Skin problems after a tsunami

BACKGROUND: On December 26, 2004, the biggest earthquake for 40 years, measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, triggered a tsunami that pounded the coastal areas of South Asia and East Africa. The effects of the tsunami on skin conditions have not been evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of the tsunami on skin conditions by evaluating the skin problems of patients presenting at hospitals after the tsunami. METHODS: Between 5 and 25 January 2005, two dermatologists evaluated patients who complained of skin problems at an outpatient clinic and emergency room of a general hospital in Banda Aceh, Aceh Province, Indonesia. RESULTS: The total number of patients that presented during the study period was 235 (131 males and 104 females), and they had a total of 265 skin problems. In terms of age distribution, most subjects were in their fourth decade (23.0%), followed by the third (22.6%) and fifth decade (16.6%). The most prevalent skin problems were infections-infestations (32.5%), followed by eczemas (29.8%) and traumatic skin disorders (29.4%). In males, traumatic skin disorders were most common. The great majority of infection-infestation cases involved superficial fungal infections. Contact dermatitis accounted for three-quarters of eczema cases, and mainly involved the arms (40.0%) and legs (27.1%). The majority of traumatic skin disorders were lacerations, punctures and penetrations, and the feet (44.7%) and hands (18.8%) were most frequently affected. CONCLUSIONS: Unhygienic conditions, exposure to a hazardous environment and contact with various objects during and after the tsunami probably increased the prevalence of infections-infestations, traumatic skin disorders and contact dermatitis. To prevent these problems and associated secondary bacterial infections, health-related education and early medical management are required.     

Vaginal tape erosion following transobturator tape (TOT) operation for stress urinary incontinence.

Inorganic sling materials when used for treatment of urinary stress incontinence have a high success rate of achieving continence. They unfortunately attract the complication of vaginal tape erosion. When used for Transobturator tape procedure (TOT) we found the Obtape sling (Mentor-Porges, Le Plessis-Robinson, France) attracted a high rate of erosion, likely due to the tape properties. We describe a series of tape erosions with the Obtape sling, the presentation, conservative and surgical management with favourable rates of maintenance of continence. We suggest the use of larger pore sized tapes to decrease the occurrence of vaginal tape erosion.     

CLINICAL FEMINISATION AND SEX HORMONE CONCENTRATIONS IN NIGERIAN MEN WITH CIRRHOSIS WITH AND WITHOUT HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

SUMMARY The study explored the incidence of clinical feminisation and the sex hormone levels of 18 Nigerian patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) alone and 18 patients with LC and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The incidence (11%) of clinical feminisation in Nigerian patients was lower than values reported from other countries and there was no association between feminising signs and the sex hormone levels of the patients. Plasma oestradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels were significantly higher and testosterone lower in patients with liver diseases than in 18 age-matched normal controls. Serum concentrations of oestradiol were also found to be significantly higher in patients with LC alone than in those with LC and HCC. A possible promotive role for oestrogens in the development of HCC from the cirrhotic liver is discussed.     

Inhibition of 2-nitropropane-induced rat liver DNA and RNA damage by benzyl selenocyanate

We observed that pretreatment of male F344 rats with benzyl selenocyanate, a versatile organoselenium chemopreventive agent in several animal model systems, decreases the levels of DNA and RNA modifications produced in the liver by the hepatocarcinogen 2- nitropropane. To clarify the mechanisms involved, we pretreated male F344 rats with either benzyl selenocyanate, its sulfur analog benzyl thiocyanate, phenobarbital or cobalt protoporphyrin IX; the latter is a depletor of P450. We then determined (1) the ability of liver microsomes to denitrify 2-nitropropane, (2) effects on 2-nitropropane- induced liver DNA and RNA modifications and (3) amount of nitrate excreted in rat urine following administration of the carcinogen. Pretreatment with benzyl selenocyanate or phenobarbital increased the denitrification activity of liver microsomes by 217 and 765%, respectively, increased liver P4502B1 by 31- and 435-fold, respectively, decreased the levels of 2-nitropropane-induced modifications in liver DNA (29-70% and 17-30%, respectively) and RNA (67-85% and 30-50%, respectively), and increased the 24-h urinary excretion of nitrate by 157 and 209%, respectively. Pretreatment with benzyl thiocyanate had no significant effect on any of these parameters. Pretreatment with cobalt protoporphyrin IX decreased liver P4502B 1 by 87%, decreased the denitrification activity of liver microsomes by 76%, decreased the 24 h urinary excretion of nitrate by 88.5%, but increased the extent of 2-nitropropane-induced liver nucleic acid modifications by 17-67%. These results indicate that the metabolic sequence from 2-nitropropane to the reactive species causing DNA and RNA modifications does not involve the removal of the nitro group. Moreover, they suggest that benzyl selenocyanate inhibits 2-NP-induced liver nucleic acid modifications in part by increasing its detoxication through induction of denitrification, although it is evident that other mechanisms must also be involved.      

Blood pressure,prevalence of hypertension and hypertension related complications in Nigerian Africans:A review

To review studies on hypertension in Nigeria over the past five decades in terms of prevalence,awareness and treatment and complications.Following our search on Pubmed,African Journals Online and the World Health Organization Global cardiovascular infobase,1060 related references were identified out of which 43 were found to be relevant for this review.The overall prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria ranges from 8%-46.4% depending on the study target population,type of measurement and cut-off value used for defining hypertension.The prevalence is similar in men and women(7.9%-50.2% vs 3.5%-68.8%,respectively) and in the urban(8.1%-42.0%) and rural setting(13.5%-46.4%).The pooled prevalence increased from 8.6% from the only study during the period from 1970-1979 to 22.5%(2000-2011).Awareness,treatment and control of hypertension were generally low with attendant high burden of hypertension related complications.In order to improve outcomes of cardiovascular disease in Africans,public health education to improve awareness of hypertension is required.Further epidemiological studies on hypertension are required to adequately understand and characterize the impact of hypertension in society.     

41st Annual Meeting – Cape Town,South Africa August 4 – 5, 2016

Introduction and hypothesis

Stress urinary incontinence is a common problem affecting 12-46 % of women. A cohort of women have a more severe form of stress urinary incontinence usually due to intrinsic urethral sphincter deficiency that has traditionally resulted in lower success rates with standard treatment modalities. We aim to address the question of whether transobturator sling insertion is more effective than retropubic sling insertion in the treatment of intrinsic sphincter deficiency-related stress urinary incontinence in women.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, CENTRAL, journals, and major conferences (up to 30 June 2014). All randomised controlled trials in women with stress urinary incontinence or mixed urinary incontinence with associated intrinsic sphincter deficiency who underwent a retropubic or transobturator mid-urethral sling operation were included in this meta-analysis. The Cochrane risk of bias tool and the GRADE system were used to assess the quality of evidence.

Results

Fifty-five randomised controlled trials compared transobturator and retropubic mid-urethral slings. Twelve trials included women with intrinsic sphincter deficiency, but only 8 trials (399 women) reported data specifically for this cohort. There was a statistically significant difference in short- and medium-term (≤5 years) subjective cure rates, with the number of women reporting a cure in the transobturator group at 150 out of 199 and the retropubic group at 171 out of 200. This gives a 12 % relative risk reduction in achieving cure with the transobturator route (RR 0.88, 95 % CI 0.80 to 0.96, I²?=?0 %, moderate quality evidence [GRADE]). Objective cure was reported by five trials of 324 women and showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups, with a rate of 110 out of 159 in the transobturator group and 126 out of 165 in the retropubic group (RR 0.90, 95 % CI 0.79 to 1.03). Post-operative voiding dysfunction and de novo urgency or urgency urinary incontinence in the two treatment groups showed no significant difference. The need to undergo repeat incontinence surgery in the long term (≥5 years) was higher with the transobturator route (RR 14.4, 95 % CI 1.95 to 106, 147 women).

Conclusions

Mid-urethral slings are effective in treating women with intrinsic sphincter deficiency-associated stress urinary incontinence. The retropubic route resulted in higher subjective cure rates compared with transobturator routes. Both routes improved the overall quality of life.

     

Development,initial content validation and reliability of Nigerian Composite Lifestyle CVD risk factors questionnaire for adolescents

Background

Cardiovascular disease risk (CVD) factors affect every age category including adolescents in developing nations. Prevention strategies are effective only when there are epidemiological data for the targeted populations. The collection of such data is only made easy with composite lifestyle CVD risk factors measures that are culturally sensitive and acceptable among the target populations.

Objective

The objective of the study was to develop a culturally sensitive and friendly composite lifestyle CVD risk factors questionnaire for adolescents in Nigeria

Methods

A systematic review was conducted to identify existing, published questionnaires from which items could be selected. Content and face validation were conducted using an expert panel and a sub-sample of the target population. Data was analyzed qualitatively and reliability was assessed using intra-class correlation and Kappa statistic.

Results

Based on the comments received from experts, the questions were restructured, simplified, clarified, formatted, some questions were added and expert reached a consensus. Kappa showed fair to moderate agreement in 65% of the questions and perfect agreement in one question.

Conclusion

The CVD risk factors questionnaire has acceptable content validity and reliability and should be used to assess CVD risk factors among adolescents in Nigeria