Effect of adherence to follow-up on recovery from moderate acute malnutrition among under-fives in a supplementary feeding programme

@#Introduction: Supplementary feeding programme is a strategy for managing underfives with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). This study aimed to determine the effect of adherence to follow-up on recovery from MAM among under-fives. Methods: A clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of daily supplementary rations of a standardised milk-based formulation (SMBF), standardised non-milk-based formulation (SNMBF), and hospital-based formulation (HBF) on recovery from MAM over a four months period was conducted among eligible children aged 6 – 59 months. Recovery from MAM among participants was determined based on their status of adherence to follow-up at week 16. It was deemed statistically significant if p-value was <0.05. Results: Of the 157 children evaluated, 41/54 (75.9%) who received the SMBF, 32/57 (56.1%) who received the SNMBF, and 22/46 (47.8%) who received the HBF had good adherence. Adherence to follow-up was significantly higher with SMBF than SNMBF and HBF (χ²=8.923; p=0.012). In all, 95/157 (60.5%) had good adherence to follow-up with 73/95 (76.8%) recovery from MAM against 42/62 (67.7%) recovery in those with poor adherence (p=0.208). Conclusion: The status of adherence to scheduled follow-up was not significantly associated with recovery from MAM among under-fives enrolled in the supplementary feeding programme. Nevertheless, efforts at promoting adherence to scheduled follow-up visits should be sustained.

Changes in Platelet Indices in Obese and Non-Obese Individuals in a Tertiary Healthcare Facility in Uyo, Nigeria

Background: Obesity is associated with significant cardiovascular and thromboembolic risk largely due to increased plateletreactivity. Objectives: To determine the changes in platelet counts and platelet activation using platelet indices (MPV & PDW) inobese and non-obese patients in a tertiary hospital in Uyo, Nigeria.Methodology: This was a cross-sectional descriptive studycomprising of 191 participants recruited consecutively from the out-patients Departments of University of Uyo Teaching Hospitalover a six months period (March-August 2018). Patients were categorised into obese, overweight and normal weight based ontheir Body Mass Index (BMI). Also, 2.5mls of blood was collected from each patient and same was used to determine full bloodcount from where the platelet count and platelet indices (MPV & PDW) were obtained. Results: There was progressive increasein the mean platelet count of the patients (210.59 ± 51.6, 194.26 ± 49.8, 184.95 ± 51.7 for obese, overweight and normal weightrespectively) and this increase was statistically significant (P=0.0208). However, the mean platelet indices (MPV & PDW) wasnot statistically significant (P=0.351 and 0.933 for MPV and PDW respectively). Conclusion: Platelet counts was significantlyelevated in obese patients compared with the overweight and normal weight however, the MPV and PDW was not significantlydifferent in the three groups.