Obesity and obstructive sleep apnea risk among Nigerians.

BACKGROUND: The contribution of obesity to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is poorly described in Nigeria. We aimed to compare OSA risk between obese and nonobese adults in urban Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An analytic cross-sectional study was conducted. Participants were interviewed using the World Health Organization Non-Communicable Disease questionnaire. OSA risk assessment was performed using the STOP-BANG questionnaire. A total score of ≥3 on the STOP-BANG questionnaire indicated OSA risk, whereas a score ≥5 indicated high OSA risk. Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2. Relationship between obesity and OSA was tested using chi-square and logistic regression models used to control for confounding factors. RESULTS: There were 744 respondents, with a mean age of 44 (standard deviation 10) years. A total of 206 [27.7%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 24.46-30.9] respondents were obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). A total of 307 (41.3%, 95% CI 37.7-44.9) respondents scored ≥3 on the STOP-BANG questionnaire, whereas 37 (4.9%, 95% CI 3.6-6.7) scored ≥5. More number of obese than nonobese [57.8% (119/206) versus 34.9% (188/538)] respondents met the criteria for OSA risk (P < 0.001). Similarly, more obese persons [10.3% (21/206)] met the criteria for high-risk OSA compared to the nonobese [3% (16/538)]; P < 0.001. In logistic regression models adjusted for cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption, the odds for OSA risk was 15.76 (95% CI 7.44-33.9) in persons with BMI >35 kg/m2 compared to those with a BMI range of 18.5-24.99. CONCLUSION: Obesity and OSA may be more prevalent in Nigeria than previously predicted. Obesity independently increased OSA risk in this population.

A survey of non-communicable diseases and their risk factors among university employees: a single institutional study.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is rising globally, with its attendant morbidity and mortality, especially in developing countries. This study evaluated the prevalence of NCDs and their risk factors among members of a university community. METHODS: All employees of the university were invited to the University health clinic for screening, using the World Health Organisation's STEPwise approach to NCDs. RESULTS: A total of 883 (521; 59.0% males) employees with a mean age of 44 ± 10 years were studied. The median (IQR) number of NCD risk factors was three (two to three) per participant. The most common NCD risk factors were inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables (94.6%; 95% CI: 92.8-95.9), physical inactivity (77.8%; 95% CI: 74.9-80.5%) and dyslipidaemia (51.8%; 95% CI: 48.4-51.6%). Others included obesity (26.7%; 95% CI: 23.9-29.8%), alcohol use (24.0%; 95% CI: 21.3-27.0%) and cigarette smoking (2.9%; 95% CI: 2.0-4.3). Hypertension was the most common NCD (48.5%; 95% CI: 45.1-51.8%), followed by chronic kidney disease (13.6%; 95% CI: 11.4-16.1) and diabetes mellitus (8.0%; 95% CI: 6.4-10.1). There was no gender-specific difference in the prevalence of NCDs. CONCLUSION: This study identified that NCDs and their modifiable risk factors are highly prevalent in this community. Workplace policy to support the adoption of healthy living is needed.

Prevalence and predictors of severe menopause symptoms among HIV-positive and -negative Nigerian women.

We compared the prevalence of menopause symptoms between women living with HIV to their HIV-negative peers and determined predictors of severe menopause symptoms in Jos, Nigeria. This descriptive cross-sectional study included 714 women aged 40-80 years. We compared prevalence and severity of menopause symptoms using the menopause rating scale (MRS). Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of severe symptoms. Six-hundred and seven (85.0%) were HIV-positive, with a mean duration of infection of 5.6 ± 2.7 years. The mean age of the cohort was 46 ± 5 years. The most prevalent menopause symptoms were hot flushes (67.2%), joint and muscle discomfort (66.2%), physical/mental exhaustion (65.3%), heart discomfort (60.4%), and anxiety (56.4%). The median MRS score was higher for HIV-positive compared to HIV-negative women (p = 0.01). Factors associated with severe menopause symptoms included HIV-positive status (aOR: 3.01, 95% CI: 1.20-7.54) and history of cigarette smoking (aOR: 4.18, 95% CI: 1.31-13.26). Being married (aOR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.32-0.77), premenopausal (aOR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.39-0.94), and self-reporting good quality of life (aOR: 0.62. 95% CI: 0.39-0.98) were protective against severe menopause symptoms. We found HIV infection, cigarette smoking, quality of life, and stage of the menopause transition to be associated with severe menopause symptoms. As HIV-positive populations are aging, additional attention should be given to the reproductive health of these women.

Sexual Functioning and Health-related Quality of Life in Men.

BACKGROUND: Although erectile dysfunction (ED) is common, little is known about the impact of ED on the quality of life (QoL) among African men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) to evaluate ED and the WONCA charts to assess QoL among employees of a university. RESULTS: A total of 508 men with a mean age of 43 ± 10 years were studied. IIEF5 scores of <22 were present in 406 participants (77.9%). Mild ED, mild-to-moderate ED, moderate ED, and severe ED were present in 34.6%, 26.6%, 10.4%, and 5.7%, respectively. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly lower in those with ED. Marital status, alcohol, cigarette, physical inactivity, obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and antihypertensive drug use were not associated with ED. ED was associated with poor QoL in the domains of social activities (odds ratio [OR] = 4.35; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-18.7), and overall health (OR = 2.27; 95% CI: 1.07-4.82). However, there was no association of ED with poor QoL in the domains of physical fitness (OR = 1.46; 95% CI: 0.82-2.59), feelings (OR = 1.43; 95% CI: 0.75-2.72), daily activities (OR = 4.72; 95% CI: 0.61-36.4), and change in health (OR = 1.75; 95% CI: 0.58-5.26). CONCLUSION: ED negatively impacts QoL in men.

Surgical procedures before and after starting chronic hemodialysis in a predominantly male population with high prevalence of diabetes.

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to analyze changes in the frequency of different categories of surgical procedures after initiation of chronic hemodialysis (HD) and to identify the types of procedures associated with in-hospital postoperative mortality. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of surgical procedures performed in an incident HD population of 392 patients followed in the dialysis unit of one hospital over 15 years. Among these patients, 384 were men and 258 had diabetes mellitus. At the start of HD, age of the patients was 66.3 ± 11.2 years and Charlson index 5.35 ± 2.41. Rates of procedures per patient year (n/[pt-yr]), reported as mean (95% Confidence Interval [CI]), were compared by nonparametric methods. RESULTS: In the whole HD population, the overall rate of procedures increased in the HD period (pre-HD 0.125 [95% CI 0.101-0.149] n/[pt-yr]; HD 0.928 [95% CI 0.795-1.061] n/[pt-yr]; p<0.001). The increase, noted in patients with and without diabetes, reflected increases in the rates for both vascular access and non-vascular access procedures from the pre-HD to the HD period. Amputations and surgery for hip fractures accounted for the increase in the rates of procedures related to non-vascular access. Procedures associated with mortality in the HD period included amputations, hip repair and abdominal surgery for septic conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of surgical procedures for vascular access, amputations, and hip fractures ?increased after the start of HD. Amputations and hip fractures, both potentially preventable, are associated with mortality in HD patients.

Hospitalizations before and after initiation of chronic hemodialysis.

Hospitalization rate is high in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD). We investigated whether initiation of HD changes the rate and length of hospitalization. We analyzed hospitalizations in HD patients in one hospital over 15 years. We compared annual rate and length of hospitalizations, both presented as mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) between the pre-HD and HD period. Three hundred ninety-two patients, 98% men, 59% diabetic, and 66.3 ± 11.2 years old at the onset of HD, had 1016 hospitalizations in the pre-HD period (60.0 ± 42.9 months) and 1627 hospitalizations in the HD period (32.5 ± 25.9 months). Higher values were found in the HD than the pre-HD period for rate, (pre-HD 0.557 [95% CI 0.473-0.611], HD 2.198 [95% CI 1.997-2.399] admissions/[patient-year], P<0.001) and length (pre-HD 4.63 [95% CI 3.71-5.55], HD 28.07 [95% CI 23.55-32.59] days/patient-year], P<0.001) of hospitalizations for all causes, cardiac disease, infections, vascular access, peripheral vascular disease, metabolic disturbances, gastrointestinal diseases, and miscellaneous conditions, mainly respiratory illness and malignancy. Similar differences were found when we compared the year before and the year after the start of HD. Diabetics had higher all cause rate and length of hospitalizations than non-diabetics in the pre-HD and HD periods. The rate and length of hospitalizations was higher in the HD than the pre-HD period for both HD-specific conditions and conditions encountered in both HD and general populations. Study of factors specific to HD that may affect these conditions should constitute the first step toward improving the morbidity of patients on HD.

Hospital admissions in elderly patients on chronic hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine whether number of hospital admissions per patient per year (n/[pt-yr]) and hospital days per patient per year (d/[pt-yr]) differ between elderly and younger patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a retrospective cohort analysis of incident HD patients in one dialysis unit over 15 years, we compared 166 HD patients older than 70 years (77.1 ± 4.7 yrs) at the onset of HD (group A) and 216 patients younger than 70 years both at onset (57.1 ± 7.6 yrs) and at the end of the HD period (group B). Eighty (48.2%) of group A and 141 (65.3%) patients of group B had diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: No differences were noted in the overall hospitalization rate, presented as mean, {95% Confidence interval} (group A 2.40 {2.04-2.75}, group B 2.03 {1.89-2.16} n[pt-yr]) and days/[pt-year] (group A 33.6 {25.3-41.8}, group B 24.1 {18.9-29.23}). Group A had higher number of hospitalization days (P = 0.012) for surgery or trauma and higher rate (P = 0.045) and days (P = 0.041) of hospitalization for miscellaneous causes, primarily pulmonary disease, or malignancy. Among diabetic patients, group A had only a greater number of hospital days for cardiac disease (P = 0.050). Among patients without diabetes, group A had a higher number for hospital days for surgery or trauma (P = 0.027). All other univariate comparisons were not significant. Multiple linear regression identified comorbidity, quantified by the Charlson index, Caucasian race and poor compliance with the HD schedule as predictors of admission rate and days per year for vascular access issues and comorbidity, poor compliance, and advanced age at onset of HD as predictors of admission for causes other than vascular access related. CONCLUSION: Hospitalizations, which affect quality of life, differ little between elderly and younger patients on HD. Therefore, hospitalizations do not constitute an argument for restricting access to HD to elderly patients.

Death during hospitalization in patients on chronic hemodialysis.

Mortality from various causes is higher in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD) than in the general population. There is evidence suggesting that some of the deaths in HD patients are preventable. To identify potentially preventable causes of death, we analyzed deaths that occurred in HD patients during hospitalization over a period of 15 years. We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of 410 patients on HD for at least 6 months between 1995 and 2009 (included), who had all their hospitalizations in the same hospital. The patients were classified into 3 groups: Those who died during hospitalization (group A, n=120), those who died away from the hospital (group B, n=135), and those who were alive at the end of the observation period (group C, n=155). Continuous variables were compared between groups by the Kruskall-Wallis statistic. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of dying during the observation period and predictors of death in the hospital. For the whole HD group of 410 patients, only 9 (2.2%) were women. 59% of the patients had diabetes mellitus. Age at the onset of HD was 65.8 ± 11.5 years and the duration of HD was 34.4 ± 27.9 months. Group A patients had a higher annual rate and duration of hospitalization and a higher Charlson comorbidity index than either of the other 2 groups, and, in comparison with patients in group C, were older at the end of observation and had a shorter duration of HD. Cardiac disease (19.2%), vascular access complications (18.3%), peripheral vascular disease (16.7%), infections (15.8%), trauma (11.7%), central nervous system disease (7.5%), respiratory failure (4.2%), malignancy (3.3%), and gastrointestinal disease (3.3%) were the causes of the last hospitalization in group A. Compared with the patients who died during hospitalization without discontinuing HD, group A patients who discontinued HD had a longer duration of their last hospitalization (52.7 ± 77.7 vs. 14.3 ± 23.8 days, P<0.001). Discontinuation of HD occurred in 80% of the hospitalizations for respiratory failure, 75% of the hospitalizations for malignancy, 57% of the hospitalizations for trauma, and 56% of the hospitalizations for central nervous system disease. Logistic regression identified a high Charlson index, advanced age, and short duration of HD as predictors of death, and an absence of diabetes, high Charlson index, prolonged annual duration of hospitalization, and short distance of the patient's domicile from the dialysis unit as predictors of death in the hospital. A substantial number of hospitalizations leading to the death of HD patients are caused by potentially preventable conditions, including vascular access complications, peripheral vascular disease, and trauma. Implementation of measures preventing these hospitalizations is a worthwhile undertaking.

Self-reported screening of nephrologists for chronic kidney disease: a nationwide survey.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing, with major health and economic implications. World Kidney Day was established to increase the general public's awareness of CKD. The purpose of this report was to document the self-awareness of CKD by nephrologists practicing in one country, Nigeria. METHODS: Self-administered questionnaires addressing self-awareness about CKD were distributed to nephrologists attending a meeting of the Nigerian Association of Nephrology. RESULTS: Twenty-eight (35.4%) of the respondents admitted to being at risk for CKD; 93.7% reported having urinalysis done in the past, but only 50.6% had done it within the last 12 months. Similarly, 74.7% had at least had a serum creatinine measurement. Only 12.7% had ever had their glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimated. CONCLUSION: Self-screening for CKD among Nigerian nephrologists is suboptimal. This self-neglect may translate into poor CKD screening practices for their patients.

Management of extreme azotemia from urinary tract obstruction without dialysis. Clinical correlates and kinetic modeling of the recovery of renal function.

The recovery of renal function following release of urinary tract obstruction with advanced azotemia determines both the need for emergency dialysis in the early post-obstructive period and the long-term planning for chronic kidney disease management. A man with prostatic cancer who presented with 16 days of anuria and a serum creatinine (Scr) of 42.7 mg/dl but had evidence suggesting residual renal function was managed conservatively and reached a steady-state Scr of 1.6 mg/dl within 84 h of urinary bladder catheterization. Modeling of the decrease in Scr taking into account the decline in the body creatinine pool that existed prior to the release of the obstruction and the accumulation in body fluids of creatinine produced after the release of the obstruction suggested that recovery of the value of glomerular filtration rate corresponding to the steady-state Scr occurred at the release of the urinary obstruction. The case illustrates both the clinical factors that may lead to the decision to postpone dialysis in a patient presenting with extreme obstructive azotemia and a novel method of modeling the recovery of renal function after release of the obstruction.

Hepatic histopathological findings in HIV patients at postmortem in Jos university teaching hospital, Nigeria.

Multi-organ involvement by opportunistic infections and neoplasms is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV/AIDS. We determined the spectrum/frequency of hepatic histopathological lesions in a prospective study of postmortem liver biopsies from 100 patients (50 females and 50 males, age range 18-55 years) who died from HIV/AIDS in Jos university teaching hospital, Nigeria. The majority of the patients, 65 (65%), had clinical tuberculosis. Granulomatous hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, non-specific reactive hepatitis (NSRH) and steatosis were the commonest hepatic histopathologic lesions occurring in 34, 20,15 and 12% of patients, respectively. Seven (7%) had normal histological features. This study shows that the liver is affected in HIV/AIDS as reported elsewhere in the world. Therefore, liver biopsy in HIV patients may be helpful in the management of these patients.

Immunoglobulin A nephropathy complicating ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis is rarely associated with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). The development of IgA nephropathy complicates further the clinical course of patients with ulcerative colitis. A 72-year old man with a 30-year history of ulcerative colitis requiring colectomy and modest renal insufficiency secondary to complications of nephrolithiasis and renal artery stenosis developed glomerular hematuria, proteinuria and progressive renal failure. Percutaneous kidney biopsy revealed IgAN with extensive glomerular and interstitial sclerotic changes. After resection of a chronically infected ileo-rectal pouch, renal function improved, while hematuria and proteinuria gradually disappeared without specific treatment of the IgAN. The manifestations of IgAN complicating ulcerative colitis can be improved with effective treatment of the bowel disease even when there are extensive sclerotic changes in the kidneys.

Discrepancy between predicted and measured GFR in hospitalized Nigerian children.

Current clinical guidelines for the management of chronic kidney disease recommend the use of prediction equations for determination of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Our aim was to determine the accuracy of the Schwartz and the modified Counahan-Barratt equations in predicting GFR in hospitalized Nigerian children. We compared GFR as estimated by the Schwartz and the Counahan-Barratt equations against endogenous creatinine clearance (Ccr) in 90 hospitalized Nigerian children of varying renal function. The bias (i.e. the mean difference) in GFR estimation by the Schwartz and the modified Counahan-Barratt equations in relation to Ccr were 16.7 and 21.5, respectively. The predicted GFR values correlated poorly with the measured Ccr (-0.19 and -0.18 for Schwartz and Counahan-Barratt equations respectively). The positive predictive value of the Schwartz and Counahan-Barratt equations to detect GFR <60 ml/min were 9.8% and 11.9% respectively. These equations do not provide reliable estimates of the GFR when compared to Ccr in Nigerian sick children and hence can not replace Ccr in clinical practice. Further studies are needed to develop reliable alternatives for Ccr in these children.