African health sciences
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African health sciences · Jun 2021
A one-year prospective study on the occurrence of traumatic spinal cord injury and clinical complications during hospitalisation in North-East Tanzania.
Clinical complications following spinal cord injury are a big concern as they account for increased cost of rehabilitation, poor outcomes and mortality. ⋯ The incidence of traumatic spinal cord injury in the Kilimanjaro region is relatively high. In-hospital complications are prevalent and are worth addressing for successful rehabilitation.
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African health sciences · Jun 2021
Mortality incidence and its determinants after fragility hip fractures: a prospective cohort study from an Egyptian level one trauma center.
Fragility hip fracture is a common condition with serious consequences. Most outcomes data come from Western and Asian populations. There are few data from African and Middle Eastern countries. ⋯ Our in-hospital mortality rate resembles developed countries reports, reflecting good initial geriatric healthcare. However, our 3- and 12-months mortality rates are unexpectedly high. The implementation of orthogeriatric care after discharge is mandatory to decrease mortality rates.
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African health sciences · Jun 2021
Virologic suppression and associated factors in HIV infected Ugandan female sex workers: a cross-sectional study.
Key populations have disproportionately higher HIV prevalence rates than the general population. ⋯ Virologic suppression in both groups is similar, however, intensified follow-up is needed to improve treatment outcomes.
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African health sciences · Jun 2021
Rational and design of SATRACD study: detecting subclinical anthracycline therapy related cardiac dysfunction in low income country.
Anthracycline therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (ATRCD) is the most notorious adverse side-effect of chemotherapy. It has become a significant cardiovascular health concern for long-term cancer survivors. With the emerging concept of subclinical ATRCD and newer diagnostictools (Speckle Tracking Echocardiography (STE) and biomarkers), detecting anthracycline cardiac toxicity at an early stage has become an important step to prevent severe cardiac dysfunction and improve the cardiovascular outcome in cancer survivors. Despite the increasing population at risk in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), there is no contemporary data in Uganda to address the burden, pathogenesis and risk factors of subclinical ATRCD. This big gap in knowledge has led to a lack of local guidelines for monitoring and management of ATRCD. ⋯ This SATRACD study will provide contemporary data on Ugandan cancer patients who have subclinical and clinical ATRCD, help in the development of local strategies to prevent and manage ATRCD, and improve cardiovascular outcome for Ugandan cancer survivors.
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African health sciences · Jun 2021
Case ReportsTransient bone marrow hypoplasia preceding T-Cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a case report.
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood malignancy and is characterised by hyperproliferation of malignant lymphocytes in the bone marrow. Rarely, ALL may be preceded by a period of pancytopenia and bone marrow hypoplasia which spontaneously recovers. This phenomenon, which has not before been described in T-cell ALL, is referred to as transient bone marrow hypoplasia. ⋯ Cases of transient bone marrow hypoplasia or overt aplastic anemia with spontaneous recovery and then followed by B-cell ALL or Acute Myeloid Leukemia have been described previously in the medical literature. This is the first case of transient bone marrow hypoplasia resulting into ALL of T-cell immunophenotype. While marrow hypoplasia preceding ALL remains poorly understood, it suggests an antecedent environmental insult to lymphoid progenitors or a germline abnormality that predisposes to lymphoid dysplasia. This may provide clues to the hitherto unknown pathophysiological process and etiological factors that precede the majority of childhood ALL cases. This case enlightens pediatricians about the existence of such rare cases so as to periodically follow up children with pancytopenia and/or bone marrow hypoplasia for prolonged periods even after apparent recovery.