Niger J Clin Pract
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Iron Deficiency Anemia in Nigerians with Heart Failure (IDAN-HF): Therapeutic efficacy of iron replacement: An interventional study.
Recent evidence has reported significant improvement in clinical profile, quality of life, and prognosis of heart failure subjects with iron replacement. ⋯ Parenteral iron dextran therapy was fairly tolerated among heart failure subjects. Iron replacement is associated with improved quality of life, better temporal clinical profile, and functional classification among Nigerians with heart failure. Iron replacement therapy can be an additional therapeutic option in heart failure management among Africans to improve prognosis.
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Breast lump is a very common problem in the surgical units of many hospitals. Considering our unique socio-cultural and economic peculiarities, the ideal initial preoperative diagnostic tool for breast diseases should be cost-effective, simple with minimal physical and psychological trauma. ⋯ In view of the high sensitivity, specificity and overall diagnostic accuracy combined with early retrieval of pathologic results on first clinic visit reported in this study, FNAC should become a useful tool in the management of breast lumps in our center.
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Pregnancy is a period of heightened calcium demand necessary for the optimum growth and development of the fetus and placenta. Women with low calcium intake may manifest with hypocalcemia in pregnancy. ⋯ Hypocalcemia in pregnancy is common in our environment and it is associated with anemia in pregnancy, anorexia, and primigravidity while attainment of at least basic education is protective. We recommend routine calcium supplementation in pregnancy and preconception period.
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Nigeria ranks third among the countries with the highest HIV/AIDS burden in the world, next only to India and South Africa. The North-Central zone which Kwara State belongs to has the highest concentration of HIV prevalence rate of 7.5%, while the North-Western zone recorded the lowest prevalence of 2.1%; Kwara state has a prevalence rate of 2.2%. ⋯ HIV is a chronic disease with heavy burden on both patients and health facility rendering services for the care of these patients. A good proportion of respondents interviewed adopted varying coping strategies. Sustained social and psychological support will improve further the coping strategies of living with HIV.
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Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been recognized globally as a major public health challenge necessitating a global call for increased awareness, patients' identification, and development of activities for prevention and control of the disease. Consequently, massive health education campaigns and screening exercises have been mounted globally to mark the World Hepatitis Day (WHD). ⋯ The seroprevalence of HBV among healthcare workers in Enugu, Nigeria is relatively low compared to figures from other African countries. The healthcare workers have considerable knowledge of the disease. However, the observed knowledge gaps in awareness and screening need to be addressed.