African health sciences
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African health sciences · Jun 2020
Pattern of congenital heart disease among children presenting to the Uganda Heart Institute, Mulago Hospital: a 7-year review.
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common congenital anomaly in children. Over half of the deaths due to CHD occur in the neonatal period. Most children with unrepaired complex heart lesions do not live to celebrate their first birthday. We describe the spectrum of congenital heart disease in Uganda. ⋯ Isolated VSD and Tetralogy of Fallot are the most common acyanotic and cyanotic congenital heart defects. We report an unusually high occurrence of Truncus arteriosus.
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African health sciences · Jun 2020
Effect of interleukins (IL-2, IL-15, IL-18) on receptors activation and cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells in breast cancer cell.
Breast cancer is one of the leading cause of cancer deaths in women. Metastasis in BC is caused by immunosurveillance deficiency, such NK cell maturation, low NK activity and decreasing cytotoxicity. This study was performed to improve activating receptors and cytotoxicity of NK cells using interleukins (ILs). ⋯ IL-2, IL-15, and IL-18 improved activating receptors and proliferation of NK cells. IL-induced NK cells increased TNF-α, IFN-γ, PRF1 and GzmB secretion and cytotoxic activity on BC cells. High NK cell numbers increased BC cell growth inhibition.
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African health sciences · Jun 2020
Consumption of psychotropic medicines at a referral hospital in Namibia: findings and implications.
In Namibia, the burden of mental illnesses is estimated at 25.6% and is expected to double by 2025. Few studies in sub-Saharan Africa estimate the consumption rates of psychotropic medicines as a proxy of irrational use. ⋯ The consumption of new psychotropics contributes to higher costs. There is need for cost-effectiveness analysis of new versus conventional psychotropics to optimize treatment, outcomes and costs.
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African health sciences · Jun 2020
Prevalence, risk-inducing lifestyle, and perceived susceptibility to kidney diseases by gender among Nigerians residents in South Western Nigeria.
Kidney disease (KD) is increasingly recognized as a major public health problem worldwide with rising incidence and prevalence. Early identification of KD risk factors will slow down progression to kidney failure and death. ⋯ The prevalence of KD risk-inducing lifestyles was high. More emphasis should be placed on effective public health programmes towards behavioural change in order to adopt lifestyle modification as well as to reduce the tendency to develop KD.
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African health sciences · Jun 2020
Pulmonary functions of commercial tricyclists (Keke Napep riders) in Enugu State, Nigeria.
Tricyclists are continuously exposed to vehicle emissions and other environmental pollutants, due to the nature of their job and vehicle design, which may be hazardous to health. However, there is paucity of data on the pulmonary functions of commercial tricyclists in Nigeria, which should have provided insight into any relevant health concerns in this population, hence this study. ⋯ Decreased pulmonary function values of commercial tricyclists in this study is suggestive of their predisposition to occupation-related pulmonary disorders, particularly the restrictive patterns.