Gestational glucose intolerance among pregnant women at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Malaria in pregnancy can have adverse outcomes if untreated. Both malaria and pregnancy are associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. Although malaria is treated prophylactically with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) screened for in pregnancy as part a routine antenatal care, their impacts have not been examined in terms of other forms of dysglycaemia. This cross-sectional study examined insulin resistance and its relationship with dysglycaemia and malaria among pregnant women in the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH). METHODS: Using a structured questionnaire, demographic and clinical information were obtained from 252 pregnant women aged 18-42 years. Weight and height were measured for computation of body mass index (BMI). Measurement of insulin, lipid profile and glucose were taken under fasting conditions followed by oral glucose tolerant test. Insulin resistance and beta-cell function were assessed by the homeostatic model as malaria was diagnosed by microscopy. RESULTS: The respective prevalence of GDM, gestational glucose intolerance (GGI) and insulin resistance were 0.8% (2/252), 19.44% (49/252) and 56.75% (143/252). No malaria parasite or dyslipidaemia was detected in any of the participants. Apart from BMI that increased across trimesters, no other measured parameter differed among the participants. Junior High School (JHS) education compared with no formal education increased the odds (AOR: 2.53; CI: 1.12-5.71; P = 0.03) but 2nd trimester of pregnancy compared to the 1st decreased the odds (AOR: 0.32; CI: 0.12-0.81; P = 0.02) of having insulin resistance in the entire sample. In a sub-group analysis across trimesters, pregnant women with JHS education in their 3rd trimester had increased odds (AOR: 4.41; CI: 1.25-15.62; P = 0.02) of having insulin resistance. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of GDM and GGI were 0.8% and 19.44% respectively. The odds of insulin resistance increased in pregnant women with JHS education in the 3rd trimester. Appropriate measures are needed to assuage the diabetogenic risk posed by GGI in our setting.

Prone Team: A Large-Scale Prone Position Initiative During COVID-19 Pandemic.

AIM: To identify strategies to improve time to prone in ICUs during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic for patients meeting the criteria for prone position ventilation. BACKGROUND: Healthcare systems worldwide experienced an influx of COVID-19 patients, especially in critical care. COVID-19 patients are at risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Prone position ventilation is the standard of care for mechanically ventilated patients with moderate to severe ARDS. Prone maneuvers in and of itself are time-consuming and labor-intensive, posing additional risks to patients. APPROACH: Our academic medical center developed a travel proning team to address the rapid increase in COVID-19 patients with ARDS necessitating prone positioning. EVALUATION: Over a period of 30 days, 420 ICU patients were intubated, 131 had moderate to severe ARDS and underwent prone positioning. Patients were placed in prone position or returned to supine position more than 834 times over 38 days. At the highest point, 37 procedures were done in 24 hours. CONCLUSION: This quality initiative demonstrated that utilization of a traveling proning team provides efficiency in time to prone. Developing a travel prone team allowed for efficiency in time to prone, supported the ICU clinical teams, and enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration, which is essential during times of crisis.

Hypoxemia, Bradycardia, and Multiple Laryngoscopy Attempts during Anesthetic Induction in Infants: A Single-center, Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: The infant airway is particularly vulnerable to trauma from repeated laryngoscopy attempts. Complications associated with elective tracheal intubations in anesthetized infants may be underappreciated. We conducted this study of anesthetized infants to determine the incidence of multiple laryngoscopy attempts during routine tracheal intubation and assess the association of laryngoscopy attempts with hypoxemia and bradycardia. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional cohort study of anesthetized infants (age less than or equal to 12 months) who underwent direct laryngoscopy for oral endotracheal intubation between January 24, 2015, and August 1, 2016. We excluded patients with a history of difficult intubation and emergency procedures. Our primary outcome was the incidence of hypoxemia or bradycardia during induction of anesthesia. We evaluated the relationship between laryngoscopy attempts and our primary outcome, adjusting for age, weight, American Society of Anesthesiologists status, staffing model, and encounter location. RESULTS: A total of 1,341 patients met our inclusion criteria, and 16% (n = 208) had multiple laryngoscopy attempts. The incidence of hypoxemia was 35% (n = 469) and bradycardia was 8.9% (n = 119). Hypoxemia and bradycardia occurred in 3.7% (n = 50) of patients. Multiple laryngoscopy attempts were associated with an increased risk of hypoxemia (adjusted odds ratio: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.30 to 2.43, P < 0.001). There was no association between multiple laryngoscopy attempts and bradycardia (adjusted odds ratio: 1.23, 95% CI: 0.74 to 2.03, P = 0.255). CONCLUSIONS: In a quaternary academic center, healthy infants undergoing routine tracheal intubations had a high incidence of multiple laryngoscopy attempts and associated hypoxemia episodes.

Right Heart Thrombi: Patient Outcomes by Treatment Modality and Predictors of Mortality: A Pooled Analysis.

RATIONALE: Right heart thrombi (RiHT) is characterized by the presence of thrombus within the right atrium or right ventricle (RV). Current literature suggests pulmonary embolism (PE) with RiHT carries a high mortality. Guidelines lack recommendations in managing RiHT. We created a pooled analysis on RiHT and report on our institutional experience in managing RiHT. We aimed to evaluate whether patient characteristics and differing treatment modalities predict mortality. METHODS: We created a pooled analysis of case reports and series of patients with RiHT and PE between January 1956 and 2017. We also reviewed a series of consecutive patients with RiHT identified from our institutional PE registry. Age, shock, RV dysfunction, clot mobility, treatment modality, and hospital outcome had to be reported. RESULTS: We identified 316 patients in our pooled analysis. Patients received the following therapies: no treatment 15 (5%), systemic anticoagulation 73 (23%), systemic thrombolysis 108 (34%), surgical embolectomy 101 (32%), catheter-directed therapy 11 (3%), and systemic thrombolysis with surgery 8 (3%). In-hospital mortality was 18.7%. Univariate analysis showed age and shock reduced odds of survival. Multivariate analysis showed shock reduced odds of survival (odds ratios [OR] 0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.19-0.72, P ≤ .01) while age, RV dysfunction, and clot-mobility did not affect mortality. In a reduced multivariate analysis adjusting for shock, treatment modality, and clot location alone, systemic thrombolysis increased odds of survival when compared to systemic anticoagulation (OR 2.72, 95% CI: 1.11-6.64, P = .02). Our institutional series identified 18 patients, where in-hospital mortality was 22.2%, 18 (100%) had RV dysfunction, and 5 (28%) had shock. Patients received the following therapies: systemic anticoagulation 8 (44.4%), systemic thrombolysis 4 (22.2%), surgical embolectomy 4 (22.2%), and catheter-directed thrombolysis 2 (11.1%). CONCLUSION: Presence of shock in RiHT is an independent predictor of mortality. Systemic thrombolysis may offer increased odds of survival when compared to systemic anticoagulation. Our findings should be interpreted with caution as they derive from retrospective reports and subject to publication bias.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Point-of-Care Ultrasound Performed by Pulmonary Critical Care Physicians for Right Ventricle Assessment in Patients With Acute Pulmonary Embolism.

OBJECTIVES: Risk stratification for acute pulmonary embolism using imaging presence of right ventricular dysfunction is essential for triage; however, comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography has limited availability. We assessed the accuracy and timeliness of Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Fellow's performance of goal-directed echocardiograms and intensivists' interpretations for evaluating right ventricular dysfunction in acute pulmonary embolism. DESIGN: Prospective observational study and retrospective chart review. SETTING: Four hundred fifty bed urban teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Adult in/outpatients diagnosed with acute pulmonary embolism. INTERVENTIONS: Pulmonary critical care fellows performed and documented their goal-directed echocardiogram as normal or abnormal for right ventricular size and function in patients with acute pulmonary embolism. Gold standard transthoracic echocardiography was performed on schedule unless the goal-directed echocardiogram showed critical findings. Attending intensivists blinded to the clinical scenario reviewed these exams at a later date. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Two hundred eighty-seven consecutive patients were evaluated for acute PE. Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Fellows performed 154 goal-directed echocardiograms, 110 with complete cardiology-reviewed transthoracic echocardiography within 48 hours for comparison. Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Fellow's area under the curve for size and function was 0.83 (95% CI, 0.75-0.90) and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.75-0.90), respectively. Intensivists' 1/2 area under the curve for size and function was (1) 0.87 (95% CI, 0.82-0.94), (1) 0.87 (95% CI, 0.80-0.93) and (2) 0.88 (95% CI, 0.82-0.95), (2) 0.88 (95% CI, 0.82-0.95). Median time difference between goal-directed echocardiogram and transthoracic echocardiography was 21 hours 18 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to evaluate pulmonary critical care fellows' and intensivists' use of goal-directed echocardiography in diagnosing right ventricular dysfunction in acute pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine Fellows and intensivists made a timely and accurate assessment. Screening for right ventricular dysfunction using goal-directed echocardiography can and should be performed by pulmonary critical care physicians in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Comparison of video laryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy during urgent endotracheal intubation: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: In the critically ill undergoing urgent endotracheal intubation by direct laryngoscopy, multiple attempts are often required with a higher complication rate due to the urgency, uncontrolled setting, comorbidities, and variability in expertise of operators. We hypothesized that Glidescope video laryngoscopy would be superior to direct laryngoscopy during urgent endotracheal intubation. DESIGN: Single-center prospective randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Beth Israel Medical Center, an 856-bed urban teaching hospital with a 16-bed closed medical ICU. PATIENTS: Of 153 consecutive patients undergoing urgent endotracheal intubation by pulmonary and critical care medicine fellows, 117 met inclusion criteria. INTERVENTIONS: Patients undergoing urgent endotracheal intubation were randomized to Glidescope video laryngoscopy or direct laryngoscopy as the primary intubation device. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary outcome measure was the rate of first-attempt success. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores were similar between groups (20.9 ± 8.2 vs 19.9 ± 7.9). First-attempt success was achieved in 74% of the Glidescope video laryngoscopy group compared with 40% in the direct laryngoscopy group (p < 0.001). All unsuccessful direct laryngoscopy patients were successfully intubated with Glidescope video laryngoscopy, 82% on the first attempt. There was no significant difference in rates of complications between direct laryngoscopy and Glidescope video laryngoscopy: esophageal intubations (7% vs 0%; p = 0.05), aspiration events (7% vs 9%; p = 0.69), desaturation (8% vs 4%; p = 0.27), and hypotension (13% vs 11%; p = 0.64). CONCLUSIONS: Glidescope video laryngoscopy improves the first-attempt success rate during urgent endotracheal intubation performed by pulmonary and critical care medicine fellows when compared with direct laryngoscopy.

Intraosseous versus central venous catheter utilization and performance during inpatient medical emergencies.

OBJECTIVES: Intraosseous access is a rapid and effective route of fluid and drug administration. Its use has been proven in emergency medicine, pediatrics, and the military. We aimed to assess its performance and utilization against landmark-guided central venous catheter placement during inpatient medical emergencies. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Eight hundred fifty-six-bed urban teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Adult inpatients requiring central venous access during medical emergencies. INTERVENTIONS: Intraosseous device training was added to standard central venous catheter training beginning in February 2012. Intraosseous were used as primary access in cardiac arrests and secondary access if central venous catheter placement failed during noncardiac arrest emergencies. An online survey was conducted among intraosseous and central venous catheter operators to assess their experience and any barriers to use. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Seventy-nine adults had central access placement from February 2012 to July 2013. Sixty were during medical emergency team calls, and 19 were cardiac arrests. Thirty-one received intraosseous device, and 48 received a central venous catheter. First-pass success was significantly higher for intraosseous than for central venous catheter (90.3 vs 37.5%; 95% CI, 80-101 vs 24-51; p<0.001). Mean placement times were significantly shorter for intraosseous than for central venous catheter (1.2 vs 10.7 min; p<0.001). There were a total of 33 intraosseous versus 169 central venous catheter attempts with fewer attempts on average per patient during intraosseous placement (1.1 vs 2.8; p<0.001). There were three intraosseous-related complications and 22 central venous catheter-related complications. Our survey showed high satisfaction with intraosseous training and operation. Among the barriers cited, timely intraosseous kit acquisition was most common. CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible to incorporate intraosseous use during medical emergency team calls. Intraosseous had significantly higher first-pass success rates and faster placement compared with central venous catheters. Intraosseous operators reported high satisfaction and confidence in its use. Prospective randomized studies comparing intraosseous and central venous catheter are warranted.

A retrospective analysis suggests PTEN expression is associated with favorable clinicopathological features of breast cancer.

The phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) gene acts as a tumor suppressor by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway, crucial for cell growth and survival. Mutations or loss of PTEN are common in breast cancer, leading to uncontrolled cell growth. Understanding PTEN's role is vital for targeted therapies. 276 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) breast cancer tissue blocks from 2012 to 2016 were analyzed for PTEN expression. Immunohistochemistry was performed to identify and assess tumor related clinicopathological characteristics as well as patient demographics. These were statistically matched with PTEN expression. Only 27.5% of the breast cancer tumors were PTEN-positive. PTEN expression correlated significantly with smaller tumor size, lower tumor grade, positive estrogen and progesterone receptor status, and favorable/unfavorable Ki67 status (p < 0.001). No significant association was found with vascular invasion, histologic type, age, HER2 status, staging, or lymph node involvement (p > 0.05). The study confirms PTEN's association with favorable clinicopathological features in breast cancer, supporting its role as a prognostic marker. These findings underscore the importance of PTEN in breast cancer biology and its potential as a therapeutic target. Furthermore these findings confirm the prevalence of advanced stage and aggressive breast cancer tumors in Ghana.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for rapid identification of Salmonella spp. from agar and blood culture broth--an option for the tropics?

BACKGROUND: Salmonella enterica is an important cause of diarrhea with the potential to cause systemic infection including sepsis, particularly in the tropics. Sepsis in particular requires quick and reliable identification to allow a rapid optimization of antibiotic therapy. We describe the establishment and evaluation of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) as a rapid and easy-to-perform molecular identification procedure from agar and blood culture broths. METHODS: Two newly developed FISH probes with specificity for Salmonella spp. were evaluated with 10 reference strains, 448 clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria from Germany and Ghana including 316 Salmonella spp. strains, and 39 environmental Salmonella spp. isolates from rivers and streams in Ghana. One FISH probe was further tested with 207 pre-incubated blood culture broths from Germany with Gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria in Gram stain. RESULTS: Evaluation of the newly designed FISH probes demonstrated sensitivity of 99.2% and specificity of 98.4% for clinical isolates, sensitivity of 97.4% for environmental Salmonella spp. isolates, and sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 99.5% for blood culture materials. CONCLUSIONS: FISH proved to be highly reliable for a rapid identification of Salmonella spp. directly from pre-incubated blood culture broths as well as after growth on agar. The inexpensive and easy-to-perform procedure is particularly suitable for resource-limited areas where more sophisticated procedures are not available.

Susceptibility of bacterial etiological agents to commonly-used antimicrobial agents in children with sepsis at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Bloodstream infections in neonates and infants are life-threatening emergencies. Identification of the common bacteria causing such infections and their susceptibility patterns will provide necessary information for timely intervention. This study is aimed at determining the susceptibilities of bacterial etiological agents to commonly-used antimicrobial agents for empirical treatment of suspected bacterial septicaemia in children. METHODS: This is a hospital based retrospective analysis of blood cultures from infants to children up to 14 years of age with preliminary diagnosis of sepsis and admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Paediatric Wards of the Teaching Hospital Tamale from July 2011 to January 2012. RESULTS: Out of 331 blood specimens cultured, the prevalence of confirmed bacterial sepsis was 25.9% (86/331). Point prevalence for confirmed cases from NICU was 44.4% (28/63) and 21.6% (58/268) from the Paediatric ward. Gram positive cocci (GPC) were the predominant isolates with Coagulase positive (32.2%) and Coagulase-negative (28.7%) Staphylococci accounting for 60.9% of the total isolates. Gram negative rods (GNR) comprised 39.1% of all isolates with Klebsiella, E.coli and Salmonella being the most common organisms isolated. Klebsiella was the most frequent GNR from the NICU and Salmonella typhi was predominantly isolated from the paediatric ward. Acinetobacter showed 100.0% susceptibility to Ceftriaxone and Cefotaxime but was resistant (100.0%) to Ampicillin, Tetracycline and Cotrimoxazole. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella were 80.0% and 91.0% susceptible to Ceftriaxone and Cefotaxime respectively. Klebsiella species showed 8.3% susceptibility to Tetracycline but was resistant to Ampicillin and Cotrimoxazole. Escherichia coli showed 40.0% susceptibility to Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol and Cotrimoxazole; 20.0% susceptibility to Tetracycline and 80.0% susceptible to Gentamicin and Cefuroxime. Coagulase negative Staphylococci was susceptible to Gentamicin (72.0%) but Coagulase positive Staphylococci showed intermediate sensitivity to Gentamicin (42.9%). CONCLUSION: Coagulase Negative, Coagulase Positive Staphylococci, Salmonella and Klebsiella were the aetiological agents of bloodstream infection among children at TTH. While gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria showed low susceptibility to Ampicillin, Tetracycline and Cotrimoxazole, the GNR were susceptible to Gentamicin and third-generation cephalosporins.

Increased detection of invasive enteropathogenic bacteria in pre-incubated blood culture materials by real-time PCR in comparison with automated incubation in Sub-Saharan Africa.

BACKGROUND: Invasive enteropathogenic bacteria can cause systemic infections. Data from studies with PCR detection suggest, at least for Salmonella enterica, that blood culture may lead to underestimation in the tropics. Corresponding data are lacking for other invasive enteropathogenic bacteria. We compared classical blood culture and molecular methods for the diagnosis of blood infections. METHODS: A real-time multiplex PCR for Salmonella spp., Shigella spp./entero- invasive Escherichia coli (EIEC), Yersinia spp., and Campylobacter jejuni was applied to 2321 retained blood culture samples from Ghanaian patients, after enrichment by automated culture. RESULTS: PCR detected Salmonella DNA in 56 out of 58 pre-incubated Ghanaian blood cultures with growth of S. enterica. In 2 samples molecular diagnosis was only possible after 1:10 dilution. Twenty-two samples negative by blood culture and 1 positive with Micrococcus spp. were PCR-positive for Salmonella spp. In addition, 3 Shigella spp./EIEC, 2 Yersinia spp., and 1 C. jejuni were detected by PCR but not by culture growth. CONCLUSIONS: Real-time PCR was more sensitive in identifying invasive enteropathogenic bacteria than automated blood culture, which is hampered by a lack of evidence-based standardization of pre-analytic conditions in the tropics. Primary agar culture and Gram-staining prior to automated blood culture is advisable in cases where transportation times are long.

The influence of nutrition knowledge, attitude, practices, and dietary diversity on obesity among market women in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: Obesity and overweight are major public health threat affecting many people globally. This study aimed to examine the role of nutrition knowledge (NK), attitude, practices, and dietary diversity (DD) on the prevalence of obesity among market women in Cape Coast, Ghana. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Abura and Kotokuraba markets in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. Apparently healthy female traders (n = 402) aged ≥18 years were selected randomly from the markets. DD was assessed with dietary diversity score (DDS) using a 24h dietary recall method. NK, dietary practices, and attitudes were assessed using validated semistructured questionnaires. Body composition parameters were assessed using appropriate tools. Descriptive and binary logistic regression analysis were performed. Statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05. Results: The prevalence of overweight was 31.84% and obesity was 39.30%. Majority of respondents had poor DD as about 91% had DDS <5. About 75% of the market women had no knowledge in nutrition. About 57% eat thrice daily and 82% take supper from 7 p.m. Knowledge in nutrition was significantly associated with body fat (OR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.26-0.78, p = 0.004), body mass index (OR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.28-0.71, p = 0.001), and waist-to-hip ratio (OR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.19-0.56, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity and overweight was high among the market women. Poor NK and poor DD may have influenced this. A campaign on better dietary practices and delivery of nutrition education may help to minimize the prevalence of obesity among market women.

Comparison of Bivalirudin Versus Heparin for Anticoagulation During Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

The effect and safety of bivalirudin compared with heparin in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness and safety of heparin and bivalirudin in patients who underwent ECMO. We searched Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and MEDLINE. Inclusion criteria included patients (1) undergoing ECMO and (2) receiving bivalirudin or heparin. We excluded studies where the majority of patients switched heparin to bivalirudin or vice versa during the clinical course. The primary outcome was short-term mortality. We presented the results of all analyses with the use of random-effects models. Eleven studies reported short-term mortality. The use of bivalirudin was associated with significantly lower short-term mortality, compared with heparin (odds ratio: 0.71, 95% confidence interval, 0.55-0.92; p = 0.01, I2 = 7%). In this meta-analysis of observational studies, the use of bivalirudin was associated with significantly lower short-term mortality, compared with heparin. Further prospective studies are warranted to clarify this finding.

Lessons Learned from an Embedded Palliative Care Model in the Medical Intensive Care Unit.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a physician (MD) and registered nurse (RN) led palliative care consultation team embedded in the medical intensive care unit (MICU). To compare patterns of palliative care consultation, and rates of goals of care documentation and in-ICU mortality before and after the implementation of the embedded team. CONTEXT: By embedding MD/RN palliative care team in the MICU, more critically ill patients with unmet palliative care needs could receive an earlier palliative care consultation. METHODS: In a retrospective cohort study of patients admitted to the MICU who received a palliative care consultation, we compared sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients who received a referral-based consultation (01/01/2019-06/30/2019) and those who received an embedded MD/RN consult (09/01/2019-02/28/2020). Using the electronic health record data, we compared palliative care consultation characteristics, rates of documentation of medical decision-maker and goals of care, and percentage of in-ICU mortality between the referral group and the embedded group. RESULTS: In a six-month period, 169 MICU patients received an embedded consultation, as compared to 52 MICU patients who received a referral-based consultation. As compared to the referral-based period, those patients who received an embedded consult were seen significantly earlier in hospitalization (median number of days from hospital admission to consult: 10 days [pre] vs. 3 days [embedded], P<0.001), more likely to have documentation of medical decision-makers (40% [pre] vs. 66% [embedded], P=0.002) and goals of care (37% [pre] vs. 71% [embedded], P<0.001) and less likely to die in the hospital (75% [pre] vs. 44% [embedded], P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: After embedding a palliative care MD/RN team into the MICU, patients received earlier palliative care consultation, were more likely to have medical decision-maker and goals of care documented, and less likely to die in the hospital. Future work will examine how to adapt this model to other ICUs to improve palliative care access for critically ill patients broadly.

Urinary Tract Infection and Associated Factors among Pregnant Women Receiving Antenatal Care at a Primary Health Care Facility in the Northern Region of Ghana.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is frequently encountered during pregnancy and is associated with adverse maternal, fetal, and neonatal effects. However, very little information is available on the prevalence of UTI among pregnant women in the northern part of Ghana, a region with a high birth rate. This study employed a cross-sectional analysis of the prevalence, antimicrobial profile, and risk factors associated with UTI in 560 pregnant women attending primary care for antenatal check-ups. Sociodemographic obstetrical history and personal hygiene information were obtained using a well-structured questionnaire. Afterward, clean catch mid-stream urine samples were collected from all participants and subjected to routine microscopy examination and culture. Of 560 pregnant women, 223 cases (39.8%) were positive for UTI. There was a statistically significant association between sociodemographic, obstetric, and personal hygiene variables and UTI (p < 0.0001). Escherichia coli (27.8%) was the commonest bacterial isolate followed by CoNS (13.5%) and Proteus species (12.6%). These isolates exhibited greater resistance to ampicillin (70.1-97.3%) and cotrimoxazole (48.1-89.7%) but were fairly susceptible to gentamycin and ciprofloxacin. Gram-negative resistance to meropenem was up to 25.0%, and Gram positives resistance to cefoxitin and vancomycin was up to 33.3% and 71.4% respectively. The current findings extend our knowledge of the high frequency of UTIs and associated risk factors in pregnant women with E. Coli being the predominant and usual isolate. Variation existed in the resistance pattern of isolates to various drugs, underscoring the need to perform urine culture and susceptibility before treatment.

Predictors of the onset of neonatal sepsis at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary hospital in Ghana: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aim: Neonatal sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response to infection during the first 4 weeks of an infant's life. It is a significant cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to determine the predictors of the onset of sepsis at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 275 mothers and their singleton neonates diagnosed clinically with sepsis. A univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for maternal occupational status was performed to determine the maternal and neonatal predictors of early-onset (EOS) and late-onset sepsis (LOS), respectively. Results: Single motherhood (AOR = 1.882, 95% CI = 0.926-3.822, p = .08) and home delivery (AOR = 3.667, 95% CI = 0.584-23.026, p = .17) were predictors of EOS, with single motherhood being the predictor for LOS (AOR = 2.906, 95% CI = 0.715-11.805, p = .14) in a univariate analysis. When maternal occupation was adjusted for in a multivariate analysis, single mother (AOR = 2.167, 95% CI = 1.010-4.648, p = .04) was the main predictor of EOS, with low neonatal birth weight being the main predictor of LOS (AOR = 0.193, 95% CI = 0.038-0.971, p = .04). Conclusion: Maternal marital status is a significant predictor of both EOS and LOS, with predictors of EOS being lower gestational age and low birth weight, while for LOS, low birth weight is the main predictor. Findings from this study can serve as a commencement point for developing predictive models for the onset of sepsis in neonates in the study facility.

Bacteriological Profile and Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns of Sepsis-Causing Bacteria at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Health Care Facility in Ghana.

Background: Neonatal sepsis is a clinical emergency that requires sound evaluation supported by accurate laboratory analysis and timely clinical intervention for its management. This study, therefore, was conducted to identify bacteria causing neonatal sepsis and their susceptibility to the commonly prescribed antibiotic at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary health care facility in the Northern Region of Ghana. Methods: Neonatal biodata were collected from patient folders, after which identification, isolation, and susceptibility of isolated bacteria to prescribed anti-bacterial (Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method) were carried out on single venipuncture blood samples aseptically drawn from 275 neonates clinically diagnosed with sepsis. Results: 275 neonates took part in the study, of which 218 (79.3%) presented with early-onset sepsis (EOS) and 57 (20.7%) with late-onset sepsis (LOS). The laboratory results confirmed a septicemia prevalence of 70.3% among neonates clinically diagnosed with sepsis. Preterm delivery (P = .01), hypothermia (P = .001), and delivery at the tertiary healthcare facility were significantly associated with EOS (P < .000), while low birth weight (P = .012), duration of hospital stay (P = .001), and delivery at the tertiary healthcare facility (P < .000) were found to be significantly associated with LOS. Gram-positive cocci constituted 54.9% (107), with Gram-negative constituting 45.1% (88) of all the bacteria isolates. Coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CoNS) 70.1% (75) and Klebsiella species 39.8% (35) were the dominant Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates, respectively. 57.8% and 55.8% of CoNS isolates were susceptible to ampicillin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, respectively. 93.5% of CoNS and all the isolated Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella species were susceptible to amikacin. Conclusions: Coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CoNS) and Klebsiella species were the predominant Gram-positive and negative sepsis-causing agents at the NICU, respectively. Amikacin exhibited the highest sensitivity to Gram-positive and negative causative agents, making it a strong candidate for consideration in the facility's empirical treatment of neonatal sepsis.