Allele Frequencies of Apolipoprotein E in a South Western Nigerian population on HAART

Objective: Increasing evidence has shown that ApoE polymorphism is associated with the early onset of cardiovascular and neurological diseases in patients on HAART. The frequency of occurrence of the alleles and the genotypes vary by race and population. The study describes the pattern seen among adults in Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 124 randomly selected HIV-infected persons on protease inhibitor therapy who receive care at the adult antiretroviral clinic of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. DNA was extracted from leucocytes using EDTA blood. ApoE genotypes were determined using the Seeplex ApoE ACE genotyping kit. The epidemiological distribution of apoE is figured with a pie graph. Results: About four-fifth (79%) of the participants were females while about two-thirds (68%) were below 50 years of age.  The most frequently occurring allele was the ε3 allele (82.2%) and the most common ApoE genotype observed was ε3/ε3. This genotype was present in 52 (41.9%) of the participants. At least one allele of Apo ε2, Apo ε3, and Apo ε4 was present in 28(22.5%), 102 (82.2%), and 50 (40.3) of the study participants respectively. Homozygosity for Apo ε2 and Apo ε4 was observed in 4.8% and 8.0% of participants respectively. Conclusions: Allelic frequency seen is similar to that described in other studied populations and the frequency of genotypes observed was also similar to those described among world populations with a higher observation of ApoE4 allele as seen in people of African descent

Association of acne with impaired dermatologic quality of life among Young People in Nigeria: A cross-sectional survey

Objective: Acne, particularly severe forms, may impair quality of life. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of acne, its severity, and its impact on the quality of life among young people in Nigeria. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1017 systematically selected undergraduates in a Nigerian University using a 24-item self-administered questionnaire. We derived the proportions and means of participants’ characteristics and computed the crude and specific (age, sex, and location of residence) prevalence. We then conducted bivariate analysis and used binary logistic regression analysis to evaluate the relationship between the report of acne and the dermatologic quality of life. The level of significance was set at 5%. Results: About half (539; 53.0%) of the respondents were females, while 478 (47.0%) were males with mean ages of 16.6 (±1.2) and 16.8 (±1.4) (p = 0.004) respectively. The prevalence of self-reported acne was 61.3% (58.2-64.3). Participants reporting acne were four times more likely to perceive an impairment in dermatologic quality of life (AOR: 4.18 [2.77-6.33]). The perceived severity of acne was statistically related to the dermatologic quality of life. Participants with moderate (AOR: 3.05 [2.19-4.25]) and severe (AOR: 7.96 [3.12-20.16]) acne were at increased odds of impairment of dermatologic quality of life compared to those with no or mild acne. Conclusion: The self-report of acne and its severity are associated with diminished quality of life independent of age and sex. The management of acne among young people should include strategies to improve their perceived quality of life