TITLE:
Spectrum of Neurological Disorders Related to Autoimmune Diseases in Brazzaville, Congo
AUTHORS:
Josué Euberma Diatewa, Ghislain Armel Mpandzou, Rovalez Edgar Mouandza Ongouya, Dinah Happhia Boubayi Motoula-Latou, Karen Lyse Obondzo Aloba, Yacouba Kaba, Régis Moyikoua, Dominique Marline Nguiegna, Estelle Boudzoumou Diakabana, Eliot Prince Galiéni Sounga-Banzouzi, Franck Ladys Banzouzi, Paul Macaire Ossou-Nguiet
KEYWORDS:
Autoimmune Diseases, Neurological Disorders, Brazzaville
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Neuroscience,
Vol.13 No.1,
February
20,
2023
ABSTRACT: Background: Autoimmune diseases, which are among the leading causes of morbidity and
mortality in the world, are pathologies caused by a dysfunction of the immune
system. They can affect the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous
system or both nervous systems. Objectives: To describe the epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical,
therapeutic and evolutive aspects of neurological disorders related to
autoimmune diseases. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study. It
was carried out from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2019 (5 years). It focused
on patients aged 15 years and above, who were hospitalized or followed as
ambulatory patients for neurological disorders related to autoimmune diseases
in the neurology department of the university teaching hospital in Brazzaville. Results: Among the 41 patients who fulfilled inclusion criteria, there
were 29 (70.73%) women and 12 (29.27%) men. The average age of patients was
38.3 ± 13.8 years. An increase in the frequency of neurological disorders
related to autoimmune diseases was observed every year. The main neurological
disorders were neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (n = 14; 34.15%), acute
polyradiculoneuropathies (n = 13; 31.71%),
chronic polyradiculoneuropathies (n = 4; 9.75%) and acute disseminated
encephalomyelitis (n = 3; 7.31%). The treatments administered, which
consisted of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs, had significantly improved the vital prognosis and functional status
of patients (p = 0.025). Conclusion: In our study population, neurological
disorders related to autoimmune diseases are rare. The neurological
clinico-pathological entities diagnosed are similar to those reported in
the literature. The therapeutic approaches used improve the quality of life of
patients.