Emerging cancer disease burden in a rural sub-Saharan African population: northeast Nigeria in focus.

Introduction: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is plagued by myriads of diseases, mostly infectious; but cancer disease burden is rising among non-communicable diseases. Nigeria has a high burden of cancer, however its remote underserved culturally-conserved populations have been understudied, a gap this study sought to fill.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional multi-institutional descriptive study of histologically diagnosed cancers over a four-year period (January 2019-December 2022) archived in the Departments of Pathology and Cancer Registries of six tertiary hospitals in the northeast of Nigeria.

A national survey of hospital readiness during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to overwhelm health systems across the globe. We aimed to assess the readiness of hospitals in Nigeria to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Method: Between April and October 2020, hospital representatives completed a modified World Health Organisation (WHO) COVID-19 hospital readiness checklist consisting of 13 components and 124 indicators.

Cardiac Toxicity of Chloroquine or Hydroxychloroquine in Patients With COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-regression Analysis.

Objective: To systematically review the literature and to estimate the risk of chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) cardiac toxicity in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods: We searched multiple data sources including PubMed/MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid EBM Reviews, Scopus, and Web of Science and medrxiv.org from November 2019 through May 27, 2020.

Efficacy of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Clinical studies of chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in COVID-19 disease reported conflicting results. We sought to systematically evaluate the effect of CQ and HCQ with or without azithromycin on outcomes of COVID-19 patients.

Methods: We searched multiple databases, preprints and grey literature up to 17 July 2020.

Sex disparities in outcomes among adults on long-term antiretroviral treatment in northern Nigeria.

Background: There are conflicting reports of sex differences in HIV treatment outcomes in Africa. We investigated sex disparities in treatment outcomes for adults on first line antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Nigeria.

Methods: We compared clinical and immunologic responses to ART between HIV-infected men (n=205) and women (n=140) enrolled in an ART program between June 2004 and December 2007, with follow-up through June 2014.

A Comparative Study of Clinical Presentation and Risk Factors for Adverse Outcome in Patients Hospitalised with Acute Respiratory Disease Due to MERS Coronavirus or Other Causes.

Middle East Respiratory syndrome (MERS) first emerged in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and remains a global health concern. The objective of this study was to compare the clinical features and risk factors for adverse outcome in patients with RT-PCR confirmed MERS and in those with acute respiratory disease who were MERS-CoV negative, presenting to the King Fahad Medical City (KFMC) in Riyadh between October 2012 and May 2014. The demographics, clinical and laboratory characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with RT-PCR confirmed MERS-CoV infection was compared with those testing negative MERS-CoV PCR.

Acute viral respiratory infections among children in MERS-endemic Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2012-2013.

The emergence of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in Saudi Arabia has intensified focus on Acute Respiratory Infections [ARIs]. This study sought to identify respiratory viruses (RVs) associated with ARIs in children presenting at a tertiary hospital. Children (aged ≤13) presenting with ARI between January 2012 and December 2013 tested for 15 RVs using the Seeplex RV15 kit were retrospectively included.

Molecular Epidemiology of Hospital Outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2014.

We investigated an outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) at King Fahad Medical City (KFMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during March 29-May 21, 2014. This outbreak involved 45 patients: 8 infected outside KFMC, 13 long-term patients at KFMC, 23 health care workers, and 1 who had an indeterminate source of infection. Sequences of full-length MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV) from 10 patients and a partial sequence of MERS-CoV from another patient, when compared with other MERS-CoV sequences, demonstrated that this outbreak was part of a larger outbreak that affected multiple health care facilities in Riyadh and possibly arose from a single zoonotic transmission event that occurred in December 2013 (95% highest posterior density interval November 8, 2013-February 10, 2014).

Incidence of tuberculosis and immunological profile of TB/HIV co-infected patients in Nigeria.

Background: We obtained estimates of the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) among patients receiving HIV Treatment. We also modeled the relationship between incident TB and change in CD4 count over the follow-up period.

Methods: We analyzed the incidence of TB over 10 years from initiation of HIV treatment among 345 HIV treatment-naïve persons, who were enrolled in a cohort in Kano, Nigeria.

Azithromycin and Risk of Cardiovascular Death: A Meta-Analytic Review of Observational Studies.

Recent evidence, though conflicting, suggests an association between azithromycin use and cardiovascular death. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of azithromycin on risk of death. Multiple databases were searched.

The burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria; in the context of globalization.

This paper highlights the tenets of globalization and how its elements have spread to sub-Saharan Africa, and Nigeria in particular. It assesses the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nigeria and its relationship with globalization. It further describes the conceptual framework on which to view the impact of globalization on NCDs in Nigeria.

The growing resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae; the need to expand our antibiogram: case report and review of the literature.

Carbapenemases are being increasingly reported in Enterobacteriaceae including Klebsiella pneumoniae causing considerable increases in morbidity and mortality with limited therapeutic options. Issues related to difficulties associated with pathogen identification and infection control have been identified as major obstacles to the control of these multi-drug resistant organisms. Identification of this enzyme in organisms not previously found to harbor them has added to the already existing challenge in the control of this growing problem.

Infection due to colistin-resistant Enterobacteriacae in critically-ill patients.

Introduction: This study was conducted in response to the rising incidence of drug resistance observed in the intensive care unit (ICU) of King Fahad Medical City.

Methodology: A retrospective observational study was conducted in the ICU of King Fahad Medical City between October 2003 and April 2012. Data were collected using a structured data sheet.

Safety and efficacy of interrupted dabigatran for peri-procedural anticoagulation in catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: To examine the safety (defined as bleeding risk) and efficacy (defined as prevention of thromboembolic events) of interrupted dabigatran for peri-procedural anticoagulation in catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) in comparison with warfarin.

Methods And Results: Reviewers independently searched literature databases from January 2010 through April 2013 for studies comparing the safety and efficacy of dabigatran and warfarin in CA of AF and extracted pre-defined data. The Mantel-Haenszel method was used to pool data of bleeding and thromboembolism outcomes into random and fixed effect model meta-analyses, respectively.

The association between histamine 2 receptor antagonist use and Clostridium difficile infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major health problem. Epidemiological evidence suggests that there is an association between acid suppression therapy and development of CDI.

Purpose: We sought to systematically review the literature that examined the association between histamine 2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs) and CDI.

The role of statins in prevention and treatment of community acquired pneumonia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Emerging epidemiological evidence suggests that statins may reduce the risk of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and its complications.

Purpose: Performed a systematic review to address the role of statins in the prevention or treatment of CAP.

Data Source: Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, and Scopus from inception through December 2011 were searched for randomized clinical trials, cohort and case-control studies.

Peripherally-inserted central catheter-related fungemia due to hansenula polymorpha in a patient with pancreatic cancer.

The methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha, used mainly as an industrial agent in the production of pharmaceuticals, has rarely been reported to cause disease. The case of a 47-year old Pilipino male with pancreatic cancer presented here is the second reported in the literature. Major risk factors for this infection included underlying malignancy, abdominal surgery and the use of a peripherally-inserted central catheter for total parenteral nutrition.

Association between proton pump inhibitor therapy and clostridium difficile infection: a contemporary systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Emerging epidemiological evidence suggests that proton pump inhibitor (PPI) acid-suppression therapy is associated with an increased risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI).

Methods: Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, and Scopus were searched from 1990 to January 2012 for analytical studies that reported an adjusted effect estimate of the association between PPI use and CDI. We performed random-effect meta-analyses.

Association between preoperative statin therapy and postoperative infectious complications in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Infectious complications of cardiac surgery are often severe and life threatening. Statins having both immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects were intuitively thought to influence the development of postsurgical infections. We sought to systematically examine whether any association exists between statin use and risk of infectious complications in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

The role of combination antifungal therapy in the treatment of invasive aspergillosis: a systematic review.

Background: Because treatment outcomes of invasive aspergillosis (IA) remain suboptimal, clinicians have resorted to the use of combination antifungal therapy. We therefore sought to systematically review the evidence that addresses the role of combination antifungal therapy in the treatment of invasive aspergillosis.

Methods: We retrieved the literature from MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and Scopus from inception up to March 2011 for cohort and randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies that assessed the efficacy of combination antifungal therapy for IA and reported on clinical outcomes.

Complicated community-acquired Staphylococcus endocarditis and multiple lung abscesses: case report and review of literature.

Background. Isolated tricuspid valve endocarditis in the absence of risk factors in the community setting is very rare and can be easily missed in patients with hitherto normal valves. Case Presentation.