V. Okwor, A. Folasire, C. Okwor, Kenneth Nwankwo, A. Ntekim, Chinedu Simeon Arua
BackgroundSkin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer. The incidence of skin cancer is on the increase among Caucasians and Africans, though there are significant differences in the pattern of presentation. This study sought to evaluate the pattern of skin cancer presentation in Ibadan, south-west Nigeria. The objective of the study was to determine the risk factors and pattern of presentation.MethodsData extraction forms were used to obtain information from the hospital records of patients with histological diagnoses of skin cancer between January 2001 and December 2010. The study took place at the Radiation Oncology Department, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.ResultsA total of 126 cases were identified. The age range of patients was from 7 to 98 years, with a mean age of 46.6 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1.5:1. The peak age of incidence was between 40 and 49 years old. Of the risk factors, trauma (18.3%) and albinism (15.9%) were the most common. Squamous cell carcinoma (63%) was the most common histological sub-type recorded. The majority of the respondents presented with locally advanced (43.7%) and metastatic (22.2%) stages. The lower limb (59.9%) and head and neck region (22.0%) were the most commonly affected sites. The lungs (46.4%) were the most common site of distant metastases, followed by the liver (21.4%), and the brain (7.1%) was the least common site of metastasis.ConclusionThe finding that majority of the respondents in this study presented with locally advanced and metastatic disease buttresses the need for public awareness programs to ensure uptake of preventive measures by the populace and emphasizes the need for early presentation.
{"title":"Clinico-epidemiological profile of skin cancer in South Western Nigeria","authors":"V. Okwor, A. Folasire, C. Okwor, Kenneth Nwankwo, A. Ntekim, Chinedu Simeon Arua","doi":"10.4314/mmj.v36i2.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/mmj.v36i2.2","url":null,"abstract":"BackgroundSkin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer. The incidence of skin cancer is on the increase among Caucasians and Africans, though there are significant differences in the pattern of presentation. This study sought to evaluate the pattern of skin cancer presentation in Ibadan, south-west Nigeria. The objective of the study was to determine the risk factors and pattern of presentation.MethodsData extraction forms were used to obtain information from the hospital records of patients with histological diagnoses of skin cancer between January 2001 and December 2010. The study took place at the Radiation Oncology Department, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.ResultsA total of 126 cases were identified. The age range of patients was from 7 to 98 years, with a mean age of 46.6 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1.5:1. The peak age of incidence was between 40 and 49 years old. Of the risk factors, trauma (18.3%) and albinism (15.9%) were the most common. Squamous cell carcinoma (63%) was the most common histological sub-type recorded. The majority of the respondents presented with locally advanced (43.7%) and metastatic (22.2%) stages. The lower limb (59.9%) and head and neck region (22.0%) were the most commonly affected sites. The lungs (46.4%) were the most common site of distant metastases, followed by the liver (21.4%), and the brain (7.1%) was the least common site of metastasis.ConclusionThe finding that majority of the respondents in this study presented with locally advanced and metastatic disease buttresses the need for public awareness programs to ensure uptake of preventive measures by the populace and emphasizes the need for early presentation.","PeriodicalId":18185,"journal":{"name":"Malawi Medical Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141833858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Milcent Chintsanya, Charlotte Talham, Bo Zhang, Terrie E. Taylor, K. Seydel
BackgroundMalaria is a significant obstacle to child health and survival. Plasmodium falciparum infections, especially in children under five, lead to high morbidity and mortality. Cerebral malaria (CM) is a life-threatening complication characterized by coma, and its diagnosis can be improved by observing malarial retinopathy in children. Monitoring vital signs is essential for managing patients with CM.ObjectivesTo determine if changes in vital signs predict death in children with retinopathy positive cerebral malaria (RPCM). MethodsThis was a retrospective case-control study using data collected from children admitted to the Paediatric Research Ward at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre between 1997 and 2020. Patients who died 24 hours or more after admission were matched with control patients who survived. Linear regression analyses were used to assess the differential time trends of each vital sign in the survivor group and death group. Classification models were used to quantify various vital signs’ predictive power of death.Results Among the population that died, the estimated change in average respiratory rate per hour approaching death was 0.02 breaths per minute compared to -0.25 breaths per minute among those who survive (p < 0.001), and the estimated change in average BCS per hour approaching death was -0.01 compared to 0.06 among the survivors (p < 0.001). Changes in temperature and heart rate were not associated with clinical deterioration. Three models were developed, and the best receiver operating characteristic curve was 100% sensitive, the corresponding false positive rate was 75%. ConclusionChanges in respiratory rate and BCS have prognostic significance in the final 24 hours before death in children with cerebral malaria. Extra attention should be paid to these two vital signs as they may help to identify children who are at increased risk of deteriorating.
{"title":"Vital Sign alterations within 24 hours prior to death in children with retinopathy-positive Cerebral Malaria at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital Malawi","authors":"Milcent Chintsanya, Charlotte Talham, Bo Zhang, Terrie E. Taylor, K. Seydel","doi":"10.4314/mmj.v36i2.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/mmj.v36i2.10","url":null,"abstract":"BackgroundMalaria is a significant obstacle to child health and survival. Plasmodium falciparum infections, especially in children under five, lead to high morbidity and mortality. Cerebral malaria (CM) is a life-threatening complication characterized by coma, and its diagnosis can be improved by observing malarial retinopathy in children. Monitoring vital signs is essential for managing patients with CM.ObjectivesTo determine if changes in vital signs predict death in children with retinopathy positive cerebral malaria (RPCM). MethodsThis was a retrospective case-control study using data collected from children admitted to the Paediatric Research Ward at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre between 1997 and 2020. Patients who died 24 hours or more after admission were matched with control patients who survived. Linear regression analyses were used to assess the differential time trends of each vital sign in the survivor group and death group. Classification models were used to quantify various vital signs’ predictive power of death.Results Among the population that died, the estimated change in average respiratory rate per hour approaching death was 0.02 breaths per minute compared to -0.25 breaths per minute among those who survive (p < 0.001), and the estimated change in average BCS per hour approaching death was -0.01 compared to 0.06 among the survivors (p < 0.001). Changes in temperature and heart rate were not associated with clinical deterioration. Three models were developed, and the best receiver operating characteristic curve was 100% sensitive, the corresponding false positive rate was 75%. ConclusionChanges in respiratory rate and BCS have prognostic significance in the final 24 hours before death in children with cerebral malaria. Extra attention should be paid to these two vital signs as they may help to identify children who are at increased risk of deteriorating.","PeriodicalId":18185,"journal":{"name":"Malawi Medical Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141833977","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zakaria Merad, H. Belkralladi, Yassine Merad, A. Tou
Background Male breast cancer (BC) is a rare disease, few prospective studies have been undertaken compared to studies carried out in women. The condition is characterised by unfavorable prognosis when compared to that of females. The aim of the present work is to describe the anatomopathologic characteristics of males breast cancer at the level of the pathology department of the Hospital-University Center of Sidi Bel Abbes (ALGERIA).MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study on male breast cancers diagnosed in our pathology department between January 2010 and December 2020 was undertaken, the variables assessed were epidemiological, macroscopic, microscopic and immunohistochemical data. Results A total of 25 breast male cancer were identified in this study, the mean age at the diagnosis time was 58.8± 3.5 years, and the age was ranging from 37 to 83. The mean tumor size was 3.58 ± 1.5 cm, with sizeranging from 1.8 to 9 cm. About 18 of patients had tumors located in the upper outer quadrant (UOQ). Histopathological examination revealed the predominance of invasive carcinoma of no special type in 22 patients, followed by lobular carcinoma in 2 patients. 18 patients presented with nodal involvement and 23 of patients had hormonal receptors expression, including oestrogen receptor (RO), and progesterone receptor (RP). Additionnaly, just one patient had positive overexpression of HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2).ConclusionBreast cancer in males in Algeria appears to be relatively rare and presents at an older age compared to females. Three out of four patients presented tumors in the UOQ and most were invasive carcinoma no special type. In the majority of male BC cases hormonal receptors and nodal involvement were present, while HER2 receptors were absent.
{"title":"Epidemiological, anatomopathological and immunohistochemical profiles of male breast cancer in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria (Profiles of male breast cancer)","authors":"Zakaria Merad, H. Belkralladi, Yassine Merad, A. Tou","doi":"10.4314/mmj.v36i2.8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/mmj.v36i2.8","url":null,"abstract":"Background Male breast cancer (BC) is a rare disease, few prospective studies have been undertaken compared to studies carried out in women. The condition is characterised by unfavorable prognosis when compared to that of females. The aim of the present work is to describe the anatomopathologic characteristics of males breast cancer at the level of the pathology department of the Hospital-University Center of Sidi Bel Abbes (ALGERIA).MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study on male breast cancers diagnosed in our pathology department between January 2010 and December 2020 was undertaken, the variables assessed were epidemiological, macroscopic, microscopic and immunohistochemical data. Results A total of 25 breast male cancer were identified in this study, the mean age at the diagnosis time was 58.8± 3.5 years, and the age was ranging from 37 to 83. The mean tumor size was 3.58 ± 1.5 cm, with sizeranging from 1.8 to 9 cm. About 18 of patients had tumors located in the upper outer quadrant (UOQ). Histopathological examination revealed the predominance of invasive carcinoma of no special type in 22 patients, followed by lobular carcinoma in 2 patients. 18 patients presented with nodal involvement and 23 of patients had hormonal receptors expression, including oestrogen receptor (RO), and progesterone receptor (RP). Additionnaly, just one patient had positive overexpression of HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2).ConclusionBreast cancer in males in Algeria appears to be relatively rare and presents at an older age compared to females. Three out of four patients presented tumors in the UOQ and most were invasive carcinoma no special type. In the majority of male BC cases hormonal receptors and nodal involvement were present, while HER2 receptors were absent.","PeriodicalId":18185,"journal":{"name":"Malawi Medical Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141834060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-20eCollection Date: 2024-03-01DOI: 10.4314/mmj.v36i.1
Josephat M Chinawa, Awoere T Chinawa, Bartholomew F Chukwu, Jude T Onyia
Background: The descending aorta velocity is important predictor of aortic disease in children and can be very helpful in some clinical and surgical decision making.
Aim: The purpose of this study is to assess the normative values of descending aorta velocity among children from South-East Nigeria. It also aimed to assess the correlation between age, body surface area and mean velocity across the descending aorta.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study where the descending aorta velocity of one hundred and eleven children were enrolled consecutively using digitized two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography.
Results: A total of 111 children had echocardiography to study their cardiac structures and compute their mean scores of their descending aorta velocity. The mean velocity across the descending aorta was 1.3±0.2m/s with maximum and minimum velocities of 2.06 and 0.84cm respectively. The mean descending aorta velocity in males (1.37±0.24 m/s) was significantly higher than that in females (1.24±0.18); (Student T test 3.09, p = 0.03). There was no correlation between age and mean velocity across the descending aorta (Pearson correlation coefficient; -0.03, p = 0.7) nor between body surface area and descending aorta velocity (correlation coefficient 0.01, p= 0.8).
Conclusions: The presented normalized values of the descending aorta velocity using a digitized two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography among healthy children will serve as a reference values for further studies and can be applied for clinical and surgical use in children with various cardiac anomalies.
{"title":"Assessment of descending aortic blood flow velocities with continuous wave Doppler echocardiography among healthy Children in South East Nigeria.","authors":"Josephat M Chinawa, Awoere T Chinawa, Bartholomew F Chukwu, Jude T Onyia","doi":"10.4314/mmj.v36i.1","DOIUrl":"10.4314/mmj.v36i.1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The descending aorta velocity is important predictor of aortic disease in children and can be very helpful in some clinical and surgical decision making.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>The purpose of this study is to assess the normative values of descending aorta velocity among children from South-East Nigeria. It also aimed to assess the correlation between age, body surface area and mean velocity across the descending aorta.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This is a cross-sectional study where the descending aorta velocity of one hundred and eleven children were enrolled consecutively using digitized two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 111 children had echocardiography to study their cardiac structures and compute their mean scores of their descending aorta velocity. The mean velocity across the descending aorta was 1.3±0.2m/s with maximum and minimum velocities of 2.06 and 0.84cm respectively. The mean descending aorta velocity in males (1.37±0.24 m/s) was significantly higher than that in females (1.24±0.18); (Student T test 3.09, p = 0.03). There was no correlation between age and mean velocity across the descending aorta (Pearson correlation coefficient; -0.03, p = 0.7) nor between body surface area and descending aorta velocity (correlation coefficient 0.01, p= 0.8).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The presented normalized values of the descending aorta velocity using a digitized two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography among healthy children will serve as a reference values for further studies and can be applied for clinical and surgical use in children with various cardiac anomalies.</p>","PeriodicalId":18185,"journal":{"name":"Malawi Medical Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11287811/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141860238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Martha Manda, Eveness Nambuzi, F. Kaphesi, Clement Likalowa, Tuntufye Mwambyale, James Kaunda, Patrick Kamalo
Introduction Ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion (VPSI) and endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) are the major procedures for treating pediatric hydrocephalus. However, studies comparing motor development following the two treatments are limited.Objective We aimed to determine motor development outcomes in children with hydrocephalus up to 2 years of age after undergoing VPSI or ETV, to identify which surgical approach yields better motor outcomes and may be more effective for Malawian children.Methods This was a cross-sectional study where we recruited two groups of participants: one group consisted of children with hydrocephalus treated with VP shunt whilst the other group were treated with ETV, at least 6 months prior to this study. Participants were identified from the hospital records and were called to come for neurodevelopmental assessment using the Malawi Development Assessment Tool (MDAT).ResultsA total 152 children treated for hydrocephalus within an 18-month period met the inclusion criteria. Upon follow up and tracing, we recruited 25 children who had been treated: 12 had VPSI and 13 had ETV. MDAT revealed delays in both assessed motor domains: 19 out of the 25 children had delayed gross motor whilst 16 of 25 had delayed fine motor development. There was no significant difference between the shunted and the ETV groups. Conclusion Children with hydrocephalus demonstrate delays in motor development six to 18 months after treatment with either VPSI or ETV. This may necessitate early and prolonged intensive rehabilitation to restore motor function after surgery. Long-term follow-up studies with bigger sample sizes are required to detect the effect of the two treatment approaches.
引言 脑室腹腔分流术（VPSI）和内镜下第三脑室造口术（ETV）是治疗小儿脑积水的主要方法。我们的目的是确定接受 VPSI 或 ETV 治疗后 2 岁以下脑积水患儿的运动发育结果，以确定哪种手术方法能产生更好的运动结果，对马拉维儿童可能更有效。方法 这是一项横断面研究，我们招募了两组参与者：一组是接受 VP 分流治疗的脑积水患儿，另一组是接受 ETV 治疗的患儿，时间至少在本研究之前 6 个月。研究人员从医院病历中确定参与者，并使用马拉维发育评估工具（MDAT）对他们进行神经发育评估。经过随访和追踪，我们招募了 25 名接受过治疗的儿童：其中 12 名患有 VPSI，13 名患有 ETV。MDAT 显示，在两个评估的运动领域中均存在发育迟缓：在 25 名儿童中，19 名儿童的大运动发育迟缓，16 名儿童的精细运动发育迟缓。分流组和 ETV 组之间没有明显差异。结论 患有脑积水的儿童在接受 VPSI 或 ETV 治疗 6 到 18 个月后会出现运动发育迟缓。这可能需要尽早进行长时间的强化康复治疗，以恢复术后的运动功能。要检测两种治疗方法的效果，需要进行样本量更大的长期随访研究。
{"title":"Comparing motor development in children with hydrocephalus after treatment with ventriculoperitoneal shunt and endoscopic third ventriculostomy: a cross-sectional study","authors":"Martha Manda, Eveness Nambuzi, F. Kaphesi, Clement Likalowa, Tuntufye Mwambyale, James Kaunda, Patrick Kamalo","doi":"10.4314/mmj.v36i1.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/mmj.v36i1.2","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction Ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion (VPSI) and endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) are the major procedures for treating pediatric hydrocephalus. However, studies comparing motor development following the two treatments are limited.Objective We aimed to determine motor development outcomes in children with hydrocephalus up to 2 years of age after undergoing VPSI or ETV, to identify which surgical approach yields better motor outcomes and may be more effective for Malawian children.Methods This was a cross-sectional study where we recruited two groups of participants: one group consisted of children with hydrocephalus treated with VP shunt whilst the other group were treated with ETV, at least 6 months prior to this study. Participants were identified from the hospital records and were called to come for neurodevelopmental assessment using the Malawi Development Assessment Tool (MDAT).ResultsA total 152 children treated for hydrocephalus within an 18-month period met the inclusion criteria. Upon follow up and tracing, we recruited 25 children who had been treated: 12 had VPSI and 13 had ETV. MDAT revealed delays in both assessed motor domains: 19 out of the 25 children had delayed gross motor whilst 16 of 25 had delayed fine motor development. There was no significant difference between the shunted and the ETV groups. Conclusion Children with hydrocephalus demonstrate delays in motor development six to 18 months after treatment with either VPSI or ETV. This may necessitate early and prolonged intensive rehabilitation to restore motor function after surgery. Long-term follow-up studies with bigger sample sizes are required to detect the effect of the two treatment approaches.","PeriodicalId":18185,"journal":{"name":"Malawi Medical Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140246828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J. Mponda, A. Muula, Augustine Choko, A. Ajuwon, Jones Olanrewaju Moody
Background Consumption of herbal medicines among people living with HIV is a common practice in Sub-Saharan Africa. The utilization of herbal medicines was at 17.5% and 67.9% in Malawi and Nigeria, respectively. There is inadequate data on use and adverse reactions (ADRs) reporting of herbal medicines among people living with HIV (PLWHIV). This study was designed to investigate use and ADRs reporting of herbal medicines among PLWHIV at the University Teaching Hospitals in Blantyre, Malawi and Ibadan, Nigeria.MethodologyA cross-sectional study was conducted among PLWHIV attending Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) clinic at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was administered to 360 and 370 participants in Blantyre and Ibadan respectively, through face-to-face interviews after obtaining their informed consent. Results The prevalence of herbal medicines use among PLWHIV in Malawi and Nigeria was at 80.6% and 55.7% (p<0.001), respectively. The most frequently used herbal medicines in Malawi were Aloe vera (14.0%), Moringa oleifera (14.0%), Zingiber officinale (13.0%) and Allium sativum (7.0%). Likewise, in Nigeria, the most commonly used herbal medicines were Zingiber officinale (15.0%), Vernonia amygdalina (14.0%), Moringa oleifera (9.0%), and Allium sativum (11.0%). The major reason for herbal medicines’ use in Malawi was ready availability (42.1%) and perception that it boosts immunity (44.6%) in Nigeria. The PLWHIV reported experiencing suspected herbal medicine ADRs in Malawi (3.9%) and in Nigeria (8.0%).Conclusion A higher percentage of people living with HIV are using herbal medicines in Malawi as well as in Nigeria. In both countries, a few participants reported experiencing suspected ADRs related to herbal medicines.
{"title":"Consumption and adverse reaction reporting of herbal medicines among people living with HIV at University teaching hospitals in Blantyre, Malawi and Ibadan, Nigeria","authors":"J. Mponda, A. Muula, Augustine Choko, A. Ajuwon, Jones Olanrewaju Moody","doi":"10.4314/mmj.v36i1.3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/mmj.v36i1.3","url":null,"abstract":"Background Consumption of herbal medicines among people living with HIV is a common practice in Sub-Saharan Africa. The utilization of herbal medicines was at 17.5% and 67.9% in Malawi and Nigeria, respectively. There is inadequate data on use and adverse reactions (ADRs) reporting of herbal medicines among people living with HIV (PLWHIV). This study was designed to investigate use and ADRs reporting of herbal medicines among PLWHIV at the University Teaching Hospitals in Blantyre, Malawi and Ibadan, Nigeria.MethodologyA cross-sectional study was conducted among PLWHIV attending Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) clinic at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was administered to 360 and 370 participants in Blantyre and Ibadan respectively, through face-to-face interviews after obtaining their informed consent. Results The prevalence of herbal medicines use among PLWHIV in Malawi and Nigeria was at 80.6% and 55.7% (p<0.001), respectively. The most frequently used herbal medicines in Malawi were Aloe vera (14.0%), Moringa oleifera (14.0%), Zingiber officinale (13.0%) and Allium sativum (7.0%). Likewise, in Nigeria, the most commonly used herbal medicines were Zingiber officinale (15.0%), Vernonia amygdalina (14.0%), Moringa oleifera (9.0%), and Allium sativum (11.0%). The major reason for herbal medicines’ use in Malawi was ready availability (42.1%) and perception that it boosts immunity (44.6%) in Nigeria. The PLWHIV reported experiencing suspected herbal medicine ADRs in Malawi (3.9%) and in Nigeria (8.0%).Conclusion A higher percentage of people living with HIV are using herbal medicines in Malawi as well as in Nigeria. In both countries, a few participants reported experiencing suspected ADRs related to herbal medicines.","PeriodicalId":18185,"journal":{"name":"Malawi Medical Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140244974","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mehmet F. Deveci, Yeliz Suna Dağ, Meral Alagoz, Seyma Yasar, E. H. Yayan, I. Gokce, Ramazan Ozdemir
Background Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) is the first choice approach in neonates with sufficient respiratory effort that require respiratory support. The type of nasal interface used in NIV affects both efficacy and patient comfort. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of different nasal interfaces used in NIV support on neonatal patient comfort.MethodsOur study evaluated patients who received NIV support for 24 hours. The patients were randomly divided into two groups according to the type of nasal interface used, which were RAM cannula and short binasal prong (SBP). The patients’ demographic and clinical data were noted. Their sleep was monitored for 24 hours with an actigraphy device.ResultsA total of 82 patients were evaluated. The sleep efficiency in the RAM cannula group was significantly higher (respectively, 65.7% [10.22-95.25] vs. 57.81% [2.49-77], p=0.004). Although not statistically significant, the neonates in the RAM cannula group exhibited longer total sleep time (respectively, 10.4 ± 4.28 hours vs. 9.02 ± 3.73 hours, p=0.161). Comparison of heart rates and respiratory rates indicate that the patients in the RAM cannula group were more comfortable.Conclusions Our study found that infants who received NIV support through a RAM cannula experienced more efficient sleep. Holistic approaches in neonatal intensive care units are vital for better neurodevelopmental outcomes in newborns. Although non-invasive, the interface used in NIV should also be a part of this holistic approach.
{"title":"Comparison of two different Nasal Interfaces used in Non-Invasive Respiratory support in terms of Neonate comfort","authors":"Mehmet F. Deveci, Yeliz Suna Dağ, Meral Alagoz, Seyma Yasar, E. H. Yayan, I. Gokce, Ramazan Ozdemir","doi":"10.4314/mmj.v36i1.7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/mmj.v36i1.7","url":null,"abstract":"Background Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) is the first choice approach in neonates with sufficient respiratory effort that require respiratory support. The type of nasal interface used in NIV affects both efficacy and patient comfort. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of different nasal interfaces used in NIV support on neonatal patient comfort.MethodsOur study evaluated patients who received NIV support for 24 hours. The patients were randomly divided into two groups according to the type of nasal interface used, which were RAM cannula and short binasal prong (SBP). The patients’ demographic and clinical data were noted. Their sleep was monitored for 24 hours with an actigraphy device.ResultsA total of 82 patients were evaluated. The sleep efficiency in the RAM cannula group was significantly higher (respectively, 65.7% [10.22-95.25] vs. 57.81% [2.49-77], p=0.004). Although not statistically significant, the neonates in the RAM cannula group exhibited longer total sleep time (respectively, 10.4 ± 4.28 hours vs. 9.02 ± 3.73 hours, p=0.161). Comparison of heart rates and respiratory rates indicate that the patients in the RAM cannula group were more comfortable.Conclusions Our study found that infants who received NIV support through a RAM cannula experienced more efficient sleep. Holistic approaches in neonatal intensive care units are vital for better neurodevelopmental outcomes in newborns. Although non-invasive, the interface used in NIV should also be a part of this holistic approach.","PeriodicalId":18185,"journal":{"name":"Malawi Medical Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140246523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Matthew Chiwaridzo, T. Shumba, F. Kamba, Etheline Olivia Geurtze, Christian Heiden, Witness Mudzi
Introduction The utilisation of standardised outcome measures (SOMs) is crucial for evaluating patients’ health status. Physiotherapists are highly recommended to use SOMs routinely. Despite the well-documented benefits of using SOMs, the utilisation of SOMs in clinical practice is still problematic particularly in Africa. In Namibia, there is dearth of information about SOMs utilisation by physiotherapists and the associated factors. This study was aimed at determining the extent of routine utilisation of SOMs and the associated demographic and work-related factors among physiotherapists. Methods A cross-sectional, nationwide, online survey was conducted and all registered qualified physiotherapists and intern physiotherapists working in public or private hospitals/clinics were invited to participate. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.0. The Chi-square (χ2) and Fishers exact test investigated the relationship between the associated factors and routine SOMs utilisation. The alpha level was set at 0.05.Results Of 230 participants who received the invitational link, 99 (43.0%) responded timeously to the call to participate. Although 97.9% (n=94) of the participants indicated having used at least one type of SOMs in the last six months, the frequency of utilisation varied. Routine utilisation, defined as 70%-100% of the time, was reported in only 49.0% of the participants. The Chi-square test only showed significant findings for gender (p=0.01) and clinical specialty (p=0.004). The odds of utilising SOMs were 4.13 greater among physiotherapists with a clinical specialty and 3.88 times greater for females than males.ConclusionThe rates for routine utilisation of SOMs by Namibian physiotherapists are unfavourable. Female gender and clinical specialty influenced the utilisation of SOMs in daily clinical practice. Cognisant of the study limitations, these results call for the need to improve the routine utilisation of the SOMs in Namibia.
{"title":"Utilisation of standardised outcomes measures by clinical Physiotherapists working in Namibia: a nationwide cross-sectional study","authors":"Matthew Chiwaridzo, T. Shumba, F. Kamba, Etheline Olivia Geurtze, Christian Heiden, Witness Mudzi","doi":"10.4314/mmj.v36i1.4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/mmj.v36i1.4","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction The utilisation of standardised outcome measures (SOMs) is crucial for evaluating patients’ health status. Physiotherapists are highly recommended to use SOMs routinely. Despite the well-documented benefits of using SOMs, the utilisation of SOMs in clinical practice is still problematic particularly in Africa. In Namibia, there is dearth of information about SOMs utilisation by physiotherapists and the associated factors. This study was aimed at determining the extent of routine utilisation of SOMs and the associated demographic and work-related factors among physiotherapists. Methods A cross-sectional, nationwide, online survey was conducted and all registered qualified physiotherapists and intern physiotherapists working in public or private hospitals/clinics were invited to participate. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.0. The Chi-square (χ2) and Fishers exact test investigated the relationship between the associated factors and routine SOMs utilisation. The alpha level was set at 0.05.Results Of 230 participants who received the invitational link, 99 (43.0%) responded timeously to the call to participate. Although 97.9% (n=94) of the participants indicated having used at least one type of SOMs in the last six months, the frequency of utilisation varied. Routine utilisation, defined as 70%-100% of the time, was reported in only 49.0% of the participants. The Chi-square test only showed significant findings for gender (p=0.01) and clinical specialty (p=0.004). The odds of utilising SOMs were 4.13 greater among physiotherapists with a clinical specialty and 3.88 times greater for females than males.ConclusionThe rates for routine utilisation of SOMs by Namibian physiotherapists are unfavourable. Female gender and clinical specialty influenced the utilisation of SOMs in daily clinical practice. Cognisant of the study limitations, these results call for the need to improve the routine utilisation of the SOMs in Namibia. \u0000 ","PeriodicalId":18185,"journal":{"name":"Malawi Medical Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140245238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BackgroundKnee osteoarthritis is a common, degenerative joint disease that causes chronic pain that affects daily life. Our study aims to evaluate geriatric patients aged 65 and over with knee pain in terms of osteoarthritis with radiography and magnetic resonance imaging and to investigate its relationship with meniscal pathologies.Methods Radiography and magnetic resonance imaging of patients aged 65-88 years with knee pain were evaluated in terms of knee osteoarthritis and staging was performed. Meniscal pathologies were evaluated in magnetic resonance imaging, and the prevalence of different meniscal lesion types was calculated. In addition, the relationship between knee osteoarthritis and meniscal pathologies was analyzed.ResultsRadiographic evidence of knee osteoarthritis was found in 182 (84.2%) of the 216 cases in our study group. A strong correlation was found between the degrees of knee osteoarthritis on magnetic resonance imaging and radiography. At least one meniscus pathology was observed in all 182 radiography cases with knee osteoarthritis findings. At least one meniscus pathology was observed in 29 (85.3%) of those without osteoarthritis signs. It was determined that meniscus degeneration, tear, and extrusion were observed more frequently in patients with knee osteoarthritis than in patients without osteoarthritis. Meniscal extrusion and complex and horizontal-type tears were the most common lesions.ConclusionsOsteoarthritis was found to be common in geriatric patients with knee pain. A correlation was found between radiography and magnetic resonance imaging regarding knee osteoarthritis. It was observed that meniscal pathologies were detected more frequently in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
{"title":"Evaluation of the relationship between Knee Osteoarthritis and Meniscus Pathologies","authors":"Irfan Atik, Enes Gul, Seda Atik","doi":"10.4314/mmj.v36i1.8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/mmj.v36i1.8","url":null,"abstract":"BackgroundKnee osteoarthritis is a common, degenerative joint disease that causes chronic pain that affects daily life. Our study aims to evaluate geriatric patients aged 65 and over with knee pain in terms of osteoarthritis with radiography and magnetic resonance imaging and to investigate its relationship with meniscal pathologies.Methods Radiography and magnetic resonance imaging of patients aged 65-88 years with knee pain were evaluated in terms of knee osteoarthritis and staging was performed. Meniscal pathologies were evaluated in magnetic resonance imaging, and the prevalence of different meniscal lesion types was calculated. In addition, the relationship between knee osteoarthritis and meniscal pathologies was analyzed.ResultsRadiographic evidence of knee osteoarthritis was found in 182 (84.2%) of the 216 cases in our study group. A strong correlation was found between the degrees of knee osteoarthritis on magnetic resonance imaging and radiography. At least one meniscus pathology was observed in all 182 radiography cases with knee osteoarthritis findings. At least one meniscus pathology was observed in 29 (85.3%) of those without osteoarthritis signs. It was determined that meniscus degeneration, tear, and extrusion were observed more frequently in patients with knee osteoarthritis than in patients without osteoarthritis. Meniscal extrusion and complex and horizontal-type tears were the most common lesions.ConclusionsOsteoarthritis was found to be common in geriatric patients with knee pain. A correlation was found between radiography and magnetic resonance imaging regarding knee osteoarthritis. It was observed that meniscal pathologies were detected more frequently in patients with knee osteoarthritis.","PeriodicalId":18185,"journal":{"name":"Malawi Medical Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140246422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BackgroundIn recent years, the online gambling market has rapidly developed, and betting has become one of the most popular forms of gambling. The aim of this study was to analyse the interest of the Malawian population in terms related to betting, sports betting, alcohol, cigarettes, and some psychoactive drugs through the relative search volumes of Google Trends. Methods Internet search query data related to betting, sports betting, alcohol, cigarettes, and psychoactive drugs were obtained monthly from Google Trends for the period 2010-2022. Comparisons of interest levels in these topics were conducted in Malawi, and correlation coefficients were calculated.Results In Malawi, relative search volumes for betting and sports betting terms were the highest (average RSVs: 66% and 30%). It was found that from 2019 onwards, the interest in betting and sports-related search topics and keywords increased significantly (p < 0.001). Strong positive correlations were found between betting-related keywords and alcohol and gross domestic product (r = 0.831 and r = 0.901, p < 0.001). A positive correlation was found between betting and psychoactive drug-related terms (minimum r = 0.417, p < 0.01). Conclusions This study concludes that the interest of the Malawian population in betting has increased in recent years, while interest in psychoactive drugs and alcohol remains high. Gross domestic product is highly correlated with society’s interest in betting. It was additionally found that Google Trends can be used as a tool to predict and monitor future risky behaviours, such as gambling disorder.
{"title":"The Interest in Betting, Smoking, Alcohol, and Drugs in Malawi: Changing Trends between 2012-2022","authors":"Gülcan Demir, C. Bandawe","doi":"10.4314/mmj.v36i1.5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/mmj.v36i1.5","url":null,"abstract":"BackgroundIn recent years, the online gambling market has rapidly developed, and betting has become one of the most popular forms of gambling. The aim of this study was to analyse the interest of the Malawian population in terms related to betting, sports betting, alcohol, cigarettes, and some psychoactive drugs through the relative search volumes of Google Trends. Methods Internet search query data related to betting, sports betting, alcohol, cigarettes, and psychoactive drugs were obtained monthly from Google Trends for the period 2010-2022. Comparisons of interest levels in these topics were conducted in Malawi, and correlation coefficients were calculated.Results In Malawi, relative search volumes for betting and sports betting terms were the highest (average RSVs: 66% and 30%). It was found that from 2019 onwards, the interest in betting and sports-related search topics and keywords increased significantly (p < 0.001). Strong positive correlations were found between betting-related keywords and alcohol and gross domestic product (r = 0.831 and r = 0.901, p < 0.001). A positive correlation was found between betting and psychoactive drug-related terms (minimum r = 0.417, p < 0.01). Conclusions This study concludes that the interest of the Malawian population in betting has increased in recent years, while interest in psychoactive drugs and alcohol remains high. Gross domestic product is highly correlated with society’s interest in betting. It was additionally found that Google Trends can be used as a tool to predict and monitor future risky behaviours, such as gambling disorder. \u0000 ","PeriodicalId":18185,"journal":{"name":"Malawi Medical Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140245396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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