African health sciences
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African health sciences · Dec 2006
Postpartum major depression at six weeks in primary health care: prevalence and associated factors.
Major depression is a common and disabling complication of the postpartum period in women. It is thought to occur three times more commonly in the developing than in developed countries. ⋯ There is indication for routine screening of at risk women in the peri-natal period to avoid, recognize and manage postpartum psychiatric morbidity and its consequence on mothers and their developing children.
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African health sciences · Sep 2006
Chronic renal failure at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: Chronic kidney disease is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. This study aims at determining the pattern of chronic renal failure (CRF) in a Nigerian University Teaching Hospital. ⋯ Chronic glomerulonephritis, hypertensive nephrosclerosis and diabetes mellitus are the commonest causes of chronic renal failure in Nigeria. Most of the patients presented late. Cardiovascular complications and infections were responsible for a greater morbidity among the patients.
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African health sciences · Sep 2006
Focussed Assessment Sonograph Trauma (FAST) and CT scan in blunt abdominal trauma: surgeon's perspective.
Diagnosis of blunt abdominal trauma is a real challenge even for experienced trauma surgeons. Diagnostic tools that help the treating doctor in optimum management of blunt abdominal trauma include; Focussed Assessment Sonography for Trauma (FAST), Diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) and CT scan. ⋯ FAST is useful as the initial diagnostic tool for abdominal trauma to detect intraabdominal fluid. With proper training and understanding the limitations of ultrasound, the results of FAST can be optimized. DPL is indicated to diagnose suspected internal abdominal injury when ultrasound machine is not available, there is no trained person to perform FAST, or the results of FAST are equivocal or difficult to interpret in a haemodynamically unstable patient. In contrast, in haemodynamically stable patients the diagnostic modality of choice is CT with intravenous contrast. It is useful to detect free air and intraperitoneal fluid, delineate the extent of solid organ injury, detect retroperitoneal injuries, and help in the decision for conservative treatment. Helical CT is done rapidly which reduces the time the patient stays in the CT scan room. Furthermore, this improves sagittal and coronal reconstruction images which are useful for detecting ruptured diaphragm.
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African health sciences · Sep 2006
Plasma cholesterol and related lipid levels of seemingly healthy public service employees in Kampala, Uganda.
As Uganda's economy improves, many people tend to adopt western diets and sedentary life styles that predispose to cardiovascular diseases including hypertension. These may be in silent danger without any typical symptoms to send early warning signals. In Uganda, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes mellitus are rapidly emerging as major causes of morbidity and mortality. ⋯ In all the cut off points used, each analyte had a significant percentage of public service employees at risk of CVD. It is therefore concluded that hypercholesterolaemia and other dyslipidemias exist among seemingly healthy public service employees in Kampala, Uganda, and this needs urgent intervention at both individual and national levels.
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African health sciences · Jun 2006
Trauma at a Nigerian teaching hospital: pattern and docu-mentation of presentation.
This study is aimed at identifying the characteristics of injuries and determining the efficiency of documentation of patients' records in a tertiary hospital where there is no trauma registry. ⋯ Lacerations and fractures were the most common injuries. Mortality is due usually to head and multiple injuries. Research into appropriate strategies for prevention of injuries, especially RTA, is required but this must start with the establishment of institutional and regional trauma registries for complete documentation of relevant data.