Correction: Burden of disease and risk factors for mortality amongst hospitalized newborns in Nigeria and Kenya.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Prospective observational study of the challenges in diagnosing common neonatal conditions in Nigeria and Kenya.

Objectives: Accurate and timely diagnosis of common neonatal conditions is crucial for reducing neonatal deaths. In low/middle-income countries with limited resources, there is sparse information on how neonatal diagnoses are made. The aim of this study was to describe the diagnostic criteria used for common conditions in neonatal units (NNUs) in Nigeria and Kenya.

Enteral Feeding Practices for Very Preterm and Very Low Birth Weight Infants in Nigeria and Kenya.

Background: Optimizing nutrition in very preterm (28-32 weeks gestation) and very low birth weight (VLBW; 1,000 g to <1,500 g) infants has potential to improve their survival, growth, and long-term health outcomes.

Aim: To assess feeding practices in Nigeria and Kenya for very preterm and VLBW newborn infants.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study where convenience sampling was used.

Antenatal iron supplementation, FGF23, and bone metabolism in Kenyan women and their offspring: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) regulates body phosphate homeostasis primarily by increasing phosphaturia. It also acts as a vitamin D-regulating hormone. Maternal iron deficiency is associated with perturbed expression and/or regulation of FGF23 and hence might be implicated in the pathogenesis of hypophosphatemia-driven rickets in their offspring.

Burden of disease and risk factors for mortality amongst hospitalized newborns in Nigeria and Kenya.

Objective: To describe the patient population, priority diseases and outcomes in newborns admitted <48 hours old to neonatal units in both Kenya and Nigeria.

Study Design: In a network of seven secondary and tertiary level neonatal units in Nigeria and Kenya, we captured anonymised data on all admissions <48 hours of age over a 6-month period.

Results: 2280 newborns were admitted.

Comparison of home fortification with two iron formulations among Kenyan children: Rationale and design of a placebo-controlled non-inferiority trial.

Introduction: Home fortification powders containing iron and other micronutrients have been recommended by World Health Organisation to prevent iron deficiency anaemia in areas of high prevalence. There is evidence, however, that home fortification at this iron dose may cause gastrointestinal adverse events including diarrhoea. Providing a low dose of highly absorbable iron (3 mg iron as NaFeEDTA) may be safer because the decreased amount of iron in the gut lumen can possibly reduce the burden of these adverse effects whilst resulting in similar or higher amounts of absorbed iron.

Adherence to home fortification with micronutrient powders in Kenyan pre-school children: self-reporting and sachet counts compared to an electronic monitoring device.

Background: The efficacy of home fortification with iron-containing micronutrient powders varies between trials, perhaps in part due to population differences in adherence. We aimed to assess to what extent adherence measured by sachet count or self-reporting forms is in agreement with adherence measured by electronic device. In addition, we explored how each method of adherence assessment (electronic device, sachet count, self-reporting forms) is associated with haemoglobin concentration measured at the end of intervention; and to what extent baseline factors were associated with adherence as measured by electronic device.

Diagnostic utility of zinc protoporphyrin to detect iron deficiency in Kenyan preschool children: a community-based survey.

Background: Zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) has been used to screen and manage iron deficiency in individual children, but it has also been recommended to assess population iron status. The diagnostic utility of ZPP used in combination with haemoglobin concentration has not been evaluated in pre-school children. We aimed to a) identify factors associated with ZPP in children aged 12-36 months; b) assess the diagnostic performance and utility of ZPP, either alone or in combination with haemoglobin, to detect iron deficiency.

Daily home fortification with iron as ferrous fumarate versus NaFeEDTA: a randomised, placebo-controlled, non-inferiority trial in Kenyan children.

Background: We aimed to show the non-inferiority of home fortification with a daily dose of 3 mg iron in the form of iron as ferric sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (NaFeEDTA) compared with 12.5 mg iron as encapsulated ferrous fumarate in Kenyan children aged 12-36 months. In addition, we updated a recent meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of home fortification with iron-containing powders, with a view to examining diversity in trial results.

Effect of Daily Antenatal Iron Supplementation on Plasmodium Infection in Kenyan Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Anemia affects most pregnant African women and is predominantly due to iron deficiency, but antenatal iron supplementation has uncertain health benefits and can increase the malaria burden.

Objective: To measure the effect of antenatal iron supplementation on maternal Plasmodium infection risk, maternal iron status, and neonatal outcomes.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Randomized placebo-controlled trial conducted October 2011 through April 2013 in a malaria endemic area among 470 rural Kenyan women aged 15 to 45 years with singleton pregnancies, gestational age of 13 to 23 weeks, and hemoglobin concentration of 9 g/dL or greater.

Alpha+ -thalassemia protects against anemia associated with asymptomatic malaria: evidence from community-based surveys in Tanzania and Kenya.

Background: In hospital-based studies, alpha(+)-thalassemia has been found to protect against severe, life-threatening falciparum malaria. alpha(+)-Thalassemia does not seem to prevent infection or high parasite densities but rather limits progression to severe disease--in particular, severe malarial anemia. We assessed to what extent alpha(+)-thalassemia influences the association between mild, asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infection and hemoglobin concentration.