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Biomedical subjects

E Tsega

Publications and source records attributed to E Tsega.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Chloroquine in the treatment of porphyria cutanea tarda.

Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is common in Ethiopia and invariably affects the liver. Treatment by abstension from alcohol and avoidance of direct sunlight often failed to achieve lasting improvement. Phlebotomy is unacceptable to most of our patients and impractical as a routine therapy. Chloroquine phosphate 500 mg (300 mg base) given daily for 10 days to 24 patients with confirmed PCT, was found to be uniformly effective. Both clinical and biochemical remissions were complete, The side effects of chloroquine include fever, nausea, vomiting and myalgia which predictably occur on the third day of therapy and subside within 72 hours. Since all other modes of therapy are ineffective or impractical and since the response to chloroquine is prompt, effective and reproducible and the side effects are brief, mild and do not cause permanent hepatic damage, it is suggested that this drug is currently the most practical treatment for PCT in areas where repeated phlebotomy is unacceptable and patient follow-up is unsatisfactory.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Porphyria cutanea tarda in Ethiopia.

The clinical, biochemical and histological features of 75 Ethiopians with porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) are described. PCT in Ethiopia is definitely related to alcohol abuse and there is no clinical evidence for hereditary predisposition. Significant elevation of transaminases and bromsulphthalein retention, moderate to marked hepatic siderosis and inflammation with little or no fibrosis, suggestive of mild or likely reversible parenchymal changes, characterize the liver affection in these patients. A similar study of 18 patients with hyperpigmentation of the face and hands but without blisters, an unexplained but common feature of liver disease in Ethiopia, revealed that serum iron and urinary uroporphyrin levels were normal in eight but significantly elevated in ten (56%). Neither elevated serum iron and hepatic siderosis nor increased urinary uroporphyrin completely explains the hyperpigmentation in this group of patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Analysis of fibreoptic gastroduodenoscopy in 1084 Ethiopians.

Upper gastrointestinal fibreoptic endoscopy, performed on 1,084 Ethiopians, revealed: 48 (4%) oesophageal varices, 16 (1%) oesophageal carcinoma, 394 (36%) chronic atrophic gastritis, 36 (3%) gastric carcinoma and 154 (14%) duodenal ulcer. Oesophagitis, gastric ulcer and stomach ulcer are rare. The high prevalence of oesophageal varices and the association of chronic atrophic gastritis with gastric carcinoma are noted. There is a poor correlation between barium meal and endoscopic findings mainly because of inadequate radiological services in the country. All 16 patients who had endoscopy within 48 hours of haematemesis and/or melena had the source of bleeding identified. In a country like Ethiopia where upper gastrointestinal symptoms are very common and radiological services inadequate, expert endoscopic studies can be of great diagnostic value.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Prevalence of autoimmune diseases and autoantibodies in Ethiopia.

Analysis of 7,966 hospital admissions and other available data suggest that disease associated with autoimmunity are rare in Ethiopia. Sera from 107 patients with dyspepsia and 80 healthy Ethiopians were studied for autoantibodies. Using the immunofluorescence technique and anti-Fab-FITC conjugate, a search for organ-specific autoantibodies against thyroid (microsomal and thyroglobulin) cells as well as for non-organ-specific autoantibodies against nuclear material, smooth muscle, mitochondria, cardiolipin, glomerular basement membrane and connective tissue (reticulin antibodies) revealed that they were uncommon. Thus, both clinical and serological studies confirm that previously held views concerning the rarity of autoimmune diseases in many parts of Africa are also true in Ethiopia. It is suggested that the few Ethiopians who develop autoimmune diseases may have an overwhelming hereditary predisposition which is unable to overcome inhibitory factors in the environment.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Testicular feminization syndrome: a report of three Ethiopian patients and a brief review.

The clinical features of 3 Ethiopian patients presenting with the complete syndrome of testicular feminization are described. All 3 were seen because of primary amenorrhoea. At laparotomy, one patient had testes located intra-abdominally, a second lodged in the inguinal canals and a third as masses in the labia majora. Also, one of these patients had bilateral inguinal herniae, a usual feature of this syndrome. Since the incidence of malignancy is high among individuals with undescended testes, they were removed in 2 patients. In the third patient, however, the testes were not removed because of delay in development of secondary sex characteristics. The literature on testicular feminization is also briefly reviewed.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Sarcoidosis in Ethiopia.

Six cases of sarcoidosis seen within a period of 12 months are described. They presented variously with cutaneous, lymphatic, pulmonary, hepatic, splenic, skeletal and nervous manifestations. These 6 cases are the first to be reported from Ethiopia. A review of the archives of the Pathology Department of the Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa University, showed there had been 23 cases confirmed by skin or lymph node biopsy in the past 2 years. A survey of the literature concerning sarcoidosis in Africa reveals very few reported cases, but it seems likely that there are many others which are not recognised.

Adult↗