Comparative Study Between Hysterosalpingo-Contrast Sonography and Hysterosalpingography in Evaluating Tubal Patency at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano.

Background: Tubal diseases contribute significantly to secondary infertility, affecting 25-35% of couples seeking infertility treatment. Traditional methods for assessing tubal patency, such as laparoscopy and dye tests, are invasive, costly, and require specialized expertise. Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is an alternative, but it involves pain and radiation exposure. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Hysterosalpingo-contrast Sonography (HyCoSy) using a saline and air mixture to HSG in assessing tubal patency in infertility patients at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. Methodology: A cross-sectional study involved 50 consenting patients seeking fertility evaluation. The researchers used a semi-structured questionnaire to gather demographic information. HyCoSy with the saline and air mixture was performed between the 5th and 10th day of the menstrual cycle, followed by HSG within the next five days. The patency of each fallopian tube was assessed, and pain levels experienced during both procedures were recorded using a numerical rating scale. Results: The results indicated that 68.8% of patients had bilateral patent tubes according to HyCoSy, while 60.4% were found to have patent tubes with HSG. A comparison of findings for individual tubes showed an 89.6% concordance rate between the two tests, with a Kappa index of 0.73, indicating substantial agreement. Importantly, patients reported significantly less pain during the HyCoSy procedure (mean NRS score of 4.1) compared to HSG (mean NRS score of 7.1). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that HyCoSy using a saline and air mixture is highly comparable to HSG in assessing tubal patency. Notably, HyCoSy was preferred by patients due to its reduced pain and better tolerance, with minimal adverse effects. This suggests that HyCoSy may be a more patient-friendly and cost-effective alternative for tubal assessment in cases of infertility.

Endometriosis-associated massive ascites in a young Nigerian lady.

Endometriosis-associated massive haemorrhagic ascites is rare and poses a diagnostic challenge to the gynaecologist due to its resemblance to malignancies, especially ovarian malignancy. We report a 31-year-old nulligravida with progressive abdominal swelling, worsening dysmenorrhea, weight loss and a family history of ovarian tumour. Pelvic ultrasonography and Computed Tomography scans suggested an ovarian mass suspected to be an ovarian malignancy. Exploratory laparotomy revealed massive haemorrhagic ascites (8.6 litre) and multiple nodular masses on the anterior abdominal wall, omentum, bowel and pelvic organs, which were biopsied and confirmed on histopathology to be endometriosis. She had drainage of ascites and hormonal suppression using progestogen (Medroxyprogesterone acetate) with no recurrence in 15 months. Endometriosis should be considered in young, nulligravid women with dysmenorrhea, weight loss and ascites. Funding: None declared.

Implementation and evaluation of obstetric early warning systems in tertiary care hospitals in Nigeria.

Obstetric Early Warning Systems (EWS) use combined clinical observations to predict increased risk of deterioration and alert health workers to institute actions likely to improve outcomes. The objective of this study was to explore the experience of health workers about the implementation of an obstetric EWS and assess its effectiveness as an alternative clinical monitoring method compared to standard practice. This mixed-method study included obstetric admissions (n = 2400) to inpatient wards between 01/08/2018 and 31/03/2019 at three Nigerian tertiary hospitals (1 intervention and two control). Outcomes assessed were the efficiency of monitoring and recording vital signs using the patient monitoring index and speed of post-EWS trigger specialist review. These were evaluated through a review of case notes before and four months after EWS was introduced. Qualitative data was collected to explore healthcare workers' views on EWS' acceptability and usability. EWS was correctly used in 51% (n = 307) of the women in the intervention site. Of these women, 58.6% (n = 180) were predicted to have an increased risk of deterioration, and 38.9% (n = 70) were reviewed within 1 hour. There was a significant improvement in the frequency of vital signs recording in the intervention site: observed/expected frequency improved to 0.91 from 0.57, p<0.005, but not in the control sites. Health workers reported that the EWS helped them cope with work demands while making it easier to detect and manage deteriorating patients. Nurses and doctors reported that the EWS was easy to use and that scores consistently correlated with the clinical picture of patients. Identified challenges included rotation of clinical staff, low staffing numbers and reduced availability of monitoring equipment. The implementation of EWS improved the frequency of patient monitoring, but a larger study will be required to explore the effect on health outcomes. The EWS is a feasible and acceptable tool in low-resource settings with implementation modifications. Trial registration: ISRCTN, ISRCTN15568048. Registration date; 9/09/2020- Retrospectively registered, http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN15568048.

CA125 levels in pregnancy: A case-control study amongst pregnant women in Aminu Kano teaching hospital, North-West Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Induction of inflammatory response within the placenta in patients with pre-eclampsia triggers the expression of CA125, thus making CA125 a potential marker reflecting the severity of preeclampsia. OBJECTIVE: The study was aimed to assess and compare CA125 levels in pre-eclamptics and normotensives. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A case-control design was used to study 83 each of the selected pre-eclamptics and normotensives women using a systematic sampling technique. Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaire; blood and urine samples were also collected and analysed in the laboratory. Data were summarised using frequencies, percentages, mean ± standard deviation (SD) or median, and range as appropriate. Inferential statistical measures were used to determine the relationship between the outcome and independent variables with a P value set to be statistically significant at ≤0.05. RESULTS: The ages of the pre-eclamptics and normotensives women were found to have a mean ± SD of 29.46 ± 6.92 and 29.70 ± 6.90 years, respectively. More than half 58 (69.9%) of the cases had proteinuria of 3+ (300 mg/dL). Significant difference was statistically (P < 0.01) found in mean serum CA125 levels between women with mild and severe pre-eclampsia with CA125 being more likely to be higher (>50 IU/mL) in severe pre-eclampsia than in mild pre-eclampsia. CONCLUSION: The study has shown that serum CA125 is elevated in pre-eclamptic pregnancies compared to normotensive pregnancies and the possibility of CA125 being a biomarker of severity and hence may provide information to make an informed choice in early-onset pre-eclampsia to consider conservative management and thus improve perinatal outcome.

Sero-prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection and its risk factors among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria

Background: Pregnant women infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) can transmit the infection to their fetuses and newborns. Neonates who contract the HBV have about 90risk of developing chronic HBsAg carriage (HBsAg: hepatitis B surface antigen) and chronic liver disease. Neonatal immunization interrupts this vertical and perinatal transmission. Objectives: To determine the seroprevalence of HBsAg among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) and to identify potential risk factors associated with HBV infection. Materials and Methods: A case control study was conducted involving a total of 303 pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic at AKTH and 303 nonpregnant women of childbearing age. Blood sample was collected from each woman and the serum tested for the presence of HBsAg using latex rapid agglutination slide test kit (Cal-Tech Diagnostic Inc.; USA) in the laboratory of the hospital. Reactive samples were stored at -20oC and further confirmed for HBsAg using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits (Bio-Rad; France). HBsAg-positive samples were tested for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) using ELISA kits (Orgenics; Israel). A pretested; structured questionnaire was used for the collection of sociodemographic data and possible risk factors. Results: The prevalence of HBsAg among pregnant women and nonpregnant women were 7.9 and 7.6; respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of HBsAg in pregnant and nonpregnant women. The presence of HBeAg was statistically significant among both pregnant and nonpregnant women who tested positive for HBsAg. The risk factors associated with HBV infection were blood transfusion; ear piercing; history of an affected sibling with HBV infection; tattooing; and abortion among pregnant women. Conclusion: The prevalence of HBsAg in this study was not statistically different in pregnant and nonpregnant women. There was a high level of HBeAg infection among pregnant women who tested positive for HBsAg. History of an affected sibling with HBV infection; tattoo; and abortion were significant risk factors for HBV infection