Nigerian Journal of Health Sciences

EDITORIAL
Year
: 2017  |  Volume : 17  |  Issue : 2  |  Page : 51--52

Editorial for Nigerian Journal Of Health Sciences: July-December 2017 issue


FA Arogundade 
 Editor-In-Chief, Professor of Medicine/Consultant Physician and Nephrologist, Obafemi Awolowo University/Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria

Correspondence Address:
Prof. F A Arogundade
Editor In Chief, Nigerian Journal of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State
Nigeria




How to cite this article:
Arogundade F A. Editorial for Nigerian Journal Of Health Sciences: July-December 2017 issue.Niger J Health Sci 2017;17:51-52


How to cite this URL:
Arogundade F A. Editorial for Nigerian Journal Of Health Sciences: July-December 2017 issue. Niger J Health Sci [serial online] 2017 [cited 2024 Mar 28 ];17:51-52
Available from: http://www.https://chs-journal.com//text.asp?2017/17/2/51/272034


Full Text



This issue of Nigerian Journal of Health Sciences also highlights publications that cut across both basic and clinical research in the different specialties in health sciences.

Hunaleyo et�al. studied the effects of administration of Phyllanthus amarus on garlic-induced hepatotoxicity in albino rats and found that the different doses of the extract of P.�amarus used significantly decreased the levels of liver enzymes and alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin. They also found increases in total protein and albumin and therefore concluded that P.�amarus may have hepatocurative effect in this setting.

Malaria remains a killer disease, particularly in children where the United�Nations Children's Fund has reported a staggering mortality of one child in every 30 s from malaria and about 3000 children every year from the same disease. It is established that 90% of the global burden of malaria occurs in Sub-Saharan Africa. To reduce this burden, prompt recognition of risk factor, rapid diagnosis and immediate treatment are crucial. Nwaneli et�al. evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of rapid diagnostic test�(RDT) used in the diagnosis of malaria and assessed the factors that are associated with heavy malaria parasitaemia in children. They found that the RDT had a sensitivity of 84.5%, specificity of 83.5%, positive predictive value of 61.3% and negative predictive value of 94.6% with an overall diagnostic accuracy of 83.8%. They did not find any of the clinicodemographic variables to be significantly associated with heavy malaria parasitaemia.

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms�(OCSs) are known to be under-recognised and under-reported in our environment, particularly among medical students. Opakunle et�al. assessed the prevalence and correlates of OCS in medical students and found a prevalence of 32.1%. They also found that it was associated with stress, anxiety, depression and low self-esteem in this studied population.

Heart failure�(HF) is a very common cause of mortality globally and beta blockers�(BB) have been found to be useful in managing some of these patients. Ogbemudia et�al. assessed physicians' knowledge of guidelines for the use of BB in HF and found that majority of them were not knowledgeable about the guidelines for the use of BB in HF. They did not find any association between knowledge of HF guidelines and a physician's department, gender or cadre. They recommended that measures to educate and regularly update physicians on HF guidelines should be institutionalised to ensure evidence-based practice, improved care and better outcomes.

Osteoarthritis�(OA) of the knee is one of the most common rheumatological diseases globally and remains a major cause of pain and disability particularly in the elderly. Ojoawo et�al. assessed the effect of knee OA on the health-related quality of life�(HRQoL) and found significant negative correlation between age and physical difficulty and also between health quality domain�(Hex) and present pain intensity. They also found negative correlation between Hex and total difficulty scores and consequently concluded that the higher the pain intensity and/or physical difficulty, the lower the patient's HRQoL.

Pregnancy losses a major cause of physical and emotional trauma for women and are usually preceded by threatened abortion. Sowemimo et�al. in a retrospective study reviewed the patients with threatened abortion managed over a 5-year period with the objective of assessing the predisposing factors which can then be managed to improve outcome. They found that 75% of them were booked for antenatal care and 62% were in the first trimester. The risk factors included malaria fever and urinary tract infection, while 24.1% had no identifiable risk factor. Only 50% of the patients carried the pregnancy to term.

Maternal mortality is recognised to be high in developing countries with Nigeria having one of the worst figures, and efforts aimed at reducing it are always encouraged. A�known cause of adverse outcome for the mother and/or baby is uterine rupture; Ijarotimi et�al. reported a case of uterine scar dehiscence found incidentally at elective repeat caesarean section at term. They observed that the absence of symptoms may delay diagnosis until complications develop and reviewed the possible predisposing factors and management strategies.

The Nigerian Journal of Health Sciences will continue to strive to ensure regularity in publications and readers should be on the look-out for our new features that would cut across different specialties in health sciences. Please enjoy our current issue and join us as we continue to strive to build a journal of our dream.