African health sciences
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African health sciences · Sep 2018
Antenatal dexamethasone effect on Doppler blood flow velocity in women at risk for preterm birth: prospective case series.
Maternal administration of corticosteroids is essential to improve fetal lung surfactant production and hasten the fetal lung maturity in women at risk for preterm birth. ⋯ Antenatal dexamethasone for women at risk of preterm birth improves the fetal and uteroplacental blood flow at 24 hours after its administration.
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African health sciences · Sep 2018
Thyroid profile and LDH Isoenzymes as prognostic biomarkers for diabetic and/or obese subjects.
This study aimed to evaluate the levels of thyroid hormones and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoenzymes in obese and/or diabetic patients. ⋯ LDH isozymes can be used as valuable diagnostic markers for metabolic syndrome. This may help to explore the metabolic changes associated with obesity and diabetes complication and following up the complication of these abnormalities.
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Although nodding syndrome is a catastrophic epileptic encephalopathy, it is reported only from Africa so far. We describe the first case from the Indian sub-continent. ⋯ Nodding syndrome is an epileptic encephalopathy of nutritional origin beyond geographical barriers but amenable to anti-convulsants and nutritional rehabilitation.
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African health sciences · Sep 2018
Sexual behaviours of HIV positive adults receiving HAART in Botswana: a cross sectional study.
This paper aims to assess the sexual behaviour of HIV positive adult men and women on HAART in Botswana. ⋯ Contrary to anecdotal reports that availability of HAART is associated with sexual risky sexual behaviours, our results indicate non-significant statistical association between being on HAART and risky sexual behaviours. Current HAART education programs in Botswana have to be maintained to avoid risky sexual behaviours associated with HAART availability as in other contexts.
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African health sciences · Sep 2018
Effect of anti-retroviral therapy on oxidative stress in hospitalized HIV-infected adults with and without TB.
HIV infection and opportunistic infections cause oxidative stress (OS), which is associated with tissue damage. Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is used to treat HIV and decrease the risk of opportunistic infections, but it is unclear whether ART reduces OS. Association of ART with OS was investigated. ⋯ We identified severe OS among HIV-patients. ART was associated with both increased and reduced markers of OS hence suggesting that ART may not attenuate OS.