Prevalence and pattern of psychiatric morbidity among people living with human immunodeficiency virus in Kano

Background:Human immunodeficiency virus/ Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), has remained a disease of public health concern, with the largest burden being found in sub Saharan Africa. The advent of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has significantly reduced the mortality of the disease, thereby transforming it to a chronic disorder, with significant co-morbid psychiatric sequalae.Objectives:To determine the prevalence and pattern of psychiatric morbidity among PLWHAattending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano.Materials and methods:This was a cross sectional study of adult patients with HIV/AIDS attending outpatient clinic at the S.S. Wali Virology Centre of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital who gave informed consent. Systematic random sampling technique was used.Patients aged 18years and above who had been on ARVdrugs for at least one year were included, while those who had a medical emergency and needed immediate attention were excluded.Socio demographic characteristics were obtained using a socio-demographic questionnaire and psychiatric morbidity was assessed with the MINI International Neuropsychiatry Interview.Results:Atotal of 420 participants were recruited in the study with a male to female ratio of 1:1.5 and mean age of 40.4±10.0 years. The prevalence of a psychiatric disorder was 22.1% out of whom 5.0% had more than one psychiatric diagnosis. Major depression was the most common (11%) psychiatric disorder. Generalized Anxiety disorder, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol abuse accounted for 7.6%, 5.5%, 2.4% and 1.7% of psychiatric disorders respectively.Conclusion:Psychiatric disorders are common in PLWHA, with major depression being the commonest.

Prevalence and clinical manifestation of lymphomas in North Eastern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Lymphomas are one of the commonest childhood malignancies. Due to varied clinical features many patients are misdiagnosed and treated for other diseases. It is imperative to keep health workers informed about the current trend of lymphomas in northeastern Nigeria to facilitate prompt diagnosis and treatment. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the extent of lymphomas at presentation and to define the pattern of presentation in relation to gender and site. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of cases of lymphomas over a 15 year period was conducted. Structured questionnaires were used to document demographic characteristics and clinical features. The non‑Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) cases were categorized using standard classification schemes. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 16, Illinois, Chicago, USA. Spearman’s correlation and Student’s t‑test were applied where appropriate. A P value < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Fifty cases of lymphoma, 10 (20%) belong to HL and 40 (80%) belong to NHL. Lymphoma is common in male, though the male to female preponderance was not significant in both the cases (P = 0.107 and 0.320, respectively). Maxilla was the commonest site of primary malignancy (36%) and late presentation of patients were observed. New trend was noticed, the NHL patients present commonly with severe symptoms than HL (P = 0.038). HL was dominated by lymphocytic predominant type, while NHL was dominated by the small non cleaved cells (Burkitt’s) lymphoma (70%). CONCLUSION: Childhood lymphoma in northeastern Nigeria has a slight shift in varied clinical presentation in favor of NHL. Patients in this study had late presentation.

Survey of Medical Officers Attitudes and Knowledge of Eye Conditions in Older Patients.

Aim: To assess medical officers’ attitude and knowledge of eye conditions in the elderly. Study Design: Convenient sampling technique. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Ophthalmology, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria, November 2012. Methodology: Thirty four medical officers were shown 10 slides of common external eye conditions in the elderly and were asked to give the diagnosis of each slide and complete a selfadministered questionnaire during a hospital clinical presentation. The questionnaire and the answers to the 10 slides were collected immediately after the presentation. Results: All the medical officers agreed that eye examination is an important part of the general medical examination. However, only 16 (47.1%) routinely examined the eye of the elderly patient as part of the general medical examination. Fourteen medical officers (41.2%) were comfortably examining the eye of the elderly. Though 6 (17.6%) medical officers reported being sufficiently trained in the ocular examination but only 1 (2.9%) admitted being proficient in the ocular examination. The entire medical officers agreed that ageing is a risk factor for some ocular conditions, but only 18 (52.9%) ever inquired from the older patients if they had any specific eye conditions. Many of the medical officers wrongly diagnosed the presented slides. There were associations between duration of the medical practice and attitude with the medical officers of less years of practice not bothering about the eye examination in the elderly during the general medical examination (P<.05). Conclusion: Most studied medical officers were not routinely examining the eyes of the older patients and many were unable to diagnose common eye conditions in the elderly. Medical training should emphasize the ocular examination and diagnosis. The continuing eye medical education for medical officers can bridge the knowledge gaps in eye care and enhance early detection of the eye conditions.

Effect of Obesity on Hormonal Profile and Semen Parameters of Male Partners of Infertile Couples in Kwara State Nigeria.

Background: Infertility is a global and a public health concern in many parts of sub- Saharan Africa and obesity is gradually becoming an epidemic disease that is rapidly spreading among Africans. Male obesity has been associated with increased incidence of low sperm concentration and progressively low motile sperm count. Methods: The study was a multicenter prospective comparative analytical study conducted at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Anchor Medical Centre, Royal Medical Centre, Surulere Medical Centre and Mid-land Fertility Centre all in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria over a period of six months (February to July 2011). Our aim was to identify the effect of male obesity on measures of reproductive potentials among male partners of infertile couples. Serum levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estrogen of 42 obese and 42 non obese male partners of infertile couples were assayed in addition to seminal fluid analysis. Results: There was a statistically significant association between obesity, class of obesity with sperm count and sperm motility (All P< 0.05) and low serum levels of FSH and testosterone (All p <0.05) levels. There was however no significant association between LH and estrogen levels in this study. (All P > 0.05). Conclusion: This study has demonstrated an inverse but significant relationship between male obesity and semen parameters (sperm count and motility), serum testosterone and FSH amongst the study population. This suggests that male obesity has an adverse effect on the quality of semen amongst male partners of infertile couples

impact of consanguinity on fetal loss

The effect of consanguinity on fetal loss and mortality and morbidity of offspring is the subject of controversy. We carried out a retrospective cross sectional study on 469 couples with fetal loss, among whom 237 [50.53%] couples had consanguineous union and 232 [49.47%] of couples had no consanguinity. Considering the prevalence of consanguinity in the population that is 23%, a relation between consanguinity and fetal loss can be elucidated, although for more accurate determination of this correlation we need to find the prevalence of consanguinity in couples with no history of fetal loss, i.e., designing a case control study

Seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies amongst blood donors in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Kaduna

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the most common transfusion transmissible infections hence the introduction of routine screening for its antibodies in blood donors in most blood banks. Methods: This was a retrospective study in which the blood donor screening register for all intending donors were reviewed and analyzed. Results: There were 4;731 potential donors with age range 20-41years. Eighty six (1.8) were sero-positive to HCV antibodies with a decreasing incidence over the period under review. The highest incidence was recorded the age group 31-40 years. Aim: To determine the sero-prevalence of HCV among blood donors in ABUTH Kaduna. Conclusion: HCV infection is not uncommon in our environment hence the need to emphasize it's routine screening among all potential donors

Factors contributing to poor compliance with anti-TB treatment among tuberculosis patients.

Tuberculosis (TB) has made a comeback. It has become a resurgent public health problem in developing countries in the tropics and is the leading cause of death from any single infectious agent. Non-compliance to anti-tuberculosis treatment is the most serious problem in TB control. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the determinants of poor compliance with anti-tuberculosis treatment among tuberculosis patients in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia in 1999. A total of 390 patients were included in the study of which 130 were tuberculosis patients who defaulted treatment and 260 were those compliant to treatment. Data collection was done by interviewing the patients and collecting clinical and laboratory data from their medical records. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, patients who were not on direct observed therapy (DOT) lived distant to the health facility, were non-intravenous drug users (IVDU) and were HIV positive had statistically significant higher odds of being non-compliant. Patients should be given treatment under direct supervision with special attention to IVDU and HIV positive groups. Anti-TB treatment should be accessible to patients at the nearest health center from their residence. Interventions with health education programs emphasizing the benefits of treatment compliance should be implemented by further large-scale multicentered studies.