Critical values notification: A nationwide survey of practices among clinical laboratories across Nigeria.

Background: Critical value notification (CVN) entails notifying doctors or other laboratory users of aberrant laboratory results that threaten the patient's life and of any values for which reporting delays could negatively impact the patient's health. Critical value notification practices in clinical laboratories in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa are largely unknown.

Objective: We conducted a nationwide survey to obtain baseline information on CVN practice by Nigeria's laboratories.

Thyroid, cortisol and growth hormone levels in adult Nigerians with metabolic syndrome.

Introduction: The similarities in presentation of cortisol excess, growth hormone deficiency, hypothyroidism and metabolic syndrome suggest that subtle abnormalities of these endocrine hormones may play a causal role in the development of metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study is to determine the levels of cortisol, thyroid and growth hormones in adult Nigerians with metabolic syndrome and determine the relationship between levels of these hormones and components of the syndrome.

Methods: This was a case control study conducted at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria.

Relationship between plasma osteocalcin, glycaemic control and components of metabolic syndrome in adult Nigerians with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Aims: To determine the levels of plasma osteocalcin (OC) in Nigerians with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and compare these to levels in non-diabetic controls (NDM). To assess the relationship of OC to glycaemic control and parameters of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and compare its levels in Nigerians with and without MetS.

Methods: The waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure of 200 study participants were taken.