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Background Iron (Fe) deficiency is a known feature of cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD) and may worsen symptoms. The prevalence of iron deficiency among children with CCHD at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan is unknown. Erythrocyte indices of iron status are easier and less expensive to determine than serum iron, serum ferritin and total iron binding capacity, which are the standard tests of iron deficiency. Objectives: To examine the erythrocyte indices of iron status in children with CCHD in UCH, and determine the prevalence of iron deficiency among such patients, by comparing the values obtained with established reference values. Subjects and Methods: The packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and red cell distribution width (RDW) of 40 children with CCHD, determined using a Sysmex 1000X1 Coulter counter, were compared with standard reference values. Results: Mean+SD values obtained were – PCV: 58.6+11.6%. MCV: 80.7+12.1 µm3 , MCH: 25.9+9.5g/ dl, MCHC: 30.9+4.1 and RDW: 20.5.5+12.6%. Lower-than-normal values for MCV, MCH and MCHC were found in 33.5%, 42.5% and 72.5% of patients, respectively, while 77.5% had higher-than-normal values for RDW. However, using the criteria based on a combination of RDW and MCV, 35% of patients were iron deficient. Conclusion: A large proportion of Nigerian children with CCHD appear to be iron deficient and are therefore likely to benefit from routine iron therapy. Key words: Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease; Erythrocyte indices; Iron deficiency.

Summary Background: Hypertension causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. As has been reported, the levels of blood pressure (BP) in childhood are the strongest predictors of adult levels. Hitherto, most studies of childhood BP in Nigeria have involved school-age children and adolescents. Objectives: In order to provide information on BP in younger children, this study was undertaken to determine the pattern and correlates of BP in apparently healthy under-five children in Ibadan. Design: Cross sectional study Methods: Using a stratified multi-stage random sampling method, the BPs of 984 apparently healthy Nigerian children (507 males, 477 females) aged one to five years, recruited from day care centres, nurseries and primary schools in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State, were measured with a standard mercury sphygmomanometer. Results: The mean (SD) systolic BP, diastolic BP-IV and Vincreased from 85.3 (7.5) mm Hg, 50.7 (12.9) mmHg and 34.6 (23.0) mmHg, respectively in the 12-23-month age group to 90.7 (9.0) mmHg, 57.2 (10.4) mmHg and 43.5 (18.8) mmHg respectively, in the 48-60-month age group (p0.05). Blood pressure correlated positively with age (r=0.2668, p=0.000), weight (r=0.345, p=0.000) and height (r=0.370, p=0.000) but negatively with Quetelet Index (r= -0.084, p=0.008), Ponderal Index (r= -0.256, p=0.000) and socioeconomic class (r= -0.099, p=0.002). There was no significant relationship between the children's and parental BPs. The prevalence of systolic and diastolic hypertension, using the epidemiological definition of 'BP 295th percentile for the population studied' was 3.2 percent and 1.7 percent, respectively. Conclusions: Among the under-five children studied, BP correlated positively with age and anthropometry. Gender differences were not demonstrated and no relationship was observed between the children's BP and that of their parents.

Background : Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is an important case of morbidity and mortality in tropical Africa. Recurrent episodes of vaso-occlusive crisis often lead to organ ischaemia and/or infarction. Anythmias are common and reliable manifestations of myocardial ischaemia and often follow infarction. The prevalence and pattern of cardiac arrhythmias among SCA patients has not been studied extensively, particularly in children. Objective: To determine whether or not, patients with SCA are more prone than others to Cardiac arrhythmias. Patients and Methods: The standard 12-lead ECGs of 35 patients with SCA presenting during 40 episodes of vaso-occlusive crisis (Group A) were compared with those of 40 age- and sex matched sicklers in the steady state (Group B) and with 40 age- and sex-matched patients with anaemia due to causes other than haemoglobinopathy (Grup C). Results: Cardiac arrhythmias were detected in four (10 percent) of the crisis episodes in Group A patients compared to three (7.5 percent) of patients in Group B and only onc (2.5 percent) of the patients in Group C (p>0.3). In Groups A and B, the arrhythmias were all of atrial origin. The mean haematocrit level of Group A subjects with arrhythmias was significantly lower than those without (p= 0.037). Conclusions: Although differences did not reach statistical significance, the results suggest that patients with SCA appear to be more prone to cardiac arrhythmias than others, whether or not they are in crisis. Further studies involving larger populations are indicated.

Summary Between May 1977 and June 1998, 697 patients with congenital hcart diseases were admitted to the cardiothoracic surgical unit (CTSU) at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. Eighteen (2.6 per cent) of the patients with 19 coarctations of the aorta (COA) were retrospectively studied. The age range of all the patients with CoA was 18 days to 30 years (mean 7.2–8.2 years), but for the 15 patients who underwent surgery, it was one month to 30 years (mean 8.6–8.3 years). Three patients died preoperatively of congenital cardiac anomalies associated with infantile CoA. There were 16 thoracic and two abdominal COA, while one patient had recurrent CoA. Resection and end-to-end anastomosis was performed in four patients, dacron tube interposition graft in three, and dacron patch graft in four patients. Other procedures were employed in five patients. Operative mortality was 25 per cent. Operative deaths occurred in two infants with isolated COA, a neonate who had associated pulmonary hypertension and a 17-year old who had surgery for re-coarctation. Complications of surgery included post operative haemorrhage in two patients, intra-operative hemorrhage in one and hoarseness of the voice in four patients. Paradoxical hypertension occurred in three patients, graft occlusion and wound dehiscence occurred together in one patient and two patients had chylothorax. It is concluded that CoA is a surgically correctable congenital anomaly which is probably less frequently diagnosed locally.

Summary: The physical findings in 96 children with sickle-cell disease (SCD) and in 52 age - and sex - natched controls, were compared with a view to defining the cardiovascular sequelae of SCD. The pulse rates of the sicklers were faster than those of the controls (P

Summary: The case of a three-month-old Nigerian girl with Transposition of the Great Arteries is presented. The definitive diagnosis was based on echocardiography. The parents were counselled on the need for better care in a paediatric cardiology unit where surgical intervention would be offered as the definitive management of the disease sometime in the near future. However, due to financial constraints, the parents failed to take the baby to the specified referral hospital weeks after the referral. This case illustrates the challenges in the management of congenital heart diseases in present day Nigeria as well as the need to establish cardiac centres in the country, where such cases would be properly managed.

Objective: Cardiac dysfunction is rarely diagnosed in HIV-infected children in our setting and standard care does not include baseline and follow-up echocardiography. We aimed to determine the prevalence, pattern and predictors of HIV-related cardiac dysfunction. Methods: Pre-diagnosed HIV-infected children aged 18 months to 12 years from a tertiary teaching hospital in Lagos, South-West Nigeria were enrolled in a comparative, observational cross-sectional study; matched with apparently healthy controls of the same age group, were recruited sequentially between May 2004 and 2007. Proportions of pre-defined cardiac abnormalities such as heart failure diagnosed by clinical examination and dilated cardiomyopathy and ventricular dysfunction by echocardiography were determined. Results: Prevalence of cardiac abnormalities in HIV-infected children was 75.9%. Abnormalities included heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy (33.7%), decreased LVSF of ≤ 25% in 33.7%, increased left ventricular mass (20.5%) and pericardial effusion (14.5%). Conclusion: Structural and functional abnormalities are prevalent in HIV-infected African children and therefore justify inclusion of routine echocardiography in their standard care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and Aim: Given the challenges of microscopy, we compared its performance with SD-Bioline malaria rapid diagnostic test (MRDT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and evaluated the time it took for positive results to become negative after treatment of children with acute uncomplicated malaria., Subjects and Methods: We present the report of 485 participants with complete MRDT, microscopy, and PCR data out of 511 febrile children aged 3-59 months who participated in a cohort study over a 12-month period in rural and urban areas of Ibadan, Nigeria. MRDT-positive children received antimalaria and tested at every visit over 28 days. Speciation was also carried out by PCR., Results: With microscopy as the gold standard, SD-Bioline™ had 95.2% sensitivity, 66.4% specificity, 67.5% positive predictive value (PPV), and 94.9 negative predictive value (NPV), while with PCR the findings were 84.3% sensitivity, 66.5% specificity, 72.7% PPV, and 80.1% NPV. PCR speciation of malaria parasites revealed 91.6% Plasmodium falciparum, 18.9% Plasmodium malariae, and 4.4% Plasmodium ovale. Among the 47 children with P. malariae infections, 66.0% were coinfected with P. falciparum, while 54.6% cases of P. ovale occurred as coinfections with P. falciparum. The median time to a negative MRDT was 23.2 days, while the median time to a negative malaria microscopy was 3.8 days. The two survival curves were significantly different., Conclusions: The SD-Bioline TM MRDT performed well, with remarkable persistence of rapid test-positive for an average of 23 days post treatment. The prevalence of P. malaria is somewhat greater than expected., Competing Interests: None

Background: Although the global malaria burden is decreasing, there are still concerns about overdiagnosis of malaria and the danger of misdiagnosis of non-malaria causes of fever. Clinicians continue to face the challenge of differentiating between these causes despite the introduction of malaria rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs)., Aim: To determine the prevalence and causes of non-malaria-caused fever in children in South-Western Nigeria., Methods: Secondary analysis of data obtained to evaluate the effect of restricting antimalarial treatment to positive mRDT children in rural and urban areas of southwest Nigeria. Clinical examinations, laboratory tests for malaria parasites (including thick blood film and mRDT) and bacterial identification were performed on children aged 3-59 months (n = 511). The non-malaria group comprised febrile children who had both negative mRDT and microscopy results, while the malaria group included those who were positive for either mRDT or microscopy. We compared the causes of fever among children with non-malaria fever and those with malaria., Results: The prevalence of non-malaria fever and bacteria-malaria co-infection was 37.2% and 2.0%, respectively. Non-malarial pathogens identified were viral (54.7%) and bacterial (32.1%) infections. The bacterial infections included bacteriaemia (2.7%), urinary tract infections (21.6%), skin infections (11.6%) and otitis media (2.6%). The leading bacterial isolates were Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus pneumoniae., Conclusion: The high prevalence and wide range of non-malarial infections reinforces the need for point-of-care tests to identify bacterial and viral infections to optimize the treatment of febrile illnesses in malaria-endemic areas., (© The Author(s) [2022]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction: The high burden of Malaria morbidity and mortality in children is due to its potential to cause multi-organ dysfunction. There is however limited information on the specific electrocardiographic features in falciparum malaria in paediatric age group., Aim: To investigate the electrocardiographic (ECG) features in children with (complicated) severe falciparum malaria (SM) and acute uncomplicated malaria (AUM) at the University College Hospital, Ibadan., Methods: This was a comparative cross-sectional study conducted among 398 children with symptomatic and confirmed Plasmodium falciparum malaria and apparently healthy controls. The frequencies of ECG features were described and compared among these children., Results: The prevalence of ECG abnormality was 79.7% and 63.2% in Severe Malaria SM and Acute uncomplicated malaria AUM patients, respectively. Sinus tachycardia was significantly more frequent in SM than AUM and control groups (p <0.001). The risk of an ECG abnormality was about three times higher in SM than healthy children (p<0.001; OR=2.89;95%CI[1.68,4.99)., Conclusion: Severe malaria patients had significant ECG abnormalities (Sinus Tachycardia).

Background: Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs) are the preferred option for programmatic deployment., Aims: There are numerous mRDTs on the Nigerian market and there is a need to guide practitioners on the relative performance of the commonly used brands of mRDT in Nigeria., Subjects and Methods: The performance of three commonly used Histidine-Rich-Protein-2-based mRDTs (SD-Bioline™, Carestart™ and Paracheck-Pf™) against microscopy of Giemsa stained blood and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was evaluated among 190 febrile under-5 children in Ibadan, Nigeria. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, accuracy, and agreements., Results: There were 53.2% males. The prevalence of malaria parasite by microscopy was 46.8% and 57.9% by PCR. Malaria parasite detection by SD-Bioline™ was 60.5%, Carestart™: 60.0% and Paracheck-Pf™ 60.0%. Using microscopy as the gold standard, the sensitivities of SD-Bioline™, Carestart™ and Paracheck-Pf™ mRDT were 97.8%, 96.7% and 97.8% respectively while the specificities were 73.0%, 72.0% and 74.0% respectively. Using PCR as the gold standard, the sensitivity for both SD-Bioline™ and Paracheck-Pf™ was 85.5% and for CareStart was 84.6% while the specificity of SD-Bioline™, Carestart™, and Paracheck-Pf™ was 73.8%, 72.4%, and 75.0% respectively. The test accuracy was 81.0% for both SD-Bioline™ and Paracheck-Pf™ and 80.0% for Caresatrt™. The kappa coefficient of agreement between PCR and each of SD-Bioline™, Carestart, ParaCheck™ and microscopy was 0.597, 0.578, 0.609 and 0.739 respectively., Conclusion: The performance of the three mRDTs is a proof that any of the three is suitable for use in the diagnosis of malaria in the southwest of Nigeria., Competing Interests: None

Background: Heart failure remains a major health problem. But its early diagnosis remains a significant challenge especially among the Paediatric population. A standardized highly sensitive and specific clinical basis of diagnosis requiring no sophisticated equipment readily elicitable at the patients beside at presentation is required., Objective: The study set out to determine the accuracy of a clinical scoring scheme for the diagnosis of heart failure in infants in Ibadan, Nigeria, using B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) as gold standard., Methodology: Forty-five consecutive infants admitted into the Paediatric wards of the University College Hospital and the Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria were evaluated with the Ibadan Childhood Heart Failure Index (ICHFI) and those with clinical score of > 3 were recruited. Their plasma BNP levels and those of 45 age-matched controls were also measured., Results: There was a strong positive correlation (0.920) between the ICHFI scores and plasma BNP values (rs = 0.920, P = 0.000). At a cut-off score of 2, the ICHFI has a sensitivity of 97.6%, specificity of 89.8%, a positive predictive value of 88.9% and a negative predictive value of 97.8%. The receiver operating characteristic curve plotted had an AUC of 0.978 at the 95% CI, 0.951-1.000; P < 0.001., Conclusion: The ICHFI was found to be an accurate tool for the diagnosis of heart failure in infants and it is therefore recommended for use in primary care and resource challenged settings for the rapid diagnosis, grading of the severity of heart failure and monitoring of treatment.

Objectives: To investigate the consequence of restricting antimalarial treatment to febrile children that test positive to a malaria rapid diagnostic test (MRDT) only in an area of intense malaria transmission., Methods: Febrile children aged 3-59 months were screened with an MRDT at health facilities in south-west Nigeria. MRDT-positive children received artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ), while MRDT-negative children were treated based on the clinical diagnosis of non-malaria febrile illness. The primary endpoint was the risk of developing microscopy-positive malaria within 28 days post-treatment., Results: 309 (60.5%) of 511 children were MRDT-positive while 202 (39.5%) were MRDT-negative at enrolment. 18.5% (50/275) of MRDT-positive children and 7.6% (14/184) of MRDT-negative children developed microscopy-positive malaria by day 28 post-treatment (ρ = 0.001). The risk of developing clinical malaria by day 28 post-treatment was higher among the MRDT-positive group than the MRDT-negative group (adjusted OR 2.74; 95% CI, 1.4, 5.4). A higher proportion of children who were MRDT-positive at enrolment were anaemic on day 28 compared with the MRDT-negative group (12.6% vs. 3.1%; ρ = 0.001). Children in the MRDT-negative group made more unscheduled visits because of febrile illness than those in MRDT-positive group (23.2% vs. 12.0%; ρ = 0.001)., Conclusion: Restricting ACT treatment to MRDT-positive febrile children only did not result in significant adverse outcomes. However, the risk of re-infection within 28 days was significantly higher among MRDT-positive children despite ASAQ treatment. A longer-acting ACT may be needed as the first-line drug of choice for treating uncomplicated malaria in high-transmission settings to prevent frequent re-infections., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are common birth defects with significant impact on morbidity and mortality. We aimed to compare regional patterns of CHDs in Nigeria using a registry-based approach., Methods: Children with echocardiography-confirmed CHDs at 17 medical centers across the country were enrolled in a pilot National Pediatric Cardiac Registry from January to December 2014., Results: A total of 1,296 children (52.9% male; median age 0.9 years) with CHDs were enrolled. Patients enrolled in Northern Nigeria constituted 34.6% of the study population and were older compared to those enrolled from Southern Nigeria (2.9 ± 3.6 vs 2.4 ± 3.5 years; P = .02). Ventricular septal defects were significantly more prevalent in the North (37.4%) compared with the South (18.5%; P < .0001), while severe CHDs were more prevalent in the South ( P = .004). Of the 208 (16.0%) children who received corrective cardiac intervention, only 43 (20.7%) of them had the intervention done in country. More patients in the South received intervention compared to the North (19.02% vs 10.5%; P < .0001)., Conclusion: This is the first prospective, registry-based, multicenter study of CHDs in Nigerian children. We demonstrate important differences between the Northern and the Southern geographical regions of the country in terms of age at diagnosis, type, and severity of lesion as well as access to cardiac surgery. The findings demonstrate the utility of a national CHDs registry for understanding clinical epidemiology of CHDs in low- and middle-income countries and its potential to serve as a basis for research and planning.

Brain abscess is a known complication of cyanotic congenital heart diseases. We report the case of a four-year-old girl whose first presentation in the hospital was because of symptoms referable to the neurological system. These symptoms are similar to those seen in cerebral malaria as well as other infections of the central nervous system, e.g. meningitis and encephalitis. Detailed history, painstaking examination, and investigations will however help in differentiating these conditions. In the index case however, the illness was fatal due to the late presentation, which is not uncommon in this environment. In a resource-poor environment such as Nigeria, this is a reminder that proper history taking, clinical examination, and subsequent investigations will aid in early diagnosis and subsequent management of such cases to reduce childhood mortality. It also underscores the need for increased awareness among primary health care providers. < Learning objective: In developing countries where definitive treatments for most congenital heart diseases are not available, complications such as brain abscesses are not uncommon. Primary health care givers should be aware of these complications in these patients. Symptoms such as headaches, fever, and convulsions are common in children living in malaria endemic regions and may mimic the symptoms seen in brain abscess. A high index of suspicion is required to make prompt diagnosis and give appropriate treatment while treating children with congenital heart disease.>.

Context: School health services (SHS) have been shown to be suboptimal in Nigeria. The paucity of data on the status of SHS in Sagamu makes it even more challenging for instituting corrective action., Aim: To evaluate SHS in public and private schools in Sagamu., Settings and Design: This was a cross-sectional study carried out on private and public nursery/primary and secondary schools in Sagamu, Ogun State., Materials and Methods: A total of 91 schools, randomly selected from 182 available, comprising 53 private nursery/primary schools, 22 public nursery/primary schools, 11 private secondary schools and 5 public secondary schools, were inspected for availability of the components of the SHS and evaluated using the SHS Evaluation Scale (SHSES)., Statistical Analysis Used: Data were analyzed using SPSS version 15.0. Categorical variables were analyzed using Chi-square test. Level of significance was taken to be P < 0.05., Results: Only one (1.1%) school benefited from the services of a school doctor. Essential drugs and materials for first aid services were available in 85 (93.4%) of the schools, while only 26 (28.6%) had a sick bay. Screening tests for disabilities were performed in only 10 (11%) of the schools visited. Although school midday meals were available in all the schools, they were not free. Private secondary schools had the highest percentage of good school health evaluation scores (63.6%), while 96.2% of the private primary schools had poor health service evaluation scores., Conclusions: SHS are unsatisfactory in Sagamu. It is therefore necessary for all stakeholders in Sagamu schools (private and public) to provide the materials and manpower needed to achieve effective SHS in the area.

Background: Children and adolescents with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in sub-Saharan Africa may have the worst outcomes globally. Barriers to management include late presentation, poor socioeconomic conditions, absence of medical insurance, limited diagnostic facilities and non-availability of chronic renal replacement therapy (RRT). Our study was to determine the incidence, aetiology, management and outcomes of paediatric ESRD in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria., Methods: A retrospective case review of paediatric ESRD at the University College Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria, over 8 years, from January 2005 to December 2012., Results: 53 patients (56.6% male), median age 11 (inter quartile range 8.5-12) years were studied. Mean annual incidence of ESRD in Ibadan for children aged 14 years and below was 4 per million age related population (PMARP) while for those aged 5-14 years it was 6.0 PMARP. Glomerulonephritis was the cause in 41 (77.4%) patients amongst whom, 29 had chronic glomerulonephritis and 12 had nephrotic syndrome. Congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract (CAKUT) accounted for 11 (21.2%) cases, posterior urethral valves being the most common. Acute haemodialysis, acute peritoneal dialysis or a combination of these were performed in 33 (62.3%), 6 (11.3%) and 4 (7.5%) patients respectively. Median survival was 47 days and in-hospital mortality was 59%., Conclusions: Incidence of paediatric ESRD in Ibadan is higher than previous reports from sub-Saharan Africa. Glomerulonephritis, and then CAKUT are the most common causes. Mortality is high, primarily due to lack of resources. Preventive nephrology and chronic RRT programmes are urgently needed.

Objective: To evaluate the comparative efficacy and safety of artemether-lumefantrine (AL), artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ) and artesunate-amodiaquine-chlorpheniramine (AQC) for the treatment of acute uncomplicated malaria among Southwest Nigerian children., Subjects and Methods: One hundred and sixty children aged 6 months to 14 years with acute uncomplicated malaria were randomized to AL (n = 53), ASAQ (n = 53), or AQC (n = 54). Enrollees were seen daily on days 0-3 and then on days 7, 14, 21, 28 and 42 for clinical and parasitological evaluations. Paired samples of genomic DNA at enrolment and at the time of recurrent parasitaemia were genotyped using nested PCR to distinguish between reinfection and recrudescence. Detailed haematological and biochemical evaluations were carried out in a subset of enrollees on days 0, 7 and 28 as part of a safety evaluation., Results: Of the 160 children, 144 (90%) completed the study. The mean fever clearance times and parasite clearance times for AL, ASAQ and AQC were comparable (p = 0.94 and p = 0.122, respectively). On day 14, the adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) for AL and AQC was 100% and for ASAQ it was 90% (p = 0.39). The PCR-uncorrected results on days 28 and 42 and the ACPR-corrected results on day 42 were similar for all drugs (p = 0.62 and p = 0.56, respectively). AQC resulted in the best parasite clearance and haematological recovery on day 2 (p = 0.022 and p = 0.018, respectively). Biochemical parameters were not adversely affected by the three artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) and these were well tolerated., Conclusion: The three ACTs were efficacious and safe, but AQC resulted in a better haematological recovery on day 2 and higher cure rates throughout the study period., (© 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Congenital heart disease contributes significantly to the health burden of children in Nigeria. Interventions for congenital heart disease have been available in the developed world since the first report on device closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in 1967 by Porstmann. However, this did not start in Nigeria until October 2010. This study aimed to document the profiles of the patients who had undergone interventions for congenital heart diseases since the availability of the procedure, the challenges encountered, and the prospects associated with the interventions at the study site. All the patients referred to undergo interventions for congenital heart disease at the study center between October 2010 and 2012 were studied. The profile of the patient, including diagnosis at referral, indication for interventions, and interventions performed, were documented. The patients ranged in age from 3 to 62 years (mean age, 13.54 ± 17.7 years), and the male-to-female ratio was 1:3. The diagnosis at referral included PDA in 10 (83 %) of the 12 patients and secundum atrial septal defect in 2 patients (17 %). They all had transcatheter closure of the defects. Interventional procedures for congenital heart diseases currently are available locally, but the high degree of manpower training required, the cost, and the local availability of consumables are major factors limiting their use. Regional and international collaboration could be mutually beneficial.

Background: Since the first report on device closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) by Porstmann et al in 1967, the procedure has gained wide acceptance and has been used all over the world, including parts of Africa. The advantages when compared to surgical closure include shorter procedure time and hospital stay and no scar being left. This mode of treatment was not available in Nigeria prior to this with patients having to travel abroad to benefit., Patient and Method: Cardiac catheterisation laboratory became available in Lagos, Nigeria in 2009 and in October 2010, the laboratory collaborated with Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), to perform a device closure on a 3-year old girl with PDA who had presented to LASUTH with heart failure at the age of 6 months. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time the procedure has been performed in Nigeria, Results: The patient made a successful recovery and is haemodynamically stable, on no medications., Conclusion: Device closure of PDA is now safe and available in Nigeria.

Background: There is a paucity of data on the clinicopathologic pattern of kidney disease in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositive children from sub-Saharan Africa and non from south west Nigeria., Objective: To determine the clinical pattern and outcome of kidney disease among HIV positive children hospitalised at a tertiary hospital South West Nigeria, Methodology: A retrospective study of all HIV positive children who were hospitalised and managed for kidney diseases over a period of 78 months at the University College Hospital Ibadan, South West Nigeria. Patients were followed up over the duration of hospital admission., Results: Ten children (six males and four females) aged 4-15 (10.4 +/- 3.2) years were identified. Four presented in acute kidney injury, (AKI) three with nephrotic syndrome (NS) and two in chronic kidney failure (CKF). One patient had left renal artery stenosis. Renal biopsy performed in three children showed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in two patients and membranous nephropathy in the third. Management included antiretroviral therapy, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and acute haemodialysis. Mortality was 40%., Conclusion: AKI, NS and CKF were the predominant clinical patterns of kidney disease in hospitalised HIV positive children and the mortality is high.

Background: The choices for renal replacement therapy (RRT) in childhood acute kidney injury (AKI) are limited in low-resource settings. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) appears to be the most practical modality for RRT in young children with AKI in such settings. Data from sub-Saharan Africa on the use of PD in childhood AKI are few., Methods: We performed a retrospective study of children who underwent PD for AKI at a tertiary-care hospital in southwest Nigeria from February 2004 to March 2011 (85 months)., Results: The study included 27 children (55.6% female). Mean age was 3.1 ± 2.6 years, with the youngest being 7 days, and the oldest, 9 years. The causes of AKI were intravascular hemolysis (n = 11), septicemia (n = 8), acute glomerulonephritis (n = 3), gastroenteritis (n = 3), and hemolytic uremic syndrome (n = 2). Peritoneal dialysis was performed manually using percutaneous or adapted catheters. Duration of PD ranged from 6 hours to 12 days (mean: 5.0 ± 3.3 days). The main complications were peritonitis (n = 10), pericatheter leakage (n = 9), and catheter outflow obstruction (n = 5). Of the 27 patients, 19 (70%) survived till discharge., Conclusions: In low-resource settings, PD can be successfully performed for the management of childhood AKI. In our hospital, the use of adapted catheters may have contributed to the high complication rates. Peritoneal dialysis should be promoted for the management of childhood AKI in low-resource settings, and access to percutaneous or Tenckhoff catheters, dialysis fluid, and automated PD should be increased.

Primary cardiac tumours are rare in the paediatric age group. Bronchogenic cysts, although relatively rare, represent the most common cystic lesion of the mediastinum. Intracardiac bronchogenic cysts however, are extremely rare. The authors are unaware of any case previously reported in a Nigerian child and hence report the case of a 2-year-old boy for its rarity and interest. The boy was referred for evaluation of a cardiac murmur. Clinical, radiological and electrographic findings were suggestive of mild pulmonary stenosis or an atrial septal defect (ASD). 2-dimensional echocardiography however, revealed in addition to a small ASD, an intracardiac mass attached to the tricuspid valve. The mass was surgically removed and found on histology to be a bronchogenic cyst. Our experience highlights the importance of echocardiography in the evaluation of asymptomatic patients with cardiac murmurs, in whom a rare lesion might have otherwise been missed.

To evaluate the relevance of routine electrocardiographic request in pre-operative work-up of children undergoing adenoidectomy. This is a two year prospective study of children with obstructive adenoid that had adenoidectomy. This is a tertiary hospital based study at the Otorhinolaryngology Department of University College Hospital, Ibadan. Children (≤12 years) with clinical and radiological evidence of an obstructive adenoid were investigated. Information obtained with an interviewer assisted questionnaire included the biodata, clinical presentation of the patients, ECG findings, echocardiographic findings, cardiothoracic ratio, palatal airway and ratio of adenoid diameter to the nasopharyngeal diameter. The adenoid volume was measured after adenoidectomy. The results were analyzed using SPSS version 14 and level of statistical significance was P < 0.05. There were seventy four patients; 45 (60.8%) males and 29 (39.2%) females with a mean age of 38.35 months, S.D ± 30.32 (range 5-144 months). All the patients presented with mouth breathing and recurrent mucopurulent rhinorrhea. Mild snoring was detected in 18 (25%) patients, moderate snoring in 39 (54.17%) patients and severe snoring in 15 (20.83%) patients. Mild apnea was observed in 55 (74.32%) patients and moderate in 19 (25.68%) patients. Only seven (9.46%) patients had abnormal electrocardiographic findings but their ejection fraction on echocardiography ranged from 63 to 72% with a mean value of 68.17%, S.D ± 3.22. Cardiac complications of enlarged obstructive adenoid appear not to be common. Routine preoperative electrocardiography should therefore be restricted to only the high risk patients.

Background: Malaria in pregnancy remains a major cause of infant mortality through its contribution to preterm delivery, low birth weight and intrauterine death., Methodology: During a cross-sectional study of 983 mothers delivering in a secondary health care facility in Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria, an area of high malaria transmission, the effect of maternal and placental malaria parasitaemia on newborn anthropometry was evaluated. Malaria parasitemia was detected by microscopy of Giemsa stained thick blood smears., Results: Placental, maternal and combined placental and maternal malaria parasitaemia rates at the time of delivery were 13.1%, 12.7% and 11.1% respectively. The geometric mean parasite densities in maternal and placental smears were significantly higher in primigravid mothers than others (p = 0.004 and 0.002 respectively). Low birth weight rate was higher among babies born to mothers with maternal parasitaemia compared to those without (8.0 % versus 6.3%, p < 0.05). The mean birth weight was lower in neonates of mothers with peripheral and placental parasitaemia by 138 g and 122 g (p = 0.01 and 0.02) respectively, while the respective difference was up to 168 g and 151 g among primigravidae (p = 0.03 and 0.04). Neonates of mothers with maternal and placental parasitaemia had a lower mean length than those without parasitaemia (48.2 vs 49.2cm, p = < 0.0001 and 48.5 vs 49.2cm p = 0.02 respectively). Occiptofrontal circumference and ponderal indices were not significantly affected by maternal malaria parasitaemia., Conclusion: Malaria in pregnancy results in symmetric foetal growth restriction and the effect is more marked among primigravid mothers.

Background: The six-dose regimen of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) is now considered the gold standard for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. There are few reports evaluating co-artemether in very young Nigerian infants and children. Results of the evaluation of the six-dose regimen in very young infants and children in Nigeria are presented in this report., Methods: As part of a larger African study, this open label, non-comparative trial, assessed the efficacy and safety of six-dose regimen of AL tablets in 103 Nigerian infants and children weighing between five and 25 kg suffering from acute uncomplicated malaria. Treatment was administered under supervision over three days with children as in-patients. 12-lead ECG tracings were taken pre-treatment and at day 3., Results: Ninety-three infants and children completed the study as stipulated by the protocol. Mean fever and parasite clearance times for the intent to treat population (ITT) were 24.9 h +/- (1.28) and 26 h +/- (4.14) and the corresponding figures for the per-protocol population (PP) were 19.24 h +/- 13.9 and 25.62 h +/- 11.25 respectively. Day 14 cure rates for the ITT and PP were 95.1% and 100% respectively while day 28 cure rates were 91.3% and 95.7% respectively. The overall PCR corrected day 28 cure rate was 95.1% for the ITT. The six-dose regimen of AL was well tolerated with no drug-related serious adverse events. Although six patients recorded a QTc prolongation of > 60 ms on D3 over D0 recording, no patient recorded a QTc interval > 500 ms., Conclusion: The six-dose regimen of AL tablets is safe and effective for the treatment of acute uncomplicated malaria in Nigerian infants and children weighing between five and 25 kg., Trial Registration: NCT00709969.

Background: Renal complications are said to be common in cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD), but have not been documented frequently in Nigerian children. Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is an uncommon complication of CCHD., Objectives: To report two cases of NS complicating CCHD who presented within months of each other, in order to draw attention to the problem., Methods: The details of the clinical presentation, course and outcome of two children with CCHD, presenting with features of NS within months of each other, were reviewed. The patients were fully assessed clinically and were further investigated with chest X-ray, ECG ad echocardiography., Results: A 12-year old girl with Fallot's tetralogy underwent a Blalock-Taussig shunt at the age of 2 years, but subsequently defaulted from follow-up. She reappeared 10 years later with features of NS. Echocardiography revealed impaired myocardial function. Despite initial clinical improvement following three plasma exchanges and Enalapril therapy, she suddenly died on the 15th day of admission. The second patient was a 7-year old boy with tricuspid atresia, diagnosed at the age of 10 months, and similarly defaulted, reappearing six years later with features of NS. Oedema regressed with similar treatment, but his renal function deteriorated. He was stable enough to be discharged after six weeks on admission., Conclusion: Proteinuria is likely to be more common in Nigerian children with CCHD than has been previously appreciated. Early intervention in patients with CCHD is desirable in order to prevent development of complications which worsen the prognosis. Patients with CCHD should be screened regularly for proteinuria in order to detect and address renal complications early.

Unlabelled: A previous study on the nephrotic syndrome (NS) in our unit showed that the histological patterns associated with steroid resistance were more common in children over 5 years of age., Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of steroid-responsiveness amongst nephrotic children

Echocardiography (ECHO), electrocardiography (ECG), and chest radiography (CXR) were performed in 44 children with kwashiorkor, and 44 age- and sex-matched controls. In patients with kwashiorkor, mean values obtained for end diastolic dimension (29.2 +/- 3.8 mm), end systolic dimension (20.9 +/- 2.8 mm), posterior ventricular wall thickness (5.42 +/- 0.57 mm), and shortening fraction (28.2 +/- 4.3%) were significantly smaller than the corresponding values obtained in the controls -38.0 +/- 5.8 mm (P < 0.001), 27.6 +/- 4.5 mm (P < 0.001), 7.07 +/- 0.71 mm (P < 0.001) and 31.4 +/- 4.5% (P < 0.05), respectively. Similarly, mean cardiothoracic ratio (48.6 +/- 3.4%) and QRS amplitude (13.20 +/- 4.85 mm) were significantly (P < 0.001) smaller in subjects than controls, corresponding values being 54 +/- 3.2 per cent and 20.18 +/- 5.12 mm, respectively. In the subjects, there was very good correlation between posterior ventricular wall thickness and cardiothoracic ratio (r = 0.93; P < 0.001) and also between the estimated left ventricular mass and S1 + R6 amplitude (r = 0.89; P < 0.001).

An electrocardiogram (ECG), serum electrolytes, serum albumin, haematocrit and cardiothoracic ratio were recorded in 90 Nigerian children with kwashiorkor and 90 age- and sex-matched controls. The ECG abnormalities observed among the study group included sinus tachycardia (91%), low QRS amplitude (100%) and prolonged QTc intervals (17%). Other ECG abnormalities noted were short QTc intervals (three children), prolonged PR intervals (four children) and right axis deviation (two children). The mean serum sodium, potassium, calcium, albumin, haematocrit and cardiothoracic ratio were significantly lower in children with kwashiorkor than in the controls (p < 0.001). The correlation between the QRS amplitude and serum potassium and calcium was poor (p > 0.05). Also, there was poor correlation between heart rate and haematocrit (p > 0.05) and between QTc intervals and serum calcium and potassium (p > 0.05). However, the correlation between the QRS amplitude and cardiothoracic ratio was good (r = 0.91, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that the ECG changes in kwashiorkor are due to myocardial atrophy.