Low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) have high disease burdens, necessitating increased research. However, LMIC research output constitutes only 2% of global total. To increase output, researchers must be capacitated. The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and the University at Buffalo (UB), developed and implemented the AIDS International Research Training Program (AITRP), in 2008, that focused on graduate scholars. The subsequent HIV Research Training Program (HRTP), begun in 2016, and piloted post-doctoral training to enhance research productivity at UZ. This report discusses the collaboration. As of 2016, prospective candidates applied by submitting letters of intent, research proposals, curriculum vitae and biographical sketches. The scholars research training included hypothesis and project development, completion of grant applications, research project budgets, research presentations to diverse audiences and the application of advanced statistics to research data. The first cohort of five postdoctoral scholars were trained at UZ and UB, between 2016 and 2019. Through the formalized postdoctoral training approach, scholars identified areas of focus. In 2017, one of the scholars obtained a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Emerging Global Leader Award and is now a highly-rated researcher based in South Africa. A second scholar made NIH D43 and K43 grant applications, while the remaining three are academicians and early researchers at UZ. Although research output in Africa and many LMICs is low, it can be built through cooperation similar to the UZ-UB HRTP. This manuscript reports on an effort aimed at building individual and institutional research capacity in Zimbabwe. This can serve as a model for building other similar training programs.
BackgroundRenal abnormalities in HIV infected children may be due to the HIV infection or treatment among other factors. Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is associated with proximal renal tubular dysfunction, proteinuria and decrease in glomerular function. Studies in developed countries have shown variable prevalence of proximal renal tubular dysfunction in children on TDF. There are no known studies in developing countries, including Zimbabwe, documenting the proximal tubular function in HIV infected children on TDF. The aim of this study was to assess renal and proximal renal tubular function in HIV infected children receiving TDF and determine factors associated with proximal tubular dysfunction.
MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in HIV infected patients below 18 years of age attending outpatient clinics at two tertiary hospitals in Harare, who received a TDFcontaining antiretroviral regimen for at least six months. Dipstick protein and glucose, serum and urine phosphate and creatinine levels were measured. Fractional excretion of phosphate was calculated. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the Schwartz formula. Tubular dysfunction was defined by at least two of the following characteristics: normoglycaemic glycosuria, hypophosphatemia and fractional excretion of phosphate > 18%.
BACKGROUND
Research in Namibia has come a long way over the past two decades. Even so, research in the field of paediatric oncology is still lagging behind. Therefore, this study looked at the pattern of paediatric cancer patient over a ten-year period.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study was done to analyse the paediatric oncology cases that were admitted to the paediatric oncology unit (ward 8 west) at Windhoek Central Hospital (WCH) between 01 January 2011 and 31 December 2020. The study analysed the files of paediatric patients admitted with a paediatric cancer diagnosis from the age of 0 to 16 years.
RESULTS
A total of 174 paediatric cancer patient files met the inclusion criteria. Haematopoietic cancers were the most commonly occurring diagnosis of a paediatric cancer type in the study population (44.8%), of which leukaemias were the most common type of haematopoietic cancer. The other types of cancer apart from haematopoietic cancers consisted of embryonal cancers (37.9%), soft tissue and bone sarcomas (13.8%), and brain or CNS cancers (3.4%). The median age at diagnosis was 5.13 years with an age range of 0 to 15 years. HIV exposure had an incidence of 6.4%.
CONCLUSIONS
Haematopoietic cancers remains the number one most common type in Namibia. However, there has been a change in the ranking of the other childhood cancer subtypes over the last 3 decades. The recommendation is that there be better recordkeeping of cancer patient files to capture important information. For follow-up studies, prospective studies are recommended in the future.
Proximal renal tubular function in HIV-infected children on tenofovir disoproxil fumarate for treatment of HIV infection at two tertiary hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe. protocol s.i o protocol s.i o
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