Health-related quality of life among patients with esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancer at Kenyatta National Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Despite the advancement of modern treatment approaches, several studies indicated a diminished health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. However, there is insufficient data about the HRQoL of gastrointestinal cancer patients in Kenya. AIMS: The study aimed to investigate HRQoL and its determinants in gastrointestinal cancer patients at Kenyatta National Hospital. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was employed among 160 esophageal, 103 gastric, and 96 colorectal cancer patients. The patient list, identified by unique hospital identification numbers, was obtained from records. Eligibility was assessed based on predetermined criteria, and the hospital identification numbers were reshuffled. Study participants were then randomly selected daily during the data collection period. Data were collected using a researcher-administered European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire. The data entry and analysis were carried out using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 26.0 statistical software. A bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was employed to investigate determinants of HRQoL at a 0.05 level of significance. RESULTS: Most esophageal (N = 118, 73.7%), gastric (N = 75, 72.8%), and colorectal (N = 72, 75%) cancer patients had poor overall HRQoL. In the social (p = .04) and cognitive (p = .02) domain of HRQoL, esophageal cancer patients had a significantly lower mean score as compared to gastric cancer patients. Colorectal cancer patients had the highest mean score in physical functioning (p = .01) as compared with gastric cancer patients. Nonetheless, gastric cancer patients had the highest mean score in emotional functioning domains of quality of life as compared to esophageal (p = .04) and colorectal (p < .001) cancer patients The study revealed a low mean HRQoL score in the majority of the symptom domains of quality of life. A statistically significant difference in all domains of HRQoL was not observed in various treatment modalities of gastrointestinal cancer. Advanced-stage (stages III and IV) and co-morbidities were significant determinants of poor HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: The overall HRQoL of gastrointestinal cancer patients was poor. Advanced-stage cancer and co-morbidities were significant determinants of poor HRQoL. Therefore, intensification of routine monitoring of the disease and the treatments should be actively implemented to improve the HRQoL.

Drug-related problems among esophageal, gastric and colorectal cancer patients at the National and referral hospital in Kenya.

INTRODUCTION: Cancer therapy has remarkable potential for drug-related problems due to the high cytotoxicity and narrow therapeutic index of most anti-neoplastic regimens. However, there is a lack of comprehensive studies on drug-related problems in patients with gastrointestinal cancer in Kenya. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the prevalence, types and predictors of drug-related problems among gastrointestinal cancer patients at Kenyatta National Hospital. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was used to assess the prevalence of drug-related problems among a random sample of 160 esophageal, 103 gastric, and 96 colorectal cancer patients. Data were collected using a researcher-administered questionnaire and data abstraction tool after training the data collectors. Patient-specific details such as socio-demographic features, histological cancer types, cancer stage, comorbidity types, and treatment regimen were recorded after the review of medical records and patient interviews. The potential of drug-related problems was determined as per the standard guidelines. The data were entered and analysed using version 26.0 SPSS statistical software. RESULTS: Most esophageal (51.9%), gastric (59.2%), and colorectal (62.5%) cancer patients had a high prevalence of drug-related problems. The need for additional drug therapy and adverse drug reactions were the predominant categories of drug-related problems. Most adverse drug reactions identified had possible categories of causality score, mild severity levels, and definitely preventable types of adverse drug reactions among all gastrointestinal cancer patients. Comorbidity and advanced-stage disease were significant predictors of drug-related problems. CONCLUSIONS: Drug-related problems were prevalent among gastrointestinal cancer patients in our setting. Comorbidity and advanced stages of disease were significant predictors of drug-related problems.

Determinants of survival outcomes among esophageal cancer patients at a national referral hospital in Kenya.

Introduction: The overall 5-year survival rate for esophageal cancer patients in low- and middle-income countries was reported to be low, despite the availability of advanced treatments. Thus, this study aimed to assess determinants of survival outcomes among esophageal cancer patients in Kenya. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was employed among 299 adult esophageal cancer patients. The data were collected using a data abstraction tool consisting of patients' clinical characteristics and survival outcome measuring parameters. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) statistical software (version 20.0, IBM. USA) was used to analyze the data. The Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to determine the survival outcome and determinants of mortality, respectively. Results: The mortality rate was 43.1%, and 11.1% of patients demonstrated distant metastases in the follow-up period. Despite treatment, 20.1% had progressed disease, and 13.0% did not respond to treatment. Radiotherapy (AHR: 3.3, 95% CI: 1.4-7.8, p = 0.007), chemotherapy (AHR: 3.9, 95% CI: 1.2-6.1, p = 0.020), and chemoradiation (AHR: 5.6, 95%CI: 1.6-10.2, p = 0.006) were the significant determinants of survival in advanced stage (III and and IV) patients. Conclusions: There was a high mortality rate, disease progression, and nonresponse of esophageal cancer patients. Hence, it is essential to improve the survival of patients through early detection and timely initiation of the available treatment options.

Survival outcomes among colorectal cancer patients at Kenyatta National Hospital: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer is a growing burden in Africa. However, survival for patients with colorectal cancer remains low in sub-Saharan African countries, with the poorest survival, particularly at a late stage at diagnosis. Despite this, there is a paucity of sufficient data about the survival outcomes of colorectal cancer patients in Kenya. AIMS: This study aimed to determine the survival outcomes among colorectal cancer patients at Kenyatta National Hospital. METHODS AND RESULTS: A retrospective cohort study was employed among 232 eligible medical records of colorectal cancer patients. Simple random sampling was used to select the medical records of the patients. The included medical records of the study participants were followed up retrospectively from the date of primary cancer diagnosis until the last visit to the hospital. All relevant data, such as sociodemographics, clinical characteristics, and outcome-measuring parameters, were recorded in the predesigned data abstraction tool by reviewing the documented clinical records of the patients. The data were entered and analyzed using International Business Machines (IBM) Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 software. Mean, median, standard deviation, frequency tables, and figures were used to present the data. Kaplan Meier analyses were employed to determine survival outcomes. The mean age of the study participants was 54.1 ± 13.3 years, and the majority were males (126, 54.3%). Almost a third (34.1%) of patients had evidence of disease progression despite treatment in the follow-up period, with 7.8% showing no response to therapy and 23.6% experiencing new distant metastasis. The survival rate dwindled from the first year (87.9%) to the fifth year (45.4%), and the mortality rate was 22.8% CONCLUSION: There was a high mortality rate, disease progression, and distant metastasis in the last follow-up period suggesting the need to strengthen the healthcare system by ensuring access to prevention, early diagnosis, and optimal treatment of colorectal cancer.

Predictors of survival outcomes among patients with gastric cancer in a leading tertiary, teaching and referral hospital in Kenya.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of gastrointestinal malignancies in Kenya is increasing, although there is a paucity of data on survival outcomes among gastric cancer patients. Hence, this study aimed to assess survival outcomes among adult gastric cancer patients at Kenyatta National Hospital. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study design was used to assess the survival outcomes among 247 gastric cancer patients. All medical records of adult (≥18 years) gastric cancer patients with complete medical records of diagnosis, stage of cancer, and treatment regimen in the study setting in the last 5 years (2016-2020) were included. A simple random sampling technique was employed to select the study participants. Data were collected using a data abstraction tool composed of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Survival outcomes were reported as the percentage of mortality, mean survival estimate, and mean cancer-specific survival. The data were entered and analyzed using version 20.0 SPSS statistical software. The mean survival estimates and predictors of mortality were computed using the Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: The study showed that 33.3% (64) had new distant metastasis, and 42.1% (104) had disease progression. Besides, the mortality rate was high (33.6%), and 14.6% and 7.7% of patients had complete and partial responses, respectively. The five-year survival was 32.7% among gastric cancer patients. Comorbidity (p = 0.014), advanced-stage diseases (p = 0.03), chemotherapy (p = 0.008), and gastrectomy (p = 0.016) were significant determinants of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of patients had distant metastasis, disease progression, and a low five-year survival rate. Hence, early cancer-screening programs are indispensable to circumvent disease progression and improve survival outcomes.

Drug therapy problems and health related quality of life among patients with colorectal cancer in a Kenyan tertiary health facility.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer is the third most common form of cancer in males and the second in females globally. The ill-health due to cancer and use of multiple therapies may result in drug related problems and also affect the health-related quality of life of the patients. OBJECTIVE: To characterize drug therapy problems and health-related quality of life among patients with colorectal cancer at Kenyatta National Hospital.Methodology: A descriptive prospective cross-sectional study design was used and simple random sampling utilized to select seventy- one participants. The participants were interviewed and their responses captured using World Health Organisation Quality of Life-BREF and a structured questionnaire. The data were analysed using STATA version 15.0. Data was summarized using descriptive statistic such as mean, range and standard deviation. Association between variables was determined using linear regression model at 0.05% level of significance. Ethical approval was granted by the relevant authorities to conduct the study. RESULTS: Patients were predominantly females (52.1%), had a mean age of 55.9± 14.4 years. The main drug therapy problems were adverse drug reactions (45.1%). Approximately two thirds (67.6%) of the participants complained of gastrointestinal problems followed by cardiovascular diseases (29.6%). Quality of life assessment indicated that psychological health had the highest score at 60.5%. On linear regression analysis, the presence of anemia (p = 0.021), coverage (p = 0.038), and cardiovascular problems (p = 0.034) were significantly associated with the overall health-related quality of life. CONCLUSION: The health-related quality of life was is dependent on several patient related factors. Interventions regarding prevention of drug therapy problems should be considered alongside other measures used to manage colorectal cancer.

Metformin's effectiveness in preventing prednisone-induced hyperglycemia in hematological cancers.

BACKGROUND: Research has established the development of steroid-induced hyperglycemia as a glucometabolic side effect of high-dose prednisone therapy. Few studies, however, have demonstrated preventative measures that could effectively curtail this side effect in susceptible patients undergoing high-dose prednisone treatment. OBJECTIVE: To assess metformin's prophylactic effectiveness of prednisone-induced hyperglycemia among hematological cancer patients. SETTING: Prospective randomized controlled trial conducted at the Kenyatta National Hospital Oncology Clinic and Wards, Nairobi, Kenya. METHOD: Non-hyperglycemic hematological cancer patients on current or newly initiated high-dose prednisone-based chemotherapy were randomized to receive metformin 850 mg once then 850 mg twice daily for two successive weeks each or to the control group receiving the standard care. Patients were subjected to once weekly fasting and 2-h postprandial glucose measurements for four weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome of measure was the development of hyperglycemia defined by fasting capillary blood glucose values >5.6 mmol/L or 2-h postprandial capillary blood glucose values >7.8 mmol/L. RESULTS: Eighteen of 24 randomized patients completed the study (11 control and 7 treatment). The proportion of the control subjects that developed prediabetes was 72.7% (95% confidence interval 45.5-90.9%) using fasting glucose and 54.5% (95% confidence interval 27.3-81.8%) using 2-h postprandial glucose. One treatment group participant developed prediabetes using fasting glucose, representing 14.3% (95% confidence interval 0-42.9%). No prediabetes was detected using the 2-h postprandial glucose. Analysis of mean fasting glucose between the two arms found no significant difference. However, significant differences in mean 2-h postprandial glucose were noted in week 2 (p = 0.0144), week 3 (p = 0.0095), and week 4 (p = 0.0074) of the study. Double dose (1700 mg) metformin was more effective in lowering blood glucose than single dose (850 mg) (p = 1.0000 (fasting), p = 0.4531(2-h postprandial). CONCLUSION: Metformin's prophylactic effectiveness was demonstrated in this randomized study on new and previously exposed non-diabetic cancer patients on high-dose prednisone-based chemotherapy.

Antihypertensive therapy and adequacy of blood pressure control among adult hypertensive diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease in a tertiary referral hospital.

Background: Tight blood pressure control retards the development of end-stage renal disease in hypertensive diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease. There is limited literature on blood pressure control among this patient population in a resource-limited setting. Research design and methods: A tertiary hospital-based cross-sectional study with 237 hypertensive diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease was conducted. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to assess patients' awareness of their ideal blood pressure. Data on blood pressure readings and antihypertensive therapies were abstracted into predesigned data collection forms and analyzed using STATA software version 13.0. Results: The participants' mean age was 61.8 ± 12.7 years and 106 (44.7%) patients were aware of the blood pressure targets. Adequate blood pressure control was found in 30.8%. Most (58.7%) were using ≥ 3 antihypertensive drug classes. Calcium channel blockers (51.1%), with principally amlodipine (26.2%) and nifedipine (24.1%), were the most preferred agents. Bivariate analysis showed enalapril (p = 0.009) and nifedipine (p = 0.022) being associated with adequate blood pressure control. However, nifedipine (AOR 2.79; 95% CI: 1.12-6.9, p = 0.028) and awareness of ideal blood pressure targets (AOR 4.57; 95% CI: 1.25-16.7, p = 0.022) were independent predictors of good control. Conclusion: Adequacy of blood pressure among hypertensive diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease is low and may be attributable to unawareness of its target level and using inappropriate therapy. Future studies should correlate level of blood pressure control with patient-, clinician-, and hospital-related factors.