Medication errors at a diabetes management center in a resource-poor setting.

BACKGROUND: Medication errors are known to cause adverse drug reactions, hospital admissions and mortality. In most resource-poor settings, medication errors occur but are undocumented. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to investigate medication errors in a diabetic clinic at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Ghana. METHODS: The research combined both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. The quantitative aspect involved retrospectively reviewing patient folders over two years (1st January 2019 to 31st December 2021). Patients' folders were reviewed to identify possible medication errors. The qualitative arm explored underlying factors and experiences related to medication errors through interviews with healthcare workers. Ten healthcare professionals at KATH were interviewed using an interview guide. RESULTS: A total of 264 patients' folders were retrieved. The majority (23.11%) of the patients were between 18 and 25 y.o., and there were more females (52.27%) than males. About 60% of the patients had diabetes and hypertension comorbidity. The overall prevalence of medication errors was 18.18%. The most prevalent type of medication error identified was wrong drug formulation (n = 19, 39.58%). About 47.92% of the medication errors resulted in adverse events and this was predominantly caused by antidiabetic drugs (47.83%) and anti-hypertensive drugs (34.78%). Patients in the age category of 26-35 y.o. [aOR: 0.31, CI: 0.11-0.90] had reduced odds of medication errors whilst patients with comorbidity of diabetes and hypertension [aOR: 5.95, CI: 2.43-14.60] had an increased odds of medication errors. Large patient population, low staff numbers and inadequate knowledge of drugs by healthcare workers were factors that contributed to medication errors. CONCLUSION: Medication errors was moderately high in this diabetic clinic, and the errors led to a number of adverse events. Age, diabetes and hypertension comorbidity, large patient population, low staff numbers, and inadequate knowledge about drugs were identified as factors that influenced medication errors.

Comparative Determination of Glomerular Filtration Rate Estimation Formulae in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: An Observational Study.

Assessing glomerular filtration rate (GFR) involves collecting timed urine samples for 24 hours, requiring significant time and resources in the clinical setting. Using predictive GFR formulae to assess renal function may be a better alternative. Our goal was to determine which predictive GFR formula had the highest level of concordance with the GFR that has been measured in a resource-poor setting. This is an observational study. We selected fifty (50) individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in Kumasi, Ghana. The sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were obtained using a structured questionnaire. Urine was obtained from each subject over 24 hours. The levels of glucose (FBG) and creatinine in patients' blood, as well as the levels of creatinine in their urine, were measured after the patients had fasted overnight. Participants had a mean age of 57.4 ± 10.7 (years), BMI of 27.8 ± 4.1 (kg/m2), FBG of 9.0 ± 3.1 (mmol/L), and creatinine concentrations of 95.6 ± 29.1 (µmol/L). A Krouwer plot was used to compare the measured GFR with three formulae: Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology (CKD-EPI), Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD), and Cockroft-Gault (CG) for GFR prediction. Among the 3 estimates, CG showed nonsignificance (p > 0.05) with the measured GFR. The primary finding was that the GFR calculated using the CG formula was not different from the GFR measured, suggesting that CG is the most appropriate alternative GFR estimate among a cross-section of T2DM patients in Ghana.

Biochemical indices of patients with enteric fever and pancreatitis: A comparative cross-sectional study.

Objective: Enteric fever (EF), a potentially fatal febrile illness, is prevalent in developing countries. Elevated levels of lipase and amylase in serum, typically associated with acute pancreatitis (AP), have been observed in patients with EF. The elevated enzymes in both conditions may lead to diagnostic confusion and care delays. This study aimed to determine biochemical indices that are peculiar to EF and AP. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana. Volunteers were categorized into three groups: EF (n = 32), AP (n = 30) and healthy controls (n = 31). A standard questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and clinical information from the participants. Blood and stool samples were obtained, followed by biochemical analysis: total amylase, lipase, pancreatic amylase, serum elastase 1, hepatic enzymes, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, stool colour, stool pH, and stool fat presence. Results: The AP group displayed higher total amylase, lipase, elastase-1, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels compared to the EF and control groups (p < 0.05 respectively). Elastase 1 levels were found to be high in all AP participants, whereas no elevations were observed in the EF group. Positive associations were observed in the AP and EF groups for lipase vs total amylase (ρ = .543, p = 0.001; ρ = .543, p = 0.001 for both). Conclusions: Elevated levels of total/pancreatic amylase and lipase were found to be indicative of a patient with AP and EF. Further, elastase-1 was found to be a good biomarker to distinguish between AP and EF.

Biochemical markers of nephrotic syndrome: An observational, cross-sectional study.

Background: Blood protein leakage, especially albumin, into the urine is the hallmark of nephrotic syndrome (NS), which poses a serious public health problem. The absence of albumin prompts the liver to produce more proteins to make up the difference. The therapeutic significance of these additional proteins in NS is not yet fully understood. Methods: In total, 99 patients with NS and 47 persons without NS (control group) were included in this cross-sectional study. Socio-demographic and clinical information were obtained from recruits utilizing a standard questionnaire and a check of the lab order forms for individuals. Each participant had a 6-mL (6 mL) sample of venous blood taken and levels of calcium, C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, and other proteins in the serum were assayed. The proteins in serum were separated using the electrophoresis technique, and the various fractions were then measured by a densitometer. Calculations were made for the oncotic pressure. Results: The NS group had significantly greater levels of serum CRP, urea, alpha-2-globulin, gamma globulins, and M component than the control group (p < 0.05 respectively). Transferrin, total proteins, albumin, beta-1-globulins, calcium, and oncotic pressure were significantly higher in persons without NS compared to the NS group (p < 0.05 respectively). In addition, levels of CRP (odds ratio = 1.41, p = 0.005) and gamma globulin (odds ratio = 4.12, p = 0.005) in the blood were observed to be independent predictors in the occurrence of NS. These two factors increased the likelihood of developing NS by approximately 1.5 and 4 times, respectively. Conclusion: Among the proteins assayed, CRP and gamma globulin were found to be predictors of NS. Nonetheless, further studies are required to understand the mechanisms associated with these serum proteins in NS.

Blood C-peptide concentration as a proxy marker of cardiovascular disease: An observational cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are among the leading causes of disability and early death in sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the current blood tests for CVD diagnosis involve performing about three test profiles; often at additional cost to patients. C-peptide, a cleavage product of proinsulin, is a promising marker that has the potential to serve as a proxy marker for diagnosing CVDs in resource-poor settings. Methodology: The study was an observational cross-sectional one and involved 127 consenting persons diagnosed with CVD and 127 individuals without CVD. The socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of participants were obtained. Blood levels of C-peptide, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total creatinine kinase (CK), creatine kinase myocardial bound (CKMB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), propeptide of brain natriuretic peptide (PBNP), Troponin T, lipids, and biomarkers of kidney and liver function were analyzed using ELISA and an automated analyzer. Insulin resistance was computed using the modified homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR). Results: The CVD Group had significantly higher levels of C-peptide, CK, CKMB, troponin T, PBNP, FPG, HOMA-IR, and several selected kidney, liver, and lipid parameters compared to the non-CVD Group (p < 0.05 for all). Troponin T recorded a positive correlation (r = 0.34, p < 0.001) with C-peptide among the CVD Group. The sensitivity and specificity of C-peptide in identifying CVD were 96.1% and 91.3% respectively (area under the curve = 0.938, p < 0.001). Conclusion: C-peptide levels were higher in the CVD Group and appeared to be a valuable (high sensitivity and specificity) biomarker in detecting CVD.

SARPPIC: Exploiting COVID-19 Contact Tracing Recommendation through Social Awareness.

Globally, the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is resulting in high fatality rates. Consequently, the prevention of further transmission is very vital. Until vaccines are widely available, the only available infection prevention methods include the following: contact tracing, case isolation and quarantine, social (physical) distancing, and hygiene measures (washing of hands with soap and water and using alcohol-based hand sanitizers). Contact tracing, which is key in preventing the spread of COVID-19, refers to the process of finding unreported people who maybe infected by using a verified case to trace back possible infections of contacts. Consequently, the wide and fast spread of COVID-19 requires computational approaches which utilize innovative algorithms that build a memory of proximity contacts of cases that are positive. In this paper, a recommender algorithm called socially aware recommendation of people probably infected with COVID-19 (SARPPIC) is proposed. SARPPIC initially utilizes betweenness centrality in a social network to measure the number of target contact points (nodes/users) who have come into contact with an infected contact point (COVID-19 patient). Then, using contact durations and contact frequencies, tie strengths of the same contact points above are also computed. Finally, the above algorithmic computations are hybridized through profile integration to generate results for effective contact tracing recommendations of possible COVID-19-infected patients who will require testing in a healthcare facility. Benchmarking experimental results in the paper demonstrate that, using two interconnected relevant real-world datasets, SARPPIC outperforms other relevant methods in terms of suitable evaluation metrics such as precision, recall, and F-measure.

Dyslipidaemia is common among patients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study at Tema Port Clinic.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate dyslipidemia in Ghanaian subjects with type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: Hundred individuals with type 2 diabetes and 61 apparently healthy controls participated. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia among persons with type 2 diabetes was 53%. Blood pressure, fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels were higher in persons with type 2 diabetes compared with the control group (p < 0.01). Positive correlations were found within persons with type 2 diabetes for triglyceride vs FBG; ALT vs age and aspartate transaminase (AST) vs TG (p < 0.05 respectively). This study demonstrated hyperlipidemia and poor liver health in persons with type 2 diabetes.

Lower circulating kisspeptin and primary hypogonadism in men with type 2 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Kisspeptin influence on male androgens is partially understood. We aimed to evaluate serum concentrations of kisspeptin among Ghanaian men with type 2 diabetes and to identify related factors that may contribute to altering circulating kisspeptin. METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational study. Sixty persons with type 2 diabetes and 60 nondiabetic controls were included in this study. Blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), kisspeptin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), total testosterone (T), glucose (FBG), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and lipid levels were assessed. RESULTS: Type 2 diabetic men had lower kisspeptin and T concentrations than controls (P = 0.001 for both). Levels of LH and FSH were, respectively, higher in diabetic men compared with their control counterparts (P = 0.003; P = 0.017). There were negative associations within the diabetic group for kisspeptin vs age (r = -0.590, P = 0.0001) and kisspeptin vs BMI (r = -0.389, P = 0.002). Positive associations were also found within the diabetic group for kisspeptin vs T (r = 0.531, P = 0.001), kisspeptin vs LH (r = 0.423, P = 0.001) and kisspeptin vs FSH (r = 0.366, P = 0.004). Lower T (OR = 1.473, P = 0.003) and advancing age (OR = 0.890, P = 0.004) contributed to decreased kisspeptin levels among Ghanaian males with type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate that circulating kisspeptin and T concentrations are lower among men with type 2 diabetes and highlight the importance of considering kisspeptin concentrations in the management of hypogonadism and type 2 diabetes.

Altered immunoglobulins (A and G) in Ghanaian patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: Elevated immunoglobulin levels have been strongly linked to the development and progression of inflammatory disorders such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. This study aimed to evaluate circulating immunoglobulin levels and to identify other metabolic factors that influence humoral immune response among Ghanaian subjects with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study conducted at the National Diabetes Management and Research Center, Accra. Eighty persons with type 2 diabetes were age-matched with 78 controls. Immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M; interleukin 6; fasting blood glucose; glycated hemoglobin; and lipid parameter concentrations were measured. Blood pressure, anthropometry and body composition indices were also assessed. RESULTS: Median immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin G (g/L) levels were higher in the case group compared with controls (0.89 vs 0.74, p = 0.043; 7.58 vs 7.29, p < 0.001). Immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin A and interleukin 6 levels in the case cohort, respectively, associated weakly with fasting blood glucose (r = 0.252, p = 0.001; r = 0.170, p = 0.031; r = 0.296, p = 0.001). There were positive correlations within the control group for immunoglobulin A versus interleukin 6 (r = 0.366, p = 0.001) and within the case group for glycated hemoglobin versus interleukin 6 (r = 0.190, p = 0.020). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that humoral immune response is altered in subjects with type 2 diabetes and that serum immunoglobulin levels could serve as useful biomarkers in the investigation and management of diabetes mellitus.

Impact of exercise intensity on oxidative stress and selected metabolic markers in young adults in Ghana.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different levels of exercise on markers of oxidative stress and selected metabolic parameters in Ghanaian young adults. RESULTS: Significant increases in a marker of oxidative stress malondialdehyde and antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase and uric acid were observed in the exercisers compared with the inactive group (p < 0.05). Total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein levels were significantly different (p < 0.05) between the two groups. Positive associations between exercise intensity, antioxidant concentration and malondialdehyde were observed within the exercise group for vigorous exercise with regards to uric acid, superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde (r = 0.512, p = 0.004; r = 0.810, p = 0.001; r = 0.715, p = 0.001) respectively and moderate exercise vs malondialdehyde (r = 0.841, p = 0.001) compared to the inactive group. Exercise participants performed more vigorous exercise (p < 0.001), moderate exercise (p < 0.001) and more walking (p < 0.001) compared with the inactive group while the inactive group exhibited more sitting (p < 0.001). The study provides a first report on the risk associated with increase in oxidative stress and the importance of walking as a health promotion intervention among young Ghanaian adults.

Adipocytokines in obese Ghanaian subjects with or without type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate serum leptin and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) concentrations in obese Ghanaians with or without type 2 diabetes and to find out the extent to which their levels are influenced by underlying disorders. RESULTS: Obese subjects with type 2 diabetes had lower leptin but higher hsCRP levels compared with obese non-diabetic controls. There were negative correlations within the control group for glucose vs % muscle mass (r = - 0.378, p = 0.016), leptin vs % muscle mass (r = - 0.555, p = 0.001) and within the obese diabetic group for leptin vs % muscle mass (r = - 0.602, p = 0.001). Obese persons without diabetes were about three times more likely to have higher leptin levels compared with their obese diabetic counterparts (Odds ratio = 3.315, p < 0.001). Obese females independently had a tenfold increase in leptin levels compared with obese males.

Shift work and the risk of cardiovascular disease among workers in cocoa processing company, Tema.

OBJECTIVE: Shift work has been implicated in cardiovascular disease (CVD), a major cause of death globally. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of developing CVD in shift work. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study involving secondary analysis of shift and non-shift work from an industry in Ghana. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred (113 shift and 87 non-shift) consecutive workers who consented were recruited into the study. A structured questionnaire was administered to deduce information on participant's age, alcohol consumption pattern, smoking habits, history of diabetes, stroke and hypertension. RESULTS: Shift workers were found to be associated with higher body mass index (26.9 ± 4.6 vs 25.2 ± 3.3, p = 0.013); fasting blood glucose (5.9 ± 1.8 vs 5.3 ± 0.8, p ≤ 0.0001); glycated haemoglobin (4.9 ± 0.9 vs 4.2 ± 0.8, p ≤ 0.0001); high sensitivity C-reactive protein (2.5 ± 1.1 vs 1.8 ± 1.1, p < 0.0001); total cholesterol (5.9 ± 1.3 vs 5.2 ± 1.7, p = 0.002); triglycerides (1.3 ± 0.8 vs 1.1 ± 0.6, p = 0.015) and LDL cholesterol (3.6 ± 0.9 vs 3.2 ± 1.3, p = 0.04) than controls. Shift work however, had no associations with HDL-cholesterol. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that shift work is associated with risk factors of CVD.