Microalbuminuria risks and glomerular filtration in children with sickle cell anaemia in Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence of kidney damage is observed in children with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) and this continues through adulthood with progression to severe functional impairment in some. One of the earliest features of kidney damage associated with SCA is microalbuminuria. Our objective was to determine the risk factors of microalbuminuria in these children and its relationship with estimated glomerular filtration rate. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional and comparative study involving three hundred and twenty three children with SCA in steady state and equal numbers of apparently healthy age and sex matched haemoglobin AA (HbAA) control, aged 6 months to 18 years. They were consecutively recruited over a 6 month period. RESULT: Microalbuminuria was present in 26% of the study subjects compared with 1.85% of control P = 0.001). Anaemia and high estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) showed strong positive correlation with microalbuminuria (OR = 3.19, CI 0.953-1.116, p = 0.003 and OR = 1.7, CI 1.042-1.066, p = 0.001 respectively). Similarly, eGFR was higher in subjects with SCA than in controls and as well as in those with microalbuminuria compared with those who do not (p = < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The two most important risk factors for microalbuminuria were anaemia and high eGFR. Age category was associated more with microalbuminuria than just age as a variable. Glomerular filtration rate was higher in children with microalbuminuria than those who do not and it was also higher in children with SCA than in control.

MATERNAL AND NEONATAL OUTCOMES OF HISTOLOGICAL CHORIOAMNIONITIS.

BACKGROUND: Clinical Chorioamnionitis contributes to maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality but the effect of histological chorioamnionitis is sparse in our environment. AIM: To determine the maternal and neonatal outcomes of histological chorioamnionitis amongst pregnant women and their babies. DESIGN OF THE STUDY: Cross sectional longitudinal study. SETTING: Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Jos, Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: Parturients were interviewed and examined as well as had their placenta examined histologically for chorioamnionitis. They and their babies were followed up for 6 weeks after delivery to monitor for any complications that may arise. RESULTS: A total of 148 parturients were enrolled from the labour ward of Jos University Teaching Hospital and of these 90 (60.8%) had histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA). As regards outcome, 9(10%) with histologic chorioamnionitis as well as 5(8.62%) of those without HCA had premature delivery. Low birth weight occurred in 12(13.33%) and 6(10.34 %) of those with HCA and without HCA respectively. In all, 1(1.47%) and 1(2.56%) of women with HCA and without HCA correspondingly had neonatal sepsis. Puerperal sepsis occurred in 2(2.94%) of those with HCA and 2(5.13%) of those without HCA. CONCLUSION: Our study has demonstrated that histological chorioamnionitis had no adverse maternal or neonatal effect. There is the need for more studies investigating the cause and the implication of histological chorioamnionitis.

Paediatric tuberculosis at the national teaching hospital CNHU-HKM of Cotonou, Benin: a retrospective study.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROIUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a public health problem. Knowing its patterns could help address it more efficiently. OBJECTIVE: To determine the hospital incidence, presentation, management, and outcome of TB in our setting. METHODS: We conducted a chart review of children with TB during a five-year period at the University Hospital CNHU-HKM, Cotonou, Benin. RESULTS: Hospital prevalence of TB among hospitalised children was 0.2%. The mean age was six years, with a male:female ratio of 1.4:1. The common clinical features were: cough (78.1%), long standing fever (81.2%), growth retardation (65.6%), pulmonary consolidation (53.1%) and hepatosplenomegaly (34.4%). The skin tuberculin test was positive in only 40.6% of cases. Co-infection with HIV was present in 51.8% of cases. Mycobacterium tuberculosis could be identified in only 21.8% of cases. Twenty-six (81.2%) pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cases were diagnosed, eight (25%) of which were associated with extra pulmonary TB. Six (18.7%) presumed isolated extra PTB were also diagnosed. Eight-month treatment regimen was used in most patients, with mortality rate of 9.3%. CONCLUSION: Although TB hospital prevalence seems low in our setting, management needs to be improved according to guidelines.

Willingness of Nigerian healthcare workers to donate kidneys.

BACKGROUND: The attitude of healthcare workers (HCW) towards organ donation is cardinal to the successful implementation and sustainability of transplant programs. We present the outcome of a survey among HCW in a single tertiary institution in Nigeria regarding their willingness to be living-related kidney donors. METHODS: Self-administered questionnaires were randomly distributed to HCW evaluating their attitude towards living-related kidney donation. RESULTS: Of the 650 questionnaires distributed only 502 responded (clinical medical students 51%, physicians 31.7% and nurses 17.3%); 75.6% of respondents were willing to be living donors while 5.8% were against it, and 18.5% were undecided. Multivariate analysis identified willingness to receive, perceived risk associated with kidney donation, and attitude towards cadaveric donation as independent predictors of willingness of HCW to be living donors. CONCLUSION: Nigerian HCW have a positive attitude toward kidney donation.