BackgroundAdolescent weight status is a cumulative effect of health and nutritional problems. Adolescent weight problems often go unnoticed as weight assessment is not considered a priority in adolescents.ObjectivesTo determine the weight status of adolescents using BMI and to identify the contributing factors to adolescent weight problems.MethodsIn April 2010, 960 adolescents aged 10–19 years in secondary schools in Port Harcourt were selected for the study using a stratified multi-staged sampling method. Structured questionnaires were filled by the investigators while weight and height were measured. BMI was calculated using the formula weight/height2 (kg/m2).ResultsThe prevalence of underweight, overweight, obesity and stunting were 6.4%, 6.3%, 1.8% and 5.4% respectively. Factors which were commoner in overweight adolescents were high socioeconomic class, higher maternal education, spending > 3 hours a day watching television and frequent ingestion of snacks.ConclusionThere is a need for periodic weight assessment of adolescents and health education to promote healthy eating habits and regular physical exercise as part of the School Health Programme.

Background: Preterm babies have increased risk of morbidity and mortality which is inversely related to both gestational age and birth weight. Most preterm births result from maternal or foetal medical conditions. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and outcome of preterm admissions at the Special Care Baby Unit of the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, as well as their morbidity pattern and risk factors for preterm birth. Methodology: All preterm babies admitted from January 2010 to December 2012 were retrospectively studied. Information obtained included gestational age at birth, sex, risk factors for preterm birth, duration of admission, medical problems during admission and outcome. Results: Preterm admissions constituted 24.0% of the total admissions with a male to female ratio of 1.1:1. The commonest risk factor for preterm birth was preterm rupture of foetal membranes (46.4%) followed by lack of maternal antenatal care (35.5%) and multiple pregnancy (26.8%) respectively. The commonest medical conditions were respiratory problems in 95 (68.8%) followed by jaundice in 94 (68.1%) and sepsis in 54 (39.1%) of the patients. The case fatality rate was highest in the patients with necrotizing enterocolitis and seizures (66.7%) followed by respiratory problems (63.2%) and bleeding disorders (60.0%). The overall survival rate was 65.9%. The survival rate was significantly higher in the mild preterm category compared to the very preterm and extremely preterm for birth categories χ 2 = 29.24, p value = 0.000. Conclusion: Preterms constituted a significant percentage of neonatal admissions at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital with the case fatality being highest among those with infections and respiratory problems. There is an urgent need for the establishment of a neonatal intensive care unit with facilities for thorough evaluation and management of preterm babies in order to improve survival rate of this vulnerable group of patients.

Background: Sepsis is one of the most common causes of neonatal hospital admissions and is estimated to cause 26% of all neonatal deaths worldwide. While waiting for results of blood culture, it is necessary to initiate an empirical choice of antibiotics based on the epidemiology of causative agents and antibiotic sensitivity pattern in a locality. Objective: To determine the major causative organisms of neonatal sepsis at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), as well as their antibiotic sensitivity patterns, with the aim of formulating treatment protocols for neonates. Methods: Within a 27-month period (1st of October 2011 to the 31st of December 2013), results of blood culture for all neonates screened for sepsis at the Special Care Baby Unit of the hospital were retrospectively studied. Results: Two hundred and thirty-three (49.6%) of the 450 neonates admitted were screened for sepsis. Ninety-seven (43.5%) of them were blood culture positive, with 52 (53.6%) of the isolated organisms being Gram positive and 45 (46.4%) Gram negative. The most frequently isolated organism was Staphylococcus aureus (51.5%) followed by Escherichia coli (16.5%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (14.4%). All isolated organisms demonstrated the highest sensitivity to the quinolones. Conclusion: Neonatal sepsis is a significant cause of morbidity among neonates admitted at the NDUTH. There is a need for regular periodic surveillance of the causative organisms of neonatal sepsis as well as their antibiotic susceptibility pattern to inform the empirical choice of antibiotic prescription while awaiting blood culture results.

BackgroundThe organisms responsible for neonatal sepsis vary across geographical boundaries and with the time of illness thus periodic bacteriologic surveillance is a neccessity. The present study was therefore carried out to determine the common bacterial pathogens in Port Harcourt and their sensitivity pattern.MethodsFour hundred and six neonates were prospectively screened for sepsis over a 6 month period. Sensitivity of the bacterial isolates to different antibiotics was determined using Kirby-Bauer diffusion method.ResultsGram negative organisms predominated (75.1%) with Klebsiella pneumonia (58.2%) being the commonest. The quinolones were the most sensitive antibiotics to the commonly isolated organisms.ConclusionKlebsiella pneumonia is the commonest organism responsible for neonatal sepsis in Port Harcourt. There is an overall decline in the antibiotic susceptibility to the commonly isolated bacterial pathogens.

BackgroundSepsis is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in the newborn. Early diagnosis and treatment is vital to improve outcome. The present study was therefore carried out to determine the usefulness of C-reactive protein (CRP) for evaluation of neonatal sepsis in Port Harcourt, Nigeria in Sub-Saharan Africa.MethodFour hundred and twenty neonates with clinical suspicion of sepsis were prospectively studied over a 6 month period. Blood was obtained from each subject recruited for the qualitative estimation of CRP. Blood culture was used as gold standard for diagnosis of NNS.ResultsOf 420 neonates studied, 196 (46.7%) had positive CRP while 181 (43.1%) had positive blood culture. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of CRP were 74.0%, 74.1%, 68.4% and 79.0% respectively.ConclusionThe qualitative method of estimating CRP which is cheap and rapid has moderate sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive value.