What Clinical and Laboratory Parameters Distinguish Between Acute and Chronic Renal Failure?

Introduction: In developing countries, a large number of patients presenting acutely in renal failure are indeed cases of advanced chronic renal failure. In this study, we compared clinical and laboratory parameters between patients with acute renal failure (ARF) and chronic renal failure (CRF), to identify discriminatory features. Patients and methods: The Renal Unit of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex is a major referral center for renal disease in Nigeria. 20 patients with ARF and 22 patients with CRF (who had not had dialysis intervention) were recruited for the study at presentation. They had full evaluation including demography, history of duration of symptoms, blood pressure, volume of urine, and laboratory parameters: serum creatinine, urea, potassium, and packed cell volume (PCV). These parameters were compared using Mann Whitney U test for nonparametric data to determine statistical significance. Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding their (i) ages (ii) serum creatinine and (iii) PCV. In contrast, statistically significant differences were obtained for (i) the mean duration of symptoms, which was longer in CRF patients, (ii) the mean 24 hour urine volume, which was larger in CRF patients, (iii) the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures, both being significantly higher in CRF patients, (iv) and the mean serum urea level, which was higher in ARF patients. Conclusion: It is concluded that the duration of symptoms, quantity of urine, blood pressure, and serum urea levels are distinguishing parameters between ARF and CRF, while serum creatinine and PCV are not. Key words: Acute Renal Failure, Chronic Renal Failure, Laboratory Parameter

Review of prostate cancer research in Nigeria

Prostate cancer (CaP) disparities in the black man calls for concerted research efforts. This review explores the trend and focus of CaP research activities in Nigeria, one of the ancestral nations for black men. It seeks to locate the place of the Nigerian research environment in the global progress on CaP disparities. Literature was reviewed mainly through a Pubmed search with the terms “prostate cancer”and “Nigeria”, as well as from internet and hard copies of journal pages

Prostate cancer disparities in Black men of African descent: a comparative literature review of prostate cancer burden among Black men in the United States, Caribbean, United Kingdom, and West Africa

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>African American men have the highest prostate cancer morbidity and mortality rates than any other racial or ethnic group in the US. Although the overall incidence of and mortality from prostate cancer has been declining in White men since 1991, the decline in African American men lags behind White men. Of particular concern is the growing literature on the disproportionate burden of prostate cancer among other Black men of West African ancestry in the Caribbean Islands, United Kingdom and West Africa. This higher incidence of prostate cancer observed in populations of African descent may be attributed to the fact that these populations share ancestral genetic factors. To better understand the burden of prostate cancer among men of West African Ancestry, we conducted a review of the literature on prostate cancer incidence, prevalence, and mortality in the countries connected by the Transatlantic Slave Trade.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Several published studies indicate high prostate cancer burden in Nigeria and Ghana. There was no published literature for the countries Benin, Gambia and Senegal that met our review criteria. Prostate cancer morbidity and/or mortality data from the Caribbean Islands and the United Kingdom also provided comparable or worse prostate cancer burden to that of US Blacks.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The growing literature on the disproportionate burden of prostate cancer among other Black men of West African ancestry follows the path of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. To better understand and address the global prostate cancer disparities seen in Black men of West African ancestry, future studies should explore the genetic and environmental risk factors for prostate cancer among this group.</p

An Estimate of the Incidence of Prostate Cancer in Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Prostate cancer (PCa) is rated the second most common cancer and sixth leading cause of cancer deaths among men globally. Reports show that African men suffer disproportionately from PCa compared to men from other parts of the world. It is still quite difficult to accurately describe the burden of PCa in Africa due to poor cancer registration systems.We systematically reviewed the literature on prostate cancer in Africa and provided a continentwide incidence rate of PCa based on available data in the regio