BackgroundAlthough the exact pathophysiology of preeclampsia is not fully understood, several elemental micronutrient abnormalities have been suggested to play a contributory role in preeclampsia.AimsTo investigate the levels of calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper in women with preeclampsia.Subjects and MethodsA case—control study was conducted in Omdurman Maternity Hospital, Sudan, during the period of September through December 2014. The cases were women with preeclampsia while healthy pregnant women were the controls. The medical and obstetrics history was gathered using questionnaires. The serum levels of calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometer.ResultsThere was no significant difference between the two groups in their age, gestational age, parity and body mass index. Zinc and copper levels were not significantly different between the two groups. In comparison with the controls, women with preeclampsia had a significantly lower median (inter-quartile) serum calcium [7.6 (4.0─9.6) vs. 8.1 (10.6─14.2), mg/dl, P = 0.032] and higher levels of magnesium [1.9 (1.4─2.5) vs. 1.4 (1.0─1.9) mg/dl; P = 0.003]. In binary logistic regression, lower calcium (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.56 ─ 0.95, P = 0.021) and higher magnesium (OR = 5.724, 95% CI = 1.23 ─ 26.50, P = 0.026) levels were associated with preeclampsia. There were no significant correlations between levels of hemoglobin and these trace elements.ConclusionThe current study showed significant associations between preeclampsia and serum levels of calcium and magnesium.

Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) constitutes about a third of the estimated 8 million deaths in under 5-year-old children, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) protocol of management is used in hospital management. The present study aims to assess adherence to the WHO guidelines of management of SAM in children aged 6-59 months at Kalakla Turkish Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan. Medical records/files of 169 children, mean (standard deviation) age was 18.5 (10.4) months with a range of 6-54 months, admitted to the hospital were reviewed. The male/female ratio was 1.5:1. No records of history and the proportion of missing examination information were >5%. Weight-for-height score was not calculated for 61% of children and other anthropometric measurements were inadequately recorded. Seven classifications of acute malnutrition were recorded instead of two. Oedema, mid-upper arm circumference andscore were neglected as tools of classification. Blood sugar, haemoglobin concentration and malaria film/rapid diagnostic tests were the only requested tests in 122 (72.2%), 14 (8.3%) and 49 (29%), respectively. Appropriate treatment was documented in 68 (40.2%) children for intravenous (IV) dextrose for hypoglycaemia, 25 (14.8%) for kangaroo technique, 32 (18.9%) covering with blanket for hypothermia, 106 (62.7%) for F75 milk formula and 115 (68%) for F100 milk formula feeding; and there were no records of receiving oral/IV rehydration. The case fatality rate was 5.9%. Quality of care can be improved by training. Improvement of hospital infrastructure with attention to specifying rooms for management of acute malnutrition will be of benefit to the application of the guidelines.

BackgroundRecurrent upper abdominal pain or dyspepsia is one of the patients' most common chief complaints. This study correlates the symptoms of dyspepsia to esophagogastroduodenoscopy findings among Sudanese patients attending Soba University Hospital. MethodsA retrospective observational study was conducted at Soba University Hospital from April 2019 to April 2020. Patients were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Each patient filled out a standardized data collection form with data on their demographics, symptoms, and endoscopic findings. A P-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. ResultsThe study included 142 patients, where 57.7% (n=82) were females, and 59.9% (n=85) of the study participants were of normal body mass index. In contrast, 57% of the study participants had a symptom duration of less than six months. Approximately 95.1% (n=135) suffered from heartburn, 80.3% (n=114) suffered from epigastric fullness, and 96.5% (n=137) suffered from epigastric pain. Seventy-eight point two percent (78.2%; n=111) who suffered from epigastric pain mentioned that it increased in intensity with food, 85.9% (n=121) who suffered from epigastric pain mentioned that it decreased in intensity with food, 54.2% (n=76) of the study participants suffered from regurgitation, 59.9% (n=85) of the study participants suffered from weight loss, 52.1% (n=73) of the study participants were using non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), 41.7% (n=59) of the study participants had normal esophagogastroduodenoscopy findings, followed by 35.9% (n=51) who had duodenitis or gastritis during the endoscopic assessment. ConclusionThe study showed that esophagogastroduodenoscopy is not recommended in young patients without alarm symptoms who can be managed conservatively. However, every patient with alarming symptoms should have an esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Also, the study revealed that females and old-aged patients had higher rates of dyspeptic symptoms.

ObjectivesA case–control study was conducted at Omdurman Maternity Tertiary Hospital, Sudan, during the period from May to August 2014 to investigate AMH level in women with preeclampsia compared to healthy controls. The cases were women with preeclampsia and healthy pregnant women were the controls. The obstetrics and medical history was gathered using a questionnaire. AMH level was measured using ELISA.ResultsThere was no significant difference between the two groups (40 in each arm of the study) in the age, parity and gestational age. Thirty-three of the 40 cases were patients with severe preeclampsia. There was no significant difference in median inter-quartile of the AMH level between the women with preeclampsia and the controls [0.700 (0.225–1.500) vs. 0.700 (0.400–1.275) ng/ml, P = 0.967]. In a linear regression model there was no association between the log of AMH and age, parity, gestational age, BMI, hemoglobin level and preeclampsia.