Obesity in Botswana: time for new cut-off points for abdominal girth?

Introduction: Country-specific cut-off points for defining central obesity in black Africans are long overdue. Methods: Anthropometric data from 215 (51.4%) male and 203 (48.6%) female patients seen in Gaborone between 2005 and 2015 were analysed to establish appropriate cut-off points for waist circumference (WC) corresponding to a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2. Relative risks for cardiometabolic disorders were calculated for different BMI and WC categories using MedCalc®. The subjects' mean age was 50.0 ± 10.8 years and 80.6% were Botswana.Results: Only 7.2% of patients had a BMI < 25 kg/m2, 27.3% were overweight and 65.5% were obese; mean BMI was 34.9 ± 6.5 kg/m2 in the women versus 31.0 ± 4.9 kg/m2 in the men(p < 0.0001). New cut-off points of 98 cm in men and 85 cm in women emerged. Different weight and WC categories appeared not to confer increased relative risk of hypertension, dysglycaemia or dyslipidaemia.Conclusion: The proposed WC cut-off values, if validated, should set the pace for larger studies across sub-Saharan Africa

Traditional medicine poisoning : a retrospective analysis of cases admitted to Princess Marina Hospital between 1988-1992

In Botswana; as elsewhere in Africa; traditional healers are held in high esteem and are widely consulted for a variety of ailments. In fact; there is a national policy that they should be considered as an integral part of the national health services and that there should be cooperation between the government health services and the traditional healers. Unfortunately; clinical experience indicates that a number of patients are often admitted or referred to main hospitals with conditions attributed to the adverse effects of traditional remedies. The objective of this study was to determine the clinical features of patients admitted with traditional medicine poisoning

Some oral and mucocutaneous manifestations of HIV infection in Botswana

The object of this paper is to prevent some of the most striking mucocutaneous manifestations of HIV infection in Botswana which were seen between 1992 and 1993. Because of their varied presentations; prognostic importance and in some cases favourable response to appropriate therapy; these manifestations of AIDS must be recognized in the day-to-day clinical practice

The haematological profile of patients with HIV infection : clinical correlation with the stage of infection

Although infection by the human immunodeficiency virus results in a multisystem disorder; blood acts not only as the major medium of transport for the virus; but it provides the milieu of viral replication and becomes a major target of the cytopathic effects of the virus. The full investigation of the pathogenesis of the haematological abnormalities occuring in HIV-infected individuals is outside the scope of the laboratories; but this paper reports a retrospective study of the blood picture of patients admitted with HIV infection to Princess Marina Hospital (PMH) during 1992-93; investigated as far as the author was able and according to clinical indications