The mandibular angles of dry adult human mandibles from north eastern arid zone of Nigeria

OBJECTIVES: To study and document the mandibular angle of Nigerians from the north eastern arid zone, and investigate its role as an anthropological parameter for racial and or population groups differential diagnosis, its utilization in laryngoscopy and for successful inferior alveolar nerve anesthesia. DESIGN: A cross sectional study. SETTING: Department of Anatomy, College of Medical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. SUBJECTS: 60 dry adult mandibles from Nigerians who lived in Maiduguri (Borno State Capital) and its environ until their death. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Measurements of the right and left mandibular angles, length and height of the mandibles and the comparison of the mean angle with that of other racial and or population groups. RESULTS: The mean mandibular angle (118.75 +/- 0.395 i.e. mean +/- SEM) was smaller than that of other African populations but was wider than that of the Neanderthals and similar to that of the Chinese and Peruvians. The mandible had a shorter ramus, slightly longer length resulting in a smaller angle than that of the Zimbabwean mandible. Highly significant differences occurred between the mean angle of the Nigerian mandible and those of other African population groups (p < 0.0001) except the mandibular angle of Natal Nguni and Cape Nguni populations from South Africa. There was no mutual dependence and no significant departure from linearity between the mean angle, length and height. CONCLUSION: The mandibular angle in conjunction with other anthropological parameters may be useful anthropological tools in racial and or population diagnosis. The configuration of the mandible of Nigerians from the northeast arid zone may predispose them to difficult laryngoscopy and/or intubation.     

Amodiaquine treatment of uncomplicated malaria in children, in an area of chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in north-central Nigeria

The efficacy of amodiaquine against Plasmodium falciparum malaria was assessed in an area of confirmed chloroquine resistance in the cool, north-central plateau of Nigeria, using a 14-day protocol. The patients were all children aged <5 years of age. The drug proved highly efficacious, giving a cure 'rate' of 100% on day 14 and mean fever- and parasite-clearance times of 1.11 and 3.11 days, respectively. It was also well tolerated. Following treatment, packed-cell volumes (PCV) generally increased (65% of patients) but remained constant (12%) or even decreased (23%) in some patients; the overall improvement in PCV was not statistically significant (P >0.05). The results justify the use of amodiaquine to treat P. falciparum malaria in those who have failed treatment with chloroquine and the second-line drugs (e.g. sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine) currently used in Nigeria. As the amodiaquine would be better employed as one part of a combination than on its own, there is a need to identify suitable partner compounds.     

Contraceptive prevalence among young women in Nigeria.

In almost all societies in the world there is an increase in sexual activity among young persons (10-24 years). There is a need for contraceptive use among them to prevent high risk unintended pregnancies. This study was carried out to determine the contraceptive prevalence among young women in Nigeria. The study population was 832 young women between the ages of 15 and 24 years. Only 11.1% of the respondents had ever used contraceptives although 63.2% of them had had sexual intercourse. Contraceptive usage was significantly higher (p<0.05) among the single sexually active women (38.5%) than among the married women (7.7%). Only 7.3% of respondents are currently using a contraceptive method. The main methods in use were condoms and pills. There is an unmet need for contraceptives among young women in Nigeria. It is necessary to improve these young women's abilities to protect themselves against unwanted pregnancies.     

Gastroesophageal reflux in infants < 32 weeks gestational age at birth: lack of relationship to chronic lung disease

The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) as documented by extended esophageal pH monitoring in symptomatic premature infants and to identify its relationship with chronic lung disease (CLD). This was a retrospective study of 629 infants born < 32 weeks gestational age and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit during the study period. Univariate analyses were done on the 137 infants undergoing the test for the association of the following risk factors with acid reflux: birth weight, gestational age, race, sex, length of stay, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD; O2 requirement at 28 days), and severe CLD (O2 requirement at 36 weeks postmenstrual age). Eighty-seven of 137 infants were positive for GER. There was no association of GER with the risk factors studied, nor were there correlations with BPD or severe CLD. GER is common (63%) in premature infants < 32 weeks gestational age but clinical symptoms and CLD are poorly correlated with this diagnosis.     

Post-partum practices among women in Calabar, Nigeria

We carried out a study on post-partum practices amongst women in Calabar at the maternal and child health clinic at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital between 1 March and 31 May 2002. Three hundred women were interviewed. One hundred and ninety-three (64.3%) resumed coitus prior to 6 weeks of puerperium. There was no significant difference in parity (P = 0.20) and educational status (P = 0.10) between women who resumed coitus earlier than 6 weeks and those who resumed later. One out of every 10 women resumed coitus without any contraception. The majority [212 (70.7%)] sat in hot water (sitz bath) to aid perineal wound healing and improve vaginal tone.     

Hysterectomies amongst teenagers in Calabar, Nigeria

A 10-year retrospective study of hysterectomies performed on teenagers in Calabar was carried out.