Childhood diabetes mellitus in Kano, North West, Nigeria

There is paucity of literature on childhood diabetes mellitus from developing countries and especially North west Nigeria and this has made it pertinent for documentation of the features of the disease in a major regional referral centre. The study was designed to describe the clinical presentation and outcome of childhood diabetes mellitus. Retrospective review of hospital records of paediatric patients managed for diabetes at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital; Kano. Nigeria between January 1999 and December 2006. The age; sex; presenting features; complications; laboratory features and outcome of the patients were retrieved from the hospital records. During the years under review eleven out of 3;585 admissions were managed for Type 1 diabetes mellitus giving a prevalence rate of 3.1/1000. Male to female ratio was 1:0.6. The mean age at presentation was 10 4.5years most of the patients (72.7) belonged to the lower socio-economic classes IV and V. The duration of symptoms ranged from 6 58days with a mean of 24 22.8days. The patients presentedwith urinary tract infections (36.4); malaria (27.3) and recurrent boils (18.2). Three (27.3) of the patients had polyuria and polydypsia while only one (91) patient had polyphagia and weight loss. The mean random blood glucose on admission was 28.5 7.9mmo/L (16.9 39.2mmo/L) Four patient presented with diabetic Keloacidosis. Two patients (18.2) were discharged against medical advice while 1(9.1) patient died. Childhood Diabetes Mellitus; remains relatively uncommon in Nigeria

Urinary tract infection in children with nephrotic syndrome in Kano, Nigeria

Background: Nephrotic syndrome is a common childhood renal disorder; the prevalence of Urinary tract infection (UTI) in these patients is high. The increased prevalence of UTI are due to immunoglobulin loss; defective T cell function; presence of ascites and relative malnutrition. Objective: The study is to evaluate the prevalence of UTI ; its etiological agents; antibiotics; sensitivity pattern and the outcome in children with nephrotic syndrome. Methods: A prospective study of all patients with diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome from January 2003 to December 2006. Urine specimen were routinely obtained by clean catch method following careful preparation urethral orifices. The specimens were processed immediately. Five millimeters (5mml) loopful of the sample were inoculated on a blood agar and CLED agar plates. Identification of the organism to species level was by using stokes disc diffusion technique. Results : Forty two patients were studied. The mean age and SEM for males was 8.2 + 0.5 years and females with 7.9 + 0.8years. The age range was two to fifteen years UTI was caused predominantly by Staphylococcus aureus in 67.9; Klebsiella species (17.9) and Pseudomonas (14.2). There was high invitro resistance of these organisms to nalidixic acid and ampicillin but sensitive to cefotaxime; ceftriazone and ciprofloxacin. Conclusion: It is recommend that UTI should be sought for in patients with nephrotic syndrome and treatment should be prompt and appropriate