Association of serum electrolytes and smoking with salivary gland stone formation.

To further define potential factors that may contribute to stone formation in salivary glands (sialolithiasis), a retrospective chart review was performed of patients diagnosed with sialolithiasis between March 1, 1998 and February 29, 2012. Information on salivary gland stone number, location and size, medical history, medications, and serum electrolyte levels were collected. Associations between electrolyte levels and stone characteristics (such as stone number and size) were examined. Fifty-nine patients were identified; their median age was 58 years (range 25-89 years) and most were male (95%). Salivary stones were most commonly located in the submandibular glands (83%). Thirty-five patients (59%) had a smoking history, with 16 (27%) reported as current smokers. There was a significant association between current smoker status and stone size (mean largest stone size 12.4±8.8mm vs. 7.5±4.8mm in current smokers vs. non-smokers; P=0.03). Serum sodium levels (r=0.32, P=0.014) and serum potassium levels (r=0.31, P=0.017) showed significant positive correlations with stone size. While the aetiology of sialolithiasis remains unclear, smoking (which can contribute to reduced saliva flow) and higher serum sodium levels (which can reflect volume depletion) are associated with larger salivary stones.

Prevalence of gall stones in a group of antenatal women in Ibadan, Nigeria.

The prevalence of gall stones in Africa is low even though this varies from one part of the continent to another. The few studies were hospital based and excluded majority of silent stones. Abdominal ultrasounds were carried out prospectively on 4,214 consecutive patients referred to an ultrasound centre which cares primarily for pregnant women--a well known vulnerable group for gall stones. An overall prevalence rate of 2.1% was found. This represents a 300-fold increase over previous figures in Ibadan albeit from a different study group. A further study of the disease in the general population is necessary, though it is suggested that the figure in the general population may be less. When this figure is compared with the 10 to 20% in Europe and North America, it confirms the low incidence of the disease in our environment. Majority of the stones were asymptomatic (95%). This needs to be confirmed in the general population. The average stone former in our environment as in previous study does not conform to the classical caucassian description.

Drug utilization patterns for under five children

In this descriptive study; conducted in an outpatient clinic of a Teaching Hospital in Ibadan; drug utilization patterns for underfive children treated between 1984 and 1987 were evaluated. The results of the study showed that over the four year period; a range of 27.8 per cent in 1984; to 32.2 percent in 1987 of children were treated with antimalarial drugs even though only 7 percent to 19 per cent of them were clinically diagnosed as having malaria