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Context: A major risk of herbal medicine is the potential for toxicity and serious side effects. Unlike orthodox medicine, herbs are usually consumed without prior safety assessment via clinical studies. This means that the clinical effects of herbs may be detected only through an assessment of the health parameters of consumers. Aim: The study aimed to evaluate participants' renal profiles, comparing that of herb users with nonusers, thereby identifying any differences between the two groups. Settings and Design: It is a cross-sectional, analytic study among adult patients attending the general outpatient unit of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The study assessed and compared estimated glomerular filtration rate, microalbuminuria, and proteinuria among patients who reported using herbs and those who did not report any use. Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed using Epi Info 7.2. Results: Three hundred and forty-one participants were enrolled. The mean eGFR was 87.47 ± 25.44 ml/min/1.73 m2 for participants who used herbs and 84.76 ± 25.49 ml/min/1.73 m2 for those who never used herbs (P value 0.48). Among all participants, proteinuria ≥0.3 g/l was present in 29 (8.50%) and microalbuminuria ≥30 mg/l in 138 (40.47%). There was no statistically significant difference in the renal parameters of both groups. Conclusion: The study found no evidence of the harmful effect of the herbs reported on kidney function. This could be because that the study participants mainly reported using edible—and, therefore, presumably safe—herbs. Further studies in human subjects of the effect of herbal medicine on the kidney and other systems are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interprofessional collaboration in healthcare is important to optimise healthcare delivery. However, relatively few studies have been conducted on the topic in Nigeria, especially in the North. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the levels of interprofessional collaboration, enablers and barriers amongst healthcare workers. Materials and Methods: Data were collected using a five-domain modified Assessment of Interprofessional Team Collaboration Scale questionnaire, with a Likert scale of 1-5. The ideal mean score was ≤2 for the barriers domain and ≥4 for the other domains. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. Results: Two hundred and sixty-six participants responded to the questionnaire. Male and female respondents were 131 (49.2%) each. Half of the respondents were 31 to 40 years old. One hundred and thirty-six (51.1%) of the respondents were nurses, and 48 (18.0%) were doctors. The modal working experience was 6-11 years (41.4%), and 117 (44.0%) respondents had at least a bachelor's degree. The mean scores for the domains were 4.1032 for partnership, 3.2383 for cooperation, 3.6309 for coordination, 4.2844 for enablers and 3.7902 for barriers. Conclusion: There was adequate level of partnership and enablers amongst the healthcare workers but insufficient cooperation and coordination and high level of barriers. Staff training on cooperation, coordination and identified barriers is necessary to improve interprofessional collaboration in the hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poorly managed hypertension is still a serious global public health issue, despite medication. It is unclear what is causing treated hypertensive patients to have trouble achieving their target blood pressure (BP). Aim: The goal of this study was to determine the predictors of BP control amongst hypertensive patients attending a teaching hospital in North‑eastern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A cross‑sectional study was conducted on 277 hypertensive patients from a tertiary healthcare institution. Data were analysed using version 20 of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Frequency and percentages were used to summarise data while Chi‑square test was used to test for associations. To identify the factors linked to BP control, logistic regression was employed. At P < 0.05, predictors of BP control were found using adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: The respondents’ average age was 53.1 ± 14.6 years, of which 67.5% were female. The level of optimal BP control was 40.8%. Factors associated with reduced BP control include not currently married (AOR = 0.29 [95% CI: 0.16–0.53], P ≤ 0.0001), imperfect adherence (AOR = 0.37 [95% CI: 0.22–0.64], P ≤ 0.0001), taking more than two drugs (AOR = 0.3 [95% CI: 0.14–0.64], P = 0.001) and body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m² (AOR = 0.40 [95% CI: 0.22–0.72], P = 0.002). Conclusion: The optimal BP control is alarmingly low in this setting. Marital status, medication adherence, increased pill burden and BMI ≥25 kg/m² negatively affect the attainment of BP control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The increasing prevalence of obesity and overweight among health workers calls for an appraisal of their lifestyle. This study assessed medical practitioners' workhour feeding and lifestyle practices and explored the relationship between these practices and their body mass index (BMI)., Methods: The survey involved 321 medical practitioners selected from 9 northern Nigeria hospitals in 2021. Data collected included biodata, medication history, workhour feeding characteristics, lifestyle behaviours, blood pressure, height, and weight measurements. Data were analyzed using Epi info software (version 7)., Results: Most respondents were male (70.7%). Their mean age was 38 ± 7.4 years. During their last workhours, 84.1% had lunch, and 46.4% took sugary drinks. Usually, 41.7% source their lunch from the hospital canteen, and 18.7% patronize their canteen at least weekly. Most reported healthy behaviour towards alcohol consumption (99.7%), fruit and vegetable consumption (54.8%) and smoking (98.4%). However, only 22.4% were physically active. Their mean healthy behaviour score and BMI were 2.8 ± 0.7 and 26.1 ± 4.6 kg/m 2 , respectively. The obesity and overweight rates were 18.4% and 37.7%, respectively. Their source of lunch during workhours, age, sex, years of practice, employment duration, marital status, job category, systolic blood pressure, anti-hypertensive, and antidiabetic medication use were significantly associated with mean BMI. However, only antihypertensive medication use, being married, inadequate fruit/vegetable consumption and workhour sugary drinks consumption predicted obesity. The predictors of overweight/obese were years of practice (< 10 y) and use of antihypertensive medications., Conclusions: Obesity and overweight rates were high. Most were physically inactive. Workhour sugary drink consumption predicted obesity. Effective workplace and community interventions to improve practitioners' lifestyle behaviour and curtail obesity and overweight are needed., Competing Interests: The authors declare that no conflict of interest exists., (©2024 Pacini Editore SRL, Pisa, Italy.)