E M Malik - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by E M Malik

PLOS Medicine, 2017

This paper summarises key advances in defining the infectious reservoir for malaria and the measu... more This paper summarises key advances in defining the infectious reservoir for malaria and the measurement of transmission for research and programmatic use since the Malaria Eradication Research Agenda (malERA) publication in 2011. Rapid and effective progress towards elimination requires an improved understanding of the sources of transmission as well as those at risk of infection. Characterising the transmission reservoir in different settings will enable the most appropriate choice, delivery, and evaluation of interventions. Since 2011, progress has been made in a number of areas. The extent of submicroscopic and asymptomatic infections is better understood, as are the biological parameters governing transmission of sexual stage parasites. Limitations of existing transmission measures have been documented, and proof-of-concept has been established for new innovative serological and molecular methods to better characterise transmission. Finally, there now exists a concerted effort towards the use of ensemble datasets across the spectrum of metrics, from passive and active sources, to develop more accurate risk maps of transmission. These can be used to better target interventions and effectively monitor progress toward elimination. The success of interventions depends not only on the level of endemicity but also on how rapidly or recently an area has undergone changes in transmission. Improved understanding of the biology of mosquito-human and human-mosquito transmission is needed particularly in low-endemic settings, where heterogeneity of infection is pronounced and local vector ecology is variable. New and improved measures of transmission need to be operationally feasible for the malaria programmes. Outputs from these research priorities should allow the development of a set of approaches (applicable to both research and control programmes) that address the unique challenges of measuring and monitoring transmission in near-elimination settings and defining the absence of transmission.

Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 2005

A cross-sectional study explored the clinical and laboratory aspects of malaria among children pr... more A cross-sectional study explored the clinical and laboratory aspects of malaria among children presenting with fever to 2 paediatric hospitals in Khartoum state during the low transmission season. Out of 655 febrile patients, 35.9% were recorded as having malaria based on hospital laboratory results. However, re-examination of slides at the National Malaria Control Programme referral laboratory confirmed malaria in only 32.8% of those diagnosed with malaria at hospital level. Analysis of symptoms and signs revealed great variability in clinical presentation. Although some findings were associated with malaria, developing a sensitive clinical algorithm was difficult. Further investment is needed to improve microscopic diagnosis facilities in local hospitals to overcome the problem of over-diagnosis of malaria.

Public Health – Open Journal, 2020

Advances in medicine, 2017

Many postgraduate family medicine training programmes have been developed to meet the worldwide d... more Many postgraduate family medicine training programmes have been developed to meet the worldwide dire need for practicing family physicians. This study was conducted in Gezira state of Sudan in a "before-and-after" design in the period of 2010-2012 with the aim to assess improvements in candidates' confidence in performing certain clinical skills. A self-evaluation questionnaire was used with a five-grade scale (1-5) to assess candidates' confidence in performing 46 clinical skills. A group of 108 participants responded for both the "before" and the "after" questionnaire: the response rate was 91% (before) and 90% (after). In general, a positive progress trend was detected. The mean skill value for all skills was 3.23 (before) and 3.93 (after) with a mean increase of 21.7% ( < 0.001). Male students scored constantly higher than females both before and after completing the master's programme, while females showed a higher percentage in prog...

International Journal of Family Medicine, 2015

Information and communication technology (ICT) is progressively used in the health sector (e-heal... more Information and communication technology (ICT) is progressively used in the health sector (e-health), to provide health care in a distance (telemedicine), facilitate medical education (e-learning), and manage patients’ information (electronic medical records, EMRs). Gezira Family Medicine Project (GFMP) in Sudan provides a 2-year master’s degree in family medicine, with ICT fully integrated in the project. This cross-sectional study describes ICT implementation and utilization at the GFMP for the years 2011-2012. Administrative data was used to describe ICT implementation, while questionnaire-based data was used to assess candidates’ perceptions and satisfaction. In the period from April 2011 to December 2012, 3808 telemedicine online consultations were recorded and over 165000 new patients’ EMRs were established by the study subjects (125 candidates enrolled in the program). Almost all respondents confirmed the importance of telemedicine. The majority appreciated also the importanc...

Public Health - Open Journal, 2016

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2010

Malaria Journal, 2006

Background: In Sudan, chloroquine (CQ) remains the most frequently used drug for falciparum malar... more Background: In Sudan, chloroquine (CQ) remains the most frequently used drug for falciparum malaria for more than 40 years. The change to artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) was initiated in 2004 using the co-blister of artesunate + sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (AS+SP) and artemether + lumefantrine (ART+LUM), as first-and second-line, respectively. This article describes the evidence-base, the process for policy change and it reflects the experience of one year implementation. Relevant published and unpublished documents were reviewed. Data and information obtained were compiled into a structured format. Case description: Sudan has used evidence to update its malaria treatment to ACTs. The country moved without interim period and proceeded with country-wide implementation instead of a phased introduction of the new policy. The involvement of care providers and key stakeholders in a form of a technical advisory committee is considered the key issue in the process. Development and distribution of guidelines, training of care providers, communication to the public and provision of drugs were given great consideration. To ensure presence of high quality drugs, a system for post-marketing drugs surveillance was established. Currently, ACTs are chargeable and chiefly available in urban areas. With the input from the Global Fund to fight AIDs, Tuberculosis and Malaria, AS+SP is now available free of charge in 10 states. Conclusion: Implementation of the new policy is affected by the limited availability of the drugs, their high cost and limited pre-qualified manufacturers. Substantial funding needs to be mobilized by all partners to increase patients' access for this life-saving intervention.

Frontiers in Pharmacology

Public Health – Open Journal

Background: Community engagement has proved effective in increasing access to healthcare includin... more Background: Community engagement has proved effective in increasing access to healthcare including health insurance, in developed and developing countries. Aim: The study aims at designing and testing the effectiveness of engaging the community in awareness-raising and increment of health insurance coverage. Methods: The study was a social interventional community-based study, conducted in A-Duiem Administrative Unit, A-Duiem Locality, Sudan. Baseline data on enrollment in health insurance was collected from 800 heads of households, whereas data on knowledge and attitudes about health insurance was collected from 420 heads of non-insured households using a standardized questionnaire. Strategies to scaleup health insurance through community engagement was collected from community leaders, local authorities, and health insurance policymakers through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The community promotion package of health insurance was implemented for one year and pos...

International Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics

Background: This study aimed to assess the admission pattern and outcome of neonates managed in t... more Background: This study aimed to assess the admission pattern and outcome of neonates managed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a Sudanese hospital.Methods: This hospital-based retrospective study was conducted in the NICU of Saad Abu Elella Teaching Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan. Data was collected from medical records of 207 neonates using an extraction form. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression were used in analysis.Results: Most of the neonates were term, and 43% of them had a birth weight less than 2.5 kg. Moreover, the most common morbidities among them were sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, neonatal jaundice and asphyxia, and the mortality rate was 15%. Additionally, the birth weight, gestational age, the need for resuscitations, direct breast feeding and being beside mother were found to be significantly associated with the studied outcome.Conclusions: Majority of causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality in our study were preventable diseases. There...

Journal of Cardiology Research Review & Reports

Background: Chest re-opening after cardiac surgery is a surgical approach that is performed for d... more Background: Chest re-opening after cardiac surgery is a surgical approach that is performed for diagnosis and management of some postoperative complications. The rate of reopening varies from 2% to 6% of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The most frequent indication for reopening, followed by cardiac tamponade, cardiac arrest and redo surgery. Several risk factors have been associated with reopening such as, age, sex, BMI, NYHA class, diabetes mellitus, cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross clamp time. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence, indications, and risk factors of reopening after cardiac surgery. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, a total of consecutive 638 patients who underwent cardiac surgery in Ahmed Gasim cardiac center in 2017 were included. Results: The incidence of reopening was found to be 61 per 1000 in all age groups, 90 per 1000 in adults, and 34 per 1000 in paediatrics. Out of 39 reopening cases, Bleeding was found to be the ...

Archives of Clinical and Biomedical Research

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 is a pandemic crisis affecting all aspects of life. The he... more Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 is a pandemic crisis affecting all aspects of life. The health workers are making effort to decrease the impact of this disease on people. But With the increasing number of cases throughout the world there should be an equal response to ease this threat. For that our study aims to assess the willingness of medical students to be involved in COVID-19 management. Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted at 12 medical schools in Sudan, randomly selected by cluster sampling method and, from each, 60 students were conveniently chosen to fill the self-administered online questionnaire. The information collected contained demographic data, knowledge, attitude and practice toward Covid-19, source of information and willingness to participate. Ethical clearance was obtained from University of Khartoum Community Medicine department. Results: A total of 198 male and 424 female students has participated in this study. 74.4% of the students mentioned that their main source of information was social media including study groups. The majority (81.4%) of the students were willing to participate in COVID-19 response efforts while the main cause of Arch Clin Biomed Res 2020; 4 (6): 595-604

Malaria Journal

Background Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a public health problem worldwide. Malaria treatment ... more Background Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a public health problem worldwide. Malaria treatment policy has faced periodic changes due to emergence of drug resistant parasites. In Sudan chloroquine has been replaced by artesunate and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (AS/SP) in 2005 and to artemether–lumefantrine (AL) in 2017, due to the development of drug resistance. Different molecular markers have been used to monitor the status of drug resistant P. falciparum. This study aimed to determine the frequency of malaria drug resistance molecular markers in Southeast Sudan. Methods The samples of this study were day zero dried blood spot samples collected from efficacy studies in the Blue Nile State from November 2015 to January 2016. A total of 130 samples were amplified and sequenced using illumina Miseq platform. The molecular markers included were Pfcrt, Pfmdr1, Pfdhfr, Pfdhps, Pfk13, exonuclease and artemisinin resistant (ART‐R) genetic background (Pfmdr2, ferroredoxine, Pfcrt and Pfarps...

Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology

Background: Migraine is one of the most common types of headache; it is a chronic neurological di... more Background: Migraine is one of the most common types of headache; it is a chronic neurological disease that affects 15% of the population, however, information about its prevalence in Sudan is scarce. Aim: The aim of this study was to study prevalence of migraine and trigger factors among adult rural Sudanese population in 2018. Setting and Design: This is a cross sectional two-stage door-to-door community-based study conducted in 16 administrative areas in rural Sudan. Materials and Methods: A sample of 8610 adult Sudanese individuals, 18 years and above was selected. A structured pretested questionnaire was used included questions about two or more headaches in the last three months for screening. Participants with at least one positive response were asked to perform the 3-item validated Identification of Migraine (ID Migraine) test. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 20 for descriptive statistics and one way chi square test was used for testing the association of triggering factor...

Clinical Hypertension

Background: Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy-related disease which may lead to adverse health ... more Background: Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy-related disease which may lead to adverse health effects to the mother and fetus. Besides many publications on the association of red cell distribution width (RDW) and preeclampsia, there has been no published meta-analysis. This necessitated the present systemic review and metanalysis to assess the RDW in relation to preeclampsia. Methods: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline was followed. Relevant published studies were searched in PubMed, Cochrane library, Google scholar, Scopus, Embase and CINAHL using the term "Preeclampsia OR eclampsia AND red cell distribution width OR red blood cells). Modified Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale was used for critical appraisal of retrieved studies. Pooled Meta logistic regression was computed using OpenMeta Analyst software. Subgroup and meta-regression methods were performed to analyse the heterogeneity. Results: Eleven case control studies were included in the met-analyses with a total of 951 cases (preeclampsia) and 2024 controls. The mean (SD) of the RDW level was significantly higher in women with preeclampsia compared to controls [15.10 (2.48) % vs. 14.26(1.71) %, P < 0.001]. The mean difference was 0.85, 95% CI = 0.26-1.43. Due to a high heterogeneity (I 2 = 90.45, P < 0.001), the continuous random effect model was used. Eight studies compared RDW level in the mild (N = 360) with severe cases (N = 354) of preeclampsia. The RDW level was significantly higher in women with severe preeclampsia compared to those with mild preeclampsia [15.37 (2.48) % vs. 14.037(1.79) %, P < 0.001]. The mean difference was 1.07, 95% CI = 0.45-1.70. Since there is a high heterogeneity [I 2 = 76.67, P < 0.001], the continuous random effect model was used. Through the met-regression model, except for the region of the study (P < 0.001), none of investigated variables (age, parity, quality of the study) was significantly associated with the investigated heterogeneity. The outliers (3studies) were removed to reduce the heterogeneity. The pooled meta-analysis of the remaining 8 studies showed a significant difference in the RDW between preeclamptic women compared with the controls. The mean difference was 0.93, 95% CI = 0.56-1.31, P < 0.001. Because of heterogeneity [I 2 = 69.6, P = 0.002], the continuous random effect model was used. Conclusion: RDW level was significantly higher in women with preeclampsia compared to controls. Similarly, women with severe preeclampsia had significantly higher RDW than those with the mild form.

Malaria Journal

Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the management of severe malaria at Gezira State ... more Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the management of severe malaria at Gezira State hospitals in Sudan by assessing hospital readiness, health care provider knowledge and the care received by severe malaria patients. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed to assess the severe malaria management practices at hospitals level in Gezira State. The study population included hospitals, health care providers and patients. Data was collected using checklists and structured questionnaires. Results: A total of 20 hospitals, 158 health care providers and 370 patients were included in the study. Out of the total hospitals, 95% (19/20) were providing 24 h outpatient services, 65% (13/20) had ICU units, while triage system was found in only 35% (7/20) of hospitals. From all hospitals evaluated, 90% (18/20) were suffering from shortage of staff, especially doctors. About half of the health care providers (46.7%) did not receive severe malaria management training. The average knowledge score among health care providers was 55.4%. Microscopy was available in all hospitals (100%), while rapid diagnostic test, complete blood count and renal function test were available in 15 hospitals (75%). Fever was the most presenting symptom (97.8%) followed by repeated vomiting (51.4%), convulsion in children (24.3%) and prostration in adult (57.9%). Correctly diagnosed patients were 68.9%. Essential tests were done for only 11.1% of patients. Majority of patients (91.7%) were treated with quinine, 5.9% received artemether, while 2.4% were treated with artemether-lumefantrine. Those who received both the correct dose and dosing regimen were 53.8%. The overall compliance to guidelines was 2.2%. Conclusion: This study highlights the fact that management of severe malaria at hospital level was suboptimal with serious shortcomings in the different aspects of care particularly in specialized hospitals. Technical staff was inadequate, hospitals were anguish from defective emergency services, and most patients were not treated according to the national guidelines.

The Lancet. Infectious diseases, Jan 9, 2018

Scale-up of insecticide-based interventions has averted more than 500 million malaria cases since... more Scale-up of insecticide-based interventions has averted more than 500 million malaria cases since 2000. Increasing insecticide resistance could herald a rebound in disease and mortality. We aimed to investigate whether insecticide resistance was associated with loss of effectiveness of long-lasting insecticidal nets and increased malaria disease burden. This WHO-coordinated, prospective, observational cohort study was done at 279 clusters (villages or groups of villages in which phenotypic resistance was measurable) in Benin, Cameroon, India, Kenya, and Sudan. Pyrethroid long-lasting insecticidal nets were the principal form of malaria vector control in all study areas; in Sudan this approach was supplemented by indoor residual spraying. Cohorts of children from randomly selected households in each cluster were recruited and followed up by community health workers to measure incidence of clinical malaria and prevalence of infection. Mosquitoes were assessed for susceptibility to pyr...

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Dec 11, 2017

Insecticide-based interventions have contributed to ∼78% of the reduction in the malaria burden i... more Insecticide-based interventions have contributed to ∼78% of the reduction in the malaria burden in sub-Saharan Africa since 2000. Insecticide resistance in malaria vectors could presage a catastrophic rebound in disease incidence and mortality. A major impediment to the implementation of insecticide resistance management strategies is that evidence of the impact of resistance on malaria disease burden is limited. A cluster randomized trial was conducted in Sudan with pyrethroid-resistant and carbamate-susceptible malaria vectors. Clusters were randomly allocated to receive either long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) alone or LLINs in combination with indoor residual spraying (IRS) with a pyrethroid (deltamethrin) insecticide in the first year and a carbamate (bendiocarb) insecticide in the two subsequent years. Malaria incidence was monitored for 3 y through active case detection in cohorts of children aged 1 to <10 y. When deltamethrin was used for IRS, incidence rates in the ...

Malaria journal, Apr 20, 2017

Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), together with other control measures, have reduced t... more Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), together with other control measures, have reduced the burden of falciparum malaria in sub-Saharan countries, including Sudan. Sudan adopted ACT in 2004 with a remarkable reduction in mortality due to falciparum malaria. However, emergence of resistance to the first-line treatment artesunate and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (AS/SP) has created new challenges to the control of malaria in Sudan. A search for an alternative drug of choice for treating uncomplicated malaria has become inevitable. The objective of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacies of dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine (DHA-PPQ) and AS/SP in an area of unstable transmission in Blue Nile State, Sudan in 2015-16. A total of 148 patients with uncomplicated malaria were recruited in the study from November 2015 to end of January 2016. Seventy-five patients received DHA-PPQ while 73 received AS/SP. Patients were monitored for clinical and parasitological outcomes follow...

PLOS Medicine, 2017

This paper summarises key advances in defining the infectious reservoir for malaria and the measu... more This paper summarises key advances in defining the infectious reservoir for malaria and the measurement of transmission for research and programmatic use since the Malaria Eradication Research Agenda (malERA) publication in 2011. Rapid and effective progress towards elimination requires an improved understanding of the sources of transmission as well as those at risk of infection. Characterising the transmission reservoir in different settings will enable the most appropriate choice, delivery, and evaluation of interventions. Since 2011, progress has been made in a number of areas. The extent of submicroscopic and asymptomatic infections is better understood, as are the biological parameters governing transmission of sexual stage parasites. Limitations of existing transmission measures have been documented, and proof-of-concept has been established for new innovative serological and molecular methods to better characterise transmission. Finally, there now exists a concerted effort towards the use of ensemble datasets across the spectrum of metrics, from passive and active sources, to develop more accurate risk maps of transmission. These can be used to better target interventions and effectively monitor progress toward elimination. The success of interventions depends not only on the level of endemicity but also on how rapidly or recently an area has undergone changes in transmission. Improved understanding of the biology of mosquito-human and human-mosquito transmission is needed particularly in low-endemic settings, where heterogeneity of infection is pronounced and local vector ecology is variable. New and improved measures of transmission need to be operationally feasible for the malaria programmes. Outputs from these research priorities should allow the development of a set of approaches (applicable to both research and control programmes) that address the unique challenges of measuring and monitoring transmission in near-elimination settings and defining the absence of transmission.

Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 2005

A cross-sectional study explored the clinical and laboratory aspects of malaria among children pr... more A cross-sectional study explored the clinical and laboratory aspects of malaria among children presenting with fever to 2 paediatric hospitals in Khartoum state during the low transmission season. Out of 655 febrile patients, 35.9% were recorded as having malaria based on hospital laboratory results. However, re-examination of slides at the National Malaria Control Programme referral laboratory confirmed malaria in only 32.8% of those diagnosed with malaria at hospital level. Analysis of symptoms and signs revealed great variability in clinical presentation. Although some findings were associated with malaria, developing a sensitive clinical algorithm was difficult. Further investment is needed to improve microscopic diagnosis facilities in local hospitals to overcome the problem of over-diagnosis of malaria.

Public Health – Open Journal, 2020

Advances in medicine, 2017

Many postgraduate family medicine training programmes have been developed to meet the worldwide d... more Many postgraduate family medicine training programmes have been developed to meet the worldwide dire need for practicing family physicians. This study was conducted in Gezira state of Sudan in a "before-and-after" design in the period of 2010-2012 with the aim to assess improvements in candidates' confidence in performing certain clinical skills. A self-evaluation questionnaire was used with a five-grade scale (1-5) to assess candidates' confidence in performing 46 clinical skills. A group of 108 participants responded for both the "before" and the "after" questionnaire: the response rate was 91% (before) and 90% (after). In general, a positive progress trend was detected. The mean skill value for all skills was 3.23 (before) and 3.93 (after) with a mean increase of 21.7% ( < 0.001). Male students scored constantly higher than females both before and after completing the master's programme, while females showed a higher percentage in prog...

International Journal of Family Medicine, 2015

Information and communication technology (ICT) is progressively used in the health sector (e-heal... more Information and communication technology (ICT) is progressively used in the health sector (e-health), to provide health care in a distance (telemedicine), facilitate medical education (e-learning), and manage patients’ information (electronic medical records, EMRs). Gezira Family Medicine Project (GFMP) in Sudan provides a 2-year master’s degree in family medicine, with ICT fully integrated in the project. This cross-sectional study describes ICT implementation and utilization at the GFMP for the years 2011-2012. Administrative data was used to describe ICT implementation, while questionnaire-based data was used to assess candidates’ perceptions and satisfaction. In the period from April 2011 to December 2012, 3808 telemedicine online consultations were recorded and over 165000 new patients’ EMRs were established by the study subjects (125 candidates enrolled in the program). Almost all respondents confirmed the importance of telemedicine. The majority appreciated also the importanc...

Public Health - Open Journal, 2016

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2010

Malaria Journal, 2006

Background: In Sudan, chloroquine (CQ) remains the most frequently used drug for falciparum malar... more Background: In Sudan, chloroquine (CQ) remains the most frequently used drug for falciparum malaria for more than 40 years. The change to artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) was initiated in 2004 using the co-blister of artesunate + sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (AS+SP) and artemether + lumefantrine (ART+LUM), as first-and second-line, respectively. This article describes the evidence-base, the process for policy change and it reflects the experience of one year implementation. Relevant published and unpublished documents were reviewed. Data and information obtained were compiled into a structured format. Case description: Sudan has used evidence to update its malaria treatment to ACTs. The country moved without interim period and proceeded with country-wide implementation instead of a phased introduction of the new policy. The involvement of care providers and key stakeholders in a form of a technical advisory committee is considered the key issue in the process. Development and distribution of guidelines, training of care providers, communication to the public and provision of drugs were given great consideration. To ensure presence of high quality drugs, a system for post-marketing drugs surveillance was established. Currently, ACTs are chargeable and chiefly available in urban areas. With the input from the Global Fund to fight AIDs, Tuberculosis and Malaria, AS+SP is now available free of charge in 10 states. Conclusion: Implementation of the new policy is affected by the limited availability of the drugs, their high cost and limited pre-qualified manufacturers. Substantial funding needs to be mobilized by all partners to increase patients' access for this life-saving intervention.

Frontiers in Pharmacology

Public Health – Open Journal

Background: Community engagement has proved effective in increasing access to healthcare includin... more Background: Community engagement has proved effective in increasing access to healthcare including health insurance, in developed and developing countries. Aim: The study aims at designing and testing the effectiveness of engaging the community in awareness-raising and increment of health insurance coverage. Methods: The study was a social interventional community-based study, conducted in A-Duiem Administrative Unit, A-Duiem Locality, Sudan. Baseline data on enrollment in health insurance was collected from 800 heads of households, whereas data on knowledge and attitudes about health insurance was collected from 420 heads of non-insured households using a standardized questionnaire. Strategies to scaleup health insurance through community engagement was collected from community leaders, local authorities, and health insurance policymakers through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The community promotion package of health insurance was implemented for one year and pos...

International Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics

Background: This study aimed to assess the admission pattern and outcome of neonates managed in t... more Background: This study aimed to assess the admission pattern and outcome of neonates managed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a Sudanese hospital.Methods: This hospital-based retrospective study was conducted in the NICU of Saad Abu Elella Teaching Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan. Data was collected from medical records of 207 neonates using an extraction form. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression were used in analysis.Results: Most of the neonates were term, and 43% of them had a birth weight less than 2.5 kg. Moreover, the most common morbidities among them were sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, neonatal jaundice and asphyxia, and the mortality rate was 15%. Additionally, the birth weight, gestational age, the need for resuscitations, direct breast feeding and being beside mother were found to be significantly associated with the studied outcome.Conclusions: Majority of causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality in our study were preventable diseases. There...

Journal of Cardiology Research Review & Reports

Background: Chest re-opening after cardiac surgery is a surgical approach that is performed for d... more Background: Chest re-opening after cardiac surgery is a surgical approach that is performed for diagnosis and management of some postoperative complications. The rate of reopening varies from 2% to 6% of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The most frequent indication for reopening, followed by cardiac tamponade, cardiac arrest and redo surgery. Several risk factors have been associated with reopening such as, age, sex, BMI, NYHA class, diabetes mellitus, cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross clamp time. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence, indications, and risk factors of reopening after cardiac surgery. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, a total of consecutive 638 patients who underwent cardiac surgery in Ahmed Gasim cardiac center in 2017 were included. Results: The incidence of reopening was found to be 61 per 1000 in all age groups, 90 per 1000 in adults, and 34 per 1000 in paediatrics. Out of 39 reopening cases, Bleeding was found to be the ...

Archives of Clinical and Biomedical Research

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 is a pandemic crisis affecting all aspects of life. The he... more Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 is a pandemic crisis affecting all aspects of life. The health workers are making effort to decrease the impact of this disease on people. But With the increasing number of cases throughout the world there should be an equal response to ease this threat. For that our study aims to assess the willingness of medical students to be involved in COVID-19 management. Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted at 12 medical schools in Sudan, randomly selected by cluster sampling method and, from each, 60 students were conveniently chosen to fill the self-administered online questionnaire. The information collected contained demographic data, knowledge, attitude and practice toward Covid-19, source of information and willingness to participate. Ethical clearance was obtained from University of Khartoum Community Medicine department. Results: A total of 198 male and 424 female students has participated in this study. 74.4% of the students mentioned that their main source of information was social media including study groups. The majority (81.4%) of the students were willing to participate in COVID-19 response efforts while the main cause of Arch Clin Biomed Res 2020; 4 (6): 595-604

Malaria Journal

Background Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a public health problem worldwide. Malaria treatment ... more Background Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a public health problem worldwide. Malaria treatment policy has faced periodic changes due to emergence of drug resistant parasites. In Sudan chloroquine has been replaced by artesunate and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (AS/SP) in 2005 and to artemether–lumefantrine (AL) in 2017, due to the development of drug resistance. Different molecular markers have been used to monitor the status of drug resistant P. falciparum. This study aimed to determine the frequency of malaria drug resistance molecular markers in Southeast Sudan. Methods The samples of this study were day zero dried blood spot samples collected from efficacy studies in the Blue Nile State from November 2015 to January 2016. A total of 130 samples were amplified and sequenced using illumina Miseq platform. The molecular markers included were Pfcrt, Pfmdr1, Pfdhfr, Pfdhps, Pfk13, exonuclease and artemisinin resistant (ART‐R) genetic background (Pfmdr2, ferroredoxine, Pfcrt and Pfarps...

Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology

Background: Migraine is one of the most common types of headache; it is a chronic neurological di... more Background: Migraine is one of the most common types of headache; it is a chronic neurological disease that affects 15% of the population, however, information about its prevalence in Sudan is scarce. Aim: The aim of this study was to study prevalence of migraine and trigger factors among adult rural Sudanese population in 2018. Setting and Design: This is a cross sectional two-stage door-to-door community-based study conducted in 16 administrative areas in rural Sudan. Materials and Methods: A sample of 8610 adult Sudanese individuals, 18 years and above was selected. A structured pretested questionnaire was used included questions about two or more headaches in the last three months for screening. Participants with at least one positive response were asked to perform the 3-item validated Identification of Migraine (ID Migraine) test. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 20 for descriptive statistics and one way chi square test was used for testing the association of triggering factor...

Clinical Hypertension

Background: Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy-related disease which may lead to adverse health ... more Background: Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy-related disease which may lead to adverse health effects to the mother and fetus. Besides many publications on the association of red cell distribution width (RDW) and preeclampsia, there has been no published meta-analysis. This necessitated the present systemic review and metanalysis to assess the RDW in relation to preeclampsia. Methods: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline was followed. Relevant published studies were searched in PubMed, Cochrane library, Google scholar, Scopus, Embase and CINAHL using the term "Preeclampsia OR eclampsia AND red cell distribution width OR red blood cells). Modified Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale was used for critical appraisal of retrieved studies. Pooled Meta logistic regression was computed using OpenMeta Analyst software. Subgroup and meta-regression methods were performed to analyse the heterogeneity. Results: Eleven case control studies were included in the met-analyses with a total of 951 cases (preeclampsia) and 2024 controls. The mean (SD) of the RDW level was significantly higher in women with preeclampsia compared to controls [15.10 (2.48) % vs. 14.26(1.71) %, P < 0.001]. The mean difference was 0.85, 95% CI = 0.26-1.43. Due to a high heterogeneity (I 2 = 90.45, P < 0.001), the continuous random effect model was used. Eight studies compared RDW level in the mild (N = 360) with severe cases (N = 354) of preeclampsia. The RDW level was significantly higher in women with severe preeclampsia compared to those with mild preeclampsia [15.37 (2.48) % vs. 14.037(1.79) %, P < 0.001]. The mean difference was 1.07, 95% CI = 0.45-1.70. Since there is a high heterogeneity [I 2 = 76.67, P < 0.001], the continuous random effect model was used. Through the met-regression model, except for the region of the study (P < 0.001), none of investigated variables (age, parity, quality of the study) was significantly associated with the investigated heterogeneity. The outliers (3studies) were removed to reduce the heterogeneity. The pooled meta-analysis of the remaining 8 studies showed a significant difference in the RDW between preeclamptic women compared with the controls. The mean difference was 0.93, 95% CI = 0.56-1.31, P < 0.001. Because of heterogeneity [I 2 = 69.6, P = 0.002], the continuous random effect model was used. Conclusion: RDW level was significantly higher in women with preeclampsia compared to controls. Similarly, women with severe preeclampsia had significantly higher RDW than those with the mild form.

Malaria Journal

Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the management of severe malaria at Gezira State ... more Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the management of severe malaria at Gezira State hospitals in Sudan by assessing hospital readiness, health care provider knowledge and the care received by severe malaria patients. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed to assess the severe malaria management practices at hospitals level in Gezira State. The study population included hospitals, health care providers and patients. Data was collected using checklists and structured questionnaires. Results: A total of 20 hospitals, 158 health care providers and 370 patients were included in the study. Out of the total hospitals, 95% (19/20) were providing 24 h outpatient services, 65% (13/20) had ICU units, while triage system was found in only 35% (7/20) of hospitals. From all hospitals evaluated, 90% (18/20) were suffering from shortage of staff, especially doctors. About half of the health care providers (46.7%) did not receive severe malaria management training. The average knowledge score among health care providers was 55.4%. Microscopy was available in all hospitals (100%), while rapid diagnostic test, complete blood count and renal function test were available in 15 hospitals (75%). Fever was the most presenting symptom (97.8%) followed by repeated vomiting (51.4%), convulsion in children (24.3%) and prostration in adult (57.9%). Correctly diagnosed patients were 68.9%. Essential tests were done for only 11.1% of patients. Majority of patients (91.7%) were treated with quinine, 5.9% received artemether, while 2.4% were treated with artemether-lumefantrine. Those who received both the correct dose and dosing regimen were 53.8%. The overall compliance to guidelines was 2.2%. Conclusion: This study highlights the fact that management of severe malaria at hospital level was suboptimal with serious shortcomings in the different aspects of care particularly in specialized hospitals. Technical staff was inadequate, hospitals were anguish from defective emergency services, and most patients were not treated according to the national guidelines.

The Lancet. Infectious diseases, Jan 9, 2018

Scale-up of insecticide-based interventions has averted more than 500 million malaria cases since... more Scale-up of insecticide-based interventions has averted more than 500 million malaria cases since 2000. Increasing insecticide resistance could herald a rebound in disease and mortality. We aimed to investigate whether insecticide resistance was associated with loss of effectiveness of long-lasting insecticidal nets and increased malaria disease burden. This WHO-coordinated, prospective, observational cohort study was done at 279 clusters (villages or groups of villages in which phenotypic resistance was measurable) in Benin, Cameroon, India, Kenya, and Sudan. Pyrethroid long-lasting insecticidal nets were the principal form of malaria vector control in all study areas; in Sudan this approach was supplemented by indoor residual spraying. Cohorts of children from randomly selected households in each cluster were recruited and followed up by community health workers to measure incidence of clinical malaria and prevalence of infection. Mosquitoes were assessed for susceptibility to pyr...

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Dec 11, 2017

Insecticide-based interventions have contributed to ∼78% of the reduction in the malaria burden i... more Insecticide-based interventions have contributed to ∼78% of the reduction in the malaria burden in sub-Saharan Africa since 2000. Insecticide resistance in malaria vectors could presage a catastrophic rebound in disease incidence and mortality. A major impediment to the implementation of insecticide resistance management strategies is that evidence of the impact of resistance on malaria disease burden is limited. A cluster randomized trial was conducted in Sudan with pyrethroid-resistant and carbamate-susceptible malaria vectors. Clusters were randomly allocated to receive either long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) alone or LLINs in combination with indoor residual spraying (IRS) with a pyrethroid (deltamethrin) insecticide in the first year and a carbamate (bendiocarb) insecticide in the two subsequent years. Malaria incidence was monitored for 3 y through active case detection in cohorts of children aged 1 to <10 y. When deltamethrin was used for IRS, incidence rates in the ...

Malaria journal, Apr 20, 2017

Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), together with other control measures, have reduced t... more Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), together with other control measures, have reduced the burden of falciparum malaria in sub-Saharan countries, including Sudan. Sudan adopted ACT in 2004 with a remarkable reduction in mortality due to falciparum malaria. However, emergence of resistance to the first-line treatment artesunate and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (AS/SP) has created new challenges to the control of malaria in Sudan. A search for an alternative drug of choice for treating uncomplicated malaria has become inevitable. The objective of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacies of dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine (DHA-PPQ) and AS/SP in an area of unstable transmission in Blue Nile State, Sudan in 2015-16. A total of 148 patients with uncomplicated malaria were recruited in the study from November 2015 to end of January 2016. Seventy-five patients received DHA-PPQ while 73 received AS/SP. Patients were monitored for clinical and parasitological outcomes follow...