The Central African journal of medicine
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To estimate the levels of trace elements in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). ⋯ Children with IBD in this study show abnormalities of the trace elements which is probably a result of inadequate intake, reduced absorption, increased intestinal loss due to impairment of the absorption as a result of the inflammatory process. The reduced free radical scavenging action of zinc and selenium as a result of their deficiency may contribute to the continued inflammatory process of IBD. The recommendation of the supplementation of these trace elements in IBD is further supported by the findings of this study in children.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A comparison of topical Phenytoin with Silverex in the treatment of superficial dermal burn wounds.
To compare topical diphenylhydantion (Phenytoin) with silver sulphadiazine/chlorhexidine (Silverex) in terms of rate of wound healing, analgesic and antibacterial properties in small to moderate-sized (< 30% TBSA) superficial dermal (second degree) burn wounds. ⋯ Phenytoin is a cheap and easy-to-use medicament, effective in suppressing burn wound bacteria and relieving pain thereby promoting healing, and may be advocated for the purpose in resource-scarce environments.
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Molecular oxygen is a colourless and odorless gas which is essential to life. It accounts for 21% of the atmospheric air. Apart from its central role in oxidative phosphorylation to produce biological energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), molecular oxygen is used as substrate by two other enzyme systems for the killing of bacteria in the phagocytes and for collagen synthesis by the fibroblast during wound healing. In the immediate post operative period atmospheric oxygen might become inadequate for a number of reasons including hypoventilation due to central pharmacological depression, diffusion hypoxia and increased metabolic rate due to shivering (the so called halothane shakes).
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To audit the recently established Critical Incident Reporting System in the Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, University of Zimbabwe Medical School. The system was set up with the purpose of improving the quality of care delivered by the department. ⋯ Despite some under reporting, the critical incident rate was within the range reported in the literature. Supervision of juniors is not adequate, especially on call. The stress under which everyone has to work includes poor morale, drug shortages, poor equipment and power cuts with no backup generator. Despite this, the challenge for senior personnel is to improve quality of care. In other countries similar audits have led to change of practice and improvement in the safety features of the service provided by the hospital and staff.
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Multicenter Study
Injury registration in a developing country. A study based on patients' records from four hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
A recent study conducted in some parts of Tanzania has revealed that injuries rank as the third major leading cause of death among the adult population only after tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Critical to any injury prevention activities is a reliable surveillance system. Such a system may for instance be based on hospital registration of injuries. ⋯ There is a need for improving the way injuries are recorded in hospitals. Hospitals' records could provide a useful tool for monitoring injury preventive activities in developing countries like Tanzania.