[Spinal diseases in a rheumatology hospital unit in Lomé (Togo)]

A retrospective study was conducted to determine the different kinds of spinal diseases in patients attending the rheumatology unit of Lomé hospital, Togo. Among the 4927 patients seen over a 5-year period, 1966 (40%) had spinal involvement. The disease observed were as follows: degenerative spinal disorders: 1872 cases (95%); infectious discitis: 41 cas (2.1%); spondyloarthropathies: 33 cases (1.8%); tumors: 20 cases (1.1%). Degenerative spinal involvement affected mainly lumbar and cervical spine. The only unusual clinical feature was that Schober's index was often normal. Lumbar spinal stenosis was common (233 cases, 12.4%), especially in females, and occurred at an earlier age than in the Western world. Ankylosing spondylitis features included mildness of extra-articular manifestations and an often negative family history. Pott's disease was de leading cause of infectious discitis. The present study suggests that spinal disorders are as frequent in Africa as in Western countries.