African
Journals Online
Nigerian Quarterly Journal of
Hospital Medicine
Abstracts (Volume 9
Number 1)
ABSTRACTS
The Effects of Malaria On Some
Laboratory Parameters in Sierra Leonean Children
ABSTRACT
Forty two (42)blood samples were collected from
children showing clinical symptoms of malaria
Trophozoites and/or gametocytes of P. falciparum were
identified by microscopic examination of giemsa stained
films in 22 samples (52.4%). Haemaglobin (Hb), Glutamate
Pyruvate Transaminase (GPT), Bilirubin, Glucose and
Ketone concentrations of these parasitaemia samples were
compared with those of a non equivalent control group
(n-31) of healthy children who were matched for age and
sex, as far as possible with malarious group.
There was a significant difference in the mean Hb
concentration between the patients and controls with
values of 6.14mg/dl and 10.15mg/dl respectively. The PCV
levels also showed a similar pattern (25.95% to 35.95%).
Higher bilirubin (22.15 to 0.98mg/dl) and GPT (61.32 to
22.831U/Ml) levels in the patients indicates some degree
of haemolysis of red cells and necrosis of liver cells.
The plasma glucose levels were lower in the patient
compared with the controls (2.60 to 4.96mmol/l). Ketones
were detected in 13(59%) of the 22 samples which tested
positive for malaria parasites and none in the control
group. These variations in Haematological and Biochemical
parameters should enhance our knowledge in the
pathogenesis of malaria in Sierra Leonean children.
Childhood Renal Neoplasms in
Lagos Nigera- A 28 Year Review
ABSTRACT
Out of 131 nephretomies received at the Morbid Anatomy
Department of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital,
there were 63 cases of childhood renal cancer
representing 48% of total renal neoplasm seen over a
period of 1970-1997. The ages range from 21/2 months - 11
years; over 75% of the cases were found under 5 years
with only 3.2% occurring above 10 years. The male female
ratio is 1:1.
Of the cancers, there were 42 cases of classical
nephroblastoma and 10 cases of the blastema type of
nephroblastoma. We had 7 cases of purely sarcomatous
nephroblastoma one of which is a rhabdomyosarcoma and the
remaining 6 were undifferentiated sarcoma. There was one
case of anaplastic carcinoma. Also seen was a case of
mesoblastic nephroma in a 21/2 months male infant.
In this study, neither benign neoplasm nor congenital
tumour (angiomyolipoma) was encountered, in all cases,
there was no age nor sex disparity. Most of the patients
presented with abdominal mass with a unilaterally
enlarged kidney, abdominal pain, haematuria and weight
loss.
All of them had nephrectomy as initial treatment
followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Diseases Of The Male Breast
in Ilorin, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
This study was undertaken to ascertain the pattern of
diseases of the male breast as reported in the Department
of Pathology of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital,
Illorin, Nigeria. Gynaecomastia and carcinoma were the
preponderant lesions and both constituted over 93% of the
diseases. Both diseases showed a rising incidence and
they were found to affect older age groups compared to
reports from other centres. These rising patterns were
thought to be due, in parts, to some newly discovered
aetiopathogenic factors of male breast diseases. Both
sides were virtually affected uniformly and no case of
bilateral carcinoma was found. The study corroborated
other similar studies that have documented higher
incidence of gynaecomastia and carcinoma of the male
breast in Africans compared to the Caucasians.
Anaesthesia
and Sickle Cell Disease
ABSTRACT
A review of adult patients with Haemoglobinopathy who
had anaesthesia and surgery at the University College
Hospital, Ibadan over a three year period was carried
out. The 53 patients constituted 1.2% of all surgical
cases operated. Two thirds of the patients were ASA II
with the rest being ASA III and ASA IV.
The steady state PCV of all patients ranged from 22%
to 31% with a mean of 26.4% and general anaesthesia was
administered in 83% of the patients while the others had
their operations under regional blocks. Peri-operative
course was satisfactory in all but two patients (3.8%)
who were admitted in the Intensive Care Unit for close
observation because of excessive oozing from operation
site. Adequate post-operative care including hydration,
analgesia, warmth, and blood transfusion when
appropriate, ensured minimal post operative morbidity.
These observations emphasize the fact that surgical
patients with sickle cell disease do have satisfactory
outcome when meticulous attention is paid to details of
their peri-operative care.
Cardiovascular Response Of
Diabetic And Non-Diabetic Nigerian Subjects To a
Single Bout Of Bicycle Ergometry
ABSTRACT
This study assessed the cardiovascular responses of
diabetic and non-diabetic subjects to a single bout of
bicycle ergometry. Ten male volunteer diabetics and ten
male non-diabetic healthy subjects constituted the study
and control groups respectively. The subjects exercised
for ten minutes on a bicycle ergometer. Heart rate,
systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured
pre-and post-exercise. Descriptive statistics of mean,
standard deviation, and inferential statistics of t-test
were calculated. The results of this study showed no
significant difference in the age, weight and
pre-exercise heart rate of the 2 groups (p > 0.05).
Resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures were
significantly higher for the diabetics than non-diabetic
subjects (P<0.05). Resting systolic and diastolic
subjects (P<0.05). The 10-minute post exercise heart
rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures for the
diabetics were significantly higher for non-diabetics
(P<0.05). Significantly higher pre- and post exercise
measured parameters were observed for the diabetics than
the non-diabetics.
It was concluded that the diabetic patients had lower
exercise tolerance and were less well conditioned than
their age-matched normal subjects. While exercise therapy
has been advocated as part of treatment modalities for
the diabetics because of positive roles of exercise in
glucose tolerance, the diabetics should be exercised with
caution and close monitoring of their cardiovascular
system should be ensured.
Knowledge Of AIDS Among
Rural Adolescents in Kwara State of Nigeria
ABSTRACT
560 adolescents from rural communities in Kwara State
were randomly selected for this study. They were given a
copy each of knowledge of Aids Questionnaire (KAQ) to
complete. The KAQ which consisted of 25 items and
possessed a test-retest reliability co-efficient of 0.27,
explored respondents knowledge in terms of causes, signs
and symptoms, mode of transmission, prevention and
control of AIDS.
The result showed that about 39% of the respondents
knew that AIDS was caused by a Human Immune-deficiency
Virus (HIV) and the remaining 61% wrongly offered
different causes for AIDS. About 65% correctly explained
the symptoms and 72% knew how AIDS can be transmitted.
32% and 29% favour provision of Health Education and use
of disposable skin piercing instruments respectively as
ways of controlling AIDS.
The study therefore recommended public enlightenment
and counselling for the containment of AIDS in rural
areas.
Relative Influence Of
Sociodemographic Variables On Oral Health And
Habits Of Some Nigerian School Children
ABSTRACT
This paper reports the results of a study to
investigate the relative influence of some
sociodemographic variables on oral hygiene and health of
primary school children in Ibadan, Nigeria. The pupils
were from two different socioeconomic strata of the
society and their ages ranged between 7 and 16 years.
They were interviewed in order to obtain information on
their knowledge and practices about oral hygiene, after
which intro-oral examinations were conducted on the same
children. Results of the study showed that the state of
oral hygiene and gingival health were influenced by age
and sex of the pupils and by the educational status of
their mothers. It was also revealed that oral hygiene
habits such as tooth cleaning materials, frequency and
method of cleaning affected oral health. Of all the
variables studied however, mother's educational status
appeared to be the single most significant variable
influencing oral hygiene and gingival health. It was thus
concluded that apart from Health education, formal
education of the entire Nigerian population may be an
indirect way of achieving improved oral health.
The
Patterns Of Use Of Procaine Penicillin Streptomycin
Combination in Two Health Centres in Lagos
ABSTRACT
The patterns of use of procaine
penicillin-streptomycin was evaluated in the outpatient
department of two health centres from June to September
1995. Prescriptions for 84 and 104 patients were written
for the antibiotic combination out of total prescriptions
of 3429 and 2272 seen at Onikan and Randle Health Centres
representing 2.45% (+SE 0.004) respectively. The drug
combination was observed to be more for treatment than
for prophylaxis: 77.46% (+ SE 0.05) and 69.84% (+ SE
0.05) at Onikan and Randle respectively. The study showed
that the use of these drugs is significant at both health
centres (P<0.5) hence the importance of its monitoring
and evaluation of its efficiency as a cheap alternative
broad spectrum antibiotic.
Status And Potential Of
Praziquantel Use in Schistosomiasis Control in
Nigeria
ABSTRACT
Schistosomiasis is a very important disease in
Nigeria. All the states of the Federation have cases, as
shown by the 1991/92 national prevalence survey. A
national programme for the control of the disease was set
up in 1988 and the goal of the programme is to reduce
morbidity of the disease to a level where it is no longer
of public health importance. Praziquantel is presently
the best single drug for use in the control of
schistosomiasis because of its high efficacy, low
toxicity and ease of administration and, it is the drug
of choice in use in the one-drug strategy of the national
programme. This programme, however, is yet to have any
impact on the disease in any part of the country. The
present study was carried out to assess the level of
praziquantel use in the control of schistosomiasis in
Nigeria and, to identify problems associated with its
use. The findings suggest that the drug has great
potential in the control of the disease in the country
although given the high cost of the drug and the
magnitude of the problem, external support will be
required, to make a success of the control efforts.
On Vitro Activity Of
Pefloxacin And Other Antibiotics Against Grm
Negative Bacteria in Ibadan, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
Gram negative organisms have continued to generate
much interest in bacterial infections in the university
College Hospital, Ibadan (UCH), because most of them are
multiple drug resistant, and are resistant to many
antibiotics available.
The present study confirms an increasing percentage of
common isolate resistant to Gentamacin, Augmentin and
Azithromicin. Pefloxacin (Abaktal), a new generation
guinolong and Ofloxacin showed strong activity against
all isolates tested with MIC values within the range of
those reported as sensitive from many overseas centres.
Pefloxacin is valuable antibiotic for treatment of
severe infection in our environment.
Awareness Of Pulmonary
Tuberculoses (PTB) Among The Major Working Groups
in Lagos, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
The level of tuberculosis awareness among the major
working groups; civil servants (CS), Non-governmental
(voluntary/non profitable) organisations (NGO), students
(STD), petty traders (PT) and commercial sex workers
(CSW) - in Lagos State was investigated by questionnaire
and interviews. 97.6% of the respondents (CS); 100% (NGO)
95% (STD); 5.4% (PT); and 33.3% (CSW) interviewed claimed
to be aware of the disease. More than 50% of these
respondents in all the class groups except those in the
PT and CSW groups, were able to mention at least two of
the most common signs/symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis
(PTB). The inhalation of infected droplet nuclei was
identified as the route for the spread of the disease by
just 50% of the CS, 31% (NGO), 45% (STD), 21.7% (PT) and
none by the CSW. However, more than 70% of all
respondents in the various groups believed that the
disease is curable. The overall result showed that the PT
and CSW are the groups or classes of the population in
Lagos State that are least informed/aware of the disease,
while less than 50% of those in the other groups can
truly be said to be aware. Men were more informed than
women, except in the CSW. There is therefore the need for
a general mass enlightenment campaign targeted mostly at
the PT and CSW groups, with the active
participation/involvement of the electronic (and print)
mass media.
The Serum Levels Of
Thyroxine (T4) And Thyrotropin (TSH) in Some
Nigerian Malnourised Children
ABSTRACT
Serum thyroxine (T4) and thyrotropin TSH) were
determined in 5 malnourished children and 5 well
nourished controls matched for age and sex. The age range
of both groups of subjects was nine months to three
years. The serum level of T4 were 80.00 +2.31 ng/ml and
45.40+ 14.03 ng/m1 for control and malnourished subjects
respectively. This difference was statistically
significant (p<0.05). The values for TSH were
0.875+0.18 IU/ml for control and malnourished groups
respectively. The difference was also statistically
significant (P<0.05). In conclusion, there is
significant reduction in serum T4 and TSH in the
malnourished children studied.
Effect of Water Extract Of
Tetrapleura Tetraptera (Aidon) On Haematological
And Biochemical Parameters in Rats infected With
Trypanosoma Brucei
ABSTRACT
This study investigated whether water extract of
Tetrapleura tetraptere has trypanocidal effect against
T.brucei in laboratory rats. Studies also examined its
effect on the weight, haematological parameters as well
as the blood chemical analyses of the infected animals.
Results showed that oral administration of the water
extract to the infected rats significantly reduced the
parasite load, also weight loss was significantly lower
in the infected and treated rats than the untreated ones.
These positive observations were accompanied by reduced
leukocytosis, improved state of anaemia and increased
packed cell volume, all of which are indices of recovery
from the state of cell toxicity arising from parasitemia.
The tolerance of the extract by the animal was evaluated
by the determination of the blood chemistries.
Results revealed that there was no significant
difference in the concentrations of the blood glucose,
total protein, uric acid and unconjugated bilirubin in
the uninfected but treated rats compared with the
"neat" rats which were neither infected nor
treated. However, conjugated bilirubin and creatinine
values were significantly increased. It was also observed
that when the infected animals were treated with the
extract, the blood levels of total protein, uric acid,
creatinine and unconjugated bilirubin decreased slightly,
but consistently, as against the untreated rats. These
observations indicate the beneficial effects of the plant
extract and suggest that the T. tetraptera may contain
active substance(s) which could have therapeutic effect
against trypanosome infection.
Metabolic Action Of Sex
Steroids: The Effects Of Testosterone and
Progestins On Hepatic Glycogen Deposition
ABSTRACT
It has been widely reported that sex steroids affect
carbohydrate metabolism and may have influences on
hepatic enzymes. There have also been reports that
glucocorticoids and sex steroids sometimes bind to
similar receptors. All these suggest possible functional
similarities or antagonism between glucocorticoids and
sex steroids.
The aim of the present work was to determine the
effect of four sex steroids testosterone, progesterone,
nestorone and levonorgestred on hepatic glycogen
deposition which is normally enhanced by glucocorticoids.
The steroids were administered on rats, and hepatic
glycogen content was measured.
Results show that the four sex steroids had no direct
effect on hepatic glycogen deposition. However the
natural steroids testosterone and progesterone enhanced
the stimulatory action of dexamethasone. This implies
that although testosterone and progesterone may not
affect carbohydrate metabolism by directly causing
hepatic glycogenesis they probably have the potential to
do so.
Prognostic
Factors Of Typhoid Perforation in Lagos
ABSTRACT
Perforation of the ileum remains one of the commonest
and the most dramatic complication of Typhoid fever in
developing countries where the infection is still
prevalent.
A prospective study of patients with typhoid
perforation seen at the Lagos University Teaching
Hospital was carried out over a 6-year period. There were
78 consecutive patients, the majority (80.7%) of whom
were within the age range of 11 and 30 years (mean 20.9
+SD 11.2 years) and were mostly (65.4%) students.
All patients were managed using the standard procedure
of prompt surgical intervention after adequate
resuscitation. The mean of the period of resuscitation
was 20.10 + SD 9.3 hours.
The case fatality rate of 12.8% and the mean period of
hospitalisation for survivors was 21.1 + 11.7 days.
The study showed that high serum urea levels,
acidosis, presence of jaundice and very large amount of
peritoneal fluid (above 1 litre) were associated with
poor prognosis. However, there was no statistically
significant difference (P > 0.05) between survivors
and non-survivors as regards the age, sex, temperature at
presentation, pulse rate, serum Na+, serum K+ and both
the site and number of ileal perforations.
It is concluded that patients with typhoid perforation
need to present early because in spite of appropriate
intervention, most of those who are jaundiced, uraemic or
acidotic carry poor prognosis and should be ideally
managed in an intensive care setting.
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