Evaluation of epilepsy lesion visualisation enhancement in low-field MRI using image quality transfer: a preliminary investigation of clinical potential for applications in developing countries.

Purpose: Low-field (LF) MRI scanners are common in many Low- and middle-Income countries, but they provide images with worse spatial resolution and contrast than high-field (HF) scanners. Image Quality Transfer (IQT) is a machine learning framework to enhance images based on high-quality references that has recently adapted to LF MRI. In this study we aim to assess if it can improve lesion visualisation compared to LF MRI scans in children with epilepsy.

Development and validation of the Ibadan Simplified Developmental Screening chart.

Background: Developmental assessment remains an integral part of the routine evaluation of the wellbeing of every child. Children in resource-poor countries are not routinely assessed for signs of developmental delay and developmental disorders are frequently overlooked. A major gap exists in the availability of culturally appropriate and cost-effective developmental screening tools in many low and middle income countries (LMICs) with large populations.

Assessment of Adverse Events Following COVID-19 Vaccination: A Cross-sectional Study in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Background: Vaccination has been described as the most critical tool to end the COVID-19 pandemic and to save lives and livelihoods. This study aimed to evaluate the spectrum of adverse events following immunization with the COVID-19 AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine in Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study.

Spot Urine Protein-to-Creatinine Ratio Compared with Dipstick Proteinuria as a Primary Screening Tool for Renal Disease in a Community Setting.

The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) advocates the use of dipstick proteinuria as a primary screening tool. However, the performance of dipstick urinary for proteinuria has been adjudged to be weak, unreliable with poor predictive value. This study aimed to determine and compare significant proteinuria (SP) using spot urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPr/UCr) as a primary screening tools with dipstick proteinuria among the high-risk African children.

Oxidative stress indices in ASD children in Sub-Sahara Africa.

Background: The pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains a medical challenge even in the developed world. Although genetics and epigenetic factors have been variously indicted as major causes of the disorder, development of oxidative stress especially in the formative years of children has equally gained prominence as an etiological basis of the disorder. Oxidative stress is characterized by the production of excessive amounts of free radicals, decreased levels of antioxidants with the attendant imbalance in oxidant/antioxidant ratio.

Epidemiology of Stroke in Sickle Cell Disease.

Sickle cell disease is the most common cause of stroke in childhood, both ischaemic and haemorrhagic, and it also affects adults with the condition. Without any screening or preventative treatment, the incidence appears to fall within the range 0.5 to 0.

Early-onset developmental impairments among infants attending the routine immunization clinic at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Developmental disorders are frequently overlooked in the developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Early identification of developmental delays (DDs) is critical to optimal outcomes. This study set out to determine the proportion of children who are at risk of DDs among infants attending immunization clinics at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Transcranial Doppler screening in Nigerian children with sickle cell disease: A 10-year longitudinal study on the SPPIBA cohort.

Background: Primary stroke prevention programmes for children with sickle cell disease (SCD) have been shown to be feasible interventions in resource-poor countries. Different hydroxyurea (HU) regimens have been utilised in ameliorating the severity of SCD.

Objective: To determine the long-term outcomes of the stroke prevention programme for children with SCD in Ibadan (SPPIBA), Nigeria.

Data-driven malaria prevalence prediction in large densely populated urban holoendemic sub-Saharan West Africa.

Over 200 million malaria cases globally lead to half-million deaths annually. The development of malaria prevalence prediction systems to support malaria care pathways has been hindered by lack of data, a tendency towards universal "monolithic" models (one-size-fits-all-regions) and a focus on long lead time predictions. Current systems do not provide short-term local predictions at an accuracy suitable for deployment in clinical practice.

Pediatric Hearing Thresholds Post-bacterial Meningitis.

Disabling hearing loss as a sequela of bacterial meningitis results from damage to the auditory system. This study was designed to ascertain the hearing thresholds in survivors of bacterial meningitis and the risk factors of hearing loss in childhood bacterial meningitis. One hundred and two children admitted and treated for bacterial meningitis were recruited prospectively along with 102 age- and sex-matched controls who had auditory evaluation using otoacoustic emission and auditory brain stem response tests 48 h prior to hospital discharge.

Non-Dose-Dependent Changes in Liver Enzyme Levels of Children With Epilepsy on Treatment With Sodium Valproate.

Background: Sodium valproate (VPA) is considered as the drug of choice for the treatment of generalized epilepsy in children. Sodium Valproate may be hepatotoxic.

Aim: To assess the level of derangement of liver enzymes in children with epilepsy on treatment with sodium valproate.

Depleted circulatory complement-lysis inhibitor (CLI) in childhood cerebral malaria returns to normal with convalescence.

Background: Cerebral malaria (CM), is a life-threatening childhood malaria syndrome with high mortality. CM is associated with impaired consciousness and neurological damage. It is not fully understood, as yet, why some children develop CM.

Expert-level automated malaria diagnosis on routine blood films with deep neural networks.

Over 200 million malaria cases globally lead to half a million deaths annually. Accurate malaria diagnosis remains a challenge. Automated imaging processing approaches to analyze Thick Blood Films (TBF) could provide scalable solutions, for urban healthcare providers in the holoendemic malaria sub-Saharan region.

Positive and inverse correlation of blood lead level with erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase and intelligence quotient in children: implications for neurotoxicity.

Blood lead level (BLL) is insufficiently sensitive for early detection of Lead-induced neurotoxicity (LIN). This study determined the possible role of the combination of BLL, intelligent quotient (IQ) and erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the early detection of LIN in Children. Apparently healthy children (n=309) from eight public primary schools in Ibadan, Nigeria were recruited and classified into: children with Elevated BLL (EBLL) and children with Acceptable BLL (control) based on CDC cut-off for childhood lead exposure.

PREVALENCE OF BACTERAEMIA AMONGST CHILDREN WITH FEBRILE SEIZURES AT THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL, IBADAN.

Background: Febrile seizures are common among children and these are known to result from the diverse aetiological factors, known to cause fever in children.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of bacteraemia amongst children with febrile seizures at the children's emergency room of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Methodos: This was a prospective study involving 147 children who were presented with febrile seizures over a period of 13 months at the University College Hospital Ibadan.

Low plasma haptoglobin is a risk factor for life-threatening childhood severe malarial anemia and not an exclusive consequence of hemolysis.

Severe Malarial Anemia (SMA), a life-threatening childhood Plasmodium falciparum malaria syndrome requiring urgent blood transfusion, exhibits inflammatory and hemolytic pathology. Differentiating between hypo-haptoglobinemia due to hemolysis or that of genetic origin is key to understand SMA pathogenesis. We hypothesized that while malaria-induced hypo-haptoglobinemia should reverse at recovery, that of genetic etiology should not.

Annual stroke incidence in Nigerian children with sickle cell disease and elevated TCD velocities treated with hydroxyurea.

Background: Elevated transcranial Doppler (TCD) velocities accurately predict stroke risk in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). Chronic blood transfusion, the gold standard for primary stroke prevention, is faced with numerous challenges in Africa. Hydroxyurea (HU) has been shown to reduce elevated TCD velocities in children with SCD.

Cognitive function in Nigerian children with newly diagnosed epilepsy: a preliminary report.

Introduction: Epilepsy has long been associated with cognitive dysfunction and educational underachievement. The purpose of the study was to describe the baseline findings from a larger prospective study.

Methods: New cases of epilepsy aged 6-16 years seen at a paediatric neurology clinic in Ibadan, Nigeria were evaluated for any evidence of cognitive impairment.

Feasibility of parent-mediated behavioural intervention for behavioural problems in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Nigeria: a pilot study.

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a disabling and lifelong neuro-developmental disorder. Challenging behaviours such as aggression and self injury are common maladaptive behaviours in ASD which adversely affect the mental health of both the affected children and their caregivers. Although there is evidence-base for parent-delivered behavioural intervention for children with ASD and challenging behaviours, there is no published research on the feasibility of such an intervention in sub-Saharan Africa.

Epilepsy in transition from child care to adult service: a missing link in sub-Saharan Africa.

Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disease which predominantly affects children and young adults. The disease is highly stigmatised and transition from child care to adult services is not routine in many low- and middle-income countries. Where a treatment system follows routines which cannot be sustained in such countries because of specialised manpower challenges, it becomes imperative that appropriate care models be sought for patients whose seizures fail to remit in childhood.

NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASE MIMICKING MYASTHENIA GRAVIS IN A NIGERIAN FEMALE ADOLESCENT: COULD THIS BE NEMALINE ROD DISEASE?

Background: Nemaline rod disease is a congenital myopathy, presentation of which may mimic myasthenia gravis.

Method: We report a suspected case of nemaline rod disease in a female adolescent who presented with features similar to myasthenia gravis but failed to respond effectively to its conventional management. She had features of respiratory failure and cardiomyopathy.

Seizure-related injuries in children and adolescents with epilepsy.

Background: Children with epilepsy are reported to be at a greater risk of injuries compared with their peers who do not have epilepsy.

Objectives: We set out to determine the frequency and pattern of seizure-related injuries in children with epilepsy seen at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria.

Methods: Consecutive cases of epilepsy seen at the pediatric neurology clinic of the UCH, Ibadan over a period of 6months were evaluated for injuries in the preceding 12months using a structured questionnaire.

Hydroxyurea lowers transcranial Doppler flow velocities in children with sickle cell anaemia in a Nigerian cohort.

Background: Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is the leading genetic disorder in Nigeria. Elevated velocities ≥170 cm/sec occur in about a third of Nigerian children with SCA. Chronic blood transfusion for stroke prevention is faced with a myriad of challenges in our practice.

A Review of e-Health Interventions for Maternal and Child Health in Sub-Sahara Africa.

To review e-health interventions for maternal and child health (MCH) and to explore their influence on MCH practices in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA). Keyword searches were used to retrieve articles from four databases and the websites of organisations involved in e-health projects for MCH in SSA. A total of 18relevant articles were retrieved using inclusion and exclusion criteria.