SEROEPIDEMIOLOGY OF HBV ANTIGEN AND ANTI-HCV AMONG GENERAL POPULATION IN A RURAL LOCAL IN BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA.

Background: HBV and HCV infections are a significant public health issue in developing countries with weak healthcare systems, high poverty rates, illiteracy, low HBV immunization coverage, and low public health education. A study assessed the sero epidemiology of HBV antigen, anti- HCV markers, biochemical and heamatological indices of 559 participants in Dambam local government during hepatitis day. A structured questionnaire was administered to assess demographic information and risk factors. Rapid latex immunochromtographic kits were used for HBV, HCV, and HBV Combo serological markers, with positive and negative control included in each batch analysis. Descriptive statistics analysis was conducted on the data. Results: The 559 study participants, had a mean age of 35.5+10.9years, majority within the age- group, 18-39years 279(49.04%), female accounted for 291(52.1%) compared to male 268(47.9), educational background, tertiary 244(43.6%), married, 356(68.7%) and student were 254(45.4%). Seroprevalence of HBsAg was 10.7%, serological markers as follows, HbsAb 1.7%, HbeAg 13.3%, HbeAb 60.0% HbcAb 95.0% and Anti-HCV of 3.4%. Gender breakdown(M vs F) of HBV(13.4% vs 8.2%) and HCV(3.0% vs 3.8%). Significant association was observed in the seroprevalence of HBV and HCV with age-group, gender, marital status and occupation(<0.05). No significant difference was observed with the risk factors of HBV and HCV. Biochemical and heamatological indices showed a significant difference between seropositive and negative study participants(<0.05). Conclusion: The study's findings affirmed the endemicity of HBV infection and the increasing trend of HCV infection in Bauchi state, posing serious public health concerns. HBV serological markers suggest a low HBV immunization coverage rate and exposure of participants to the viral etiology in the community. Strengthening immunization coverage and population-based surveillance is strategic in the prevention and control of viral hepatitis in Bauchi state.

Plaque volume derived from three-dimensional reconstruction of coronary angiography predicts the fractional flow reserve.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the data calculated from the three dimensional (3D) reconstruction of a coronary stenosis with the fractional flow reserve (FFR) values measured on the same coronary segment. METHODS: Multiple projections of 22 patients (7 female, 15 male, age: 61 ± 9.73 years) were evaluated by the IC30 software of the Axiom Artis X-ray machine. 3D reconstruction was successfully carried out on 23 coronary arteries (14 LAD, 4 CX and 5 RCA). RESULTS: Regression analysis demonstrated significant relationship between the cross-sectional area percentage stenosis (AS) calculated based on the 3D measurement and the FFR (r: -0.566, p: 0.008), as well as between the 3D derived plaque volume (PV) and the FFR (r: -0.501, p: 0.018). On the other hand, the diameter stenosis (DS) and the minimal lumen diameter (MLD) did not correlate with the FFR values. According to the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis the rank of the areas under the ROC curves (AUC) was the following: 1. PV (0.76), 2. AS (0.74), 3. DS (0.62), 4. MLA (0.55), and 5. MLD (0.51). The difference between the AUC of the PV and MLA was found to be significant (p=0.02). The best agreement with the FFR was found when the PV was >44% (sensitivity 66.67%, specificity 82.35%) and the 3D AS was >60% (sensitivity 100%, specificity 47%). CONCLUSION: Besides the 3D AS the calculated PV characterizing the entire lesion is also an important predictor of the flow consequence of the stenosis.

[Diagnostic costs of various symptoms and disease pictures]. / Diagnosekosten verschiedener Symptome und Krankheitsbilder.

Diagnostic costs have been investigated in a prospective study based on symptoms and diagnoses of 1000 patients of the medical outpatient clinic. The two most common reasons for consultation were abdominal and chest complaints and diseases of the cardiovascular and digestive system respectively. The most frequent cases concerned patients without definitive diagnosis (i.e. diarrhea of undetermined origin). When costs of diagnostic procedures were grouped according to symptoms constipation and abdominal complaints ranged first with costs of 880 SFr. If costs were determined on the basis of the definitive diagnosis duodenal and gastric ulcers and pneumonia were the most expensive (ca. 1000 SFr), common cold or upper airway infections the cheapest diagnoses (ca. 400 SFr). Both methods for cost estimate either according to symptoms or according to diagnosis had high variances. The maximal expense was in some examples 50 times higher than the minimal cost. These results show that diagnostic costs can not be determined in advance and that flat rates per case are problematic.