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Protein energy wasting (PEW) is common among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, especially those with advanced stage. It worsens frailty, sarcopenia and debility in CKD patients. Despite the importance of PEW, it is not routinely assessed during management of CKD patients in Nigeria. The prevalence of PEW and its associated factors were determined in pre-dialysis CKD patients. This was a cross-sectional study that involved 250 pre-dialysis CKD patients and 125 age- and sex- matched healthy controls. Body mass index (BMI), subjective global assessment (SGA) scores and serum albumin levels were used in PEW assessment. The factors associated with PEW were identified. P-value of < 0.05 was taken as significant. The mean age of CKD and control group were 52.3±16.0 years and 50.5±16.0 years, respectively. The prevalence of low BMI, hypoalbuminaemia and malnutrition defined by SGA in pre-dialysis CKD patients were 42.4%, 62.0% and 74.8%, respectively. The overall prevalence of PEW among the pre-dialysis CKD patients was 33.3%. On multiple logistic regression, the factors associated with PEW in CKD were being middle aged (adjusted odds ratio: 12.50; confidence interval: 3.42-45.00; p <0.001), depression (adjusted odds ratio: 2.34; confidence interval: 1.02-5.40; p = 0.046) and CKD stage 5 (adjusted odds ratio: 12.83; confidence interval: 3.53-46.60; p <0.001). PEW is common in pre-dialysis CKD patients and it was associated with middle age, depression and advanced CKD. Early intervention aimed at addressing depression in early stages of CKD may prevent PEW and improve overall outcome in CKD patients.

Intradialytic hypertension (IDHTN) is a common but less frequently recognised complication of haemodialysis. However, it is associated with increased overall mortality in patients on haemodialysis. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence of IDHTN and associated mortality risk in the global haemodialysis population. A systematic search of PubMed and EMBASE was undertaken to identify articles with relevant data published between 1990 and 2023. The pooled prevalence of IDHTN in the global haemodialysis population was determined using the DerSimonian-Laird random-effects meta-analysis. The pooled hazards ratio for mortality in patients with IDHTN was also computed from the studies that reported mortality among haemodialysis patients with IDHTN. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023388278). Thirty-two articles from 17 countries were included, with a pooled population of 127,080 hemodialysis patients (median age 55.1 years, 38.2% females). Most studies had medium methodological quality (53.1%, n = 17). The overall pooled prevalence of IDHTN was 26.6% [(95% CI 20.2-33.4%), n = 27 studies, I2 = 99.3%, p<0.001 for heterogeneity], with significant differences depending on the definition used. The pooled proportion of haemodialysis sessions with IDHTN was 19.9% [(95% 12.5-28.6%, n = 8 studies, I2 = 99.3%, p<0.001 for heterogeneity)] with significant differences across the different definition criteria. The p-value for the Begg test was 0.85. The median pre-dialysis blood pressure was not significantly associated with IDHTN. The pooled hazard ratio for mortality was 1.37 (95% CI 1.09-1.65), n = 5 studies, I2 = 13.7%, and p-value for heterogeneity = 0.33. The prevalence of IDHTN is high and varies widely according to the definition used. A consensus definition of IDHTN is needed to promote uniformity in research and management. The increased mortality risk forecasted by IDHTN highlights the need for optimal blood pressure control in patients on hemodialysis.

The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is huge due to its associated morbidity, mortality and adverse socio-economic impact. Environmental pollution as a risk factor contributes significantly to the burden of CVD, especially in the low and middle income countries. One of the effective strategies to reduce CVD burden is to prevent or detect cardiovascular risk factors early in at-risk population. This study determined some cardiovascular risk factors, kidney function, and their association with heavy metals among automobile mechanics. This was a cross-sectional study involving 162 automobile mechanics and 81 age and sex matched controls. Serum levels of lead, cadmium and some cardiovascular risks were assessed and compared in the two groups. Associations between serum lead, cadmium and some cardiovascular risks were determined using correlation analysis. P value of <0.05 was taken as significant. The mean ages of the automobile mechanics and controls were 47.27±9.99 years and 48.94±10.34 years, respectively. The prevalence of elevated serum cadmium was significantly higher in the automobile mechanics (25.9% vs 7.9%; p = <0.001). The significant cardiovascular risk factors in the automobile mechanics vs controls were elevated total cholesterol (32.1% vs 18.5%; p = 0.017), hyperuricemia (20.4% vs 1.2%; p = <0.001), elevated blood glucose (16.0% vs 4.9% p = 0.013); and alcohol use (55.1% vs 30.0%; p = 0.001). Among the automobile mechanics, there were significant positive correlations between serum cadmium, atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) (p = 0.024; r = 0.382) and triglyceride (p = 0.020; r = 0.391). Significant positive correlation was found between serum lead and neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) (p = <0.001; r = 0.329). There were significant positive correlation between serum cadmium level, AIP (p = 0.016; r = 0.373) and TG (p = 0.004; r = 0.439); between serum lead and NGAL in all the study participants (p = 0.005; r = 0.206). Automobile mechanics have notable exposure to heavy metals and a higher prevalence of some cardiovascular risk factors. Health education and sensitisation as well as policies that would regulate exposure of persons to heavy metals should be implemented in Nigeria.

ObjectivePoor sleep quality adversely affects the overall well-being and outcomes of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, it has not been well studied in Africans with CKD. We determined the prevalence of poor sleep quality and associated factors among patients with CKD.DesignThis was a cross-sectional study that involved patients with CKD .SettingsThe study was carried out in the outpatient clinic of nine hospitals in Nigeria.MethodsSleep quality, depressive and anxiety symptoms and quality of life (QoL) were assessed among 307 patients with CKD using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale Questionnaire and 12-item Short Form Health Survey Quality of Life Questionnaire, respectively. The prevalence of poor sleep quality and associated factors were determined. A p<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.ResultsThe mean age of the study participants was 51.40±15.17 years. The male:female ratio was 1.5:1 One hundred and twenty-one (39.4%) of the patients were on maintenance haemodialysis (MHD). The prevalence of poor sleep quality, anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms among the patients was 50.2%, 37.8% and 17.6%, respectively. The prevalence of poor sleep quality in the CKD stages 3, 4, 5 and 5D was 38.1%, 42.6%, 52.2% and 58.7%, respectively. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was significantly higher in MHD patients compared with predialysis CKD (59.5% vs 43.6%; p=0.008). Factors associated with poor sleep quality were CKD stage (p=0.035), anaemia (p=0.003), pruritus (p=0.045), anxiety symptoms (p≤0.001), depressive symptoms (p≤0.001) and reduced QoL (p≤0.001). On multivariate analysis, factors associated with poor sleep were anxiety (AOR 2.19; 95% CI 1.27 to 3.79; p=0.005), anaemia (AOR 5.49; 95% CI 1.43 to 21.00;p=0.013) and reduced physical component of QoL (AOR 4.11; 95% CI 1.61 to 10.47; p=0.003).ConclusionPoor sleep quality is common among patients with CKD especially in the advanced stage. The significant factors associated with poor sleep quality were QoL, anaemia and anxiety symptoms. These factors should be adequately managed to improve the overall outcomes of patients with CKD.

Task sharing and task shifting (TSTS) in the management of hypertension is an important strategy to reduce the burden of hypertension in low-and middle-income countries like Nigeria where there is shortage of physicians below the World Health Organization's recommendations on doctor-patient ratio. The cooperation of physicians is critical to the success of this strategy. We assessed physicians' perception of TSTS with non-physician health workers in the management of hypertension and sought recommendations to facilitate the implementation of TSTS. This was an explanatory sequential mixed method study. TSTS perception was assessed quantitatively using a 12-item questionnaire with each item assigned a score on a 5-point Likert scale. The maximum obtainable score was 60 points and those with [greater than or equal to]42 points were classified as having a good perception of TSTS. Twenty physicians were subsequently interviewed for in-depth exploration of their perception of TSTS. A total of 1250 physicians participated in the quantitative aspect of the study. Among the participants, 56.6% had good perception of TSTS in the management of hypertension while about two-thirds (67.5%) agreed that TSTS program in the management of hypertension could be successfully implemented in Nigeria. Male gender (p = 0.019) and working in clinical settings (p = 0.039) were associated with good perception. Twenty physicians participated in the qualitative part of the study. Qualitative analysis showed that TSTS will improve overall care and outcomes of patients with hypertension, reduce physicians' workload, improve their productivity, but may encourage inter-professional rivalry. Wide consultation with stakeholders, adequate monitoring and evaluation will facilitate successful implementation of TSTS in Nigeria. This study showed that more than half of the physicians have good perception of TSTS in hypertension management while about two-thirds agreed that it could be successfully implemented in Nigeria. This study provides the needed evidence for increased advocacy for the implementation of TSTS in the management of hypertension in Nigeria. This will consequently result in improved patient care and outcomes and effective utilization of available health care personnel.

Hypertension is a leading cause of mortality globally and one of the most common risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Diagnosis, awareness, and optimal treatment rates are suboptimal, especially in low- and middle-income countries, with attendant high health consequences and grave socioeconomic impact. There is an enormous gap between disease burden and physician-patient ratios that needs to be bridged. Task sharing and task shifting (TSTS) provide a viable temporary solution. However, sociocultural, demographic, and economic factors influence the effective uptake of such interventions. This review discusses the dynamics of TSTS in the African context looking at challenges, feasibility, and approach to adopt it in the management of hypertension in Africa.

Background A major challenge of transplantation is the unavailability of organs. For a successful transplantation process, awareness and negative attitudes among potential donors need to be sought for and addressed. Our objective was to examine the knowledge, perception and information needs of family members of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Nigeria and factors associated with their likelihood to decide to donate a kidney. Methods This was a convergent parallel mixed method study that obtained information from family members of patients with CKD in Nigeria. Ordinal logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with the likelihood of donation. Thematic analysis was used for the qualitative analysis. Results Three hundred and six respondents with a mean age of 41.2 ± 12.9 years participated in the quantitative survey. About 30% of participants were not familiar with the concept of kidney donation; 63% had never sought information about kidney donation; about 75% felt inadequately informed about the risks, benefits, and requirements of kidney donation. About 26% of participants were unlikely to consider donating a kidney to a family member with CKD. The majority expressed medical risk (47%) as their primary concern with donation. The age group of respondents (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.239–0.967, P  = 0.04), parent/child relationship, (OR 2.42, 95%CI 1.198–4.886, P  = 0.01), awareness of the suitable medical factors for donation (OR 2.07, 95%CI 1.127–3.796, P  = 0.02), and provision of support or counsel to donors (OR 3.89, 95%CI 1.576–9.638, P  = 0.003), were independently associated with decisions to donate. The qualitative analysis identified personal, socio-cultural, religious and psychological factors that could influence willingness to donate. Conclusion This study identified factors that influenced donations and brought to the fore the need to adequately educate and provide support for potential kidney donors. Clinical trial number Not applicable.

Medical practice usually involves different activities which if not professionally handled, may give rise to liabilities on the part of the medical practitioner. These liabilities may arise in tortious claims and in some other cases, may go beyond the realm of civil liabilities to criminal liabilities. This review focuses on liabilities that amount to negligence both under the civil and criminal laws in Nigeria, other instances of malpractices which may not amount to negligence but may suffice to give rise to a successful cause of action in other branches of substantive law including claims for breach of fundamental human rights; contract; and fiduciary relationship. The review concludes by emphasizing the need for caution and the need to ensure that justice is seen to be done not only to the victims but also to the medical practitioners who deserve all legal protection in the exercise of their professional duties.

Background The burden of acute kidney injury (AKI) in low- and middle-income countries is frequently underestimated, often due to limited diagnostic resources and underreporting. Information about the burden of AKI would help inform the implementation of health policies and improve the allocation of health resources aimed at enhancing patient outcomes. This study determined the pooled incidence of AKI and associated mortality in Nigeria. Method A systematic search of PubMed, African Journals Online (AJOL), and Google Scholar was conducted to identify relevant studies on AKI in both adult and paediatric populations in Nigeria between 1980 and 2024. Case reports, case series, and abstracts without full text on AKI were excluded. The pooled incidence of AKI and the associated all-cause mortality rate were estimated using meta-analytic methods. The Joanna-Briggs scoring was used for risk bias assessment. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024620822). Results The initial systematic literature search identified 384 articles from which 44 eligible hospital-based studies involving 123,324 participants were included. The median age of the study participants was 31.1 years, and the median proportion of females was 42.9%. The overall pooled incidence of AKI in this study was 15.0% [CI: 12.0–18.0%], based on 44 studies, with I 2  = 99.3% and p  < 0.001. The pooled incidence of AKI in the adult and paediatric populations was 18.0% [CI: 12.0%-25.0%, n  = 22 studies, I 2  = 99.0%, p  < 0.001], and 12.0% [CI: 9.0%-15.0%, n  = 20 studies, I 2  = 99.2%, p  < 0.001], respectively. The leading aetiologies of AKI were hypovolaemia (32.3%), sepsis (28.8%), malaria (12.8%), and acute glomerulonephritis (11.5%). The most common criteria used in diagnosing AKI were those outlined in the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines in 27 studies (58.7%). There was a significant difference in the pooled incidence of AKI with the different diagnostic criteria ( p  < 0.001). About 46.0% of the AKI population presented in stage 3, and haemodialysis was the kidney replacement therapy option in 76.2% of those dialysed. The overall pooled all-cause mortality rate in patients with AKI was 26.0% [CI: 19.0%-33.0%], n  = 34 studies, I 2  = 92.6%, p  < 0.001, 34 studies. Limitations of the study The review included only hospital-based studies, and high heterogeneity was observed in the studies. Therefore, the results should be interpreted with caution. Conclusion The incidence and mortality rates of AKI in Nigeria are high. Prompt and adequate treatment of the underlying and preventable causes may reduce the disease burden.

Background: Advancements in the medical field have made organ transplantation an attractive treatment option for patients when indicated. Shortage of organs and commodification of organs are major challenges encountered in organ donation and transplantation. These could potentially breed unethical practices, if the process is not well regulated. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of healthcare workers (HCWs) on the legal provisions regulating organ donation and transplantation in Nigeria. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted amongst physicians and nurses across Nigeria. Knowledge of legal provisions on organ donation and transplantation was assessed using a validated questionnaire that had 21 questions derived from the National Health Act. Each correctly answered question was given 1 point with a total obtainable score of 21 points. A score of ≥14 points was classified as good knowledge. P <0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 836 physicians and nurses with a mean age of 37.61 ± 9.78 years participated in the study. Females and physicians constituted 53.3% and 62.9% of the respondents, respectively. The mean knowledge score of the respondents was 9.70 ± 2.91 points. Eighty-three (9.9%) respondents had a good knowledge score. There was a significantly higher proportion of male HCWs (P < 0.037) and older HCWs (P = 0.017) with good knowledge of legal provisions. On logistic regression, age was the only factor found to be associated with good knowledge of legal provision (adjusted odds ratio: 3.92; confidence interval: 1.33-11.59; P = 0.01). Conclusion: The overall knowledge of legal provisions on organ donation and transplant was very poor amongst HCWs in Nigeria. There is a need to educate them on these provisions to curb unethical practices.