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Biomedical subjects

J A Owa

Publications and source records attributed to J A Owa.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Comparative study of nutritional status of urban and rural Nigerian school children.

Nutritional assessment in the community is essential for accurate planning and implementation of intervention programmes to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with under-nutrition. The study was, therefore, carried out to determine and compare the nutritional status of children attending urban and rural public primary schools in Ife Central Local Government Area (ICLGA) of Nigeria. The schools were stratified into urban and rural, and studied schools were selected by balloting. Information obtained on each pupil was entered into a pre-designed proforma. The weight and height were recorded for each pupil, and converted to nutritional indices (weight for age, weight for height, height for age). A total of 749 pupils (366 and 383 children from the rural and urban communities, respectively) were studied. The overall prevalent rates of underweight, wasting and stunting were 61.2, 16.8 and 27.6%, respectively. In the rural area these were 70.5, 17.8 and 35.8%, while in the urban they were 52.2, 15.9 and 19.8%, respectively. The mean nutritional indices (Weight for Age, Weight for Height and Height for Age) were found to be significantly lower among the rural pupils than urban pupils (P < 0.001 in each case). The present study shows that malnutrition (underweight, wasting and stunting) constituted major health problems among school children in Nigeria. This is particularly so in the rural areas. Therefore, prevention of malnutrition should be given a high priority in the implementation of the ongoing primary health care programmes with particular attention paid to the rural population.

Body Height↗
PubMed2005

Prevalence of congenital malaria in Ile-ife, Nigeria.

The study was designed to determine the prevalence of congenital malaria, cord blood and placental malaria parasitaemia and the prevalence of clinical manifestations of congenital malaria. Ile-Ife is a holoendemic area for malaria. Placental, cord and peripheral blood smears of 120 newborn babies were examined for malaria parasites. They consisted of 104 (86.7 per cent) full term babies and 16 (13.3 per cent) preterm babies. Positive parasitaemia was found in 56 (46.7 per cent) of peripheral blood smears, 68 (56.7 per cent) and 65 (54.2 per cent) of the placental and cord blood smears respectively. There were strong associations between placental malaria and cord malaria parasitaemia and congenital malaria (p < 0.001). Congenital malaria has a high prevalence in Ile-Ife. There is a paucity of its clinical manifestations in the newborn. Only two babies had fever within 48 hours of birth.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Septicaemia in high risk neonates at a teaching hospital in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence, predisposing factors, clinical features, bacteriological pattern and antibiotic sensitivity in septicaemia in high-risk newborns. DESIGN: A prospective study. SETTING: Neonatal unit, Ife State Hospital, a unit of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, Nigeria. SUBJECTS: All newborns admitted with clinical features and/or risk factors suggestive of neonatal septicaemia from February 1994 to March 1995. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Culture results and mortality rates. RESULTS: The incidence of neonatal septicaemia among new born was 22.9 per 1000 livebirths. The predisposing perinatal factors were low socio-economic status, lack of antenatal care, maternal peripartum pyrexia and congenital malformations. Gram-positive bacteria were found to be the most prevalent causative organisms (59.4%). Staphylococcus aureus (36.2%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18.8%) and Coagulase negative Staphylococcus (15.9%) were the commonest causes of septicaemia. Meningitis and UTI were associated diagnoses in 16.7% and 18.2% of the septicaemic babies, respectively. The bacterial isolates showed a high degree of in-vitro antimicrobial resistance. However, all the isolates were sensitive to ofloxacin. Amongst the commonly used antibiotics, gentamicin had the lowest resistance. The overall mortality rate was 33.3%. CONCLUSION: Improvement in the socio-economic status of the populace and availability of affordable antenatal care would reduce the incidence of neonatal septicaemia in Nigeria. Continuous surveillance in every unit, as well as close attention to preventive strategies would be necessary to reduce morbidity and mortality from neonatal septicaemia. We recommend the inclusion of gentamicin in the initial treatment of septicaemia in the neonatal unit of OAUTHC, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Drug Resistance, Microbial↗
PubMed1997

Total and percentage body water in healthy Nigerian children aged 5-15 years.

Bioelectrical impedance was used to measure total body water in Nigerian children in a clinical setting. Total body water and percentage body water were determined in 454 boys and 450 girls, all healthy Nigerian children aged between 5 and 15 years. The age range and total body water were similar in both sexes but percentage body water was significantly higher in boys than in girls (p = 0.000001). Total body water increased with age in both boys and girls. Percentage body water increased with age but not significantly so in boys (p > 0.076) and decreased significantly with age in the girls (p = 0.008), an indication of differences between the sexes in how the proportion of body fat mass changed with age. These data are very similar to those reported in the literature. The bioelectrical impedance method for body water determination is non-invasive, cheap, portable and well accepted by children. Its more general clinical application in paediatric practice is recommended.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Fat mass, fat mass percentage, body mass index, and mid-upper arm circumference in a healthy population of Nigerian children.

We determined body fat mass, body mass index, and mid-upper arm circumference, in 5-15-year-old Nigerian children consisting of 454 (50 per cent) males and 450 (50 per cent) females. We derived regression equations between body fat mass and age, body mass index, and mid-upper arm circumference for each sex. The mean of age and height were similar in both sexes, while that of fat mass, percentage fat mass, body mass index, and mid-upper arm circumference were significantly higher in the female than male. Percentage fat mass varied between 3.02 and 32.16, and 1.88 and 53.84 in males and females, respectively (P = 0.0000). The percentage fat mass increased slightly with age (but significantly) in the female and decreased slightly with age in the male. Based on the US standards 164 (18 per cent) of the children were obese. We conclude that with improvement in living standards, childhood obesity may become a medical problem in Nigeria.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1996

Perinatal morbidity and mortality in offspring of diabetic mothers in Qatif, Saudi Arabia.

Diabetic mothers and their offspring were prospectively studied. Perinatal and neonatal morbidity and mortality data were analysed. Out of 11,677 deliveries in the hospital, 133 (1.14%) were delivered by diabetic mothers. They were made up of six (4.5%) stillbirths and 127 (95.5%) live births. Seventy-seven (57.9%), 55 (41.3%) and 1 (0.8%) were large, appropriate and small for gestational age, respectively. Hypoglycemia occurred in 49 (38.6%) of the 127 infants. Other associated problems were bacterial infections, congenital anomalies, birth trauma, preterm delivery, respiratory distress, polycythaemia and anaemia. Only 52 (39.1%) of the mothers received appropriate treatment for their diabetes during pregnancy. Poor maternal diabetic control resulted in high perinatal morbidity and mortality in the offspring. In order to improve the outcome in offspring of diabetic mothers in Qatif and probably Saudi Arabia as a whole, health education and improved care of the diabetic mothers during pregnancy urgently needed. This may be true of other developing countries where data on diabetes in pregnancy are scarce.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Prognostic factors in childhood intra-abdominal sepsis.

Over a 36-month period, prognostic factors in childhood intra-abdominal abscesses were evaluated in fifty-five Nigerian children (38 boys [69.1%] and 17 girls [30.9%] aged 2 months-15 years (mean 8.9, SD 4.3 years). The mortality rate was 20%. The adverse prognostic factors were: a high fever, a positive blood culture, subphrenic location of abscesses, abscesses associated with a typhoid perforation, post-operative abscesses, presence of organ impairment, and multiple abscesses occurring together in the same patient. The age of the patient, duration of illness before hospitalization as well as the number and type of microorganisms cultured from the abscess did not have any influence on the prognosis in the children in this study.

Abdominal Abscess↗
PubMed1995

Trends in utilization of obstetric care at Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, Nigeria. Effects of a depressed economy.

Perinatal mortality rate (PNMR) at Wesley Guild Hospital (WGH), Ilesa, Nigeria, over a ten-year period was retrospectively analysed. The main objective was to determine the trends in the utilization of obstetric care and PNMR in the face of current economic difficulties in Nigeria and to make suggestions for improvement. The average PNMR over the period was 57.8/1000 births. There was a sharp rise in PNMR in 1985 to a peak of 110/1000 in 1987 (p < 0.0001). This was associated with a decline in utilization of maternity services, probably as a result of the introduction of fees for maternity services late in 1984 and increase in economic hardship in Nigeria. Actions are needed to improve enhanced access to obstetric care for the poor. These actions include: improvement in the economic conditions of the people, emphasis on primary health care (PHC) and early referral of high-risk pregnant women to tertiary units.

Developing Countries↗
PubMed1994

A comparative study of elemental composition of human breast milk and infant milk substitutes.

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis have been employed to determine the concentration of 13 elements in human breast milk, various infant formulas, and locally produced cereals from Nigeria, as well as from various infant formulas and natural cow and goat milk available in the UK. The study shows that if the locally produced cereal is to be used on a regular basis for babies in Nigeria, then their diet must be supplemented with essential trace elements. Furthermore, parents should be discouraged from giving their infants cow and goat milk because of the high concentration of major elements compared to human breast milk.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Quantitative analysis of 1-naphthol in urine of neonates exposed to mothballs: the value in infants with unexplained anaemia.

In Nigeria, severe NNJ is common in babies exposed to mothballs and other icterogenic agents. High-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was employed for quantitative analysis of 1 and 2-naphtol in the urine of 50 neonates aged one to 19 days. Five of the 25 babies who had a history of exposure to mothballs, and none of the babies without a history of exposure had 1-naphtol in their urine. The value of 1-naphtol ranged between 0.75 and 11.69 micrograms/ml with mean of 5 +/- 5 micrograms/ml. The overall correlation coefficient (r) between bilirubin values and 1-naphtol was 0.1 while it was 1 in the three G-6-PD deficient infants. The procedure will be very useful in the evaluation of infants with unexplained NNJ, anaemia, acute haemolytic jaundice and haemoglobinuria if naphthalene poisoning is suspected.

Anemia↗
PubMed1992

Maternal tetanus toxoid coverage during pregnancy in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

A cluster survey on maternal tetanus toxoid (TT) coverage was carried out in the Ile-Ife Central Local Government Area. Out of the 896 mothers of babies 0-12 months old who were interviewed, 668 (74.6%) claimed they received TT during pregnancy, this was confirmed in 37 (4.1%) and in only 25 (2.8%) of these cases could the babies be said to have been protected from neonatal tetanus (NNT) at birth. About 35% of the babies were delivered at home/churches where most babies with NNT are usually born.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Peri-umbilical cellulitis in Nigerian neonates.

A retrospective analysis was made of 32 neonates with peri-umbilical cellulitis seen at Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, Nigeria from 1979 through 1989. All were full term and delivered after a normal pregnancy. The male:female ratio was 1.3:1. On admission, the mean (Standard Deviation) post-natal age, weight and duration of symptoms were 7.3 (2.7) days, 3.21 (0.5) kg, and 1.9 (1.3) days respectively. Major features were abdominal distension, extensive peri-umbilical induration and inflammation, and foul-smelling discharge. Most mother had antenatal care, but 60 pc were delivered at home or in the mission house. There were no recognisable maternal risk factors. Hot fomentation and unsterile materials applied to the cord were the apparent causative factors. The case fatality rate was very high (71.9 pc). Recommended treatment was antibiotics and surgical debridement. If hospital delivery were accessible to the less privileged poor, this highly lethal condition could be prevented by facilitating instruction in simple sterile cord care.

Cellulitis↗
PubMed1991

Childhood intussusception in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

A retrospective review of 41 intussusceptions encountered in 39 children seen over an 8-year period in Ile-Ife, Nigeria is presented. Most cases (61.5%) occurred in infancy. This contrasts with previous reports from Nigeria where intussusception has been presented as being commoner in older children. Vomiting, abdominal pain, excessive crying and passage of bloodstained stools were the main presenting symptoms. An abdominal mass was palpable in only 28.2% of patients. Generally, patients presented late in hospital with only two (5.1%) arriving within 24 hours of the onset of illness. Hydrostatic reduction with barium enema was attempted in these two patients, and it successfully reduced the intussusception in one and caused partial reduction in the other. Nineteen patients (46.3%) required bowel resection. There were nine deaths, giving a mortality rate of 23.1%. The relatively high bowel resection and mortality rates were attributed to the delay in seeking medical treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Determinants of severity of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in ABO incompatibility in Nigeria.

The study was designed to determine factors responsible for the severe neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia sometimes found in ABO incompatibility in Nigeria. In 50 jaundiced babies who were ABO-incompatible it was found that the mean serum bilirubin level was significantly higher in outpatients than inpatients; this difference was probably due to the delay in recognizing jaundice among the outpatients and, possibly also to the slightly higher number of G-6-PD deficient babies in the same group, and their greater exposure to icterogenic agents. The results of serological studies suggest that ABO-incompatibility was responsible for neonatal jaundice in only 36% of these babies. Among the inpatients the need for exchange blood transfusion was more common in babies of mothers with immune anti-A or anti-B titres of 1:64 or more (P less than 0.001). Neonates at risk of ABO-haemolytic disease can be identified at birth by direct positive Coombs test and detection of immune anti-A or anti-B antibodies in the mother's serum.

ABO Blood-Group System↗