Risk factors for cardiac dysfunction in children on treatment for cancer at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi

Objective: To determine the point prevalence of abnormal cardiac function and to assess the risk factors for cardiac dysfunction in paediatric oncology patients on treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital. Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study with a nested case control. Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital between February and April 2006. Main outcome measures: Left ventricular dysfunction if ejection fraction (EF) 29%. Results: One hundred and eleven patients were enrolled of whom 32 had abnormal cardiac function and were classified as cases while 79 had normal cardiac function. About a third, point prevalence 29% (95% CI 21.2-37.9), had cardiac dysfunction. Cumulative anthracycline dose was a risk factor for cardiac dysfunction in this population. Above 200mg/m2 the attributable risk percentage of cardiac dysfunction was 77%. Conclusions: Serial echocardiography should be performed to identify patients at risk. Alternative treatment protocols should be used when the cumulative anthracycline dose exceeds 200mg/m2 due to the high attributable risk. Studies to further assess the other associated risk factors and long term effects of anthracycline are recommended

Replication timing: histone genes replicate during early S phase in cleavage-stage embryos of sea urchin.

Newly synthesized DNA was separated from the bulk of the DNA by pulse-labeling with BUdR and centrifugation in an alkaline CsCl buoyant density gradient. The content of histone gene in the newly synthesized DNA was determined by DNA dot hybridization. The gene contents in DNA replicated during the early half of S phase and during the whole S phase were compared. Results showed that histone genes were replicated during the first half of the S phase in embryos in the early cleavage stage

RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIAC DYSFUNCTION IN CHILDREN ON TREATMENT FOR CANCER AT KENYATTA NATIONAL HOSPITAL, NAIROBI

Objective: To determine the point prevalence of abnormal cardiac function and to assessthe risk factors for cardiac dysfunction in paediatric oncology patients on treatmentat Kenyatta National Hospital.Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study with a nested case control.Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital between February and April 2006.Main outcome measures: Left ventricular dysfunction if ejection fraction (EF) <55% orfractional shortening (FS) <29% defined cases. Controls had EF >55% or FS >29%.Results: One hundred and eleven patients were enrolled of whom 32 had abnormalcardiac function and were classified as cases while 79 had normal cardiac function. Abouta third, point prevalence 29% (95% CI 21.2-37.9), had cardiac dysfunction. Cumulativeanthracycline dose was a risk factor for cardiac dysfunction in this population. Above200mg/m2 the attributable risk percentage of cardiac dysfunction was 77%.Conclusions: Serial echocardiography should be performed to identify patients at risk.Alternative treatment protocols should be used when the cumulative anthracycline doseexceeds 200mg/m2 due to the high attributable risk. Studies to further assess the otherassociated risk factors and long term effects of anthracycline are recommended

Future Directions for Other Civilian Applications(Medical, Radiation Safety, Industrial, Agricultural/Food, Research Reactors) -Meeting Economic and Sociental Needs? -Improving Safety and Proliferation Resistance?

Atom for Peace After 50 Years: New Challenges and Opportunites　Workshop