African health sciences
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African health sciences · Dec 2017
Gastrointestinal malignancies at five regional referral hospitals in Uganda.
There is a paucity of published data regarding the trend and distribution of gastrointestinal malignancies in Uganda. ⋯ Oesophageal, liver, stomach and colorectal cancer remain the most common gastrointestinal malignancies and their rate is increasing in Uganda. There is a need for awareness, endoscopic and radiological assessment of symptomatic individuals and a need for screening of high index patients.
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African health sciences · Dec 2017
Assessing regional variations in the effect of the removal of user fees on facility-based deliveries in rural Zambia.
Maternal health remains a concern in sub-Saharan Africa, where maternal mortality averages 680 per 100,000 live births and almost 50% of the approximately 350,000 annual maternal deaths occur. Improving access to skilled birth assistance is paramount to reducing this average, and user fee reductions could help. ⋯ Although user fees matter, to a degree, service quality is a relatively more important contributor to the promotion of facility-based deliveries. Thus, in the short-term, strengthening and improving community-based interventions could lead to further increases in facility-based deliveries.
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African health sciences · Dec 2017
Role of offending out-door aero-allergen and CD14 C(-159)T polymorphism in development and severity of asthma in a Kolkata patient population.
Present study involved identification of offending out-door aero-allergens and associated genetic pathway in nasso-bronchial asthma among Kolkata population. ⋯ In Kolkata, pollen is a common out-door aero-allergen and Cocos nucifera is predominant among pollens. Childhood-onset and adult-onset of asthma showed significant difference in allergen sensitivity as well as genetic background with respect to CD14 polymorphism.
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African health sciences · Dec 2017
QTc prolongation in Black diabetic subjects with cardiac autonomic neuropathy.
Prolonged corrected QT (QTc) has been identified as a risk factor for malignant arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Caucasian studies have shown a definite relationship between QTc prolongation and Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy (CAN) in diabetic subjects. ⋯ This study in a Black population is in agreement with the well-known relationship between QTc prolongation and CAN reported in Caucasian studies. In view of the wide variability of QTc in this study population, it is suggested that relative QTc increase may be a better indicator of CAN than a definite QTc prolongation of greater than 0.440.
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African health sciences · Dec 2017
Oral dysbacteriosis in type 2 diabetes and its role in the progression to cardiovascular disease.
Salivary changes and proliferation of specific bacterial communities are known to result in oral disease which may adversely impact on systemic conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. ⋯ Disruption in the salivary environment and changes in microbial ecology with increased load of cariogenic bacteria were found in diabetic and cardiac patients. This study brings forward new evidence of a markedly higher load of Streptococcus mutans in cardiac patients which may underlie the progression of diabetes to cardiovascular disease in this population.