APOLIPOPROTEIN E GENE POLYMORPHISMS AND PLASMA LIPIDS IN PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY.

Background And Objective: A major modifiable risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is abnormalities in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism which are frequently seen in HIV as well as its treatment. Apo-E is a protein that is important in plasma lipid homeostasis and its genetic alleles have been shown to contribute to lipid abnormalities. We examined for the effect of Apo-E gene polymorphisms on plasma lipid levels in PLHIV on protease inhibitor therapy.

Comparative cardiac effects of antimalarial drug halofantrine with or without concomitant administration of kolanut or fluconazole in healthy volunteers.

Background: There is rekindled interest in the cardiotoxicity of antimalarial medicines. Halofantrine is associated with QT interval prolongation. Fluconazole and kolanut alter the pharmacokinetics of halofantrine.

Assessment of brain natriuretic peptide and copeptin as correlates of blood pressure in chronic hypertensive pregnant women.

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy including preexisting (or chronic) hypertension are the most common complication encountered during pregnancy that contribute significantly to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and copeptin have been investigated as biomarkers in various hypertensive disorders, but studies of their clinical value in chronic hypertensive pregnant women are sparce. This study aimed to assess the levels of BNP and copeptin in chronic hypertensive pregnant women and investigate their correlation with blood pressure (BP) in chronic hypertensive pregnant women in South Western Nigeria.

Cohort study on adverse drug reactions in adults admitted to the medical wards of a tertiary hospital in Nigeria: Prevalence, incidence, risk factors and fatality.

Aims: Intensive monitoring of medical patients for adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to assess prevalence, incidence, risk factors and fatality of ADRs leading to hospital admission or occurring in the hospital.

Methods: Prospective cohort study on 1280 adult patients admitted to the medical wards of a tertiary institution over 12 months. Patients were assessed for ADRs during and throughout admission; causality and preventability of ADRs were assessed.

The Assessment of Copeptin and Brain Natriuretic Peptide Levels as Biomarkers in Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy.

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy associated with potentially fatal outcomes are common obstetrics occurrences. Early diagnosis, management and prediction of outcomes are challenges to be surmounted especially in developing countries. Biomarkers are emerging as useful tools for diagnosis and prognostication in varying health conditions.

Assessment of iron deficiency anaemia and its risk factors among adults with chronic kidney disease in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria.

Introduction: A substantial proportion of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) develop iron deficiency anaemia (IDA). Despite the association of IDA with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, it remains underdiagnosed and poorly managed. Up to 70% of patients with CKD are anaemic at the time of initiating dialysis, while the predictors of IDA in these patients in our setting are unknown.

Outcome of Radioiodine Therapy in a West African Population.

Hyperthyroidism continues to be a pressing public health concern in West Africa. Its prevalence in Africa has been quoted as 1.2%-9.

Bone Scintigraphy in Breast Cancer Patients in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Background: The bone is the commonest site of metastases from breast carcinoma. Radionuclide isotope scanning is a sensitive scanning procedure for the demonstration of bone pathology. In May 2006, a gamma camera was introduced into clinical use for skeletal scintigraphy at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Radiation Levels from Toilets Used By Patients Injected with 99mTc-based Radiopharmaceuticals in Ibadan.

Objective: The use of radionuclides in patients undergoing nuclear medicine procedures presents a special concern on the safety of not only the patients but also of those who come in contact with such patients either at the nuclear medicine centre or at home after discharge from the facility. This has heightened the public concern about nuclear medicine especially in Nigeria where the practice is new. When patients are injected with radioactivity for nuclear medicine procedures they excrete most of the radioactivity via urine even before leaving the nuclear medicine facility.

Avoidable challenges of a nuclear medicine facility in a developing nation.

The role of nuclear medicine in disease management in a developing nation is as impactful as it is in other regions of the world. However, in the developing world, the practice of nuclear medicine is faced with a myriad of challenges, which can be easily avoided. In this review, we examine the many avoidable challenges to the practice of nuclear medicine in a developing nation.

Radioactive iodine ablation therapy: a viable option in the management of Graves' disease in Nigeria.

Background: Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder characterized by hyperthyroidism and associated features. Management of this disease condition for many decades has been largely by surgical and medical intervention. Usage of anti thyroid medication ameliorates the symptoms and effects of excessive production of thyroid hormones.

High default rate in thyroid cancer management in Ibadan, Nigeria: a need for health insurance.

Background: Differentiated thyroid cancer is a potentially curable disease provided there is early diagnosis and full compliance with management modalities. This however becomes a problem in a resource poor environment where most patients pay out of pocket resulting in poor compliance and inability to access standard care due to poverty. This retrospective study was carried out to evaluate the percentage of patients that could afford the cost of care in a premier nuclear medicine facility of a tertiary centre.

Stitch abscess masquerading as recurrent thyroid cancer.

Recurrent thyroid cancer after remnant ablation is a known entity in follow up of differentiated thyroid cancer. It is however unusual for a stitch abscess to present as a recurrent thyroid cancer. We highlight the diagnostic dilemma of a stitch abscess masquerading as a recurrent thyroid cancer in a young female adult in the setting of financial constraint.

Diagnostic value of lipids, total antioxidants, and trace metals in benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer.

Background: Considerable overlap exists in the value of total prostate specific antigen (tPSA) in both prostate cancer (Pca) and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Developing an effective biochemical screening test that will complement PSA assay could reduce the associated cost of care and give timely attention to prostate cancer patients even when they are still asymptomatic is therefore desirable. This work was therefore an attempt to evaluate the possible roles of lipids, antioxidants, and trace metals in breaking the diagnostic tie between Pca and BPH.

Target-organ damage and cardiovascular complications in hypertensive Nigerian Yoruba adults: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Hypertension is a major challenge to public health as it is frequently associated with sudden death due to the silent nature of the condition. By the time of diagnosis, some patients would have developed target-organ damage (TOD) and associated clinical conditions (ACC) due to low levels of detection, treatment and control. TOD and ACC are easy to evaluate in a primary healthcare (PHC) setting and offer valuable information for stratifying cardiovascular risks in the patient.

Significant bacteriuria among asymptomatic antenatal clinic attendees in ibadan, Nigeria.

Untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria can lead to urinary tract infection (UTI) in pregnancy with devastating maternal and neonatal effects such as prematurity and low birth weight, higher fetal mortality rates and significant maternal morbidity. We carried out a two year (April 2007 to March 2009) cross-sectional epidemiological study to determine the prevalence of significant bacteriuria among asymptomatic antenatal clinic attendees at two antenatal clinics (ANCs) in University College Hospital and Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, both in Ibadan, Nigeria.All consenting ANC attendees without UTI were enrolled in the study.

Urinary pathogens and drug susceptibility patterns of urinary tract infections among antenatal clinic attendees in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Aim: To determine the bacterial agents involved in urinary tract infections in pregnant women and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Methods: All consenting subjects who attended antenatal clinics of the University College Hospital and Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, from 1 April 2007 and 30 March 2009 were interviewed to obtain demographic and pregnancy health data. Mid-stream urine samples obtained were processed by standard methods.

Gamma camera intrinsic uniformity in an unstable power supply environment.

The main objective of this work was to show that a gamma camera in a developing country could perform efficiently despite electricity outages using intrinsic flood uniformity tests as an index of performance. A total of 143 intrinsic uniformity test results for a new gamma camera in use in an environment with unstable power supply are presented. The integral uniformity for the central field of view (CFOV) was found to be between 3.

Data on repeated (131)I-WB scans and the incidence of positive Tg and negative (131)I-WBS in DTC patients from a 24 months study.

We present data on repeated iodine-131 whole body scans ((131)I-WBS) in differentiated thyroid cancer patients (DTC) after surgery and (131)I remnant ablation and on increased thyroglobulin (Tg) with negative (131)I-WBS, in a retrospective study at our hospital. A total of 106 patients (91 female and 15 male) treated with (131)I for DTC met the inclusion criteria. The mean age of the patients was 45 years, age range 16-81 years.

Influence of previous abortions and new paternity on the risk of hypertension in nulliparous parturients in Ibadan: a cohort study.

Aim: This study aims to determine the influence of previous abortions and new paternity on the risk of hypertension in a cohort of nulliparous women.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted with development of hypertension in pregnancy as outcome variable. Explanatory variables were previous abortions and paternity.

Unusual cause of thyroid abscess.

Thyroid abscess is a rare condition of the thyroid gland. The common causative organisms responsible for thyroid abscess are Staphylococci and Streptococci species. We described a case of thyroid abscess due to Klebsiella pneumoniae in an infant.

A prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors among a rural Yoruba south-western Nigerian population: a population-based survey.

Background: It has been hypothesised that rural sub-Saharan Africa is at an early stage of epidemiological transition from communicable to non-communicable diseases (NCD). Limited information exists about the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors and the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the adult Nigerian population, especially in the rural setting.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess and describe the prevalence of several cardiometabolic risk factors in the sub-Saharan adult population of a rural Yoruba community, living in south-western Nigeria.

Influence of duration of sexual cohabitation on the risk of hypertension in nulliparous parturients in Ibadan: A cohort study.

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are an important cause of maternal mortality in this environment, it accounts for about 20% of all maternal deaths in pregnancy in Nigeria.

Aim: This study aims to determine the effect of the length of sexual cohabitation on the development of hypertension in pregnancy in a Nigerian population.

Materials And Methods: The study was a prospective cohort study; three centres were involved in the study between July 2006 and February 2009.