This study aimed to evaluate functional capacities of Cameroonian tuberculosis (TB) patients in initial intensive phase of treatment using the 6-min walk test (6MWT) and to compare them to an age-matched healthy group. Twenty-eight TB patients newly diagnosed and 19 healthy age-matched peoples participated in the study. Performance parameters were determined using the 6MWT. Anthropometric and cardiorespiratory parameters were measured at baseline and after 6MWT. Two months later, TB patients were submitted to the same evaluation. We found significant differences in anthropometric parameters between the two groups. The baseline cardiorespiratory parameters and performance characteristics of TB patients were lower than control group (571.7±121.0 m vs 841.6±53.0 m, P<0.0001 for 6-min walk distance (6MWD) and 18.1±2.8 mL/kg/min vs 24.3±1.2 mL/kg/min, P<0.001 for mean VO2 peak (peak oxygen consumption). Two months after, significant improvements were noted in anthropometric, cardiorespiratory and performance parameters except for bone mass and FEV1/FEV6 (forced expiratory volumes in 1 second/6 seconds) ratio. Significant correlations were found between the 2-min walked distance (P<0.0001, r=0.95), 4-min walked distance (P<0.0001, r=0.97) and 6MWD. In conclusion, TB patients have impaired physical functional capacity but they improved after 2 months of treatment. 6MWT can be a useful tool in the assessment of physical parameters and cardiorespiratory functional capacity rehabilitation of TB patients during the treatment.

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The physiological demands of modern sports competition involve biological monitoring of athletes which unfortunately is scarce in African countries. The aim of this study was to study the variations in hematological and immunological parameters after a two-week training session in Cameroonian handball players. 29 handball players aged 25±2 years (height: 1.65±0.06 m; weight: 64.47±6.21 Kg; BMI: 23.62±2.46 Kg/m 2 ) followed a specific training program two weeks with blood samples taken at the start and end of the program to determine the variation in their blood count. More than half (15) of the participants had hemoglobin levels below normative values. A significant increase in the amount of leukocytes in the anemic group (10.85%, p<0.05) and a non-significant decrease in the "normal" group (2.46%, p>0.05) were observed. The individual analysis of the different types of leukocytes shows contrasting variations between the 2 groups of subjects. Basophils and eosinophils decreased in anemic sportswomen (p>0.05) and increased in "healthy" sportswomen (p>0.05). Lymphocytes and monocytes increased in anemic sportswomen (17.71% and 1.05% respectively) and decreased in "healthy" sportswomen (4.75% and 12.55% respectively). In anemic subjects, the increase in lymphocytes was very significant (p<0.05) compared to "healthy" subjects. The leukocyte disturbances in response to the training program elicited in anemic sportswomen, require regular monitoring of biological markers.