W Indian Med J
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Hyperbilirubinaemia is a common neonatal problem worldwide and is the leading cause of admission to the Special Care Nursery in Antigua and Barbuda. In 1990, the Innocenti Declaration in support of breast-feeding led to the adoption of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in many countries of the Caribbean, including Antigua and Barbuda. Comparing 1989 to the years 1992 to 1994, the Special Care Nursery at Holberton Hospital experienced a 40% increase in newborns admitted with hyperbilirubinaemia (peak total bilirubin > 12 mg/dl or 205 mumol/l). ⋯ Early discharge in developed countries has led to increased readmissions for hyperbilirubinaemia. Following the appointment of a dietitian to supervise breast-feeding, admissions for hyperbilirubinaemia fell by 50% by 1998. These data suggest that exclusive breast-feeding and early discharge led to an epidemic of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in Antigua and Barbuda.
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Multicenter Study
Paediatric HIV/AIDS in Jamaica. A hospital-based description.
The continuing worldwide epidemic of adult HIV/AIDS has led to an increase in the number of HIV-positive children mainly through perinatal transmission. Although national data are available, there is no published report of the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in children in Jamaica. A multicentre retrospective analysis of 183 HIV seropositive children admitted to hospitals in Jamaica between 1990 and 1996 was conducted. ⋯ From these data, it is estimated that the hospital-based HIV incidence among children in Jamaica increased from 0.149 per 10,000 person years in 1990 to 1.331 per 10,000 person years in 1996. This study demonstrates a rise in the estimated incidence of HIV/AIDS but we were unable to estimate survival reliably since the data required were not available for 75% of children identified. These data highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions to reduce vertical transmission of HIV as well as a need for prospective studies to establish reliable data on incidence and long-term outcome for HIV-infected children.
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The objectives of this study were to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection among the antenatal clinic population at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). Pregnant mothers (4186) attending antenatal clinic at the UHWI were screened for HIV infection between September, 1998, and October, 2000. Tests were performed with the use of Abbott enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kits for the detection of antibodies to HIV 1 and 2. ⋯ In contrast, women who commenced coitus at a later age were at less risk of becoming infected (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.6, 0.97). This study demonstrates a low seroprevalence of HIV in the UHWI antenatal population compared to the reported seroprevalence of 2%-8% in pregnant women in Latin America and the Caribbean. The results from this study emphasize the continuing need for voluntary HIV testing and HIV/AIDS educational campaign for this vulnerable group.
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Congestive cardiac failure is emerging as a significant public health problem around the world, including the Caribbean. Recent reports from developed countries suggest that 30 to 40% of patients with congestive cardiac failure have normal systolic function. This percentage may be even higher in non-Caucasian, non-male populations. ⋯ LV hypertrophy was seen in 42% of patients (61% if 12 mm is used for LV wall limit) with systolic dysfunction. Thus, congestive cardiac failure with LV hypertrophy is the most frequent finding in this Afro-Caribbean population, with LV systolic dysfunction in only 35% of patients. These findings are consistent with possible diastolic LV dysfunction due to hypertension as the primary cause of cardiac failure in the population.