Pattern and trends of respiratory diseases in an outpatient setting: a five-year review in a tertiary hospital in South-South, Nigeria

Background: Limited information exists on the epidemiology of respiratory diseases in South-South Nigeria, especially regarding changing risk factors. This study aimed to assess the frequency and pattern of respiratory diseases in an adult outpatient clinic in a teaching hospital in South-South Nigeria. Methods: Medical records of newly referred patients with respiratory diseases who received care at the chest clinic of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: The study included 655 patients (mean age: 54.7±18.7 years). The majority of cases occurred in the 41-60 age group, and 55.4% were female. Non-communicable respiratory diseases accounted for 60.9% of cases, while communicable respiratory diseases accounted for 39.1%. The most common respiratory diseases observed were bronchial asthma (22.6%), tuberculosis (21.1%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (19.2%), pneumonia (11.1%), interstitial lung diseases (6.7%), and lung cancer (4.1%). Less common respiratory diseases included pulmonary aspergilloma (1.5%), pleural-related diseases (0.8%), hypersensitivity pneumonitis (0.8%), and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (0.6%). The study's annual trend showed a gradual increase in the number of respiratory cases, reaching a low point in 2020. Significant differences were found in the age and gender distribution of the top six respiratory diseases (p <0.001). Conclusions: This study provides valuable insights into the demographic and disease patterns of respiratory diseases in an outpatient setting, informing targeted prevention and treatment measures for these conditions

Genome-wide association study identifies human genetic variants associated with fatal outcome from Lassa fever

Infection with Lassa virus (LASV) can cause Lassa fever, a haemorrhagic illness with an estimated fatality rate of 29.7%, but causes no or mild symptoms in many individuals. Here, to investigate whether human genetic variation underlies the heterogeneity of LASV infection, we carried out genome-wide association studies (GWAS) as well as seroprevalence surveys, human leukocyte antigen typing and high-throughput variant functional characterization assays. We analysed Lassa fever susceptibility and fatal outcomes in 533 cases of Lassa fever and 1,986 population controls recruited over a 7 year period in Nigeria and Sierra Leone. We detected genome-wide significant variant associations with Lassa fever fatal outcomes near GRM7 and LIF in the Nigerian cohort. We also show that a haplotype bearing signatures of positive selection and overlapping LARGE1, a required LASV entry factor, is associated with decreased risk of Lassa fever in the Nigerian cohort but not in the Sierra Leone cohort. Overall, we identified variants and genes that may impact the risk of severe Lassa fever, demonstrating how GWAS can provide insight into viral pathogenesis

Epidemiology of low back pain: frequency, risk factors, and patterns in South-South Nigeria

Introduction Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition that poses significant public health challenges. However, its epidemiology in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in rural settings, remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to determine the epidemiology of LBP in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital. Material and methods This was a retrospective review of the records of all LBP cases seen at the rheumatology clinic from 2018 to 2022 in a Teaching Hospital in South-South Nigeria. The sociodemographic and clinical data, including disability scores, was extracted from the patients’ medical records. The data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25, and the level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Results Among 1,580 patients, 319 (20.2%) reported LBP. The mean age was 59.51 ±10.21, and the peak age incidence was 51–60 years. Low back pain was more prevalent in females (61.4%). Work-related factors (47.3%) such as heavy lifting (26.3%), prolonged sitting (19.4%), and poor posture (27.9%) were the prominent risk factors. Sedentary behavior (11.5%) and obesity (16.9%) contributed. Common clinical manifestations included difficulty standing or bending (73%), walking difficulties (67.7%), sleep disturbances (51.4%), and radicular pain (45.8%). Common etiologies were spondylosis (66.5%), spondylolisthesis (22.3%), disc prolapse (19.4%), spinal canal stenosis (15.4%), muscle spasm (12.2%), and tuberculous spondylitis (9.7%). Acute and chronic LBP constituted 12.2% and 79.9% of cases, respectively. In terms of disability, 33.5% had minimal, 44.5% had moderate, 15.4% had severe, and 6.6% had crippling disabilities. Conclusions Mechanical causes were the most implicated in LBP. Work-related factors and lifestyle choices contribute to the occurrence of LBP. Adjusting posture and lifestyle modification reduces LBP risk. Understanding its epidemiology is crucial for optimizing care and implementing preventive strategies