ABSTRACT
In 2012, Uganda introduced the use of GeneXpert MTB/RIF (Cepheid, Sunnyvale CA), a sensitive, automated, real-time polymerase chain reaction-based platform for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis, for programmatic use among children, adults with presumptive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated TB, and symptomatic persons at risk for rifampicin (RIF)-resistant TB. The effect of using the platform's Xpert MTB/RIF assay on TB care and control was assessed using routinely collected programmatic data; in addition, a retrospective review of district quarterly summaries using abstracted TB register data from purposively selected facilities in the capital city of Kampala was conducted. Case notification rates were calculated and nonparametric statistical methods were used for analysis. No statistically significant differences were observed in case notification rates before and after the Xpert MTB/RIF assay became available, although four of 10 districts demonstrated a statistically significant difference in bacteriologically confirmed TB. Once the GeneXpert MTB/RIF platform is established and refined, a more comprehensive evaluation should be conducted.
Subject(s)
Automation, Laboratory , Molecular Diagnostic Techniques/methods , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/isolation & purification , Population Surveillance/methods , Tuberculosis/diagnosis , Adult , Child , Drug Resistance, Multiple , HIV Infections/epidemiology , Humans , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/drug effects , Retrospective Studies , Tuberculosis/epidemiology , Uganda/epidemiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Lipid-based ready-to-use foods are currently used for infant feeding, but their potential effect on breast-milk intake is not well documented. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to assess the breast-milk intake of 9-10-mo-old infants given either a ready-to-use complementary food (RUCF) paste or a standard corn-soy blend (UNIMIX) porridge in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. DESIGN: Infants were randomly assigned at 6 mo of age to receive either RUCF (n = 700) or UNIMIX (n = 700) for 6 mo. Breast-milk intake was measured at 9-10 mo in a subsample of 58 infants (29 from each group). Mothers received a dose of ≈30 g deuterium oxide. Predose and postdose saliva samples were collected from both mothers and infants over 2 wk. Breast-milk intake (g/d) was measured from saliva samples by using infrared spectroscopy. RESULTS: Mean (±SD) breast-milk intake was not significantly (P = 0.69) different between the 2 groups: RUCF (705 ± 236 g/d) and UNIMIX (678 ± 285 g/d). Mean (±SD) nonmilk oral water intakes were 338.3 ± 251.1 and 336.4 ± 227.2 g/d for RUCF and UNIMIX, respectively (P = 0.98). CONCLUSIONS: No differences in breast-milk intake were observed between infants consuming either RUCF or UNIMIX. The deuterium-dose-to-the-mother dilution technique is an affordable technique that we recommend for periodic evaluation of breast-milk intake in resource-poor settings. This trial is registered at controlled-trials.com as ISRCTN20267635.
Subject(s)
Breast Feeding , Infant Food , Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena , Milk, Human , Democratic Republic of the Congo , Deuterium Oxide/administration & dosage , Dietary Fats/administration & dosage , Edible Grain , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Milk, Human/metabolism , Rural Population , Glycine max , Spectrophotometry, Infrared , Water/administration & dosage , Zea maysABSTRACT
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine if screening for coagulation disorders was routinely performed during the evaluation of adolescents with abnormal uterine bleeding. DESIGN: A retrospective chart review. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test. P < 0.05 was considered significant. SETTING: Outpatient clinics of an academic center. PARTICIPANTS: Eligible charts of patients age eighteen years and under with abnormal uterine bleeding who were evaluated either by pediatric gynecologists, gynecologists, or pediatricians. INTERVENTIONS: A chart review. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Data on provider type, documented patient history and laboratory tests ordered. RESULTS: In our review, 43% (n= 36) of patients were evaluated by gynecologists, 38% (n=32) by pediatricians and 19% (n=16) by pediatric gynecologists. The mean age of patients whose charts were reviewed was 15 years. Overall 36.6% (n=30) of providers indicated that they screened for a bleeding disorder by documenting at least one screening question in the patient's history. There was a significant difference among providers with 68.8% (n=11) of pediatric gynecologists documenting at least one screening question, compared to 31.4% (n=11) of gynecologists and 25.8% (n=8) of pediatricians (P < 0.05). Overall 14.6% (n=12) of subjects were screened for a coagulation disorder with laboratory testing. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of adolescents with abnormal uterine bleeding were not screened for bleeding disorders. The frequency of evaluation for blood dyscrasias varied by specialty.
