Background: The Rhesus (Rh) blood group is one of the most complex blood groups in humans comprising mainly of Rh D, C, c, E and e. However, only Rh D is routinely screened for in Nigeria despite the fact that other Rh antigens are clinically significant and can cause haemolytic disease of the newborn and delayed haemolytic transfusion reactions. Aim: The aim was to determine the frequency distribution of Rh C, c, E and e blood groups among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Study Design: The study consisted of 147 apparently healthy pregnant women within the age range of 18-45 years, attending a selected Primary Healthcare Centre (Obio Cottage Hospital) in Port Harcourt. The study was carried out from January 20, 2020 to March 27, 2020. The presence of Rh C, c, E and e blood groups were investigated using Anti-C, c, E and e monoclonal antibody in the same order. Results: Rh C, c, E and e were observed in 38.09%, 100%, 17.68% and 100% in the same order. Conclusion: The study indicated dominance of Rh c and Rh e over Rh C and Rh E among the studied pregnant women. It is necessary to take into cognizance the fact that the presence of Rh C, c, E and e antigens may be the cause of some delayed transfusion reactions and haemolytic disease of the foetus and newborn. Therefore, routine antigen typing for Rh antigens may help in decreasing red blood cell allo-immunization and delayed haemolytic transfusion reaction during pregnancy.
Aim: We attempted to determine the frequency and percentage distribution of Lewis blood group antigens among indigenes of Ogoni ethnicity in Rivers State, Nigeria. Study Design: The study consisted of 101 Ogoni people, who were apparently healthy and free from transfusion transmissible infections confirmed by serological screening. Ogoniland is located along the Niger Delta Eastern edge, and to the north-east of the Imo River and Port Harcourt city. All subjects were recruited and their blood samples were collected. The presence of Lewis-a and -b (Lea/Leb) blood group was examined using Anti-Lea and Leb monoclonal antibody, respectively (Lorne Laboratories). Results: Lea and Leb blood group was observed in 17.8% and 11.9%, respectively. Conclusion: Lea and Leb in this population was observed less frequently than those in other population previously reported. The Lewis antigen was reported to be associated with thrombotic disorders and Helicobacter pylori infection. Further studies may be directed to examine the association between Lewis blood group antigens and the risk of these conditions in Ogoni subjects.
Background: Vitamin B12 has proven to have effect in fertility because it improves mature oocyte counts and embryo quality in women and helps in sperm quality in men, so it is efficient to carry out vitamin B12 analysis in addition to other hormone profile during routine infertility examination. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate vitamin B12, folate, some haematological parameters and some reproductive hormones in men and women attending fertility centres in Port Harcourt. Study Design: This study is a case-control and comparative study, and a random convenient sampling method was employed. A total of two hundred (200) apparently healthy participants within the reproductive age group of 18-44 years attending the fertility clinics of Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) Port Harcourt formerly Braithwaite Memorial Hospital (BMH) which is the only State Government owned teaching hospital in Rivers State located at Forces Avenue Port Harcourt and Save a Life Mission Hospital Port Harcourt a private owned fertility hospital located at Stadium Road, Port Harcourt were recruited for this study. Results: The result showed that there was no statistically significant difference in haematological parameters in cases of infertility in the female and male test groups as compared to control groups (p>0.05). The mean ±SD showed non-significant difference of serum folate in the male and female test and control groups of the study (p>0.05). This study however observed Vitamin B12 level to be statistically significantly lower in infertile females when compared with the controls (p=0.0078). There was also a statistically significant difference between the mean values of Vitamin B12 in the male test and control groups of this study (p<0.0001). Prolactin levels in the females showed a significant difference between the test and control group at (p<0.0001), with the mean (± SD) value higher in the test than the control which shows that the infertile female group were mostly having high prolactin levels. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing hormone (LH) were significantly lower in infertile female group as compared with the control (p<0.0001). In the study carried out on the principal reproductive male hormone testosterone there was a statistically significant difference between the test and control groups (p<0.0001). Conclusion: There was a significant fall in vitamin B12 alongside predominant fertility hormones like testosterone in the infertile male subjects. There was also significant reduction in the serum concentration of vitamin B12 with a corresponding fall in serum concentration of fertility hormones like; luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in the infertile females and a significant rise in the concentration of the female prolactin level. Therefore, Vitamin B12 should be included in the evaluation of infertility either primary or secondary alongside other vital conventional parameters usually considered in infertility cases.
Background: In other to enhance immune response and remove completely the danger of disease associated with AIDS, commencement of combination Antiretroviral Therapy (cART) is advocated. Common among HIV positive subjects are diseases such as cardiovascular conditions among others which happen when there is distortion in the gut mucosa, existence of co-infections, and long-term cART effect which gives room to vicious cycle that impairs on immune activities and inflammation. Inflammatory predictors which reveal the danger of morbidity and mortality are raised in HIV disease. A novel marker for inflammation -Platelet/Lymphocyte ratio (PLR), is a prognostic tool for assessing inflammation, atherosclerosis and platelet activation. Aim: This study was aimed at assessing prospectively, cART effect on the PLR and coagulation indices in HIV positive subjects presenting to commence cART in Rivers State University Teaching Hospital. Methods: Six milliliters of venous blood was collected from each participants into EDTA bottles at entry into the study, after 3 months and 6 months on cART respectively for Full Blood Count using a 3-part Sysmex XP300 and HIV Viral Load using RT-PCR Cobas TaqMan version 1.5 Results: A total of 40 subjects were recruited, with a mean age of 36.20 years, 14 (35%) of them were males. Mean PCV, Platelet: Lymphocyte ratio and HIV VL at Month 0 were 31.65±7.30%, 7.82±2.90 and 215767.85 ± 360338.04cp/ml respectively. There was a statistically significant increase (p <0.001) in the haematocrit by the 6 th month on cART, the reduction in Platelet: Lymphocyte count and of HIV VL by the 6 th month was also significant (P<0.001). Interestingly, PLR positively correlated with the VL at baseline (0.3676), however, there was a negative correlation at 3 months (-0125) and 6 months (-0.028). Conclusion: From this work it is clear that all the cases in this regard, confirm the fact that cART remarkably drops the viral load and inflammation in HIV positive subjects; nevertheless, it also shows that a low-level inflammation continues which probably leads to chronic inflammatory state, morbidity and mortality in this group of subjects.
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