Niger J Clin Pract
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Perinatal asphyxia contributes significantly to neonatal morbidity and mortality. It occurs worldwide, and the Apgar score is the most widely used method of diagnosis. Recently, umbilical cord arterial pH has been reported as the most objective way to assess fetal acidosis at birth as it predicts the adverse outcome of perinatal asphyxia. It is imperative to establish the concordance between these two diagnostic methods to reinforce the practicality of the Apgar score as the preferred diagnostic tool for perinatal asphyxia in developing nations, such as Nigeria. ⋯ The prevalence of perinatal asphyxia by the two methods was high, and there was no significant difference between both methods of assessing perinatal asphyxia. Thus, the diagnosis of perinatal asphyxia can effectively be made using either the Apgar score or arterial cord blood pH, affirming the practicality and reliability of the Apgar score in resource-limited healthcare settings.
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COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is a major barrier to vaccine uptake, and the achievement of herd immunity is required to reduce morbidity and mortality and protect the most vulnerable populations. In Nigeria, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has been high, and uptake remains very low. Healthcare workers (HCWs) in Nigeria can help support public health efforts to increase vaccine uptake. ⋯ There is a moderately high COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate among HCWs surveyed in our study. The confidence of HCWs in its use and their willingness to recommend it to their patients can provide a potentially useful element in increasing acceptance by the larger population in Nigeria.
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Standardizing cardiac valve structures and function to body surface area will help the clinician and surgeons in decision-making. ⋯ Reference values of cardiac structure and function were presented using Z scores, and we noted no significant difference when compared with the Western standard values except for the mitral valve and left pulmonary artery.
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Observational Study
Accelerated Corneal Cross-linking in Pediatric Patients with Progressive Keratoconus: 12-Month Follow-up Results.
To evaluate effectiveness and safety of accelerated corneal cross-linking (CXL) in the treatment of keratoconus in pediatric patients. ⋯ The findings revealed that accelerated CXL is an effective and safe procedure that halts the progression of keratoconus in pediatric patients.
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Inflammation occurring after vascular endothelial damage plays a role in thrombus formation. Changes in various blood parameters that develop after the inflammatory condition can be used as a marker to predict thrombus. ⋯ NLR and PLR were associated with the diagnosis of PVT. In PVT patients, NLR and PLR values were observed to be significantly higher than the control group. In our study, the relationship between NLR and PLR in patients with noncirrhotic, nonmalignant PVT without acquired risk factors for thrombosis was shown for the first time.