Effects of Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment on Liver and Kidney Functions

Aim:This study assesses the effects of HAART on liver and renal functions in HIV infected individuals on HAART.Study Design:Cross sectional study.Place and Methods:This study was conducted in Tamale, Ghana from August, 2015 to November 2017. Original Research Article Methodology:A total of 300 HIV infected participants with ages ranging from 19 to 79 years who have been administered with HAART for at least 6 months were recruited. Pre-HAART administration (baseline) demographic and clinical information, with initial liver and renal function test results were retrieved from the medical records of the participants present at the ART center. Post HAART administration blood sample (5mLs) was taken from each participant into a gel separated vacutainer tube, allowed to clot and spun at 3000rpm for 3 minutes to produce serum. The product (serum) was used for liver and renal function test analysis using a fully automated chemistry analyser (Vital Scientific Selectra Flexor XL). Results: Of the study population, 72% were administered with AZT/3TC/EFV, 13% with AZT/3TC/NVP, 6.7% with TDF/3TC/LPV/r and TDF/3TC/NVP, 1% with AZT/3TC/EFV while 0.7% were administered with TDF/FTC/EFV. The following parameters were significantly increased post HAART administration; ALT (25.53 ± 16.90 to 30.87 ± 19.28 U/L), ALP (163.7 ± 141.0 to 215.2 ± 143.4 U/L), GGT (37.27 ± 25.21 to 53.19 ± 41.71 U/L), Total protein (73.97 ± 17.08 to 82.31 ± 11.62 g/L), Albumin (38.02 ±9.331 to 41.01 ± 7.471 g/L), Globulin 38.02 ± 15.71 to 42.79 ± 25.20 (g/L). There were however significant reductions in Total bilirubin (12.13 ± 10.85 to 9.434 ± 4.560 μmol/L), Direct bilirubin (6.616 ± 5.770 to 4.184 ± 2.806 μmol/L), (Creatinine 73.19 ±36.13 to 63.14 ± 27.14 μmol/L) and Urea (3.515 ± 2.552 to 3.011±1.274 mmol/L).Conclusion: HAART improves renal function, induces elevation in liver enzymes, stimulates the production of plasma proteins and reduces serum bilirubin concentration

Physical activity pattern and its association with glycaemic and blood pressure control among people living with diabetes (PLWD) in the Ho Municipality, Ghana

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) offers considerable health benefits for diabetic patients. However, extensive high levels of inactivity has been reported among diabetic patients. This study sought to assess the patterns of physical activity and its relationship with two management-relevant outcomes (glycaemic and blood pressure control)among people living with diabetes in the Ho Municipality, Ghana. METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out from January 2017 to April 2017 among 150 purposively recruited diabetic patients who were receiving care at the diabetes clinics of the Volta Regional Hospital and the Ho Municipal Hospital. A semi structured questionnaire was used in capturing socio-demographic information. Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form. Glycaemic and blood pressure control were evaluated within a three-month period from patients' records. RESULTS: Physical activity estimates among participants were 21.33%, 48% and 30.67% for high, moderate and low PA respectively. Glycaemic control among the study participants was 33.33% and blood pressure control was 58.67%. Both glycaemic and blood pressure control were significantly associated with PA. CONCLUSION:In this group of PLWD in the Ho Municipality, high levels of inactivity, uncontrolled glycaemia and blood pressure exist. However, glycaemic and blood pressure control may be modulated by moderate-intensity physical activity

Iron Deficiency among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic at the KNUST Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.

Background: Pregnant women constitute a high risk group for iron deficiency due to increased iron requirements for foetal and maternal tissues growth. This study sought to find out the prevalence of iron deficiency among Ghanaian pregnant women obtaining antenatal care at the University hospital, Kumasi, Ghana. Methods: The study was conducted between January and May, 2013. A total of 180 women, 150 at various stages of pregnancy and 30 non-pregnant women as control group were recruited for the study. Information on socio-demographic characteristics was obtained from the subjects by means of face-to-face interviews. Using venous blood samples, iron status of subjects was assessed by the determination of haemoglobin, haematocrit, mean cell volume, red cell distribution width, serum ferritin, serum iron, serum transferrin, total iron binding capacity, unoccupied iron binding capacity and percentage saturation of transferrin. Intestinal helminthic infestation was determined by stool examination. Results: Decreasing levels of haemoglobin, serum iron, transferrin, Total iron binding capacity and increasing levels of Mean cell volume and RDW-SD were observed as pregnancy advanced. None of the subjects had helminthic infestation. Anaemia, iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) were present in 44.0%, 21.5% and 10.4% of the pregnant women, respectively. These prevalence rates increased as pregnancy advanced to term (15.2%, 51.2%, 56.0% for anaemia; 13.8%, 22.9%, 26.1% for ID and 0%, 12.0%, 17.4% for IDA, respectively for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters). Conclusions: In spite of iron supplementation in pregnancy, a high percentage of the pregnant women are iron deficient and/or anaemic and this remains a public health problem.