Research Articles

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A research article reports the results of original research, assesses its contribution to the body of knowledge in a given area, and is published in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal. The faculty publications through published and on-going articles/researches are captured in this community

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 26
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    Intrathecal chemoprophylaxis in the prevention of central nervous system relapse in burkitt's lymphoma
    (1985-07) Nkrumah, F.K.; Neequaye, J.E.; Biggar, R.
    A retrospective review of patients treated for endemic Burkitt's lymphoma in Ghana was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of intrathecal (IT) chemoprophylaxis in preventing central nervous system (CNS) relapse. Patients treated before 1974 received no IT chemoprophylaxis and those treated between 1974 and 1979 received IT methotrexate in addition to systemic chemotherapy. In patients presenting with facial disease only (Stages I-II), there was no significant difference in the frequency of CNS relapse between those receiving IT chemoprophylaxis and those not receiving any. CNS relapse was, however, significantly reduced in patients presenting with abdominal disease (Stage III) who received IT chemoprophylaxis in addition to systemic combination therapy. This was associated with an improved survival.
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    Use of buffy-coat smears in the diagnosis of septicaemia in children
    (1983-12) Nkrumah, F.K.; Neequaye, J.E.; Twum- Danso, K.
    Gram-stained buffy-coat smears from venous and capillary blood samples in 105 children suspected of septicaemia were examined for the presence of bacteria and the results compared with blood culture isolates. Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were identified in 18 venous (44%) and 19 capillary (46%) buffy-coat preparations in 41 instances where bacterial organisms were isolated from the blood cultures. It is concluded that the examination of buffy-coat smears for bacteria in children suspected of septicaemia is a useful adjunct to blood cultures and, in areas where no facilities exist for culture of blood, may be a simple and rapid method of establishing the diagnosis of bacteraemia in suspected patients.
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    Clinical features of Burkitt's lymphoma: The African experience.
    (IARC Scientific Publications, 1985) Nkrumah, F.K.; Olweny, C.L.
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    Iron, folate and vitamin B12 in severe protein-energy malnutrition.
    (Central African Journal of Medicine, 1988) Nkrumah, F.K.; Nathoo, K.J.; Sanders, D.M.
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    Aplastic anaemia in Zimbabweans.
    (Central African Journal of Medicine, 1987) Mukiibi, J.M.; Paul, B.; Nkrumah, F.K.
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    Paediatric intensive care in Harare
    (Annals of Tropical Paediatrics, 1987) Topley, J.M.; Nkrumah, F.K.
    A review of 1 year's experience in the paediatric intensive care unit in Harare is presented. Two hundred and eighty-six children were admitted and 66.4% survived. The major conditions for which the children were admitted were respiratory tract infections, surgical conditions, sepsis, tetanus, the Guillain Barré syndrome and acute renal failure. Sixty-nine per cent of the children lived within 50 km of the city of Harare and 31% came from more distant parts of the country. The problems of paediatric intensive care in Third World countries are discussed and we conclude that there is justification for such a facility in Zimbabwe
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    Cerebrospinal fluid markers in African Burkett’s lymphoma with central nervous system involvement
    (Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 1982) Wallen, W.C.; Biggar, R.J.; Levine, P.H.; Neequaye, J.; Nkrumah, F.K.
    Several cerebrospinal fluid markers were found to be elevated in Burkitt's lymphoma patients with central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Antibody levels to the virus capsid antigen of the Epstein-Barr virus and to the brain cell antigens myelin and cerebroside were elevated during active CNS disease. Immune complexes were present in levels above 100 micrograms/ml in most patients with CNS involvement but tended to be low or negative in patients without CNS disease. Oligoclonal IgG bands were present in 12 of 13 patients with CNS disease and in only 3 of 26 patients with no clinical evidence of disease. None of these markers were present in 6 other tumor patients without CNS disease. The presence of these markers in 12 of 13 patients in whom CNS disease was involved suggests that these markers may be useful in determining the status of the tumor with regard to involvement of the CNS.
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    Chronic bullous dermatosis of childhood. Central African Journal of Medicine
    (Central African Journal of Medicine, 1984) Wright, S; Nkrumah, F.K.
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    Treatment of Burkitt's lymphoma: The African experience.
    (IARC Scientific Publications, 1985) Olweny, C.L.; Nkrumah, F.K.
    Although Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) can be treated by surgery, radiotherapy and immunotherapy, chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment. This paper summarizes the various clinical trials undertaken in Africa over the past decade. The single most effective drug for BL is cyclophosphamide (CPM). Given alone for remission induction, CPM is as effective as combinations consisting of either CPM, vincristine (VCR) and methotrexate (MTX) or CPM, VCR and cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C). Survival data indicate that single-dose CPM is comparable to multiple doses. Thus, maintenance therapy may not be necessary, and may in fact worsen the final outcome. Intrathecal (IT) MTX given together with systemic therapy significantly delays central nervous system (CNS) relapse, which is not prevented by cerebrospinal irradiation. For established CNS disease, IT-Ara-C for three days followed by MTX on the fourth day is effective. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin scarification, while provoking measurable responses in vivo and in vitro, had no measurable, specific anti-tumour reaction, since no effect was observed on relapse rate, duration of remission or survival. High-dose CPM produces objective responses in patients previously resistant to conventional doses. Teniposide (VM 26) is currently undergoing phase 2 trial, and definite short-lived responses have been recorded.