Quality of life of colorectal cancer survivors in a Ghanaian population

Objective: We collected data to evaluate the quality of life of patients who have survived between one and 8 years from the diagnosis of colorectal cancer. Data description: We collected quality of life (QoL) data from colorectal patients who were diagnosed between 2009 and 2015 at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and have survived until January 2017. The dataset consists of patients\u27 demographic data, clinicopathological characteristics, and QoL data. The validated QoL instruments for data curation was an adopted version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 and the EORTC QLQ-CR29. The QLQ-C30 was a 30-item general cancer instrument with 5 functional subscales, and 9 symptom subscales, whereas the QLQ-CR29 was a 29-item scale that consisted of 3 functional QOL subscales and 14 symptom subscales, that are associated with colorectal cancer and its treatment. The QoL instrument was coded such that higher scores indicated increased function and better QoL, and higher symptom scores represent worse symptoms

Assessing the variability and predictability of adipokines (adiponectin, leptin, resistin and their ratios) in non-obese and obese women with anovulatory polycystic ovary syndrome

Objectives To assess the variability and predictability of adiponectin, leptin, resistin and their ratios in non-obese and obese women with anovulatory polycystic ovary syndrome (aPCOS). Results A total of 52 ovulatory controls (mean age = 31.63 ± 4.88 years, BMI = 25.33 ± 2.68 kg/m2); 54 non-obese (mean age = 32.11 ± 4.25 years, BMI = 25.72 ± 2.95 kg/m2) and 50 obese women with aPCOS (mean age = 33.64 ± 4.14 years, BMI = 39.19 ± 2.99 kg/m2) were recruited. The aPCOS group had lower adiponectin [13.0 (10.49–16.59) vs 18.42 (15.72–19.92) µg/ml, p \u3c 0.0001], adiponectin: leptin ratio (A:L) [0.60 (0.35–0.88) vs 1.19 (0.92–1.37), p \u3c 0.0001], and adiponectin: resistin ratio (A:R) [0.30 (0.21–0.43) vs 0.42 (0.32–0.62), p \u3c 0.0001] but a higher leptin [20.02 (14.54–26.80) vs 16.17 (14.51–18.36) ng/ml, p \u3c 0.0001] and leptin: resistin ratio (L:R) [0.53 (0.37–0.82) vs 0.40 (0.27–0.48), p \u3c 0.0001] compared to the controls. The obese aPCOS group had lower adiponectin [11.04 (5.66–13.25) vs 14.18 (11.04–18.02), p \u3c 0.0001 and 18.42 (15.72–19.92) µg/ml, p \u3c 0.0001], A:L [0.36 (0.27–0.44) vs 0.78 (0.61–1.16), p \u3c 0.0001 and 1.19 (0.92–1.37), p \u3c 0.0001], and A:R [0.24 (0.17–0.38) vs 0.40 (0.23–0.58), p \u3c 0.0001 and 0.42 (0.32–0.62), p \u3c 0.0001] but a higher leptin [26.80 (14.28–32.09) vs 17.95 (14.86–21.26), p \u3c 0.05 and 16.17 (14.51–18.36) ng/ml, p \u3c 0.0001] and L:R [0.63 (0.46–1.03) vs 0.41 (0.30–0.61), p \u3c 0.0001 and 0.40 (0.27–0.48), p \u3c 0.0001] compared to the non-obese aPCOS and control group, respectively. A:L showed the best discriminatory power in predicting aPCOS (AUC = 0.83), followed by adiponectin alone (AUC = 0.79), L:R and leptin alone (both AUC = 0.69). Resistin alone had the poorest discriminatory power (AUC = 0.48)

Vitamin B-12 deficiency in type 2 diabetic patients on metformin: a cross-sectional study from South-Western part of Ghana

Introduction: Metformin is the most widely administered anti-diabetic medication among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. However, metformin induces vitamin B12 malabsorption which may increase the risk of vitamin B12 deficiency among T2DM patients. We determined the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency and related risk factors among Ghanaian T2DM patients on metformin therapy. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 196 T2DM patients attending the outpatient diabetic clinic at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Ghana. Fasting venous blood was collected for biochemical analysis. Vitamin B12 deficiency was defined as serum B12 \u3c 100 pg/ml and methylmalonic acid (MMA) ≥ 0.4µmol/L. Results: The prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency based on serum vitamin B12, MMA, and the combination of both methods were 32.1%, 14.8%, and 14.3%, respectively. Longer duration of metformin use [5-9 years, aOR= 2.83, 95% CI (1.03-7.81), p=0.045 and ≥ 10 years, aOR= 4.17, 95% CI (1.41-12.33), p=0.010], higher daily dose of metformin [1000-2000 mg/day, aOR= 1.34, 95% CI (0.25-2.74), p=0.038 and \u3e 2000 mg/day, aOR= 1.13, 95% CI (0.39-2.97), p=0.047], and very high body fat [aOR= 2.98, 95% CI (1.47-6.05), p=0.020] were significantly associated with increased odds of vitamin B12 deficiency. For daily dose of metformin, a cutoff value of 1500 mg/day presented with a sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 71.4%, 40.1%, and 0.54 (95% CI, 0.53-0.54), respectively, in predicting vitamin B12 deficiency. A ≥ six (6) years duration of metformin therapy presented with a sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 70.4%, 62.9%, and 0.66 (95% CI, 0.57-0.75), respectively, in predicting vitamin B12 deficiency. Conclusion: Vitamin B12 deficiency is high among T2DM patients on metformin therapy in Ghana. There is the need for regular monitoring of vitamin B12 levels especially in T2DM patients on metformin daily dose of ≥ 1500 mg for duration of therapy ≥ 6 years

Evaluation of dyslipidaemia using an algorithm of lipid profile measures among newly diagnosed type II diabetes mellitus patients: A cross-sectional study at Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital, Ghana

Background and Objectives: Dyslipidaemia and its associated complications have been reported to increase mortality among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. However, there is a dearth of data on the incidence of dyslipidemia among Ghanaian patients with T2DM. This study evaluated dyslipidemia among newly diagnosed T2DM patients at Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital, Ghana. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited a total of 215 participants at the Presbyterian Hospital, Dormaa-Ghana. A well-structured questionnaire was administered to collect demographic data. Predisposing factors of dyslipidemia such as BMI, hypertension, and family history of diabetes were also obtained. Lipid profile was performed on the serum obtained from each respondent. Dyslipidaemia was defined as total cholesterol (TC) \u3e200 mg/dL, triglyceride (TG) \u3e150 mg/dL, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) \u3e100 mg/dL, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c)/dL in females. Combinations of the individual parameters of dyslipidaemia were further evaluated. Results: Of the total (215) participants, 86 (40%) were males and 129 (60%) were females, representing a ratio of 1:1.5. High total cholesterol was more prevalent in females (69.0%) than males (53.5%). Generally, dyslipidaemia was predominant among those aged \u3e40 years, with the exception of increased LDL-c (25.1%), which was higher among the 20–40 years age group. The male participants exhibited significantly (p \u3c 0.001) higher percentages of all combined measures of dyslipidaemia—such as high TG and reduced HDL-c (77.9%), high TG and elevated LDL-c (75.6%) and high LDL and low HDL (65.1%). BMI was significantly associated with HDL levels (p = 0.02), whereas family history of diabetes was associated with TC (p = 0.004) and TG levels (p = 0.019). Conclusion: Combined dyslipidaemia is relatively high among newly diagnosed T2DM patients in Ghana, and in those \u3e40 years. Gender is significantly associated with combined dyslipidaemia in T2DM, and males may be at a higher risk than females. BMI and family history of diabetes are potential risk factors of dyslipidaemia in T2DM

Prevalence of pre-hypertension and hypertension and its related risk factors among undergraduate students in a Tertiary institution, Ghana

Objectives: This study sought to provide information about pre-hypertension and hypertension status among undergraduate students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among a total of 540 students. Participants were interviewed using questionnaires and their blood pressures (BP), height, weight were measured and Body Mass Index ‘BMI’ and Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR) were calculated. Repeated measurements were obtained on two successive times in students with persistently elevated BP. Data obtained was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 23. Final prevalence was adjusted for loss-to- follow up on participants with first elevated BP from the reading and logistic regression used to evaluate risk factors. P-value less than .05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Twelve (2.2%) of the students were hypertensive, whilst pre-hypertension was prevalent in 26.1% of the student. Family history of hypertension [OR = 1.68(0.73–1.68)], kidney failure [OR = 1.38(0.34– 5.60)], stroke [OR = 1.10(0.64–1.91)] and heart failure [OR = 1.03(0.27–3.94)] were associated with increased risk of developing pre-hypertension; however no significant association was observed (p > .05). WHtR and BMI were independent positively correlated with blood pressure status after controlling for gender and age (p < .05). Further analysis revealed that, obesity detected by WHtR [OR = 3.67 (1.13–11.94), p = .031] and BMI [OR = 6.89(0.71–66.48), p = .0005] were significant predictors of hypertension using logistic regression analysis.Conclusion: The study revealed considerable prevalence rates of pre-hypertension and hypertension among undergraduate students, with significant risk factors such as obesity detected by BMI and WHtR. Gender as male was also significant for pre-hypertension and hypertension. Sound prevention and control programmes of hypertension should be devised among students, to improve their knowledge and lifestyle practices early in life.Keywords: Hypertension, Pre-hypertension, Obesity, Tertiary students, Ghan

Association of wrist circumference and waist-to-height ratio with cardiometabolic risk factors among type II diabetics in a Ghanaian population

The study determined the association of wrist circumference (WrC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) with cardiometabolic risk factors among diabetics in a Ghanaian population. This cross-sectional study involved 384 diabetic patients at Begoro District Hospital, Ghana. Blood pressure, anthropometrics, and biochemical indices were measured. The overall prevalence of dyslipidaemia, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and hypertension was 42.4%, 76.3%, and 39.8%, respectively. The optimum cut-off range of WrC to identify individuals at increased cardiometabolic risk was 17.5 to –17.8 cm for men and 16.0 to 16.7 cm for women while that of WHtR was 0.52 to 0.61 for men and 0.53 to 0.59 for women. WrC for women was a significant independent predictor for MetS [aOR = 3.0 (1.39–6.72), ] and systolic blood pressure [aOR = 2.08 (1.17–3.68), ]. WHtR was a significant positive predictor for triglycerides [aOR = 3.23 (0.10–3.82), ] for women. Using Framingham risk scores, 61% of the subjects had elevated 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), with no significant difference in gender prevalence. WrC [aOR = 6.13 (0.34–111.4), ] and WHtR [aOR = 2.52 (0.42–15.02), ] were associated with statistically insignificant increased odds of moderate-to-high risk of developing CVDs in 10 years. The use of gender-specific cut-offs for WrC and WHtR may offer putative markers for early identification of CRFs

NTCP gene polymorphisms and hepatitis B virus infection status in a Ghanaian population

© 2020 The Author(s). Background: SLC10A1 gene codes NTCP, a receptor through which the hepatitis B virus (HBV) gets access into hepatocytes- A stage of the viral cycle necessary for replication. Polymorphism variants of SLC10A1 play roles in HBV infection, viral clearance, treatment outcome, and complications, in diverse ethnic groups and countries. However, no such study has been conducted in the Ghanaian population, a country with HBV endemicity. Therefore, an exploratory study was conducted to investigate the presence of three (3) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SLC10A1 gene (rs2296651, rs61745930, and rs4646287) and assessed the risk of HBV infection among the Ghanaian population. Method: Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to determine the presence of the SNPs among 292 participants comprising 146 HBV infected persons as case-subjects and 146 HBV non-infected persons as control-subjects. Results: The minor allele frequency (T) of rs2296651 was present in a significantly high proportion of cases compared with the control group (11.6% vs. 3.1%, p \u3c 0.0001). The homozygote recessive variant of rs61745930 was present in 2.7% of the control group and 5.5% of the case group. Moreover, the minor allele frequencies of rs4646287 were 9.3 and 8.2% among the control and the case group, respectively (p = 0.767). Under the dominant (CC) genetic model of inheritance, rs2296651 was found to be protective of HBV infection [OR = 0.18 (0.07-0.44)], whereas under the co-dominant and additive model, rs2296651 was a potential risk factor for HBV infection [OR = 5.2 (95%CI: 2.1-12.8); 3.5 (95%CI: 1.6-7.6], respectively. Variants of rs61745930 and rs4646287 were not associated with HBV infection (p \u3e 0.05). Polymorphisms in SLC10A1, however, did not show any significant association with HBV infectivity (p \u3e 0.05). Conclusion: The study highlights some polymorphism proof that variants rs2296651, rs61745930, and rs4646287 exist in HBV-infected individuals in Ghana. Although variant rs2296651 was found to be associated with HBV infection, this association warrants more studies. Polymorphisms in SLC10A1 were not associated with HBV infectivity among the Ghanaian population. Further investigation is warranted to assess the offensive role of the relationship between rs2296651 and HBV infectivity

Renal abnormalities among children with sickle cell conditions in highly resource-limited setting in Ghana

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with progressive multi-organ failure especially, the brain and kidney and leads to high morbidity and mortality rate. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of renal abnormalities among children with SCD. This cross-sectional study recruited 212 sickling positive patients comprising of 96 Hb AS, 48 Hb SC, and 68 Hb SS phenotypes from the Pediatric Unit of Wassa Akropong Government Hospital, Wassa Akropong, Ghana. Early morning urine and venous blood samples were collected from each participant. Urinalysis was conducted and serum urea and creatinine levels were estimated. Estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the Swartz equation. Classification of chronic kidney disease (CKD) was based on ‘The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KIDIGO)’ criteria. The mean age of the children were 7.90 years. Serum creatinine (p = 0.0310) and urea (p\u3c0.0001) levels were significantly higher among Hb AS participants compared with Hb SS phenotype. The prevalent indicators of renal abnormalities were proteinuria (26.4%), urine granular cast (5.6%) and CKD (39.6%). Proteinuria, urine granular cast and CKD were most prevalent among Hb SS (47.1%, 11.8% and 73.5% respectively) compared with Hb SC (41.7%, 8.3%, and 45.8% respectively) and Hb AS (4.2%, 0.0%, and 14.5%) phenotypes, respectively. Sickle cell conditions were significantly associated with proteinuria (p\u3c0.0001) and CKD (p = 0.0378). Children with Hb SS [aOR = 5.04, 95% CI (2.47–10.3); p\u3c0.0001] and Hb SC [aOR = 3.14 95% CI (1.39–7.01); p = 0.0174] were at increased odds of developing CKD after adjusting for age, BMI and gender. Proteinuria and CKD are associated with sickle cell disease (Hb SC and Hb SS). Renal function should be routinely monitored for children with SCD

Weight management merits attention in women with infertility: A cross-sectional study on the association of anthropometric indices with hormonal imbalance in a Ghanaian population

OBJECTIVE: This study determined the association of anthropometric indices with hormonal imbalance among infertile women in a Ghanaian population. RESULTS: Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels (18.47 vs. 8.67, p-value = 0.002), and luteinizing hormone (LH) (12.43 vs. 8.01, p-value = 0.044) were higher in women with primary infertility compared with women presenting with secondary infertility. Waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) showed significant negative partial correlation with prolactin in both primary and secondary infertile women. Also a significant negative partial correlation was observed between BMI and prolactin in secondary infertile women only. Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) showed a positive association with LH in both primary and secondary infertility. WHR also showed significant positive correlation to LH/FSH ratio in secondary infertility whereas body adiposity index (BAI) showed a negative correlation to LH/FSH ratio. In a correlation analysis of anthropometric measures with hormonal profile and causes of infertility as a fixed factor, the association between anthropometric indices and fertility hormones was largely dependent on the underlying causes of infertility

Association of MYH9-rs3752462 polymorphisms with chronic kidney disease among clinically diagnosed hypertensive patients: a case-control study in a Ghanaian population

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant comorbidity among hypertensive patients. Polymorphisms in the non-muscle myosin heavy chain 9 gene (MYH9) have been demonstrated to be significantly associated with CKD, among African- and European-derived populations. We investigated the spectrum of MYH9-associated CKD among Ghanaian hypertensive patients. Methods: The study constituted a total of 264 hypertensive patients. Hypertensive patients with glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \u3c 60 ml/min/1.73m (CKD-EPI formula) or clinically diagnosed were defined as case subjects ( = 132) while those with eGFR ≥60 ml/min/1.73m were classified as control subjects ( = 132). Demographic data were obtained with a questionnaire and anthropometric measurements were taken. Five (5) millilitres (ml) of venous blood was drawn from study subjects into gel and EDTA vacutainer tubes. Two (2) mL of EDTA anticoagulated blood was used for genomic DNA extraction while three (3) mL of blood was processed to obtain serum for biochemical measurements. Genotyping of MYH9 polymorphisms (rs3752462) was done employing Tetra primer Amplification Refractory Mutation System (T-ARMS) polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Spot urine samples were also collected for urinalysis. Hardy-Weinberg population was assessed. Logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms and CKD. Results: The cases and control participants differed in terms of age, sex, family history, and duration of CKD (-value \u3c 0.001). The minor allele frequencies of rs3752462 SNP were 0.820 and 0.567 respectively among the control and case subjects. Patients with the heterozygote genotype of rs3752462 (CT) were more likely to develop CKD [aOR = 7.82 (3.81-16.04)] whereas those with homozygote recessive variant (TT) were protective [aOR = 0.12 (0.06-0.25)]. Single nucleotide polymorphism of rs3752462 (CT genotype) was associated with increased proteinuria, albuminuria, and reduced eGFR. Conclusions: We have demonstrated that MYH9 polymorphisms exist among Ghanaian hypertensive patients and rs3752462 polymorphism of MYH9 is associated with CKD. This baseline indicates that further longitudinal and multi-institutional studies in larger cohorts in Ghana are warranted to evaluate MYH9 SNP as an independent predictor of CKD among hypertensive patients in Ghana