [Diagnosis of arthritis in black Africa. Apropos of 473 cases in Congo].
abstract: A cross-sectional study of arthritis was conducted in the Rheumatology Department of the Brazzaville Teaching Hospital, Congo. A total of 473 patients with arthritis seen between 1989 and 1991 were subjected to the limited tests available. Gout was the leading diagnosis (n = 83). Septic arthritis (n = 82) and infectious discitis (n = 55) were the most common reasons for admission. Tests often failed to identify the causative organism; Staphylococcus was the most commonly recovered organism. Tuberculous discitis was less common than discitis due to pyogenic bacteria. HIV-related arthritis (n = 57) usually manifested as severe, febrile, asymmetrical, nonerosive, polyarthritis. Cases of rheumatoid arthritis (n = 29) fit the classical description of the disease. In 83 patients with monoarthritis, oligoarthritis, or polyarthritis, no etiology could be identified.
authors.affiliation: Service de Rhumatologie et Rééducation Fonctionnelle, CHU de Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bileckot
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ntsiba
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Okongo
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Ognami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001168:Arthritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003223:Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012219:Rheumatology
vernacular_title: Le diagnostic des arthrites en Afrique noire. A propos de 473 cas au Congo.