Safety, efficacy and acceptability of implanon a single rod implantable contraceptive (etonogestrel) in University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

Objective: The study evaluated the safety, efficacy and acceptability of Implanon (etonogestrel) subdermal implant contraceptive amongst its acceptors.

Study Design: This was part of an on going prospective longitudinal study that involved 32 women out of 46 sexually active healthy informed volunteers recruited from our family planning clinic between February and March 2007. All the subjects received the single rod subdermal implant Implanon which contains 68 mg etonogestrel.

Thirst perception in dehydrated sickle cell disease patients in steady state.

Liberal fluid intake is one of the key management strategies in sickle cell anaemia [SCA] patients in steady state, but less work has been done on the desire of patients to drink water. Using the Visual Analogue Scale we studied thirst perception [TP] in 20 euhydrated SCA patients and 28 control [HbA] subjects, as well as during dehydration in 13 SCA patients and 9 HbA subjects. Serum and urine samples were collected and analyzed for Na, K ions, creatinine concentrations and haematocrit and specific gravity of urine were determined.

Haemostatic function in Norplant (levonorgestrel) users: a 3-year prospective experience in Benin-City, Nigeria.

Objective: To evaluate the haemostatic function and menstrual pattern of Norplant acceptors after 36 months of use.

Method: This was a prospective longitudinal study that involved fifty five healthy, non-breastfeeding, sexually active informed volunteers recruited from our family planning clinic, between September and December 2002. Blood samples were collected at pre-insertion, 12, 24 and 36 months follow up for packed cell volume, platelet count, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time.

Using serial haemorheological parameters to assess clinical status in sickle cell anaemia patients in vaso-occlussive crisis.

In a prospective study using standard methods, haemorheological parameters were assessed in 10 sickle cell anaemia patients in pain crises. Patients were investigated for possible changes in determinants of rheology in the course of painful episodes: blood samples were taken for plasma fibrinogen concentration (PFC); plasma viscosity (PV); haematocrit (Hct), whole blood viscosity (WBV) and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) using standard methods. Samples were collected on presentation to the emergency unit and daily for 4 consecutive days.

The effect of accessibility to drugs on outcome of therapy in patients with malignant lymphoma.

Objective: To determine the compliance rate, reasons for default and factors affecting compliance.

Patients And Methods: A prospective study of patients with malignant lymphoma (ML) at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. A total of 190 patients on chemotherapy for ML were followed up for between 6 and 18 months during study period (1995-2003).

Malaria parasitemia and antimalaria prophylaxis in sickle cell anemia patients in steady staten.

Malaria parasitemia was assessed in 37 known sickle cell anemia patients attending the routine hematological clinic of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin-City, Edo State. Parasitemia was determined using the quantitative buffy coat analysis. The prevalence of malaria parasitemia among the population studied was 86.

Distribution of ABO and Rh-D blood groups in the Benin area of Niger-Delta: Implication for regional blood transfusion.

ABO and Rhesus (Rh) blood group antigens are hereditary characters and are useful in population genetic studies, in resolving medico-legal issues and more importantly in compatibility test in blood transfusion practice. Data on frequency distribution of ABO and Rh-D in Niger-Delta region of Nigeria are not available; hence we made an attempt to retrospectively analyze the records on the blood donors, transfusion recipients and patients attending antenatal care or some other medical interventions. Over a twenty-year period between 1986 and 2005, a total of 160,431 blood samples were grouped for ABO and Rh-D at the blood bank of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria.

Pathology services delivery: policy analysis using a Nigerian tertiary institution as a prototype.

Background: Laboratory services delivery face criticisms on daily basis by the patients (the beneficiary), the clinicians (the user), and the hospital management (the policy maker). The service provider (the laboratory) is faced with the task of trying to explain her problems.

Objective Of The Study: Was to critically do a policy analysis of the problems of laboratory service delivery, with the aim of identifying the causes of these problems and making recommendations to the policy makers.

A smoldering/indolent myeloma with extensive abdominal presentation--case report.

A case of indolent/smoldering myeloma in a 70-year-old man is reported. He presented with an unusual multiple symptomatic myeloma with extramedulary impairment and absence of bone pain. He was treated with pulses of high-dose dexamethasone with commendable clinical improvement.

Risk of transfusion-transmitted hepatitis C virus in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria.

Objectives: To evaluate the risk of probable iatrogenic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection following transfusion of donor blood that has not been screened for HCV.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Methods: Screening for human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus is routine in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

Evaluation of haemostatic function in Nigerian Norplant acceptors after 12 months of use.

A total of 55 non-breastfeeding informed volunteers were recruited into a prospective longitudinal study from a family planning clinic between September and December 2002. Blood samples were collected at pre-treatment and at 3, 6 and 12 months follow-up, for packed cell volume, platelet count, prothrombin and activated partial thromboplastin time. Statistical analysis was with paired t-tests.

The influence of foetal haemoglobin on the frequency of vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell anaemia patients.

Objective: Several biological and environmental factors are presumed to account for the morbidity pattern in patients with sickle cell anaemia. Foetal haemoglobin is one of the biological factors thought to decrease morbidity in these patients. We studied the relationship between the foetal haemoglobin levels and vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) as a measure of the morbidity pattern in this category of patients.

Acceptance rate of HIV testing among women seeking induced abortion in Benin City, Nigeria.

Although the campaign against HIV has been intensive, it has been focused mainly on the public health implications. Little or no attention is specifically directed at encouraging the public to know their HIV serostatus. The actual public health burden due to this infection is therefore not known.

Donor blood procurement and utilisation at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City.

Banked blood is a limited resource in Nigeria. We sought to evaluate factors that may further limit the effective utilisation of donor blood in a tertiary hospital in Benin City. The records of the blood transfusion unit of the hospital were studied to identify the methods of blood procurement and utilisation from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2002.

Prevalence of lupus anticoagulant in multiparous women in Benin City, Nigeria.

Lupus anticoagulant which in the past was regarded as a laboratory nuisance is now known to be associated with numerous clinical conditions including thrombosis and recurrent foetal loss, however, no work has been done to assess its prevalence in non-pregnant healthy multiparous women. Our aim therefore was to determine the prevalence of lupus anticoagulant in non-pregnant multiparous Nigerian women of childbearing age. Fifty non-pregnant multiparous women who were considered healthy following verbal interviews were studied.

Leucocyte counts in pregnant Nigerian women with sickle cell trait.

White blood count (WBC) with differential counts and packed cell volume (PCV) were studied in 100 pregnant and 30 non-pregnant control women aged 18-45 years. Eighty of the pregnant women were homozygous HbAA and 20 heterozygous HbAS. The non-pregnant women's PCV, lymphocyte and eosinophils counts were significantly higher (p < 0.