Showing papers by "Kalkidan Hassen Abate published in 2019"

Chronic Malnutrition Among Under Five Children of Ethiopia May Not Be Economic. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Abstract: Background: Ethiopia is one of the four low income countries in achieving MDG4, however, minimizing child under- nutrition became critical undertaking thus far. This review aimed at identifying the predictors of under-5 children nutrition in Ethiopia. Methods: Databases searched were Med Line, HINARY, MedNar and Embase. Furthermore, gray literatures were also sought. All papers selected for inclusion in the review were subjected to a rigorous critical appraisal using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Quantitative papers were pooled for statistical analysis and narrative synthesis. Odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated for analysis. Papers of optimal quality but without optimal data set for meta-analysis were subjected for narrative synthesis Results: Nonadherence towards Optimal feeding recommendations was the most reported predictor of stunting and wasting, while, maternal education and ‘Water, Sanitation and Hygiene’ factors were the second. The findings of the Meta-analysis showed no evidence of association between household income/wealth and stunting of children in Ethiopia (OR=1.14, 95% CI= 0.97, 1.34), heterogeneity test: i 2 = 92%, df = 20, (P < 0.00001). On the other hand, children in low income/wealth group were 1.73 times more likely to have wasting compared to children of the higher income/wealth households (OR=1.73, 95% C I= 1.51, 1.97) heterogeneity test: i 2 = 71%, df = 20, (P < 0.00001). Conclusion: An over-reliance on macroeconomic growth as a solitary factor towards undernutrition should not be the way forward. Supplementary and more focused nutrition specific and sensitive interventions are needed in Ethiopia.

Laboratory Cross-Contamination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract: Microbiological cultures are the mainstay of the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). False-positive TB results lead to significant unnecessary therapeutic and economic burden and are frequently caused by laboratory cross-contamination. The aim of this meta-analysis was to quantify the prevalence of laboratory cross-contamination. Through a systematic review of five electronic databases, we identified studies reporting rates of laboratory cross-contamination, confirmed by molecular techniques in TB cultures. We evaluated the quality of the identified studies using the National Institute of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies, and conducted a meta-analysis using standard methodology recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration. Based on 31 eligible studies evaluating 29,839 TB cultures, we found that 2% (95% confidence intervals [CI] 1–2%) of all positive TB cultures represent false-positive results secondary to laboratory cross-contamination. More importantly, we evaluated the rate of laboratory cross-contamination in cases where a single-positive TB culture was available in addition to at least one negative TB culture, and we found a rate of 15% (95% CI 6–33%). Moreover, 9.2% (91/990) of all patients with a preliminary diagnosis of TB had false-positive results and received unnecessary and potentially harmful treatments. Our results highlight a remarkably high prevalence of false-positive TB results as a result of laboratory cross-contamination, especially in single-positive TB cultures, leading to the administration of unnecessary, harmful treatments. The need for the adoption of strict technical standards for mycobacterial cultures cannot be overstated.