Annals of African Medicine

Fanconi's syndrome is a disorder that results in generalized involvement of the proximal tubule of the kidney. It is characterized by variable degrees of phosphate, glucose, and amino acid wasting in the urine and a hyperchloremic normal anion gap metabolic acidosis - secondary to defective hydrogen ion excretion and bicarbonate ion absorption. There are hereditary variants such as cystinosis (most common), hereditary fructose intolerance, galactosemia, tyrosinemia, Dents disease, and acquired variants of Fanconi's syndrome...

We report an uncommon presentation of liver cancer in a 33-year-old woman who presented with persistent right shoulder pain with a normal physical examination of her shoulder and normal X-rays. An abdominal ultrasound scan and a computed tomography scan subsequently revealed a large liver cancer in this patient who was subsequently found to be hepatitis B positive. Extrinsic causes of shoulder pain should be considered when shoulder movement is normal and does not alter the character of the pain. Subdiaphragmatic liver lesions should be considered in the differential diagnosis of right shoulder pain...

BACKGROUND: Many factors have been proposed to be associated with the severity of disease and mortality in COVID-19. Vitamin D had recently been reviewed as one of these factors. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between Vitamin D and the disease severity and mortality in COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After approval from Institutional Ethics Committee, this prospective cohort study was carried out in selected tertiary care teaching medical institutes of Central India...

INTRODUCTION: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrinopathy with a complex metabolic disorder. PCOS is characterized by reproductive hormonal imbalances leading to the clinical presentation of hyperandrogenism and infertility. PCOS is also showing an increased prevalence of several other conditions such as obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) when compared with women without PCOS. The principal symptoms in patients with PCOS are irregular menstruation, acne, and excessive amounts of androgenic hormones...

INTRODUCTION: As per the World Health Organization, in 2005, more than 180 million people had diabetes worldwide. This figure will be more than double by 2030. Neuropathy is common and late complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Sensory neural hearing loss which is severe at higher frequencies has been reported in Type 2 DM patients. Auditory nerve tract damage increases the latency and reduces the amplitude of the response. Evoked potential recordings evaluate the neural pathways in the central nervous system...

BACKGROUND: The tumor involvement of lymph nodes (LN) in N2 station is a very important factor for the further therapy decision and the prognosis of lung cancer patients. Today, integrated positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) is considered to be the new standard in the staging of bronchial carcinoma. The aim of this study is to investigate the correctness of the clinical staging of the mediastinal LNs in operated patients and to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of the PET-CT examination for mediastinal LNs...

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological data on Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia (HAP) are scarce inside Intensive Care Units (ICUs). AIM: This study aims to quantify the incidence of HAP, determine the predictors of HAP, calculate HAP-related mortality risk ratio as well as pinpoint the different risk factors contributing to mortality. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A prospective longitudinal study was conducted at a governmental hospital's general ICUs over 12 months...

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to compare levobupivacaine 0.125% and ropivacaine 0.2% with fentanyl as epidural drugs for labor analgesia using combined spinal epidural (CSE) technique regarding time for onset, duration of analgesia achieved by first epidural bolus dose and to compare the quality of labor analgesia. In addition, the study is also designed to assess the maternal and fetal outcome, incidence of instrumental delivery, degree of motor blockade, and maternal satisfaction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following approval from Institutional Ethical Committee, 50 American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status II pregnant women requesting labor analgesia, satisfying the inclusion criteria were randomly divided equally into Groups L and R...

BACKGROUND: Carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriacae (CRE) bloodstream infection (BSI) causes complicated infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. This study aimed to assess the renal toxicity and the efficacy of therapy with colistin in a cohort of pediatric cancer patients with BSIs due to CRE and sensitivity to colistin. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was an observational, prospective cohort study from May 2017 to October 2017 in Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt 57,357...

INTRODUCTION: Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), frequently due to respiratory tract infection is the major cause of morbidity and mortality, and estimate suggests that it is currently the third leading cause of death worldwide. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to study the prevalence of nontubercular bacterial and fungal infections in patients of COPD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It is an observational study done for 1-year period from August 2017 to July 2018...

BACKGROUND: Iron-deficiency anemia is an important limiting factor to a sustainable supply of blood units, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Blood transfusion practice in Nigeria is poorly developed and structured with paucity of voluntary nonremunerated blood donors and high rate of donor deferrals resulting from low hemoglobin (Hb) levels. AIMS: This study aimed to assess the effect of daily supplementation of iron using Ranferon-12 on Hb level, red blood cell (RBC) indices, iron level, ferritin level, and Hb recovery in blood donors in Nigeria...

BACKGROUND: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the only preventable cardiovascular disease that still causes significant morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria where it is classified as a neglected disease. The inciting agent causes pharyngitis often not properly treated. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To study the knowledge and preventive practices of RHD amongst primary healthcare workers who are in contact with larger ratio of populace in order to recommend appropriate interventions...

BACKGROUND: Lipase and amylase are the most frequently used biomarker for the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases, especially acute pancreatitis. Lipase has better diagnostic accuracy in comparison to amylase for the analysis of acute pancreatitis. However, lipase assay in random access analyzer is sometimes difficult to perform as it is exposed to different types of samples or reagents which may act as interference. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our laboratory, we found the raised values (>500 IU/L) of lipase with normal amylase in some samples...

AIM: The study aims to determine the frequency of positioning errors, record the number of diagnostically inappropriate images, and assess the quality of panoramic radiographs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, a total of 2629 patients for whom orthopantomogram were selected out of 3900 new patients between August 2020 and June 2021. The positioning errors of the radiographs were evaluated and categorized into ten groups. The quality of the radiographs is further assessed as "Excellent," "Diagnostically Acceptable," and "Diagnostically Unacceptable...

INTRODUCTION: Shoulder capsulitis (SC) is a common musculoskeletal complication in patients with diabetes. It can be particularly disabling. It is often overlooked by clinicians. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of retractile capsulitis and to identify the risk factors in a population of Moroccan diabetic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We realised a cross-sectional study including patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). We recorded the demographic and diabetic characteristics of our patients...

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) reporting and data system (CO-RADS) grade of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT)-thorax scan investigation is an innovative tool for the diagnosis of COVID-19 patients. By this tool, majority of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 patients are screened to detect lung pathologies. Hardly any study has explored its use vis-a-vis reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in asymptomatic patients. OBJECTIVES: (1) The objective of the study is to assess the frequency COVID-19 patients among asymptomatic subjects who were admitted in the hospital for planned surgery, (2) estimate the sensitivity and specificity of CO-RADS grade of HRCT-thorax investigation for the diagnosis of COVID-19 patients where RT-PCR test was considered as "Gold Standard" test...

INTRODUCTION: The equilibrium between supply and demand for red blood cells is increasing unpredictably in many countries. An understanding of trends in blood usage profile and current usage can help predict future trends in demand and to put efforts to reduce use in particular areas. This study helps in analyzing the pattern of red blood cell utilization in a tertiary care hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted in a blood bank, tertiary care hospital over a period of 6 months...

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to determine the prevalence of kidney disease (KD) risk factors and their knowledge among Nigerians aged 15-64 living in the Mainland and Island metropolitan districts of Lagos State, South West Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1171 respondents between 15 and 64 years of age were recruited for the measurements of prevalence and knowledge of KD risk factors using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive, bivariate, and logistic regression statistical analyses were employed...

BACKGROUND: One of the commonest and most frequently said, quoted and understood by even the least educated elements of our society is the neurological symptom of headache. The commonly diagnosed and studied headaches are Migraine and Tension type headache [TTH]. Headache has the power to reduce the very essence of a peaceful life and produce a disability in a person. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study is to approach the subject with view of correlation of quality of sleep with the disability associated with migraine and compare it to TTH...

BACKGROUND: Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are among the most serious complications of pregnancy and represent important contributors to maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Preeclampsia (PE)-eclampsia syndrome is the most important hypertensive gestational condition. Maternal ophthalmic artery Doppler velocimetry enables the identification of pregnant women with increased cerebral blood flow who are at risk of developing severe PE and eclampsia. Hence the need to determine the changes in ophthalmic artery Doppler velocimetric indices in PE in Kano,Nigeria becomes paramount...