ABSTRACT
Introduction: Although reports are conflicting on arsenic-selenium interactions, there is paucity of data on the determinants of plasma selenium (Se) and arsenic (As) in healthy individuals in Ebonyi State, South Eastern Nigeria. Ebonyi State is richly endowed with mineral deposits which are mined without consideration of their health hazards. This study is aimed at assessing the socio-demographic determinants of plasma arsenic and selenium in apparently healthy individuals in Ebonyi State. Methods: Apparently healthy individuals (n=441) consisting of 117 males, 184 females and 140 pregnant females, aged ≥ 18 years (mean=38.5±0.6 yrs) were randomly selected from 130 geo-political Wards (10 Wards from each of the 13 Local Government Areas of Ebonyi state) to constitute the study population. Plasma arsenic and selenium were determined in blood samples using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Socio-demographic data were collected using questionnaires while anthropometric measurements were determined using standard methods. Results: The mean plasma arsenic levels were 0.204±0.02 (males), 0.209±0.02 (females), 0.186±0.02 μg/ dl (pregnant females) and plasma selenium levels were 0.134±0.01 (males), 0.138±0.01 (females), 0.147±0.01 μg/dl (pregnant females), respectively. Plasma Se levels were generally lower than the value (5.92 μg/dl) considered universally as inadequate. While plasma levels of As and Se were not significantly different between male and female, obese subjects had significantly lower plasma levels of both elements. There was a significant negative correlation between BMI and plasma As. Neither smoking nor alcohol consumption was associated with plasma levels of As and Se. Conclusion: Apparently healthy individuals in Ebonyi State exhibited elevated plasma levels of As and low plasma Se, which may potentially place them at risk of adverse health associated with As toxicity.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to document some socio-demographic features of mood disorders in a Northern Nigerian tertiary health institution clinic. A retrospective evaluation of patients’ hospital records from1st January to 31st December 2006, using structured data forms which were analyzed with SPSS. All patients diagnosed of mood disorders (n=145) were included in the study sample. Mood disorders accounted for 26.0% of all patients who attended the Psychiatry clinic during the 1-year period, second only to schizophrenia (39.8%). Depression was the most prevalent sub-type of mood disorders (54.5%) followed by bipolar affective disorders (32.4%), hypomania (9.0%) and mania (4.1%). Majority of the patients with mood disorders were female (62.1%), below thirty years of age (57.2%), married (57.2%), had tertiary education (41.8%) and were unemployed (60.7%). Other features seen were: family history of psychiatry disorders in (29.0%) and substance abuse (13.1%), non-psychiatry co-morbid physical conditions (38.0%) were more prevalent than psychiatry co-morbid disorders (27.6%). These known features of mood disorders in this tertiary health institution clinic form valuable baseline data and would contribute to the pharmacological and other managements of the patients.