IntroductionIncreased survival of preterm babies in sub-saharan Africa has held to an increasing prevalence of Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). This study was done to determine the ROP prevalence in a hospital with advanced neonatal care in urban Kenya.MethodsA hospital-based retrospective review of the records of premature infants screened for ROP between January 2010 and December 2015. Records of all premature infants screened for ROP in the neonatal unit and outpatient eye clinic were extracted. Information on Birth weights, Gestational age, Maternal risk factors (mode of delivery, pre-eclampsia/eclampsia) and Neonatal risk factors (neonatal sepsis, days on oxygen, blood transfusion) was recorded in a questionnaire then analysed.Results103 infants were included in the study. Mean gestational age was 29.9 ± 2.2 weeks and the mean birth weight was 1280.1 ± 333.0 grams. Forty-three infants were diagnosed with ROP, a prevalence of 41.7%. Majority of these had Stage 1 or 2 ROP in Zone II, which spontaneously regressed with follow up. Nine infants were diagnosed with vision-threatening ROP (any Zone I disease or Stage 2/3 disease in Zone II with plus disease), a prevalence of 20.9%. All of these underwent laser treatment in the neonatal unit. The most significant risk factor was low gestational age. Other risk factors identified were: low birth weight and blood transfusions.ConclusionROP prevalence in sub-saharan Africa will match those in middle-income and high income countries in neonatal units with advanced care and low mortality.
Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) are a global problem that is largely unaddressed, especially in Africa. Black indigenous Africans are rarely represented in research that develops genetic tests and genetic therapies for IRDs, yet their genomes are more diverse. The aim of this literature review is to synthesize information on the IRD genetic research conducted among indigenous black Africans to identify challenges and opportunities for progress. PubMed was searched to identify empirical publications reporting the genetic analysis of IRDs among indigenous Africans. A total of 11 articles were selected for the review. Based on the information in the articles, the main genetic testing methods in use include next-generation, whole exome, and Sanger sequencing. The main IRDs characterized by the genetic tests include retinitis pigmentosa, Leber Congenital Amaurosis, Stagardt disease, and cone dystrophy. Examples of implicated genes include MERTK, GUCY2D, ABCA4, and KCNV2 for the four IRDs, respectively. Research activities on the genetics of IRDs are generally scanty in Africa. Even in South Africa and North Africa where some research activities were noted, only a few indigenous black Africans were included in the study cohorts. There is an urgent need for genetic research on IRDs, especially in East, Central, and West Africa.
Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) are a global problem that is largely unaddressed, especially in Africa. Black indigenous Africans are rarely represented in research that develop genetic tests and genetic therapies for IRDs yet their genomes are more diverse. The aim of this literature review is to synthesize information on the IRD genetic research conducted among indigenous black Africans to identify challenges and opportunities for progress. PubMed was searched to identify empirical publications reporting the genetic analysis of IRDs among indigenous Africans. A total of 10 articles were selected for the review. Based on the information in the articles, the main genetic testing methods in use include next-generation, whole exome, and Sanger sequencing. The main IRDs characterized by the genetic tests include retinitis pigmentosa, Leber Congenital Amaurosis, Stagardt disease, and cone dystrophy. Examples of implicated genes include MERTK, GUCY2D, ABCA4, and KCNV2 for the four IRDs respectively. Research activities on the genetics of IRDs are generally scanty in Africa. Even in South Africa and North Africa where some research activities were noted, only a few indigenous black Africans were in the study cohorts. There is an urgent need for genetic research on IRDs, especially in East, Central, and West Africa.
Irreversible visual loss due to retinal toxicity is one of the side effects of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) therapy. The recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus-19 (COVID 19) has seen HCQ proposed as a possible treatment and prophylactic drug, leading to its increased use. Many are unaware of its ocular side effects. We describe a case of HCQ-induced retinopathy in a 46-year-old female who was referred by a rheumatologist for routine eye review.
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