Nigerian Medical Journal[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Assessment of serum laminin and hyaluronic acid as markers of hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic Hepatitis B.
Busuyi SJ, Ajose AO, Ojo OS … +4 more , Adekanle O, Smith OS, Ajala AO, Betiku OA
Niger Med J · 2025 · PMID 40309523 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Fibrosis of hepatic parenchyma has been reported as a common pathway to complications of chronic liver disease. There is a need to...
BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Fibrosis of hepatic parenchyma has been reported as a common pathway to complications of chronic liver disease. There is a need to monitor fibrosis in these patients to abort or delay disease progression following treatment. Liver biopsy is recognized as the gold standard for disease monitoring; however, the procedure is invasive and bedeviled with potential complications. For these reasons, non-invasive biomarkers of fibrosis are now being evaluated as alternatives to liver biopsy. The study aimed to assess the characteristics of laminin, and hyaluronic acid as markers of hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B. METHODOLOGY: One hundred participants with HBV-induced chronic liver disease (CLD) were recruited for the study. A liver biopsy was conducted, and the degree of hepatic fibrosis was scored using the Metavir scoring system. Serum levels of the biomarkers were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Medians and interquartile ranges were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. The degree of correlation between continuous variables was determined using Spearman's correlation analysis. Statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: Serum laminin was significantly higher in participants with hepatic fibrosis: 39.09 (27.6-89.4) ng/ml [median (interquartile range)], vs 24.3 (21.5-31.9) ng/ml, p = 0.001, Hyaluronic acid was significantly higher in participants with hepatic fibrosis: 45.1 (26.9-94.4) ng/ml vs 23.1 (12.7-35.7) ng/ml, p < 0.001. There was a strong significant positive correlation of both serum laminin and hyaluronic acid with Metavir score in the study participants (r=0.766, p<0.001; r=0.708, p<0.001 respectively). At a serum laminin concentration of 44.6 ng/ml, sensitivity and specificity for detecting moderate to severe hepatic fibrosis were 86.8% and 88.7% respectively, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.943 on the Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curve. The sensitivity and specificity of hyaluronic acid for detecting moderate to severe hepatic fibrosis were 81.6% and 85.5% at a serum concentration of 53.5 ng/ml. AUC was 0.930 on the ROC curve. CONCLUSION: This study underscores the evidence that laminin and hyaluronic acid may be helpful clinically in identifying patients with moderate to severe hepatic fibrosis. Serum laminin had a slightly better diagnostic ability than hyaluronic acid in the study participants. Further studies are needed to elucidate our findings.
Learning Style Preference and Its Correlation with Gender.
Buowari DY, Joe AI, Erekosima I
Niger Med J · 2025 · PMID 40309522 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Learning styles have been investigated and classified by several scholars. One of such investigations is the Gender of the individual which can affect learning style. This study investigated the difference in...
BACKGROUND: Learning styles have been investigated and classified by several scholars. One of such investigations is the Gender of the individual which can affect learning style. This study investigated the difference in the means of learning styles and its correlation with gender among community health officer trainees at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: This is a correlational descriptive study, and a census was carried out. A structured questionnaire was utilized and a VARK learning style inventory was used. RESULTS: The reliability of the research instrument using the Cronbach alpha method, the VARK learning style questionnaire had a reliability coefficient of .755, for the subscales visual .455, aura .351, read/write, and kinaesthetic .753. With 60 respondents the means were visual 2.633, aura 4.2833, read/write 3.7500, and kinaesthetic 5.1833 while the standard deviation is visual 1.765, aura 2.429, read/write 2.53534, and kinaesthetic 2.88474. Multiple Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted to assess the means of the four learning styles concerning gender. The F ratios for the univariate analysis show that males and females did not differ across the four learning styles according to VARK (aural, visual, kinaesthetic, and read/write learning styles), significantly i.e. p < 0,05. Precisely the computed F = .032, P >.05, i.e., p = .859, i.e., p = .859 revealed that no statistical difference occurred between males and females with visual learning styles. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that community health officer trainees possessed different learning styles and most of them used the kinaesthetic learning style. However, the community health officer trainees were significantly different in their responses to the learning style model according to the VARK inventory of learning styles, but no relationship existed between learning style and gender.
Comparing Single Dose Versus Multiple Doses Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Preventing Surgical Site Infections Following Open Appendicectomy for Uncomplicated Appendicitis.
Brotobor O, Brotobor D, Mukoro JU … +1 more , Odeyale AR
Niger Med J · 2025 · PMID 40309521 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis is the leading cause of acute surgical abdomen. Studies have shown that a single dose of antibiotics is as effective as multiple doses in preventing surgical site infections (SSI) after app...
BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis is the leading cause of acute surgical abdomen. Studies have shown that a single dose of antibiotics is as effective as multiple doses in preventing surgical site infections (SSI) after appendectomy, with advantages such as cost savings, fewer adverse reactions, and reduced risk of antibiotic resistance. Despite these benefits, multiple doses are still commonly used. This study compared the efficacy of single-dose versus multiple-dose antibiotic prophylaxis in preventing SSI after open appendectomy for uncomplicated appendicitis. METHODOLOGY: A one-year prospective study was conducted at the university of Benin teaching hospital (UBTH), Benin City, involving 62 adult patients with uncomplicated appendicitis. A total of 76 patients were initially recruited, but after histological evaluation, 62 patients were analyzed, 29 received a single dose of antibiotics, and 33 received multiple doses following the exclusion of the negative appendicectomies. All patients were given intravenous 1.5 g cefuroxime and 500 mg metronidazole at anesthesia induction, with the multiple-dose group receiving two additional doses. Outcomes assessed included SSI occurrence, cost of antibiotics, and SSI management costs. RESULTS: SSI rates were similar between groups (3.5% vs. 3.0%), but the cost of multiple-dose regimens was over twice that of single-dose. Side effects were more frequent with multiple doses. Both SSI cases were superficial and associated with higher BMI. CONCLUSION: Single-dose antibiotic prophylaxis is equally effective, more economical, and safer than multiple doses.
Bilateral Optic Atrophy and Epiretinal Membranes: An Atypical Presentation of Ocular Tuberculosis.
Babalola YO
Niger Med J · 2025 · PMID 40309520 · Full text
A 15-year-old boy presented himself to the retina clinic with a six-year history of poor vision in both eyes. Ocular symptoms started with deterioration in the vision of both eyes associated with ocular pain. There was n...
A 15-year-old boy presented himself to the retina clinic with a six-year history of poor vision in both eyes. Ocular symptoms started with deterioration in the vision of both eyes associated with ocular pain. There was no history of antecedent trauma, headaches, seizures, or loss of consciousness. The general and systemic examinations were normal. On ocular examination, the corrected visual acuity was 6/24 and 6/6 in the right and left eyes, respectively. The anterior segment examination was normal except for a relative afferent pupillary defect in the right eye. Examination of the posterior segment revealed bilateral optic atrophy worse in the right eye and cup disc ratios of 0.3 bilaterally. The vessels were within normal limits with epiretinal membranes in both eyes. Yellowish chorioretinal lesions were present temporal to the disc in both eyes. There was a positive history of tuberculosis in the father and brother. A diagnosis of bilateral optic atrophy and epiretinal membranes secondary to presumed ocular tuberculosis was made.
Perception of Enrollee Health Insurance Fraud among Healthcare Workers at a Tertiary Hospital in Kaduna State, North-western Nigeria.
Kasim HA, Suleiman AG, Saulawa FA … +3 more , Usman S, Aliyu M, Aminu NS
Niger Med J · 2025 · PMID 40309519 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Fraud in healthcare is an immense challenge that poses a direct threat to sustainable healthcare financing across low and high-income countries. Enrollee health insurance fraud is a relatively understudied fo...
BACKGROUND: Fraud in healthcare is an immense challenge that poses a direct threat to sustainable healthcare financing across low and high-income countries. Enrollee health insurance fraud is a relatively understudied form of fraud that thrives in settings characterized by weak and fragmented healthcare systems. This study examined the knowledge and perception of enrollee health insurance fraud among healthcare workers at a tertiary hospital in Kaduna State, North-western Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: Using a stratified sampling technique, 232 healthcare workers were interviewed using a structured, self-administered questionnaire that was developed for the study. Data on knowledge and perception of enrollee fraud was obtained and analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics. The data was presented using frequency distribution tables, while figures were drawn using Microsoft Excel. RESULTS: The majority of the respondents were clinical staff, including medical doctors (29.7%), nurses (31.5%) and health assistants (14.2%). A total of170 (73.3%) respondents were aware of enrollee fraud and up to 113 (66.5%) encountered at least one case of enrollee fraud. The most common types of enrollee fraud identified by the respondents were impersonation (67.7%) and faking symptoms (57.1%). Respondents recognised adverse consequences of enrollee fraud, including depletion of resources (74.1%), blocking eligible patients from accessing care (73.6%), and exhaustion of healthcare workers (61.8%). A total of 111 (65.3%) agreed that enrollee fraud is common in the hospital and despite a high level of awareness, only 72 (42.3%) agreed that they are adequately informed about enrollee fraud. CONCLUSION: There was a high level of awareness of enrollee fraud among the respondents with a good perception of its manifestations and implications on healthcare delivery. It is recommended that immediate steps be taken to educate healthcare workers and enhance their capacity to detect and deter enrollee fraud while investing in longterm strategic measures and technology-based solutions.
Sero-prevalence of hepatitis B and C and HIV among students at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare.
Garbati MA, Mohammed A, Kadaura M … +2 more , Ezenkwa US, Audu BM
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877516 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis viruses B and C have been reported to be endemic in some Nigeria's institutions of higher learning. Several studies have reported varying prevalen...
BACKGROUND: Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis viruses B and C have been reported to be endemic in some Nigeria's institutions of higher learning. Several studies have reported varying prevalence rates for hepatitis B and C viruses and HIV among undergraduate students in Nigerian universities. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional descriptive prevalence study of hepatitis B and C viruses and HIV among students at Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare conducted on the 2nd of December 2023. Screening for hepatitis B and C viruses and HIV was done using standard procedures. Ethical approval was obtained in addition to individual consent from all participants. RESULTS: Three hundred students with the mean age of 19.43±2.352 years were studied. 96.7% were aged 24 years or younger; females being the majority [185, 61.7%]. The majority of the participants were in their 200 level (190, 63.3%). Ten health-related programmes were represented in the survey. Twelve participants (4%) were positive for HBsAg; nine (75%) being males. One participant was positive for HBeAg, while only three (1%) of the participants had evidence of prior HBV vaccination, thus giving us a window of opportunity for vaccination. None of the participants had evidence of infection with HCV or HIV. CONCLUSION: Screening students of health-related courses should be routinely done to ascertain their status to prevent occupational exposures and transmission in the healthcare setting. Results from this survey will inform formulation of policies that will protect our future healthcare force and safeguard the lives of patients.
Sociodemographic and Economic Correlates of Dialysis Vintage in a Resource Challenged Setting: A Four-Year Prospective Study in Southwest Nigeria.
Uduagbamen PK, Bamikefa TA, Shitu AO … +3 more , Omokore OA, Nwachukwu NO, Alo DJ
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877515 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Dialysis vintage is largely dependent on the effectiveness of the delivered dose coupled with the extent of patient compliance with the prescribed treatment regimen. This study assessed the determinants and c...
BACKGROUND: Dialysis vintage is largely dependent on the effectiveness of the delivered dose coupled with the extent of patient compliance with the prescribed treatment regimen. This study assessed the determinants and correlates of dialysis vintage. : This was a 4-year prospective, observational study. The data was collected from the dialysis and medical records, both had the contacts of patients and relatives. RESULTS: A total of 314 participants (males 67.20%) with a mean age of 47.91±8.81 years underwent 2265 maintenance haemodialysis sessions. The females were older and had more hospital admissions; (P=0.07). Approximately 32.17% of the participants traveled at least fifty kilometers to access dialysis treatment In a month, only 23.57% of the participants received the minimum prescribed twelve sessions, and 24.84% received the required erythropoietin dose. The mean dialysis vintage for all population was 9.13 ± 3.15 months, it was shorter for participants with hospitalization, (p<0.001), dialysis termination (p<0.001), intradialytic hypotension (p<0.001), and hypertension (p<0.001), Approximately, 14.2% of the participants had health insurance coverage, more so with the men After dialysis initiation, 6.69% of the participants were alive to the fourth year. The predictors of dialysis vintage were income (OR-4.62, 95% CI-2.88-6.24), health insurance (OR-8.11, 95% CI-4.82-13.35), dialysis duration (OR-6.38, 95% CI-2.40-9.55) and spKt/V (OR-4.24, 95% CI-0.48-5.91). CONCLUSION: Dialysis vintage was short (9.13 ± 3.15 months), more so in females, poor funding, peridialysis complications, and without health insurance. More concerted efforts from governments, multinational donor agencies, and philanthropists are needed in health insurance coverage, particularly for kidney care to increase the dialysis vintage.
Severe Respiratory Acidosis-induced Involuntary Hyper defecation: The Role of Medullary Caudal Raphe Nuclei.
Khandelwal A, Dikshit P, Deori P … +1 more , Baidya DK
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877514 · Full text
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Causes and Outcome of Unconsciousness in the Accident and Emergency Department of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
Buowari DY, Ikpae BE
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877513 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Unconsciousness occurs when a patient enters a sleeplike state but cannot be aroused, and it is not due to physiological drowsiness. It is a common presentation in the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E),...
BACKGROUND: Unconsciousness occurs when a patient enters a sleeplike state but cannot be aroused, and it is not due to physiological drowsiness. It is a common presentation in the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E), and a burden to the emergency physician especially when the cause is unknown. The cause of coma may be trauma or non-trauma related. There is a shortage of data on the aetiology and outcome of unconsciousness in developing countries including Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional study investigates 765 unconscious patients using convenience sampling from September 2023 to June 2024 at the A&E of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. The World Health Organization emergency unit form was adapted for this study. RESULTS: The total population of this study is 765, 55.16% males and 44.84% females. A majority of the cases 81.83% were not related to trauma. The commonest causes of unconsciousness were stroke, diabetic complications & emergencies, traumatic brain injury, metastatic neoplasm, HIV AIDs related disease and hypertensive emergency. Most of the patients 494(64.58%) died while in A&E, 116 (15.16%) were transferred to the ward and 56 (7.58%) were discharged against medical advice. CONCLUSION: Unconscious patients are a challenge in the emergency room. Stroke and diabetic emergencies are the commonest causes of non-trauma-related aetiologies while traumatic brain injury is the most common cause of trauma-related aetiology of unconsciousness.
Blood usage among orthopedic patients at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Aaron FE, Ijah RFOA, Omunakwe HE … +1 more , Achor MT
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877512 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion holds a significant place in the practice of surgery, including orthopaedic surgeries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intraoperative use of blood and blood products among orthopae...
BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion holds a significant place in the practice of surgery, including orthopaedic surgeries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intraoperative use of blood and blood products among orthopaedic patients operated at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital from January 2021 to December 2021, focusing on the demographics of patients, number and type of surgeries needing a blood transfusion, and the number of blood transfusions. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective observational study was carried out at the operating theatre of a referral tertiary hospital using a designed proforma to extract data from the registers of operated orthopaedic patients. RESULTS: There were 168 males and 145 females who were operated on, and 43 (13.74%) of them had intra-operative blood transfusion. Patients between 41 to 50years and 51 to 60 years dominated the distribution with a total of 20 (46.5%), out of 59 blood transfusions carried out. The surgical condition requiring the highest number of blood transfusions was fractures (29), followed by foot gangrene (17) occasioned by diabetes mellitus and peripheral vascular disease. Open reduction and internal fixation for fractures (18) constituted the highest single type of surgery carried out within the study period. CONCLUSION: A bimodal age distribution was observed in intraoperative blood transfusion requirements. The orthopaedic intraoperative blood transfusion burden was 13.74%, mainly for open reduction and internal fixation for fractures.
Attitudes and Beliefs about HIV/AIDS and their Relationships with Sexual Practices among Senior Secondary School Students in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria.
Orji MC, Joe-Akunne CI, Ifebunandu NA … +5 more , Onah OC, Oyim-Elechi CO, Nwobi MA, Agbo SE, Otubo SA
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877511 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Attitudes and beliefs regarding HIV among adolescents and young adults (AYA) may influence practices that increase the risk of HIV transmission. The study aimed to determine the attitudes and beliefs regardin...
BACKGROUND: Attitudes and beliefs regarding HIV among adolescents and young adults (AYA) may influence practices that increase the risk of HIV transmission. The study aimed to determine the attitudes and beliefs regarding HIV among senior secondary students and their sexual practices. METHODOLOGY: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study that involved 1,200 adolescents and young adults (AYA) aged 14-24 years in senior secondary schools in Abakaliki. Information was obtained using a two-part pre-tested questionnaire that tested attitudes and beliefs regarding HIV using a 6-item questionnaire and another part sought information on biodata and sexual practices. The p-value of < 0.05 was statistically significant. RESULTS: The median (IQR) age of participants was 16.0 (9.0) years, and the majority (64.4%, 773/1,200) were females with a male-to-female ratio of 1.0: 1.8. Seven hundred and thirty (60.8%) had positive attitudes and beliefs towards HIV. Although 628 (52.3%) were willing to be tested for HIV, only 25.6% (307/1,200) have ever been tested for HIV. Three hundred and fifty-five (29.6%) of them had engaged in sexual activities, of which 145 (12.1%) had multiple sexual partners. There were significant relationships between attitude, beliefs, and age ((χ= 39.69. p = <0.001), willingness to test for HIV (χ = 10.20. p= 0.002), and having multiple sexual partners (χ= 5.49, p= 0.019). CONCLUSION: Positive attitudes and beliefs regarding HIV were high but were not reflected in their practices. Sustained efforts toward effective HIV-related health education in schools and improved adolescent-friendly health services where HIV screening is readily accessible are recommended.
Predictive Value of Prostate-Specific Antigen Density on Tumour Grade in Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study.
Ozah E, Agbugui JO
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877510 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the most common urologic malignancy in men, it is witnessing a huge burden in developing countries. Prostate-specific antigen has served as a tool in diagnosis and prognostication. To impro...
BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the most common urologic malignancy in men, it is witnessing a huge burden in developing countries. Prostate-specific antigen has served as a tool in diagnosis and prognostication. To improve its sensitivity, Prostate-specific antigen density is being used to discriminate between benign and malignant conditions to avoid the incidence of unnecessary biopsy. Similarly, it is important to establish the importance of Prostate-specific antigen density in prognostication to help in treatment stratification. The aim of this study, therefore, is to assess the relationship between Prostate-specific antigen density and tumour grade using the Gleason score. METHODOLOGY: This study was a prospective cross-sectional study carried out between 2015-2016. It involved 191 consecutive patients who were either asymptomatic or symptomatic with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA)/abnormal digital rectal examination findings or both. They had a Prostate volume assessment and digitally guided prostate biopsy. Prostate-specific antigen density was calculated, and histopathology reports were evaluated. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20.0. Pearson correlation coefficient and test of ANOVA were used to assess the relationship between prostate-specific- antigen and Gleason score while a scatterplot was used to determine the relationship between prostate-specific antigen and prostate volume. The level of significance was set at p< 0.05. RESULTS: All patients in this study were Nigerians, mean age of the study population was 68.2+ 9.4 years. The median PSA for patients with prostate cancer was 76.9ng/ml and 14.5ng/ml for patients with benign disease, the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001), and median prostate volume was 84.5mls while the median PSAD was 0.25. PSAD for Gleason score 2-4,5-7,8-10 was 0.4,0.8 and1.1 respectively which was statistically significant using a test of ANOVA (p=0.001). Pearson correlation coefficient revealed a statistically significant correlation between Prostate-specific antigen and Gleason score (r= 0.375, p=0.024). Using Fisher's exact test there was a statistically significant difference between PSAD for benign prostatic disease and carcinoma of the prostate, p<0.001. CONCLUSION: The study revealed that Prostate-specific antigen density has a statistically significant predictive value for tumour grade using Gleason score, however no statistically significant correlation was observed between prostate-specific antigen and prostate volume in prostate cancer.
Cholera in Nigeria: A review of outbreaks, trends, contributing factors, and public health responses.
Mike-Ogburia MI, Eze CC, Okoli MO … +8 more , Ekada I, Uhegbu CU, Ugwu C, Ogbakiri PA, Alozie FC, Ideozu NO, Amesi AW, Ifeanyi MA
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877509 · Full text
Cholera remains a significant public health challenge in Nigeria, with recurrent outbreaks exacerbated by inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, as well as conflict and displacement. This review...
Cholera remains a significant public health challenge in Nigeria, with recurrent outbreaks exacerbated by inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, as well as conflict and displacement. This review examines cholera outbreaks in Nigeria from 2010 to 2024, analyzing epidemiological trends, contributing factors, and public health responses. Seasonal peaks during periods of heavy rainfall and flooding have consistently facilitated transmission, with Northern regions disproportionately affected due to poor infrastructure and ongoing conflicts. Displacement into overcrowded camps has heightened vulnerability, particularly in conflict-affected areas such as Borno and Adamawa. The outbreaks have exhibited multiple epidemic waves within single periods, reflecting persistent transmission dynamics. Recent outbreaks have seen higher incidence rates among children under the age of five and vulnerable populations, highlighting the need for targeted interventions. Public health responses have focused on improving surveillance, case management, and WASH infrastructure, with coordinated efforts from national and international agencies. Vaccination campaigns, particularly in high-risk areas, have proven effective in controlling outbreaks. However, challenges remain, including inadequate healthcare capacity, vaccine stockouts, and the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant strains (serogroup O1) resistant to antibiotics such as tetracycline, doxycycline, ampicillin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, complicating treatment efforts. The COVID-19 pandemic further strained Nigeria's healthcare system, underscoring the need for an integrated health system to be strengthened to manage concurrent public health crises. This review emphasizes the importance of a multi-sectoral approach to cholera prevention and control, addressing underlying social determinants and ensuring sustained investments in public health infrastructure to mitigate future outbreaks.
Prevalence and perception of disrespect and abuse during childbirth in public healthcare facilities in Lagos, Nigeria.
Naiyeju OJ, Saalu TT, Tietie LE … +5 more , Ofoegbu OU, Maduagu CO, Familusi OE, Soibi-Harry A, Babah OA
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877508 · Full text
BACKGROUND: There is increasing awareness of disrespect and abuse (DAA) during childbirth. Globally, DAA during delivery is a common cause of suffering and violation of the human rights of birthing mothers. Respectful ma...
BACKGROUND: There is increasing awareness of disrespect and abuse (DAA) during childbirth. Globally, DAA during delivery is a common cause of suffering and violation of the human rights of birthing mothers. Respectful maternal care is necessary to improve the quality of care and uptake of institutional delivery services to reduce maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The study aims to determine the prevalence, common forms, and perception of maternal DAA among mothers who just gave birth and are still in the hospital. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study on 261 consenting postnatal women at four public healthcare facilities in Lagos, Nigeria. An interviewer-administered pretested questionnaire was used to obtain data on sociodemographic characteristics and experiences of DAA. We analysed the data using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess significant risk factors for DAA during delivery and early puerperium. RESULTS: The prevalence of DAA during childbirth was 82%. Perceptions of non-consented care and abandonment/neglect were the most reported forms of DAA reported by 86.8% and 45.6% of respondents, respectively. The odds for DAA were four times greater in women who had pregnancy complications compared to those who did not (aOR: 4.50, 95%CI: 1.5013.46) and doubled in women who had vaginal delivery compared to Caesarean section (aOR: 2.10, 95%CI: 1.07-4.12). CONCLUSION: DAA is prevalent during childbirth in our public healthcare facilities. This goes against the proposed standard of care where respectful maternal care is every womans right, posing a risk for reduced use of institutional delivery services.
Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccine Knowledge, Uptake, and Factors Influencing its Uptake Among Medical Students at the University of Jos.
Musa I, Kasson KS, Musa A … +2 more , Guda YI, Okoh EO
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877507 · Full text
BACKGROUND: COVID-19 vaccination is crucial to containing the pandemic. COVID-19 vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and uptake among medical students are vital, as they are future healthcare professionals expected to promote...
BACKGROUND: COVID-19 vaccination is crucial to containing the pandemic. COVID-19 vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and uptake among medical students are vital, as they are future healthcare professionals expected to promote vaccination. This study assessed the knowledge of the COVID-19 vaccine, its uptake, and associated factors among medical students. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 245 medical students at the University of Jos, Nigeria. Participants were selected using stratified random sampling. Data was collected via a self-administered questionnaire and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: The median knowledge score was 8, with an interquartile range (IQR) of 3. Most participants had low knowledge of the COVID-19 vaccine (65.7%), while a minority had high knowledge (34.3%). The overall vaccine coverage was 20%. Gender and tribe were significantly associated with vaccine uptake. Males were more likely to receive the vaccine than females (24.3% vs. 12.9%, p = 0.039), and participants from the Igbo tribe were less likely to receive the vaccine than those from the Yoruba tribe (0% vs. 29.4%, p = 0.002). Additionally, being tested for COVID-19 was significantly associated with vaccine uptake (p < 0.001). Factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination decisions were access to accurate information (68.9%, p < 0.001), healthcare professionals' recommendations (31.1%, p < 0.001), concerns about safety and side effects (26.6%, p < 0.006), self-protection (19.5%, p = 0.011), government guidelines (39.6%, p < 0.001), vaccine availability (38.0%, p = 0.005), and the availability and convenience of vaccination centres (33.7%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There was low COVID-19 vaccine knowledge and uptake among medical students. Gender, tribe, access to information, healthcare guidance, and practical barriers influenced vaccination decisions. Targeted education and provider involvement are needed to address hesitancy in this critical population.
Comparison of Papanicolaou Smear Tests Among HIV Negative and HIV Positive Pregnant Women on HAART at a Tertiary Hospital.
Marcel-Onwudiwe CS, Esike COU, Agwu MU … +5 more , Adebayo JA, Nweke AN, Uzoigwe JC, Uche-Omovoh IC, Uwakwe EC
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877506 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the most common gynaecological cancer worldwide, causing morbidity and mortality, especially in developing countries like Nigeria. It develops from premalignant lesions of the cervix. Human...
BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the most common gynaecological cancer worldwide, causing morbidity and mortality, especially in developing countries like Nigeria. It develops from premalignant lesions of the cervix. Human immune deficiency virus (HIV) increases the risk of dysplastic changes in the cervix. Pregnant HIV-positive women may be at a higher risk of having pre-invasive cervical lesions. Pregnancy presents an opportunity to screen women for premalignant lesions of the cervix using a Papanicolaou (Pap) smear, especially in an environment like ours where women of reproductive age have poor health-seeking behaviour. The objective of this study is to compare the cytological patterns of Pap smear of pregnant women who are HIV positive compared to their HIV negative counterparts at the antenatal clinic of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA). METHODOLOGY: This is a comparative cross-sectional study that involved performing Pap smears on consenting HIV-positive pregnant women on HAART and HIV-negative pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic of AE-FUTHA. One hundred pregnant HIV-positive women on HAART and one hundred pregnant HIV-negative women who met the inclusion criteria and gave consent were recruited into the study by consecutive sampling method. A pretested questionnaire was administered to the women. A pap smear test was carried out on each of the participants. The data was analysed using Epi info version 7.2.1. Continuous variables were presented as mean and standard deviation while categorical variables were presented as numbers and percentages. Categorical variables were analysed using Chi-square (Fisher's exact test was also used), while means were compared using a t-test. A P-value ˂ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: The prevalence of abnormal Pap smear among pregnant women in AEFUTHA was 14%. The prevalence among HIV-positive pregnant women was 24% while the prevalence for HIV-negative women was 4%. This difference was statistically significant (P value was <0.001). CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated the presence of premalignant cervical lesions in pregnant women with a significantly higher prevalence among HIV-positive pregnant women. Therefore, there is a need to incorporate Pap smear tests among routine antenatal investigations, especially for HIV-positive pregnant women.
An evaluation of Asthma control using the Asthma control test in patients at the University Hospital, Agadir, Morocco.
Essaid Y, Bounoua F, Abdala S … +2 more , Adarmouch L, Serhane H
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877505 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Asthma is a common chronic disease, and asthma control is the major therapeutic objective, thus ensuring a good health-related quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the level of asthma control in a sa...
BACKGROUND: Asthma is a common chronic disease, and asthma control is the major therapeutic objective, thus ensuring a good health-related quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the level of asthma control in a sample of asthmatic patients followed in allergology consultation during our training using the asthma control test (ACT) and its correlation with other parameters. METHODOLOGY: This is a cross-sectional study of 66 asthmatic patients who were followed in pulmonology consultation at Agadir University Hospital after completing the asthma control test questionnaire over 6 months (June to December 2021). RESULTS: The age of the patients ranged from 17 to 76 years, with an average age of 41.36 +/- 13.31 years. There was a predominance of females in this sample, representing 54.5% of the patients against 45.5% of males. All patients were on inhaled corticosteroid therapy (ICS) (as monotherapy in 25.8% of cases and in combination with a long-acting beta-2 mimetic (LABA) in 74.2% of cases). 60.6% of the patients were from low socioeconomic levels, of which 28.8% were from rural areas. 22.7% of the participants were illiterate. Allergic rhinitis was found in 66.6% of patients and allergic conjunctivitis in 45.5%. Active smoking was found in 16.7% of cases. Obesity was found in 10 patients (15.2% of cases). According to the ACT, asthma was totally controlled in 37.9% of cases and partially controlled in 43.9% of patients. CONCLUSION: The level of asthma control found in this study was lower compared to other populations. The study also showed that better ACT scores and asthma control correlated with higher socioeconomic levels.
Undesirable occupants of bone marrow creating a menace: A 4.5-year audit from a tertiary care centre in Eastern India.
Jamal I, Smita S, Raman RB … +4 more , Choudhary V, Atreya K, Choudhary MK, Ranjan A
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877504 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Bone marrow (BM) in addition to being the origin of primary hematological malignancies is also commonly involved in metastatic solid tumors. Bone marrow examination includes aspiration and biopsy, and it is a...
BACKGROUND: Bone marrow (BM) in addition to being the origin of primary hematological malignancies is also commonly involved in metastatic solid tumors. Bone marrow examination includes aspiration and biopsy, and it is a well-known procedure not only to diagnose hematological malignancies but also for staging and prognosis of various solid tumors. The presence of metastasis in the bone marrow is of grave prognostic significance and it is imperative to rule out marrow involvement in any malignancy where curative treatment is considered. The study's objectives were to evaluate the clinical, hematological, and biochemical characteristics of patients with BM metastases of solid tumors diagnosed by bone marrow (BM) aspiration and trephine biopsy and to find out the accuracy rate of diagnosing metastatic infiltration between bone marrow aspiration, trephine imprints, and trephine biopsy procedures. METHODOLOGY: It was a 4.5-year retrospective hospital-based observational study where relevant clinical, biochemical, and hematological parameters including bone marrow aspirate and biopsy were analyzed and compiled from hospital medical records. RESULTS: The total number of BMA and trephine biopsies that came during the duration of 4.5 years were 3850 and 2980 respectively. Out of the 3850-bone marrow aspiration and 2980 trephine biopsies received in the dept of Hematology, 305 cases were referred to look for metastatic bone marrow infiltration. Out of these 305 cases, 69 cases showed the presence of metastatic deposits (12.6%). 45 patients (65.2%) were males, and 24 patients (34.7%) were females with M:F ratio of 1.8:1. Most common age group was 51-60 years (31.8%). The most common complaints were fever, body aches, weight loss, and weakness. Clinical examination revealed pallor in 38 out of 69 cases (55%) and organomegaly in 14 cases (20.2%). Microcytic hypochromic anemia (26%) was the most common finding on peripheral blood smear examination followed by pancytopenia (18.8%). The biochemical findings most commonly observed were raised LDH (60.8%), serum PSA (36.3%), and alkaline phosphatase (21.7%). CONCLUSION: Trephine biopsy is a sensitive method for detecting marrow metastasis and should be done in all cases being investigated for this purpose. BMA alone may miss marrow metastases in almost half of cases. Trephine imprint cytology is more sensitive than BMA and can provide rapid diagnoses while waiting for trephine biopsy results.
Comparison Of Risk Factors and Clinicopathological Features Between Pre- and Post-Menopausal Patients with Breast Cancer.
Dodiyi-Manuel A, Ogba ME, Ogba A … +3 more , Green IA, Musa SI, Adu BG
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877503 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women globally with an estimated 2.3 million new cases in 2020. In Nigeria, it constitutes about 12% of all new cancers and 25% of all cancers in women. The r...
BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women globally with an estimated 2.3 million new cases in 2020. In Nigeria, it constitutes about 12% of all new cancers and 25% of all cancers in women. The risk factors of breast cancer include both non-modifiable and modifiable factors. There are clinical and biological differences between patients with pre-menopausal and post-menopausal breast cancer. This study aims to evaluate the differences in risk factors, disease presentation and tumour characteristics between premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer patients. METHODOLOGY: This is a 2-year prospective cross-sectional study conducted at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2022. All consecutive patients who presented with breast cancer that was histologically confirmed and gave informed consent were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups which are pre-menopausal and post-menopausal based on their menopausal status. Relevant data were extracted and recorded in a data extraction form. Analysis was done using Statistical Product and Service Solution version 26. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-three patients were recruited for the study. Seventy (52.6%) of them were pre-menopausal and 63 (47.4%) were post-menopausal. Their ages were from 19 to 78 with a mean of 46.94 ± 11.93. The peak age was 41-50 years and 30.8% of the patients were within this age range. Only late age at first pregnancy was significantly associated with pre-menopausal breast cancer. CONCLUSION: Similar risk factors and tumour characteristics with a higher prevalence of triple-negative breast cancer were found in both groups but late age at first pregnancy occurred significantly in pre-menopausal breast cancer patients.
Challenges in Diagnosing Advanced Abdominal Ectopic Pregnancy in Low-Resource Settings: A Case from North Western Nigeria.
Muhammad AR, Abu-Yazeed S, Dafi SM … +2 more , Shuaibu A, Idris AA
Niger Med J · 2024 · PMID 39877502 · Full text
Abdominal ectopic pregnancy is a rare type of ectopic pregnancy associated with high maternal and perinatal mortality. We present a case of a 28-year-old now primipara who was misdiagnosed to have abruptio placentae and...
Abdominal ectopic pregnancy is a rare type of ectopic pregnancy associated with high maternal and perinatal mortality. We present a case of a 28-year-old now primipara who was misdiagnosed to have abruptio placentae and ruptured uterus on two different occasions from a primary health care center but was found to have an advanced abdominal ectopic gestation at 21 weeks gestational age. The patient was managed by exploratory laparotomy and is currently doing well. Abdominal ectopic pregnancy, though rare, does occur in our setting, and a high index of suspicion is necessary to make a diagnosis. Prompt diagnosis will help in managing the patient hence reducing morbidity and mortality.
About
- Frequency
- Sun
- Papers found
- 200
- RSS feed
- Subscribe