Experience with tetanus in a tertiary hospital in south east Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Tetanus has for long been an avoidable source of morbidity and mortality particularly in developing countries. The aim of this study was to review the experience with managing tetanus in a regional tertiary hospital in Nigeria. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients who were admitted with a clinical diagnosis of tetanus between January 1999 and December 2003 was done. Relevant data were extracted from the patients'case records. RESULTS: A total of 12 patients were identified within the time frame with a diagnosis of tetanus. There were more male than female patients (ratio 1.4:1) with city dwellers constituting a small majority. The mean age of the patients was 29.8 years. Lower limb injuries accounted for the portal of entry in 75% of cases while one case followed a practice of oral sex. All patients were managed in the general ward and no mortality was recorded despite the presence of dysautonomia in some patients. CONCLUSION: Despite the high rate of morbidity and mortality associated with tetanus in developing countries and despite some regional differences in presentation, careful clinical management even in resource poor countries can result in very good outcomes.

Stroke at the prime of life: a study of Nigerian Africans between the ages of 16 and 45 years.

Sixty-seven patients (27.9%) between 16 and 45 years, out of 240 cases of stroke seen over 33 months were further studied with respect to stroke type, aetiological and social factors. The frequency of non-embolic cerebral infarction was 58.2%, cerebral embolism 7.5%; cerebral haemorrhage 17.9%; primary subarachnoid haemorrhage 11.9%. Hypertension was the commonest aetiological factor occurring in 35.8% of the cases. Cervical spine hyperflexion, stenosing carotid arteritis, cocaine ingestion, mitral valve prolapse, non-valvular atrial fibrillation and chorion cancer featured among other less frequent but important factors presenting different diagnostic problems. The frequency of unexplained stroke was under 12%. The authors suggest that previously encountered cervical spine trauma among young stroke cases represent underreporting and that the relationship between young age, grand-multiparity and non-valvular atrial fibrillation be further elucidated.

Brain cardiac events in Nigerian patients with cocaine abuse.

Epidemiological evidences indicated that substance abuse disorders are increasingly prevalent among Nigerians. The psychosocial deleterious effects of these drugs appear well recognised, but their medical consequences are less often considered in the region. The potential for these drugs to precipitate life threatening cardiac and brain event needs to be reemphasised. We report the clinical and laboratory findings in 4 Nigerians in whom non-intravenous use (recreational and ritualistic) of cocaine was temporally related to acute myocardial ischaemia, cardiac dysarrhythmias, convulsion and cerebrovascular accident. These findings suggest that the observations--that underlying heart disorders were not sinequanon for the cardiotoxic effects of cocaine; the brain and cardiac consequences were not restricted to parenteral use of the drug; the development of seizures were not prerequisite for cerebrovascular accident and vice versa; and that massive doses of the drug needed not be ingested to produce toxic effects on the heart and brain--may also apply in these Nigerian patients. Perhaps with the increase in user population, it is timely to embark on public enlightenment on the medical dangers of cocaine abuse, as these are no less important than the psychosocial consequences.