ASSESSMENT OF THROMBOSPONDIN-1 IN SICKLE CELL VASOOCCLUSIVE CRISIS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH PLATELET INDICES AND INFLAMMATION.

Introduction: Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is a key protein product of activated platelets which is significantly increased in sickle cell vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) and other inflammatory conditions. This study aims to determine TSP-1 levels and their relationship with platelet indices and inflammation.

Objective: To evaluate TSP-1 levels in sickle cell anaemia (SCA) patients and assess their relationship with platelet indices and inflammation.

The Neuropeptide Substance P is Elevated in Sickle Cell Disease and is a Marker of Severity of Vaso-occlusive Crisis.

Background: Acute episode of pain is the most frequent symptom for which patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) seek medical attention. The neuropeptide Substance P (SP) has been suggested as a possible aetiologic factor. This study compared the serum levels of SP in SCD subjects in painful vaso-occlusive crisis with those in steady state and normal HbAA subjects.

Late presentation of chronic myeloid leukaemia patients in a low-income country: the prognostic implications and impact on treatment outcome.

Background: In Nigeria, since 2002, Imatinib mesylate (glivec) has been available freely to chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients but only at a tertiary health care centre in the southwestern part of the country. Despite this, it is not readily accessible to many patients due to the distance and other challenges including low socioeconomic status and political problems, preventing timely access to specialist care. This study evaluated the effect of the baseline characteristics on the prognostic implication and treatment outcome of CML patients in Nigeria.

Platelet Indices and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate are useful Parameters in the Assessment of a Cohort of Nigerian Women with Preeclampsia.

Background: The study compared some haematological parameters in normotensive pregnant women with those of women with pre-eclampsia (PE) to identify those parameters that may reinforce the occurrence and severity of PE.

Methods: The study was a case-control study involving 40 pre-eclamptic women as subjects and 40 normotensive pregnant women as controls. The subjects were classified into mild and severe based on their blood pressure of >140/90 mmHg and >169/100 mmHg, respectively.

Multiple Blood Transfusion may contribute to Abnormal Liver and Endocrine Functions in Adults with Sickle Cell Anaemia.

Background: The study evaluated the effect of multiple blood transfusions on the prevalence of iron load and its effects on organ functions in patients with sickle cell anaemia (SCA).

Methodology: Sixty-seven multiply transfused SCA subjects and 58 non-multiply transfused SCA controls were investigated. Serum ferritin, insulin, growth hormone (GH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) were measured by the ELISA method while plasma alanine transaminase (ALT) was measured spectrophotometrically.

Distribution of Transcript Variants in Nigerians with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.

The distribution of transcript variants e13a2 ("b2a2") and e14a2 ("b3a2") in Nigerians with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) had not been previously studied. In addition, there is paucity of data on the impact of transcript variants on clinical presentation and survival in CML patients in Nigeria. The transcript variants were analyzed in 230 Imatinib-treated CML patients at diagnosis.

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in Nigerian Patients: Anemia is an Independent Predictor of Overall Survival.

Objectives: The advent of the tyrosine kinase inhibitors has markedly changed the prognostic outlook for patients with Ph(+) and/or BCR-ABL1 (+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). This study was designed to assess the overall survival (OS) of Nigerian patients with CML receiving imatinib therapy and to identify the significant predictors of OS.

Methods: All patients with CML receiving imatinib from July 2003 to June 2013 were studied.

Occult Hepatitis B virus infection in previously screened, blood donors in Ile-Ife, Nigeria: implications for blood transfusion and stem cell transplantation.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission through blood transfusion is reduced by screening for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). However this method cannot detect the presence of occult hepatitis B virus infection. This study sought to determine the prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus infection among blood donors in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Preliminary report of HLA (DNA) typing of Nigerians using sequence-specific primer technique.

Aims And Objectives: This communication is an attempt to present the experience and a preliminary report of results over a one-year period.

Patients And Methods: From December 2011 to December 2012, a prospective determination of the HLA types of 20 individuals referred to the Tissue Typing Laboratory of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife was done. These consisted of prospective transplant recipients, their donors, and a migrant pair for kinship determination.

PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED CHARACTERISTICS OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (CMV) IMMUNOGLOBULIN ANTIBODIES AMONG BLOOD DONORS AT A UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL IN NIGERIA.

Background: The screening for cytomegalovirus (CMV) specific antibodies is not routine in our setting, thus the transfusion of blood portends high risk for susceptible individuals.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of IgG and IgM specific antibodies and associated characteristics in blood donors seen at a referral teaching hospital in Nigeria.

Design: Prospective, cross-sectional and descriptive study.

Haemophilic arthropathy; a case report.

Aims And Objectives: The objective of this article is to report a rarely encountered case of haemophilic arthropathy which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of knee swelling.

Patients And Methods: The history. physical findings and results of investigations of a patient presenting with haemophilic arthropathy and the past medical records of the patient were reviewed with relevant literature.

Imatinib (Glivec) and gastrointestinal stromal tumours in Nigerians.

Background: To assess the response and the impact on the overall survival (OS) on c-KIT-positive (CD117+) gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) patients treated with imatinib mesylate.

Methods: Between July 2003 and December 2012, consenting patients with advanced c-kit-positive GISTs were enrolled to receive imatinib mesylate therapy at a dose of 400mg - 800mg daily, supplied gratis by Novartis Pharma (Basel, Switzerland) under its GIPAP initiative. Disease severity was based on tumour site, size and mitotic index at diagnosis.

Hepatitis B viral markers in surface antigen negative blood donors: the need to look beyond antibody negativity.

Background: The presence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) in blood that is Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) negative is considered a potential risk for transmission of hepatitis B virus infection.

Objective: To determine prevalence of antibodies to markers of hepatitis B virus infection in HBsAg negative prospective blood donors.

Methods: A structured questionnaire to assess prospective donor's demographic data and past medical history was administered to 457 consenting HBsAg negative subjects.

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: a-twenty-years experience and problems in Ile-Ife, South-Western Nigeria.

Aim: To investigate the usefulness of some clinical and laboratory parameters in assessing the prognosis and survival of CLL in a resource-limited setting.

Methods: Between September 1986 and March 2007, 79 consecutive patients were retrospectively studied. Diagnosis was based on clinical and haematological findings.

An appraisal of kidney dysfunction and its risk factors in patients with sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disease (SCD), a genetically inherited disease of blacks, often presents with disabling acute complications which can occasionally be fatal. Its renal manifestations are increasingly being recognized as affected patients now survive to middle and rarely old age. We set out to determine the magnitude of kidney dysfunction in our SCD patient population and evaluate its predictive factors.

AIDS-related lymphomas in Nigeria.

Aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), including primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma, lymphoblastic lymphoma and non-endemic Burkitt's lymphoma have been recognized as AIDS-defining cancers in most developed countries. However, HIV/AIDS epidemics appear not to have been associated with higher incidence of lymphomas in Africa. We therefore carried out this study to highlight the significance or otherwise of HIV/AIDS epidemics in the pathogenesis of lymphomas in a population of Nigerians with the disease.

Blood transfusion reactions; evaluation of 462 transfusions at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria.

The immuno-haematological safety of blood remains an important and recurring issue in blood transfusion practice. Data concerning morbidity and mortality from blood transfusion is sparse in Nigeria however and while the current efforts at reduction in the incidence of adverse consequence of blood transfusion is encapsulated in the concept of Haemovigilance, the Nigerian blood transfusion service is yet to institute the practice. A prospective study of 462 transfusions at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital was done to evaluate the incidence and pattern of transfusion reactions in the hospital.

Relation between erythrocyte sedimentation rate, clinical and immune status in HIV-infected patients.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the clinical and immunologic implications of an elevated ESR in HIV-infected patients.

Method: One hundred and four consecutive HAART naïve human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected adult patients and fifty one controls were studied. Detailed history was taken and full physical examination was conducted.

Lupus anticoagulant in Nigerian patients living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Background And Purpose: Lupus anticoagulants (LACs) are frequently found in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study was designed to examine the prevalence of LACs and its significance in HIV-infected Nigerian patients.

Methods: LACs were assayed, and complete blood count and direct Coombs' test (DCT) were performed for 155 participants.

HELLP syndrome: the experience at Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Between 1 January and 31 December, 2006, 34 consecutive cases of severe pre-eclampsia (12), imminent eclampsia (10) and eclampsia (12) who were admitted at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife in the south-western part of Nigeria, were investigated for the development of HELLP (haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count) syndrome in a prospective study. The ages of the women ranged from 18 to 38 years, parity 0-5 and the estimated gestational age from 18-41 weeks at presentation. A total of 26 (76.

Relation between erythrocyte sedimentation rate, clinical and immune status in HIV-infected patients.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the clinical and immunologic implications of an elevated ESR in HIV-infected patients.

Method: One hundred and four consecutive HAART naïve human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected adult patients and fifty one controls were studied. Detailed history was taken and full physical examination was conducted.

Immunohematological characteristics of Nigerian sickle cell disease patients with osteomyelitis.

Objective: We aimed in this paper to investigate some immunohematological characteristics of Nigerian sickle cell anemia (SCA) patients with osteomyelitis.

Methods: Thirty SCA patients with osteomyelitis (SO) and 30 SCA patients without osteomyelitis (S) were investigated. The PCV, WBC and platelet count were done on automated counter, while the erytorocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was determined by Westergren's technique.

Clinical and laboratory features of Nigerian patients with osteomyelitis.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of Nigerian patients with osteomyelitis.

Methods: 30 patients with osteomyelitis and 30 apparently-healthy age- and sex-matched controls were investigated. The packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cells (WBC) and differentials, and platelet counts were measured using an automated counter, while the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was determined by Westergren's technique.

Pre-donation screening of intending blood donors for antibodies to infectious agents in a Nigerian tertiary health institution: a pilot study.

Large pools of blood donors are difficult to get in most donor centres in Nigeria; donors come in trickles and only when there is pressing need. Predonation screening for transmissible agents, using induvidualised rapid screening techniques is often employed to avoid wastage of blood bags and reagents. The aim is to compare the relative prevalences of serum markers of infectious diseases in intending blood donors before blood donation for the purpose of elimination.