Publications by authors named "Mekbeb Afework"

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant health concern for children with congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT). To address the limited data on CKD prevalence and risk factors in Ethiopia, this study focuses on a specific cohort of CAKUT patients at the pediatric renal unit of Tikur Anbessa specialized hospital. We aim to determine the prevalence of CKD in Ethiopian CAKUT patients, identify independent predictors of advanced stage CKD, and explore the distribution of CKD among different CAKUT phenotypes.

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Introduction: Little is known about the fetal and pregnancy effects of khat chewing during pregnancy. The aim of the current study was to determine the impact of chewing khat during pregnancy on selected pregnancy outcomes in Ethiopia, 2022: A Cohort Study with a Generalized Structural Equation Modeling Analysis Approach.

Methods: An institution-based prospective cohort study was employed in selected hospitals in eastern Ethiopia.

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Background: Birth defects (BDs) are the major causes of infant morbidity and mortality in both developed and developing countries. Regardless of their clinical importance, few studies on predisposing factors have been conducted in Ethiopia. However, due to a lack of advanced diagnostic materials, we only considered the externally visible BDs.

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Background: has been widely used for the treatment of various human ailments without scientific proof for chronic toxicity. Thus, this study is aimed to evaluate the chronic toxicity of 80% methanolic extracts of the leaves of in rats.

Methods: An 80% crude methanolic extract of the plant leaves was orally administered to Wistar albino rats for 6 months.

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Introduction: khat (Catha edulis Forsk), is an evergreen flowering tree or shrub widely produced and consumed in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. In Ethiopia, it is largely produced, freely marketed and consumed by almost all segments of the population. This is more pronounced in the Eastern part of the country.

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Introduction: Restriction in the growth of the fetus is a leading cause of stillbirth, neonatal mortality, and short- and long-term morbidity. Documented existing scientific evidence have shown the effects of maternal drugs use, alcohol drinking, tobacco smoking, cocaine use and heroin use on fetal growth restriction. However, data is lacking on the effects of khat chewing during pregnancy on fetal growth status and newborn size at birth.

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Purpose: This study evaluates the acute and sub-acute toxicity of 80% methanolic extracts of the leaves of in Wistar albino rat models.

Methods: Dried powdered leaves of were macerated in 80% methanol. The experiment was conducted in accordance with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development guideline 423 for acute and 407 for sub-acute toxicity testing.

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Background: The leading global contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is valvular heart disease. It is on the rise worldwide, including in the developing countries. However, the prevalence, patterns, and etiologies of valvular heart disease have not been well studied in Ethiopia.

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Background: Neural tube defects are a type of congenital anomaly caused by an abnormality in the development of the brain and spinal cord during embryogenesis. They cause high rates of mortality, morbidity, and lifelong disability. There are several studies carried out worldwide reporting different findings on the burden and associated factors.

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Background: Vernix caseosa is a complex proteolipid material synthesized partly by fetal sebaceous glands during the last trimester of pregnancy. Understanding the structure and function of newborn skin is crucial for determining optimal thermal support, infection control, and skin moisturization. So far, in Ethiopia, there is no research done related to the distribution of vernix caseosa and associated factors on newborn skin.

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Introduction: Various trial and epidemiological studies consistently documented the association between maternal folic acid supplementations and neural tube defects. However, existing literatures revealed inconclusive findings about maternal periconceptional folic acid supplementations and the risk of congenital heart defects. Thus, the current systematic review and meta-analysis was aimed to estimate the pooled association between maternal periconceptional folic acid supplementations and congenital heart defects.

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Introduction: Anencephaly is a form of neural tube defect, which develops when the cranial neuropore is unable to close. It is one of the fatal anomalies of the neural tube. Although most of the causes of anencephaly are unknown, multiple risk factors are associated with this defect.

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Introduction: Low back pain is the commonest musculoskeletal disorder affecting every socioeconomic group of the world's population. The lifetime risk of developing low back pain is about 60%-80%. The pooled prevalence and associated factors of low back pain have not yet been determined in Ethiopia.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the toxic effects of Artemisia afra, a traditionally used medicinal plant, on the brain, heart, and suprarenal glands in mice.
  • The research involved administering varying doses of an aqueous extract to different groups of mice and assessing toxicity levels.
  • Results showed that A. afra is relatively safe, with no observed signs of toxicity or cellular injury in the examined organs.
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Background: Infertility is a practical concern of Africans due to social disgrace and exclusion. This meta-analysis aims to analyze the proportion of primary and secondary infertility and identify the etiologic factors based on the studies conducted in Africa.

Methods: An internet-based search was conducted on the following databases; PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane library, and google scholar.

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Introduction: Precancerous lesions of the cervix are changes in cervical cells that make them more likely to develop into cancer. Understanding the prevalence and determinants of the precancerous lesions of the cervix among women helps to take an action like vaccination programs, improving screening coverage, and close management and follow-up which could decrease the morbidity and mortality caused by cervical cancer.

Materials And Methods: The international databases, PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Cochrane Library and unpublished reports were systematically searched.

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Introduction: Birth defects are the most serious causes of infant mortality and disability in sub-Saharan African countries with variable magnitude. Hence, this study was aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of birth defects and its associated risk factors among newborn infants in sub-Saharan African countries.

Methods: A total of 43 eligible studies were identified through literature search from Medline (PubMed), EMBASE, HINARI, Google scholar, Science Direct, Cochrane Library and other sources.

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Background: Moringa stenopetala is used as nourishments, and treatment of various diseases. However, there is no much information on its safety. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the chronic administration of aqueous leaves extract of the plant.

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Background: Studies have suggested that identification of aberrant palmar creases may give clues for an early and noninvasive method of diagnosis of certain disease conditions. Toward this purpose, awareness of the normal variants of palmar creases must be first recognized. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the patterns of palmar creases in healthy Ethiopian population among Medical and Dental Students in Addis Ababa.

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Background: During the first three months of pregnancy, the developing embryo may be susceptible to external and internal factors, which may lead to structural and functional congenital anomalies. The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of congenital anomalies in Addis Ababa and the Amhara region, Ethiopia.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on children 0-17 years of age who visited the 16 selected hospitals in Addis Ababa and the Amhara Region between January 1 and July 5, 2015.

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Background: The early stage of embryo development is extremely vulnerable to various teratogenic factors, leading to congenital anomalies. In Ethiopia, a significant number of babies are born with congenital anomalies, but the risk factors for the anomalies have never been studied. Understanding the specific risk factors for congenital anomalies is very essential to provide health education that aims at creating awareness and establishing preventive strategic plan/s.

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Background: Greulich and Pyle standards are the most widely used age estimation standards all over the world. The applicability of the Greulich and Pyle standards to populations which differ from their reference population is often questioned. This study aimed to assess the reliability of Greulich and Pyle (GP) method for determination of age of children at Debre Markos Referral Hospital, East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia.

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Background: In southeast Ethiopia, people locally use the roots of Gnidia stenophylla Gilg (Thymelaeaceae) to cure malaria and other diseases with no literature evidence substantiating its safety. The aim of this study was, therefore, to investigate the safety of the aqueous root extract of G. stenophylla after acute (single dose) and repeated sub chronic oral administration in mice.

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Background: Aqueous preparations of a medicinal plant, Gnidia stenophylla Gilg (Thymelaeaceae) are commonly used to cure malaria and other ailments in Ethiopia. This study evaluated the safety of the plant extract by determining its effects on food intake and histology of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) after oral administration for 13 weeks in albino mice.

Methods: Thirty mice were equally assigned to three groups.

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Background: Birth defects are defined as structural and functional defects that develop during the organogenesis period and present at birth or detected later in life. They are one of the leading causes of infant and child mortality, morbidity, and long term disability. The magnitude of birth defects varies from country to country and from race/ethnicity to race/ethnicity, and about 40-60% of their causes are unknown.

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