A survey of chronic renal failure in Jamaica

The prevalence of chronic renal failure (CRF)/end stage renal disease and the accessibility of long term renal replacement therapy in Jamaica were evaluated. The study was conducted at six Jamaican healthcare facilities between July 1998 and December 1999 and included 605 patients with CRF. Men with CRF (57 of patients, mean age of 56.7 years) were significantly older than women (mean age 53.2 years). Hypertension was the most commonly associated medical condition (60.8 of patients) followed by diabetes mellitus (31.4 of patients). The estimated crude point prevalence of CRF in persons 20 years and over at the end of 1999 was 327 per million population. More than one-third of patients with CRF (39) were receiving renal replacement therapy, the most common modality being haemodialysis, and only 1.8 of patients had received kidney transplantation. The prevalence of chronic renal failure was not increased in areas known to have high soil cadmium levels. Chronic renal failure is a significant public health problem in Jamaica and is placing an increasing financial burden on the healthcare sector

Features of isolated post-challenge hyperglycaemia in Jamaican adults

Isolated post-challenge hyperglycaemia (IPH) can be defined as a two-hour plasma glucose concentration > or = 11.1 mmol/L with a fasting plasma glucose concentration < 7.0 mmol/L. The aim of this prospective study was to determine the prevalence of IPH in a cohort of Jamaican individuals, and to determine if simple clinical features may predict the presence and subsequent diagnosis of IPH. A cohort of 1694 adults aged 25-74 years without physician-diagnosed diabetes mellitus was randomly selected. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed. Anthropometry, blood pressure and lipid profiles were measured. The prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes mellitus by the 1999 World Health Organization criteria was 6.4. IPH accounted for 24 of these cases and 1.4 of the entire population. Individuals with IPH were significantly older, with greater body mass index, waist-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol than individuals with normal glucose tolerance. Individuals with IPH were not significantly different from individuals with fasting plasma glucose levels > or = 7 mmol/L (i.e. fasting hyperglycaemia) in anthropometry or blood pressure. However, total cholesterol and LDL-C were significantly elevated in the IPH group. OGTT screening of individuals with impaired fasting glucose (i.e. 6.1-6.9 mmol/l) could reduce the IPH group by 50. Reducing the threshold for fasting glucose to 5.6 mmol/L would correctly classify 87 of the population. We concluded that individuals with IPH have features of the metabolic syndrome, which can aid in selection for screening. OGTT screening of individuals with fasting glucose values of 5.6-6.9 mmol/l is needed to identify IPH

Histopathological findings in women with postmenopausal bleeding in Jamaica

We investigated the histopathological findings in women presenting with postmenopausal bleeding in a population predominantly of African descent by conducting a six-year retrospective study of 716 gynaecological surgical specimens from 629 women accessed in the Department of Pathology, The University of the West Indies, Jamaica. Histopathological diagnoses were correlated with patients age, specimen volume, duration of bleeding and length of postmenopausal interval at presentation using t-tests and linear regression models. The mean (SD) age was 63.6 (9.3) years. The frequency of the main causes of postmenopausal bleeding was: endometrial hyperplasia (22.3); endometrial atrophy (21.3); non-diagnostic (19.9); endometrial carcinoma (9.5); cervical carcinoma (6.8); cervical polyps (4.5); endometrial sarcoma (3.5); proliferative endometrium (3.2). Mean (SD) duration of bleeding was 6.9 (12.7) months. The percentage of women with malignant lesions was two to three times greater than those reported in the United States of America and Europe subsequent to 1980. The delay between the onset of bleeding and presentation is worrisome and suggests the need for public educatio

Chronic diseases--facing a public health challenge

Middle income countries like those in the Caribbean can feel proud of their achievements in health care. There has been a dramatic fall-off in infant mortality and crude mortality rates along with significant improvements in life expectancy at birth. However, these countries now find themselves grappling with the burden of chronic non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and cancer. There are good data to support the view that some of these diseases, in particular diabetes mellitus, have assumed epidemic proportions and there is concern that this fact may have been missed by many because of the surreptitious onset, as is the nature of the chronic diseases. The impact of this epidemic may have suffered because of the higher profile of more topical issues like HIV/AIDS even though the former makes a larger contribution to morbidity and mortality statistics. It is now obvious that despite the impact of other factors, lifestyle changes are the major contributors to the epidemic. In populations of similar genetic stock, living in significantly different socio-economic circumstances, the impact of increased dietary salt, increasing obesity and decreased physical activity on the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and lipid disorders is unequivocal. Data from the developed world, which has already been through this epidemic of chronic diseases, have shown that increasing technological advances in medical care is an inefficient way to respond to the situation. A multi-sectoral approach is required to tackle this epidemic, including the provision of incentives for healthy eating and widespread opportunities for increased exercise and other physical activities. Continued research into the evolution of the epidemic, including reliable estimates via surveillance methods is a necessary component of our response. The problems and the solutions are not only the responsibilities of the health officials but must involve education, agriculture and other sectors of the economy.

Quality of care of hypertension in three clinical settings in Jamaica

To determine quality of monitoring and control of hypertension in Jamaica, 756 records of patients, aged > 30 years, attending a public general clinic (PUBMC) (n=500), a special hypertension clinic (SPMC) (n=119) and a private group general clinic (PRMC) (n=137), for more than one year, were reviewed. Duration of follow-up varied among clinics with the longest mean follow-up at PRMC (10.8 years) compared to 6.1 years and 4.7 years at the PUBMC and SPMC respectively. Mean age was greatest at the PUBMC (60 yrs) compared to 53 years in the SPMC and 50 years in the PRMC (p < 0.001). Sex distribution differed among clinics with 15 percent men in the PUBMC, 34 percent in the SPMC and 54 percent in the PRMC (p < 0.001). Over 92 percent of patients had blood pressure (BP) recorded at least once in the 12-month review period. Hypertension was defined as being prescribed antihypertensive medication in clinic records. By this definition 98 percent SPMC patients were hypertensive, compared to 87 percent PUBMC and 80 percent PRMC. Using BP < 160 / 95mmHg, the PRMC was 0.57 (0.34-0.97) compared to the other two clinics after adjustments for age, clinic type, duration of follow-up and gender. Only age was a significant covariate with older patients at greater risk of poor control. Only 18 percent of hypertensives were controlled to BP < 140 / 90mmHg with no difference among clinics. Diuretics were the commonest agent used at the PUBMC (76 percent) and SPMC (86 percent) followed by a-methyldopa, 41 percent and 27 percent, respectively. These agents were less commonly prescribed at the PRMC than at the other clinics (45 percent diuretics and 8 percent a-methyldopa, p < 0.001 for both agents compared to other clinics). PRMC used more angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors 38 percent, compared to SPMC 23 percent and PUBMC 1 percent (p < 0.001). Between 9 percent and 15 percent of patients at the PUBMC and PRMC had recorded data on smoking and alcohol use compared to 69 percent at the SPMC. A record of body weight was found in 99 percent at SPMC compared to 82 percent at PRMC and 33 percent at PUBMC (p < 0.001). Surveillance for complications differed for proteinuria (PRMC 33 percent, PUBMC 15 percent, SPMC 15 percent) and fundoscopy (PUBMC 0 percent, PRMC 3 percent, SPMC 43 percent). These results show very limited adherence to recommended hypertension treatment guidelines in all three settings.

Medical admissions of oncology patients to the University Hospital of the West Indies

A prospective study of 80 oncology patients (42 men, 38 women; mean age 50.3 years) admitted to the University Hospital of the West Indies, Jamaica, was conducted over a six month period (August 1, 1995 to January 31, 1996). There were 103 admissions representing 8.7of total admissions to the medical wards. Solid tumours and haematological malignancies accounted for equal proportions of admissions. 62were emergency admissions. Investigation of constitutional symptoms, abnormal physical findings, infection and chemotherapy were the commonest reasons for admission. Complications developed in 42.7of admissions, the commonest being renal and/or hepatic impairment; anaemia, leukopaenia and thrombocytopenia; and nosocomial infections. 35of the patients died during the study period. The mean length of stay was 12.9 days (SD 12.8). Mean hospital stay was significantly longer in admissions involving an initial diagnosis of cancer and in those resulting in complications (p < 0.001).