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.

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.

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.

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.