Publications by authors named "Alex O Akoto"
Article Synopsis
- Stroke is a serious complication of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) that greatly affects individuals, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where its prevalence is estimated at 4.2%-6.4%.
- A recent study in Ghana aimed to evaluate the frequency of strokes in SCD patients throughout different stages of life and identify related factors, using a comprehensive patient registry from a local medical center.
- The study found that 0.85% of 4,115 participants in the registry had clinically confirmed strokes, with stroke frequency increasing with age and hydroxyurea use significantly associated with stroke risk.
Sickle cell disease: management options and challenges in developing countries.
Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis
December 2013
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the most common genetic disorder of haemoglobin in sub-Saharan Africa. This commentary focuses on the management options available and the challenges that health care professionals in developing countries face in caring for patients with SCD. In a developing countries like Ghana, new-born screening is now about to be implemented on a national scale.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Malaria causes about one million deaths annually, especially in African children, and the role of human genetics in disease resistance is not fully understood.
- Genome-wide association studies (GWA) have identified two new genetic loci associated with severe falciparum malaria in Ghanaian patients: one on chromosome 1 linked to the ATP2B4 gene affecting calcium pumps in red blood cells, and another on chromosome 16 possibly linked to endothelial function.
- The study also reaffirms the protective effects of the sickle-cell trait and blood group O, highlighting the GWA method's potential for discovering targets for malaria control strategies.
Objectives: To improve algorithms for the identification of children at risk of dying of malaria in endemic areas.
Study Design: In a prospective study of 2446 children with severe and complicated malaria admitted to a tertiary referral center in Ghana, West Africa, 12 clinical and laboratory signs were evaluated as indicators of death.
Results: A prolonged (> 2 seconds) capillary refill time (pCRT) was identified as an independent prognostic indicator of death along with acidosis, coma, and respiratory distress.
Background: A survey in Kumasi, Ghana found a marked Plasmodium falciparum prevalence difference between two neighbouring communities (Moshie Zongo and Manhyia). The primary objective of this follow-up study was to determine whether this parasite rate difference was consistent over time. Secondary objectives were to compare prevalences of clinical malaria, anaemia, intestinal parasite infections, and malnutrition between these communities; and to identify potential risk factors for P.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe pathogenicity of Plasmodium falciparum is thought to relate to the unique ability of infected erythrocytes to adhere to and subsequently activate the vascular endothelium. To study the state of endothelial activation during falciparum malaria, we measured plasma levels of both von Willebrand factor (VWF) and its propeptide, indices of chronic and acute endothelial cell perturbation, respectively. Results were correlated with clinical and biochemical markers of disease severity, including plasma lactate.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To describe the epidemiology of urban malaria, an emerging problem in sub-Saharan Africa.
Method: Cross-sectional surveys of communities in Accra and Kumasi, Ghana, determining risk factors for malaria infection and anaemia in children aged 6-60 months.
Results: Malaria prevalence rates ranged from 2% to 33% between urban communities.