Childhood Myopathy: Service Experience Neurology at Ignace Deen National Hospital and Simbaya Neurological Institute

Childhood myopathy (CM) is rarely reported in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical, paraclinical and therapeutic aspects of children with myopathies and to assess their quality of life as well as that of their parents. This is a mixed study with a retrospective part of 3 years and a prospective cross-sectional period of one month of children aged 2 to 17 years. Our variables were clinical, paraclinical and therapeutic. The quality of life of children and parents was assessed by the Euroquol and PAR-QOL scales respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using R studio software. The study involved 17 cases of EDM, i.e. a frequency of 1.4%; the mean age was 8 ± 4.2 years. The M/F sex ratio was 1.8 with a male predominance of 64.7%. Amyotrophy was 58.8% of cases, 8 gait disorders 47.2%, calf hypertrophy 35.2%, breathing difficulties 29.4%, intestinal disorders 17.6%, oculomotor disorders 11.7%, cardiac disorders 5.8%. CPKs were increased in 13 patients; 88.2% had high LDH. The electroneuromyograms performed in our patients showed myogenic tracings. The evaluation of the quality of life by the PAR QOL scale concluded has an average impact on the general quality of life with an average score of 2.87. MDEs are underestimated in our context. Patients consult at an advanced stage, thus favoring late treatment. This conjunction of facts considerably alters their quality of life.