Relationship between body mass index, waist circumference, waist hip ratio and erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease in a tertiary centre in Nigeria: A case control study

Background: Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition that develops when the reflux of stomach content causes troublesome symptoms with or without mucosa damage and or complications. GERD is believed to be evolving among blacks.Objectives: The objective of this study was to look at the relationship of GERD to body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC) and waist hip ratio (WHR) among patients with distal oesophageal erosive GERD and controls.Methods: A case control study among patients with dyspepsia that had diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Patients with erosive GERD were grouped into cases while those without GERD were controls. GERD was graded using the Los Angeles classification. BMI, WC, HC and WHR were measured among cases and controls. Obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 or WC ≥ 88 cm or ≥WHR 0.85 in females and BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 or WHR ≥ 0.9 or WC ≥102 cm for males. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: A total of 160 subjects (80 cases and 80 controls) were analysed. Mean (SD) age for cases was 51.1 (±12.4) years and 50.1 (±13.7) years for controls. When cases with GERD were compared with controls; males were less likely to be obese, BMI < 30 kg/m2, have normal WC, HC and WHR while females were more likely to be obese, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 and have increased WC, and HC, (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Central obesity is a risk factor for distal oesophageal erosive GERD among female Nigerians but not among males.Keywords: Gastro esophageal reflux, Central obesity, Dyspepsia, Nigeri

Hepatitis C virus in sub-Saharan Africa: a long road to elimination

The development of direct-acting antivirals against hepatitis C virus (HCV) has transformed the treatment landscape and underpinned the WHO goal of HCV elimination by 2030. However, as of 2021, few countries remain on track to achieve this goal. Reliable data remain scarce, especially those on national plans for HCV elimination in many regions of the world and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for around 11 million of 71 million people estimated to be living with HCV