Resuscitated sudden cardiac death due to severe hypokalemia caused by teff grain herbal tea: A case report.

Obesity is a common health problem and the prevalence is increasing worldwide. The improper and unregulated use of unconventional therapies, especially herbal treatment methods, has grown due to widespread availability. In our case, a 41-year-old male patient developed palpitation, confusion, loss of consciousness, and cardiac arrest while at home. An emergency medical team was called and chest compressions were performed by his wife until the medical team arrived. Ventricular fibrillation was detected on the monitor 5 minutes after the cardiac arrest occurred and the patient was defibrillated. A physical evaluation revealed hypotension and tachycardia. Electrocardiography (ECG) showed a fast idioventricular rhythm with capture and fusion beats and evident J waves in leads DII, DIII, and aVF. Brain magnetic resonance imaging and thoracic tomography revealed no pathology to explain his clinical condition and the coronary angiography results were not significant. The laboratory parameters included potassium (K): 2.23 mEq/L, ionized K (arterial blood): 2.43 mEq/L, sodium: 142 mEq/L, calcium: 9.3 mg/dL, creatinine: 1.6 mg/dL, pH: 7.29, cardiac troponin I: 0.12 (normal range: 0-0.11 ng/mL) and creatinine kinase mass: 8.3 (normal range: 0-3.23 ng/mL). After fluids and electrolyte replacement therapy were administered, the ECG results revealed narrow QRS complex atrial fibrillation followed by a normal sinus rhythm with a 490 ms corrected QT interval. The patient was extubated in follow-up. There were no risk factors for coronary artery disease, no history of drug or other substance use, and no exposure to excessive emotional or physical stress. The patient said that he had been consuming a large quantity of teff tea for 5 days to lose weight. He was discharged without any complications and has been asymptomatic in 9 months of follow-up. The inappropriate use of weight loss alternatives, especially herbal therapies such as teff tea, and the incidence of associated side effects are increasing due to wide availability and easy access. The general population should be warned about this issue.

Dietary Intakes of Minerals, Essential and Toxic Trace Elements for Adults from Eragrostis tef L.: A Nutritional Assessment.

This study analysed the contents of thirty-six mineral and trace elements in teff (Eragrostis tef L.) grains. What is more, dietary intakes were calculated. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to assess mineral and trace element contents. Consequently, the appropriate Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) or adequate intake (AI), and provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) or provisional tolerable monthly intake (PTMI) values for adults were determined according to the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) and Institute of Medicine (IOM) regulations. Teff is a significant contributor to RDAs and AIs for females in the following order: Mn > Cu > Zn ≥ Mg > Fe ≥ P and Ca. For males, teff contributes in the order, Mn > Cu > Fe > Zn ≥ P ≥ Mg > and Ca. The concentration of arsenic (65.9 µg/kg) in brown teff originating in Bolivia exceeded the average acceptable value set by Reg. No. 1881 of 6-50 µg/kg in cereals consumed in the EU. The PTWIs or PTMIs for Al, Cd, Sn and Hg were all under 7%, which is below the limits of toxic element intake related to the body weight of 65 kg for adult females and 80 kg for males, set by the FAO/WHO. Teff grains can be recommended as a valuable and safe source of minerals and trace elements.

Staple Ethiopian diet and cancer of the oesophagus.

BACKGROUND: Previous reports from Ethiopia suggest that oesophageal cancers are due to thermal injury of hot food and beverages. However, in most other countries diet plays an important role. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association of diet and incidence of carcinoma of oesophagus in Ethiopia. DESIGN: A prospective study. SETTING: All adult patients, who were either referred or self referred from other health institutions, were investigated in Mexico Higher Clinic, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. SUBJECTS: All patients who presented for endoscopy for the duration of one year, February 1st to January 2002, were included in the study. RESULTS: There were 902 adult patients of whom 596 (66%) were male and 306 (34%) were female. The age range was 16 to 81 with a mean of 37 and the male to female ratio was 1.95:1. Christians out-numbered Muslims. There were more merchants than office workers or peasants. Those who came from Addis Ababa were 600 (66%) and the rural patients were 302 (34%). The ethnic groupings indicated Amhara, Gurage and Oromo to be the predominant ones. Six hundred sixty two patients ate tef, 140 ate wheat and 100 ate kocho (Qocho). There were 27 specimens, which had malignant cells. Thirteen specimens failed to show malignant cells. Thirteen (13%) Qocho eaters had cancer of oesophagus, nine (6.5%) wheat eaters had cancer and only five of tef eaters (0.70%) were affected. Dysphagia was the single most common symptom with which patients presented in cases of cancer of oesophagus. Cancer of oesophagus was located in upper, middle and EG junctional area in 5, 12 and 10 patients respectively. There were 16 cases of squamous cells and 11 cases of adenocarcinoma of a total of 40 specimen taken. Thirteen specimens failed to show malignant cells. CONCLUSION: Kocho (Qocho) eating appearsto be associated with developing cancer of the oesophagus.