Vaccination is pivotal in addressing the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, yet comprehensive documentation of immunological and hematological outcomes, particularly with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine (ChAdOx1) in Nigeria, is lacking. This multicenter study evaluated hematological and immunological correlates in individuals vaccinated with the ChAdOx1 vaccine. The study included 227 adult participants, who were enrolled and categorized based on SARS-CoV-2 infection status (non-infection, recent infection, and past infection) and vaccination phase (baseline, first dose, and second dose). SARS-CoV-2 infection status was confirmed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and serological assays, while immune biomarkers (kidney injury molecule 1 [KIM-1], programmed cell death protein 1 [PD-1], and interleukin-6 [IL-6]) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and enzyme-linked fluorescent assay platforms. Complete blood counts were evaluated using a standard hematology analyzer. In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) cohort, white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil counts, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) significantly increased in second-dose vaccines compared to baseline and first-dose categories. Similarly, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil, red blood cell (RBC), mean cell hemoglobin (MCH), and IL-6 levels were persistently higher in the FCT cohort, irrespective of infection or vaccination status, while KIM-1 and PD-1 levels revealed no statistically significant difference between the FCT and Calabar cohorts. Vaccination with the ChAdOx1 vaccine was associated with immunomodulatory effects, particularly in the FCT cohort, including increased white blood cell (WBC) counts, neutrophils, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and reduced interleukin-6 (IL-6) and lymphocyte counts, which suggest a favorable immune trajectory following vaccination.
This cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis among schoolchildren in Ogbese, a community targeted for the mass distribution of praziquantel, and to evaluate the proportion of examined children who had access to mass drug administration (MDA). Between April and August 2022, mid-stream urine samples were collected from randomly selected schoolchildren attending public schools within the community. Participation was contingent on the children’s assent and written informed consent from their parents. Each urine sample, measuring 10 milliliters, was examined macroscopically for visible hematuria. Schistosoma haematobium eggs, identified by their characteristic terminal spine, were detected using the urine sedimentation technique. The intensity of infection was quantified as the number of eggs per 10 mL of urine (eggs/10 mL), with infections classified as mild (1–49 eggs/10 mL) or heavy (≥50 eggs/10 mL). A structured questionnaire was administered to collect participants’ biodata and additional information, such as their history of MDA intake. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s Chi-square test to assess associations between variables. A total of 260 children were examined, out of which 138 (53%) were male and 122 (47%) were female. Results obtained from this study revealed that the overall prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis in school children was 20%. The infection rate was higher in males (22%) compared to females (18%), though this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.458). The 10–14 year age group had the highest prevalence of infection at 31%, but this difference was not statistically significant compared to other age groups (p = 0.090). Only 26% of the children had knowledge of urinary schistosomiasis. This study established that urinary schistosomiasis remains endemic in the study area with a prevalence of 20%. While this is lower than the national average of 35%, it underscores the mesoendemic status of urinary schistosomiasis in Ondo State.
Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems (OSHMSs) are standards, actions, and mechanisms that help minimize industrial accidents and disasters. The objective of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness of OSHMS in reducing occupational accidents and disasters across various industrial sectors. To achieve this, a detailed literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, employing Boolean operators to refine search terms. The inclusion criteria for the study were articles published within the last 12 years that had specific findings on accident reduction after the implementation of OSHMS frameworks. Articles published older than 12 years and did not correspond with the inclusion criteria were excluded from the study. Eleven peer-reviewed articles were used for the study. The study’s findings revealed that the effective enforcement and application of OSHMS helped minimize industrial accidents and disasters, with improvements ranging from 10.3% to 90% across various industries. The adoption of OSHMS frameworks helped minimize accidents, such as falls, machinery-related injuries, fires, chemical spills, and explosions, across the industries examined . However, some studies have revealed a moderately strong and significant negative relationship between Occupational Health and Safety Management Frameworks (OHSMFs) and the occurrence of workplace accidents and occupational injuries, suggesting that the existing OHSMFs may be ineffective or lack adequate safety standards to control hazard exposures in the industry. However, the majority of the studies presented positive responses. Therefore, this review emphasizes the importance of ongoing safety training, effective regulatory enforcement, and employee engagement in optimizing OSHMS efficiency and minimizing industrial accidents and disasters.
Occupational exposure to hazardous substances refers to the contact workers have with potentially harmful chemicals, biological agents, or physical hazards in their workplace, leading to various health effects and diseases. This review aimed to evaluate the impact of exposure to hazardous substances on occupational disease risks across various industries. A detailed literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, applying Boolean operators to refine search terms. The inclusion criteria for the study were articles published within 15 years, which had specific findings on the direct link between exposure to these occupational hazardous substances and the development of occupational diseases. 10 peer-reviewed articles were used for the study. The findings from the study present major occupational health risks across various industries, ranging from the manufacturing industry, the steel and power industry, the healthcare industry, and other industries analyzed. The highest occupational risks were observed in the steel and power industry, as their experiences at the workplace can lead to severe physical strain, high injury rates, heat stress, electric shocks, and exposure to airborne pollutants. However, the occupation with the least occupational risk from these findings would be the health care industry. While healthcare workers face chemical exposures, respiratory issues, and skin disorders, they generally work in controlled environments with better regulatory oversight and access to protective measures. Therefore, this review emphasizes the need for workplace interventions, occupational safety and health management systems workplace interventions, and stringent regulations to safeguard worker health and prevent disease.
Persistent home birth among pregnant women is a significant public health concern in Nigeria. Increasing the proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel has been emphasized as a viable measure of progress for positive maternal and newborn outcomes worldwide. This study assessed the choice of place for antenatal care (ANC) and childbirth among women in a semi-urban population in southwestern Nigeria. The study employed a cross-sectional design. A sample of 168 pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy and who had had a minimum of one previous childbirth was selected through a multistage sampling method from all the administrative wards in two local government areas in a state in southwestern Nigeria. A structured and pretested questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software, version 25; descriptive statistics were presented in tables, and inferential statistics were analyzed at a level of significance of 0.05. The results revealed that many of the respondents had skilled ANC (140, 83.3%) and skilled attendants at birth (120, 71.4 %) in their last pregnancy. A significant relationship was found between women’s choice of place of maternity care and trust in the traditional birth attendants (χ2 = 7.714; P = 0.005), lack of transportation to the hospital (χ2 = 42.0; P = 0.000), perception of birth at hospital as not necessary (χ2 = 6.095; P = 0.014), flexible payment method for care in mission/spiritual home (χ2 = 16.095; P = 0.000), and the actual cost of hospital birth (χ2 = 24.381; P = 0.000). Husbands (114, 50%) were the major contributors to the women’s decisions in place of maternity care. The study concluded that most women utilized skilled care for pregnancy and childbirth, but not all the women who had ANC in the hospital utilized the hospital for childbirth as a result of personal and hospital-related factors. There is a need for health education intervention that can adequately inform and improve women’s self-efficacy to use skilled care in pregnancy and childbirth.
Objectives The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence, clinical manifestations, and clinical outcome of congenital malaria at the study center. Material and Methods Consecutive neonate seen between February 1st and July 28th, 2014, were recruited for the study at the time of delivery. Blood specimens were obtained from neonates for Giemsa stain and microscopy for malaria parasite. Neonates with malaria parasitemia were observed for 48 h for development of symptoms, and when present, they were treated. Results Four hundred neonates were studied, 162 (40.5%) had congenital malaria out of which 40 (24.7%) developed symptoms. Fever and jaundice were the most common symptoms, and all symptomatic neonates responded to treatment with artemether-lumefantrine. Conclusion The prevalence of congenital malaria in the present study was high; however, symptoms were uncommon, and when present mimicked those of neonatal sepsis.
Objectives: Helicobacter pylori is a ubiquitous Gram-negative spiral, flagellate bacillus organism that infects about 50% of individuals globally. The distribution of H. pylori infection is influenced by age, sex, geographical location, ethnicity, and socioeconomic factors. Due to the geographic variations, which include intra-country variations and different epidemiologic factors associated with infections with H. pylori , local studies are imperative to assess the prevalence and risk factors of H. pylori as this could assist in marking out preventive measures for the locality. There are no studies on H. pylori infection in children presenting to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar, South-south Nigeria. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of H. pylori infection in Nigerian children aged 3–18 years of age using the stool antigen test. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 169 children aged 3–18 years presenting to the children’s outpatient clinic of the UCTH. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, source of drinking water, personal and household hygiene, and social class. Fresh stool samples were collected and analyzed using lateral flow immune-chromatographic assay for the qualitative detection of H. pylori antigen in a fecal specimen. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the strength of the association. To identify the associated factors of H. pylori , multivariable logistic regression models were built. In the multivariable analysis, variables with P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of H. pylori among the study participants was 27.2%. The infection rate increased with an increase in the age of the participants, from 25.4% among 6–10-year-olds to 30.6% among 11–15-year-old adolescents. At univariate analysis, mother’s level of education ( P = 0.002), father’s level of education ( P = 0.02), social class ( P = 0.002), place of residence ( P = 0.009), number of rooms in the house ( P = 0.001), method of domestic waste disposal ( P ≤ 0.001), and past history of diarrhea ( P = 0.007) were significantly associated with H. pylori infection. After multivariable logistic regression analysis, living in a house with less than three rooms (AOR 0.38, 95% CI 0.16–0.89; P = 0.026), domestic waste disposal in the bush (AOR 0.18, 95% CI 0.06–0.50; P = 0.001), residence in urban areas (AOR 4.64, 95% CI 1.47–14.65; P = 0.009), and past history of diarrhea (AOR 2.88, 95% CI 1.23–6.74; P = 0.015 were independently associated with H. pylori infection). Conclusion: The study showed a high prevalence of H. pylori infection among children presenting to the UCTH. Living in a house with less than three rooms, poor disposal of household waste, poor source of drinking water in schools, and a past history of diarrhea were risk factors for H. pylori infection. Public health education and the provision of potable water in schools are therefore advocated to curb H. pylori infection.
Medical students face higher stress than peers in other fields, with 50% showing depression and 29.6% at risk of suicide. Contributing factors include demanding curricula, time management issues, and communication barriers. This stress harms emotional, mental, and physical health and is linked to higher suicide risk. The Medical Student Stress Questionnaire assesses stress from mild to severe. The present study revealed that 46.8% of 1st year and 47.2% of final-year students had high academic-related stress, with final-year students reporting the highest stress. This underscores the need for support systems and interventions for medical students.
Objectives: The objectives of the study are to compare the effectiveness and likelihood of toxicity of 7.5 mg/kg single high dose and 80 mg thrice daily doses of intravenous gentamicin. Material and Methods: A total of 88 patients who had abdominal surgeries on account of acute abdomen infectious etiologies in a private hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, between August 2002 and July 2004 were studied. They were randomized into two groups (A and B), with each group comprising of 44 patients. Group A had 7.5 mg single high-dose gentamicin alongside cefuroxime for 5 days. Group B had 80 mg thrice daily of gentamicin for 5 days alongside cefuroxime. Renal function tests were carried out preoperatively and postoperatively. The surgical site infection rate was compared between Groups A and B. Results: There was statistically no significant difference in effectiveness and toxicity between the two groups except for severe infections in which 7.5 mg/kg body weight single high dose gentamicin was superior to 80 mg thrice daily doses. The infection rate was similar for both groups, and the organisms isolated in both groups were resistant to gentamicin. There was no difference in renal complication rate and ototoxicity. We also found that a single high dose was more convenient for nurses to administer, cost effective, decreased personnel time and had more patient comfort. Conclusion: A single high dose of gentamicin of 7.5 mg/kg daily is comparatively effective as 80 mg thrice daily dose. The infection rate was the same in both groups, with a single high dose much better in severe infection.
Objectives: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Nigeria. Endoscopy is vital for the diagnosis of UGIB. At present, there are no published data on UGIB in Cross River State, Nigeria. This study aims to report the endoscopic findings in our patients with UGIB in Calabar, Cross River State (CRS). Material and Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients with UGIB who had esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) performed at two health facilities in Calabar, CRS, from November 2012 to May 2024. Patients’ demographics and endoscopic findings were obtained from the endoscopy registers into a spreadsheet and analyzed statistically (using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20 software). Summary statistics (means ± standard deviation [SD]) for continuous variables and frequencies and percentages for categorical variables were analyzed. Categorical variables were compared for differences using the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. Results: A total of 923 EGDs were performed during the study period. 151 (16.4%) of these cases had UGIB as an indication for the procedure. There were 105 males (69.5%) and 46 females (30.5%) with a mean age of 47.5 (SD ± 17.9) years. Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) (gastritis and benign gastric ulcer – 68, 45%) was the main pathology found in patients, followed by bleeding esophageal varices (33, 21.9%). Conclusion: Endoscopy is important in the diagnosis of UGIB. PUD and bleeding esophageal varices are the leading causes of UGIB in our environment, respectively.
Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top ten leading causes of death from a single pathogen, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) affecting the lungs and other parts of the body, pulmonary TB and extrapulmonary TB. TB is the increased rate of transmission among healthcare workers (HCWs), especially in developing nations, due to resource constrained. The study assessed the burden of nosocomial TB and the effect of educational intervention on infection prevention and control among HCWs in Kaduna State. Material and methods: Records of health facilities offering TB services were reviewed and cross-sectional survey designs were used to obtain pre- and post-intervention data from health workers for this study. All healthcare personnel providing TB care services in healthcare facilities across Kaduna State were included in the study population. A multi-stage purposive sampling procedure was adopted for the selection of the healthcare facilities. The educational intervention using World Health Organization guidelines on TBIC was provided among HCWs. The HCW’s knowledge of TBIC was assessed post-intervention. However, post-intervention was also conducted after 6 months to determine the effect of the training intervention. Data were collected using a checklist to determine the case fatality and incidence rate of TB. An adopted questionnaire was used to assess the level of knowledge on TBIC among HCWS during pre- and post-intervention. Descriptive statistics and t-tests were used to analyze the data (x = 0.05). Results: The incidence and case fatality due to TB among HCWs in Kaduna State was 0.158% and 30%, respectively. The effect of the educational intervention was statistically significant at (0.001). Despite the low incidence of TB among HCWs, the case fatality is high among this cohort. Conclusion: However, educational intervention in TB infection prevention and control is effective in reducing nosocomial TB among HCWs. A prospective cohort study is recommended to document the actual TB burden among HCWs in the state.
Objectives: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a global public health problem, and Nigeria has about 1.9 million people living with the virus. HIV testing and counseling services serve as a very important entry point to HIV/AIDS care and treatment. Voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) is one of the interventions developed to tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa. This study determined the knowledge, acceptance, and utilization of VCT for HIV/AIDS among undergraduates in a public University in Southwestern Nigeria. Material and Methods: The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design, using the multistage sampling technique to select 425 respondents. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Data analysis was done using Statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS), version 25. Descriptive statistics were presented in tables and figures, and inferential statistics were analyzed at a level of significance of 0.05. Results: Over half of the respondents, 226 (53.2%) were within the age range of 18–25 years. The majority were female, 345 (81.2%), single 403 (94.8%), and had never had sexual intercourse 300 (70.6%). Over half of the respondents’ 240 (57%), had above average knowledge of VCT for HIV/AIDs, had above average levels of acceptance 254 (59%), and the majority 326 (76.2%) of the respondents had very low level of utilization of VCT for HIV/AIDS. There was a significant association between respondents’ age (χ 2 = 55.599 a , P = 0.000), gender (χ 2 = 19.094 a , P = 0.000), religion (χ 2 = 8.990 a , P = 0,038), marital status (χ 2 = 8.411 a , P = 0.038), age at first sex (χ 2 = 61.847 a , P = 0.000), knowledge of VCT (χ 2 = 5.297 a , P = 0.021), acceptance of VCT (χ 2 = 80.235 a , P = 0.000), and their uptake of VCT for HIV/AIDs. Furthermore, selected socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, and acceptance of VCT significantly predicted the uptake of VCT among respondents (F [8,416] = 20.163, P < 0.05). Conclusion: The study concluded that respondents had an above average knowledge and acceptance of VCT but a low level of utilization. To increase the utilization of VCT for HIV/AIDS among undergraduates, public health programs should focus on educating undergraduates and significant others on the importance of VCT in the context of HIV prevention, care, and treatment.
Objectives: The objective of this study was to study the characteristics and patterns of metastatic breast cancer in Yenagoa, Nigeria. Material and Methods: This study was a retrospective hospital-based study using a standardized data form for the capture of relevant information with definite exclusion criteria. Information gathered was captured in an Excel spreadsheet and subjected to statistical analysis. Subjects were 78 female patients diagnosed with breast cancer. Results: The mean age of the study population was 47.86 years. About 64% had 1–4 children while 26% had more than five children. The most common findings on general clinical examination were anemia (43.6%), cachexia (39.7%), and hepatomegaly (11.5%). On breast examination, the most common findings were axillary lymphadenopathy (87.2%), nipple changes (67.9%), peau d’orange (64.1%), skin nodules (64.1%), and chest fixity (60.3%). About 29.5% of patients had evidence of pulmonary metastasis, 19.2% had liver metastases, and 25.6% had spread to multiple sites. Central nervous system and spinal spread were found to be commoner in younger patients (<48 years). Conclusion: Most of the patients presenting in the hospital had evidence of metastasis. This has been found to be due mostly to delay in hospital presentation due to a complex combination of patient and healthcare-related factors. Measures for improving the dire statistics are proffered.
Tuberculosis (TB) of the breast is a rare disease that typically affects women of reproductive age, mainly between 15 and 25 years of age. TB of the breast has a non-specific clinical presentation and may present as a breast lump, abscess, or sinus, and it may sometimes mimic breast cancer. Histological diagnosis is necessary to avoid mismanagement of potentially curable breast disease. We present a case of an 18-year-old female with a left upper quadrant breast lump of 1-year duration. The fine-needle aspiration cytology of the breast lump was negative for malignancy. However, histological diagnosis of the excised breast lump confirmed TB of the breast.
Objectives: Workers in block industries are exposed to significant occupational hazards and consequently are at high risk of work-related diseases. This study aimed to determine knowledge and practices toward occupational safety among workers in the Vibrated Block Industries in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria. Material and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted using a semi-structured questionnaire to elicit information from 120 workers in 40 vibrated block industries. Data collected were analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Statistics version 25. Associations were tested using Chi-square statistics. Results: The results indicate that 112 (94.1%) respondents were aware of occupational hazards associated with their job. The majority of the respondents 107 (89.9%) had a good knowledge level of occupational hazards and safety measures. The majority of the respondents 112 (94.1%) reported that personal protective equipment was available in their workstations. Only 54.6% had a good safety practice level. The majority of the respondents 83 (69.7%) knew that their job could pose an adverse effect on their health and 80 (67.2%) reported having experienced one or more health challenges associated with their work. A significant association was found between years of experience and level of safety practice ( P = 0.008). The majority of the industries had never been inspected by regulatory agencies. Conclusion: The study observes an overall good level of knowledge of occupational hazards but the level of safety practice is poor among block industry workers. Regular monitoring of workers by industry administrators and occasional monitoring of industries by relevant regulatory agencies to ensure adherence to safety measures are imperative.
Objectives: Staple food to mobilize micronutrients as well as agricultural effects to improve food availability, affordability, and accessibility, in the utilization of food to address nutrient deficiencies and other nutritional challenges. This study will explore strategies and mechanisms for assessing the mineral composition of rice-based composite flour produced from blends of rice, soybean, coconut, water-yam, and sweet potato flours. Material and Methods: Different blends of the composite flours will be prepared as A, B, C, etc. The mineral composition of the rice-based composite flour and its cookies was determined by the spectrophotometric method (applicable to Na, Fe, Ca, K, and Mg). Results: The mineral contents of the composite flour samples analyzed in the present study ranged between 30.47 ± 1.41 and 82.00 ± 0.57, 0.24 ± 0.02 and 1.27 ± 0.07, 17.37 ± 0.46 and 87.97 ± 0.24, 104.27 ± 0.54 and 701.63 ± 1.32, and 12.17 ± 78.00 and 78.00 ± 0.67 mg/100 g for sodium (Sa), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg), respectively, while the mineral contents of the rice-based composite cookie samples analyzed ranged between 170.67 ± 8.45 and 383.33 ± 4.10, 1.07 ± 0.01 and 2.75 ± 0.02, 45.77 ± 0.78 and 64.73 ± 2.17, 113.97 ± 1.46 and 144.23 ± 0.52, and 27.77 ± 0.35 and 74.73 ± 1.73 mg/100 g for Na, Fe, Ca, K, and Mg, respectively. There was a significant difference ( P < 0.05) in the mineral composition of the samples. Conclusion: The finding of this study is a wake-up alert for policymakers to improve and increase availability, accessibility in the utilization of food to address nutrient deficiencies and other nutritional challenges in the country.
Objectives: Appendicitis is and has remained one of the most common abdominal surgical emergencies the world over. Its procedure and appendectomy is also a very common and regularly done surgical procedure and, thus, a very important disease to describe in totality. Hence, we set out to describe the pattern of presentation and management outcome of this condition in our environment. Materials and Methods: Data were collected retrospectively of all patients with the clinical diagnosis of appendicitis during the study period and analyzed. Results: A total of 62 patients had a clinical diagnosis of appendicitis over the period under review. M: F was 1:1.1. Age ranged from 3 years to 47 years with a mean of 21.50 ± 10.07. All (100%) patients presented with right iliac fossa pain. Other symptoms were anorexia (45.2%), nausea (61.3%), and vomiting (40.3%). All (100%) of patients went on to have an appendectomy. Twelve (19.40%) patients had surgical site infection and 2 (3.20%) developed enterocutaneous fistula. Duration of hospital stay ranged from 1 to 30 days. One patient who had uncontrolled diabetes mellitus died giving a mortality rate of 1.6. Conclusion: Typical clinical features of acute appendicitis were lower abdominal quadrant pain associated with nausea, anorexia, and vomiting. It goes without saying that diagnosis can still be made comfortably on clinical grounds and treatment outcome is generally good.
Objectives: Increase in body mass index (BMI) increases the risk of developing high blood pressure (BP). Several studies also indicate that high BP is associated with age. Controversies have been found regarding the association of BMI with high BP and age. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the association between BP, BMI, and age. Material and Methods: Using the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR 131103) Study on the Effects of Mindfulness on Lifestyle Behavior and BP, prospectively gathered data were retrospectively analyzed. A randomized controlled study was conducted. Using the statistical MedCalc program, the patient demographic data – including their age, BMI, and BP – were statistically examined. Statistical significance was determined using a 0.05 P -value. Results: Of the 37 participants, 43.3% had a normal BMI. One-fourth (40.5%) of the people were obese. 13.5% and 32.4% of the people had normal systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) BP, respectively. Age, SBP, or DBP did not significantly correlate with BMI. Nevertheless, there was a positive and substantial correlation between BMI, age, SBP, DBP, weight, and height. Conclusion: According to the study’s findings, there are no appreciable positive connections between BMI and either SBP or DBP, or age. However, the weakly positive relationships between SBP and DBP and age suggest that regular BP monitoring is necessary.
Objectives: Ocular disease is an important public health issue and constitutes one of the commonest problems presenting in general primary healthcare in Nigeria. The present study examined the prevalence of eye disorders among patients attending Delta State University Teaching Hospital Oghara Delta State, Nigeria. Material and Methods: A descriptive study was adopted as the research design in sampling 2,003 cases in the hospital records within one (1) year using a simple random sampling technique. Results: Data obtained from the study revealed that 1033 (52%) of the cases reviewed were males, while 970 (48%) were females. The cases that were between the ages of 60–69 years were 395 (19.7%) out of which 216 (8.9%) were males and the remaining 179 (8.9%) cases were females. Majority of the cases reviewed were married with a frequency of 1,399 (69.9%). The occupational distribution of patients revealed that the highest ocular disease was found among civil servants with a total of 480 (24%) cases. Results of the study equally revealed that eye disorders related to the crystalline lens were the most prevalent eye diseases accounting for 620 (31%) out of the total sampled cases with cataract being the most prevalent (455, 22.7%) in this group. Conjunctiva eye disorders accounted for 320 (16%), followed by refractive errors 292 (14.6%), and retina diseases 262 (13.1%). Glaucomatous eye diseases were the fifth most detected with a total of 230 (11.5%). More so, the prevalence of optic nerve and visual pathway diseases was 86 (4.3%) out of the recorded cases while Patients with Eyelids disease had the lowest detected eye diseases with a total of 59 (3%), whereas, eye diseases of the Cornea seen was low 132 (6.6%). Conclusion: Eye conditions such as cataracts, conjunctivitis, refractive errors, glaucoma, cornea disorders, optic nerve, and visual pathway diseases, and eyelid disorders such as chalazion, blepharitis, and lipoma were identified to have a leading rate of a pattern of distribution with chances of complications. Hence, it is recommended that there is an urgent need for follow-up of patients of eye disorders with proper education on eye management to improve awareness of the pattern of eye disorder that could be associated with burden of visual impairment and blindness.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reawakened the necessity of wearing a face mask in public places in several countries including Nigeria. The effect of prolonged use of face mask on pregnant women is not yet evaluated. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of wearing a surgical face mask on the cardiopulmonary functions of pregnant women. A prospective and case-control study was conducted among 85 healthy pregnant women at gestational ages between 20 weeks and 37 weeks. Equal number of age and parity-matched healthy non-pregnant women were recruited as controls. Their baseline S p O 2 and arterial pulse were measured. The participants were then instructed to wear surgical face masks and remain at a resting position for 1 h; thereafter, the S p O 2 and pulse rates were measured using a mobile electronic pulse oximeter. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 23. The level of significance was set at 0.05. There was no significant difference in their mean S p O 2 (97.44% ± 3.365) and (98.86% ± 1.014) for the pregnant women and the controls, respectively ( P = 0.146). However, the mean pulse rate of the pregnant women was significantly higher than that of the controls (97. 58b/m ± 10.731 and 93.17b/m ± 8.850; P = 0.012). The incidence of hypoxemia (S p O 2 < 90%) was very low (2.35%) in the pregnant women but non among the non-pregnant control. The incidence of hypoxia-related symptoms was also very low (1.8%). There was a weak negative correlation between the S p O 2 and pulse rate (r = −0.0881; P = 0.464 in the pregnant group compared to the controls (r = −0.309; P = 0.004). A vast majority of healthy pregnant women can safely wear a surgical face mask for a long time.
