Medication adherence and blood pressure control amongst adults with primary hypertension attending a tertiary hospital primary care clinic in Eastern Nigeria

Background: As the case detection rates of hypertension increase in adult Nigerians, achieving target blood pressure (BP) control has become an important management challenge.Objectives: To describe medication adherence and BP control amongst adult Nigerians with primary hypertension attending a primary care clinic of a tertiary hospital in a resource-poor environment in Eastern Nigeria.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 140 adult patients with primary hypertension who have been on treatment for at least 6 months at the primary care clinic of Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia. A patient was said to have achieved goal BP control if the BP was < 140 per 90 mmHg. Adherence was assessed in the previous 30 days using a pretested researcher-administered questionnaire on 30 days of self-reported therapy. Adherence was graded using an ordinal scoring system of 0–4; an adherent patient was one who scored 4 points in the previous 30 days. Reasons for non-adherence were documented.Results: Adherence to medication and BP control rates were 42.9% and 35.0% respectively. BP control was significantly associated with medication adherence (p = 0.03), antihypertensive medication duration ≥3 years (p = 0.042), and taking ≥ one form of antihypertensive medication (p = 0.04). BP at the recruitment visit was significantly higher than at the end of the study (p = 0.036). The most common reason for non-adherence was forgetfulness (p = 0.046). Conclusion: The rate of BP control amongst the study population was low, which may be connected with low medication adherence. This study urges consideration of factors relating to adherence alongside other factors driving goal BP control

Cucumeropsis mannii seed oil ameliorates Bisphenol‐A‐induced adipokines dysfunctions and dyslipidemia

From Wiley via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2022-12-25, rev-recd 2023-01-07, accepted 2023-02-06, pub-electronic 2023-02-18Article version: VoRPublication status: PublishedThis study demonstrated the therapeutic potentials of Cucumeropsis mannii seed oil (CMSO) capable of alleviating BPA‐induced dyslipidemia and adipokine dysfunction. In this study, we evaluated the effects of CMSO on adipokine dysfunctions and dyslipidemia in bisphenol‐A (BPA)‐induced male Wistar rats. Six‐week‐old 36 albino rats of 100–200 g weight were assigned randomly to six groups, which received varied doses of BPA and/or CMSO. The administration of BPA and CMSO was done at the same time for 42 days by oral intubation. The adipokine levels and lipid profile were measured in adipose tissue and plasma using standard methods. BPA induced significant (p < .05) increases in triglycerides, cholesterol, leptin, LDL‐C, and atherogenic and coronary risk indices in adipose tissue and plasma, as well as a decrease in adiponectin and HDL‐C levels in Group II animals. BPA administration significantly (p < .05) elevated Leptin levels and reduced adiponectin levels. BPA plus CMSO reduced triglycerides, cholesterol, leptin, LDL‐C, and atherogenic and coronary risk indices while increasing adiponectin levels and HDL‐C in adipose tissue and plasma (p < .05). The results showed that BPA exposure increased adipose tissue as well as serum levels of the atherogenic index, triglycerides, cholesterol, coronary risk index, LDL‐C, leptin, and body weight with decreased adiponectin levels and HDL‐C. Treatment with CMSO reduced the toxicities caused by BPA in rats by modulating the body weight, adiponectin/leptin levels, and lipid profiles in serum and adipose tissue. This study has shown that CMSO ameliorates BPA‐induced dyslipidemia and adipokine dysfunctions. We suggest for further clinical trial to establish the clinical applications

Family biosocial variables influencing the use of insecticide treated nets for children in Eastern Nigeria

Background: Effective reduction of malaria morbidity and mortality in Nigerian children under the age of five depends to a large extent on family biosocial factors. Although, the awareness of insecticide treated bed nets (ITNs) is reportedly high and increasing in Nigeria there remain large gaps between awareness, possession and use by families with children under the age of five in Nigeria. Aim: To determine the family biosocial variables that influence the use of insecticide treated nets for children in Eastern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A descriptive hospital-based study was carried out from June 2008-June 2011 on a cross-section of 415 mothers with children under the age of five, who were treated for confirmed malaria, and met the selection criteria were interviewed using a pretested, structured researcher-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire tool elicited information on family socio-demographic variables, inter-spousal discussion, communication, concurrence and participation in the use of insecticide treated bed nets; and reasons for non-utilization. The period of usage in the previous 6 months was assessed and graded using a scoring system of 0-4. Scores of 1-4 indicated usage while score of 0 meant non use. Results: The rate of ITNs use was 53.0%. The family variables that significantly influenced utilization were secondary education and above of parents (mother: P0 = 0.009; father: P = 0.001), monogamy (P value = 0.024), family size of 1-4 (P value = 0.016) and parents living together ( P = 0.001); others included parents′ occupation (mother: P = 0.003; father: P = 0.04) and inter-spousal discussion (P value = 0.001), communication (P value = 0.001), concurrence ( P = 0.000) and participation ( P = 0.000). The commonest reason for non- use was inconvenience during sleep ( P = 0.04). Conclusion: This study shows that the rate of ITN use was marginally good. Specifically, this rate was significantly influenced by some family variables. The families of children under the age of five should, therefore, be the focus of intensive health promotion campaign to influence the use of ITNs to produce ITN family friendly communities

Valorization of biodiesel byproduct glycerol to glycerol carbonate using highly reusable apatite-like catalyst derived from waste Gastropoda Mollusca

Predominantly, calcium oxide from the calcined waste Gastropoda Mollusca (Achatina fulica sp.) was post-functionalized and stabilized using trisodium phosphate to obtain an apatite-like catalyst (snail shell apatite, SNS-AP) to tailor the synthesis of glycerol carbonate (GC) from abundant biodiesel byproduct glycerol. Textural properties, crystal structure, and morphology were characterized by different techniques. The turnover frequency (TOF) and E-factor green metrics were determined, and plausible reaction mechanisms elucidated. The results show that the transformation of the crystalline phases of the snail shell consisting of aragonite and dolomite phases to apatite-like glaserite after functionalization with trisodium phosphate promoted stability and enhanced basicity of the catalyst to tailor the transesterification reaction. Thus, about 94.3% glycerol conversion and 96.5% GC yield were achieved under best reaction conditions of 80 °C, 90 min, DMC/glycerol molar ratio of 4, and 4 wt% catalyst weight. The TOF and E-factor were 12.533 h−1 and 0.5322, respectively. Also, the catalyst was stable over eight successive cycles of reuse sustaining about 80.34% GC yield. The results show the potential of this environmentally friendly strategy to prepare stable heterogeneous catalyst from natural wastes to promote the upgrading of oversupplied glycerol.The first author acknowledges the financial support provided by DGAPA under the PAPIIT Project No. IA203320. The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by DGAPA (Direccion General de Asuntos del Personal Academico) under PAPIIT Project Nos. IA203320 and IG100720. Also, the authors thank the Instituto de Energías Renovables (IER-UNAM), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, for their support.Scopu

<i>Cucumeropsis mannii</i> seed oil ameliorates Bisphenol‐A‐induced adipokines dysfunctions and dyslipidemia

From Crossref journal articles via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: epub 2023-02-18, issued 2023-02-18Article version: VoRPublication status: Publishe

Incidence, clinical characteristics, and risk factors of peripartum cardiomyopathy in Nigeria : results from the PEACE Registry

Aims: The aim of this study was to describe the incidence, clinical characteristics and risk factors of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) in Nigeria. Methods and Results: The study was conducted in 22 hospitals in Nigeria, and PPCM patients were consecutively recruited between June 2017 and March 2018. To determine factors associated with PPCM, the patients were compared with apparently healthy women who recently delivered, as controls. Four hundred six patients were compared with 99 controls. The incidence and disease burden (based on the rate of consecutive recruitment of subjects) varied widely between the six geographical zones of Nigeria. From the North-West zone, 72.3% of the patients was recruited, where an incidence as high as 1 per 96 live births was obtained in a centre, while the disease was uncommon (7.6% of all recruited patients) in the South. Majority of the patients (76.6%) and controls (74.8%) (p = 0.694) were of Hausa-Fulani ethnic group. Atrial fibrillation, intracardiac thrombus, stroke, and right ventricular systolic dysfunction were found in 1.7%, 6.4%, 2.2%, and 54.9% of the patients, respectively. Lack of formal education (odds ratio [OR] 3.08, 95% confidence interval [1.71, 5.53]; P &lt; 0.001), unemployment (OR: 3.28 [2.05, 5.24]; P &lt; 0.001), underweight (OR: 13.43 [4.17, 43.21]; P &lt; 0.001) and history of pre-eclampsia (OR: 9.01 [2.18, 37.75]; P = 0.002) emerged as independent PPCM risk factors using regression models. Customary hot baths (OR: 1.24 [0.80, 1.93]; P = 0.344), pap enriched with dried lake salt (OR: 1.20 [0.74, 1.94]; P = 0.451), and Hausa-Fulani ethnicity (OR: 1.11 [0.67, 1.84]; P = 0.698) did not achieve significance as PPCM risk factors. Conclusions: In Nigeria, the burden of PPCM was greatest in the North-West zone, which has the highest known incidence. PPCM was predicted by sociodemographic factors and pre-eclampsia, which should be considered in its control at population level. Postpartum customary birth practices and Hausa-Fulani ethnicity were not associated with PPCM in Nigeria