Ocularhaemodynamics parameters of asymptomatic HAART experienced HIV-infected under-five children

Objectives: Study aimed at evaluating the impacts of HAART on retinal blood flow of a symptomatic HAART - experienced HIV-infected underfive children.Method: Ethical approval and patient consents were obtained before commencement of the study in the selected hospitals. Thirty asymptomatic HAARTexperienced HIV-infected children and three seronegative children aged 0-5 year-old fulfilled conditions for ocular ultrasonography among 60 convenience sampled under-fives. Ocular ultrasonography was done on the patients in supine position with eyes closed as instructed by the radiologist. Maximum velocity (Vmax), pulsatility index (PI), resistive index (RI), optic nerve diameter, lens thickness and axial diameter were measured. Results of HAART-experienced children were not compared with the control children because of unequal size. Data were analysed by using ANOVA and level of significance was considered at p<0.05. Results: Vmax of blood flow in central retinal artery (CRA) of asymptomatic HAART - experienced HIV infected children was 12.2cm/s while that of seronegative children was 13.4 cm/s. The PI and RI of blood flow in CRA of asymptomatic HAARTexperienced HIV-infected children were 0.8 and 0.5 respectively while those of the seronegative children were 0.6 and 0.4 respectively. Reduced Vmax of blood flow of CRA was significantly associated with both increased PI and RI of asymptomatic HAARTexperienced HIV-infected underfive children.Discussion: Vmax of CRA of asymptomatic HAART-experienced HIV-infected children was reduced because of their increased PI and RI suggesting an increased resistance to blood flow in asymptomatic HAART experienced HIVinfected children.Conclusion: Reduced Vmax of blood flow to CRA was significantly associated with increased PI and RI of asymptomatic HAARTexperienced HIV-infected children.Keywords: Ophthalmic artery, Central retina artery, maximum velocity, Seropositive children, HAAR

Risk factors for peripartum hysterectomy among women with postpartum haemorrhage: analysis of data from the WOMAN trial.

BACKGROUND: Peripartum hysterectomy can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Most studies of peripartum hysterectomy are from high income countries. This cohort study examined risk factors for peripartum hysterectomy using data from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. METHODS: We used data from the World Maternal Antifibrinolytic (WOMAN) trial carried out in 193 hospitals in 21 countries. Peripartum hysterectomy was defined as hysterectomy within 6 weeks of delivery as a complication of postpartum haemorrhage. Univariable and multivariable random effects logistic regression models were used to analyse risk factors. A hierarchical conceptual framework guided our multivariable analysis. RESULTS: Five percent of women had a hysterectomy (1020/20,017). Haemorrhage from placenta praevia/accreta carried a higher risk of hysterectomy (17%) than surgical trauma/tears (5%) and uterine atony (3%). The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for hysterectomy in women with placenta praevia/accreta was 3.2 (95% CI: 2.7-3.8), compared to uterine atony. The risk of hysterectomy increased with maternal age. Caesarean section was associated with fourfold higher odds of hysterectomy than vaginal delivery (AOR 4.3, 95% CI: 3.6-5.0). Mothers in Asia had a higher hysterectomy incidence (7%) than mothers in Africa (5%) (AOR: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.9-1.7). CONCLUSIONS: Placenta praevia/accreta is associated with a higher risk of peripartum hysterectomy. Other risk factors for hysterectomy are advanced maternal age, caesarean section and giving birth in Asia

Effect of Educational Level on Hypertensive Patients’ Compliance with Medication Regimen at a Tertiary Hospital in South West Nigeria

The prevalence of non-compliance among 180 hypertensive patients in the present study carried out in the Cardiology unit of the University College Hospital, Ibadan was found to be as high as 74.4%. The main contributory factor to non-compliance found in the study is patients’ educational level. Out of 180 patients, 46 (25.6%) were compliant while 134 (74.4%) were non compliant. Among the 46 compliant patients, 29 (63.1%) were educated while seventeen (17) (36.1%) were not educated. Among the educated compliant patients, those with secondary education were 14 (30.4%), followed by those with tertiary education who were ten (10) (21.7%) and primary education accounting for 5 (10.8%). There were 134 non compliant patients accounting for 86 (64.2%) educated patients and 48 (35.8%) non educated. Among the educated patients, 33 (24.6%) secondary educated patients were non compliant followed by 29 (21.6%) primary educated patients and 21 (15.7%) tertiary educated patients respectively. Data on factors that contribute to non-compliance were collected based on patient report with the aid of questionnaires. The study shows that the basic education and not the level of education affect patients’ compliance with anti hypertensive medication in Nigeria.Keywords: Educational level, compliance, hypertension, tertiary hospital, medicationNigerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, Vol. 8 No 1 pp. 36 - 42 (September 2010

A Survey of Antimalarial Drug use Practices among Urban Dwellers of Abeokuta in South West Nigeria

The manner in which anti-malarial drugs have been used has been associated with development of resistant strain and therapeutic failure. This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out to assess anti-malarial drug-use practices among dwellers of Adigbe communities within Abeokuta environment. The study documented the knowledge, the attitude and behaviour of three hundred and fifty (350) respondents in terms of drug preference, attitude to drug use and the effects of non-compliance to anti-malarial drugs. Structured questionnaires were used for data collection. A total of 370 questionnaires were distributed and 350 questionnaires were retrieved for analysis. One hundred and twenty five (125) (35.71) of the respondents frequently experienced malaria attack and practiced self-medication. One hundred and fifteen (115) (32.86%) of the respondents treated their malaria episode with Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) combination while 90 (25.71%) of the respondents frequently purchased Artesunate as monotherapy for malaria treatment due to cost-implication of the newer and available Artemisinin combination therapy (ACT’s). The finding reveals that 43 (12.29%) of the respondents only purchased Artemisinin-Combination Therapy (ACTs). One hundred and eighteen (118) (33.71%) of the respondents practiced self-medication with anti-malarial drugs. The results revealed therapeutic failure to conventional use of Sulphadoxine-Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) by the respondents as 139 (33.71%) of the respondents experienced no cure and have to repeat the treatment with anti-malarials. If drug-use pattern of anti-malarials is not monitored, there is possibility of early emergence of resistance to the highly effective anti-malarial drugs presently in use.Keywords: Drug use pattern, antimalarial, monotherapy, combination therapyNigerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, Vol. 8 No 1 pp. 112 - 121 (September 2010

A Modified Laboratory Approach to Determine Reaeration Rate for River Water

It is reported that reaeration rates determined from laboratory investigation may not suit well in predicting reaeration rate of natural streams. Sampling method during reaeration experiment is a potential source of error in laboratory estimation of reaeration rate coefficient for river waters, which has been addressed in this research. A modified method based on sampling procedure in a flume was adopted to develop a reaeration rate equation for Pusu River in Malaysia,which is demographically a very important river. An important feature including several culverts along the course of the river was also considered to model dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration.DOwas calibrated and validated using water quality analysis simulation program (WASP) considering appropriate kinetic rate coefficients for Pusu River. Performance of the new reaeration rate equation and other process equations in the calibration and validation data was assessed in terms of root-mean-square error (RMSE), mean error between observed and predicted data and R2 value. Study results revealed that the equation developed in B Abdullah Al-Mamun [email protected] Md Nuruzzaman [email protected] http://waterzaman.weebly.com/ Md Noor Bin Salleh [email protected] 1 Department of Civil Engineering, Rangpur Engineering College, Rangpur 5403, Bangladesh 2 Department of Civil Engineering, Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), 53100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 3 Bioenvironmental Engineering Research Center (BERC), Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), 53100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this research considering the impact of culverts on reaeration rate predicted DO in Pusu River with improved accuracy as compared to the other equations. RMSEs were found to be 0.083 and 0.067 mg/L for calibration and validation data, respectively. Mean errors of observed and model-predicted data were 0.06 and 0.05 mg/L for calibration and validation,respectively. The R2 value was 0.99 in both cases. The study results facilitate accuracy in future studies on DO of Pusu River