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BackgroundThe effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on glucose and lipid metabolism among sub-Saharan Africans, for whom access to antiretroviral therapy is expanding, remain largely unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess antiretroviral treatment associated hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia among HIV infected patients at Burayu health center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.MethodsA cross-sectional comparative study was conducted among HIV infected adults at Burayu Health Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from September, 2011 to May, 2012. Equal number of HAART naïve and HAART initiated patients (n = 126 each) were included in the study. Demographic data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire. Total cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and glucose were determined. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software.ResultOf 252 study participants, 72.2% were females; mean age was 35.3 years; mean Body Mass Index (BMI) was 21.4(kg/m2); mean time living with the virus was 20.6 months and 15.5% were TB-HIV co-infected. The prevalence of hyperglycemia, increased LDL-C hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and decreased HDL-C were 7.9%, 23%, 42.1%, 46.8% and 50.8% in HAART and 5.6%, 7.1%, 11.1%, 31% and 73% in non-HAART groups, respectively. First line antiretrovirals were drugs containing 2 nucleoside backbones (from Zidovudine/Stavudine/Lamivudine/Tenofovir) with either Nevirapine or Efavirenz. There was statistically significant increase in serum lipid profile levels among HAART initiated patients than HAART naïve individuals (p =0.01 for TG and <0.001 for others).ConclusionFirst-line HAART is associated with potentially atherogenic lipid profile levels in patients with HIV infection compared to untreated patients. This indicates glucose and lipid profile levels need to be monitored regularly in HIV infected patients taking antiretroviral treatment.

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to determine the magnitude of pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical laboratory errors in hematology tests.ResultsA total of 2606 hematology requests were studied. Out of the total, 562 (21.6%) pre-analytic, 14 (0.5%) analytical and 168 (6.4%) post-analytical errors were recorded which contribute a total frequency of 75.5, 1.9 and 22.6%, respectively. The name of the physician requesting the test was not provided on 2215 (85%) of request forms and 1827 (70.1%) of the request forms were unaccompanied with proper clinical details of the patient. Essential information required on the request forms was often missed. Close communication between clinicians and laboratory personnel is the key to improve laboratory quality in general.

BackgroundReference intervals (RIs) are ranges of upper and lower limits of a given analyte which are used for a laboratory test to determine whether a disease is present or absent or to know if the patient is at risk for future disease states. In Ethiopia, a country with highly diversified population groups and geographical sites, there are no established RIs to metabolic analytes including the liver function test (LFT) analytes for the pediatric population though it has been known that liver function assessment in this population is vital as a result of varied vulnerability to both endogenous and xenobiotic substances.MethodsA cross sectional study was conducted in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH) and Teklehaymanot Health Center (THC) from November 2010 to April 2011. 117 cord blood (from newborns) and venous blood samples (from infants) were collected and analyzed using HumaStar 300. All pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical aspects were thoroughly controlled. A robust, CLSI/ IFCC recommended, method was used for the determination of upper and lower end points covering 95% of the reference values of each analyte with respective 90% CIs using MedCalc® software.ResultsCombined RIs for newborns and infants were established for albumin, AST, ALP, direct bilirubin and total bilirubin to be 3.88-5.82 g/dl, 16.1-55.4U/l, 130-831U/l, <0.41 mg/dl and <1.37 mg/dl respectively. But, separated RIs were indicated for ALT and GGT as 1.2-23.1U/l and 6.94-24.8U/l ALT; and 30.6-160.7U/L and 10–28.2U/l GGT for newborns and infants respectively. Some maternal and infantile factors were identified to affect the values of analytes.ConclusionAlmost all analytes were different from previously reported values for other target population of similar age group, kit insert values and adult values. So, interpretation of values of these analytes in newborns and infants of Ethiopian population sounds better to be performed by using such RIs taking the effect of some maternal and infantile factors in to account.

ObjectiveThis study was aimed to determine the magnitude of errors in clinical chemistry laboratory tests at different phases of the assay of clinical chemistry laboratory unit.ResultsFrom the total 1633 clinical chemistry laboratory tests done, overall, 541 (33.1%) errors occurred which accounts that 392 (72.3%), 45 (8.3%), and 104 (19.2%) were pre analytical, analytical and post analytical phases of errors, respectively. Incomplete clinical data of patient was observed on 1185 (72.6%) of CLL tests. Name, gender, and age of patients were missed on 8 (0.5%), 190 (11.6%), and 257 (15.7%) forms of the requests, respectively. The physician’s name existed only on 248 (15.2%) and signature on 1137 (69.6%) of the request forms. An essential patient data were incomplete, which needs emphasis on awareness creation. Such practice improves laboratory data interpretation and thereby prevent misdiagnose and mistreatment of patients.