Oxidative stress markers and disease severity among children with sickle cell anaemia

Background: Sickle cell anaemia has been associated with oxidative stress. Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), Total Oxidant Status (TOS) and Oxidative Stress Index (OSI) are cumulative markers of oxidative stress. Objective: To evaluate the serum levels of oxidative stress markers in children with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) and determine the relationship between these markers and disease severity. Method: One hundred and fifty-six children, comprising 78 with SCA, aged 1 - 15 years and 78 age- and sex-matched Haemoglobin AA controls were studied. Serum TOS, OSI, and TAC were determined using ELISA kits. The severity of the SCA was determined using clinical and laboratory parameters. Result: Children with SCA had lower mean serum TAC (0.83±0.31UAE) than controls (1.19±0.24UAE) with p< 0.001) but positive correlation with TOS (r = 0.3, p = 0.008) and OSI (r = 0.6, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Children with SCA had lower TAC but higher TOS and OSI than matched controls. Oxidative stress markers had a significant relationship with SCD severity

Prevalence, Aetiology and Outcome of Febrile Convulsions at the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, South-West Nigeria.

Background: Febrile convulsions continue to be a common occurrence in paediatric practice in Nigeria and Africa. Constant review of the subject from time to time is therefore desirable. Methods: We prospectively studied over a seven month period the prevalence, aetiology and outcome of febrile convulsions among children admitted into the children emergency room (CHER) of the Wesley Guild Hospital (WGH), Ilesa, South West Nigeria. Results: Over the study period, febrile convulsions accounted for 18.0% of all the 880 admissions into the CHER. The children were aged 3 months to 6years with male: Female ratio of 1.1:1. Malaria was the commonest identified aetiology associated with febrile convulsions in this study. It occurred in 80.4% of the 158 children with febrile convulsions, followed by respiratory tract infections. Outcome was good as none of the patients developed neurologic deficit or died. Conclusion: Febrile convulsions are common among children admitted at the CHER of the WGH, Ilesa with malaria being the major aetiology. Adequate malaria control may reduce the burden associated with febrile convulsions in this environment.

Perception of personal risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency viral infection/acquired immune deficiency syndrome among people attending outpatient clinics in a teaching hospital of Nigeria.

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) pandemic is on the increase with the highest burden in sub-Saharan Africa. This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in 2008 to assess the knowledge, self-perception of risk of contracting HIV infection and risky sexual practices among patients attending some out-patient clinics at the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. The knowledge on the modes of transmission and methods of prevention of HIV was high. Although, 53.0% of the study participants perceived themselves not to be at risk of contracting HIV infection, 80.6% were engaged in risky sexual practices within a year preceding the study. Significantly more participants with multiple sexual partners, past and present history of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) perceived themselves not to be at risk (P= 0.001, 0.008 and 0.001 respectively). Effective strategies must therefore be developed, to enhance risk-perception since poor risk-perception is known to mitigate behavioral change.