Factors Influencing Quality of Life and Predictors of Low Quality of Life Scores in Patients on Treatment for Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Cross Sectional Study.

There is paucity of information on the quality of life of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Nigeria. This study assessed the factors influencing their quality of life and the independent predictors of low quality of life scores. Two hundred and sixty consecutive patients with pulmonary tuberculosis seen at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital were evaluated for health related quality of life using the World Health Organization Quality of life instrument (WHOQoL-BREF).

Prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in sickle cell anaemia patients of a tertiary hospital in Nigeria.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited haemoglobinopathy characterised by recurrent organ hypoxia-reperfusion cycles which may result in repeated organ damage including the lungs and heart. In SCD, pulmonary hypertension is a known complication that may precede or complicate acute chest syndrome which is often fatal. This study seeks to know the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension and its relationship with clinical and laboratory parameters in sickle cell disease patients attending a tertiary hospital in Lagos.

Understanding asthma and the metabolic syndrome - a Nigerian report.

Introduction: Nigeria is a developing country that is currently witnessing an upsurge in diabetes mellitus and obesity with its antecedent consequences. There is also a fairly high prevalence of asthma affecting an estimated 10.7% of the population.

Trends in the prevalence and severity of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic eczema.

The increase in prevalence of asthma and other allergic diatheses has rarely been documented in the developing sub-Saharan countries. We assessed time trends in symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic eczema among children in Ibadan, Nigeria, with cross-sectional data from 2 International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire-based surveys conducted 7 years apart in 1995 and in 2001-2002. The prevalence of current wheeze increased nonsignificantly in the 6- to 7-year age group (4.

Technetium 99m-diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid aerosol clearance in the evaluation of pulmonary involvement in sickle cell disease.

Background: Pulmonary clearance of inhaled technetium (Tc) 99m-labeled diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA) aerosol is a sensitive non-invasive marker of alveolar permeability and patients with interstitial lung diseases show enhanced clearance. However, a previous study in adult patients with diabetes mellitus showed delayed clearance.

Objectives: To investigate DTPA clearance in steady-state, otherwise healthy adult sickle cell disease (SCD) patients and correlate it with pulmonary function tests (PFTs), hematologic and clinical parameters.

In vitro effects of astaxanthin combined with ginkgolide B on T lymphocyte activation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from asthmatic subjects.

This study was undertaken to identify novel approaches to pharmacological treatment of asthma. Here we hypothesize that the platelet-activating factor receptor antagonist ginkgolide B (GB) in combination with the antioxidant carotenoid astaxanthin (ASX) suppresses T cell activation comparably to two commonly-used antihistamines: cetirizine dihydrochloride (CTZ) and azelastine (AZE). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from asthmatics, cultured 24 h with either 50 microg/ml phytohemaglutinin (PHA) or PHA plus selected dosages of each drug are analyzed by flow cytometry for CD25+ or HLA-DR+ on CD3+ (T cells).