Author(s)

Aly Badra Kamissoko^1*, Eve Urielle Amenan Ledjou¹, Mamadou Lamine Diallo¹, Abèni Faouzyath Yaya¹, Mohamed Mouhoudhoiri Yasser¹, Aboubacar Sidiki Condé², Souleymane Camara¹, Marie Traoré¹, Abdoulaye Barry¹, Moriba Touré¹, Kaba Condé¹, Owonayo Oniankitan³

¹Department of Rheumatology, Ignace Deen University Hospital, Conakry, Guinea.
²Department of Rheumatology, Cocody University Hospital, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
³Department of Rheumatology, Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital, Lomé, Togo.

Introduction: Corticosteroid therapy used in rheumatology is effective but can lead to complications. The objective was to describe the complications of corticosteroid therapy in rheumatological practice at Ignace Deen University Hospital (Conakry). Methods: Cross-sectional study from July 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023. All patients who had been diagnosed with a rheumatological disease and who had received corticosteroid therapy were included. Results: Of the 1489 patients suffering from rheumatological diseases, 238 (15.9%) had received corticosteroid therapy. The average age of the patients was 48.5 ± 17.16 years with a female predominance (70.5%). The main indications for corticosteroid therapy were lower back pain due to probable disco-radicular impingement (35.8%) followed by rheumatoid arthritis (21.9%). The predominant method of administration was infiltration (56.9%). The average dosage was 24.2 ± 13.5 mg prednisone equivalent (range: 5 mg and 40 mg). Complications were present in 26 patients (10.9%) such as muscle cramps (3.8%), hypocalcemia (3.4%), edema of the lower limbs (3%), stimulation of appetite and weight gain (3%), high blood pressure (2.5%), hyperglycemia (2.5%). The occurrence of complications was associated with the high dose of corticosteroid (p = 0.014) and long-term use (p = 0.000). Conclusion: Corticosteroid therapy used in 15.9% of consultations in the rheumatology department of Ignace Deen University Hospital led to 10.9% of complications. These complications were related to the dose and duration of corticosteroid therapy.

Corticosteroids, Complications, Guinea

Kamissoko, A.B., Ledjou, E.U.A., Diallo, M.L., Yaya, A.F., Yasser, M.M., Condé, A.S., Camara, S., Traoré, M., Barry, A., Touré, M., Condé, K. and Oniankitan, O. (2024) Complications of Corticosteroid Therapy in Rheumatological Practice in Guinea. Open Journal of Rheumatology and Autoimmune Diseases, 14, 108-117. doi: 10.4236/ojra.2024.143012.