Prevalence of Renal Disease in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Children in Calabar, Nigeria.

Renal disease is increasingly being reported in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children with or without antiretroviral drugs. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of renal disease in HIV-infected children with or without treatment in Calabar, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study of 146 consecutive HIV-infected children seen at the pediatric HIV clinic of General Hospital Calabar and University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, aged six weeks to 15 years, was carried out from February 1 to September 30, 2015.

Prolonged QTc Interval in Nigerian Children with Sickle Cell Anemia.

Prolonged QTc interval, a risk factor for ventricular arrhythmia, occurs in sickle cell anemia. The aim of this study was to determine the risk of prolonged QTc interval and its relationship with vaso-occlusive painful crises (VOCs) and follow-up steady-state in the same children with sickle cell anemia. This prospective cohort study enrolled 38 subjects, aged 5-17 years.

Myocardial injury in patients with sickle cell anaemia and myocardial ischaemia in Calabar, Nigeria.

Background In children with sickle cell anaemia (SCA), ischaemic electrocardiogram (ECG) changes occur during both vaso-occlusive crises (VOC) and the steady state. Myocardial ischaemia evidenced by an ischaemic pattern on ECG may lead to myocardial injury which is evidenced by elevated serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT). Occasionally, the myocardial injury is fatal.

Patterns of paediatric emergency admissions and predictors of prolonged hospital stay at the children emergency room, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria.

Background: There is a high prevalence of paediatric emergency cases in less developed countries. However, prolonged hospital stay at emergency units may further overstretch the facilities.

Objective: To assess the patterns of presentations, services offered and predictors of a prolonged stay at the Children Emergency Room of a tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria.

Prevalence of HIV infection among siblings of HIV positive children in Calabar, Nigeria.

Introduction: Early diagnosis and treatment of paediatric HIV is key as mortality of untreated patients is very high in the first two years of life, and reaches 80% by four years. Case finding efforts for children especially outside Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) is inadequate. Targeting siblings of index HIV-exposed and infected children is an important way of improving identification and enrolment into care thereby reducing paediatric mortality.

Audit of availability and distribution of paediatric cardiology services and facilities in Nigeria.

Background: Paediatric cardiac services in Nigeria have been perceived to be inadequate but no formal documentation of availability and distribution of facilities and services has been done.

Objective: To evaluate and document the currently available paediatric cardiac services in Nigeria.

Methods: In this questionnaire-based, cross-sectional descriptive study, an audit was undertaken from January 2010 to December 2014, of the personnel and infrastructure, with their distributions according to geopolitical zones of Nigeria.