General practitioner reported follow–up visits among asthma patients in North Central Nigeria

Background: Despite the benefits of regular follow–up in the long–term care of asthma, no previous study has reported on it among asthma patients in Nigeria. Objective: This survey was designed to evaluate GP–reported follow–up visits among asthma patients in North Central Nigeria. Methods: It was a cross–sectional survey conducted among GPs in three North Central states of Nigeria. Results: Overall, 48.3% of the GPs reported that their patients usually come for follow-up visits. About 63.6%, 40.0%, and 55.3% of the GPs in Kwara, Kogi, and Niger states, respectively, reported that their patients came for follow–up visits in the month prior to this study. Less than two–third of GPs in both private (55.1%) and public (56.8%) hospitals reportedly attended to patients on follow–up visits. About 46.5%, 37.5%, and 52.0% of the GPs who attended to patients 2 weeks prior to the study reported that their patients came for follow–up visits. There was signifi cant difference (P = 0.04) in the reported follow–up visits by GPs who attended to ≥ 10 asthma patients compared to others. None of the nine GPs who reportedly treated ≥ 10 patients in the preceding month of the study attended to any patient on follow–up visits. Conclusion: The GP–reported rates of follow–up visits in patients that are accessing asthma care from GPs practicing in the North Central part of Nigeria are low. Further studies to identify barriers to follow–up visits and how to correct them are therefore recommended.Keywords: Asthma care, follow—up visits general practitioners, NigeriaArrière-plan: Malgré les avantages de suivi régulier–jusqu’à long - term care de l’asthme, aucune étude antérieure n’a signalé sur elle chez les patients asthmatiques au Nigeria. Objectif: Ce sondage a été conçu pour évaluer les GP–signalés suivi–visites chez les patients asthmatiques au Centre Nord du Nigéria. Méthodes: C’est une croix–sectionnelle enquête menée parmi les GPs dans trois États centrale du Nord du Nigéria. Résultats: Dans l’ensemble, 48,3% des GPs a signalé que les patients sont en général pour des visites de suivi. 63,6% Environ, 40,0% 55,3% des GPs dans les États Kwara, Kogi et au Niger, respectivement, rapporte et que leurs patients sont venus pour suivi–visites dans le mois précédant cette étude. Moins de deux - tiers des GPs dans les hôpitaux publics (56,8%) et le privé (55,1%) auraient été assisté aux patients sur suivi–visites. Environ 46,5%, 37,5% et 52,0% le GPS qui ont participé aux patients 2 semaines avant l’étude rapporte que leurs patients sont venus pour suivi–visites. Il y avait une différence signifi cative (P = 0,04) dans le suivi déclaré–up visites par GPs qui ont participé à ≥ 10 patients asthmatiques par rapport aux autres. Aucun des neuf GPs qui auraient été traités ≥ 10 patients dans le mois précédent de l’étude ont assisté à tout patient sur suivi–visites. Conclusion: Le GP–taux signalés de suivi–visites chez les patients qui sont à accéder aux soins de l’asthme de GPs pratiquant dans la partie centrale du Nord du Nigéria sont faibles. D’autres études pour identifi er les obstacles à suivre–visites et comment à correct eux sont donc recommandés.Mots clés: L’asthme care, suivre — up généralistes, des visites, Nigeri

Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in Ilorin, Nigeria

216 patients who presented at the Metabolic Clinic of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, between January 2003 and December 2003 were recruited for this study. Pregnant subjects had an extended oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) performed according to the National Diabetes Data Group (NDDG) recommended procedure using 100gm glucose loading, while the rest had a standard OGTT performed according to WHO recommended procedure using 75gm glucose loading. Indications were as follows; 34(15.74%) obstetrics, 164 (75.93%) impaired fasting glucose (IFG), 8(3.70%) unexplained retinopathy, 4(1.85%) previous abnormality of glucose tolerance (PAGT), 2(0.93%) steroid therapy and 4(1.85%) for research. Out of the 34 pregnant subjects, 5(14.71%) had a normal OGTT result, 22(64.71%) had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), 2(5.88%) were diabetic and 5(14.71%) had a flat response. Of the 164 with IFG, 13(7.93%) were normal, 95(57.93%) had IGT, 48(29.27%) diabetic and 8(4.88%) had flat response. 2(25.00%) out of 8 that presented with unexplained retinopathy had DM and the rest 6(75.00%) had IGT. Two (50.00%) of those with PAGT were normal while the rest 2(50.00%) had DM. The two subjects on steroid therapy (100.00%) had IGT. Two (50.00%) of those sent for investigation as part of research had IGT while the rest 2(50.00%) had a flat response. This study shows that about 90% of OGTT requests were made on the basis of IFG and suspected gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) while no requests were made for unexplained neuropathy, unexplained nephropathy and investigation of hypoglycemia. We conclude that there is under utilization of OGTT in the diagnosis of unexplained neuropathy, unexplained nephropathy and unexplained retinopathy in our center. Keywords: OGTT, request pattern, diagnostic outcome The Tropical Journal of Health Sciences Vol. 13(2) 2006: 15-1

Growth performance, feed utilization, body and fatty acid composition of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus ) fed diets containing elevated levels of palm oil

This study was conducted to evaluate effects of dietary palm oil levels on growth performance, feed utilization, body composition and serum metabolites of Oreochromis niloticus. Five isonitrogenous diets, 32% crude protein with increasing palm oil levels of 0 (Control, CTRL), 2%, 4%, 6% and 8% were used as the major lipid source for the trial. The results showed that greatest weight gain, specific growth rate, and protein efficiency ratio occurred at 6% dietary palm oil level. Dietary palm oil levels significantly (P < 0.05) affected lipid, moisture, ash and crude protein contents in muscle and whole body. Serum triglycerides, cholesterol and total protein were significantly affected by elevated palm oil levels. Furthermore, total saturates, total n-3 poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), total n-6 PUFA as well as DHA/EPA in muscle were significantly affected by different levels of palm oil. Fish fed the 6% palm oil level recorded the highest level of whole body docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which was significantly higher than that of the control. The nutritional quality of O. niloticus was altered by different palm oil levels. The present study suggests that 6% dietary palm oil is the best feed formulation for tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus