Chukwuemeka O Eze | Ebonyi State University (original) (raw)

Papers by Chukwuemeka O Eze

Nigerian journal of medicine : journal of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria

Orthostatic Hypotension is a serious and common complication of diabetes mellitus. To determine t... more Orthostatic Hypotension is a serious and common complication of diabetes mellitus. To determine the prevalence and risk factors of Orthostatic Hypotension in type 2 diabetic patients in a diabetes mellitus clinic in Enugu South-East Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was administered to the eligible and consenting seventy type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. The supine and erect blood pressures of each patient were recorded. The patients with Orthostatic Hypotension were compared with those without Orthostatic Hypotension for different clinical and biochemical parameters. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 software. Odds ratio was calculated for the presence of Orthostatic Hypotension amongst the variables and p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The prevalence of Orthostatic Hypotension in type 2 diabetic patients was 23.3%. Orthostatic Hypotension had statistically significant association with the presence of...

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Sep 26, 2022

Background: Renal dysfunction is commonly seen in hospitalized stroke patients. It serves both as... more Background: Renal dysfunction is commonly seen in hospitalized stroke patients. It serves both as a risk factor for stroke and as a complication of stroke. Renal dysfunction is a poor prognostic factor for stroke and increases the risk of recurrence. Despite the above poor indices, there is paucity of data on the prevalence of renal dysfunction in acute stroke patients in Nigeria. It is against this backdrop that we embarked on this study of the prevalence and pattern of renal dysfunction in acute stroke patients in Abakaliki Nigeria. This is a cross-sectional Method: observational hospital-based study undertaken at the Emergency unit of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Nigeria from October 2021 to April 2022 (7 months period). Amongst the 210 acute stroke Results: patients enrolled in the study, 51 (24%) had renal dysfunction with no age and sex predilection. Hemorrhagic stroke, alteration in consciousness, and anemia were significantly associated with renal dysfunction. The prevalence of Conclusion: renal dysfunction following acute stroke is high and there is a need for assessment of renal functions in every acute stroke patient and institute prompt multidisciplinary treatment.

Global Journal of Health Science, 2020

Stroke is a neurological condition that is characterized by sudden onset focal neurological defic... more Stroke is a neurological condition that is characterized by sudden onset focal neurological deficit due to spontaneous cerebral vascular occlusion or rupture. It is a neurological emergency and its prevalence is very high, especially in developing countries where it assumes an epidemic proportion. It is globally the second most common cause of death after ischaemic heart disease. The poor indices in developing countries are multifactorial and related to late case presentation, ignorance, poverty, and unavailability of comprehensive and well-coordinated stroke care. There is a need to identify the available and cheap stroke management steps in the developing countries and strengthen the system to maximize the benefits in reduction of the morbidity and mortality of stroke. It is against this background that we identified Stroke prevention, acute stroke management, Stroke rehabilitation, Stroke research, and Stroke support as five pillars (stroke pentagon) in stroke management in devel...

Arabian Journal of Chemistry, 2015

The antibacterial activity of peppermint oil and different extracts of Mentha piperita against so... more The antibacterial activity of peppermint oil and different extracts of Mentha piperita against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains was evaluated in the present research work by agar well diffusion method. It was found that the distilled concentrations of essential oil inhibited the growth of microorganisms and the results were comparable with those of antibiotic gentamycin. Essential oils showed a wider spectrum of activity but less strong inhibition as compared to the investigated commercial antibiotic. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for the bacterial species ranged from 0.4% to 0.7% v/v. The oil and extracts also exhibited significant antioxidant activity and the oil showed about half potency when compared to the standard BHT. These results indicated the strong antibacterial and antioxidant activities of peppermint oil but additional investigations need to be performed in order to confirm the safety of these concentrations (MIC) for human consumption. Peppermint oil could be used as a good conservation agent by inhibiting some food borne pathogens.

Nigerian journal of medicine : journal of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria

To determine the frequency, pattern and grades of cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in type 2 di... more To determine the frequency, pattern and grades of cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in type 2 diabetic patients in a diabetes mellitus (DM) clinic in Enugu South-East Nigeria. A cross sectional study of seventy (70) type 2 diabetic patients attending a DM clinic in Enugu South-East Nigeria was carried out. Cardiac autonomic function was determined using a battery of 5 noninvasive tests which include; Heart rate response (HRR) to Valsalva manoeuvre, HRR to deep breathing, HRR to standing, Resting heart rate, and Blood pressure (BP) response to standing. The frequency of cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in type 2 diabetic patients was 44.3%. Resting tachycardia was the most specific, HRR to Valsalva manoeuvre was most sensitive while BP response to standing had the best positive predictive value in detecting cardiac autonomic neuropathy. Cardiac autonomic neuropathy is a common complication in type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients seen at Enugu. It is therefore recommended that tonomic...

Open Journal of Internal Medicine, 2021

Introduction: Quality healthcare is a major contributor to health disparities and inequalities in... more Introduction: Quality healthcare is a major contributor to health disparities and inequalities in resource limited settings. Patient satisfaction remains an important and valuable method of assessing the quality of care. Aim: This study assessed patients' satisfaction with quality of inpatient clinical care in a mission hospital in a semi urban setting. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study carried out on 140 inpatients at a mission hospital in Afikpo, South East Nigeria. Data was collected using pretested structured questionnaires designed on a five-point likert scale with 1 indicating the lowest and 5 indicating the highest scale. Knowledge of factors contributing to quality of care and satisfaction in the following domains: patient-staff relationship, patient-staff (doctors/nurses) communication, facility convenience, technical aspect of care (availability of equipment, drugs and adequacy of staff) and overall general satisfaction were measured. Operationally, patients who rated 3 points and above were considered satisfied while ratings less than 3 points were considered dissatisfied. Results: Knowledge of factors contributing to quality of care was 4.65 ± 0.48. General satisfaction rated 4.22 ± 0.52. Specifically, the different domains had the following scores: inter personal relationship 4.28 ± 0.81, technical aspect of care (availability of drugs, equipment and medical personnel) 4.29 ± 0.57 and facility convenience 4.21 ± 0.51. Conclusions: Knowledge of factors contributing to quality of care and overall patients' satisfaction with inpatient care were good and comparable with patients' satisfaction with tertiary health institutions in Nigeria. Mission hospitals may serve as excellent alternatives to government hospitals in resource limited settings to promote health equity across populations.

Journal of Metabolic Syndrome, 2015

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) could be associated with cognitive impairment. The spectrum of cogn... more Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) could be associated with cognitive impairment. The spectrum of cognitive impairment ranges from mild deficits that are not clinically detectable to the most severe clinical form, dementia. Some of the potential mechanisms include the effects of brain infarcts, white matter disease, hyperinsulinaemia, advanced glycosylated end products, and Lipoprotein related proteins (LRP). There is limited data on the prevalence of cognitive impairment amongst type 2 DM patients in southeast Nigeria. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of cognitive impairment in type 2 DM patients attending a diabetic clinic in Abakaliki southeast Nigeria. It is a cross-sectional, descriptive and hospital based study carried out over a three months period (October 2013 to September 2014). Mini mental state examination (MMSE) was used for cognitive functions assessment and interpreted as follows; a score of 25-30 as normal, and ≤ 24 as cognitive impairment. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 software. Out of 499 type 2 DM patients that were screened for the study, 450 were eligible for the study with male to female sex ratio of 2 (190):3 (260). The age range was 30-89 years with mean age of 59.43 ± 9.28 years. One hundred and eighty (40%) patients had cognitive impairment with male to female sex distribution of 55 (28.9%) and 125 (48.1%) respectively. Advanced age, low education attainment, unskilled occupation and presence of diabetic complications were the identified risk factors for cognitive impairment. Mini mental state examination should be a frequent tool in routine assessment of diabetic patients as it is simple and sensitive in detecting cognitive impairment. Also, identified modifiable risk factors should be corrected.

Indian Journal of Medical Sciences, 2013

CONTEXT: It is established that glycemic control measures involving diet and oral medication redu... more CONTEXT: It is established that glycemic control measures involving diet and oral medication reduces glycated hemoglobin concentration (HbA1c) in type 2 diabetic patients. AIMS: To determine whether glycemic levels after diabetic treatment is affected by age, gender, obesity, and diabetic duration in type 2 diabetic patients. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A total of 52 type 2 diabetic patients participated in a 12-week diabetic management therapy involving oral medication (metformin) and lifestyle intervention (diet). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the glycated hemoglobin reduction after treatment between the elderly and non-elderly; males and females; obese and non-obese; and newly diagnosed and long-standing diabetics. RESULTS: After the diabetic treatment, participants' mean HbA1c level indicated a reduction of 1.1 ± 1.31%, weight loss of 2.46 ± 1.79 kg, and BMI reduction of 0.94 ± 0.69 kg/m 2. A total of 23 (44.2%) patients had an acceptable HbA1c level of <6.5%. Significantly greater HbA1c reduction was observed in non-elderly, non-overweight/obese, and newly diagnosed diabetic patients compared to the elderly, overweight/obese, and long-standing diabetic patients respectively (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). HbA1c reduction did not indicate sex differences. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest lower responses to glycemic control therapy in elderly, overweight/obese, and long-standing diabetic patients when compared to the non-elderly, non-overweight/obese, and newly diagnosed diabetic patients. It is recommended that treatment criteria for type 2 diabetes should account for the age, level of adiposity, and diabetic duration of the patient in

World Journal of Neuroscience, 2022

Background: Post stroke depression (PSD) is the most common psychiatric complication following st... more Background: Post stroke depression (PSD) is the most common psychiatric complication following stroke. There has not been any study to demonstrate its burden in Abakaliki, Nigeria. It is against this backdrop that we embarked on this study of the frequency and pattern of PSD in Abakaliki Nigeria. Method: This is a cross-sectional observational hospital based study undertaken at the Adult Neurology Outpatient Clinics of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Nigeria from February 2021 to July 2021 (6 months period). Results: Amongst the 110 stroke survivors enrolled in the study, 36 (32.7%) had Post Stroke Depression (PSD) with preponderance of mild type. Female gender and young age were associated with the presence of PSD. Conclusion: Post stroke depression is prevalent amongst stroke survivors in Abakaliki, Nigeria and more preponderant in women and young individuals.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) could be associated with cognitive impairment. The spectrum of cogn... more Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) could be associated with cognitive impairment. The spectrum of cognitive impairment ranges from mild deficits that are not clinically detectable to the most severe clinical form, dementia. Some of the potential mechanisms include the effects of brain infarcts, white matter disease, hyperinsulinaemia, advanced glycosylated end products, and Lipoprotein Related Proteins (LRP). There is limited data on the prevalence of cognitive impairment amongst type 2 DM patients in south - east Nigeria. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of cognitive impairment in type 2 DM patients attending a diabetic clinic in Abakaliki south-east Nigeria. It is a cross-sectional, descriptive and hospital based study carried out over a three months period (October 2013 to September 2014). Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used for cognitive functions assessment and interpreted as follows; a score of 25-30 as normal, and ≤24 as cognitive impairme...

Orient Journal of Medicine, 2016

Background : The presentation and prognosis of tetanus varies amongst different regions of the wo... more Background : The presentation and prognosis of tetanus varies amongst different regions of the world and this depends on many factors including the herd immunity and hygienic practices in the regions. Tetanus may be categorized into 4 clinical types: generalized tetanus, localized tetanus, cephalic tetanus and neonatal tetanus. Objectives : To study the presentation and prognosis of tetanus in a tertiary health centre in Abakaliki, South-East Nigeria, and to compare it with that from other parts of the world. Methodology : A review of the case notes of tetanus patients managed in the isolation wards of the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, South- East Nigeria, from June 2013 to May 2015 was done. Results : The total number of tetanus cases seen over the period was 16, with an age range of 16 to 52years and mean age of 28.07±5.34years. All the patients had generalized tetanus. There were 15(93.75%) males and 1 (6.25%) female. The mean incubation and onset periods were 12.6 days an...

BACKGROUND The pattern of neurological admissions varies amongst different regions of the world a... more BACKGROUND The pattern of neurological admissions varies amongst different regions of the world and this depends on many factors including the regional burden of neurological disorders. This study determined the pattern of neurological admissions in a tertiary health centre in Abakaliki South Eastern Nigeria and compared it with that from other parts of the country. METHODOLOGY A review of admissions into the medical wards of the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki south- eastern Nigeria from July 2012 to June 2013 was done using the register of admissions and discharges. RESULTS Out of 1247 patients admitted in medical ward over the study period, 267 (21%) had neurological disorders with mean age of 55.1 ± 20.2 years. There were 154 (58%) males and 113 (42%) females, with a sex ratio of 4:3. Seventy two percent of the patients were between 30 and 69 years. Stroke accounted for 62% (166) of the neurologic admissions. Others were central nervous system (CNS) infections, seizure disor...

BACKGROUND: Neurological disorders are common with increasing prevalence worldwide. The pattern o... more BACKGROUND: Neurological disorders are common with increasing prevalence worldwide. The pattern of their presentation at Abakaliki Nigeria is not known. It is against this background that we embarked on this retrospective observational study on the pattern of neurological disorders in an Adult neurology clinic at Abakaliki Nigeria. METHOD: This is a retrospective observational hospital based study where the attendance registers of the 2 neurology clinics were used to extract demographic and clinical information of patients seen at the clinics from January 2019 to June 2020. RESULTS: A total of 1910 (72%) patients (Male- 1063, Female- 847) had neurological disorders. Common neurological disorders include Stroke, Seizure disorder, Parkinsonism, Dementia, Spondylosis, and headache. CONCLUSION: Neurological disorders are quite common in neurology clinics at Abakaliki Nigeria with preponderance of stroke.

Background: An Emergency Department (ED) is a medical treatment facility dedicated to emergency m... more Background: An Emergency Department (ED) is a medical treatment facility dedicated to emergency medicine with an expectedly higher mortality rate. There is no available data on the pattern of mortality in the medical emergency room of the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA), a tertiary health facility in Abakaliki South-eastern Nigeria. Hence, this study was undertaken to determine the pattern of mortality of cases seen at the Medical Emergency unit of FETHA and compare it with that elsewhere in the country with the view of using the data generated as a baseline for planning purposes and for future studies. Method: This is a retrospective, descriptive and hospital-based study of the demographics and mortality pattern of patients seen at the medical emergency unit of the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA) over an 18 months period from January 2014 to June 2015. The analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 software. Result:...

Stroke is a common neurologic disorder and it is the third leading cause of mortality worldwide a... more Stroke is a common neurologic disorder and it is the third leading cause of mortality worldwide after ischaemic heart disease and cancer. Males are predominantly affected and ischaemic stroke is more prevalent than haemorrhagic stroke. This study determined the pattern and presentation of stroke in Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA) South-East Nigeria. It was a retrospective, descriptive and hospital based study. The stroke register of the neurology unit was reviewed and relevant data were extracted and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 software. The sex ratio was M:F =3:2 and the peak age prevalence of stroke was the 7 th decade. Ischaemic stroke was present in 65%, while intracerebral haemorrhage and subarachnoid haemorrhage were 31% and 4% respectively. Stroke constituted 12% of medical deaths with 30 day case mortality rate of 15%. Stroke is highly prevalent in Abakaliki south east Nigeria. The 30 day case mortality rate is relati...

BACKGROUND The relationship between hyperthyroidism and stroke is well established in the setting... more BACKGROUND The relationship between hyperthyroidism and stroke is well established in the setting of atrial fibrillation. However there is limited literature for ischaemic stroke occuring in hyperthyroidism without cardiac arrhythmia. No such case had been described in South East Nigeria. METHOD This report highlights a case of ischaemic lacunar infarction in an elderly Nigerian woman with reemergent thyrotoxicosis, without atrial fibrillation. RESULT A 75- year old retired female teacher presented with a painless goiter of 3 years duration and right sided hemiplegia of 2 months duration. She had sub-total thyroidectomy 32 years ago for thyrotoxicosis with subsequent good outcome and had been managed for diabetes mellitus for 13 years with good glycaemic control. She was not a known hypertensive. She was thyrotoxic on examination with a large non-tender goiter. There was sinus tachycardia. She had a right sided facial nerve palsy and ipsilateral spastic hemiplegia. Sensations were s...

BACKGROUND Stroke is a common neurologic disorder and it is the third leading cause of mortality ... more BACKGROUND Stroke is a common neurologic disorder and it is the third leading cause of mortality worldwide after ischaemic heart disease and cancer.This study determined the prognosis of acute stroke in Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA) South-East Nigeria. METHODOLOGY It was a retrospective, descriptive and hospital based study conducted in a tertiary health centre in Abakaliki south-east Nigeria. The stroke register of the neurology unit was reviewed and relevant data were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS Stroke accounted for 12% of medical death with 24 hour, 7 day and 30 day mortality rates of 5%, 10% and 15% respectively. Factors associated with stroke mortality include advanced age, female sex, extremes of blood pressure, loss of consciousness and haemorrhagic stroke. CONCLUSION There should be regular health education with emphasis on primary prevention of stroke. Also, stroke patients should be referred early to a stroke unitfor adequate management.

Global Journal of Health Science, 2021

BACKGROUND: Electroencephalography (EEG) remains the most important investigative modality in the... more BACKGROUND: Electroencephalography (EEG) remains the most important investigative modality in the evaluation of individuals with epilepsy and other neurological disorders. The pattern of EEG done in a tertiary hospital at Abakaliki Nigeria is not known. It is against this background that we embarked on this retrospective observational study on the EEG pattern and patient characteristics in Neurophysiology laboratory at Abakaliki Nigeria. METHOD: This is a retrospective observational hospital based study where the attendance register of the Neurophysiology laboratory was used to extract information on the demography, clinical characteristics and EEG reports of patients seen at the Laboratory from November 2018 to April 2021. RESULTS: A total of 125 (Male- 69, Female- 56) persons did EEG over the study period, and 75.2% had epileptiform waves (generalized- 16.8%, focal- 57.6%). CONCLUSION: EEG services are been utilized at Abakaliki in evaluation of seizure disorder and other paroxys...

Hiccups are common, usually mild with no obvious cause and often resolve spontaneously. They are ... more Hiccups are common, usually mild with no obvious cause and often resolve spontaneously. They are classified as transient, persistent and intractable depending on the duration. Drug induced hiccups have been reported in medical literature but not common and corticosteroids are often cited. This report involved 2 male patients who developed persistent hiccups following use of oral dexamethasone for inflammatory conditions. The hiccups were severe and intolerable and could not stop despite use of metoclopramide and chlorpromazine. The hiccups only stopped following discontinuation of the dexamethasone. It should be noted that low dose of dexamethasone was used. Management of dexamethasone induced hiccups involves discontinuation of the drug, steroid rotation if the patient is steroid dependent and use of metoclopramide and chlorpromazine. Clinicians should be aware of this known but rare adverse effect of dexamethasone as it could be severe, distressful and negatively impart patients c...

Saudi Journal of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

The leaves of Pseudocedrela. kotschyi are used in herbal medicine in Sub-Saharan Africa without s... more The leaves of Pseudocedrela. kotschyi are used in herbal medicine in Sub-Saharan Africa without safety concerns. Determination of its safety profile will provide supportive scientific evidence in favour of its continuous usage. To evaluate the sub-chronic toxicity activity of the ethanol extract of Pseudocedrela. Kotschyi leaves. Sub-chronic toxicity evaluation of the extract was determined by administering 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg on Wistar rats for 40 days with distilled water as control. The haematological and biochemical parameter as well as the relative organ weights were examined. In the 40 days sub-chronic oral toxicity study, administration of 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of P. kotschyi leaf extract per body weight showed significant (p<0.05) body weight change, significant (p<0.05 and p<0.01) changes in some haematological and biochemical parameters and organ weights compared to the control group. Analyses of these results could lead to the conclusion that the oral administration of P. kotscyi leaf extract for 40 days does not cause sub-chronic toxicity in rats

Nigerian journal of medicine : journal of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria

Orthostatic Hypotension is a serious and common complication of diabetes mellitus. To determine t... more Orthostatic Hypotension is a serious and common complication of diabetes mellitus. To determine the prevalence and risk factors of Orthostatic Hypotension in type 2 diabetic patients in a diabetes mellitus clinic in Enugu South-East Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was administered to the eligible and consenting seventy type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. The supine and erect blood pressures of each patient were recorded. The patients with Orthostatic Hypotension were compared with those without Orthostatic Hypotension for different clinical and biochemical parameters. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 software. Odds ratio was calculated for the presence of Orthostatic Hypotension amongst the variables and p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The prevalence of Orthostatic Hypotension in type 2 diabetic patients was 23.3%. Orthostatic Hypotension had statistically significant association with the presence of...

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Sep 26, 2022

Background: Renal dysfunction is commonly seen in hospitalized stroke patients. It serves both as... more Background: Renal dysfunction is commonly seen in hospitalized stroke patients. It serves both as a risk factor for stroke and as a complication of stroke. Renal dysfunction is a poor prognostic factor for stroke and increases the risk of recurrence. Despite the above poor indices, there is paucity of data on the prevalence of renal dysfunction in acute stroke patients in Nigeria. It is against this backdrop that we embarked on this study of the prevalence and pattern of renal dysfunction in acute stroke patients in Abakaliki Nigeria. This is a cross-sectional Method: observational hospital-based study undertaken at the Emergency unit of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Nigeria from October 2021 to April 2022 (7 months period). Amongst the 210 acute stroke Results: patients enrolled in the study, 51 (24%) had renal dysfunction with no age and sex predilection. Hemorrhagic stroke, alteration in consciousness, and anemia were significantly associated with renal dysfunction. The prevalence of Conclusion: renal dysfunction following acute stroke is high and there is a need for assessment of renal functions in every acute stroke patient and institute prompt multidisciplinary treatment.

Global Journal of Health Science, 2020

Stroke is a neurological condition that is characterized by sudden onset focal neurological defic... more Stroke is a neurological condition that is characterized by sudden onset focal neurological deficit due to spontaneous cerebral vascular occlusion or rupture. It is a neurological emergency and its prevalence is very high, especially in developing countries where it assumes an epidemic proportion. It is globally the second most common cause of death after ischaemic heart disease. The poor indices in developing countries are multifactorial and related to late case presentation, ignorance, poverty, and unavailability of comprehensive and well-coordinated stroke care. There is a need to identify the available and cheap stroke management steps in the developing countries and strengthen the system to maximize the benefits in reduction of the morbidity and mortality of stroke. It is against this background that we identified Stroke prevention, acute stroke management, Stroke rehabilitation, Stroke research, and Stroke support as five pillars (stroke pentagon) in stroke management in devel...

Arabian Journal of Chemistry, 2015

The antibacterial activity of peppermint oil and different extracts of Mentha piperita against so... more The antibacterial activity of peppermint oil and different extracts of Mentha piperita against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains was evaluated in the present research work by agar well diffusion method. It was found that the distilled concentrations of essential oil inhibited the growth of microorganisms and the results were comparable with those of antibiotic gentamycin. Essential oils showed a wider spectrum of activity but less strong inhibition as compared to the investigated commercial antibiotic. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for the bacterial species ranged from 0.4% to 0.7% v/v. The oil and extracts also exhibited significant antioxidant activity and the oil showed about half potency when compared to the standard BHT. These results indicated the strong antibacterial and antioxidant activities of peppermint oil but additional investigations need to be performed in order to confirm the safety of these concentrations (MIC) for human consumption. Peppermint oil could be used as a good conservation agent by inhibiting some food borne pathogens.

Nigerian journal of medicine : journal of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria

To determine the frequency, pattern and grades of cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in type 2 di... more To determine the frequency, pattern and grades of cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in type 2 diabetic patients in a diabetes mellitus (DM) clinic in Enugu South-East Nigeria. A cross sectional study of seventy (70) type 2 diabetic patients attending a DM clinic in Enugu South-East Nigeria was carried out. Cardiac autonomic function was determined using a battery of 5 noninvasive tests which include; Heart rate response (HRR) to Valsalva manoeuvre, HRR to deep breathing, HRR to standing, Resting heart rate, and Blood pressure (BP) response to standing. The frequency of cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in type 2 diabetic patients was 44.3%. Resting tachycardia was the most specific, HRR to Valsalva manoeuvre was most sensitive while BP response to standing had the best positive predictive value in detecting cardiac autonomic neuropathy. Cardiac autonomic neuropathy is a common complication in type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients seen at Enugu. It is therefore recommended that tonomic...

Open Journal of Internal Medicine, 2021

Introduction: Quality healthcare is a major contributor to health disparities and inequalities in... more Introduction: Quality healthcare is a major contributor to health disparities and inequalities in resource limited settings. Patient satisfaction remains an important and valuable method of assessing the quality of care. Aim: This study assessed patients' satisfaction with quality of inpatient clinical care in a mission hospital in a semi urban setting. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study carried out on 140 inpatients at a mission hospital in Afikpo, South East Nigeria. Data was collected using pretested structured questionnaires designed on a five-point likert scale with 1 indicating the lowest and 5 indicating the highest scale. Knowledge of factors contributing to quality of care and satisfaction in the following domains: patient-staff relationship, patient-staff (doctors/nurses) communication, facility convenience, technical aspect of care (availability of equipment, drugs and adequacy of staff) and overall general satisfaction were measured. Operationally, patients who rated 3 points and above were considered satisfied while ratings less than 3 points were considered dissatisfied. Results: Knowledge of factors contributing to quality of care was 4.65 ± 0.48. General satisfaction rated 4.22 ± 0.52. Specifically, the different domains had the following scores: inter personal relationship 4.28 ± 0.81, technical aspect of care (availability of drugs, equipment and medical personnel) 4.29 ± 0.57 and facility convenience 4.21 ± 0.51. Conclusions: Knowledge of factors contributing to quality of care and overall patients' satisfaction with inpatient care were good and comparable with patients' satisfaction with tertiary health institutions in Nigeria. Mission hospitals may serve as excellent alternatives to government hospitals in resource limited settings to promote health equity across populations.

Journal of Metabolic Syndrome, 2015

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) could be associated with cognitive impairment. The spectrum of cogn... more Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) could be associated with cognitive impairment. The spectrum of cognitive impairment ranges from mild deficits that are not clinically detectable to the most severe clinical form, dementia. Some of the potential mechanisms include the effects of brain infarcts, white matter disease, hyperinsulinaemia, advanced glycosylated end products, and Lipoprotein related proteins (LRP). There is limited data on the prevalence of cognitive impairment amongst type 2 DM patients in southeast Nigeria. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of cognitive impairment in type 2 DM patients attending a diabetic clinic in Abakaliki southeast Nigeria. It is a cross-sectional, descriptive and hospital based study carried out over a three months period (October 2013 to September 2014). Mini mental state examination (MMSE) was used for cognitive functions assessment and interpreted as follows; a score of 25-30 as normal, and ≤ 24 as cognitive impairment. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 software. Out of 499 type 2 DM patients that were screened for the study, 450 were eligible for the study with male to female sex ratio of 2 (190):3 (260). The age range was 30-89 years with mean age of 59.43 ± 9.28 years. One hundred and eighty (40%) patients had cognitive impairment with male to female sex distribution of 55 (28.9%) and 125 (48.1%) respectively. Advanced age, low education attainment, unskilled occupation and presence of diabetic complications were the identified risk factors for cognitive impairment. Mini mental state examination should be a frequent tool in routine assessment of diabetic patients as it is simple and sensitive in detecting cognitive impairment. Also, identified modifiable risk factors should be corrected.

Indian Journal of Medical Sciences, 2013

CONTEXT: It is established that glycemic control measures involving diet and oral medication redu... more CONTEXT: It is established that glycemic control measures involving diet and oral medication reduces glycated hemoglobin concentration (HbA1c) in type 2 diabetic patients. AIMS: To determine whether glycemic levels after diabetic treatment is affected by age, gender, obesity, and diabetic duration in type 2 diabetic patients. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A total of 52 type 2 diabetic patients participated in a 12-week diabetic management therapy involving oral medication (metformin) and lifestyle intervention (diet). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the glycated hemoglobin reduction after treatment between the elderly and non-elderly; males and females; obese and non-obese; and newly diagnosed and long-standing diabetics. RESULTS: After the diabetic treatment, participants' mean HbA1c level indicated a reduction of 1.1 ± 1.31%, weight loss of 2.46 ± 1.79 kg, and BMI reduction of 0.94 ± 0.69 kg/m 2. A total of 23 (44.2%) patients had an acceptable HbA1c level of <6.5%. Significantly greater HbA1c reduction was observed in non-elderly, non-overweight/obese, and newly diagnosed diabetic patients compared to the elderly, overweight/obese, and long-standing diabetic patients respectively (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). HbA1c reduction did not indicate sex differences. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest lower responses to glycemic control therapy in elderly, overweight/obese, and long-standing diabetic patients when compared to the non-elderly, non-overweight/obese, and newly diagnosed diabetic patients. It is recommended that treatment criteria for type 2 diabetes should account for the age, level of adiposity, and diabetic duration of the patient in

World Journal of Neuroscience, 2022

Background: Post stroke depression (PSD) is the most common psychiatric complication following st... more Background: Post stroke depression (PSD) is the most common psychiatric complication following stroke. There has not been any study to demonstrate its burden in Abakaliki, Nigeria. It is against this backdrop that we embarked on this study of the frequency and pattern of PSD in Abakaliki Nigeria. Method: This is a cross-sectional observational hospital based study undertaken at the Adult Neurology Outpatient Clinics of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, Nigeria from February 2021 to July 2021 (6 months period). Results: Amongst the 110 stroke survivors enrolled in the study, 36 (32.7%) had Post Stroke Depression (PSD) with preponderance of mild type. Female gender and young age were associated with the presence of PSD. Conclusion: Post stroke depression is prevalent amongst stroke survivors in Abakaliki, Nigeria and more preponderant in women and young individuals.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) could be associated with cognitive impairment. The spectrum of cogn... more Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) could be associated with cognitive impairment. The spectrum of cognitive impairment ranges from mild deficits that are not clinically detectable to the most severe clinical form, dementia. Some of the potential mechanisms include the effects of brain infarcts, white matter disease, hyperinsulinaemia, advanced glycosylated end products, and Lipoprotein Related Proteins (LRP). There is limited data on the prevalence of cognitive impairment amongst type 2 DM patients in south - east Nigeria. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of cognitive impairment in type 2 DM patients attending a diabetic clinic in Abakaliki south-east Nigeria. It is a cross-sectional, descriptive and hospital based study carried out over a three months period (October 2013 to September 2014). Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used for cognitive functions assessment and interpreted as follows; a score of 25-30 as normal, and ≤24 as cognitive impairme...

Orient Journal of Medicine, 2016

Background : The presentation and prognosis of tetanus varies amongst different regions of the wo... more Background : The presentation and prognosis of tetanus varies amongst different regions of the world and this depends on many factors including the herd immunity and hygienic practices in the regions. Tetanus may be categorized into 4 clinical types: generalized tetanus, localized tetanus, cephalic tetanus and neonatal tetanus. Objectives : To study the presentation and prognosis of tetanus in a tertiary health centre in Abakaliki, South-East Nigeria, and to compare it with that from other parts of the world. Methodology : A review of the case notes of tetanus patients managed in the isolation wards of the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, South- East Nigeria, from June 2013 to May 2015 was done. Results : The total number of tetanus cases seen over the period was 16, with an age range of 16 to 52years and mean age of 28.07±5.34years. All the patients had generalized tetanus. There were 15(93.75%) males and 1 (6.25%) female. The mean incubation and onset periods were 12.6 days an...

BACKGROUND The pattern of neurological admissions varies amongst different regions of the world a... more BACKGROUND The pattern of neurological admissions varies amongst different regions of the world and this depends on many factors including the regional burden of neurological disorders. This study determined the pattern of neurological admissions in a tertiary health centre in Abakaliki South Eastern Nigeria and compared it with that from other parts of the country. METHODOLOGY A review of admissions into the medical wards of the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki south- eastern Nigeria from July 2012 to June 2013 was done using the register of admissions and discharges. RESULTS Out of 1247 patients admitted in medical ward over the study period, 267 (21%) had neurological disorders with mean age of 55.1 ± 20.2 years. There were 154 (58%) males and 113 (42%) females, with a sex ratio of 4:3. Seventy two percent of the patients were between 30 and 69 years. Stroke accounted for 62% (166) of the neurologic admissions. Others were central nervous system (CNS) infections, seizure disor...

BACKGROUND: Neurological disorders are common with increasing prevalence worldwide. The pattern o... more BACKGROUND: Neurological disorders are common with increasing prevalence worldwide. The pattern of their presentation at Abakaliki Nigeria is not known. It is against this background that we embarked on this retrospective observational study on the pattern of neurological disorders in an Adult neurology clinic at Abakaliki Nigeria. METHOD: This is a retrospective observational hospital based study where the attendance registers of the 2 neurology clinics were used to extract demographic and clinical information of patients seen at the clinics from January 2019 to June 2020. RESULTS: A total of 1910 (72%) patients (Male- 1063, Female- 847) had neurological disorders. Common neurological disorders include Stroke, Seizure disorder, Parkinsonism, Dementia, Spondylosis, and headache. CONCLUSION: Neurological disorders are quite common in neurology clinics at Abakaliki Nigeria with preponderance of stroke.

Background: An Emergency Department (ED) is a medical treatment facility dedicated to emergency m... more Background: An Emergency Department (ED) is a medical treatment facility dedicated to emergency medicine with an expectedly higher mortality rate. There is no available data on the pattern of mortality in the medical emergency room of the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA), a tertiary health facility in Abakaliki South-eastern Nigeria. Hence, this study was undertaken to determine the pattern of mortality of cases seen at the Medical Emergency unit of FETHA and compare it with that elsewhere in the country with the view of using the data generated as a baseline for planning purposes and for future studies. Method: This is a retrospective, descriptive and hospital-based study of the demographics and mortality pattern of patients seen at the medical emergency unit of the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA) over an 18 months period from January 2014 to June 2015. The analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 software. Result:...

Stroke is a common neurologic disorder and it is the third leading cause of mortality worldwide a... more Stroke is a common neurologic disorder and it is the third leading cause of mortality worldwide after ischaemic heart disease and cancer. Males are predominantly affected and ischaemic stroke is more prevalent than haemorrhagic stroke. This study determined the pattern and presentation of stroke in Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA) South-East Nigeria. It was a retrospective, descriptive and hospital based study. The stroke register of the neurology unit was reviewed and relevant data were extracted and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 software. The sex ratio was M:F =3:2 and the peak age prevalence of stroke was the 7 th decade. Ischaemic stroke was present in 65%, while intracerebral haemorrhage and subarachnoid haemorrhage were 31% and 4% respectively. Stroke constituted 12% of medical deaths with 30 day case mortality rate of 15%. Stroke is highly prevalent in Abakaliki south east Nigeria. The 30 day case mortality rate is relati...

BACKGROUND The relationship between hyperthyroidism and stroke is well established in the setting... more BACKGROUND The relationship between hyperthyroidism and stroke is well established in the setting of atrial fibrillation. However there is limited literature for ischaemic stroke occuring in hyperthyroidism without cardiac arrhythmia. No such case had been described in South East Nigeria. METHOD This report highlights a case of ischaemic lacunar infarction in an elderly Nigerian woman with reemergent thyrotoxicosis, without atrial fibrillation. RESULT A 75- year old retired female teacher presented with a painless goiter of 3 years duration and right sided hemiplegia of 2 months duration. She had sub-total thyroidectomy 32 years ago for thyrotoxicosis with subsequent good outcome and had been managed for diabetes mellitus for 13 years with good glycaemic control. She was not a known hypertensive. She was thyrotoxic on examination with a large non-tender goiter. There was sinus tachycardia. She had a right sided facial nerve palsy and ipsilateral spastic hemiplegia. Sensations were s...

BACKGROUND Stroke is a common neurologic disorder and it is the third leading cause of mortality ... more BACKGROUND Stroke is a common neurologic disorder and it is the third leading cause of mortality worldwide after ischaemic heart disease and cancer.This study determined the prognosis of acute stroke in Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA) South-East Nigeria. METHODOLOGY It was a retrospective, descriptive and hospital based study conducted in a tertiary health centre in Abakaliki south-east Nigeria. The stroke register of the neurology unit was reviewed and relevant data were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS Stroke accounted for 12% of medical death with 24 hour, 7 day and 30 day mortality rates of 5%, 10% and 15% respectively. Factors associated with stroke mortality include advanced age, female sex, extremes of blood pressure, loss of consciousness and haemorrhagic stroke. CONCLUSION There should be regular health education with emphasis on primary prevention of stroke. Also, stroke patients should be referred early to a stroke unitfor adequate management.

Global Journal of Health Science, 2021

BACKGROUND: Electroencephalography (EEG) remains the most important investigative modality in the... more BACKGROUND: Electroencephalography (EEG) remains the most important investigative modality in the evaluation of individuals with epilepsy and other neurological disorders. The pattern of EEG done in a tertiary hospital at Abakaliki Nigeria is not known. It is against this background that we embarked on this retrospective observational study on the EEG pattern and patient characteristics in Neurophysiology laboratory at Abakaliki Nigeria. METHOD: This is a retrospective observational hospital based study where the attendance register of the Neurophysiology laboratory was used to extract information on the demography, clinical characteristics and EEG reports of patients seen at the Laboratory from November 2018 to April 2021. RESULTS: A total of 125 (Male- 69, Female- 56) persons did EEG over the study period, and 75.2% had epileptiform waves (generalized- 16.8%, focal- 57.6%). CONCLUSION: EEG services are been utilized at Abakaliki in evaluation of seizure disorder and other paroxys...

Hiccups are common, usually mild with no obvious cause and often resolve spontaneously. They are ... more Hiccups are common, usually mild with no obvious cause and often resolve spontaneously. They are classified as transient, persistent and intractable depending on the duration. Drug induced hiccups have been reported in medical literature but not common and corticosteroids are often cited. This report involved 2 male patients who developed persistent hiccups following use of oral dexamethasone for inflammatory conditions. The hiccups were severe and intolerable and could not stop despite use of metoclopramide and chlorpromazine. The hiccups only stopped following discontinuation of the dexamethasone. It should be noted that low dose of dexamethasone was used. Management of dexamethasone induced hiccups involves discontinuation of the drug, steroid rotation if the patient is steroid dependent and use of metoclopramide and chlorpromazine. Clinicians should be aware of this known but rare adverse effect of dexamethasone as it could be severe, distressful and negatively impart patients c...

Saudi Journal of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

The leaves of Pseudocedrela. kotschyi are used in herbal medicine in Sub-Saharan Africa without s... more The leaves of Pseudocedrela. kotschyi are used in herbal medicine in Sub-Saharan Africa without safety concerns. Determination of its safety profile will provide supportive scientific evidence in favour of its continuous usage. To evaluate the sub-chronic toxicity activity of the ethanol extract of Pseudocedrela. Kotschyi leaves. Sub-chronic toxicity evaluation of the extract was determined by administering 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg on Wistar rats for 40 days with distilled water as control. The haematological and biochemical parameter as well as the relative organ weights were examined. In the 40 days sub-chronic oral toxicity study, administration of 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of P. kotschyi leaf extract per body weight showed significant (p<0.05) body weight change, significant (p<0.05 and p<0.01) changes in some haematological and biochemical parameters and organ weights compared to the control group. Analyses of these results could lead to the conclusion that the oral administration of P. kotscyi leaf extract for 40 days does not cause sub-chronic toxicity in rats