Venous Thromboembolic Disease and Thrombolysis at the Yaoundé Emergency Center during the Past Five Years, Cameroon

Abstract

Background: Venous thromboembolic disease (VTE) is a clinical entity whose two clinical manifestations are deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). It is a frequent and severe disease in Cameroon, thus constituting a significant public health problem. We aimed to describe VTE management in the Yaoundé Emergency Center, in particular the use of thrombolysis. Methods: This was a retrospective study on patients hospitalized at the Yaoundé Emergency Center for DVT and/or PE from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2020. We collected clinical signs, paraclinical signs, risk factors of VTE, and management methods from each patient. Results: We recruited 106 participants. Dyspnea was the most frequent symptom; PE was the most common form of VTE in eight patients on 10. Obesity and high blood pressure were the main cardiovascular risk factors. The main clinical signs were oedema and pain in the limb for DVT, dyspnea, and tachycardia for PE. Heparinotherapy was the most commonly used management modality. Thrombolysis was performed in 7.5% of participants, especially in the case of hypotension or massive PE. Conclusion: In VTE management, thrombolysis remains the least used therapeutic modality in our context. Heparinotherapy remains the basis of the therapy.