Home About us Editorial board Search Ahead of print Current issue Archives Submit article Instructions Subscribe Contacts Login 
Home Print this page Email this page
Users Online:: 21519
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year : 2006  |  Volume : 9  |  Issue : 2  |  Page : 52-55

Severe anaemia in childhood in Sokoto, Nigeria


Department of Paediatrics, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 2370, Sokoto, Nigeria

Correspondence Address:
N M Jiya
Department of Paediatrics, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital , P.M.B. 2370, Sokoto
Nigeria
Login to access the Email id

Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None


Rights and PermissionsRights and Permissions

Background: Blood transfusion still remains the standard treatment of severe anaemia despite the dangers or risk of transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B and C viruses asso iated with it. Objectives : To determine the prevalence, aetiology, presentation, severity and outcome of severe anaemia among the children admitted into Emergency Paediatrics Unit (E.P.U.) of our Teriary Hospital in Sokoto, Nigeria . Methods : This was a 3-year prospective study conducted in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, of severe anaemia cases admitted into E.P.U. (i.e. between January, 2000 and December, 2002). Information from the study proforma included date of admission, age, gender, symptoms and signs at presentation , complication(s) developed, haemotocrit (PCV), causes of anaemia, haemoglobin (Hb) electrophoresis and outcome of treatment. Severe anaemia was defined according to WHO criterion of Hb concentration of less than 5gm/dl or PCV :S 15%. Results: One hundred and twenty seven (127) of the 4,717 (2.7%) patients were diagnosed with severe anaemia over the study period. The M:.F ratio identified was 1.8:1; with a significant male preponderance. The mean age ΁ (SD) was 4.6 ΁ (2-95) years (ranges, 3 months- 15 years) . The majority (73.3%) of cases were under 5 year of age. Also, majority of the cases presented during the rainy season (May to September) , with an annual rise in prevalence rates; 28.3%, 2000; 29.1%, 2001 and 42.6%, 2002. The main symptoms at presentation was fever (88.2%) whilst the physical sign of pallor was seen in all patients. The PCVs (degree of anaemia) were :S 5% in 6/127 (4.7%); 6- 10% in 48 (37.8%) and 11 - 15% in 73 (57.5%) of our cases. Malaria was the leading cause; with malaria parasite being present in 80 (62.9%) cases. Hb electrophoresis pattern revealed 70 (55·% ) as AA; 42 (33.1%), SS; 6 (4.7%), SS + F and 8 (6%), AS. Anaemic heart failure and convulsion were the main complications encountered in this study. 110 (86.6%) of the patients were transfused with fully screened packed red cells blood. 99 (77.9%) of them were discharged home and to be seen at out-patient clinic, 8 (6.3%) signed against medical advice, and 20 of them died; yielded a case-fatality rate of 15.7% . Conclusion: The increasing incidence of severe anaemia in childhood necessitating blood transfusion, with the associated risk of HIV and Hepatitis B and C transmission, is a major health problem. Therefore, more aggressive measures at prevention and early detection, and appropriate treatment of malaria , as the leading cause of severe anemia in our environment, should be vigorously pursued promoted , supported and sustained.


[PDF]*
Print this article     Email this article
 Next article
 Previous article
 Table of Contents

 Similar in PUBMED
   Search Pubmed for
   Search in Google Scholar for
 Related articles
 Citation Manager
 Access Statistics
 Reader Comments
 Email Alert *
 Add to My List *
 * Requires registration (Free)
 

 Article Access Statistics
    Viewed1565    
    Printed111    
    Emailed0    
    PDF Downloaded206    
    Comments [Add]    

Recommend this journal