Biomedical subjects

O Taiwo

Publications and source records attributed to O Taiwo.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1990

Electrocardiographic changes in measles.

Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were recorded in 100 Nigerian children with measles admitted to our paediatric wards or treated on an out-patient basis. The patients were aged 5 months-8 years (mean, 19 months) and the male:female ratio was 1.3:1. Similar recordings were obtained in 100 age- and sex-matched controls. The electrocardiographic changes observed include T wave inversion in 28 patients and prolonged P-R interval in 22. Other changes are prolonged Q-Tc (13 patients), low QRS amplitude (13 patients), abnormal QRS axes in the frontal plane (5 patients) and T wave flattening (4 patients). A statistically significant difference between patients and controls with respect to the above changes was demonstrated in T wave inversion and prolonged P-R interval--the latter in the 5 months-1 year age group. Hence, 35 patients had at least one statistically significant ECG change, giving a prevalence rate of 35%. The implications of the above findings are discussed and the need to intensify efforts aimed at immunizing all children against measles is stressed.

Child↗

PubMed1990

Electrocardiographic changes after recovery from measles.

Children with measles seen at our hospital had an initial electrocardiogram (ECG) and a repeat after 3 months. The patients were aged 5 months to 8 years (mean 19 months). The ECG changes observed after clinical recovery included T-wave inversion in eight patients (16%), flattening in eight patients (16%), prolonged PR interval in six (12%), prolonged Q-Tc in three (6%) and low QRS amplitude in four (8%). At least one ECG change was present in 18 patients (36%) after recovery, 14 of these were due to persistence of the changes noted during measles. The implication of above findings and the need for a longer-term follow-up study are discussed.

Cardiomyopathies↗

PubMed1990

Bacterial isolates involved in cases of septicaemia in a Nigerian hospital.

Of the nine hundred and twenty patients clinically diagnosed of having septicaemia at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria between 1980-1987, 233 (25.3%) had blood samples positive by culture. Thirteen different bacterial species were identified from positive blood cultures of which six predominated: Staphylococcus aureus (30.5%), Coliforms (17.6%), Klebsiella spp. (14.2%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9.2%), Escherichia coli (7.9%) and Salmonella typhi (5.9%). The in vitro antibiotic, disc sensitivity pattern of the isolates showed they were relatively resistant to ampicillin and penicillin G but comparatively sensitive to antibiotics commonly used in the treatment of infections caused by these organisms. Septicaemia cases were recorded in all age groups but incidence in females was slightly but not significantly higher than in males (p less than 0.05). The study reveals the predominance of S. aureus strains in case of septicaemia in Nigeria.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Class-specific antibodies to Bordetella pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis in human breast-milk and maternal-infant sera.

Children under 2 years of age are most susceptible to acute respiratory infections caused by Bordetella pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis. We analysed milk samples and sera from mother-infant pairs for specific antibodies that may enhance protection against the bacterial pathogens. The results show that the breast-milk samples contained significant titres of specific IgG and IgA antibodies to the four organisms, although the mean IgG antibody levels were higher in maternal sera than in breast-milk. On the other hand, the mean IgA antibody levels to the four organisms were higher in breast-milk than in both maternal and infant sera. IgM antibodies to these organisms were relatively low or absent in many milk and serum samples. Nevertheless, the significant concentrations of specific IgG and IgA antibodies in milk samples may indicate a protective role for breast-milk against the four infections in early childhood.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

PubMed1989

Plant protein rehabilitation diets and iron supplementation of the protein-energy malnourished child.

Thirty-eight children admitted to the paediatric ward of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, were treated using a local therapeutic regimen for protein-energy malnutrition (PEM). Serum transferrin concentration was measured at weekly intervals to determine the response to and nutritional adequacy of the dietary component of this therapeutic regimen. At discharge, weight for height measurements in the children showed a significant (P less than 0.001) increase in growth although the expected weight for height was not attained. Serum transferrin concentration rose significantly from a mean basal level of 132.1 +/- 17.2 mg/dl to 222.0 +/- 24.6 mg/dl at the end of the first week of hospitalization and at discharge was 403.2 +/- 27.8 mg/dl. Although not statistically significant, mortality was highest amongst children for whom iron supplementation started early on admission. Earlier studies on the aetiology and treatment of anaemia in PEM have argued in favour of routine treatment with iron to prevent the development of anaemia during the recovery phase, but data from this study suggest that iron therapy should not be instituted during the first week of treatment.

Anemia, Hypochromic↗

PubMed1989

Plasma somatomedin-C in Nigerian malnourished children fed a vegetable protein rehabilitation diet.

Plasma somatomedin-C (pSm-C) was measured by immunoassay in Nigerian malnourished children treated with a mainly vegetable diet. In oedematous children, the mean intake was 4.31 +/- 0.23 g protein and 611 +/- 46 kJ per kg body weight per day, and in marasmic children 5.22 +/- 0.62 g protein and 795 +/- 131 kJ/kg body weight/d. PSm-C concentration (U/ml) was measured at weekly intervals to determine the response to this rehabilitation diet. By our assay the value for 39 normal children (age range 6-36 months) was 0.315 +/- 0.035 U/ml. The average initial level of pSm-C in the malnourished children was 0.19 +/- 0.03 (n = 24). The values were higher (P less than 0.05) in the 7 marasmic children (0.26 +/- 0.1) than in the 11 with oedema (0.15 +/- 0.02). Eight days after admission pSm-C had risen to 0.20 +/- 0.02 (n = 24) and at discharge after approximately 19 d, pSm-C concentration was normal, 0.30 +/- 0.05. In oedematous malnutrition, pSm-C level at discharge was lower than in marasmus, 0.27 +/- 0.06 (n = 17) compared with 0.37 +/- 0.06 (n = 7) (P less than 0.05). Because the childrens' stay in hospital was short (average 19 d), they were far from attaining normal weight for height by the time of discharge. However, they had gained on average 0.9 kg and their clinical condition was satisfactory. It is concluded that the vegetable-based diet produced satisfactory recovery, at least in the initial stages. Increases in pSm-C compared well with those found in an earlier study with milk-based diets.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed1989

Rotavirus as an aetiological agent of acute childhood diarrhoea in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Of the 456 urban children aged 14 days and 4 years examined for rotavirus in this study, 376 had diarrhoea while 80 were without diarrhoea and serve as control. Among the 376 diarrhoeic children, 57 (15.2%) had rotavirus while none of the 80 control children had the virus. Rotavirus was significantly higher (p less than 0.05) among the in-patients (19.8%) than in the out-patients (10.3%) and among children of 7-12 months compared with other aged groups. The majority of the children that had the rotavirus lived in areas without pipe-borne water and similarly belonged to the low-socio-economic level. It is therefore possible to deduce from this work that rotavirus is still a major aetiology of acute childhood diarrhoea in Nigeria and its incidence can be affected by hygienic practices, the environment and socio-economic level.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1977

Acute appendicitis in Nigerian children.

This study reports on 46 cases of acute appendicitis in children during a nine year period (1963-1971) in the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. The disease does not appear to be (yet) a common paediatric surgical problem here. The clinical features are similar to those reported for other populations, though there was a tendency to late presentation with a more advanced stage of the disease. A review on the aetiology of acute appendicitis, clinical features, diagnosis, course and prognosis in children is also presented.

Acute Disease↗