Publications by authors named "Pantong Davwar"
Background: People living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at a greater risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), potentially due to the stimulation of inflammation by HIV infection. Inflammation-related DNA methylation signatures obtained in liquid biopsy, such as circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA), may serve as promising minimally invasive biomarkers that can inform diagnosis of HCC.
Methods: Using data from 249 individuals with HIV (114 individuals with normal liver conditions, 69 with fibrosis, 30 with cirrhosis, and 36 with HCC), we constructed a cfDNA methylation-based inflammation score (inflammation-DNAm score) based on 54 CpGs previously associated with circulating C-reactive protein concentrations.
Hepatitis B and C Virus Co-Infection and Their Association With Liver Disease in Persons With HIV in Nigeria.
J Int Assoc Provid AIDS Care
October 2024
People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who have hepatitis B or C infection have a higher chance of developing advanced liver disease than those who do not have either of the hepatitis infections. This finding highlights the importance of awareness, screening, and treatment of the hepatitis viruses in HIV programs in order to reduce the risk of liver disease in this population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - The study investigates the connection between obesity criteria and cardiovascular disease indicators in people living with HIV (PLHIV), focusing on 140 HIV-infected patients in Nigeria.
- - It finds a varying prevalence of obesity based on different criteria, with only 9.3% showing obesity across all four measures; BMI correlated with hypertension, while waist-hip-ratio linked to both hypertension and dyslipidaemia.
- - The research suggests that a standardized assessment of obesity, particularly central obesity, is crucial for evaluating cardiovascular risk in PLHIV, as no significant relationship was found between obesity and HIV-related factors.
Background: Infectious disease treatment and prevention are threatened by antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally. The knowledge and attitudes of doctors regarding AMR and the responsible use of antibiotics are critical to improving prescribing behaviours and mitigating the danger that AMR poses. This study aims to assess the knowledge attitudes and practices of doctors in Nigeria regarding AMR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) elimination requires expanding and decentralising HBV care services. However, peripheral health facilities lack access to diagnostic tools to assess eligibility for antiviral therapy. Through the Hepatitis B in Africa Collaborative Network (HEPSANET), we aimed to develop and evaluate a score using tests generally available at lower-level facilities, to simplify the evaluation of antiviral therapy eligibility in people living with HBV.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Aflatoxin B1causes damage to the DNA by the alkylation of bases and P53 mutation. Exposure to this mycotoxin is associated with the development of liver cancer. Measures to reduce grain and cereal contamination have been a focus however, the effects of these measures are still lagging behind and exposure continues to occur even in populations at risk of developing liver cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Clinical deterioration in critically ill patients is a common phenomenon that can occur several hours before an adverse outcome. Early detection of subtle changes in vital signs, such as alterations in pulse rate and blood pressure, is crucial for preventing adverse events. However, these are not often recognized early enough to prompt quick intervention.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFApproximately 80 million people live with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the WHO Africa Region. The natural history of HBV infection in this population is poorly characterised, and may differ from patterns observed elsewhere due to differences in prevailing genotypes, environmental exposures, co-infections, and host genetics. Existing research is largely drawn from small, single-centre cohorts, with limited follow-up time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an increasing cause of mortality in Nigeria among persons with HIV (PLH), as access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) improves. In this study we describe clinical, radiological, and laboratory characteristics in Nigerian adults with HCC, with and without HIV, and examine how HIV impacts survival.
Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted between August 2018 and November 2021 at two Nigerian hospitals [Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH)].
Article Synopsis
- In sub-Saharan Africa, there's a need for simple liver fibrosis biomarkers to improve hepatitis B treatment, based on a study of 3,548 patients across eight countries.
- The study used a Bayesian bivariate model to evaluate existing biomarkers against a reliable test (transient elastography) and found that the current World Health Organization (WHO) threshold for cirrhosis was too high, resulting in low sensitivity for detecting fibrosis.
- The researchers proposed new optimized thresholds for the aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index, which enhance the ability to identify patients requiring treatment while reducing misdiagnoses in this context.
A new approach to prevent, diagnose, and treat hepatitis B in Africa.
BMC Glob Public Health
November 2023
Article Synopsis
- There are 82 million people with hepatitis B in Africa, leading to 990,000 new infections annually due to inadequate vaccination and prevention strategies during childbirth.
- Despite effective antiviral treatments available, less than 2% of those infected are diagnosed and only 0.1% receive treatment, resulting in 80,000 deaths each year mostly at late disease stages.
- Major challenges include complex treatment guidelines, lack of affordable diagnostics, insufficient funding, and existing healthcare infrastructure, necessitating simplified treatment criteria and community-based programs to improve care and achieve hepatitis B elimination.
Background: Previous studies in Nigeria have reported the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype E and the availability of immune escape mutants. There is a paucity of data on chronic patients on long-term antiviral therapy for HBV infection.
Objective: This study assessed HBV genotypes and drug resistance variants among patients with chronic HBV infection receiving tenofovir in Jos, Nigeria.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a disease of global public health significance with mortality on the rise, despite the preventable nature of its risk factors especially in Africa. It is now the sixth most common cancer worldwide, fifth in males, and ninth in females. HCC incidence and mortality are predicted to increase in African countries constrained by limited resources to combat endemic levels of viral infection and synergistic environmental risk factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCharacteristics, management, and outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Africa: a multicountry observational study from the Africa Liver Cancer Consortium.
Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol
February 2017
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma is a leading cause of cancer-related death in Africa, but there is still no comprehensive description of the current status of its epidemiology in Africa. We therefore initiated an African hepatocellular carcinoma consortium aiming to describe the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in Africa.
Methods: We did a multicentre, multicountry, retrospective observational cohort study, inviting investigators from the African Network for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases to participate in the consortium to develop hepatocellular carcinoma research databases and biospecimen repositories.