Usmanu Danfodiyo University Research Articles

Comparative Study of Alvarado Score and its Modifications in the Preoperative Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis at a Tertiary Center in Sokoto, Nigeria.

Background:Decision-making in patients suspected of having acute appendicitis has remained a diagnostic challenge worldwide despite the advances in imaging and appendiceal surgery. There have been efforts to improve the diagnosis of appendicitis using clinical scoring systems.Aim:We evaluated and compared the diagnostic accuracy and role of Alvarado score (AS) and two of its modification (Kalan and Al-Fallouji) in the preoperative diagnosis of acute appendicitis.Materials and Methods:This was a prospective study conducted at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, of all adult patients operated for acute appendicitis from July 2014 to June 2017. The results were analyzed on computer using Statistical Package for the Social Science version 15.Results:One hundred and eleven patients were studied. Sixty-six (59.5%) patients were males and 45 (40.5%) were females. The male-to-female ratio was 1.5:1. The mean age was 23.89 ± 4.93 years. The AS sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy of 90.3%, 83.3%, 96.6%, 62.2%, and 89.2%, respectively, were similar to the findings of Kalan score (90.3%, 83.3%, 96.6%, 62.5%, and 89.2%, respectively) and Al-Fallouji score (96.8%, 66.7%, 93.8%, 80%, and 91.9%, respectively). The receiver operating curve and area under the curve show that Alvarado, Kalan, and Al-Fallouji are accurate scores in the preoperative diagnosis of acute appendicitis with an area under the curve of 0.88, 0.86, and 0.85, respectively.Conclusion:Kalan and Al-Fallouji scores have comparably good diagnostic accuracy as the AS among our patients. Any of these scores can be used as an adjunct in the preoperative diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

Pattern and outcome of management of Fournier's gangrene in a resource-constraint setting.

Introduction:Fournier's gangrene (FG) is a necrotizing fasciitis of the external genitalia and perineum but may involve upper thigh and anterior abdominal wall.Patients and Methods:This is a retrospective study of 47 patients managed for FG at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital from January 2001 to June 2017. Data were entered into a semi-structured pro forma and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0.Results:The mean age of the patients was 42.7 ± 19.4 years, with age range of 7 weeks to 72 years. All the patients were male. The patients had underlying urologic conditions in 27.6%, 15.0% were postoperative, 4.2% had anorectal diseases, 10.6% had medical conditions, and 42.6% were idiopathic. After resuscitation, all the patients had serial debridement, Hypertonic saline bath, broad spectrum antibiotics and wound dressing. The wound healed by secondary intention in 34.0% and 32.3% of the patients had wound closure ± skin graft. The treatment was successful in 68.0% of the patients, 15.0% left against medical advice, and 17.0% died of severe sepsis.Conclusion:FG mainly affects men with existing urologic conditions in our environment. Aggressive debridement, hypertonic saline sitz bath, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and appropriate wound care are associated with good outcome.

Prevalence of Para-Aortic Lymphadenopathy in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer using Computed Tomography: A Retrospective Study

Introduction: Determination of status of Para-Aortic Lymph Node (PALN) in patients with cervical cancer is one of the most important factors guiding the treatment. It is essential in determining individualised therapy and prognosis. Aim: To assess the prevalence of para-aortic lymphadenopathy among patients with advanced cervical carcinoma referred for radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of patients referred to Radiotherapy and Oncology Department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria was carried out. Patient demographics, history of co-morbid conditions, histology, stage at diagnosis, and Computed Tomographic (CT) scan findings of enlarged PALN greater or equal to 10 mm in short axis diameter were retrieved. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS statistics version 23. Results: A total of 220 patients, age range 27-84 years with mean age 49.95±11.96 years were studied. The histological diagnosis were squamous cell carcinoma in 182 (87.2%), adenocarcinoma in 22 (10%), clear cell carcinoma in 9 (4.1%) while 7 (3.2%) patients had other histological variants. Co-morbities found were chronic cervicitis and HIV in 27 (12.3%) and 19 (8.6%) of the patients, respectively. CT prevalence of PALN was 23 (10.5%). The prevalence of PALN according to International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage were 4.3%, 17.4%, 34.8%, 30.4% and 13.0% in stages IIB, IIIA, IIIB, IVA and IVB, respectively. Clinical stage determined based on physical examination and imaging findings, was shown to be related to PALN by univariate analysis (χ2=29.162, p=0.0001). Conclusion: This study found a 10.5% prevalence of para-aortic lymphadenopathy and a significant relationship between clinical stage and PALN. This should be taken into consideration during treatment planning for patients with advanced cervical carcinoma.

Estimation of Population Based Colorectal Cancer Survival Analysis Using Cox Proportional Hazards Model

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a tumour of the colon and rectum. Most cases of CRC are sporadic; meaning there are no known hereditary (genetic) components, and it develops slowly over several years through adenomatous polyps. Changes in bowel habits, blood in the stool, and anaemia are cardinal symptoms and sings of CRC. In later stages, fatigue, anorexia, weight loss, pain, jaundice, and other signs and symptoms of locally advanced and metastatic disease occur. The aim of this study is to estimate the population based colorectal cancer survival analysis using cox Proportional Hazards model, in order to fits colorectal cancer data in population-based research. This research was a five-year retrospective study on data from a record of colorectal cancer patients that received treatments from 2013 to 2017 in Radiotherapy Department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, being it one of the cancer registries in Nigeria. 9 covariates were selected to fit colorectal cancer data using Cox Regression Models. The 5-year median survival was found to be 121 days. From the results, it was concluded that the predictor variables could significantly predict the survival of colorectal cancer patients using Cox proportional model. Also the results show that the data met Cox Proportional Hazards Assumptions.

The challenge of late presentation by dental patients in our climes: Reasons behind the enigma

Background: Late presentation among patients is a global phenomenon. It exerts deleterious effects on health-care indices. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess reasons for late presentation by patients and interventions implemented. Materials and Methods: This study was done at the dental outpatient clinic of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital following ethical approval. A survey of patients aged 18 years and above who presented with more than 1-month history of symptoms was done using an adaptation of a validated questionnaire. Data analysis was done using the IBM SPSS Statistics version 20 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Categorical data were compared among groups using Chi-square test and the level of statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: One hundred and seven participants were included in the analysis. A male-to-female ratio of 1.4:1 and a mean age of 30.9 ± 11.4 years were observed. Most participants were of low socioeconomic status. A comparison of the socioeconomic status of the participants between genders revealed no statistically significant difference (P = 0.289). Forty-five (42.1%) participants had never visited a dental clinic before. Notably, the pain was the most common symptom encountered in 63 (58.9%) participants. Majority of the respondents had experienced symptoms for 1–3 months 30 (28%). The most frequent reason for the late presentation was that respondents had “tried other medications” (23 [21.5%]). Fear alone or in combination with other factors was the reason in 18 (16.8%) patients, majority of whom were females (11 [61.1%]). Where fear was the underlying reason, the fear of contracting disease had a significant presence (8 [44.4%]). Conclusion: The reasons underlying the late presentation in our climes are varied. Self-medication featured prominently and should therefore be discouraged. Moreover, awareness of dental treatment among the populace should be improved.

Toxicity Profile of Chemotherapeutic Agents among Cancer Patients Receiving Care in a Nigerian Tertiary Health Care Facility.

Background: Chemotherapeutic agents are among the mainstay of managing cancer patients. However, they are associated with various degrees of toxicity. Objectives: To evaluate the toxicity profile of chemotherapeutic agents among cancer patients receiving care in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria. Method: Retrospective cross-sectional design and systematic random sampling were used in selecting the records of patients that met the eligibility criteria for the study. Five-year records (2014–2018) of Full Blood Count (FBC), Serum Electrolyte Urea and Creatinine (SrEUCr) and Liver Function Test (LFT) were evaluated for changes from baseline to the end of chemotherapy. The data were compared with standards and analysed using descriptive, t-test and correlation analyses at p&lt;0.05. Results: The mean age of the 260 patients evaluated was 47.1±16.3 years. T-test analysis showed that the percentage changes in the patients’ parameters under FBC and SrEUCr tests were normal while the ones under LFT were abnormal. Patients on platinum-based combinations especially Cisplatin+Fluorouracil+Paclitaxel (87.5±87.4%) and Carboplatin+Paclitaxel (68.4±114.5%) had the highest percentage increase in their overall LFT results while those on Doxorubicin+Cyclophosphamide+Vincristine (4.8±18.7%) and Doxorubicin+ Cyclophosphamide+ Paclitaxel (12.3±27.9%) had the least. The number of chemotherapy cycles was weakly correlated with Hepatotoxicity (r=0.165, p=0.046). Conclusion: The patients had essentially normal FBC and SrEUCr results, however, LFT was abnormal due to the elevation of liver enzymes. Platinum-based combinations especially Cisplatin + Fluorouracil + Paclitaxel and Carboplatin + Paclitaxel had the highest elevation in liver enzymes while Doxorubicin+Cyclophosphamide+Vincristine and Doxorubicin+Cyclophosphamide+Paclitaxel had the least. These findings should be considered by clinicians in managing cancer patients to minimise their medication-related toxicities.

Management of Impacted Urethral Calculi: An Uncommon Cause of Acute Urine Retention in North-western Nigeria

Urethral stones though rare manifestation of urolithiasis may be primary but mostly are secondary arising from either the urinary bladder or the upper tract. When impacted in the urethra may result in acute urinary retention and difficulty in urethral catheterization. Various treatment modalities are available ranging from initial suprapubic cystostomy and subsequent open surgical or endoscopic procedures as well as treatment of associated urethral pathology. We report our experience in the management of patients with acute urine retention due to impacted urethral calculi in a tertiary hospital. This was a retrospective review of forty patients with impacted urethral stones managed at the Urology Unit, Department of Surgery Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto from January 2005 to December 2015. Data were collected from patients’ case notes and entered in to a proforma and analysed using SPSS 20.0 version for Windows. Forty patients comprising of one female (2.5%) and 39 males (97.5%), mean age was 25±17.4 years with a range of 1-63yrs. In twenty patients (50%), attempt at urethral catheterization was not successful. Location of the impacted calculi were meatal 7 (17.5%), distal penile 4 (10%), mid penile 8 (20%), proximal penile 1 (2.5%), bulbar 4 (10%), peno-bulbar junction 3 (7.5%), posterior urethra 11 (27.5%), and bladder neck 2 (5%). Spontaneous extrusion of the calculi occurred in 4 (10%), while expulsion occurred in 2 (5%) after intra-urethral instillation of 2% lidocaine jelly. Other treatment modalities in the remaining patients included; meatotomy 11 (27.5%), open urethrolithotomy 6 (15%), urethroscopy and pneumatic lithotripsy 6 (15%), urethroscopy and stone retrieval 1 (2.5%), urethrolithotomy and urethroplasty 2 (5%), and cystolithotomy 8 (20%). Impacted urethral stone may be a cause of acute urinary retention and failed urethral catheterisation. The stone can pass spontaneously with or without manipulation or can be removed by endoscopic or open technique when spontaneous passage is not successful.

Predicting Patient's Outcomes Following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Using Demographics And Clinical Variables At Hospital Presentation In Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto, Nigeria

Predicting Patient's Outcomes Following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Using Demographics And Clinical Variables At Hospital Presentation In Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto, Nigeria

Spectrum of Histopathological Diagnosis of Schistosomiasis as a Systemic Parasitic Infection in the North-West Nigeria

Introduction: Schistosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases transmitted by freshwater snail in the slow-moving water of tropical rivers and ranks second among the most widespread parasitic disease in various nations in sub-Saharan Africa. Methodology: This is a 10-year retrospective study of all cases of schistosomiasis seen in the Department of Anatomic Pathology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Sokoto between January 2008 and December 2017. All the cases of schistosomiasis diagnosed was retrieved from the surgical pathology register. The patients’ biodata and symptoms was retrieved from patients’ folder. The specimens were processed with 10% Neutral buffered formalin, stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin and reported by the pathologist at the study centre. The 2016 WHO classification of the urinary system and male genital organs were used to classify the tumours. Results: A hundred and fifty-nine patients were analysed with schistosomiasis of varying systems range from gastrointestinal, prostate, genitourinary and 38 cases of malignancies of the urinary bladder with associated schistosomiasis and prostate. In the gastrointestinal system, the appendiceal schistosomiasis accounted for 21(80.8%), rectum 3 (11.5%) and sigmoid colon 2 cases (7.7%). Benign prostatic hyperplasia with schistosomiasis accounted for 1 case (25.0%) while 3 cases (75.0%) of prostatic adenocarcinoma with schistosomiasis showed age range of 45 to 78 years. There are one hundred and eleven (111) cases of urinary bladder schistosomiasis which accounted for 86.0%, male to female ratio of 10:1 and age range from 9.0 to 78.0 years. There are 27 cases of invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder associated with schistosomiasis accounted for 65.8% while adenocarcinoma showed 4 cases (9.7%). Moderately differentiated SCC accounted for the largest degree of tumour differentiation associated with schistosomiasis accounted for 69.6%. Terminal haematuria is the most common symptom of urinary bladder schistosomiasis accounted for 102 cases (64.2%), followed by suprapubic abdominal pain 52 (32.5%), weight loss 30 (18.9%) for patients with malignancy Conclusion: Schistosomiasis is a public health disease in endemic regions in African countries with proper documentation on the its pathogenesis, risk factors and effective treatment and complications if left untreated. Thus, mobilization of appropriate resources to help the vulnerable in order to reduce morbidity and mortalities is very crucial.

Prevalence and outcome of increased nuchal translucency in usmanu danfodiyo university teaching hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria: A cohort study.

An important component of the first-trimester scan is nuchal translucency thickness at 11 weeks to 13 weeks 6 days of gestation. A nuchal translucency ≥3.3 mm is a significant early pregnancy scan finding associated with Trisomies 13, 18, and 21 and congenital heart diseases. To determine the prevalence and outcome of increased fetal nuchal translucency among pregnant women. A prospective cohort study at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto. This was a prospective study of 265 consecutively recruited women in the first trimester of pregnancy who presented to antenatal clinics over a 20-week period. An NT scan was conducted at 11 weeks to 13 weeks 6 days followed by an anomaly scan at 18-22 weeks. Patients were followed up to delivery and 6-week post-partum. The neonates were examined at delivery and at 6-week postnatal life. Data entry and analysis was done with IBM SPSS version 20. The level of significance was set at less than 0.05. Frequency distribution; student t-test and Chi-squared test. The 95th percentile NT was 3.3 mm and the prevalence of increased NT above 3.3 mm was 3%. The mean maternal age of the participants was 28.1 ± 5.1 years and the modal parity was Para 0. The most common anomalies associated with increased NT were ventricular septal defect and spina bifida. A congenital anomaly was significantly associated with increased NT (P < 0.001). The prevalence of increased fetal nuchal translucency is relatively high in our environment and is associated with congenital fetal defects. Routine screening with first-trimester ultrasound will help detect congenital anomalies early.

Comparative Analysis of the Cox Semi-parametric and Weibull Parametric Models on Colorectal Cancer Data

The survival and hazard functions are key concepts in survival analysis for describing the distribution of event times. The survival function gives, for every time, the probability of surviving (or not experiencing the event). The hazard function gives the potential that the event will occur, per time unit, given that an individual has survived up to the specified time. While these are often of direct interest, many other quantities of interest (e.g., median survival) may subsequently be estimated from knowing either the hazard or survival function. This research was a five-year retrospective study on data from a record of colorectal cancer patients that received treatments from 2013 to 2017 in Radiotherapy Department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, being it one of the cancer registries in Nigeria. 9 covariates were selected to fit colorectal cancer data using Cox and Weibull Regression Models. From the result it is concluded that the predictor variables could significantly predict the survival of colorectal cancer patients using Cox. Also the result of the Weibull Proportional Hazard Model shows that the model is adequate enough to predict the survival of the colorectal patients. The A. I. C result shows that, according to our colorectal cancer data, the semi-parametric Cox regression model performed better than the parametric Weibull proportional hazards model. However, in the present study, the Cox model provided an efficient and a better fit to the study data than Weibull model.

Growth Response of Selected Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Varieties to Integrated Weed Management in Sudan Savanna of Nigeria

Rice is a weak competitor against weeds and the majority of African farmers have few options and resources available for effective weed control. Weed control is one of the most important and suggestive practices for potential rice production. Field trials were carried out during 2017/2018 dry season at the Teaching and Research Fadama farm of the Kebbi State University of Science and Technology located at Jega (Latitude 12º21ˈN; Longitude 4º36ˈE) and that of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto located at Kwalkwalawa (Latitude 13º01ˈN, Longitude 5º09ˈE) to study the effects of integrated weed management (IWM) and variety on weed occurrence and the growth of rice. Both locations lie within Sudan Savanna ecological zone of Nigeria. The treatments consisted of six (6) weed management options (Solarization/Orizo-plus (3 WAT)/Hoe-weeding (6 WAT), Round-up/Orizo-plus (3 WAT)/Hoe-weeding (6WAT), Solarization/Hoe-weeding (3 WAT)/Hoe-weeding (6 WAT), Round-up/Hoe-weeding (3 WAT)/Hoe-weeding (6 WAT), Weedy-check and Weed-free) and three (3) rice varieties (Jamila, Faro 44 and Faro 57). The factorial combinations of the treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with the split-plot arrangement and were replicated three times. Weed management options formed the main plots while rice varieties were assigned to the sub-plots. The result of the study indicated that combination of solarization, orizo-plus and hoe-weeding achieved an effective weed control (33.56 g weed dry matter per m2) close to the weekly hoe-weeding (16.13 g weed dry matter per m2). Faro 57 variety was noted with the potential to increase rice growth under good weed management practices. From the results, it could be concluded that for increased rice growth, Faro 57 under the combination of solarization, orizo-plus and hoe-weeding IWM option should be adopted.

Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization and Spacing on Chemical Composition of Rhodes Grass (Chloris gayana Tan) in the Dry Sub Humid Zone of Sokoto, Nigeria

A field experiment was conducted during the 2016 and 2017 rainy seasons at Centre for Agriculture and Pastoral Research (CAPAR) of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria to study the effect of nitrogen fertilizer and inter-row spacing on chemical compositions of Rhodes grass. A factorial combination of five fertilizer levels (0, 100, 120, 140 and 160 kgNha-1) and three inter row spacing (30, 50 and 70 cm) were used, making (15) treatments combinations, which were laid out in a RCBD replicated four times. The data obtained was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA), using CRD with two repetitions, Least Significant difference (LSD was used for the separation of means. The sample for each treatment was analyzed for chemical composition using A.O.A.C procedure (CP) was determined by Kjeldahl method, Ash was determined by burning the herbage sample in a furnace at 550-650°C for 3 hours. Ether extract (EE) was estimated by using Sohlex extraction method, crude fibre (CF) was determined by sequential acid and alkali extractions from the residue obtained after fat extraction. Nitrogen free extract (NFE) was calculated as residual component of the feed dry matter; the result revealed that, application of 160 kgNha-1 consistently recorded higher values (P&lt;005) for CP, NFE and EE and lower values for the CF and Ash contents of the samples. 70cm Spacing showed superiority among the treatments in the chemical compositions investigated compared to 50 and 30 cm spacings. It may be concluded that application of 160 kgNha-1 and 70 cm spacing gave better (P&lt;0.05) nutrient quality of Rhodes grass in the study area.

Appraisal of Attitudes and Utilizations of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Among Students in Nigerian Universities

The study examined the attitude and utilization of information and communication technology among university students. The study adopted descriptive – survey as its design, and a population of one thousand three hundred and seventy seven (1377) students were used for the study out of which three hundred and two (302) were purposively sampled from the Department of Science and Vocational Education of the Faculty of Education and Extension Services, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. Two research instruments were used Students’ attitude towards Information and Communication Technology (SAICT) and Information and Communication Technology utilization (ICTU). The instruments were pilot tested using Cronbach alpha and reliability index of 0.93 and 0.77 were obtained. The research found that students have positive attitude towards ICT, it was also found that students utilize ICT for academic purpose, and that students attitude is related to utilization. The study recommends that Science education students should be encouraged by the university to sustain their positive attitude towards ICT by ensuring that the students have easy access to the facilities at every point in time.

Pre-tertiary hospital management of neoplastic neck lumps in adults: the need for an appraisal in North Western Nigeria

Background: Pathologies in the head and neck sites may manifest as neck lumps, which is an important prognostic significance in the management. The aim of the study was to describe the pre-tertiary hospital management of adult patients with neoplastic neck lumps.Methods: This was a retrospective study of all the patients managed for neoplastic neck lumps from September 2008 to September 2018, at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria.Results: A total of 118 patients were included in the study. The age ranged from 16-83 years (mean age; 42.3±16.7 years). Majority of the patients 71 (60.2%) were of lower socioeconomic status. Duration of neck swellings was between 3-240 months with an overall mean duration of 30.2 months (mean duration for benign and malignant neck masses respectively; 100±56 and 20.1±47.1 months). Malignant neck lumps 103 (87.3%) constituted most of the neck lumps, and of these, 91 (77.1%) were metastatic neck lumps. Patients delay 94 (79.7%), and professionals delay 24 (20.3%) were responsible for advanced primary head and neck neoplasia and their metastatic deposits. Eighty-seven (73.7%) patients were managed at the tertiary hospital: fifty-two (59.8%) were successfully discharged and were lost to follow up within six months after the intervention. Thirty-five (40.2%) patients died during treatment and 31 (26.3%) signed against medical advice.Conclusions: Malignant lumps, mainly the metastatic neck disease, are common in adults. The notable contributory factors for delay presentation can be preventable through creating public awareness and the improvement of socioeconomic status.

Menstrual cycle-associated effects on some acute phase reactants parameters of Students in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, North Western Nigeria.

The menstrual cycle is the cycle of natural variations that occurs in the uterus and ovary as an essential part of making sexual reproduction possible. It is characterized by hormonal changes but the changes that occur in some active phase reactants (APR) parameters have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to compare the serum albumin, ESR, and C-reactive protein levels in follicular and luteal phases of menstruation. A total of 90 healthy regularly menstruating women where used for this study. Forty-five of the study participants were in their follicular phase while the other 45 where in their luteal phase. Four milliliters of blood were withdrawn from each patient under aseptic condition and two milliliters was dispensed into EDTA container while the other two milliliters were dispensed into a plane container. The EDTA anticoagulated blood was used for ESR and full blood count while the serum from the plain tubes was used for analysis of C-reactive protein and Serum Albumin. Sysmex K-3 auto-analyser (Sysmex, Kobe Japan) was used for te determination of full blood count, the Westergren method was used for ESR estimation, Bromo Cresyl Green method was used for serum albumin and ELISA method was used for CRP determination. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 23. This study showed a statistically significant difference in the ESR (p= 0.03) among menstruating women in the follicular and luteal phases of menstruation. Sociodemographic factors had no statistically significant effect on the APR parameters of menstruating women in the follicular and luteal phases of menstruation (p> 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between acute phase proteins of menstruating women in the follicular phase and luteal phases (p> 0.05). Also, age and marital status did not affect the acute phase proteins among menstruating women in the follicular phase and luteal phases (p> 0.05). There is need to generate data on menstrual disorders and their impact on women's health status, quality of life and social integration. It is vital that evaluation and treatment of menstrual complaints should be given a higher priority in primary care programs. There is need to invest in public enlightenment program to increase awareness in secondary schools to increase the level of awareness among adolescents as well as young females.

Effect of Different Doses of Ovulin Hormone Suspended in Saline on the Induced Breeding Performance of African Catfishes Clarias anguillaris and Clarias gariepinus in Sokoto, Nigeria

A study on the effect of different doses of Ovulin hormone suspended in saline on the breeding performance of Clarias anguillaris and Clarias gariepinus was carried out. The experiment was conducted in a 2x5 factorial experiment in a Completely Randomized Design at the Hatchery Unit of the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. Species and hormone dilutions constituted the factors with specie having 2 levels (C. anguillaris and C. gariepinus) and Ovulin suspended in saline at 5 levels (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%). The result showed that species levels did not significantly (P&gt;0.05) affect the breeding performance in all the breeding performance parameters observed. However, fertilization rate, hatching rate and survival rate were significantly affected (P&lt;0.05) by different levels of Ovulin suspended in saline, but did not have significant influence (P&gt;0.05) on egg weight, spawning fecundity and relative fecundity. It could be concluded from this study that Ovulin suspended in saline can have significant influence on the breeding performance of African catfish.

Quality of hospital admission documentation: A study in an emergency paediatric unit of a tertiary hospital in Nigeria

Medical documentation, in addition to being a legal and research tool, is vital in providing quality patient care. In Nigeria, hand written documentation without proforma, is the norm. We assessed the quality of doctors’ documentation of children admitted into Emergency Paediatrics Unit (EPU), Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH). A 3-month cross-sectional study of admission records by different cadre of doctors for children admitted into the EPU between March and May 2016. A checklist was used to assess the quality of documentation. Data was analysed with SPSS version 22. Of the 191 patients’ clerking studied, 63 (33%) indicated the doctors’ cadre. The patients’ name written on the first page in 168 (88%), but only 31 (16.2%) indicated name on subsequent pages. Date and time of consultation were written in 183 (95.8%) and 61 (31.9%) respectively. Writing was legible in (174) 91.1%, with counter-signing of cancellations in 19 (9.9%). Examination findings documented included blood pressure in 18 (9.4%), pulse rate in 179 (93.7%), respiratory rate in 179 (93.7%) and temperature in 184 (96.3%). This study demonstrates the need for improvement in quality of paediatrics emergency documentation. Continuing medical education (CME) on this is essential. Key words: Quality, admission, documentation, emergency, paediatrics, Sokoto.

One Snake or Two? Exploring Medical Symbols Among Medical Students

Abstract Background: Symbols play a very crucial role in the culture of a society, and the medical society is not an exception to this. In the world of Orthodox medicine, the Rod of Asclepius is regarded as the true symbol of medicine. However, there exists to be an issue of interchange of the correct medical symbol (i.e. Rod of Asclepius) with another similar symbol (i.e. the Caduceus). This study aims to explore medical students’ knowledge and opinion on the appropriate symbol of medicine. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey of 84 medical students at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University (UDU), North-West Nigeria. Study tool was a paper questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using the Epi info 7 Software. Results: The mean (±SD) age of the participants was 23.7 (±3.4) years, 72.6% were males, and 73.8% were in their 4th year. Only 59.5% had interest in non-medical literature. Also, only 6.0% had doctors as their parents. The majority (88.1%) of the participants erroneously identified the Caduceus symbol as the most appropriate symbol of medicine. Furthermore, only 45.2% indicated that the Rod of Asclepius and the Caduceus symbols originated from ancient Greece. Virtually all (97.6%) the participants opined that the Caduceus symbol is the most popular symbol of Medicine. Finally, the majority (73.8%) of the participants recommended that a course on the History of Medicine should be added to the medical curriculum of their school. Conclusion: This study found that the majority of the surveyed medical students did not know much about the historically correct medical symbol. This shows the need for awareness creation on the true symbol of medicine among medical students, and even the public-at-large.

Assessment of the Quality of Postero-anterior Chest Radiographs Seen in a North-west Nigerian Tertiary Hospital

Objectives: To determine the quality of chest radiographs of adult patients x-rayed at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) in accordance with Committee of European Commission (CEC) guidelines on quality criteria and to determine the most common factor that affects the radiographs.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: The data was collected retrospectively from the hospital archives using a data capture sheet.&#x0D; Results: A total of 266 radiographs were assessed and the age of patients whose radiographs participated in the study ranged from 20-80years. Also, a greater number of male patients 147(55.3%) participated in the study than female patients 119(44.7%). Results from the study revealed that 194(72.93%) and 225(84.59%) radiographs had correct placement of patient details and anatomical marker respectively. Adequate inspiration was achieved in 223(83.83%) radiographs with presence of artifacts seen in only 17(6.39%) radiographs. Thrown-off scapulae out of lung fields was seen in 174(65.41%) radiographs while adequate penetration was demonstrated in 209(78.57%) radiographs. Fog was seen in 16(6.02%) radiographs and rotation was recorded in 86(32.33%) radiographs. Additionally, blurring and darkroom processing faults affected 9(3.38%) and 42(15.79%) radiographs respectively. The most common cause of poor quality chest radiographs was found to be inadequate collimation affecting 110(41.35%) radiographs.&#x0D; Conclusion: In terms of overall quality, only about 41(15.41%) radiographs met all criteria for a standard chest radiograph according to committee of European commission.