Clinical presentation and aetiologies of acute or complicated headache among HIV-seropositive patients in a Ugandan clinic

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We set out to define the relative prevalence and common presentations of the various aetiologies of headache within an ambulant HIV-seropositive adult population in Kampala, Uganda.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a prospective study of adult HIV-1-seropositive ambulatory patients consecutively presenting with new onset headaches. Patients were classified as focal-febrile, focal-afebrile, non-focal-febrile or non-focal-afebrile, depending on presence or absence of fever and localizing neurological signs. Further management followed along a pre-defined diagnostic algorithm to an endpoint of a diagnosis. We assessed outcomes during four months of follow up.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>One hundred and eighty patients were enrolled (72% women). Most subjects presented at WHO clinical stages III and IV of HIV disease, with a median Karnofsky performance rating of 70% (IQR 60-80).</p> <p>The most common diagnoses were cryptococcal meningitis (28%, n = 50) and bacterial sinusitis (31%, n = 56). Less frequent diagnoses included cerebral toxoplasmosis (4%, n = 7), and tuberculous meningitis (4%, n = 7). Thirty-two (18%) had other diagnoses (malaria, bacteraemia, etc.). No aetiology could be elucidated in 28 persons (15%). Overall mortality was 13.3% (24 of 180) after four months of follow up. Those without an established headache aetiology had good clinical outcomes, with only one death (4% mortality), and 86% were ambulatory at four months.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In an African HIV-infected ambulatory population presenting with new onset headache, aetiology was found in at least 70%. Cryptococcal meningitis and sinusitis accounted for more than half of the cases.</p

Availability and use of long-acting insulin analogues across Africa including biosimilars; current situation and implications

Background: Prevalence rates of diabetes mellitus are growing, and likely reach 34.2 million people in sub-Saharan Africa by 2040. This has significant implications on morbidity, mortality, and costs exacerbated by complications. Complications in patients requiring insulins enhanced by hypoglycaemia. Long-acting insulin analogues can reduce hypoglycaemia and improve patient compliance. However, typically appreciably more expensive than other insulins, limiting their listing on national essential medicine lists (EMLs). Biosimilars may help reduce prices and enhance listing. Objectives: Assess current listing and funding for insulins including long-acting insulin analogues across Africa. Methods: Mixed methods approach including documentation of utilisation patterns and prices nationally as well as from hospitals, ambulatory care, wholesalers and pharmacies among a range of African countries. Input from senior level government, academic, and healthcare professionals on the current situation with long-acting insulin analogues and potential changes needed to enhance future funding of biosimilar long-acting insulins. Results: Variable listing of long-acting insulin analogues on national EMLs across Africa due to high prices and issues of affordability. Even when listed in EMLs, utilisation in public healthcare systems is limited due to similar issues including affordability. Appreciably lowering the prices of long-acting insulin analogues via biosimilars should enhance future listing on EMLs and use accompanied by educational and other initiatives. However to date, limited price reductions for biosimilars versus originators across Europe and Asia. Conclusion: There are concerns with funding long-acting insulin analogues across Africa including biosimilars. A number of activities have been identified to improve future listing on EMLs and subsequent us

Availability and use of long-acting insulin analogues including their biosimilars across Africa; findings and implications

Background: Prevalence rates of diabetes mellitus are growing across Africa with an appreciable number likely to be on insulin to manage their condition. This has significant implications on future morbidity and mortality exacerbated by high complication rates. Complication rates in patients requiring insulins are enhanced by hypoglycaemia. Long-acting insulin analogues were developed to reduce hypoglycaemia and improve patient compliance. However, they are typically appreciably more expensive than human and other insulins in Africa, and continuing controversies surrounding their benefits limits their listing on national essential medicine lists (EMLs). Biosimilars can reduce the prices long-acting insulin analogues. This needs assessing. Methods: Mixed methods approach including documentation of insulin utilisation patterns and prices among a range of African countries. In addition, input from senior level government, academic, and healthcare professionals from across Africa on the current situation with long-acting insulin analogues as well as potential changes needed to enhance future funding of long-acting analogue biosimilars. Results: There is variable listing of long-acting insulin analogues on national EMLs across Africa due to their high prices and issues of affordability. Even when listed, utilisation of long-acting insulin analogues is limited by similar issues including affordability. Appreciably lowering the prices of long-acting insulin analogues via biosimilars should enhance future listing on EMLs and use accompanied by educational and other initiatives. However, this will require increased competition to lower prices. Conclusion: There are concerns with value and funding of long-acting insulin analogues across Africa including biosimilars. A number of activities have been identified to improve future funding and listing on EMLs

Nutritional rickets among children admitted with severe pneumonia at Mulago hospital, Uganda: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background There’s abundant sunshine in the tropics but severe rickets is still observed. Nutritional rickets is associated with an increased risk of acute lower respiratory infections. Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in the under 5 -year old children with the highest burden in developing countries. Both Pneumonia and rickets are common in the developing countries and may affect clinical presentation and outcome. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of nutritional rickets in children admitted with severe pneumonia. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of children aged 2–59 months presenting with severe pneumonia at an emergency unit. We enrolled 221 children between February and June 2012 after consent. A pre-coded questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic, nutritional and past medical history. Physical exam was done for signs of rickets and anthropometric measurements. Serum calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were assessed. Children with any physical signs of rickets or biochemical rickets (ALP > 400 IU); had a wrist x-ray done. Nutritional rickets was defined as the presence of radiological changes of cupping or fraying and/ or metaphyseal thickening. Severe pneumonia was defined using the WHO criteria. Statistical analysis was performed using the Stata 10 statistical package. P- value < 0.05 was significant. Results The prevalence of nutritional rickets among children with severe pneumonia is 9.5%. However, 14.5% had raised ALP (biochemical rickets). The factors independently associated with rickets was an elevated alkaline phosphatase; p-value < 0.001, or 32.95 95% CI (10.54–102.93). Other factors like breastfeeding, big family size, birth order were not significantly associated with rickets. Low serum calcium was detected in 22 (9.9%) of the 221 participants. Overall few children with rickets had typical clinical features of rickets on physical examination. Conclusion Rickets is a common problem in our setting despite ample sunshine. Clinicians should actively assess children for rickets in this setting and screen for rickets in those children at high risk even without clinical features

Healthcare delivery for paediatric and adolescent diabetes in low resource settings: Type 1 diabetes clinics in Uganda

The management of type 1 diabetes (T1DM) includes setting up organised follow-up clinics. A programme for establishing such clinics in Uganda commenced in 2009. The clinics were established along the chronic care model and were integrated into the health structure of other chronic diseases. Web-based electronic medical records were utilised to establish a centralised registry. All children with diabetes below 18 years of age were encouraged to enrol into the programme by attending the nearest established T1DM clinic. At the commencement of the programme, there were 178 patients with T1DM receiving care in various health facilities but without organised follow-up T1DM clinics. These patients were subsequently enrolled into the programme and as of June 30, 2018, the programme had a total of 32 clinics with 1187 children; 3 with neonatal diabetes. Challenges encountered included difficulties in timely diagnosis, failure to provide adequate care in the remote rural areas and failure to achieve pre-defined glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) goals. Despite these challenges, this observational study demonstrates that healthcare delivery for T1DM organised along the chronic care model and supported by web-based electronic medical records is achievable and provides care that is sustainable. Addressing the encountered challenges should result in improved outcomes for T1DM

Nodding syndrome in Ugandan children—clinical features, brain imaging and complications: a case series

Objectives Nodding syndrome is a devastating neurological disorder of uncertain aetiology affecting children in Africa. There is no diagnostic test, and risk factors and symptoms that would allow early diagnosis are poorly documented. This study aimed to describe the clinical, electrophysiological and brain imaging (MRI) features and complications of nodding syndrome in Ugandan children. Design Case series. Participants 22 children with nodding syndrome brought to Mulago National Referral Hospital for assessment. Outcome measures Clinical features, physical and functional disabilities, EEG and brain MRI findings and a staging system with a progressive development of symptoms and complications. Results The median age of symptom onset was 6 (range 4–10) years and median duration of symptoms was 8.5 (range 2–11) years. 16 of 22 families reported multiple affected children. Physical manifestations and complications included stunting, wasting, lip changes and gross physical deformities. The bone age was delayed by 2 (range 1–6) years. There was peripheral muscle wasting and progressive generalised wasting. Four children had nodding as the only seizure type; 18 in addition had myoclonic, absence and/or generalised tonic–clonic seizures developing 1–3 years after the onset of illness. Psychiatric manifestations included wandering, aggression, depression and disordered perception. Cognitive assessment in three children demonstrated profound impairment. The EEG was abnormal in all, suggesting symptomatic generalised epilepsy in the majority. There were different degrees of cortical and cerebellar atrophy on brain MRI, but no hippocampal changes. Five stages with worsening physical, EEG and brain imaging features were identified: a prodrome, the development of head nodding and cognitive decline, other seizure types, multiple complications and severe disability. Conclusions Nodding syndrome is a neurological disorder that may be characterised as probably symptomatic generalised epilepsy. Clinical manifestations and complications develop in stages which might be useful in defining treatment and rehabilitation. Studies of risk factors, pathogenesis, management and outcome are urgently needed