African health sciences
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African health sciences · Mar 2016
Prevalence, types and factors associated with echocardiographic abnormalities among newly diagnosed diabetic patients at Mulago Hospital.
The prevalence of Diabetes mellitus (DM) is on a rise in sub-Saharan Africa and will more than double by 2025. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for up to 2/3 of all deaths in the diabetic population. Of all the CVD deaths in DM, 3/4 occur in sub Saharan Africa (SSA). Non invasive identification of cardiac abnormalities, such as Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH), diastolic and systolic dysfunction, is not part of diabetes complications surveillance programs in Uganda and there is limited data on this problem. This study sought to determine the prevalence, types and factors associated with echocardiographic abnormalities among newly diagnosed diabetic patients at Mulago National referral hospital in Uganda. ⋯ Echocardiographic abnormalities were common among newly diagnosed adults with DM. Traditional CVD risk factors were associated with an abnormal echocardiogram in this patient population. Due to a high prevalence of echocardiographic abnormalities among newly diagnosed diabetics, we recommend screening for cardiac disease especially in patients who present with traditional CVD risk factors. This will facilitate early diagnosis, management and hence better patient outcomes.
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African health sciences · Mar 2016
Comparative StudyComparative assessment of seller's staining test (SST) and direct fluorescent antibody test for rapid and accurate laboratory diagnosis of rabies.
Rabies causes 55, 000 annual human deaths globally and about 10,000 people are exposed annually in Nigeria. Diagnosis of animal rabies in most African countries has been by direct microscopic examination. In Nigeria, the Seller's stain test (SST) was employed until 2009. Before then, both SST and dFAT were used concurrently until the dFAT became the only standard method. ⋯ The relatively low sensitivity of the SST observed in this study calls for its replacement with the dFAT for accurate diagnosis of rabies and timely decisions on administration of PEP to prevent untimely deaths of exposed humans.
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African health sciences · Mar 2016
Impact of weight reduction program on serum alanine aminotransferase activity and immunologic response in obese hepatitis B patients.
Globally, chronic B viral hepatitis (HBV) is a major health problem. Obesity is a common problem among patients with HBV. Several studies have reported that obesity is an important risk factor that alters immune system response in individuals with no underlying cause of liver disease. However, there is a strong association between BMI and the human immune system among HBV patients. ⋯ Based on our findings, weight loss modulates serum alanine aminotransferase and immune system parameters of patients with hepatitis B virus infection.
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African health sciences · Mar 2016
Prevalence, severity and risk factors of allergic disorders among people in south India.
Allergic disorders are not usually life-threatening conditions but they impair the person's ability to function. It thus adversely affects the psychological wellbeing and quality of life. These implications of allergic disorders can be minimized if strategies are planned for its early identification followed by appropriate interventions. ⋯ The study revealed some important determinants of allergic disorders which have important implications to frame appropriate prevention and health educational strategies.
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The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of rationing in medical education. Medical education is expensive and there is a limit to that which governments, funders or individuals can spend on it. Rationing involves the allocation of resources that are limited. ⋯ These principles of rationing can apply to individual learners or to institutions or departments or learning modes. Rationing is occurring in medical education, even though it might be implicit. It is worth giving consideration to methods of rationing and to make thinking about rationing more explicit.