Abstract Plasma HIV-1 RNA concentration, or viral load, is an indication of the magnitude of virus replication and largely correlates with disease progression in an infected person. It is a very useful guide for initiation of therapy and monitoring of response to antiretroviral drugs. Although the majority of patients who are not on antiretroviral therapy (ART) have a high viral load, a small proportion of ART naive patients are known to maintain low levels or even undetectable viral load lev...
Abstract Bilayer tablets of aceclofenac sodium were developed using carboxymethylated whit yam (Dioscorea rotundata) starch (CWY) for a fast release layer (2.5, 5.0, and 7.5% w/w), and acid-hydrolyzed bitter yam (Dioscorea dumetorum) starch (ABY) for a sustaining layer (27% w/w). Sodium starch glycolate (SSG) and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose HPMC)were used as standards.The starches were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), particle size, swelling power, densi...
Hypertension is a multifactorial disorder because of the interaction of risk genes and environmental factors. Angiotensin II is a well-known vasoconstrictor that exerts most of its influence through the angiotensin Il type 1 receptor. The A1166C polymorphism is a single base substitution of adenine for cytosine at position 1i66 in the 3 untranslated region of the gene. There are conflicting reports on the association of the Al166C polymorphism with cardiovascular diseases such as prevalent hy...
ABSTRACT This study sort to examine the effects of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) on pain intensity (PI), occurrence and control of negative thoughts in response to pain (OCNT) and quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer patients who were experiencing physical pain. A pretest post-test control group quasi- experjmental research design was utilised. Ninety patients with breast cancer who were; experiencing physical pain were randomly assigned to three groups. Experimental group I received ...
ABSTRACT Background: Studies have shown Hepatitis E Virus to be a causative agent of acute and chronic hepatitis in severely immunocompromised patients such as organ transplant recipients and person with HIV infection. This study was de- signed to determine the burden of HEV infection among HIV positive individuals in Nigeria and the effect of HIV treatment on the burden of HEV infection among this group of patients. Methods: Aliquot of plasma samples collected for laboratory investigations...
ABSTRACT Background: Cancer is often associated with a lot of pain and suffering. These suggest that coping with the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of cancer is a major life stressor that is capable of influencing patients’ quality of life (QoL). Purpose: The purpose of the study is to assess the relationship between cancer patients QoL dimensions and coping strategies in the Radiotherapy Department of the University College Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods: Data were collected on cl...
Introduction Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca, tear instability) is a disorder of the tear film due to tear deficiency or excessive evaporation and is associated with symptoms of discomfort and ocular irritation such as feeling hot, dry, gritty or sandy, burning, smarting sensation, itching, watering or tearing.1,2 Dry eye is one of the commonest afflictions affecting humans, especially the aged. It has been observed that over half of the adult population and a large number of teenagers pr...
Abstract Contraceptive use in Nigeria at 15 percent is low, despite a high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence of 3.4 percent and fertility rate of 5.7 percent. We assessed the levels of spousal communication on family planning and contraception (FPC) and HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), the influence of demographic characteristics on this communication and association between this communication and the respondents’ health behaviors. We used a cross-sectional a...
SUMMARY Objective: We recently described early rigid retrograde endoscopic realignment of the disrupted urethra under caudal anaesthesia in the outpatient setting. This retrospective study was performed to evaluate our medium-term results. Patients and methods: A retrospective review of patients who had early rigid retrograde endoscopic realignment of traumatic urethral disruptions in our institution over a 5-year period was done and the relevant data extracted and analyzed. Results: Fourteen...
Abstract Objective To deterrnine the extent to which ihe cornrnunity-directed approach used in onchocerciasis control inAfrica could effectively and efficiently provide integrated delivery of other health interventions. Methods Athree-year experirnental study was undertaken in 35 health districts frorn 2005 to 2007 inseven research sites inCarneroon, Nigeria and Uganda. Four trial districts and one cornparison district were randornly selected in each site. All districts had established iverrn...
Abstract Introduction: Nigeria’s University College Hospital’s PMTCT centre provides voluntary counselling and testing as part of routine care which was assessed in this paper. Methods: Structured face-to-face interview was carried out at exit on participants from the counselling session. Data analysis was by frequency distribution. Results: All clients were assured of confidentiality, had their HIV/ AIDS knowledge assessed and consent taken before the test, 95.45% of participants had the...
Introduction In the last few decades psychiatric discourse has undergone an important change in its' scope and focus. During the heady days of psychoanalytic hegemony, psychiatrists were willing to prognosticate or pontificate on just about anything, from individual neurosis through to social maladies, from medicine to literature, from the unconscious to the conscious. Nowadays, psychiatry self-consciously emphasizes its origins as 0 medical discipline, focuses its diognostic efforts on opero...
Abstract Objectives: Our goals were to train health professionals in Nigeria using the text, "Planning and Implementing Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control Programs: A Manual for Managers", and then evaluate the knowledge dissemination process using a pre- and post-test assessment. The manual was developed by the ACCP, WHO, TARC, PATT-T,Engender Health, TI-TPTEGO, and PAT-TO with funding from the Gates Foundation. It is an inclusive guide to implementation and maintenance of screen-and-tre...
ABSTRACT The HIV epidemic in children parallels that among women on account of perinatal transmission. A combination of antiretroviral therapy and elective caesarean section reduces the rate of vertical transmission to
Abstract Malaria and HIV co-infected mothers have an increased risk of poor birth outcome, spontaneous abortion, malaria infection and early progression of HIV to AIDS. This study examines the impact of HIV and malaria on the levels of cytokines in peripheral blood from mothers and their newborns. 149 pregnant mothers and 30 babies born to 63 HIV-infected mothers were engaged in a longitudinal study for 18 months in the endemic area of Saki and Ibadan. Blood samples collected from mothers an...