The Pan African medical journal
-
Blood Magnesium levels in migraineurs within and between the headache attacks: a case control study.
Some probable mechanisms have been described to the relationship between magnesium (Mg) level and migraine headache attacks. In the study reported here, we sought to determine the total Mg serum status of patients with migraine within and between the headache attacks and compare it with non-migraineurs. ⋯ Serum Mg level is on average significantly reduced in patients with migraine compared to the healthy group. However, the serum total Mg levels in migraineurs remained constant within and between migraine headache attacks.
-
The objective of the study was to present our last 5-years experience of peritonitis and validate POSSUM score in predicting mortality and morbidity in patients of enteric perforation (EP) peritonitis. ⋯ POSSUM and P-POSSUM are accurate tools for predicting morbidity and mortality respectively in EP patients. Though they may sometime over or under predict morbidity as well as mortality.
-
Achieving high and equitable childhood immunisation coverage in Africa will not only protect children from disability and premature death, it will also boost productivity, reduce poverty and support the economic growth of the continent. Thus, Africa needs innovative and sustainable vaccine advocacy initiatives. One such initiative is the African Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Network, formed in 2009. This association of immunisation practitioners, vaccinologists, paediatricians, and infectious disease experts provides a platform to advocate for the introduction of newly available vaccines (e.g. 10-valent and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate and rotavirus vaccines) into the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) as well as increased and equitable coverage for established EPI vaccines.
-
Over the past 15 years, the multidisciplinary team management of many medical conditions especially cancers has increasingly taken a prominent role in patient management in many hospitals and medical centres in the developed countries. In the United Kingdom, it began to gain prominence following the Calman-Heine report in 1995 which suggested that each Cancer Unit in a hospital should have in place arrangements for non-surgical oncological input into services, with a role for a non-surgical oncologist. ⋯ However, there are barriers to the optimal effectiveness of the multidisciplinary team. This paper aims to review various studies on the effectiveness of the multidisciplinary team in the management of cancer patients and also discuss some of the barriers to the multidisciplinary team.
-
Hydatid cysts located in the interatrial septum are especially rare but when they occur, they might cause intracavity rupture. We report on a patient with acute pulmonary embolism caused by an isolated, ruptured hydatid cyst on the right side of the interatrial septum. A 16-year-old-boy with an uneventful history was hospitalized for exercise-induced dyspnea and blood expectorations. ⋯ The pleural cavity was entered through the fifth intercostal space to withdraw lung hydatid cysts. Operative recovery was uneventful and the patient resumed his normal activities 19 months later. Prompt diagnosis and an appropriate surgical treatment prevented a potentially fatal outcome.