Prevalence of visual impairment among school children in three primary schools of Sekela Woreda, Amhara regional state, north-west Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Although there are limited studies, recent data are lacking to determine the prevalence of eye problems in Ethiopia accurately and there is no scientific evidence of such study in Sekela Woreda. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of visual impairment among school children in Sekela Woreda, Ethiopia. METHODS: The study design was a community-based analytical cross-sectional with a multi-stage cluster random sampling technique from September to November 2016.Visual acuity was tested using Snellen's "E" chart while color vision was tested using Ishihara chart. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software, and binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with visual impairment. RESULTS: A total of 875 participants, 466 (53.3%) males and 409 (46.7%) females, with an age range of 8-18 years were screened for visual acuity and color vision deficiency. The prevalence of visual impairment (visual acuity ⩽ 6/12) in "either eye" was 70 (8.0%). Among these, 37 (52.9%) were males and 33 (41.1%) were females. The prevalence of low vision (visual acuity ≤ 6 / 36 ) and blindness (visual acuity < 3/60) in "either eye" were 28 (3.2%) and 10 (1.1%), respectively. Thirty two (3.7%) had mild visual impairment ( v i s u a l a c u i t y ≤ 6 / 12 t o ≥ 6 / 18 ) . The prevalence of color vision deficiency was 36 (4.1%). Among these, 27 (3%) were males and 9 (1.1%) were females. The variables age (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 1.14 (1.01-1.28) and color blindness (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 3.93(1.69-9.09) were significantly associated with visual impairment. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of blindness and low vision in school children were higher than the national prevalence in Ethiopia. Increasing age and color defective vision were factors associated with the children's visual impairment. The Woreda health office ought to work with responsible stakeholders to tackle the situation in early childhood.

Pulmonary Function Tests in Hypertensive Patients Attending Zewditu Memorial Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension imposes stresses on many organs like heart and kidney. However, studies that show the effect of hypertension on the lungs are limited. OBJECTIVE: To assess pulmonary function status of hypertensive patients aged 30-64 years at Zewditu Memorial Hospital, 2017. METHODS: Hospital based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on 61 hypertensive patients (cases) and 61 nonhypertensive clients (controls) aged 30-64 years. Computerized spirometry was done in all cases and controls which were selected by systematic sampling technique. The study was conducted from January 20, 2017, to May 25, 2017. Result. The values of FVC, FEV1, and FEF25-75% were 3.52±1.02 liters, 2.97±0.89 liters, and 3.34±1.3 liters/second in hypertensive patients and 4.31±0.82 liters, 3.54±0.7 liters, and 3.94±1.09 liters/second in controls, respectively. These values were significantly lower (p<0.05) in hypertensive patients compared to controls. Restrictive pulmonary defect was dominant in hypertensive patients. FEV1% which was 85%±7% in hypertensive patients and 82%±5% in controls was significantly higher (p<0.05) in hypertensive patients compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Hypertensive patients exhibit lower pulmonary function values. Routine check-up of the pulmonary function status of such patients should be done to prevent undesired outcomes.

Prevalence of color blindness among school children in three primary schools of Gish -Abay town district, Amhara regional state, north-west Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Although there are limited studies, recent data are lacking to accurately determine the magnitude of color blindness in Ethiopia and there is no evidence of such a study in Gish Abay town district. The purpose of thie study was to assess the prevalence of color blindness among school children in Gish Abaya town district, Ethiopia. METHODS: The study used a community-based analytical cross-sectional study design with multistage cluster random sampling technique from September to October 2016. Three primary schools were selected randomly in the district of Gish Abay town district. Ishihara color plates (24 -edition) was used for color vision test and Snellen' tumbling 'E' chart was used for visual acuity test. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 statistical software and binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with color blindness. RESULTS: Among a total of 854 subjects, 850 participants with age range of 8-18 years were screened for color vision test giving a response rate of 99.53%. Among the participants, 452 (53.2%) were males and 398 (46.8%) were females. There were 36 (4.24%) cases of impaired color vision. Among these, 27 (3.18%) were males and 9 (1.06%) were females. Out of 36 cases of color blindness, 15 (1.77%) were deutan, 7 (0.82%) were protan and 14(1.65%) were unclassified (both deutan and protan forms). The variables; sex adjusted odds ratio (AOR [95% Confidence Interval] =3.19 [1.45; 6.98], p-value = 0.004); and visual impairment (AOR [95% CI] =4.15 [1.77; 9.75], p-value = 0.001) were significantly associated with color impairment. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of childhood color blindness in Gish Abay town district was relatively similar with other studies in Ethiopia. Sex and visual impairment are factors found to be related with the children's color blindness. Periodical eye examination at the time of school admission is recommended to adjust the children's occupation early in life.

Carbon loading of alveolar macrophages in adults and children exposed to biomass smoke particles.

Exposure to carbonaceous particles from biomass burning is associated with increased respiratory morbidity in both women and children in the developing world. However, the amount of carbon reaching lower airway cells has not been determined in these populations. Alveolar macrophages (AM) remove inhaled particulate matter (PM), and are implicated in the pathogenesis of PM-induced lung disease. In this study, we aimed to compare AM carbon loading in women and children exposed to biomass PM in Gondar, Ethiopia, with individuals exposed to fossil-fuel PM in the developed world (Leicester, UK). To achieve these aims, we sampled AM from Ethiopian mothers and children, and from UK adults and children using induced sputum (IS). AM were imaged under light microscopy, and the total two-dimensional surface area of carbon within each AM determined by image analysis. AM containing carbon were detected in all subjects. The total surface area of carbon per AM was higher in Ethiopian women (n=10) compared with UK adults (n=10, median 9.19 vs. 0.71 microm2/AM, p=0.0002). Similarly, the total surface area of carbon per AM was higher in Ethiopian children (n=10) compared with UK children (n=10, 3.32 vs. 0.44 microm2/AM, p=0.0002). However, loading in Ethiopian children was lower than paired maternal levels (3.32 vs. 9.19 microm2/AM, p=0.011). We conclude that analysis of AM obtained by induced sputum is a practical way of quantifying natural exposure of the lower airway to carbonaceous particles from the burning of biomass fuels.

The electrocardiogram in healthy northwest Ethiopians.

The normal values for ECG have not been fully investigated on Ethiopians. This cross sectional study was conducted in 1999/2000 to obtain baseline ECG information on normal healthy northwest Ethiopians and to find out whether normal ranges of ECG parameters in our population differ from those of Caucasians or other black Africans. A standard 12-lead electrocardiogram was done in 690 selected healthy northwest Ethiopians. They were 392 (56.8%) male and 298 (43.2%) female with a median age of 23 years. The systolic and diastolic blood pressures were within the normal range in all subjects. The total incidence of deviation from the accepted normal ECG was recorded in 393 (57.0%) subjects. This was found in 294 (75.0%) male and 99 (33.2%) female subjects. The most common type of "abnormalities" were high peaked T wave, 104 (26.5%), elevated S-T segment, 70 (17.8%), and elevated ST segment with high peaked T wave, 32 (10.9%) in male and negative or flat T wave, 35 (11.7%) in female. All types of variations were more pronounced in young subjects of both sexes and less common in those aged 40 years and above. The normal ECG variants found in Ethiopians were similar to those found in other subjects of black African origin. In conclusion, the normal variants identified in this study must be taken into consideration in the interpretation of ECG from cardiac patients which prevents this useful test from being understood wrongly.