This edition comprises of seven original articles and one case report that cover both communicable and non-communicable diseases. The papers cover the randomized clinical trial on management of Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP), serum vitamin B12 levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus, Sickle cell Diseases (SCD), key pinch strength and abdominal hernia. They are educative and promise to add to the body of existing knowledge.
Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) is among the most common infectious diseases affecting adult worldwide. It is an increasing problem with significant morbidity and mortality especially in developing countries including Nigeria.1 The most common pathological agents responsible for CAP among adults are Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenza. The guidelines for the treatment of CAP are those recommended by Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) and the America Thoracic Society (ATS).1 In this edition, Ige and Okesola compared the efficacy and safety of ciprofloxacin and cefixime in the management of CAP. In this open labelled randomized, parallel group study on patients treated for fourteen days, cefixime was found to be superior to ciprofloxacin in terms of efficacy in the treatment of CAP, although both had good safety profile. The findings of the study will assist physicians in selecting appropriate empirical treatment for CAP in our environment. Also, this may discourage the use of fluoroquinolone in the empirical treatment of CAP in our environment as recommended by IDSA, especially the respiratory quinolone, as first line antibiotics for the treatment of CAP in areas of tuberculosis endemicity.2
Metformin is an important and one of the most widely used oral hypoglyaemic agents. It is however a known pharmacological cause of Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency with controversial mechanism.3 Vitamin B12 deficiency is an iatrogenic cause for the exacerbation of peripheral neuropathy, and megaloblastic anaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.4 Akinlade et al. in their study aimed at determining the serum level of Vitamin B12 in Nigerian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus on metformin, found that low serum Vitamin B12 is associated with longer duration and higher dose of metformin use. They suggested a routine screening for Vitamin B12 level among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus on high dose metformin and those on prolonged use.