Menstrual characteristics of sickle cell disease patients seen at a tertiary institution in North Western Nigeria.

Introduction: The burden of sickle cell disease (SCD) is high in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, and with improved care and survival, reproductive health issues, including menstruation, have become increasingly important and may impact on long-term health and social wellbeing.

Objectives: This study was carried out to characterize the menstrual characteristics of SCD patients.

Methodology: Using a cross-sectional study design, a semi-structured questionnaire was administered and information collected on bio-demographic data, medical history of SCD, reproductive, and menstrual history.

Utilising the 'Getting to Outcomes' Framework in Community Engagement for Development and Implementation of Sickle Cell Disease Newborn Screening in Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Background: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) has been designated by WHO as a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa, and the development of newborn screening (NBS) is crucial to the reduction of high SCD morbidity and mortality. Strategies from the field of implementation science can be useful for supporting the translation of NBS evidence from high income countries to the unique cultural context of sub-Saharan Africa. One such strategy is community engagement at all levels of the healthcare system, and a widely-used implementation science framework, "Getting to Outcomes" (GTO), which incorporates continuous multilevel evaluation by stakeholders about the quality of the implementation.

Low-dose hydroxycarbamide therapy may offer similar benefit as maximum tolerated dose for children and young adults with sickle cell disease in low-middle-income settings.

The multiple clinical benefits of hydroxycarbamide in sickle cell disease are supported by a large body of evidence. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is the regimen recommended by guidelines from a panel of National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) experts, but other dosage regimens have been used in babies (BABY-HUG) 9 to 18 months old (20 mg/kg per day) and developing countries such as India (10 mg/kg per day); however, there has been no direct comparison of the efficacy, effectiveness, or cost-effectiveness of these different regimens. The purpose of this review was to investigate the current situation with various hydroxycarbamide regimens with particular relevance to low-middle-income countries.

A case series of steroid-induced diabetes mellitus in Zaria, Nigeria.

Introduction: New-onset diabetes Mellitus can occur in patients without documented hyperglycaemia before corticosteroid therapy, however hyperglycaemia has been reported as an adverse effect of steroids such as Prednisolone.This may be encountered in the management of haematologic disorders or malignancies when prolong administration or high dose prednisolone is used alone or as an adjuvantto cytotoxic agents

Aim: To report three adults who developed hyperglycaemia following an oral administration of prednisolone and to review the current literature on Steroid-induced diabetes mellitus. Method:We undertook a review of the case records of the three patients and an electronic MEDLINE as well as a manual library search of existing pertinent literature.

Autosplenectomy of sickle cell disease in zaria, Nigeria: an ultrasonographic assessment.

Objectives: During infancy and early childhood, the spleen commonly enlarges in patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA), and it thereafter undergoes progressive atrophy due to repeated episodes of vaso-occlusion and infarction, leading to autosplenectomy in adult life. However, this may not always be the case as some studies have reported splenomegaly persisting into adult life. This study aims to determine and review the prevalence of autosplenectomy by abdominal ultrasonography in sickle cell anemic patients in Zaria, Nigeria.