Frequency of ABO and Rhesus blood groups among blood donors in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: The ABO is a blood group system that is responsible for most blood transfusion reactions, transplant rejections and determining some forensic cases. The ABO and Rhesus blood group systems have been shown to show variations in different part of the world and race. Aim: The study is to show the frequency of ABO and Rhesus blood groups amongst blood donors in Lagos, Nigeria and confirm Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.Methods: This is a two-year retrospective study of all blood donors from the two major tertiary health institutions in Lagos State between July 2004 and June 2006. Data from the blood bank records were extracted and analysed using SPSS version 20. Hardy-Weinberg equation was used to confirm if the population is in equilibrium. Results: In all, 11,911 donors were analysed and showed A+ 20.4%, A- 0.97%, B+ 16.7%, B- 0.87%, AB+ 2.2%, AB- 0.17%, O+ 55.6%, O- 3.1% and RhD positive frequency is 95.6%. The allelic frequency in this study is O – 0.7631, A - 0.1303, B – 0.1066 and Rh – 0.7786. There is no significant difference between the blood group distributions from the two institutions. Conclusion: Blood group O was the commonest blood group seen followed by group A. This is at variance with other studies in Nigeria where blood group B was the second commonest. The population was also found to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The study provides important and reliable genogeographical information that can advance the fields of blood transfusion, organ transplantation and forensic medicine in Nigeria.Key words: Blood group, ABO, Rhesus, allelic frequency, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, transfusion reaction

Completeness and adequacy of clinical and demographic information in non- gynaecologic surgical pathology requisition forms: an analysis of 1046 cases

Background: An important cornerstone in health care delivery is the field of surgical pathology and one of its major aims is to provide a complete, precise and comprehensive diagnosis within a short period of time. In achieving this, the clinician needs to properly fill a surgical pathology requisition form.Method: All the consecutive requisition forms from January 1, 2018 to April 30, 2018, totaling 1046 were evaluated for completeness of the information. The requesting clinicians were unaware and cytologic smears were excluded. Patient confidentiality was maintained as no names were recorded. All the Information on the forms was recorded as being present or absent. Analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Science version 20.Results: Altogether 1046 forms were evaluated and (100%) of the sample population bore the surnames and first names. Ages were recorded in 93.7%. Similarly, 68.2% of the forms did not bear the hospital number. Clinical summary and date of request were absent in 42.9% and 35.4% of the forms respectively. Clinicians name/ signature and investigation required were absent in 25.1% and 21.1% of the forms respectively. Overall, 77.6% of information was provided while 22.4% not provided.Conclusion: The names were completely filled in all the requisition forms. Others were incompletely filled. These findings should be communicated to Clinicians and the recurring attitude of allowing House Officers to fill the requisition forms should be discouraged. Efforts should also be made to let Clinicians appreciate the importance of good clinical information since this determines to a large extent the output of laboratory results.Keywords: Surgical pathology, requisite form, laboratory resul

Bone tumour diagnosis in resource poor settings: the role of fine needle aspiration cytology

Background: Bone tumours are rare with limited diagnostic options in resource- poor settings. Open biopsies have several complications hence the need for an alternative, cheaper, effective diagnostic method. Aim: To compare fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the diagnosis of bone tumours with histology of open surgical biopsy and to ascertain whether FNAC can be substituted for open surgical biopsy. Methodology: This prospective study was carried out at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Lagos between August 2005 and July 2006. We compared the diagnostic accuracy of bone tumour specimens obtained by FNAC with the follow -up open surgical biopsy. We determined whether FNAC could be used to delineate bone tumours into benign, malignant,or metastatic tumours. Results: 22 patients were studied, age range 11-57 years. FNAC had sensitivity of 100%, false positive of 16.7%(1), and overall diagnostic accuracy of 95.2% which was higher for conclusive smears. FNAC was non- diagnostic in one case but diagnostic accuracy for giant cell tumours and osteosarcomas was 100%.  The average time interval for FNAC result was 5.1 days + SD 2 days (1-9 days) compared  to 25.4 + 20.5 SD (9-91 days) for the histology surgical biopsy (P. value 0.001). No significant complications were noted with FNAC. Conclusion:  Where clinicoradiological evaluations have provided a focused differential, FNAC can confidently be used in the diagnosis of bone tumours and is a cheaper and quicker alternative to open surgical biopsy with little or no significant complication in resource poor settings. Keywords: Fine needle aspiration cytology, open biopsy, histopatholog

Autopsy findings in sickle cell disease patients in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited haemoglobinopathy with a stable prevalence of about 2% in Nigeria. SCD is associated with a high mortality rate particularly in resource-poor countries. This study sought to determine the mean age at death and common causes of sudden death among patients with sickle cell disease in Lagos, Nigeria. A retrospective study was done from 1st January 2005 to 31st December 2015. The age at death, sex, clinical presentations, causes and year of death were retrieved from the clinical notes and post mortem register. Data obtained were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. The mean age of death was 28.26 ± 11.47 years, over 80% (83.6%) of all patients reviewed in this study died before their 40th birthday. The study showed that the most common cause of sudden death was anemia-related (50%) while 21% were due to acute infections, 18.4 % were due to cardiovascular events and 4.6% were due to thromboembolic events. The study demonstrates that 80% of death occurred in patients less than 40 years and the risk of sudden death is highest in the 3rd decade of life.Keywords: sickle cell disease, autopsy, sudden deat