A systematic analysis of neurologic manifestations of Long COVID in Nigeria.

Long COVID, also called post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) affects millions of people in the world. The neurologic manifestations of PASC (Neuro-PASC) are among the most debilitating but they are largely unreported in Africa. We sought to compare the demographics, symptoms and cognitive profile of post-hospitalization Neuro-PASC (PNP) and non-hospitalized Neuro-PASC (NNP) patients in Nigeria.

Pattern of admissions and needs assessment for palliative care services among in-patients in a tertiary health facility in South-Western Nigeria.

Background: Palliative care evolution focuses on education and medication accessibility. As little as 12% of palliative care needs are met. Assessment of the domains of Palliative care and patients' and families' experience are essential in life-limiting conditions.

Online palliative care curriculum: contextual adaptation for Nigerian healthcare workers.

Objectives: This study reports on a yearlong sequence of three periodic, virtual trainings in primary palliative care for healthcare professionals across Nigeria. Our overall objective was to determine the impact of the full course on participants' attitudes, knowledge, skills and plans to implement and deliver palliative care in their local contexts.

Methods: The curriculum for this programme was codeveloped by a team of USA and Nigerian palliative care professionals and delivered via three 3-day virtual sessions.

Antioxidant supplementation for sickle cell disease.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) refers to a group of genetic disorders characterized by the presence of an abnormal haemoglobin molecule called haemoglobin S (HbS). When subjected to oxidative stress from low oxygen concentrations, HbS molecules form rigid polymers, giving the red cell the typical sickle shape. Antioxidants have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and improve outcomes in other diseases associated with oxidative stress.

Blood Coagulation Normalization Effect of Parkia Biglobosa Seed on Potassium Bromate-induced Coagulopathy.

Background: Potassium bromate (KBrO3) has been reported to be toxic, adversely affecting many body tissues and organs. The aim of this study was to determine the blood coagulation effect of Parkia biglobosa (P. biglobosa) seed on potassium bromate induced coagulopathy.

Assessment of MTR Rs1805087 SNP as Possible Modifier of Sickle Cell Disease Severity in a Nigerian Population.

Background: Sickle cell disease is the commonest genetic disorder in Nigeria, affecting 2-3% of an estimated population of 160 million people. The role of genetic mutations in folate cycle genes, and the variable phenotypic expressions constituting disease severity, needs to be critically examined.

Objective: This study was carried out to establish the pattern of methionine synthase gene mutations (rs1805087 SNP), and its possible association with disease severity in adults with sickle cell anaemia in Lagos, Nigeria.

Building the Nigerian Palliative Care Workforce: An Interdisciplinary Distance Learning Training Program.

Background: Education and capacity building in palliative care are greatly needed in Nigeria. Currently, two institutions integrate palliative care into the undergraduate medical curriculum and no post graduate training exists. A team from the University of Lagos in Nigeria and Northwestern University in the US collaborated to design, implement, and evaluate a 12-hour virtual palliative care training program for Nigerian health professionals.

The impact of dolutegravir-based combination antiretroviral therapy on the spermatozoa and fertility parameters of men living with human immunodeficiency virus.

The factors responsible for this reported fertility decline among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive men is yet to be determined. This study is aimed at investigating the impact of HIV or combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) on sperm cells, reproductive hormones, oxidative stress markers, apoptosis, and sperm DNA fragmentation of men living with HIV. Twenty-one men living with HIV gave their written informed consent to participate in this study.

Palliative Care Challenges in Nigeria: A qualitative study of interprofessional perceptions.

Context: Palliative care awareness, education and practice vary widely across global health systems, especially throughout low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria. Unfortunately, qualitative investigations into the context, experiences and challenges of Nigerian health care professionals providing palliative care in these settings are still underrepresented in the literature.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to better understand the perceptions of palliative care providers in Nigeria.

Reduction in seroprevalence of viral transfusion-transmitted infections in southwest Nigeria in children with sickle cell disease using an enhanced screening strategy.

Blood transfusion is an integral component in the management of children and adults with sickle cell disease (SCD). Concerns about blood safety due to the high risk of bloodborne infections in sub-Saharan Africa limits the application of this cost-effective strategy in the management of individuals with SCD. In a single-centre, retrospective, longitudinal study in southwest Nigeria, we hypothesised that the use of stringent blood donor selection, along with very sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) screening methods would reduce transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs).

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on blood donations and transfusions in Nigeria - A multi-facility study of 34 tertiary hospitals.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected blood supplies globally. Mobile blood drive campaigns halted, and voluntary blood donations reduced, challenging available blood supplies. Furthermore, fears of virus transmission led to deferrals of elective surgeries and non-urgent clinical procedures with noticeable declines in blood donations and transfusions.

Pattern of Blood Donation and Transfusion Transmissible Infections in a Hospital-Based Blood Transfusion Service in Lagos, Nigeria.

Background: Blood transfusion therapy remains a mainstay in the care of many tropical diseases. Blood supply in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) including Nigeria is still a challenge in terms of perennial blood shortages and transfusion transmissible infections (TTI). This study aimed to describe blood donation patterns and compare the rates of TTIs among types of blood donors seen at LUTH.

Immune erythrocyte antibodies in adult patients with sickle cell disease and blood donors in Lagos, Nigeria: a comparative study.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) poses a major public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. Blood transfusion is a mainstay in SCD treatment. Erythrocyte alloimmunization is known to complicate the transfusional care of patients with SCD.

Outcome of acute myeloid leukaemia in Nigeria: clinician's perspective.

The outcome of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) has remained a major concern even in developed countries. In resource poor countries, it is envisaged that the outcome will be far worse because of late presentations, lack of appropriate diagnostic facilities and supportive care. However, data to validate this is lacking and many of these countries lack an effective cancer registry.

Transfusion support in patients with sickle cell disease.

Blood transfusions are an integral component of the management of acute and chronic complications of sickle cell disease. Red cells can be administered as a simple transfusion, part of a modified exchange procedure involving manual removal of autologous red cells and infusion of donor red cells, and part of an automated red cell exchange procedure using apheresis techniques. Individuals with sickle cell disease are at risk of multiple complications of blood transfusions, including transfusional hemosiderosis, auto- and alloimmunization to minor red cell and human leukocyte antigens, delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions, and hyper-hemolysis.

The impact of HIV-1 subtypes on virologic and immunologic treatment outcomes at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital: A longitudinal evaluation.

Introduction: HIV is a highly diverse virus with significant genetic variability which may confer biologic differences that could impact on treatment outcomes.

Materials And Methods: We studied the association between HIV subtypes and immunologic and virologic outcomes in a longitudinal cohort of 169 patients on combination antiretroviral therapy. Participants were followed up for 5 years.

Impact of Erythropoietin in the management of Hypoxic Ischaemic Encephalopathy in resource-constrained settings: protocol for a randomized control trial.

Background: Perinatal asphyxia, more appropriately known as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), is a condition characterized by clinical and laboratory evidence of acute or sub-acute brain injury resulting from systemic hypoxemia and/or reduced cerebral blood flow. HIE is a common and devastating clinical condition in resource-poor countries with poor treatment outcome. This paper describes the protocol for an ongoing study that aims to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of Erythropoietin (EPO) as compared to routine care in the management of moderate to severe HIE among term infants.

On artherogenic index of plasma in sickle cell anaemia patients.

Introduction: Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is an inherited abnormality of haemoglobin associated with reduced life expectancy. Patients' complications include dyslipideamia. This study was aimed at determining the artherogenic index of plasma (AIP) in sickle cell anaemia patients and compares the value to HbAA controls value.

Serum homocysteine and disease severity in sickle cell anemia patients in Lagos.

Hypercoagulability in sickle cell anemia (SCA) may be responsible for the increased development of vascular occlusion in certain organs as well as acute pain episodes. The causes of hypercoagulability in SCA are multifactorial and include raised homocysteine levels. This study, therefore, aimed to determine serum homocysteine levels in SCA patients in steady state and to correlate its levels with SCA disease severity.

Human immunodeficiency virus status in malnourished children seen at Lagos.

Introduction: Human immunodeficiency virus and protein energy malnutrition are still prevalent in Nigeria and the occurrence of the two conditions together confers a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to determine the current categories of malnutrition amongst under-5 children in Lagos, document their HIV status and determine any peculiarities in the clinical features, haematological and some biochemical profile in these children.

Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Paediatric departments of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and the Massey Street Children's Hospital, both in Lagos, over a 6-month period.

Risk factors and assessment for cardiovascular disease among HIV-positive patients attending a Nigerian tertiary hospital.

Introduction: Cardiovascular risk factors are prevalent in HIV-positive patients which places them at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed to determine the risk factors and risk assessment for CVD in HIV-positive patients with and without antiretroviral therapy.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of HIV-positive patients attending the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.

An audit of request forms submitted in a multidisciplinary diagnostic center in Lagos.

Introduction: Request forms are important means of communication between physicians and diagnostic service providers. Pre-analytical errors account for over two thirds of errors encountered in diagnostic service provision. The importance of adequate completion of request forms is usually underestimated by physicians which may result in medical errors or delay in instituting appropriate treatment.

Prevalence of anti-A and anti-B hemolysis among blood group O donors in Lagos.

Background: Group O donor blood is more readily available and is frequently used as universal red cell donor in our environment. The presence of hemolysins in the donors may however lead to hemolysis in the recipients. Attempts have been made to study the prevalence of hemolysins in various populations with results from our environment showing wide variation (20-80%).