Elevation in D-dimer concentrations is positively correlated with gestation in normal uncomplicated pregnancy.

Background: D-dimer levels have been reported to increase progressively during pregnancy, but how this affects Nigerian women is not well known.

Objective: This study aims to determine the D-dimer concentration and its relationship to other coagulation parameters among pregnant women in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Method: In a cross-sectional observational study conducted in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, 120 pregnant women and 60 nonpregnant controls, drawn from a tertiary health institution in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, were assessed, using the standard procedures, for the following parameters: D-dimer concentration, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, platelet count, hemoglobin, and packed cell volume.

Impact of short-term antiretroviral therapy (START) on some fibrinolytic markers in HIV-infected Nigerian adults: preliminary findings from the START study.

Background: Derangement in fibrinolytic markers can result in thrombosis and cardiovascular problems. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been reported to affect the levels of these markers. It is unclear how long a patient can be exposed to ART before the effect of the drugs on the fibrinolytic markers becomes noticeable; this short-term antiretroviral therapy (START) study aimed to answer this question.

Subclinical leukopenia in a cross section of Nigerian blood donors.

Background: Most studies on blood donors are centered on the selective evaluation of red blood cell parameters with little or no regard to white blood cells and platelets.

Methods: One hundred and twelve male blood donors comprising 43 first-time and 69 regular blood donors, drawn from a tertiary health facility in the Niger Delta of Nigeria, participated in the study. Their hematological parameters were assessed using a 3-part differential autohematology analyzer (PCE-210 N).

Isolated anti-HBc-IgM antibody among blood donors in the semi-arid region of Nigeria.

Laboratory screening for the diagnosis of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in blood donors currently consists of testing for hepatitis B surface (HBsAg) antigen alone. The prevalence of isolated anti-HBc-IgM is not yet known in the semi arid region of Nigeria. The major objective of this study was to determine the sero-prevalence of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc-IgM) and other infectious agent markers; HBsAg, HCV, HIV and Syphilis among blood donors in the North Eastern region of Nigeria.

Alloantibodies to human platelet glycoprotein antigens (HPA) and HLA class 1 in a cross section of Nigerian antenatal women.

The prevalence of antibodies to human platelet antigens (HPA) and human leukocyte antigens (HLA) class 1 antigens among Nigerian pregnant women has not been reported in our country. This study was therefore aimed at screening the obstetric population for evidence of alloimmunization due to human platelet and HLA class 1 antigens. One hundred and forty four (144) pregnant women attending the obstetric clinic of Military Hospital, Port Harcourt, participated in the study.

Frequencies of maternal red blood cell alloantibodies in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Background: Alloantibodies of clinical importance can cause transfusion reactions or hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). The frequencies of these antibodies have not been reported in our locality.

Aims: To determine the frequency of occurrence of alloantibodies among pregnant women in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Distribution of antibodies to Salmonella in the sera of blood donors in the south-western region of Nigeria.

Background: There are currently no reports of a multicentre assessment of the presence of antibodies to Salmonella in donated blood in Nigeria.

Materials And Methods: Blood specimens from blood donors presenting at six selected public blood collection centres in the south-western region of Nigeria were analysed for the presence of Salmonella antibodies.

Results: Out of the 200 specimen analysed, 106 (53%) were found to be Widal-positive with a minimum titre of 160.

Anaemia, iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia among blood donors in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Background: There is paucity of information on the effect of blood donation on iron stores in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The present study was, therefore, designed to assess, using a combination of haemoglobin and iron status parameters, the development of anaemia and prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in this area of Nigeria.

Materials And Methods: Three hundred and forty-eight unselected consecutive whole blood donors, comprising 96 regular donors, 156 relatives of patients and 96 voluntary donors, constituted the study population.

Sero-epidemiology of transfusion-transmissible infectious diseases among blood donors in Osogbo, south-west Nigeria.

Background: Transfusion-transmissible infectious agents such as hepatitis B virus (HBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and syphilis are among the greatest threats to blood safety for transfusion recipients and pose a serious public health problem. This cross-sectional study was undertaken with the aim of determining the seroprevalence of HIV, HCV, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and syphilis and correlates the findings with sex and age to ascertain the associations, if any, in the occurrence of the pathogens.

Materials And Methods: HBsAg, antibodies to Treponema pallidum and HCV were determined using Clinotech test strips.

HIV seropositivity and CD4 T-lymphocyte counts among infants and children in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Background: Most published reports on HIV prevalence are centered on adults of sexually active age and antenatal mothers with little or no regard to infants and children.

Methods: A total of one thousand (1000) children aged 1 to less than 15 years attending the various clinics at the Braithwait Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH), Port Harcourt were recruited into the study. Blood samples (3 millilitres of blood) were collected into a five millilitres syringe and the serum was used for serological testing of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and CD4 cell counts from EDTA blood.

Reference percentiles of hematological and biochemical iron values of blood donors in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

In a setting where there is no functional blood transfusion service, there is a need to establish reference values which will assist in determining the cut-off values of the donor pool and also to evaluate anemia. Three hundred and forty eight blood donors of both sexes, aged 18 to 62 years were studied in a cross-sectional descriptive study. Four biochemical parameters: serum ferritin (SF), serum iron (SI), total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and transferrin saturation (TS) and four hematological parameters: hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), total white blood cell count (WBC) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), were assessed.

Prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus in apparently healthy Port Harcourt blood donors and association with blood groups and other risk indicators.

Background: Testing for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is not yet mandatory in blood transfusion laboratories in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, so the current prevalence rate of this infection in our locality is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HCV among apparently healthy blood donors in our area and also to assess some of the risk factors associated with the infection.

Materials And Methods: The presence of anti-HCV antibodies was determined in the serum of 300 blood donors in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Depression of platelet counts in apparently healthy children with asymptomatic malaria infection in a Nigerian metropolitan city.

Asymptomatic malaria infection is a common feature of malaria endemic regions in the tropics. In this prospective cross sectional survey, involving 240 children aged 1 to 8 years (Boys = 117, Girls = 123; Ratio 1:1.05), the median platelet count was 115 x 10(9)/L (IQR 97.

Plasma levels of some blood coagulation parameters in Nigerian homozygous sickle cell patients (HbSS) in steady state.

The plasma levels of some blood coagulation parameters; prothrombin time, (PT), partial thromboplastin time with kaolin (PTTK), thrombin clotting time, (TCT), fibrinogen and factor X assay were determined in 50 Nigerian homozygous (HbSS) patients and 50 HbAA healthy individuals for the purpose of assessing their baseline values and susceptibility of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) to hyper coagulability. Standard procedures were used for all variables. The mean age of the study participants was 21.

Iron deficiency anaemia and evaluation of the utility of iron deficiency indicators among healthy Nigerian children.

The hemoglobin (Hb), serum iron (SI), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin saturation (TS) and serum ferritin (SF) values of 240 apparently healthy children were determined in a prospective cross-sectional study conducted in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Standard colorimetric and enzyme immunoassay procedures were used for the estimation all variables. The mean values of all parameters in this study population were; Hb (11.

Comparative analysis of malaria parasite density using actual and assumed white blood cell counts.

Aim: To compare malaria parasite densities, calculated using the white cell counts (WBC) of individual children with a standard WBC count of 8.0 x 10(9)/L.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, the prevalence of malaria WBCs and malaria parasite densities were estimated in 240 healthy Nigerian children aged 1-8 years.

Plasma fibrinogen levels in Nigerian homozygous (Hb SS) sickle cell patients.

The plasma fibrinogen levels in 50 Nigerian sickle cell disease (Hb SS) patients in steady state and 50 healthy age and sex-matched (Hb AA) control subjects were determined for the purpose of assessing their baseline values. The fibrinogen levels were assessed using two methods, the clot weight and Clauss, on all the samples for the purpose of comparison. It was observed in this study that the Hb SS patients had significantly higher fibrinogen levels than the healthy Hb AA control subjects, both by the clot weight method (p < 0.

Abnormal haemoglobin variants, ABO and Rh blood groups among student of African descent in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Background: Abnormal haemoglobin variants (HbSS,AS,AC,SC,etc) have been known to be common among blacks. Patients with sickle cell disease are often faced with the risk of alloimmunization from allogeneic blood transfusion.

Objectives: The study was designed to sample students population of African descents for the purpose of updating information on the prevalence of abnormal haemoglobin variants, ABO, and Rh blood groups and compare the results with previously published data.

An assessment of the clinical utility of routine antenatal screening of pregnant women at first clinic attendance for haemoglobin genotypes, haematocrit, ABO and Rh blood groups in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

This prospective study was designed to provide the frequencies of the haemoglobin genotypes, ABO and Rh blood groups and their effects on the haematocrit values among pregnant women in Port Harcourt. One hundred and eighty (180) pregnant women at their first clinic attendance and in their first pregnancy (parity - 0) participated in this study. The overall frequencies obtained for ABO and Rh blood groups were: 26.