Distribution of ABO and RH genes in Nigeria.

Phenotype and gene frequencies of ABO and RH (D) systems were studied in 37,846 random blood donors in five zone of Nigeria (South West) (Yoruba)--Zone A, North West (Hausa-Fulani)--Zone B, Plateau (Birom)--Zone C, South East (Igbo)--Zone D and North East (Kanuri)--Zone E). We assessed the micro differences of genetic markers of ABO and RH blood groups between the ethnic groups in the ABO and RH blood group systems. Gene frequencies were ABO *O = 0.7068, ABO *A = 0.1490, ABO *B = 0.1443, RH *D = 0.8150 and results are similar to those earlier reported. Phenotype frequencies of the blood groups were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium expectations, except in two zones B and C where deviation was thought to be due to a high frequency of blood group AB.

Medical laboratory audit: performance of twelve selected laboratories in metropolitan Enugu, Nigeria.

The abilities of 12 medical diagnostic laboratories situated in Enugu metropolis to estimate haemoglobin concentration accurately and precisely, by the cyanmethaemoglobin photometric method, were assessed. Nine (75%) of these laboratories showed good precision. Three (25%) were imprecise. As assessed by variance index (VI), only 5 (8.3%) of the entire haemoglobin results obtained from the participating laboratories showed good excellent accuracy (VI = 0 < or = 0.5). Conversely, 16 (26.7%), 9 (15%) and 30 (50%) of the entire haemoglobin results were satisfactory (VI > 0.5 - 1), acceptable (VI > 1 - 2) and rejectable (VI > 2) respectively. Furthermore, only 4 (33.3%) of the laboratories produced haemoglobin results that were both accurate and precise. Non-compliance with desirable practices that ensure quality of laboratory determinations were observed as possible contributing factor to this rather poor performance. The latter underscores the need for institution of external quality control laboratories in Nigeria.

Serum complement levels in asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemic children.

Twenty-eight (42%) of 67 afebrile children (mean age 6.3 +/- 3.6 years) undergoing various minor elective surgeries were slide positive for malaria parasitaemia. All infected subjects were given oral chloroquine therapy before and after blood samples were collected. Pre- and post-treatment complement (C4, C3, Bf and CH50 levels were evaluated in 15 of the subjects who had parasite densities > or = 500/microliter. These were compared with the levels in 15 age/sex-matched children who had acute malaria, as well as with the levels in 15 age/sex matched, non-infected controls. Significant consumption of C4 was observed in both the asymptomatic (p < 0.05) and symptomatic (p < 0.05) subjects. The mean serum levels of C4 were significantly higher in the asymptomatic, when compared with the symptomatic subjects (p < 0.01), and the healthy controls (p < 0.05). The distribution of classical pathway complement haemolytic titres in the groups studied was the same as that of the C4 levels. It is concluded that the forth component of the classical complement pathway may play a protective role in asymptomatic malaria.

The profile of C-reactive proteins in functional psychotic states in a cohort in Nigeria.

Based on the findings of previous work involving the measurement of 8 acute-phase proteins in 8 subjects receiving electroconvulsive therapy, we assayed the levels of C-reactive proteins (CRP) in 40 functional psychotic subjects, 37 of whom were consecutive admissions at the psychiatric ward. From 16 subjects, a second sample of blood for assay of CRP was collected 6 weeks after discharge from hospital, when the patients were no longer experiencing psychotic symptoms. The patients and controls were screened for tissue injury, inflammatory conditions and other diseases. We found that 14 (35%) of the psychiatric patients and only one (2%) of 50 normal control subjects had detectable levels of CRP. At follow-up, none of the 7 patients in whom CRP had been earlier detectable had measurable levels of CRP in the non-psychotic state. The presence of CRP was not related to biochemical indexes of nutritional status (total proteins and albumin), nor did clinical variables such as type of psychosis, pacing in acutely disturbed patients, use of intramuscular injections or diet and drugs distinguish the two groups of patients. It is suggested that the presence of CRP in the psychotic state is probably a state-dependent expression of nonspecific humoral immune alteration in subjects in whom more specific tests could reveal some immune alteration.

Acute phase reactants and severity of homozygous sickle cell disease.

Serum concentrations of seven acute-phase reactants: albumin, transferrin (Tf), alpha-1-antitrypsin (AIAT), caeruloplasmin (Cp), alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2-MG), haptoglobin (hp) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined in 73 subjects with varying severities of homozygous sickle cell (HbSS) disease. Fifty healthy subjects of comparable sex, age and socio-economic class distributions as the HbSS subjects served as controls. Albumin and alpha 2-MG were comparable in all the subject groups. Tf and hp levels were significantly reduced in the HbSS groups relative to the control group. Conversely, AIAT, CRP and CP were significantly elevated. However only Tf and CRP manifested significant correlations with any of the indices of disease severity employed. Transferrin and CRP are suggested as plasma proteins worthy of further evaluation as indicators of severity in homozygous sickle cell disease.

Foetal haemoglobin levels in Nigerians with sickle cell anaemia. A revisitation.

Foetal haemoglobin (HbF) levels were estimated by the alkali denaturation method in 73 Nigerians with sickle cell anaemia (SCA). Subjects were studied during their asymptomatic periods and were divided into three groups based on HbF levels. Group I: HbF levels < 10%; group II: HbF levels > or = 10% but < 15%; group III: HbF levels > or = 15%. Mean crises per year, number of organ (system) complications, degree of anaemia, as well as total severity scores derived from these three parameters did not vary significantly in the three groups. Similarly, HbF levels failed to manifest significant correlation between either frequency of crises, occurrence of complications, degree of anaemia or the derived total severity scores. It is probable that in Nigerian SCA subjects whose HbF concentrations are mostly < 20%, other variables apart from HbF may influence the severity of their disease.