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To determine the prevalence of pterygium and its associated factors in patients attending Mulago National Referral Hospital Eye Clinic. This was a prospective hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted between January 2019 and March 2019. We selected 516 patients from Mulago Hospital eye clinic(s) using a multistage stratified probability sampling technique. A thorough history and clinical examination were conducted; a pre-tested questionnaire was filled out. Data were entered into a computer using EpiData 3.1 and analysed using STATA 11. A total of 516 patients were recruited of whom 60.3% were female and 39.7% were male. Out of the 516 patients, 70 (13.6%) had pterygium. Pterygium occurrence was associated with Age above 40 years (OR 13.59, 95% CI: 1.78–103.95, p = 0.012), Family history (OR 3.56, 95% CI: 1.72–7.35, p = 0.001), Alcohol intake (OR 2.21, 95% CI: 1.13–3.97, p = 0.02) and Dust exposure (OR 1.81, 95% CI: 1.03–3.19, p = 0.04). The prevalence of pterygium was high in our study and found to be positively associated with increasing age, positive family history, alcohol intake and dust exposure.

To determine the prevalence of pterygium and its associated factors in patients attending Mulago National Referral Hospital Eye Clinic. This was a prospective hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted between January 2019 and March 2019. We selected 516 patients from Mulago Hospital eye clinic(s) using a multistage stratified probability sampling technique. A thorough history and clinical examination were conducted; a pre-tested questionnaire was filled out. Data were entered into a computer using EpiData 3.1 and analysed using STATA 11. A total of 516 patients were recruited of whom 60.3% were female and 39.7% were male. Out of the 516 patients, 70 (13.6%) had pterygium. Pterygium occurrence was associated with Age above 40 years (OR 13.59, 95% CI: 1.78–103.95, p = 0.012), Family history (OR 3.56, 95% CI: 1.72–7.35, p = 0.001), Alcohol intake (OR 2.21, 95% CI: 1.13–3.97, p = 0.02) and Dust exposure (OR 1.81, 95% CI: 1.03–3.19, p = 0.04). The prevalence of pterygium was high in our study and found to be positively associated with increasing age, positive family history, alcohol intake and dust exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Animal bite injuries are a common public health concern in Uganda. We sought to characterize animal bite injuries among patients presenting to Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. METHODS: this was a cross sectional study from 1st September to 30th November 2011. Participants were animal bite injury victims presenting to the accident and emergency (AandE) unit at Mulago hospital and were consecutively enrolled into the study. Socio-demographics, severity and patterns of injury, health seeking and dog handling behaviours were assessed using a standardized questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize participant characteristics and the animal bite injuries. Poisson regression model's incident rate ratios (IRR) was used to explore the relationship of the number of days to accessing treatment at Mulago hospital with; a) received prior first aid, b) animal bite injury sustained during day time, c) unknown dog and d) victim resident in Kampala. Data were analyzed using STATA version 12.0 and statistical significance set at P = 0.05. RESULTS: of 25,420 patients that presented to the A and E unit during the study period, 207 (0.8%) had animal bite injuries, mean age 22.7 years (SD 14.3), 64.7% male, and 40.1% were 18 years. Majority 199 (96.1%) were bitten by a lone unrestrained and un-signaled dog that had bitten someone else in 22.2% of cases, and eight victims (0.4%) were attacked in canine gangs of 2-5 dogs. Rabies vaccination was confirmed in only 23 dogs (11.1%) as 109 (52.7%) were unknown to the victims or the communities. One hundred and eighteen victims (57.0%) sustained the dog bites within Kampala district whilst the rest occurred near or far from Kampala district, and the victims especially referred to access anti-rabies vaccine. Of 207, 189 victims (91.3%) presented within 2.6 days (SD 4.3). Two hundred victims (96.6%) sustained extremity injuries while the rest had injuries to other body parts. All injuries were minor and managed on out-patient basis with wound dressing, analgesics, prophylactic antibiotics and anti-rabies vaccination. Victims who received prior first aid had a rate of 1.7 times greater for seeking treatment at Mulago hospital (IRR 1.7, 95% CI 1.4-2.1) compared to those that had no prior first aid. Participants who sustained the animal bite injuries during day time had a rate of 1.6 times greater for seeking treatment at Mulago hospital (IRR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-2.1) compared to those that sustained injuries at other times. Participants bitten by unknown dog and participants residing in Kampala had IRR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-0.9 and IRR 0.6, 95% CI 0.5-0.8 respectively of accessing treatment at Mulago hospital compared to bitten by known dog and not residing in Kampala. CONCLUSION: dog bites injuries from unrestrained, un-signaled dogs are the commonest source of animal bite injuries especially among children (18 years). Vaccination against rabies was only confirmed for a very small number of dogs, as majority were unknown and likely stray dogs. Government and public sensitization is urgently required to limit stray dogs, vaccinate dogs and restrain them to prevent a grave probability of a looming canine rabies epidemic.

Uganda has one of the largest unmet neurosurgical needs in the world, but has seen major improvements in neurosurgery—largely centered at Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH). This study implements the first long-term follow-up and outcomes analysis of central nervous system tumor patients in Uganda. Inpatient data were collected using a prospective database of patients presenting to the MNRH neurosurgical ward between 2014 and 2015. Follow-up health care status was assessed in the patient's language using phone surveys. Analysis was performed to identify which factors were associated with patient outcomes. The MNRH neurosurgical ward saw 112 patients with central nervous system tumors (adult N = 87, female: 70%, median age: 37 years). Meningiomas (21%) comprised the most common tumor diagnosis. In-hospital mortality (18%), 30-day mortality (22%), and 1-year mortality (35%) were high. Thirty percent of patients underwent tumor resection in-patient and had greater median overall survival (66.5 months vs. 5.1 months for nonsurgical patients, P = 0.025). For those with known pathologic diagnoses, patients with glioblastomas had decreased median overall survival (0.83 months vs. 59 months for meningiomas, P = 0.02). Phone interviews yielded an 85% response rate. Of the survivors at the time of follow-up, 55% reported a subjective return to normalcy, and 75% received follow-up care for their tumor with most returning to MNRH. We show evidence for improved overall survival with surgical care at MNRH. In addition, phone interviews as a method of measuring health outcomes provided an effective means of follow-up, showing that most patients do seek follow-up care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: animal bite injuries are a common public health concern in Uganda. We sought to characterize animal bite injuries among patients presenting to Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. Methods: this was a cross sectional study from 1st September to 30th November 2011. Participants were animal bite injury victims presenting to the accident and emergency (A&E) unit at Mulago hospital and were consecutively enrolled into the study. Socio-demographics, severity and patterns of injury, health seeking and dog handling behaviours were assessed using a standardized questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize participant characteristics and the animal bite injuries. Poisson regression model's incident rate ratios (IRR) was used to explore the relationship of the number of days to accessing treatment at Mulago hospital with; a) received prior first aid, b) animal bite injury sustained during day time, c) unknown dog and d) victim resident in Kampala. Data were analyzed using STATA version 12.0 and statistical significance set at P < 0.05. Results: of 25,420 patients that presented to the A&E unit during the study period, 207 (0.8%) had animal bite injuries, mean age 22.7 years (SD 14.3), 64.7% male, and 40.1% were <18 years. Majority 199 (96.1%) were bitten by a lone unrestrained and un-signaled dog that had bitten someone else in 22.2% of cases, and eight victims (0.4%) were attacked in canine gangs of 2-5 dogs. Rabies vaccination was confirmed in only 23 dogs (11.1%) as 109 (52.7%) were unknown to the victims or the communities. One hundred and eighteen victims (57.0%) sustained the dog bites within Kampala district whilst the rest occurred near or far from Kampala district, and the victims especially referred to access anti-rabies vaccine. Of 207, 189 victims (91.3%) presented within 2.6 days (SD ± 4.3). Two hundred victims (96.6%) sustained extremity injuries while the rest had injuries to other body parts. All injuries were minor and managed on out-patient basis with wound dressing, analgesics, prophylactic antibiotics and anti-rabies vaccination. Victims who received prior first aid had a rate of 1.7 times greater for seeking treatment at Mulago hospital (IRR 1.7, 95% CI 1.4-2.1) compared to those that had no prior first aid. Participants who sustained the animal bite injuries during day time had a rate of 1.6 times greater for seeking treatment at Mulago hospital (IRR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-2.1) compared to those that sustained injuries at other times. Participants bitten by unknown dog and participants residing in Kampala had IRR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-0.9 and IRR 0.6, 95% CI 0.5-0.8 respectively of accessing treatment at Mulago hospital compared to bitten by known dog and not residing in Kampala. Conclusion: dog bites injuries from unrestrained, un-signaled dogs are the commonest source of animal bite injuries especially among children (<18 years). Vaccination against rabies was only confirmed for a very small number of dogs, as majority were unknown and likely stray dogs. Government and public sensitization is urgently required to limit stray dogs, vaccinate dogs and restrain them to prevent a grave probability of a looming canine rabies epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effect of subsequent pregnancies on HIV disease progression among HIV-infected women at Mulago Hospital, Uganda.Methods: In a retrospective cohort study, data were analyzed from women enrolled in the Mother-To-Child Transmission Plus program from March 2003 to December 2011. The CD4 cell count, the development of new AIDS-defining opportunistic infections, and the AIDS-related mortality were compared between women with and without subsequent pregnancies.Results: Overall, 409 women were enrolled and 195 (47.7%) had subsequent pregnancies. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) was initiated in 143 (73.3%) women with and 155 (72.4%) women without subsequent pregnancies. Kaplan-Meier analysis for women receiving ART showed no differences between women with and without subsequent pregnancies in the median times to clinical failure (62.7 vs 64.7 months; P=0.31), immunological failure (68.8 vs 75.5 months; P=0.10), and death (68.8 vs 75.5 months; P=0.53). In a Cox regression analysis, subsequent pregnancies were not associated with immunological failure during follow-up (adjusted hazard ratio 1.13, 95% confidence interval 0.06-2.09).Conclusion: Subsequent pregnancies could have no detrimental effect on HIV disease progression among HIV-infected women whose treatment is well managed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Health Organization defines low birth weight (LBW) as a new born having a weight of less than 2,500 g at birth. Low birth weight is one of the major determinants of perinatal survival, infant morbidity and mortality as well as the risk of developmental disabilities and illnesses in future lives. WHO estimates that about 30 million low birth weight babies are born annually (23.4% of all births) and they often face short and long term health consequences. Whereas the global prevalence of LBW has slightly declined, the rate in many developing countries is still quite high. In Uganda, low birth weight among teenage mothers is a problem. Our study aimed to estimate the prevalence of and identify the factors associated with low birth weight among teenage mothers in New Mulago hospital. We conducted an analytical cross sectional study among teenage mothers who delivered from new Mulago Hospital Complex labour suite from August 2013 to August 2014. Trained interviewers, administered pre-tested questionnaires to consecutive mothers to obtain information on their socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric history and child factors. Odds ratios and P -values were calculated to determine the relationship between independent and dependent variables. We also used descriptive statistics for the quantitative data. A total of 357 teenage mothers were enrolled on the study. Their mean age was 18 years (Range 13-19), majority, 98.4% aged 15-19 years. The prevalence of LBW was 25.5%. Pre-term delivery (OR = 3.3032 P = 0.0001) and multiple pregnancies (OR = 0.165 P = 0.039) were associated with LBW. Malaria, young maternal age and ANC attendance were not associated with LBW. Child factors such as birth order, congenital anomalies and sex of the baby were also not associated with LBW. The prevalence of LBW is high among teenage mothers, pre-term delivery and multiple pregnancies were associated factors with LBW. Health professional's need to address teenage maternal health. Health workers should encourage teenage mothers to attend focused antenatal care as recommended by the Uganda ministry of Health. A specialized maternal facility centre that is friendly for adolescent/teenage mothers is advisable so as to improve on completion rates and capture high risk teenage mothers early., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.