Constraints and prospects in the management of pediatric HIV/AIDS.

Background: Pediatric HIV/AIDS is increasing in Nigeria through mother-to-child transmission. Lack of diagnostic facility and affordability of therapy are major constraints. These factors were examined in Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) between 1996 and 2002.

Arterial injuries in civilian practice in Lagos, Nigeria.

Objective: This is a retrospective study of patients managed at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital for peripheral arterial injuries from January 1995 to April 2003. The aim was to study the pattern of peripheral arterial injuries in Lagos. Nigeria and to look at the outcome of management and see what improvements could be made in future.

Histological Review of Thyroid Lesions: A 13-year Retrospective Study (1989-2001).

Objective: We present a 13-years retrospective histological study of 444 thyroidectomies received between 1989 and 2001 at the Morbid Anatomy department of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. The aim of the study is to update the available literature on the frequencies of the common thyroid lesions as well as compare with previous studies.

Materials And Methods: The materials for this study consist of slides and paraffin embedded blocks of all thyroidectomies received from within and outside the teaching hospital.

Clinical evaluation of extract of Cajanus cajan (Ciklavit) in sickle cell anaemia.

The major pathology in sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is sickling of red cells due to the precipitation of reduced haemoglobin. We report our experience with extract of Cajanus cajan as a possible antisickling agent by determining changes, if any, in clinical and laboratory features of the disease in patients given the extract in a single-blind placebo-controlled study. One hundred patients with steady-state SCA were randomized into treatment and placebo arms.

Penetrating chest trauma in Nigeria.

Penetrating chest trauma occurs worldwide, and various accounts of it have been reported in the literature.(1)(-)(5) Blunt trauma is not usually associated with military or civilian violence, while penetrating chest trauma often is. Penetrating chest trauma is frequently caused by gunshots and non gunshot-related incidents such as stabs, traffic accidents, and impalements.

Experience in oesophageal substitution in Lagos, Nigeria.

This is an audit of five years work (1996 - 2001), in oesophageal substitution at the Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. The study aimed at highlighting the current trends in indication and methods of oesophageal substitution in the context of our experience. We did a retrospective study of all who required oesophageal substitution during the period of study.

Modified Allen's Test in radiocephalic arterio-venous fistula creation: how relevant?

The significance of the Modified Allen's Test has not been determined in Nigerians who need forearm arterio-venous fistulae. We sought to determine this in thirty-four patients who needed forearm arterio-venous fistulae for haemodialysis. Side-to-end radio-cephalic arterio-venous fistulae were successfully created on their forearms notwithstanding the result of Modified Allen's test.

Prevalence of trichomonas vaginalis in patients with vaginal discharge in Lagos, Nigeria.

Trichomonas vaginalis is the most prevalent, non-viral sexually transmitted infection worldwide and probably the most commonly treatable in Africa and worldwide. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of T. vaginalis among women with vaginal discharge attending a gynaecologic clinic in Lagos and to identify the common characteristics of the vaginal discharge in T Vaginalis.

A study of the anaerobic bacterial flora of the female genital tract in health and disease.

Semi-quantitative and qualitative bacterial assessment of the vaginal and cervical flora of a total of 202 women was carried out over a period of six months to determine the bacterial flora in three groups of women and changes caused by prior use of antibiotics. The number was made up of 32 healthy volunteers, 80 women with gynaecological problems and 90 women with gynaecological infections who had had antibiotic treatment prior to this study. Standard methods were used for the investigations.

Use of alternative medicine by patients with epilepsy: a survey of 265 epileptic patients in a developing country.

We evaluated the use of alternative treatment methods, in various forms, by epileptic patients who had used these forms of treatment before seeking hospital treatment. Among the 265 epileptic patients, 47.6% used African traditional medicine alone: 24.

Morphological changes found in the testes of 177 Nigerian males investigated for infertility.

One hundred and seventy-seven men who had testicular biopsies done for infertility investigations over a 5-year period (1983-1987) were studied. Twenty per cent had normal histological pictures. Varying degrees of hypospermatogenesis were seen in 49% while 19% had chronic non-specific orchitis.

Haemagglutinating and buccal epithelial cell adherence activities of Vibrio parahaemolyticus: correlation with virulence.

Clinical and environmental isolates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus were examined for their ability to agglutinate human and rabbit erythrocyte and to adhere to human buccal epithelial (HBE) cells in the presence or absence of mannose. All strains produced cell-associated haemagglutinins (HGs) after 3 h at 37 degrees C. Mannose-sensitive haemagglutination (MSHA) appeared to be a significant marker for differentiating between clinical and environmental isolates; 75% of clinical and 11% of environmental isolates exhibited MSHA with rabbit erythrocytes.

Seasonal variations in the incidence of photoparoxysmal response to stimulation among photosensitive epileptic patients: evidence from repeated EEG recordings.

EEG records of photosensitive epileptic patients with repeated EEG recordings at different seasons of the year, were examined for the occurrence of photoparoxysmal response to photic stimulation (photoparoxysmal discharges (PPD]. Recordings in summer showed a lower incidence of PPD compared with recordings in other seasons. Recordings in winter showed a higher incidence of PPD compared with recordings in other seasons.