The clinicopathologic features of malignant lymphomas had not been documented in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, which is known for its petrochemical industries and gas flare sites. Cases of lymphomas that presented to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), a major referral centre in the region, from January 1990 to December 2003 were reviewed. Demographic and clinical information were obtained from the case files. Diagnosis was established based on the histological examination of an accessible biopsy lymph node and classified according to the Working Formulation (WF). Haematological parameters were done using an automated Coulter counter. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) occurred predominantly in young adults (20-39 years). A majority of the patients presented in the advanced stage of the disease (Stages III-IV) according to the Ann Arbor system and a performance status (PS) scale of 2-4. The intermediate grade NHL (41.2%) formed the largest group of which diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLCL) was the most commonly observed histopathologic type followed by the large cell immunoblastic type.

This study was aimed at evaluating the iron status of multiple blood transfused sickle cell anaemia (SCA) patients in Benin City, Nigeria. A total of 86 subjects participated in the study, comprising of 30 multiple transfused SCA subjects, 30 of rarely transfused SCA subjects and 26 of age and sex matched healthy control subjects. Serum ferritin was determined by enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay technique. Serum iron and Total iron binding capacity was determined by spectrophometric method. The mean serum ferritin concentration was elevated in the sickle cell anaemia patients whose multiple transfusions (MT) are more than those who were rarely transfused (RT) as compared with the control groups (p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between the serum ferritin and the number of units of blood transfused (r = 0.719, p = 0.000). This study revealed that a high level of serum ferritin, percentage transferrin saturation and a reduction in total iron binding capacity were observed in sickle cell anaemia patients who received ≥3 units of packed cells in one year.

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