Tropical and geographical medicine
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In a rural hospital in Northern Nigeria in 1985 seventeen patients were admitted who met with the criteria of peripartum cardiomyopathy. Local habits played an important part in the course of the disease. Physical examination with an emphasis on bloodpressure and the condition of the heart was most reliable in establishing the diagnosis and assessing the treatment. ⋯ Treatment consisted of bedrest and diuretics. One patient died, eight patients made a full clinical recovery but eight patients did not improve. Unfortunately all patients withdrew from follow-up.
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A nine-month-old child received intermittent oral prednisolone over a 6 month period because of persistent wheezing. This therapy had appeared to improve his symptoms. ⋯ Corticosteroids are recognised adjuncts in the management of bronchial-lymph node tuberculosis. Responsiveness of wheezing to prednisolone does not imply that its cause is hyperreactive airways disease, and other causes should be sought particularly in developing countries.