Estimations of total serum testosterone levels in Nigerian term neonates at birth using anogenital distance measurements.

Background In genital anomalies, measurement of total testosterone is required but is expensive and technically difficult to assay. Therefore, the measurement of anogenital distance, which is non-invasive and cheap, could be used to estimate total serum testosterone in neonates. The objective if this study is to determine the relationship between total serum testosterone and anogenital distance and estimate total serum testosterone levels in term neonates using measurements of anogenital distance.

Iron deficiency, still a rarity in children with sickle cell anemia in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

In this study, children with sickle cell anemia were evaluated for iron deficiency. Serum ferritin and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) levels, mean corpuscular volume mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) were used in determining their iron status. The study was done at Pediatric Hematology Outpatient Clinic of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals' Complex, Ile-Ife.

Filtered sunlight, solar powered phototherapy and other strategies for managing neonatal jaundice in low-resource settings.

Challenges in treating severe neonatal jaundice in low and middle-income country settings still exist at many levels. These include: a lack of awareness of causes and prevention by families, communities and even sometimes health care professionals; insufficient, ineffective, high quality affordable diagnostic and therapeutic options; limited availability of rehabilitation provision for kernicterus. Collectively these challenges lead to an unacceptably high global morbidity and mortality from severe neonatal jaundice.

Pattern, etiological factors and determinants of mortality among sick newborns with seizures in Ilesa, Nigeria.

Background: Neonatal seizures contribute significantly to newborn morbidity and mortality particularly in developing countries including Nigeria. Unfortunately the countries with high incidence of neonatal seizures often lack the facilities to adequately diagnose, monitor and prognosticate the condition.

Objective: We set out to determine the factors at presentation that predict death among babies admitted with clinically identifiable seizures.

A modified Bilirubin-induced neurologic dysfunction (BIND-M) algorithm is useful in evaluating severity of jaundice in a resource-limited setting.

Background: Severe neonatal jaundice with associated acute bilirubin encephalopathy occurs frequently in low- and middle-income countries, where advanced diagnostic technology is in short supply. In an effort to facilitate the physical diagnosis of acute bilirubin encephalopathy, we pilot-tested a modified bilirubin induced neurologic dysfunction scoring algorithm in a group of pediatric trainees (residents) and their mentors (consultants) in a resource-constrained setting.

Methods: Jaundiced Nigerian infants were examined by consultant and resident pediatricians.

Early neonatal bilirubin, hematocrit, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase status.

Objective: To document the patterns of bilirubin and hematocrit values among glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)-deficient and G6PD-normal Nigerian neonates in the first week of life, in the absence of exposure to known icterogenic agents.

Methods: The G6PD status of consecutive term and near-term neonates was determined, and their bilirubin levels and hematocrits were monitored during the first week of life. Infants were stratified into G6PD deficient, intermediate, and normal on the basis of the modified Beutler's fluorescent spot test.

Irradiance readings of phototherapy equipment: Nigeria.

Phototherapy devices (n = 63) at twelve nurseries in Nigeria were evaluated. Irradiance was measured using the BiliBlanket Meter II. Irradiance readings ranged from 0.

Impact of intestinal helminthiases on the nutritional status of primary-school children in Osun state, south-western Nigeria.

In January-March 2000, the impact of intestinal helminthiases on the nutritional status of 749 pupils (353 boys and 396 girls) attending public primary schools in the Ife Central local government area of Osun state, in south-western Nigeria, was investigated. Demographic, socio-economic and other relevant information was collected on the pupils, on the same day that a single stool sample was collected from each subject and examined, using Stoll's dilution egg-count technique. The weights, heights and ages of the subjects were recorded and converted to percentages of the reference medians for weight-for-height, weight-for-age and height-for-age.

Why we are still doing so many exchange blood transfusion for neonatal jaundice in Nigeria.

Background: Since exchange blood transfusion (EBT) is associated with serious complications, phototherapy has been made more powerful to reduce the need for EBT in the developed world. This study was undertaken to determine the indications for EBT in neonatal jaundice (NNJ) at our unit and what proportion of EBTs was possibly avoidable.

Methods: All the babies who had EBT for hyperbilirubinemia over a three-year period were included.

Prevalence and problems of foetal malnutrition in term babies at Wesley Guild Hospital, South Western Nigeria.

Background: Up to two-thirds of low birth weight babies delivered in the developing countries are also small for gestational age (SGA). Since SGA is common in West Africa, FM is expected to be common in the region.

Objective: To determine the pattern, prevalence, and problems of FM among term babies delivered at a General Hospital.

Comparison between CANSCORE and other anthropometric indicators in fetal malnutrition.

Objective: Early detection of malnutrition in newborn babies is of major importance in order to prevent associated serious sequelae. Main objective of the study was to compare various anthropometric methods with Clinical assessment of nutritional status score (CANSCORE) in assessing fetal malnutrition.

Methods: Subjects were consecutive, live, singleton, full term neonates delivered in the hospital.

Intestinal helminthiases among rural and urban schoolchildren in south-western Nigeria.

The prevalences and intensities of intestinal helminthic infection among primary schoolchildren were determined in rural and urban communities of the Ife Central local government area, in south-western Nigeria. After the schools in the study area had been stratified into urban and rural, a random sample from each stratum was selected for further study. In each study school, a single fresh stool specimen was obtained from each pupil in randomly selected classes and checked, using a quantitative method (Stoll's dilution egg-count technique), for helminth eggs and larvae.

Neonatal tetanus at the close of the 20th century in Nigeria.

The year 2000 marked another failed World Health Organization deadline for neonatal tetanus (NNT) eradication. Existing preventive strategies can be enhanced by exploring factors involved in the persistence of the scourge. Thus, records of neonates admitted between 1996 and 2000 into the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, were analysed.

Associations between placental and cord blood malaria infection and fetal malnutrition in an area of malaria holoendemicity.

The objective of this study was to determine the role of malaria in the etiology of fetal malnutrition in Nigeria. This study took place at the Neonatal and Maternity Units of the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, Nigeria. This is a prospective study of 304 consecutive, singleton, term live births delivered between January and August 2002.

Maternal factors in the etiology of fetal malnutrition in Nigeria.

Background: The main objective of the study was to determine the role of maternal factors in the etiology of fetal malnutrition (FM) in Nigeria. Neonatal and Maternity Units of the Wesley Guild Hospital Ilesa, Nigeria, a unit of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife was the setting for the study.

Methods: This was a prospective study of consecutive, singleton, term live babies delivered between January and August 2001.

Latrogenic burns injury complicating neonatal resuscitation.

A case ofiatrogenic thermal injury in a newborn infant during resuscitation for perinatal asphyxia at a secondary health facility is described. The injury, with surface area coverage of about 4%, involved the lower limbs. This report highlights the poor newborn resuscitation skills of traditional medical practice.

Comparative study of nutritional status of urban and rural Nigerian school children.

Nutritional assessment in the community is essential for accurate planning and implementation of intervention programmes to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with under-nutrition. The study was, therefore, carried out to determine and compare the nutritional status of children attending urban and rural public primary schools in Ife Central Local Government Area (ICLGA) of Nigeria. The schools were stratified into urban and rural, and studied schools were selected by balloting.

Prevalence of congenital malaria in Ile-ife, Nigeria.

The study was designed to determine the prevalence of congenital malaria, cord blood and placental malaria parasitaemia and the prevalence of clinical manifestations of congenital malaria. Ile-Ife is a holoendemic area for malaria. Placental, cord and peripheral blood smears of 120 newborn babies were examined for malaria parasites.

Use of biomarkers of sub-clinical infection, nutrition and neonatal maturity to interpret plasma retinol in Nigerian neonates.

Using the World Health Organization criterion, the prevalence of sub-clinical vitamin A deficiency can be assessed using plasma retinol concentrations <0.7 micromol/l. However, plasma retinol can be depressed by infection; thus, the use of this criterion alone may overestimate deficiency.

Septicaemia in high risk neonates at a teaching hospital in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Objectives: To determine the incidence, predisposing factors, clinical features, bacteriological pattern and antibiotic sensitivity in septicaemia in high-risk newborns.

Design: A prospective study.

Setting: Neonatal unit, Ife State Hospital, a unit of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, Nigeria.