RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Occupational exposure to charcoal smoke and dust is a threat to workers' respiratory systems. RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the prevalence of COPD in charcoal workers as compared with farmers in rural areas of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This cross-sectional, comparative, and multisite study was performed in the charcoal-producing provinces of southwestern DRC. We randomly included charcoal workers and compared them with farmers (age range, 18-70 years). Air quality indexes, anthropometric features, physical activity, sociodemographic characteristics, and related medical events data were recorded. A lung function questionnaire was used to assess respiratory symptoms and spirometry was performed. COPD was defined as the presence of respiratory symptoms for > 3 months with an FEV1 to FVC ratio less than the lower limit of normal. The prevalence of COPD was calculated, and logistic regression was used to identify COPD-associated factors. RESULTS: We included 485 participants between August 2020 and July 2021. Charcoal producers (CPs; n = 229) were compared with farmers (n = 118), and charcoal saleswomen (CSs; n = 72) were compared with vegetable saleswomen (VSs; n = 66). Respective groups were similar in age, job seniority, height, and weight. The air was more polluted at charcoal workplaces. The prevalence of COPD was higher in CPs than in farmers (39.7% vs 14.4%; P < .0001) and higher in CSs compared with VSs (40.3% vs 13.6%; P < .0001). Being a charcoal worker was associated independently with COPD in the CP and farmers groups (adjusted OR, 3.54; 95% CI, 1.94-6.46) and in the saleswomen group (adjusted OR, 7.85; 95% CI, 2.85-21.5), where it was also associated independently with young age (adjusted OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.80-0.93) and monthly income (adjusted OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.83-0.96). INTERPRETATION: In rural areas of DRC, producing or selling charcoal is associated with a higher risk of COPD.
RESUMEN
Urinary Incontinence (UI) in women is a very common disease. Given the shortage of epidemiological and clinical data in our environment, we here provide an update on the status of this disease and its management at the University Clinics of Kinshasa. We conducted a descriptive study in the University Clinics of Kinshasa from January 2015 to December 2016. The annual rate of IU was 1.3% (23/1813 patients). We included 15 cases whose medical files were usable and whose average age was 49.2±20.5 years, ranging between 15 and 98 years. IU affected multiparous women (53.4%), pauciparous women (26.7%), primiparous women (6.7%) and nulliparous women (13.3%) and the median date of onset of IU was 3 months. Urge incontinence affected 33.3% of patients and effort incontinence 13.3%. Among diagnoses associated with UI, the most common were urogenital infections (46.7%), cystocele (20%) and chronic pelvic pain (20%). These patients received antibiotic therapy (60%), anticholinergics drugs (20%), and pelviperineal rehabilitation (20%) as well as surgical treatment. UI is underestimated at the University Clinics of Kinshasa. The most commonly diagnosed IUs are effort and urge incontinence. Patient´s management is based on multidisciplinary approach.