ABSTRACT
Healthcare workers are predisposed to cardiovascular diseases just as the patients they manage. Dyslipidaemia has been identified as an important cardiovascular risk factor among the healthcare workers. Elevated LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride along with reduced HDL-cholesterol have been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Deposition of proatherogenic lipids along the wall of the blood vessels forms the basis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. This study determined the prevalence of dyslipidaemia among the healthcare workers in University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, South-South, Nigeria. Three hundred and twenty-five hospital workers ranging from doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers were recruited for this study. Demographic and socioeconomic data were collected using a structured questionnaire. One hundred and sixty (49%) were males while 165(51%) were females with 2 average age of 40.9 ± 8.8 years and average body mass index of 26.7 ± 5.9kg/m. Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were determined using standard techniques while the serum lipids (triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol) were analyzed using the standard enzymatic methods. Abnormal lipid levels were found in the study population. Total cholesterol (5.06 ± 1.33 mmol/L), LDL-cholesterol (3.66 ± 1.38mmol/L) and non HDL-cholesterol (4.08 ± 1.37 mmol/L) were elevated. Serum HDL-cholesterol (0.98 ± 0.14 mmol/L) was found to be low. Prevalence of dyslipidaemia was reported as follow: elevated total cholesterol (43.4%), elevated LDL-cholesterol (56.0%), and reduced HDL-cholesterol (82.2%). Significant risk factors identified include: physical inactivity (32%) and alcohol ingestion (53.5%). Prevalence of dyslipidaemia is high among the healthcare workers in UBTH; most especially reduced HDL-cholesterol and elevated LDL-cholesterol. Therapeutic lifestyle modification is therefore advocated among the healthcare workers to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases
Subject(s)
Benin , Dyslipidemias/diagnosis , Dyslipidemias/epidemiology , Health Personnel , Hospitals, Teaching , NigeriaABSTRACT
Background: There is a strong relationship between hypertension and dyslipidaemia, and both can increase the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Methods: A total of One hundred and eighty (180) participants were recruited for this study; out of which, there was one hundred and fifty (150) hypertensive patients and thirty (30) control subjects that were age- and socio-economically matched with the hypertensive patients. Lipid profile test was carried out for them using standard laboratory techniques. Results: Fifty-four percent (n=69) of the hypertensive patients were females; majority of the female hypertensive patients were within the age bracket of 50-59years (45.7%) while majority of the male hypertensive patients were within the age bracket of 40-49 years (53.6%). With the exception of HDL-cholesterol values which were comparable with the Normotensive controls, the hypertensive patients had significantly higher lipid profiles (triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol). There was positive correlation between total cholesterol, triglycerides (0.399, p<0.05), LDL-cholesterol (r=0.609, p<0.05) and HDL-cholesterol (r=0.866, p<0.05) among the hypertensive patients, also, HDL-cholesterol positively correlated with LDL-cholesterol (r=0.218, p<0.05) but in the normotensive patients, LDL-cholesterol negatively correlated with triglyceride (r=-0.409, p<0.05) and positively correlated with total cholesterol (r=0.876, p<0.05). Conclusion: Hypertensive Nigerians have significantly higher lipid profile except the HDL-cholesterol which is comparable in both hypertensive and Normotensive Nigerians. This shows that the dyslipidaemia in hypertensive Nigerians majorly involve plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol.
ABSTRACT
Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the serum magnesium levels of patients with breast cancer and apparently healthy people without the disease. Study Design: This is a cross-sectional prospective study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Department of Surgery, Central Hospital, Benin City and Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Benin Teaching Hospital Benin city, Nigeria, between July, 2011 and October 2012. Methodology: A total of 60 female participants from Central Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria were recruited for this study. 30 of the women (50%) had breast cancer and 30 women (50%) without the disease served as control. Venous blood was obtained from participants and serum magnesium level was determined using standardized laboratory methods. Results: The results showed a statistically significant reduction in serum magnesium level of patients with breast cancer compared with those without the disease. Conclusion: We demonstrated from this present study that the participants with breast cancer have reduced serum magnesium level compared to those without the disease (control) and it is advisable to cautiously add magnesium as an adjuvant therapy in the management of breast cancer.
ABSTRACT
The relationship between glycated haemoglobin, fasting plasma glucose, packed cell volume and albumin creatinine ratio in diabetic patients in south-south Nigeria was investigated in 118 diabetic patients (80 females and 38 males) and 36 apparently healthy controls (20 females and 16 males). The glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose (FBG) and albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) of (6.5±0.65%, 113±7.9mgldL and 48.4±6.3 respectively) were significantly higher in the diabetic patients than in control subjects (3.7±0.13%, 86±2.6mgldL and 21.0±5.1 respectively), while the packed cell volume (PCV) was higher in the control subjects than in diabetic patients (46.3±1.13% vs 40.6±0.92%). There was a significant positive correlation between the HbA1c, and FBG in both the diabetic patients and control subjects (r=0.418 and 0.782 respectively, P<0.001) and there was also a significant positive correlation between the HbA1c and ACR in both the diabetic patients and control subjects (r= 0.244 and 0.618 respectively, P< 0.001). In conclusion, there is a strong relationship between HbA1c, FBG and ACR in diabetic patients and control subjects.
ABSTRACT
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the levels of basic biochemical parameters like uric acid, potassium, sodium, bicarbonate and chloride in umbilical cord blood with a view to assess its suitability for stem cell transplantation. Study Design: This is a cross-sectional prospective study. Place and Duration of the Study: The study was carried out at the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Chemical Pathology University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City Nigeria between July 2010 and March 2011. Methodology: Cord blood from a total of 164 pregnant women (HIV, hepatitis B and C negative) who delivered in University of Benin Teaching Hospital from July 2010 to March 2011 were analyzed for some basic biochemical parameters. Results: The levels of the biochemical parameters were sodium 135.4±6.1mmol/L (128 to 150mmol/L), potassium 7.08±1.9mmol/L (4.5 to 14.7mmol/L), bicarbonate 19.6±2.4mmol/L(14-25mmol/L), chloride 101.7±3.8mmol/L (90-109mmol/L) and uric acid 1.63±0.9mmol/L (0.19-3.09mmol/L) chloride was the most stable with a CV of 3.71% while uric acid was the least stable with a CV of 12.63%. Conclusion: Umbilical cord blood could become an important source of stem cell in sub-sahara Africa especially with the large number of deliveries. However careful selection of quality cord blood must be enforced to avoid contaminants and haemolysis which may be responsible for the hyperkalaemia as seen in this study.