Lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia among Ghanaian men: a hospital-based cross-sectional prospective study

Background: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are common in the elderly. This study sought to determine the prevalence of LUTS among patients visiting the urology clinic at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana and to explore its presentation patterns.Methods: Simple randomized sampling technique was used to recruit 225 subjects with a mean age of 67.96±14.57 (range=40-100years) in a prospective cross-sectional study. LUTS related characteristics and international prostate symptom score (IPSS) questionnaire were employed to obtain relevant data.Results: The average IPSS of the studied participants was 17.52±7.83. Based on the IPSS, the prevalence of LUTS suggestive of BPH was 88.89%. Bladder storage symptoms were also recorded at 88.59% whilst prostate enlargement based on digital rectal examination (DRE) was 60.4% among the studied subjects.  PSA levels ≥4.0ng/ml gave a prevalence of 81.5%. The prevalence of prostate enlargement defined as PSA ≥1.5ng/ml was 85.23% among the studied subjects whilst 63.11% of the subjects examined had troublesome LUTS. Urgency was the most predominantly reported LUTS (93.3%) among the subjects studied.Conclusions: This study has clearly shown that, the most prevalent urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia were bladder storage symptoms and urgency. These symptoms when present clinically therefore, suggest benign prostatic hyperplasia and that the prevalence estimates of LUTS in older men are relatively higher at diagnosis.

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 serum iron overload, AST:ALT ratio and log10ferritin:AST ratio among schizophrenia patients in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana: A case-control study

Objective: The association between unbalanced iron indices and the conditions of schizophrenia are not well understood. Liver dysfunction which has been linked to iron metabolism might be a contributing factor. This case–control study evaluated serum iron indices and liver function in treatment-naïve schizophrenia patients and those already on treatment at the Psychiatric Department of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi-Ghana. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 39.6 ± 0.8 years. Increased levels of serum iron, TS, AST, ALT and AST:ALT ratio and lower levels of UIBC, TIBC, Transferrin, and log Ferritin:AST ratio levels were observed among the treatment-naïve group compared to the control. The treatment-naïve and treatment groups showed significantly higher serum AST:ALT ratio, and lower log10ferrtin:AST ratio than the healthy controls. There was a significant correlation between log10ferritin and AST, and log10ferritin and GGT in both treatments (r = 0.343; p = 0.003, and r = 0.502; p = 0.001 respectively) and treatment-naïve groups (r = 0.348; p = 0.002, and r = 0.614; p \u3c 0.001 respectively). Percentage transferrin saturation correlated significantly with GGT only, in the treatment-naïve group (r = 0.667; p \u3c 0.001), and ALT and GGT in the treatment group (r = 0.252; p = 0.030 and r = 0.646; p = 0.014 respectively)

Thyroid dysfunction and glycaemic control among Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Ghana: A comparative cross-sectional study

Introduction: Thyroid disorders and diabetes mellitus coexist and are prevalent endocrinopathies among adult population. Thyroid dysfunction contributes to metabolic imbalances, increase beta-cell apoptosis and glucose intolerance. There is paucity of data and contradicting findings on how thyroid dysfunction influence glycaemic control. Therefore, we evaluated thyroid dysfunction and glycaemic control among Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in Ghana. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 192 T2DM patients from Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital. Three consecutive monthly fasting plasma glucose (FBG) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) were analysed and the results were classified as, moderate hyperglycaemia (MH) (FBG = 6.1–12.0 mmol/L, HbA1c \u3c 7%), severe hyperglycaemia (SH) (FBG ≥ 12.1 mmol/L, HbA1c \u3e 7%) and good glycaemic controls (GC) (FBG = 4.1–6.0 mmol/L, HbA1c \u3c 7%). Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3) and free thyroxine (FT4), body mass index (BMI) and other clinical parameters were measured. Data analysis was done using R language version 4.0.2 and p \u3c.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There were no significant differences in age (years) between patients in the various glycaemic groups (p =.9053). The overall prevalence of thyroid disorders was 7.8% among T2DM patients. The prevalence of thyroid disorders was higher in patients with SH (11.7%) followed by those with MH (7.5%) and then those with GC (5.4%). Serum levels of TSH and FT3/FT4 ratio were significantly lower in T2DM patients with SH compared to those with MH and the GC (p \u3c.0001). However, FT4 was significantly higher in SH patients compared to the good glycaemic controls (p \u3c .01). The first tertiles of TSH [aOR = 10.51, 95% CI (4.04–17.36), p \u3c .0001] and FT3 [aOR = 2.77, 95% CI (1.11–6.92), p =.0290] were significantly and independently associated with increased odds of hyperglycaemia. Conclusion: The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction is high in T2DM and increases with hyperglycaemia. Reduced TSH and T3 may worsen glycaemic control. Periodic monitoring of thyroid function should be incorporated into management guidelines among T2DM patients in Ghana

Multiple novel prostate cancer susceptibility signals identified by fine-mapping of known risk loci among Europeans

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified numerous common prostate cancer (PrCa) susceptibility loci. We have fine-mapped 64 GWAS regions known at the conclusion of the iCOGS study using large-scale genotyping and imputation in 25 723 PrCa cases and 26 274 controls of European ancestry. We detected evidence for multiple independent signals at 16 regions, 12 of which contained additional newly identified significant associations. A single signal comprising a spectrum of correlated variation was observed at 39 regions; 35 of which are now described by a novel more significantly associated lead SNP, while the originally reported variant remained as the lead SNP only in 4 regions. We also confirmed two association signals in Europeans that had been previously reported only in East-Asian GWAS. Based on statistical evidence and linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure, we have curated and narrowed down the list of the most likely candidate causal variants for each region. Functional annotation using data from ENCODE filtered for PrCa cell lines and eQTL analysis demonstrated significant enrichment for overlap with bio-features within this set. By incorporating the novel risk variants identified here alongside the refined data for existing association signals, we estimate that these loci now explain ∼38.9% of the familial relative risk of PrCa, an 8.9% improvement over the previously reported GWAS tag SNPs. This suggests that a significant fraction of the heritability of PrCa may have been hidden during the discovery phase of GWAS, in particular due to the presence of multiple independent signals within the same regio

Predictors of the international prostate symptoms scores for patients with lower urinary tract symptoms: A descriptive cross-sectional study

Background: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) can significantly reduce men's quality of life and may point to serious pathology of the urogenital tract. This study aimed at finding predictors of symptoms score on the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) for patients with LUTS. Materials and Methods: The study was cross-sectional conducted among 225 Ghanaian men visiting the urology clinic at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Trained interviewers used the IPSS, which adds a quality of life question to the American Urology Association symptom index to determine the extent to which patients are troubled by their symptoms. Five milliliters of blood was collected for total prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measurement. Transrectal ultrasonography was performed to evaluate the prostate volume (PV). Results: The mean age of the participants was 67.96 ± 14.57. The average score obtained from the study participants using the IPSS scale was 17.52 ± 7.83. There was a significant association between bother score and IPSS symptoms grade (P < 0.0001). Regression plot of the participants' points for IPSS in relation to the age, PSA, and PV showed statistically significant positive associations (P < 0.05). However, the coefficients of determination (R2) were 0.156, 0.022, and 0.048, respectively. This means that each unit increase of age, PSA, and PV only influences 15.6%, 2.3%, and 4.8% of the change in the symptom score. There was statistically significant association between age and moderate-to-severe LUTS with age range of 75 years above recording the highest odds (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 18.72, (1.15–99.78), P < 0.0001). The PSA range 20.1–50 ng/ml was significantly associated with moderate-to-severe LUTS (AOR = 17.37 (2.19–223.45), P = 0.006). Moreover, other factors, which were significantly associated with moderate-to-severe LUTS, were smoking (AOR = 0.32 (0.11–0.94) P = 0.038) and being widowed (AOR = 0.05 (0.002–0.52), P =0.010) respectively. Conclusion: The study found a statistically significant correlation between age, PSA, PV, and IPSS scores; however, these influences were mild

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and the comparison of fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c as the glycemic criterion for MetS definition in non-diabetic population in Ghana

Abstract Background Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), owing to its ability to reflect glycemia over a relatively longer time span, is still been investigated as an adjunct test for fasting plasma glucose (FPG) to identify subjects at risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in some Caucasian populations. However, whether or not HbA1c can serve as an adjunct to FPG in the definition of MetS in the Ghanaian population remains unknown. This study determined the prevalence of MetS and evaluated HbA1c ≥ 5.6% and FPG ≥ 5.6 mmol/l as the glycemic component of MetS among non-diabetic population in Ghana. Methods This was a case–control study conducted at St Francis Xavier Hospital, Assin Fosu, Central Region, Ghana. A total of 264 non-diabetic Ghanaian adults consisting of 158 newly diagnosed hypertensives and 106 normotensives, were recruited for the study. Fasting plasma insulin and glucose, HbA1c, and lipid profile was performed for each respondent. Results Using the FPG as glycemic criterion, the overall MetS prevalence was 46.6%, 37.1%, and 12.5% according by the IDF, NCEP ATP III, and WHO criteria, respectively. The prevalence of MetS using the HbA1c criterion was 54.2%, 52.7%, and 42.4% by the IDF, NCEP ATP III and WHO criteria, respectively. The HbA1c criterion identified more participants with MetS compared to the FPG criterion with a good agreement between HbA1c and FPG using the IDF and NCEP ATP III criteria (κ = 0.484 to 0.899) respectively. However, the overlap between HbA1c and FPG based diagnosis of MetS was limited for the WHO criterion. Conclusion The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is high among non-diabetics in Ghana. Introduction of HbA1c in addition to FPG in the screening of MetS improves identification of more people with MetS who would otherwise have been missed when only FPG-based diagnosis of MetS is used; with a substantial agreement with FPG, except when using the WHO criteria

Heritability and Genetics of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objectives. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is observing an accelerating prevalence rate of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) influenced by gene-environment interaction of modifiable and nonmodifiable factors. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the heritability and genetic risk of T2DM in SSA. Methods. We reviewed all published articles on T2DM in SSA between January 2000 and December 2019 and available in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Studies that reported on the genetics and/or heritability of T2DM or indicators of glycaemia were included. Data extracted included the study design, records of family history, pattern and characteristics of inheritance, genetic determinants, and effects estimates. Results. The pattern and characteristics of T2DM heritability in SSA are preference for maternal aggregation, higher among first degree compared to second-degree relatives; early age-onset (<50 years), and inherited abnormalities of beta-cell function/mass. The overall prevalence of T2DM was 28.2% for the population with a positive family history (PFH) and 11.2% for the population with negative family history (NFH). The pooled odds ratio of the impact of PFH on T2DM was 3.29 (95% CI: 2.40-4.52). Overall, 28 polymorphisms in 17 genes have been investigated in relation with T2DM in SSA. Almost all studies used the candidate gene approach with most (45.8%) of genetic studies published between 2011 and 2015. Polymorphisms in ABCC8, Haptoglobin, KCNJ11, ACDC, ENPP1, TNF-α, and TCF7L2 were found to be associated with T2DM, with overlapping effect on specific cardiometabolic traits. Genome-wide studies identified ancestry-specific signals (AGMO-rs73284431, VT11A-rs17746147, and ZRANB3) and TCF7L2-rs7903146 as the only transferable genetic risk variants to SSA population. TCF7L2-rs7903146 polymorphism was investigated in multiple studies with consistent effects and low-moderate statistical heterogeneity. Effect sizes were modestly strong [odds ratio=6.17 (95% CI: 2.03-18.81), codominant model; 2.27 (95% CI: 1.50-3.44), additive model; 1.75 (95% CI: 1.18-2.59), recessive model]. Current evidence on the heritability and genetic markers of T2DM in SSA populations is limited and largely insufficient to reliably inform the genetic architecture of T2DM across SSA regions

Vitamin D status and its association with insulin resistance among type 2 diabetics: A case -control study in Ghana.

BACKGROUND:Vitamin D plays a major role in physiological processes that modulate mineral metabolism and immune function with probable link to several chronic and infectious conditions. Emerging data suggests a possible influence of vitamin D on glucose homeostasis. This study sought to provide preliminary information on vitamin D status among Ghanaian type 2 diabetics and assessed its association with glucose homeostasis. METHODS:In a case control study, 118 clinically diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients attending Diabetic Clinic at the Nkawie Government Hospital were enrolled between October and December 2015. Hundred healthy non-diabetics living in Nkawie district were selected as controls. Structured questionnaires were administered to obtain socio-demographic data. Venous blood samples were taken from both cases and controls to estimate their FBG, Lipid profile spectrophotometrically and IPTH, 25OHD by ELISA. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v20.0 Statistics. RESULTS:The average age of the study participants was 58.81years for cases and 57.79year for controls. There was vitamin D deficiency of 92.4% among T2DM cases and 60.2% among the non diabetic controls. Vitamin D deficiency did not significantly associate with HOMA-β [T2DM: r2 = 0.0209, p = 0.1338 and Control: r2 = 0.0213, p = 0.2703] and HOMA-IR [T2DM: r2 = 0.0233, p = 0.1132 and Control: r2 = 0.0214, p = 0.2690] in both the controls and the cases. CONCLUSION:Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in both T2DM and non-diabetics. There is no association between vitamin D deficiency and insulin resistance or beta cell function in our study population. Vitamin D supplementation among type 2 diabetics is recommended

Profiling immuno-metabolic mediators of vitamin B12 deficiency among metformin-treated type 2 diabetic patients in Ghana.

BackgroundThe association between prolong metformin usage and B12 deficiency has been documented. However, the prevalence estimates of metformin-induced vitamin B12 deficiency showed substantial disparity among studies due to varied study definitions of vitamin B12 deficiency. Metformin blocks the calcium dependent absorption of the vitamin B12-Intrinsic Factor complex at the terminal ileum. Lack of intrinsic factor due to the presence of auto-antibodies to parietal cells (IFA) could lead to vitamin B12 deficiency and subsequently cause peripheral neuropathy. We investigated the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency using more sensitive, combined markers of vitamin B12 status (4cB12) and the immuno-biochemical mediators of vitamin B12 deficiency.MethodsIn this observational study, 200 consecutive consenting metformin-treated T2DM patients, aged 35 and above, attending the diabetic clinic at KATH were recruited. Vitamin B12 deficiency was classified based on the Fedosov age-normalized wellness quotient. Anthropometric measurement was taken as well as blood samples for immunological and biochemical mediators. Peripheral neuropathy was assessed using the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI). Statistical analysis was performed using the R Language for Statistical Computing.ResultsUsing the combined indicator (4cB12), the prevalence of metformin induced vitamin B12 deficiency was 40.5% whilst the prevalence of MNSI-Q and MNSI-PE diabetic neuropathy was 32.5% and 6.5% respectively. Participants with vitamin B12 deficiency had significantly higher levels of IFA, GPA, TNF-α, TC, LDL and albumin compared to those with normal vitamin B12 levels (p ConclusionVitamin B12 deficiency and diabetic neuropathy are very high among metformin-treated T2DM patients and it is associated with increased GPA, IFA, TNF-α and cardiometabolic risk factors (higher LDL and TC and lower HDL). Upon verification of these findings in a prospective case-control study, it may be beneficial to include periodic measurement of Vitamin B12 using the more sensitive combined indicators (4cB 12) in the management of patients with T2DM treated with metformin in Ghana