Thyroid Disease at the University Hospital of Conakry, Guinea

Amadou Kaké,Mamadou Alpha Diallo,Abdoulaye Bayo,Kadija Dieng,Abdoulaye Keita,Naby Moussa Baldé,Ibrahima Camara,Djibril Sylla,Elhadj Zaïnoul Bah,Alpha Mamadou Diallo,Mohamed Yakharé Camara,Mamadou Mansour Diallo,Thierno Amadou Wann

doi:10.4236/ojim.2019.94015

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic characteristics of thyroid disease at the University Hospital of Conakry, Guinea. Methods: This was a descriptive study with prospective data collection, carried out over the period of December 2016 to April 2019 at the endocrinology outpatient consultation at the University Hospital of Conakry. All the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic data of the patients followed-up for thyroid disease were collected, analyzed and classified according to the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic profile. The functional, morphological and autoimmune aspects of the thyroid gland were studied. Results: Out of a total of 3.517 endocrinology consultations during the study period, 204 patients were diagnosed with thyroid disease (180 women and 24 men, F/H ratio: 7.5). The average age was 47 ± 16 years. A total of 90 patients (44.33%) had hyperthyroidism, including 52 cases of Graves-Basedow disease (57.6%) and 24 cases of toxic multi-nodular goiter (32.6%). Hypothyroidism was confirmed in 25 patients (11%); about half (48%) of them had a complete thyroid surgery. The treatment of hyperthyroidism was exclusively done by synthetic antithyroid drugs, except 5 cases of Hashimoto disease with transient initial hyperthyroidism phase. Hypothyroidism was treated by hormone replacement therapy. Thyroidectomy, partial (n = 5) or total (n = 12), was performed for aesthetic discomfort (n = 6), cervical compression (n = 8) and suspicion of thyroid cancer (n = 3). Follow-up was considered regular in 40 cases (44%). Conclusion: Thyroid disease was frequent in this study conducted in Conakry and its clinical features were very diverse, dominated by hyperthyroidism mainly due to Grave disease. However, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies were hindered by the limitation in availability of biological and morphological explorations.

Highlights

Thyroid gland disease is the most common endocrinopathy after diabetes mellitus
Out of a total of 3.517 endocrinology consultations during the study period, 204 patients were diagnosed with thyroid disease (180 women and 24 men, F/H ratio: 7.5)
Thyroid disease was frequent in this study conducted in Conakry and its clinical features were very diverse, dominated by hyperthyroidism mainly due to Grave disease

Summary

Introduction

Thyroid gland disease is the most common endocrinopathy after diabetes mellitus. In developing countries, this condition was traditionally confined to endemic goiter in connection with the high prevalence of iodine deficiency [1]. Since the rise of salt iodization programs in the early 1990s, endemic goiter has been declining, giving way to the emergence of other manifestations of thyroid disease, autoimmune diseases [1] [2] [3]. In Guinea, the frequency of thyroid disease in endocrinology consultations at Conakry University Hospital was 3% in 2007, dominated by hyperthyroidism [4]. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic characteristics of thyroid pathology at the University Hospital of Conakry, Guinea

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion