Characterization of Electroencephalographic Findings at an Electrodiagnostic Unit of a Tertiary Hospital, North-central Nigeria

Electroencephalography (EEG) remains an important investigative tool in supporting the diagnosis and classification of various seizure types. We sought to examine and characterize the EEG findings from all patients referred for the procedure. This cross-sectional retrospective study was carried out at an EEG unit in Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, Benue State, North Central Nigeria from May 2016 to December 2020. Relevant patients' information were extracted and analysed using SPSS version 21. A total of 484 patients were seen over the study period with age range of 1-87 years and median age of 23 years. They comprised of 254 (52.5%) male and 230 (47.5%) female. The psychiatrist and the Physicians/Neurologist referred most of them for EEG, 201 (41.5%) and 124 (25.6%) respectively. The most reported indication for EEG was clinical suspicion of seizure disorder 291 (60.1%), whilst some did not have a clear indication 111 (22.9%). About 417 (86.2%) of our patients had abnormal EEG finding out of which 414 (99.3%) were diagnostic of seizure disorder made up of generalized seizure in 255 (61.6%) and focal seizure in 159 (38.4%). About 237 (48.9%) of them were already on antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) at referral of which 190 (80.2%0 were taking carbamazepine. This study showed a high prevalence of abnormal EEG with most of them diagnostic of seizure disorder especially generalized seizure. They were mostly of younger age group with about half of them already on AEDs at referral, majority of who were sent by the Psychiatrist.

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Prevalence of Pseudoexfoliation among Adults and its Related Ophthalmic Variables in the Community of Kebena Woreda, Gurage Zone, Ethiopia

10.21203/rs.2.17265/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

SADIK Taju SHERIEF ◽

Ephrem Kibru ◽

Menen Ayalew Shibeshe

Keyword(s):

Adult Population ◽

Slit Lamp ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Younger Age ◽

Anterior Lens Capsule ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Before And After ◽

Iop Measurement ◽

The Difference ◽

Age Range

Abstract Clinical studies in the hospital settings using patients having ocular morbidities have shown a high prevalence of pseudoexfoliation (PXF) in Ethiopia. With this information in mind community based study was conducted to determine age and sex-specific prevalence of pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXF) and its relationship with some ophthalmological variables.Objective To determine the prevalence and clinical features of pseudoexfoliation among adults in kebena woreda of Gurage zone, SNNPR, Ethiopia.Design Random cross-sectional samples of adult population aged 40 years or older in the community of the district.Methods A total of 760 subjects aged 40 years or older underwent standardized examination, including portable slit lamp biomicroscopy before and after pupillary dilatation, and IOP measurement using Tono-Pen. PXF was diagnosed on slit lamp exam by the presence of white dandruff-like material on the pupillary margin and/or on the anterior lens capsule of one or both eyes.Results Among 760 participants, the prevalence of PXF was 12.0% (95% confidence interval, 9.7%-14.3%). The mean age was 63.9 years (SD 9.96, age range 40-90 years). Fifty six percent were found to have bilateral PXF. The prevalence increased with increasing age, with 26.9% of those 60 or older affected. Slightly higher proportion of males (12.4%) were found to have pseudoexfoliation in either of the eyes than females (11.6%) which was not statistically significant (p=0.738). Mean IOP in subjects with PXF was found to be 20.65 + 5.15 mmHg, while it was 15.0 + 2.3mmHg for those without PXF. The difference between the two populations was found to be statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusions The prevalence of PXF in eyes of people in Kebena appears greater than that reported in other places of Africa and Asia. PXF occurs at a relatively younger age in our population. Increasing age is associated with the presence of PXF, and PXF in turn is associated with high IOP.

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Patients and relatives as auditors of safe practices in oncology and hematology day hospitals

BMC Health Services Research ◽

10.1186/s12913-020-06018-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Isabel Rodrigo Rincón ◽

Isabel Irigoyen Aristorena ◽

Belén Tirapu León ◽

Nicolás Zaballos Barcala ◽

Maite Sarobe Carricas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Statistical Significance ◽

Tertiary Hospital ◽

Patient Identification ◽

Healthcare Organizations ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Younger Age ◽

Day Hospitals ◽

Cross Sectional Design ◽

Safe Practices

Abstract Background When there is a gap in professionals’ adherence to safe practices during cancer treatment, the consequences can be serious. Identifying these gaps in order to enable improvements in patient safety can be a challenge. This study aimed to assess if cancer patients and their relatives can be given the skills to audit reliably four safe practices, and to explore whether they are willing to play this new role. Methods We recruited 136 participants in 2018, from the oncology and haematology day hospital of a tertiary hospital in Spain. Patient identification, hand hygiene, blood or chemotherapy identification, and side effects related to transfusion and chemotherapy, were the safe practices selected for evaluation. The study comprised two parts: an interventional educational program and a cross-sectional design to collect data and assess to what degree participants are able and willing to be auditors depending on their characteristics using multivariate logistic regression models. A participant’s auditing skill were assessed pre and post the educational intervention. Results The model was seeking predictors of being a good auditor. 63 participants (46.3%) were classified as good auditors after the training. To have younger age, higher educational level and to have had an experience of an adverse event were associated with a higher probability of being a good auditor. Additionally, 106 (77.9%) participants said that they would like to audit anonymously the professionals’ compliance of at least three of four safe practices. The willingness to audit safe practices differed depending on the safe practice but these differences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions The data gathered by patients and relatives acting as auditors can provide healthcare organizations with valuable information about safety and quality of care that is not accessible otherwise. This new role provides an innovative way to engage patients and their families’ in healthcare safety where other methods have not had success. The paper sets out the methods that healthcare organizations need to undertake to enrol and train patients and relatives in an auditor role.

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Eating behavior of schizophrenic patients

Revista de Nutrição ◽

10.1590/1678-98652018000100002 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 13-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ana Carolina AGUIAR-BLOEMER ◽

Rosina Gabriela AGLIUSSI ◽

Thiago Maehara Pereira PINHO ◽

Erikson Felipe FURTADO ◽

Rosa Wanda DIEZ-GARCIA

Keyword(s):

Nutrition Education ◽

Eating Behavior ◽

Tertiary Hospital ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Food Practices ◽

Work Routines ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Dietary Records ◽

Schizophrenic Patients

ABSTRACT Objective To assess the eating behavior, food practices, nutritional and metabolic profiles of patients with schizophrenia undergoing treatment. Methods Cross-sectional exploratory descriptive qualitative study used a semi-structured questionnaire on the eating behavior, food practices, and perception of changes after the initiation of drug therapy and a quantitative method using anthropometric and body composition measurements, metabolic parameters, and 5-day dietary records to analyze nutrient ingestion of patients with schizophrenia in an outpatient clinic at a tertiary hospital (n=33). The qualitative data were analyzed and coded by three researchers and quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive exploratory statistics. Results The results of this study showed that schizophrenic patients presented high prevalence of excess weight (71.0%), metabolic syndrome (42.0%), dyslipidemia (62.0%), changes in appetite (76.0%), and increase in energy intake (74.2%), associated with important irregularities in eating behavior and food practices (such as irregularity of meals, emotional intake, high carbohydrate and fat intake, and low energy expenditure) and lifestyle (changes in social and work routines). Conclusion This eating profile may interact synergistically with psychotropic drugs to contribute to weight gain and metabolic changes in schizophrenia. Nutrition education may prevent and monitor the risk of metabolic and nutrition problems, irrespective of the medications used.

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Restriction endonuclease characterization of resistant plasmids in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from children in the Sudan

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268800030892 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 103 (3) ◽

pp. 487-496 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

P. Shears ◽

G. Suliman ◽

C. A. Hart

Keyword(s):

Antimicrobial Resistance ◽

Restriction Endonuclease ◽

Restriction Enzymes ◽

Surveillance Systems ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Resistance Patterns ◽

Reproducible Method ◽

Restriction Endonuclease Digest

SUMMARYThe investigation of plasmid similarity is an important component in the surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and in the detection of epidemic plasmids. The use of restriction endonucleases in the classification of transferable, multiply-resistant plasmids from faecal Enterobacteriaceae isolated at the Children's Emergency Hospital, Khartoum was investigated. Twenty-four transconjugant plasmids, coding for 11 different resistance patterns, each of molecular weight 62 MDa. were studied using four restriction enzymes;PstI,EcoR I,HindIII andAraII. Fifteen different digest profiles were obtained. Restriction profiles discriminated between plasmids with differing resistance patterns and demonstrated homology of plasmids with common resistance patterns. Restriction endonuclease digest patterns provide a potentially rapid and reproducible method of plasmid classification, that could contribute towards surveillance systems in tropical countries with a high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance.

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The Epidemiology of Migraine Headache in General Population of Tehran, Iran

Neuroepidemiology ◽

10.1159/000441146 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

pp. 9-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Behnam Rabiee ◽

Atefeh Zeinoddini ◽

Ramin Kordi ◽

Masud Yunesian ◽

Payam Mohammadinejad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

General Population ◽

Final Analysis ◽

Epidemiological Data ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

General Population Study ◽

Face To Face ◽

The Mean ◽

Age Range ◽

Male Subjects

Background: Migraine as one of the most common types of headache is known to cause serious intervention with routine activities of affected individuals due to the devastating nature of attacks. The aim of this study was to provide epidemiological data of migraine in Iranian general population. Methods: In this cross-sectional general population study, migraine diagnoses (both episodic and chronic) were based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders. Face-to-face interviews were performed by 5 trained medical interns on a sample size of 2,300 people aged 12-65 years. Results: A total number of 2,076 subjects were enrolled for final analysis. The mean age of the subjects at the time of the study was 36.27 ± 14.56 years (age range 12-65 years). The 1-year prevalence of migraine was 27.6%. The prevalence of migraine among female subjects was significantly higher than among male subjects (36.7 vs. 21.6%, p < 0.001). The mean age of the subjects with migraine was 35.9 ± 12.96 years. Totally, 49.9% of migraine sufferers experienced at least one episode of aura. The most prevalent type of aura was numbness reported in 32.4% of migraine subjects. Conclusions: Despite the higher prevalence of migraine among Iranian general population compared to most of the other populations investigated by previous studies, these individuals experience a less severe course of disease.

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Discrepancies in Periodontal Diagnosis and Classification Among Dental Practitioners with Different Educational Backgrounds

10.21203/rs.3.rs-57512/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Se-Lim Oh ◽

Ji Seung Yang ◽

Yoon Jeong Kim

Keyword(s):

Risk Factor ◽

Periodontal Disease ◽

Educational Background ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Exact Test ◽

Educational Backgrounds ◽

Dental Practitioners ◽

Diagnosis And Classification ◽

School Of Dentistry

Abstract Background: The 2017 classification of periodontal disease characterizes the disease with a multidimensional staging and grading system. The purpose of this multicenter study was to examine variations in periodontal diagnosis and classification among dental practitioners with different postgraduate educational backgrounds at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry and the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry using the 2017 classification.Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included two cohorts: dental practitioners with periodontal backgrounds (n1 = 31) and those with other educational backgrounds (n2 = 33). The survey instrument contained three periodontal cases presented with the guidelines of the 2017 classification of periodontal disease and an open-ended questionnaire. The participants were asked to review each case and to fill out the questionnaire independently. Fisher’s exact test was conducted to examine the difference and accuracy in responses between the two cohorts. Polychoric correlations were calculated to examine the relation between the level of familiarity with the 2017 classification and the accuracy of the diagnosis and classification.Results: The distribution of item responses was significantly different between the two cohorts regarding only one item, grading for Case 1 (p = 0.01). No significant differences in accuracy between the two cohorts were observed except for two items, grading in Case 1 (p = 0.03) and staging in Case 3 (p = 0.04). There were no significant differences in risk factor identification for each case among the two cohorts (p = 1.00, Case 1; p = 0.22, Case 2). Staging in Case 3 (ṕ = 0.52) and risk factor identification in Case 2 (ṕ = 0.32) were significantly correlated with familiarity with the 2017 classification.Conclusion: A fair level of agreement in periodontal diagnosis and classification was observed among dental practitioners with different educational backgrounds when the 2017 classification was used. The periodontal cohort showed better agreement levels and partially better accuracy. Risk factor identification for periodontal disease was difficult regardless of the educational background.

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Patients and relatives as auditors of safe practices in oncology and hematology day hospitals

10.21203/rs.3.rs-30498/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Isabel Rodrigo-Rincon ◽

Isabel Irigoyen Aristorena ◽

Belén Tirapu-Leon ◽

Nicolas Zaballos Barcala ◽

Maite Sarobe Carricas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Statistical Significance ◽

Tertiary Hospital ◽

Patient Identification ◽

Healthcare Organizations ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Younger Age ◽

Day Hospitals ◽

Cross Sectional Design ◽

Safe Practices

Abstract BackgroundWhen there is a gap in professionals’ adherence to safe practices during cancer treatment, the consequences can be serious. Identifying these gaps in order to enable improvements in patient safety can be a challenge. This study aimed to assess if cancer patients and their relatives can be given the skills to audit reliably four safe practices, and to explore whether they are willing to play this new role.MethodsWe recruited 136 participants in 2018, from the oncology and haematology day hospital of a tertiary hospital in Spain. Patient identification, hand hygiene, blood or chemotherapy identification, and side effects related to transfusion and chemotherapy, were the safe practices selected for evaluation.The study comprised two parts: an interventional educational program and a cross-sectional design to collect data and assess to what degree participants are able and willing to be auditors depending on their characteristics using multivariate logistic regression models. A participant’s auditing skill were assessed pre and post the educational intervention.ResultsThe model was seeking predictors of being a good auditor. 63 participants (46.3%) were classified as good auditors after the training. To have younger age, higher educational level and to have had an experience of an adverse event were associated with a higher probability of being a good auditor. Additionally, 106 (77.9%) participants said that they would like to audit anonymously the professionals’ compliance of at least three of four safe practices. The willingness to audit safe practices differed depending on the safe practice but these differences did not reach statistical significance.ConclusionsThe data gathered by patients and relatives acting as auditors can provide healthcare organizations with valuable information about safety and quality of care that is not accessible otherwise. This new role provides an innovative way to engage patients and their families’ in healthcare safety where other methods have not had success. The paper sets out the methods that healthcare organizations need to undertake to enrol and train patients and relatives in an auditor role.

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Difference in Diagnosis and Classification of Sarcopenia: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-399098/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Leonardo Augusto Da Costa Teixeira ◽

Ana Caroline Negreiros Prates ◽

Franciane Pereira Brant ◽

Rávylla Rúbia Lima ◽

Ronaldo Luis Thomasini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Composition ◽

Older Women ◽

Dual Energy ◽

Progressive Reduction ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

X Ray ◽

Diagnosis And Classification ◽

And Function ◽

X Ray Absorption

Abstract Background Sarcopenia is characterized by a progressive reduction in muscle mass, strength and function that comes with aging. There is still broad disagreement regarding for understanding and establishment of universal criteria for the screening of sarcopenia. The objective of present study is to assess differences in the diagnosis and classification of sarcopenia by applying six different criteria to the same sample. Methods Study using the criteria proposed by five groups of authors. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorption (DXA) using a Lunar DPX densitometer. Results Participated 156 older women. The frequency of sarcopenia varied depending on the criteria used. The above frequencies exhibited statistically significant differences (p = 0.009). Conclusion Diagnosis of sarcopenia in older women varies according to the proposed criteria.

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Validity and accuracy of maternal tactile assessment for fever in under-five children in North Central Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005776 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 4 (10) ◽

pp. e005776 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Mohammed Baba Abdulkadir ◽

Wahab Babatunde Rotimi Johnson ◽

Rasheedah Mobolaji Ibraheem

Keyword(s):

Tertiary Hospital ◽

Sociodemographic Factors ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Febrile Child ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Predictive Values ◽

North Central ◽

Under Five ◽

Under Five Children

ObjectivesThis study seeks to determine not only the reliability of parental touch in detecting fever as compared to rectal thermometry in under-five children, but also the sociodemographic factors that may predict its reliability.SettingThe study was carried out in the Emergency Paediatric Unit of a tertiary hospital in North Central Nigeria.Participants409 children aged less than 5 years with a history of fever in the 48 h prior to presentation and their mothers were recruited consecutively. All the children recruited completed the study. Children with clinical parameters suggestive of shock, and those who were too ill, were excluded from the study.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome was the proportion of mothers who could accurately predict if their child was febrile or not (defined by rectal temperature) using tactile assessment only. Secondary outcomes were the validity and accuracy of touch in detecting fever and factors related to its accuracy.ResultsAbout 85% of the children were febrile using rectal thermometry. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive and negative predictive values for touch as a screening tool were 63%, 54%, 88.3% and 21%, respectively. High maternal socioeconomic status and low maternal age influenced positively the accuracy of touch in correctly determining the presence or absence of fever.ConclusionsThis study has shown that tactile assessment of temperature is not reliable and that absence of fever in a previously febrile child should be confirmed by objective methods of temperature measurement.

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Proteomic Characterization of Serum Small Extracellular Vesicles in Human Breast Cancer

10.1101/2021.11.26.470104 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ganfei Xu ◽

Weiyi Huang ◽

Shaoqian Du ◽

Minjing Huang ◽

Jiacheng Lyu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Molecular Subtypes ◽

Molecular Subtype ◽

Reference Value ◽

Human Breast ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Healthy Donors ◽

Diagnosis And Classification

There is a lack of comprehensive understanding of breast cancer (BC) specific sEVs characteristics and composition on BC unique proteomic information from human samples. Here, we interrogated the proteomic landscape of sEVs in 167 serum samples from patients with BC, benign mammary disease (BD) and from healthy donors (HD). The analysis provides a comprehensive landscape of serum sEVs with totally 9,589 proteins identified, considerably expanding the panel of sEVs markers. Of note, serum BC-sEVs protein signatures were distinct from those of BD and HD, representing stage- and molecular subtype-specific patterns. We constructed specific sEVs protein identifiers that could serve as a liquid biopsy tool for diagnosis and classification of BC from benign mammary disease, molecular subtypes, as well as assessment of lymph node metastasis. We also identified 11 potential survival biomarkers for distant metastasis. This work may provide reference value for the accurate diagnosis and monitoring of BC progression using serum sEVs.

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