Peripartum cardiomyopathy in low- and middle-income countries.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) causes pregnancy-associated heart failure, typically during the last month of pregnancy, and up to 6 months post-partum, in women without known cardiovascular disease. PPCM is a global disease, but with a significant geographical variability within and between countries. Its true incidence in Africa is still unknown because of the lack of a PPCM population-based study.

Assessment of left ventricular geometry in normotensive type II diabetic patients.

Background: Abnormalities of glucose metabolism are associated with abnormal left ventricular geometry (LV) independent of atherosclerosis. Abnormal LV geometry, a predictor of premature cardiovascular events, indicates presence of subclinical target organ damages. Screening for abnormal LV geometry in diseases of abnormal glucose metabolism is desirable as part of their management protocol.

The Impact of Co-Morbidities on the Pattern of Blood Pressure Control in Elderly Hypertensives in Nigeria.

Introduction: The elderly hypertensive patients often have increased prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors and their attendant co-morbidities. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors and blood pressure control among elderly hypertensive patients, and to determine the influence of modifiable cardiometabolic risk factors on the control of hypertension among elderly hypertensive patients.

Subjects And Methods: A case-control comparative and hospitalbased study involving a total of 190 consenting elderly (>65 years), hypertensive patients (subjects) (n=100) and normotensive controls (n=90) was carried out over a period of ten months.

Marfan Syndrome with Aortic Root Disease, Severe Heart Failure and Aortic Dissection- Two Case Reports.

Marfan syndrome is an uncommon inheritable connective tissue disease which affects the cardiovascular system. This paper presents two cases of Marfan Syndrome with predominant aortic root disease that were seen at the Cardiology Clinic of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. Their biography, clinical features and echocardiography parameters were captured using structured questionnaire.

Registry for Acute Coronary Events in Nigeria (RACE-Nigeria): Clinical Characterization, Management, and Outcome.

Background Coronary artery disease was hitherto a rarity in Africa. Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) accounts for coronary artery disease-related morbidity and mortality. Reports on ACS in Africa are few.

Clinical and echocardiographic findings in a cross-sectional study of HIV-infected adults in Enugu, Nigeria.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) are implicated in cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical and echocardiographic findings in HIV-infected adults.

Methods: One hundred HIV subjects on HAART, 100 HAART-naïve patients and 100 controls were recruited in this cross-sectional study.

The Effect of Nebivolol on Office Blood Pressure of Blacks Residing in Sub-Saharan Africa (A Pilot Study).

There is substantial clinical evidence that monotherapy with beta-blockers are less effective in reducing blood pressure among hypertensive Black patients compared to Whites. The highly selective beta-1 agents like nebivolol and bisoprolol have, however, been reported to be effective in reducing blood pressure in African Americans. However, results in African Americans cannot be extrapolated to native Africans because of genetic admixture and gene-environment interaction.

Left ventricular systolic function in sickle cell anaemia: an echocardiographic evaluation in adult Nigerian patients.

Background: Reliable diagnostic measures for the evaluation of left ventricular systolic performance in the setting of altered myocardial loading characteristics in sickle cell anaemia remains unresolved.

Objective: The study was designed to assess left ventricular systolic function in adult sickle cell patients using non-invasive endsystolic stress - end-systolic volume index ratio.

Methods: A descriptive cross sectional comparative study was done using 52 patients recruited at the adult sickle cell anaemia clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu.

Electrocardiographic findings in a cross-sectional study of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients in Enugu, south-east Nigeria.

Background: Electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities are prevalent in subjects with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In this study, three groups of subjects were investigated and the prevalence of ECG abnormalities was analysed.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on adults between November 2010 and November 2011 at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.

The Burden of Pulmonary Hypertension in Patients with Degenerative Mitral Valve Disease in Enugu South-East Nigeria: An Echocardiographic Based Study.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension is a common complication of degenerative mitral valve disease, and contributes significantly to both morbidity and mortality. The use of medications for reduction of pulmonary pressure in patients is not a common practice by most physicians in this part of the world because of the absence of data on pulmonary hypertension.

Aim: The authors set out to find the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in patients with degenerative mitral valve disease and to determine if there are gender differences in affectation.

Availability and functionality of sphygmomanometers at health care institutions in Enugu, Nigeria.

Objective: Our aim was to investigate the availability of functional blood pressure monitors at health care institutions in Enugu, Nigeria.

Methods: During repeated surveys of 15 (primary, secondary and tertiary) health care institutions in Enugu between 2007 and 2012, records were made of the availability and functional status of sphygmomanometers in the clinics and wards. We also assessed the degree of agreement between measurements by institutional staff and measurements by trained observers using the same or the standard sphygmomanometer.

Congenital heart diseases in adults: a review of echocardiogram records in enugu, South-East Nigeria.

Background: Congenital abnormalities of the heart and cardiovascular system are reported in almost 1% of live births, and about half of these children need medical or surgical help in infancy. In the first decade, a further 25% require surgery to maintain or improve their life. Only 10% survive to adolescence without treatment.

Cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged and elderly residents in South-East Nigeria: the influence of urbanization.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) were previously considered a problem of the developed nations only. Emerging facts show that CVD and their risk factors are now prevalent in developing countries. We carried out a cross-sectional, population-based survey to determine the relation between place residence (rural or urban) and the burden of CVD risk factors in South East Nigeria.

Intra-cardiac masses in adults: a review of echocardiogram records at two echocardiographic laboratories in Enugu, South-East Nigeria.

Background: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is an excellent initial diagnostic technique used to evaluate and diagnose cardiac masses, even though transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) provides superior image resolution and better visualization of cardiac masses, especially in patients with suboptimal transthoracic echocardiographic studies. TTE is the clinical procedure of choice for identification of left ventricular thrombi. TTE has greater than 90% sensitivity and greater than 85% specificity for detection of left ventricular thrombi and is probably superior to the sensitivity and specificity of TEE, especially for apical thrombi.

Baseline Renal Function among Antiretroviral Therapy-Naive, HIV-Infected Patients in South East Nigeria.

Background:Renal insufficiency has been shown to be a significant, independent risk factor for mortality among HIV-infected patients. Unfortunately, little is known about the prevalence and nature of renal impairment in African populations initiating antiretroviral treatment. This study aims to find the prevalence of abnormal renal function among antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive, HIV-infected patients in the South Eastern geopolitical zone of Nigeria.

Common echocardiographic abnormalities in Nigerians of different age groups.

Background: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is one of the most commonly performed cardiac investigations. It can provide comprehensive information about cardiac structure and function, helping to establish a diagnosis and guide therapy, and it is no longer the preserve of the specialist cardiology department. Previous studies on echocardiographic findings in our environment had documented valvular heart disease, hypertensive heart disease and congenital heart diseases as the commonest echocardiographic findings in Nigerians.

Cardiac arrhythmias in recently diagnosed hypertensive patients at first presentation: an electrocardiographic-based study.

Various forms of cardiac arrhythmias have been documented in hypertensive subjects, and hypertension is an important risk factor for the development of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death. Electrocardiography at rest easily documents significant arrhythmias in patients, and this study was carried out to determine the types and frequency of arrhythmias in hypertensive subjects at first presentation in the Hypertension Clinics of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu, Nigeria. The study was hospitalbased and retrospective in nature.

Clinical findings associated with cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction in adult sickle cell anaemia patients.

Background: Involvement of the cardiovascular autonomic nervous system in various diseases is often associated with increased morbidity and mortality.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the clinical features associated with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in adult Nigerians with sickle cell anaemia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 62 steady state sickle cell anaemia patients recruited from the adult out-patient clinic.

Clinical and electrocardiographic evaluation of sickle-cell anaemia patients with pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension is an emerging complication of sickle cell anaemia with associated increased risk of mortality. In order to evaluate the clinical and electrocardiographic findings in adult sickle-cell patients with pulmonary hypertension, a cross sectional study was conducted on sixty two sickle cell anaemia patients and sixty two age and sex matched normal controls. Elevated pulmonary artery pressures (PAP), defined by PAP ≥ 30 mm Hg on echocardiography, was demonstrated in 41.

Low-dose lisinopril in normotensive men with idiopathic oligospermia and infertility: a 5-year randomized, controlled, crossover pilot study.

The outcomes of drug treatment for male infertility remain conjectural, with controversial study results. Our pilot study employed a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover methodology with intention-to-treat analysis. Thirty-three men with idiopathic oligospermia were randomized to start either daily oral lisinopril 2.

An evaluation of ankle-brachial blood pressure index in adult Nigerians with sickle cell anaemia.

Aim: There are few studies to be found in the literature on ankle-brachial index in sickle cell disease. The aim of this study was to compare ankle-brachial index of steadystate adult sickle cell anaemia patients with that of normal controls.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study of 62 sickle cell anaemia patients and 62 age- and gender-matched normal controls was carried out in the adult outpatient sickle cell clinics and the cardiac centre of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, Nigeria from February to August 2007.

Electrocardiographic findings in sickle cell cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy.

Background: There is a lack of data on the relationship between cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) and electrocardiographic parameters in sickle cell anaemia.

Aims And Objectives: The purpose of the study was to compare the electrocardiographic findings in adult sickle cell anaemia patients with CAN with those of patients without this complication.

Methods: A cross sectional study was done using 62 consecutively recruited sickle cell anaemia patients who met the inclusion criteria for the study.

Pattern of Blood Pressure Indices among the Residents of a Rural Community in South East Nigeria.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the main causes of death in industrialized countries, and are significant causes of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Hypertension is the most common cardiovascular disease in Nigerians, and the risk of CVD associated with hypertension is independent of other risk factors. Despite the high level of awareness of its presence in the developed countries, the level of control is still poor.

Atrial septal defects presenting initially in adulthood: patterns of clinical presentation in enugu, South-East Nigeria.

This paper aimed to evaluate the patterns of clinical presentation of adults with atrial septal defects (ASDs) who were diagnosed from transthoracic echocardiographic examination at the echocardiographic laboratory of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria, from February 2002 to June 2010. 2251 new echocardiogram scans, with additional 373 repeat scans, were done within the period. 32 adults had ASDs (1.

Two logistic models for the prediction of hypothyroidism in pregnancy.

Background: The mounting evidence linking hypothyroidism during pregnancy with poor pregnancy outcome underscores the need for screening and, therefore, a search for more reliable and cheaper screening methods.

Methods: The study was conducted in two phases. The phase one study comprised of healthy women in different stages of pregnancy who attended routine antenatal clinic at St Theresa's Maternity Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria from September 6 to October 18 1994.