Browsing by Author "Odong, Patrick Olwedo"

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    Management of HIV in Children Using a Bovine Colostrum-Based Food Product— An Observational Field Study
    (World Journal of AIDS, 2015) Odong, Patrick Olwedo; Angwech, Pamela Judith; Obol, James; Kuule, Julius; Florén, Claes-Henrik
    Malnutrition increases the severity and mortality of HIV infection. Therefore, this field study was started and aimed to provide a major cohort of HIV-infected children with the colostrum- based food product ColoPlus (ColoPlus AB, Malmö, Sweden) and to investigate the effects of ColoPlus on the nutritional status and immunological capacity of children including tolerability and safety of the product. Methods: In this major field program comprising 850 malnourished HIV positive children, 50 grams of ColoPlus was administrated for 4 weeks as the first meal in selected health facilities in Northern Uganda. Forty-eight of these children (8 months - 14 years of age) were recruited into a descriptive prospective study and were followed for 12 weeks. At the start (week 0) and at weeks 4, 8 and 12, CD4+ cell counts, serum albumin and hemoglobin were analyzed. The remaining 802 patients were observed to register safety and tolerability of ColoPlus. Results: There was a general improvement of wellbeing of the children with increased body weight and decreased fatigue. In the descriptive study of the 48 children, there was a significant rise of the CD4+ values at week 4 (+15.4% ± 2.8%, p = 0.0001) compared to week 0, and at week 8 (+39.1% ± 3.9%, p < 0.0001), but a return towards the 0-values at week 12 (+2.1%, ±2.8%, NS). Hemoglobin and serum albumin showed an almost similar trend. ColoPlus was well tolerated by all the 850 children and no side effects or adverse events were seen. Conclusion: These results show that addition of a colostrum-based food product to the daily diet is beneficial in HIV-positive malnourished children. An improvement in nutritional status as well as in immune capacity was seen. These effects were prolonged and remained at least 4 weeks after cessation of ColoPlus administration.
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    Reduced Plasma Concentrations of Vitamin B6 and Increased Plasma Concentrations of the Neurotoxin 3-Hydroxykynurenine are Associated with Nodding Syndrome: A Case Control Study in Gulu and Amuru Districts, Northern Uganda
    (Pan African Medical Journal, 2016) Obol, James Henry; Arony, Denis Anywar; Wanyama, Ronald; Moi, Kenneth Luryama; Bodo, Bongomin; Odong, Patrick Olwedo; Odida, Michael
    Nodding syndrome was first reported in Uganda in 2003 among internally displaced populations. Risk factors for the syndrome remain unknown. We therefore explored vitamin B6 deficiency and resulting high 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK) levels as risk factor for nodding syndrome in Northern Uganda. Case-control study conducted in Gulu and Amuru districts. Cases were children/young adults with nodding syndrome. Healthy children/young adults were recruited as controls from same community as cases. Data on socio-demographic and other risk factors was collected using questionnaires. Whole blood was collected in EDTA tubes for assay of 3-HK and vitamin B6 using sandwich ELISA. Conditional logistic regression model was used to assess associations. Results: 66 cases and 73 controls were studied. Factors associated with nodding syndrome were being positive for 3-HK (AOR=4.50, p=0.013), vitamin B6 concentration below mean (AOR=7.22, P=0.001), child being taken care of by mother only (AOR=5.43, p=0.011), child being taken care of by guardian (AOR=5.90, p=0.019) and child consuming relief food at weaning (AOR=4.05, p=0.021). Having low vitamin B6 concentration which leads to a build up of 3-hydroxykynurenine concentration in cases as a main risk factor. Therefore, cases should be treated with vitamin B6 and community members should be sensitise to ensure adequate dietary intake of vitamin B6 so that the risk of nodding syndrome among children is averted. We encourage future prospective intervention study to be conducted to assess the effect of low vitamin B6 on the development of nodding syndrome via raised 3-HK concentration.