Diabetes Retinopathy Prevalence and Risk Factors among Diabetic Patients Seen at Highland Eye Clinic Mutare Zimbabwe: A Retrospective Study

Objective: To determine the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and its association with hypertension, age, gender, and fasting blood glucose level.Methods: This retrospective study assessed the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy with its associated risk factors on 135 diabetic patients, aged 18 years and above, visiting the Highland Eye Clinic Mutare, Zimbabwe. Data were collected on the age, sex, and type of retinopathy. Based on the identified retinopathy, subjects were divided into no retinopathy, non-proliferative diabetic renopathy, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy groups. Analysis were then performed using multivariate and univariate regression analyses to test the association between the presence of retinopathy and several risk factors, and results were presented in percentages, with P< 0.05  considered to show statistical significance.Results: The average age of the subjects this study was 60.8 ± 14 with female subjects constituted more than half of the total number of subjects (58.5%). Forty four percent were overweight (BMI 25-30), 34.8 % were obese, and the overall prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was 31.1% (non-proliferative diabetic renopathy, 20%; proliferative renopathy, 11.1%). The proportion of subjects with retinopathy increased with duration of DM, being 23.3% in those with a DM duration of less than 10 years and 46.6% in those with a DM duration of more than 10 years. Age and hypertension were significantly associated with the presence of diabetic retinopathy (P< 0.05) in univariate analysis, but no association was identified between retinopathy and fasting blood glucose (chi-square test, P =0.0965)Conclusion: The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) is high (31.1%), Non-proliferative DR is more common than the proliferative (DR). There is a strong association between diabetic retinopathy, hypertension, and age

Prevalencia de ictericia neonatal y los factores de riesgo asociados entre bebés nacidos en el Hospital Westend en Harare, Zimbawe

Objective: The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of neonatal jaundice in babies born at Westend Hospital in Zimbabwe between January and December 2021. Methods:&nbsp; This was an analytical cross sectional study where secondary data were analyzed in a retrospective manner. The study was carried out at Westend Hospital in Harare in year 2021. &nbsp;Out of 1172&nbsp; &nbsp;babies delivered only 611 babies were qualified and included in this study, we excluded all the other maternity and babies on medication except those on Nevirapine &nbsp;&nbsp;Case notes of babies admitted from January 2021 to December 2021 were retrieved through information on bio data. Using convenient sampling, 611 babies were suitable for this study, we assessed their demographic, clinical outcome and laboratory data .Descriptive statistics was used in addition. Maternal and fetal risk factors were assessed using Chi square test P&lt; 0.05 as statistically significant. Results: This study showed that 281 babies presented with neonatal jaundice resulting in 45.99% prevalence rate. Chi square test found significant relationships between the predisposing risk factors and neonatal jaundice. Significant risk factors for neonatal jaundice were birth weight (p=&lt;0.0001), prematurity (p=&lt;0.001), neonatal gender (p=0.028), blood group incompatibility (p=&lt;0.001) and low birth weight (p=0.044). Conclusions:&nbsp; The prevalence of neonatal jaundice was found to be high and risk factors were predominantly demographic, maternal and neonatal.Introducción: La ictericia neonatal es una afección frecuente en todo el mundo, se presenta hasta en el 60% de los recién nacidos sanos a término y en el 80% de los prematuros durante la primera semana de vida. Sus factores de riesgo son principalmente demográficos, maternos y neonatales, sobre los que actualmente se carece de datos suficientes en Zimbabue. Objetivo: El objetivo del presente informe fue determinar la prevalencia y los factores de riesgo en torno a la ictericia neonatal entre bebés nacidos en el Hospital Westend de Zimbabue durante 2021. Métodos:  Se trata de un estudio transversal analítico sobre datos secundarios del año 2021.  De los 1172 recién nacidos, sólo 611 cumplieron los criterios de inclusión para este estudio. Se excluyeron todos los recién nacidos medicados y las mujeres embarazadas menores de 18 años.  Las notas sobre los casos de los bebés ingresados entre enero y diciembre de 2021 se recuperaron a través de la información de los datos biológicos. Mediante un muestreo conveniente, se seleccionaron 611 recién nacidos para el estudio, se evaluaron sus datos demográficos, clínicos y de laboratorio y se utilizó estadística descriptiva. Se evaluaron los factores de riesgo maternos y fetales y se consideró estadísticamente significativo un valor de P &lt; 0.05. Resultados: Este estudio mostró que 281 recién nacidos presentaron ictericia neonatal, lo que supone una tasa de prevalencia del 45.99%. Hubo una relación significativa entre los factores de riesgo predisponentes y la ictericia neonatal, incluido el bajo peso al nacer (p=&lt;0.0001), la prematuridad (p=&lt;0.0001), el sexo neonatal (p=0.028) y la incompatibilidad de grupo sanguíneo (p=&lt;0,001), deficiencia de G6PD (p=0.001), raza negra (p&lt;0.0001), diabetes materna (p&lt;0.0001), falta de lactancia materna y antecedentes de ictericia en la familia (p&lt;0.002). Conclusiones:  Se observó que la prevalencia de ictericia neonatal era elevada y que los factores de riesgo eran predominantemente demográficos, maternos y neonatales. Palabras clave: Neonatal, Ictericia, Riesgo, Materna, Prevalencia

Prevalence of Thyroid Dysfunction among Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Attending Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), can alter thyroid hormone production, distribution, and excretion. Thyroid dysfunctions like hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and euthyroidism are identified in renal failure patients. This study aimed to determine thyroid dysfunction prevalence among CKD patients who attended Diagnostic Laboratory Services in Bulawayo from January to December 2023. The study was analytical cross-sectional and archival data collection methods were to gather information from 118 CKD patients who underwent both thyroid function tests and urea and electrolytes tests. A descriptive and analytical statistic test was used to determine the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among CKD patients Chi square test was used to test association between thyroid’s dysfunction in CKD setting with various risk factors, P&lt; 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Thyroid dysfunction (TD) prevalence was 53%, increasing with CKD severity, with stage 3B having a high prevalence of 37%. Major types include subclinical hypothyroidism (11%), overt hypothyroidism (16%), and subclinical hyperthyroidism (4.2%), with 36% of females presenting with thyroid dysfunction as compared to 31% of males. Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction increased with an increase in age Majors risk factor for CKD in TD setting were hypertension, diabetes, and heart failure. In conclusion, there was a high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction (53%) among chronic kidney disease patients. &nbsp

Diabetes Retinopathy Prevalence and Risk Factors among Diabetic Patients Seen at Highland Eye Clinic Mutare Zimbabwe: A Retrospective Study

Objective: To determine the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and its association with hypertension, age, gender, and fasting blood glucose level.Methods: This retrospective study assessed the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy with its associated risk factors on 135 diabetic patients, aged 18 years and above, visiting the Highland Eye Clinic Mutare, Zimbabwe. Data were collected on the age, sex, and type of retinopathy. Based on the identified retinopathy, subjects were divided into no retinopathy, non-proliferative diabetic renopathy, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy groups. Analysis were then performed using multivariate and univariate regression analyses to test the association between the presence of retinopathy and several risk factors, and results were presented in percentages, with P< 0.05  considered to show statistical significance.Results: The average age of the subjects this study was 60.8 ± 14 with female subjects constituted more than half of the total number of subjects (58.5%). Forty four percent were overweight (BMI 25-30), 34.8 % were obese, and the overall prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was 31.1% (non-proliferative diabetic renopathy, 20%; proliferative renopathy, 11.1%). The proportion of subjects with retinopathy increased with duration of DM, being 23.3% in those with a DM duration of less than 10 years and 46.6% in those with a DM duration of more than 10 years. Age and hypertension were significantly associated with the presence of diabetic retinopathy (P< 0.05) in univariate analysis, but no association was identified between retinopathy and fasting blood glucose (chi-square test, P =0.0965)Conclusion: The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) is high (31.1%), Non-proliferative DR is more common than the proliferative (DR). There is a strong association between diabetic retinopathy, hypertension, and age

Moringa Oleifera Alleviates Aβ Burden and Improves Synaptic Plasticity and Cognitive Impairments in APP/PS1 Mice

Alzheimer’s disease is a global public health problem and the most common form of dementia. Due to the failure of many single therapies targeting the two hallmarks, Aβ and Tau, and the multifactorial etiology of AD, there is now more and more interest in nutraceutical agents with multiple effects such as Moringa oleifera (MO) that have strong anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anticholinesterase, and neuroprotective virtues. In this study, we treated APP/PS1 mice with a methanolic extract of MO for four months and evaluated its effect on AD-related pathology in these mice using a multitude of behavioral, biochemical, and histochemical tests. Our data revealed that MO improved behavioral deficits such as anxiety-like behavior and hyperactivity and cognitive, learning, and memory impairments. MO treatment abrogated the Aβ burden to wild-type control mice levels via decreasing BACE1 and AEP and upregulating IDE, NEP, and LRP1 protein levels. Moreover, MO improved synaptic plasticity by improving the decreased GluN2B phosphorylation, the synapse-related proteins PSD95 and synapsin1 levels, the quantity and quality of dendritic spines, and neurodegeneration in the treated mice. MO is a nutraceutical agent with promising therapeutic potential that can be used in the management of AD and other neurodegenerative diseases