ObjectiveUncontrolled asthma negatively impacts patients, families, and the community. The level of symptom control among asthmatics in Ethiopia has not been well studied. We investigated the level of asthma control and risk factors for poor asthma control in clinic patients seen in the largest public hospital in Ethiopia.ResultsIn this cross-sectional study, we studied all 182 consecutive subjects with a physician diagnosis of asthma who were seen in chest clinic at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital between July and December 2015. Of the 182 subjects, 68.1% were female. The mean age was 52 ± 12 years and the median duration of asthma was 20 ± 12.7 years. One hundred and seventeen subjects (64.3%) had nighttime awakening due to asthma. Fifty-eight (31%) were not using controller medications and 62 (34.6%) had improper inhaler technique. Only 44 (24.2%) subjects had well-controlled asthma. On multivariate analysis, variables associated with uncontrolled asthma included: use of biomass fuel for cooking, longer duration of asthma (> 30 year), incorrect inhalation technique, and asthma exacerbation in the last 12 months. Most asthmatics attending in the largest public hospital in Ethiopia, had uncontrolled asthma. Several risk factors for poor asthma control were identified. Improved asthma control is possible through directed interventions.

Purpose: Anemia is one of the common complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), which has an adverse effect on the progression and development of other diabetes-related complications. In spite of this, relatively little information is available on the prevalence of anemia and associated factors among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in Ethiopia, particularly in the study area. Thus, this study assessed the prevalence of anemia and associated factors among T2DM patients at Debre Berhan Referral Hospital (DBRH), NorthEast , Ethiopia. Patients and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 1 to May 30, 2019, among 249 T2DM patients with follow up at DBRH, selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews, anthropometric measurements, and laboratory tests; such as hemoglobin measurements, red blood indices, and serum creatinine analysis. The data were coded and entered into Epi-data manager version 4.4.1.0, and analysis by using SPSS version 22 was carried out. To identify the determinant factors of anemia, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. P-value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The study showed 20.1% of the participants were anemic. Being age >60 years (AOR=3.06, 95% CI: 1.32-7.11), poor glycemic control (AOR=2.95, 95% CI: 1.22-7.15), eGFR 60-89.9 mL/min/1.73m 2 (AOR=2.91, 95% CI: 1.15-7.37), eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73m 2 (AOR=6.58, 95% CI: 2.42-17.93), DM duration >10 years (AOR= AOR=2.75, 95% CI: 1.17-6.48), and having diabetic complications (AOR=3.81, 95% CI: 1.65-8.81) were significantly associated with anemia. Conclusion: One out of five T2DM patients had anemia. Poor glycemic control, decreased eGFR, presence of DM complications, duration of DM >10 years, and age >60 years were significantly associated with the occurrence of anemia among T2DM. Regular screening for anemia in all T2DM patients may help in the early detection and management of anemia.

Introduction: World Health Organization revealed 13% of all deaths globally related to hypertension making it an area of prime importance for public health in both developing and developed Country. The problem of hypertension is significant in low and middle income countries like sub-Saharan Africa; however, there are limited studies to report the exact prevalence rate in developing countries, particularly in Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine prevalence of hypertension among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and its socio demographic factors in Nigist Ellen Mohamed Memorial Hospital Hosanna, Southern Ethiopia. Methods: Hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted in 140 randomly selected adult type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients in Nigist Ellen Mohammed Memorial Hospital, Southern Ethiopia. Data was collected by measuring blood pressure of the study participants by using calibrated devices and interviewer administered questionnaires were used to assess prevalence and socio-demographic factors among the study participants. The collected data were entered, cleared and analyzed by using SPSS 20.0 version. Result: Mean (±SD) age of the clients was 46.5(±11.8) years and majority (63.6%) was male. The mean (±SD) Systolic blood pressure and Diastolic blood pressure of study subjects among type 2 Diabetes Mellitus clients were 135.98 (±17.11) and 88.89 (±12.77) mmHg respectively. More than half (55%) of the type 2 diabetic clients in this study were hypertensive. Finally, there is a significant association between age, gender, marital status, residence and average working hours. Concussion: Prevalence rate of hypertension among type 2 diabetic patients in Hosanna Nigist Ellen Mohammed Memorial Hospital was high. More than half of the study subjects in Nigist Ellen Mohamed Memorial Hospital hospital were hypertensive.

BackgroundEthiopia is striving to achieve a goal of “zero human immune deficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS)-related deaths.” However, little has been documented on the factors that hamper the progress towards achieving this goal. Therefore, the ultimate aim of this study was to determine predictors of mortality among adult people living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy (ART).MethodsA retrospective follow-up study was employed on all adult HIV/AIDS patients who started ART between January 1 and December 30, 2010, at Suhul Hospital, Tigrai Region, Northern Ethiopia. Data were collected by trained fourth-year Public Health students using a checklist. Finally, the collected data were entered into SPSS version 16. Then after, Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate survival probability, the log-rank test was used for comparing the survival status, and Cox proportional hazards model were applied to determine predictors of mortality.ResultsThe median follow-up period was 51 months (ranging between 1 and 60 months, inter-quartile range (IQR) = 14 months). At the end of follow-up, 37 (12.5%) patients were dead. The majority of these cumulative deaths, 19 (51.4%) and 29 (78.4%), occurred within 3 and 4 years of ART initiation respectively. Consuming alcohol (adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 2.23, 95% CI = 1.15, 4.32), low body weight (AHR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.03, 5.54), presence of opportunistic infections (AHR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.09, 4.37), advanced WHO clinical stage (AHR = 2.75, 95% CI = 1.36, 5.58), and not receiving isoniazid prophylactic therapy (AHR = 3.00, 95% CI = 1.33, 6.74) were found to be independent predictors of mortality.ConclusionThe overall mortality was very high. Baseline alcohol consumption, low body weight, advanced WHO clinical stage, the presence of opportunistic infections, and not receiving isoniazid prophylactic therapy were predictors of mortality. Strengthening behavioral and nutritional counseling with close clinical follow-up shall be given much more emphasis in the ART care and support program.

Management of patients with severe or critical COVID-19 is mainly modeled after care of patients with severe pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome from other causes. These models are based on evidence that primarily originates from investigations in high-income countries, but it may be impractical to apply these recommendations to resource-restricted settings in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We report on a set of pragmatic recommendations for microbiology and laboratory testing, imaging, and the use of diagnostic and prognostic models in patients with severe COVID-19 in LMICs. For diagnostic testing, where reverse transcription–PCR (RT-PCR) testing is available and affordable, we recommend using RT-PCR of the upper or lower respiratory specimens and suggest using lower respiratory samples for patients suspected of having COVID-19 but have negative RT-PCR results for upper respiratory tract samples. We recommend that a positive RT-PCR from any anatomical source be considered confirmatory for SARS-CoV-2 infection, but, because false-negative testing can occur, recommend that a negative RT-PCR does not definitively rule out active infection if the patient has high suspicion for COVID-19. We suggest against using serologic assays for the detection of active or past SARS-CoV-2 infection, until there is better evidence for its usefulness. Where available, we recommend the use of point-of-care antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection as an alternative to RT-PCR, only if strict quality control measures are guaranteed. For laboratory testing, we recommend a baseline white blood cell differential platelet count and hemoglobin, creatinine, and liver function tests and suggest a baseline C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, troponin, prothrombin time (or other coagulation test), and D -dimer, where such testing capabilities are available. For imaging, where availability of standard thoracic imaging is limited, we suggest using lung ultrasound to identify patients with possible COVID-19, but recommend against its use to exclude COVID-19. We suggest using lung ultrasound in combination with clinical parameters to monitor progress of the disease and responses to therapy in COVID-19 patients. We currently suggest against using diagnostic and prognostic models as these models require extensive laboratory testing and imaging, which often are limited in LMICs.