Introduction Surgical inpatients frequently require peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) for parenteral feeding and administration of medication. PICCs may cause upper limb deep venous thrombosis (ULDVT), which impacts patient morbidity. We investigated the risk and prevention of PICC-ULDVT in hospitalised surgical inpatients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAs indications for hereditary cancer genetic testing (GT) for patients with breast cancer (BC) expand, breast surgery teams offer GT to newly diagnosed patients to inform surgical plans. There is, however, limited data on the experiences of patients undergoing cancer GT by non-genetic providers. This study used in-depth interviews with 21 women recently diagnosed with BC at a large academic health system to capture their experiences.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease characterised by non-caseating granulomas of unclear aetiology. Isolated cardiac sarcoidosis (ICS) is rare and occurs when there is granulomatous infiltration of myocardial tissue without evidence of extracardiac sarcoidosis. The heterogeneity in clinical manifestations often presents a diagnostic challenge which leads to delays in treatment initiation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTumor cells disseminate in various distant organs at early stages of cancer progression. These disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) can stay dormant/quiescent without causing patient symptoms for years or decades. These dormant tumor cells survive despite curative treatments by entering growth arrest, escaping immune surveillance, and/or developing drug resistance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBest Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol
March 2024
Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) causes pregnancy-associated heart failure, typically during the last month of pregnancy, and up to 6 months post-partum, in women without known cardiovascular disease. PPCM is a global disease, but with a significant geographical variability within and between countries. Its true incidence in Africa is still unknown because of the lack of a PPCM population-based study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is a major barrier to vaccine uptake, and the achievement of herd immunity is required to reduce morbidity and mortality and protect the most vulnerable populations. In Nigeria, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has been high, and uptake remains very low. Healthcare workers (HCWs) in Nigeria can help support public health efforts to increase vaccine uptake.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNiger J Clin Pract
December 2022
Background: The relationship between blood pressure (BP) trajectories and outcomes in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is not clear. Aim: The study aimed to assess the clinical features and outcomes (all-cause mortality and unrecovered left ventricular [LV] systolic function) of PPCM patients grouped according to their baseline systolic BP (SBP).
Patients And Methods: PPCM patients presenting to 14 tertiary hospitals in Nigeria were consecutively recruited between June 2017 and March 2018 and then followed up till March 2019.
Objective: We aim to validate four-dimensional flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (4D flow CMR) peak velocity tracking methods for measuring the peak velocity of mitral inflow against Doppler echocardiography.
Method: Fifty patients were recruited who had 4D flow CMR and Doppler Echocardiography. After transvalvular flow segmentation using established valve tracking methods, peak velocity was automatically derived using three-dimensional streamlines of transvalvular flow.
Background: Doppler transthoracic echocardiography is routinely performed to measure peak mitral inflow velocities in the assessment of left ventricular diastolic function. The limitations of echocardiography are well documented, but its accuracy in the measurement of transmitral peak velocity in the presence of aortic valve regurgitation has not yet been compared with four-dimensional flow cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Four-dimensional flow cardiac magnetic resonance imaging offers time-resolved cross-sectional velocity information that can be used to investigate mitral inflow peak velocity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Air Waste Manag Assoc
January 2023
Landfill gas composition comprises mainly of methane and carbon dioxide emissions and other Nonmethane Organic Carbons (NMOCs). Methane gas has a global warming potential that is estimated to be 25-36 over 100 years. Interestingly, methane generated from landfills is a renewable source of energy that has been used over the years as a source of electricity generation especially in developed and in some developing countries.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Doppler echocardiographic aortic valve peak velocity and peak pressure gradient assessment across the aortic valve (AV) is the mainstay for diagnosing aortic stenosis. Four-dimensional flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (4D flow CMR) is emerging as a valuable diagnostic tool for estimating the peak pressure drop across the aortic valve, but assessment remains cumbersome. We aimed to validate a novel semi-automated pipeline 4D flow CMR method of assessing peak aortic value pressure gradient (AVPG) using the commercially available software solution, CAAS MR Solutions, against invasive angiographic methods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Equitable access and high uptake of safe and effective vaccines is critical to ending the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure the success of these vaccines, particularly in many developing and under-developed parts of the world, the concerns of local communities including fears, potency, and levels of acceptance should be addressed. This study assessed community stakeholders' perceptions in parts of Southeastern Nigeria about COVID-19 vaccine, towards engaging them effectively to ensure the success of the vaccination campaigns.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMarfan syndrome is an uncommon inheritable connective tissue disease which affects the cardiovascular system. This paper presents two cases of Marfan Syndrome with predominant aortic root disease that were seen at the Cardiology Clinic of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. Their biography, clinical features and echocardiography parameters were captured using structured questionnaire.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at the frontline of efforts to treat those affected by COVID-19 and prevent its continued spread. This study seeks to assess knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) as well as training needs and preferences related to COVID-19 among frontline HCWs in Nigeria.
Setting: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 1852 HCWs in primary, secondary and tertiary care settings across Nigeria using a 33-item questionnaire.
Am J Trop Med Hyg
June 2021
Drug shops are the first point of care for most community members in low-resource countries. Because of symptomatic similarities with common illnesses such as malaria, probable coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases may seek care at drug shops, where the knowledge and skills required to handle it may be lacking, thereby fostering community spread of the disease. This single-arm study provided an intervention to improve COVID-19-related knowledge, attitude, and practices of patent medicine vendors (PMVs) in 97 participating drug shops selected through cluster sampling in Owerri, southeastern Nigeria.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: The prospective, multicentre Peripartum Cardiomyopathy in Nigeria (PEACE) registry originally demonstrated a high prevalence of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) among patients originating from Kano, North-West Nigeria. In a post hoc analysis, we sought to determine if this phenomenon was characterized by a differential case profile and outcome among PPCM cases originating elsewhere.
Methods And Results: Overall, 199 (81.
Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) are implicated in cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical and echocardiographic findings in HIV-infected adults.
Methods: One hundred HIV subjects on HAART, 100 HAART-naïve patients and 100 controls were recruited in this cross-sectional study.
J Am Coll Cardiol
November 2020
Background: Nigeria has the highest incidence of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) in the world. However, data on PPCM-related outcomes are limited.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical profile, myocardial remodeling, and survival of patients with PPCM in Nigeria.
Unlabelled: The increase in solid waste generation has been a major contributor to the amount of Greenhouse gases (GHGs) present in the atmosphere. To some extent, a great chunk of these GHGs in the atmosphere is from landfill. This study assesses two theoretical models (LandGEM and Afvalzorg models) to estimate the amount of landfill gas (LFG) emitted from Thohoyandou landfill site.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: The aim of this study was to describe the incidence, clinical characteristics and risk factors of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) in Nigeria.
Methods And Results: The study was conducted in 22 hospitals in Nigeria, and PPCM patients were consecutively recruited between June 2017 and March 2018. To determine factors associated with PPCM, the patients were compared with apparently healthy women who recently delivered, as controls.
Purpose: Survivorship care plans (SCPs) provide key information about cancer treatment history and follow-up recommendations. We describe the completeness of breast cancer SCPs and evaluate guideline concordance of follow-up recommendations.
Methods: We analyzed 149 breast cancer SCPs from two sites, abstracting demographics, cancer/treatment details, surveillance plans, and health promotion advice.
The by-products of solid waste deposited in a landfill has adverse effects on the surrounding environment and humans living closer to landfill sites. This study sought to test the hypothesis that the deposition of waste on landfill has an impact on the surrounding environment and residents living closer to it. This was achieved by evaluating the perception of the respondents drawn from people living close (100-500 m) and far (1-2 km) from the landfill site, concerning environmental issues, health problems, and life satisfaction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities are prevalent in subjects with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In this study, three groups of subjects were investigated and the prevalence of ECG abnormalities was analysed.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on adults between November 2010 and November 2011 at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.
Background: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is an excellent initial diagnostic technique used to evaluate and diagnose cardiac masses, even though transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) provides superior image resolution and better visualization of cardiac masses, especially in patients with suboptimal transthoracic echocardiographic studies. TTE is the clinical procedure of choice for identification of left ventricular thrombi. TTE has greater than 90% sensitivity and greater than 85% specificity for detection of left ventricular thrombi and is probably superior to the sensitivity and specificity of TEE, especially for apical thrombi.
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