Annals of African Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Assessment of Interleukin-6 Levels in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis and its Correlation with Disease Severity and Mortality.","authors":"Chavi Sharma, Sumit Pal Singh Chawla, Ravinder Garg, Sarabjot Kaur, Rajat Bhatt, Shubham Aryan, Sagarneel Chaudhuri","doi":"10.4103/aam.aam_271_24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/aam.aam_271_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine that has an important function in the regulation of immunity, inflammation, hematopoiesis, and cancer biosynthesis. Liver cirrhosis is an advanced stage of liver fibrosis, and inflammatory cytokines play a key role in the activation of numerous cells involved in the pathogenesis of fibrosis.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>The aims of this study were to assess serum IL-6 levels in patients with liver cirrhosis, and to study the correlation of IL-6 levels with the disease severity and mortality at 1 month in these patients.</p><p><strong>Settings and design: </strong>This prospective observational study was conducted in the Medicine department of a tertiary care teaching hospital.</p><p><strong>Subjects and methods: </strong>The study was conducted on 50 patients with liver cirrhosis aged 20-60 years. Serum IL-6 levels were measured by the chemiluminescence method in all the patients at the time of presentation. The relationships between IL-6 levels and the disease severity, in terms of Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score and class, and between IL-6 levels and mortality at 1 month, were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Statistical analysis used: </strong>The continuous variables were expressed as mean and standard deviation, whereas the categorical variables were summarized as frequencies and percentages (%). Non-normally distributed variables were expressed as the median and interquartile range (IQR). The Mann-Whitney U-test was employed for the comparison of two continuous variables and the Kruskal-Wallis test was employed for comparing 3 or more continuous variables. Spearman's correlation coefficient (r) was employed to check the correlation between two continuous variables. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of disease outcome. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Most patients were males (82%), and the maximum number of patients were in the age groups of 35-44 (32%) and 45-54 years (34%). Most of them had decompensated cirrhosis (CTP class B: 42% and CTP class C: 40%). On follow-up, 84% of patients were alive at 1 month, whereas 16% expired. Mean IL-6 levels of the study population were 38.39 ± 39.36 pg/mL. IL-6 levels showed a positive correlation with grade of ascites (P = 0.0001), grade of encephalopathy (P = 0.0001), CTP class (P = 0.0001), CTP score (r = 0.863), international normalized ratio (r = 0.356), serum bilirubin (r = 0.432), and a negative correlation with serum albumin (r = -0.344). IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients who expired in comparison to those who were alive at 1 month (mean: 109.87 ± 45.57 pg/mL, median [IQR]: 120.13 [73.87-145.60] pg/mL vs. 24.77 ± 17.60 pg/mL, 22.55 [11.87-35.50] pg/mL, P = 0.0001). IL-6 was found to be a significant predictor of disease outcome (odds ratio = 1.084, 95% confidence interval = 0.99-1.19).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>IL-6 ","PeriodicalId":7938,"journal":{"name":"Annals of African Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143802325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Prospective Analysis of Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit Infections - A Tertiary Center Study.","authors":"Anand Prakash, Saurav Kumar Besra, Md Habibullah Ansari, Manjar Ali","doi":"10.4103/aam.aam_301_24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/aam.aam_301_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Nosocomial infections are the most important cause of mortality and morbidity of the intensive care units (ICUs). In this study, we evaluated that developed infections in neurosurgery care unit.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Twenty-seven cases with the diagnosis of nosocomial infection out of 132 patients followed up in the neurosurgical ICUs of our center between October 2022 and September 2024 were prospectively evaluated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In our center, infection rate was 20.45%. Pneumonia was the most frequently seen type of infection followed by urinary tract infection. Most frequently Staphylococcus aureus (32.15%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (24.52%) were detected. Overall mortality rate of the patients who became infected was 22.7%. However, mortality rate of the patients without infection was 6.6%. In 14 patients more than one episode of infection developed which resulted in death of 12 (85.7%) cases.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>During monitorization in the ICU, one of the important factors which effect morbidity and mortality is nosocomial infections. In order to be able to prevent infections, routine surveillance studies should be performed and infection control measures should be evolved.</p>","PeriodicalId":7938,"journal":{"name":"Annals of African Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143802323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recent Scenario of Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers of Sepsis in Clinical Practice and the Role of Multi-marker Approach: An Update.","authors":"Arun Sinha, Shrimanjunath Sankanagoudar, Ankur Sharma, Nikhil Kothari, Neeraj Gupta, Praveen Sharma","doi":"10.4103/aam.aam_50_24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/aam.aam_50_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Despite extensive work done in the field of sepsis biomarkers; still, there is no consensus on which parameter could be considered as an ideal biomarker for sepsis diagnosis. This review aims to look into the existing biomarkers of clinical utility which are currently being used for sepsis diagnostics along with their advantages and disadvantages. We also provide an insight into the usefulness of a multi-marker approach to diagnosing sepsis and what could be the future direction. A literature review was conducted and four search engines such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Research Gate were used for data mining. Three clinically relevant markers for sepsis diagnosis such as procalcitonin (PCT), prespsin, and pentraxin-3 reviewed critically. Articles were also reviewed for the assessment of a multi-marker approach. Overall more than 100 research papers were found to be eligible for this review. Currently, most of the studies are using a chemiluminescent immunoassay-based PCT as a diagnostic method for sepsis. This method has been standardized all over the world, along with traditional markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and highly sensitive-CRP. But now, studies are also being conducted on presepsin and pentraxin-3 which are more sensitive and specific for early diagnosis of sepsis. Despite there being literature on presepsin and pentraxin-3, but due to a lack of standardization for assay methods and the costs involved, both parameters are still a long way in finding space in the routine clinical practice. More efforts should be made to combine several markers and develop an algorithm which can overcome the shortcomings of these markers.</p>","PeriodicalId":7938,"journal":{"name":"Annals of African Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143770919","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical and Radiological Evaluation of Severity of Acute Ischemic Stroke with Special Reference to Neuroinflammatory Biomarkers.","authors":"K C Shashidhara, Ashika Reddy Padamati, M Manthappa, M C Prasad","doi":"10.4103/aam.aam_78_24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/aam.aam_78_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Given the complexity of stroke, diverse mechanisms are known to be involved in its pathophysiology among which inflammation is one of the major culprits. Poor clinical outcomes are seen in those stroke patients with significant systemic inflammation. Therapeutic options to fight stroke are still limited and the only approved drug is tissue-plasminogen activator and/or mechanical thrombectomy. As inflammation highly influences susceptibility of stroke patients to overcome the disease, there is an increasing need to develop new diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic strategies for poststroke inflammation.</p><p><strong>Subjects and methods: </strong>This study was conducted over a period of 18 months. Seventy-five patients who were diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke based on patient's clinical history, neurological signs, and radioimaging were included. Patients underwent computed tomography scan/magnetic resonance imaging scan within 24 h of admission to exclude stroke mimics and primary intracerebral hemorrhage. National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was used to assess the severity of stroke clinically. Inflammatory biomarkers such as plasma MMP-9, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and S100B were measured using the ELISA kits.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We observed that plasma concentration of MMP-9, IL-6, and S100B showed statistical significant association with severity of stroke as assessed by NIHSS, with Chi-square test values of χ2 = 24.69 for IL-6 (P = 0.00), χ2 = 11.91 for S100B (P = 0.008), and χ2 = 19.5 for MMP-9 (P = 0.00). The mean values of MMP-9, IL-6, S100B levels, and hs-CRP levels were significantly elevated in severe, moderately to severe stroke groups as related with mild stroke group as evaluated by NIHSS.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Neuroinflammatory markers such as MMP-9, IL-6, S100B, and hs-CRP are the promising tool as inflammatory biomarkers with other indicators of acute ischemic injury to diagnose acute ischemic stroke and facilitate a better clinical assessment of patients during the acute phase of the disease. More importantly, this study showed that these biomarkers have strong independent prediction values for stroke outcome. We propose that some of those biomarkers might turn out to be targets to be therapeutically altered overcoming the urgent need for the identification of potent drugs to modulate stroke-associated inflammation.</p>","PeriodicalId":7938,"journal":{"name":"Annals of African Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143762846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diplopia Rhinoceros.","authors":"B Sai Surya Teja, Ajith Balineni, I Lavanya Sri, Krishna Sowmya Mulpuri, Eswar Ganti","doi":"10.4103/aam.aam_14_25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/aam.aam_14_25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Bilateral cranial nerve VI palsy is a rare neuro-ophthalmological presentation often associated with systemic or intracranial pathologies. In diabetic patients, cranial neuropathies can occur due to immune suppression, ischemia, or infectious complications. This case highlights the interplay of poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), sinusitis, and skull base inflammation leading to bilateral lateral rectus palsy. A 56-year-old postmenopausal woman presented with a 10-day history of headache, an 8-day history of right-sided facial pain, and progressive binocular diplopia over 5 days. Initial evaluation revealed poorly controlled T2DM (blood glucose: 256 mg/dL) and hypertension. Neurological examination identified bilateral esotropia, limited abduction, and confirmed bilateral cranial nerve VI palsy. Imaging revealed bilateral ethmoidal and sphenoidal sinusitis with skull base inflammation. The patient had a concurrent diagnosis of esophageal candidiasis. The findings suggested diabetic predisposition to infection leading to sinusitis-related skull base osteitis and cranial neuropathy. Cranial nerve VI is anatomically vulnerable to ischemic and compressive injury due to its long intracranial course and proximity to the clivus and sphenoid sinus. Chronic hyperglycemia exacerbates susceptibility to infections and ischemia by impairing immune responses and inducing microvascular damage. The patient was treated with glycemic optimization, antimicrobial therapy for sinusitis, and antifungal agents for candidiasis. Multidisciplinary care ensured systemic and local disease control, preventing further complications. This case underscores the importance of considering neuro-ophthalmological complications in diabetic patients presenting with cranial nerve involvement and systemic infection. It highlights the need for timely diagnosis and targeted management to prevent permanent neurological deficits. Further studies are warranted to explore the pathophysiology and optimal treatment approaches for such rare diabetic complications.</p>","PeriodicalId":7938,"journal":{"name":"Annals of African Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143762800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Atypical Kawasaki Disease in a 5-month-old Infant.","authors":"Hiba Habeebu Rahiman, Subhranshu Sekhar Kar, Mariam Mehwish Mohsin, Rajani Dube, Naheel Mohammed Jumaa Alboot","doi":"10.4103/aam.aam_27_25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/aam.aam_27_25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile vasculitis primarily affecting medium-sized arteries in children under 5 years. Infants under 6 months represent a diagnostic challenge due to atypical or incomplete presentations, increasing the risk of coronary artery lesions and complications such as aneurysms. Early diagnosis and treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and aspirin are crucial to prevent long-term cardiac sequelae. We report a rare case of KD in a 5-month-old Bangladeshi girl presenting with prolonged fever, rash, and sterile pyuria. Initial evaluations pointed to partially treated meningitis, delaying KD diagnosis. Subsequent symptoms included edema, osteoarthritis, and persistent inflammation, leading to an echocardiographic detection of a small coronary aneurysm. Treatment with IVIG, aspirin, and corticosteroids resulted in the resolution of symptoms and normalization of cardiac findings. Infants below 6 months often present with incomplete KD, complicating diagnosis and delaying treatment. This case underscores the importance of considering KD in febrile infants with persistent inflammation, even in the absence of classic symptoms. Echocardiography and laboratory markers remain essential for early detection and management. Increased awareness and timely intervention in atypical and incomplete KD presentations are critical for reducing complications, particularly in high-risk groups like infants under 6 months.</p>","PeriodicalId":7938,"journal":{"name":"Annals of African Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143762845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Validation of Peripheral Perfusion Index as a Noninvasive Screening Tool in Predicting Adverse Neonatal Outcome.","authors":"Rizwana Abdul Nasser, Shiji Joseph, Anila Arangassery Poulose, Ramaraj Subbiah","doi":"10.4103/aam.aam_101_24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/aam.aam_101_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Timely identification of suboptimal organ perfusion is crucial to detect adverse outcomes early and to prevent its long-term motor and cognitive effects. Peripheral perfusion index (PI) is a noninvasive screening tool which can identify babies at risk for hemodynamic compromise.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>We aimed to study the validity of peripheral PI as an early predictor of adverse neonatal outcome in comparison with other commonly used noninvasive screening modalities such as heart rate (HR), respiratory rate, temperature, capillary refill time (CRT), and blood pressure.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This prospective observational study was carried out between January 2021 and May 2022. All infants born beyond 32 weeks of pregnancy who are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit and needed hemodynamic were included in the study. Peripheral PI was monitored along with other noninvasive parameters at specific intervals and compared with those parameters for the degree of variation in each at specified time intervals and with the changing hemodynamic status of these babies including adverse outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A cohort of 93 neonates was enrolled in the study. Our study found lower PI values among newborns with adverse outcomes. This study also revealed negative correlations between HR and PI, suggesting that low PI could indicate early neonatal compromise and circulatory inadequacy. We also established positive correlations between PI and CRT, systolic blood pressure, mean arterial blood pressure, and pulse pressure.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>PI can serve as a noninvasive screening tool which can identify babies at risk for hemodynamic compromise, especially in resource-poor settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":7938,"journal":{"name":"Annals of African Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143727053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the Impact of Teriflunomide and Dimethyl Fumarate on Quality of Life in Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis: Insights from Eastern Saudi Arabia.","authors":"Dhafer Alshayban, Foziah J Al-Shamrani, Khalid A Alamer, Mohammad Y Muazen, Khalid A Alqahtani, Layan Alsulaiman, Md Ashraful Islam, Bander Balkhi, Saad Alqahtani, Khalid S AlHarkan","doi":"10.4103/aam.aam_259_24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/aam.aam_259_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is a chronic neurological condition prevalent in Saudi Arabia. It causes a spectrum of neurological impairments that result in functional limitations and disability. The physical and psychological burdens of multiple sclerosis (MS) significantly impact patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, research evaluating its effects on HRQoL within the Saudi context remains scarce. This study aimed to compare HRQoL among RRMS patients undergoing treatment with teriflunomide or dimethyl fumarate and identify factors influencing treatment outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>A cross-sectional study involving all MS patients was conducted at King Fahd Hospital of the University from November 2022 to April 2023. Participants were categorized into two groups based on their treatment: those receiving teriflunomide and those on dimethyl fumarate. Data were collected using the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 280 patients invited, 82 RRMS patients met the inclusion criteria, comprising 28 males and 54 females, with most participants over 40. Approximately 43.9% were treated with teriflunomide, whereas 56.1% received dimethyl fumarate. No statistically significant differences were found in the three health indicators assessed between the two treatment groups. Nonetheless, the descriptive analysis indicated that RRMS patients on dimethyl fumarate reported superior health outcomes to those on teriflunomide.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study revealed that patients with RRMS in the dimethyl fumarate and teriflunomide treatment groups reported low physical and mental HRQoL. While no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups, those receiving dimethyl fumarate indicated a better QoL than their counterparts on teriflunomide. Future research is necessary to identify specific gaps that could facilitate improvements in HRQoL among RRMS patients. Furthermore, the findings from this study may inform the development and implementation of targeted intervention programs aimed at enhancing HRQoL for RRMS patients within the Saudi population.</p>","PeriodicalId":7938,"journal":{"name":"Annals of African Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143727047","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and Detection of Novel Thalassemia Variant hemoglobin J in Extensive Tharu Population.","authors":"Nitu Nigam, Ruchi Gupta, Madan Lal Brahma Bhatt, Swasti Sinha, Nishant Verma, Sanjay Kumar Nigam, Shailendra Prasad Verma, Kirti Upadhyay, Surbhi Gupta","doi":"10.4103/aam.aam_207_24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/aam.aam_207_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Thalassemia is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder that disrupts hemoglobin production, resulting in varying degrees of anemia and associated health problems. In the Terai region of southern Nepal and northern India, the Tharu people has a high prevalence of hemoglobinopathies, including beta and alpha thalassemia.</p><p><strong>Aims and objectives: </strong>This study sought to ascertain the prevalence of hemoglobinopathies in Tharu school-age children in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, as well as the associated hematological and demographic traits.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>In cooperation with the National Medical Organization (NMO) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the study was carried out between February 22-26, 2023. 369 blood samples were taken from youngsters enrolled in school. The BIORAD VARIANT algorithm was utilized to diagnose thalassemia characteristics and hemoglobinopathies using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The relationships between hematological markers, diagnostic results, and demographic factors were assessed by statistical analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>(1) Normal cases: 78.8% of participants were classified as normal. (2) Beta thalassemia heterozygous: 6.2%. (3) HbJ Meerut heterozygous: 4.0%. (4) HbS heterozygous: 9.8%. Statistical analysis revealed a significant association between sex and diagnosis (p=0.001), while no significant association was observed between age and diagnosis (P = 0.846). Hematological parameters, including Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH), differed significantly across diagnostic groups (P < 0.05). Variations in hemoglobin types Hb A, Hb F, and Hb A2 were statistically significant (P < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study highlights a high prevalence of hemoglobinopathies within the Tharu community, emphasizing the need for accurate diagnosis and awareness campaigns to manage the disorder effectively. By reducing stigma and empowering the community with knowledge, these efforts can improve outcomes for individuals with thalassemia and related disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":7938,"journal":{"name":"Annals of African Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143690911","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Attitudes, Behaviors, and Stigmatization toward Women with Breast Cancer among Saudi Arabian Men.","authors":"Israa Aqeel Alghafli, Ghadeer Aqeel Alghafli, Latifah Khalid Alnami, Zahra Ali Alhajji, Reem Ali AlQarni, Ghadah Abdullah Albejais, Jumanah Jamal Alabbad, Loai S Albinsaad, Mohammed Yousef Alessa, Ali Saleh Albinsaad","doi":"10.4103/aam.aam_247_24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/aam.aam_247_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Globally, breast cancer is the most frequent cancer to affect women. The death rate from breast cancer has dramatically dropped as a result of recent advancements in screening and therapy. The negative attitude that society has toward cancer patients, known as the stigma, keeps them from developing effective coping strategies. This study aimed to examine the attitudes of Saudi Arabian men, their behaviors, and their stigma toward females with breast cancer.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia between February 4 and March 31, 2024. Following a comprehensive pilot study involving 50 participants, the researchers developed and validated a pre-structured online questionnaire.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 796 (68.2%) met the inclusion criteria and completed the study questionnaire. Participants' ages ranged between 18 and 60 years with a mean age of 31.6 ± 11.8 years old. Regarding educational level, 129 (23.8%) had a secondary level of education or below, and 403 (74.2%) were university students/graduates. Regarding males' attitudes toward females with breast cancer, the lowest score, indicating the most positive attitude, was reported for a section on cancer-related myths and preconceptions (1.4/5), followed by women's working ability (1.6/5), disease severity (1.8/5), and nervousness (2.1/5). Attitudes toward marriage and concealing showed the highest scores, indicating the lowest attitude and perception levels (2.3/5 for each). Men's score for attitude and stigma was 1.9 ± 0.6 of 5 (38%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study showed that educated men with sufficient knowledge about breast cancer showed positive attitudes and low stigma towards females with the disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":7938,"journal":{"name":"Annals of African Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143690900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}