RESUMO
Background: This study was carried out to evaluate humeral length among children in Southern Nigeria and to describe its sexual dimorphism among study population.Methods: This study involved 450 children (230 males and 220 females) between 3-14 years old in Southern Nigerian. The humeral length was measured as distance between lateral epicondyle distally palpated when elbow was flexed to 90 degrees and acromion proximally palpated lateral end of clavicle. Definitive right and left humeral lengths (RHL and LHL) were derived by subtracting 2.5 mm from measured length. Average values of RHL and LHL were evaluated as morphological humeral length (MHL) for each subject. Data were analyzed using IBM-SPSS version 20 and statistical comparisons done using t-test with p < 0.05 regarded as level of significant difference.Results: In all age groups, non-significant bilateral variation was observed with the RHL higher than the LHL among both male and female subjects. In addition, the results showed significant (p<0.05) sexual dimorphism in all age groups with mean±SEM of MHL among 3-6 years old higher in females (19.45±0.81) than in males (18.63±0.83). However, the reverse was observed among higher age groups with mean±SEM of MHL in 7-10- and 11-14-years old males (24.43±0.95 and 28.75±0.94) significantly higher than in 7-10 years old and 11-14 years old females (22.85±0.91 and 26.73±0.84) respectively.Conclusions: Based on findings of this study, humeral morphometrics particularly the humeral length can be applied as a significant indicator of sexual dimorphism among the study population.
RESUMO
Background:Nutrition is important in development, growth and maintenance of overall well being of an individual andplays a significant role in children’s cognitive, behavioural and emotional development. Poor diets may initiate or exacerbate chronic diseases including dental caries which has dietary fermentable carbohydrates as one of its aetiologies.Objectives:To describe the school feeding practice in Nigerian schools and relate the contents of their lunch boxes to risk of having dental caries and determine the relationship between socioeconomic factors and the content of lunch boxes.Study Design:This was a descriptive cross sectional study.Methodology:Multistage sampling technique was used in selecting participants from 12 schools in Southern Nigeria. Information on socio-demographic characteristics and contents of lunch boxes were elicited using structured questionnaires. The contents of lunch boxes were categorized as balanced (cooked meals with vegetables or fruits), overloaded (one cooked meal and snacks) and unbalanced-over loaded (no lunchbox, or greater than one snacks). Information elicited were analyzed using SPSS version 22 and the level of significance was set at <0.05 Results:There were 152 (49.8%) males and 153 (50.2%) females with a mean age of 10.1 (+2.2) years who participated in the study. One hundred and fifty two (49.8%) pupils brought lunch boxes to school. The category of meals taken during lunch breaks was mostly [157 (51.5%)]unbalanced-overloaded. There were statistically significant associations between the mothers’ occupation (<0.001), number of siblings (p<0.001), type of school (p=0.001) and the presence of lunch boxes. There was also statistically significant associationbetween the types of schools and contents of lunch packs. Multivariate regression analysis showed that age (OR=0.116, CI=0.030-0.447;p=0.002) and number of siblings (OR=0.286; CI=0.097-0.841; p=0.023) were significant predictors of bringing lunch box to school.Conclusion:Type of school, age of the children, their mothers’ social class/occupation and family size were significantly associated with possessing lunch packs. Their lunch meals were majorly confectioneries thus a high risk to dental caries
RESUMO
Purpose: Nigeria has adopted quinine as the drug of first choice in the treatment of severe malaria and artemether as an alternative therapy. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether artemether is a comparable alternative to quinine in the management of severe malaria in Nigerian children. Methods: We conducted a randomized prospective study comparing quinine and artemether therapies in 90 Nigerian children with severe malaria. Results: Mortality was lower in quinine group (13.0) than artemether (15.9); Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.446 (95Confidence Interval (CI); 0.124 to 1.603; p = 0.249 ). The parasitaemia clearance on day 3 by quinine and artemether was 96.8 and 99.0(p = 0.422); respectively; while on day 14 it was 100for both medicines. Fever clearance by quinine and artemether was 87.7 and 90(p = 0.753); respectively; on day 3 but it increased to 100 and 96.42(p = 0.072); respectively; on day 14. For the quinine group; 71.74of the patients spent less than one week in the hospital versus 61.76for the artemether group (p = 0.829; OR = 0.883; 95CI = 0.284 to 2.742). Conclusion: Artemether is a comparable alternative to quinine in the treatment of severe paediatric malaria