African health sciences
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African health sciences · Dec 2016
Sonographic assessment of the portal vein diameter in apparently healthy adults in a Northern Nigerian population.
Sonography is a valuable tool in the assessment of porto-systemic pathologies. This study aimed at determining the mean portal vein diameter based on age, gender and anthropometric variables. ⋯ This study found the mean values of PV diameter in apparently healthy adults in our environment to be 9.60 ± 1.41mm and that PV diameter positively correlates with anthropometric variables.
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African health sciences · Dec 2016
Factors associated with community-acquired urinary tract infections among adults attending assessment centre, Mulago Hospital Uganda.
Urinary tract infections (UTI) are a common medical problem affecting the general population and thus commonly encountered in medical practice, with the global burden of UTIs at about 150 million people. Because uropathogens largely originate from colonic flora, they are easy to predict, and this is the rationale for empirical treatment in Community Acquired-UTI (CA-UTIs). With the increasing prevalence of drug-resistant bacteria among adults with CA-UTI in Uganda, it is no longer adequate to manage CA-UTIs on empiric regimen without revising the susceptibility patterns of common CA-UTI causative agents. Thus in this study we set out to identify: The factors associated with CA-UTIs, the common uropathogens and the drug sensitivity patterns of the common uropathogens cultured. ⋯ There are known factors associated with CA-UTIs such as age, female sex. There was generally high sensitivity to nitrofurantoin and gentamycin by most of the uropathogens isolated, and high resistance to the common antibiotics such as nalidixic acid and erythromycin thus a need for a bigger study that can be used to effect the change of the current recommendations in the Uganda Clinical Guidelines as regards empirical management of CA-UTIs.
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African health sciences · Dec 2016
Exercise alleviates depression related systemic inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.
Depression is a highly prevalent co-morbidity in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) which was shown to be associated with a worse course of disease, including reduced quality of life and increased symptoms burden, healthcare use, and even mortality. It has been speculated that systemic inflammation may play a role in the presence of depression. Currently, physical activity is an important lifestyle factor that has the potential to modify inflammatory cytokines and depression, however our understanding of how to use exercise effectively in COPD patients to alleviate depression related systemic inflammation is incomplete and has prompted our interest to identify the type and intensities of effective exercise. ⋯ Aerobic exercise is an effective treatment policy to improve depression related to systemic inflammation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
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African health sciences · Dec 2016
Randomized Controlled TrialEffect of individualized diabetes education for type 2 diabetes mellitus: a single-center randomized clinical trial.
To evaluate the effect of individualized education for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). ⋯ Individualized diabetes education is more effective than group education in facilitating the control of type 2 diabetes.
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African health sciences · Dec 2016
Prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempt: associations with psychiatric disorders and HIV/AIDS in post-conflict Northern Uganda.
Research on the prevalence of suicidal ideation, attempt, and cormorbid psychiatric disorders in post-conflict areas is still limited. ⋯ The prevalence rate of suicide ideation and attempt indicate a major public health problem in post-conflict Northern Uganda. Effective public mental health programs that that target both suicidality and psychiatric co-morbodities will be vital. Special attention should be given to women in post conflict Northern Uganda.