Ishag Adam

Qassim University · Unaizah College of Medicine (UCM)

Pregnant women are at risk of developing trace elements deficiency. This is attributed to deficient dietary sources, physiological changes during pregnancy, and genetic factors. Adequate trace elements are essential for the health of the mother and her fetus. Many deleterious effects are associated with trace elements deficiency, which can be exten...

Objective: There are few published researches on blood groups, hematological parameters [hemoglobin, red cell distribution width (RDW), white blood cells (WBCs), mean platelets volume (MPV)] and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The aim of this study was to investigate the association of haematological indices with GDM in early pregnancy. Meth...

Objective To determine the cut‐off values for low birth weight (LBW) and high birth weight (HBW) of Sudanese newborns. Methods Data (maternal age, parity, birth weight, and gender of the newborn) from women (n = 2818) who delivered at Saad Abualila Hospital in Khartoum were retrieved from the medical files. Results The cut‐off for LBW (the 10th c...

Aim: The current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory coronavirus syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is a global public health concern that has resulted in the rapid growth in the number of infected patients with significant mortality rates. Hence, we conducted a retrospective study in Gadarif Hospital to e...

Aim The current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory coronavirus syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is a global public health concern that has resulted in the rapid growth in the number of infected patients with significant mortality rates. Hence, we conducted a retrospective study in Gadarif Hospital to ev...

Objectives: The aim was to investigate the prevalence of and factors associated with periodontal disease among pregnant Sudanese women. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Antenatal Care Clinic of Saad Abualila Hospital (Khartoum, Sudan) from August to October 2018. Socioeconomic-demographic information and reproductive history were gathe...

Background: Early childhood is an age at risk of anaemia and its deleterious consequences. In Sudan, there is limited evidence on the prevalence and determinant of anaemia in under-five children. This study was conducted in Sudan to assess the prevalence of anaemia in children and to identify its determinants. Methods: We conducted a household sur...

Background: Electronic devices for measuring blood pressure (BP) need to go through independent clinical validation as recommended by different authorities, both in general and specific populations. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the Omron RS6 (HEM-6221-E) wrist oscillometric devices in obese Sudanese patients. Methods: Of 90 o...

Abstract Background: Maternal immunity is thought to play a major role in the increased susceptibility of pregnant women to Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Few studies exist on immunohistochemical characterization of the placental inflammatory infiltrate. The current study was conducted in Gadarif hospital in an area characterized by unstable malari...

Background: Previous studies evaluating thyroid function among obese pregnant women failed to demonstrate a consistent pattern of thyroid hormones profile, probably due to the variations in biological/environmental determinants of thyroid function in different countries. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate thyroid hormones profile in Sudan...

Objective To assess if early pregnancy (≤14 weeks of gestation) 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level is associated with risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods A nested case‐control study (60 women in each arm) was conducted at Saad Abualila Hospital (Khartoum, Sudan) during the period of January to November 2017. Clinical and obstetri...

Objective: There have been few studies on hematological parameters (e.g., hemoglobin, red cell distribution width, white blood cells, and mean platelet volume), and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This study aimed to compare hematological parameters between women with PCOS and controls. Methods: We performed an age-matched case-control study i...

BACKGROUND: According to the World Health Organization estimation, African Region deaths of all under-five deaths in 2015 were over 5 times higher in comparison to the European Region. AIM: The study aimed to estimate the prevalence, investigate the possible causes and risk factors associated with under-five children’s hospitalization in Kassala, E...

Abstract Background Leptin receptor gene (LEPR) variants may affect the leptin levels and act as a risk factor for preeclampsia. Two LEPR gene missense variants rs1137101 (c.668A>G) and rs1805094 (c.1968G>C) were investigated in Sudanese women with preeclampsia. Methods A matched case-control study (122 women in each arm) was conducted in Saad Abua...

Leptin receptor gene polymorphisms c.668A>G and c.1968G>C in Sudanese women with preeclampsia: a case-control study Data set

Objective We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between the risk of preeclampsia and the prothrombin G20210A single-nucleotide polymorphism. Study design We followed the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses” guidelines. Relevant published studies were searched in the data bas...

Background: Anaemia is a global health problem and women in reproductive age (WRA) are amongst the most affected population. Its consequences include low birth weight and maternal mortality. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anaemia and to identify its determinants in Sudanese women in reproductive age. Methods: A population-based cro...

Background Sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum infected cells in the placenta results in placental malaria (PM). It activates a mother's immune cells and induces secretion of inflammatory cytokines, which might influence pregnancy outcomes. This study aims to investigate the inflammatory environment in maternal peripheral, placental, and umbilic...

Background The sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum infected cells in the placenta results in placental malaria (PM). It activates the mother's immune cells and induces secretion of inflammatory cytokines, which might influence pregnancy outcomes. This study aims to investigate the inflammatory environment in maternal peripheral, placental, and u...

Background Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) performed at 24‐28 weeks gestation is the current recommended method to the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Many recent studies investigating HbA1c in detecting GDM yield different results. There are no published data on HbA1c in the diagnosis of GDM in Sub‐Saharan countries including...

A longitudinal study was carried out to investigate the prevalence and risk factors (including haemoglobin levels) for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Khartoum, Sudan. The study was carried out at Saad Abuelela Hospital (Khartoum, Sudan) during February to November 2017. Pregnant women in early pregnancy (gestational age 10.8 g/dl were at a...

Objective The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to pool the prevalence of congenital malaria. Study design The guideline of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses was strictly followed. The published studies were searched in international and national databases. Quality assessment for studied was pe...

Introduction. The SARS-CoV-2 infection pandemic has affected virtually the whole world. Since the outbreak in China, countries on all continents have been progressively in- fected, and COVID-19 represents a major challenge to healthcare systems even in highly developed countries. Children are a very special group, largely due to close family contac...

BACKGROUND: Although the exact mechanism leading to preeclampsia is not fully understood, abnormal trophoblast invasion contributes to its pathogenesis. Keratins and cadherin are known to play roles in the regulation of trophoblast proliferation. However, studies describing the association between keratins, cadherin, and preeclampsia are limited. A...

Background A global epidemic of obesity has been documented, particularly among African countries. While central obesity and overweight have been reported for many countries, very limited information exists about the prevalence of these health problems in Sudan, and these data are nonexistent for Eastern Sudan. The present study aimed to determine...

Background: Hypertension is becoming an increasingly common health issue worldwide, especially in countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Hypertension is the leading risk factor for premature death and disability worldwide, and it is the leading risk factor for mortality from cardiovascular diseases worldwide. The data on hypertension in Sudan that has b...

Background There are few researches on hematological parameters (hemoglobin, red cell distribution width [RDW], white blood cells [WBCs], mean platelets volume [MPV], and heart rate variability [HRV]). There are no published data on this concept (HRV and hematological parameters) during pregnancy. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted at S...

Purpose: To assess the associations between preeclampsia, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T, and reduced folate carrier-1 (RFC-1) G80A gene polymorphism in Sudanese women. Methods: A matched (for age and parity) case–control study was conducted in a tertiary hospital (Saad Abualila) in Khartoum, Sudan during February to September 20...

Diagnosis of congenital malaria is complicated by the low density of the parasite circulating in the cord blood and/or the peripheral blood of the newborns. Molecular techniques are significantly more sensitive than blood smears in detecting low-level parasitemia. This study investigated the prevalence of congenital malaria by the use of the real-t...

Background: Preeclampsia can lead to adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. There are few studies on the genetic factors associated with preeclampsia in Africa in general and in Sudan in specific. Methods: A case-control study (60 women in each arm) was conducted at Saad Abualila Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan, from March to September 2018. The p...

Background Anemia is a major cause of global morbidity and mortality, particularly among children. Management of anemia depends on causes and severity of anemia. However blood transfusion is a lifesaving intervention in severe and life-threatening anemia. There are no published data on blood transfusion for anemia in Sudan. Methods A descriptive s...

Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the association of T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4 +49A/G) variant with Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) in Eastern Sudan. The study included 24 LADA, 240 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), and 240 healthy controls. Genotyping for CTLA-4 +49A/G was done by polymerase c...

AIM: To assess serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D level in obese pregnant Sudanese women in early pregnancy. METHODS: A match case-control study was conducted in Saad Abualila Hospital (Khartoum, Sudan). The cases were obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30.0 kg/m2 ) women. Controls were women with normal BMI (18.5-24.9 kg/m2 ) matched for age, parity a...

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a big health problem that adversely affects both the maternal and perinatal outcomes. We aimed to predict the development of GDM in the first trimester using high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and serum magnesium. Methods: The study conducted in the antenatal care clinic of Saad Abuali...

Objective To investigate the association between anemia and cesarean delivery. Methods A case‐control study was conducted in Saad Abu‐Alela Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan from March 1 to November 30, 2107. The cases were women who had cesarean delivery; women who delivered vaginally were the controls. Obstetrics history was gathered using a questionn...

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of submicroscopic infections and to assess its impact on maternal anaemia and low birth weight. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 1149 consented pregnant women who delivered at 3 main hospitals in the Blue Nile State, between January 2012 and December 2015. From a matched mat...

Background: Accurate diagnosis of malaria infection is essential for successful control and management of the disease. Both microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are recommended for malaria diagnosis, however, RDTs are more commonly used. The aim of the current study was to assess the performance of microscopy and RDTs in the diagnosis of P...

Background: Infertility is a big health problem worldwide. Few data exist on infertility in Sudan. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted to assess the pattern and the causes of infertility among couples (800) attending the University of Khartoum Fertility Centre, Saad Abualila Teaching Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan. The data on the socio-demo...

Abstract Background Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy-related disease which may lead to adverse health effects to the mother and fetus. Besides many publications on the association of red cell distribution width (RDW) and preeclampsia, there has been no published meta-analysis. This necessitated the present systemic review and met-analysis to ass...

Background: Maternal vitamin D deficiency is associated with maternal and perinatal adverse effects. This study was conducted to assess the vitamin D status among pregnant Sudanese women. Methods: A total of 180 pregnant women were enrolled in a cross-sectional study in Saad Abualila Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan. The medical history of each woman w...

Background Diabetes mellitus (DM) constitutes a global health threat and burden, especially in developing countries. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Gadarif in eastern Sudan to evaluate the prevalence and glycaemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods We performed a cross-sectional community-based study. Data o...

Background: Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an alarming problem in North African countries, but few studies have analyzed the geographical distribution of the epidemic. Libya, the second largest country in Africa and with the longest coast on the Mediterranean basin facing Europe, has experienced major outbreaks of HIV inf...

Introduction: The association between Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) and Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels is not yet fully investigated. It is suggested that iron-deficiency anaemia may increase concentrations of HbA1c during pregnancy. Aim: To assess the association between serum ferritin (S-ferritin), IDA and HbA1c among non-diabetic pregnant women....

: Rare clotting factor (F) deficiency is a deficiency of one or more of coagulation factors other than FVIII, FIX and vonWillebrand (FI, FII, FV, FV + FVIII, FVII, FIX, FX, FXI and FXIII) that cause bleeding disorders and are inherited as autosomal recessive. Descriptive study was conducted in Hemophilia Centre, Khartoum, Sudan. The medical files o...

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization encourages exclusive breastfeeding up to six months and avoidance of bottle-feeding. There are few published research articles on the practice of bottle-feeding and associated factors in Sudan. AIM: The study aimed to assess the usage and factors associated with bottle-feeding practices during the first six...

Background Preeclampsia can lead to adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. There are few studies on the association of preeclampsia with thrombophilia in Africa including Sudan. Methods A case –controls study was conducted at Saad Abualila Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan during the period of February through November 2017. The cases were women with...

While generally mild in children, rubella infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, foetal death or congenital rubella syndrome. Rubella vaccination is not yet available as a part of routine immunisation in Sudan, and the burden of infection is unknown. Using the clinical case definition adopted by the World Health Organisation, a total o...

Background Therapeutic efficacy studies in uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria are confounded by new infections, which constitute competing risk events since they can potentially preclude/pre-empt the detection of subsequent recrudescence of persistent, sub-microscopic primary infections.Methods Antimalarial studies typically report the ris...

Breastfeeding is indeed the foundation for life and gives growing children a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to grow and develop to their full potential. There are considerable studies on the role of maternal contribution to human milk components. It would be very important and interesting to explore the existence of a paternal contribution into the...

Breastfeeding is indeed the foundation for life and gives growing children a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to grow and develop to their full potential. There are considerable studies on the role of maternal contribution to human milk components. It would be very important and interesting to explore the existence of a paternal contribution into the...

While generally mild in children, rubella infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, foetal death or congenital rubella syndrome. Rubella vaccination is not yet available as a part of routine immunisation in Sudan, and the burden of infection is unknown. Using the clinical case definition adopted by the World Health Organisation, a total o...

Objectives This study aimed to establish the reference intervals (RIs) of thyroid function test among the adult Sudanese population in Khartoum, Sudan. A multi-stage survey stratified sampling method was used. Total triiodothyronine (TT3), total thyroxine (TT4) level and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were measured using radioimmunoassay...

Background Anemia during pregnancy is a public health problem especially in developing countries and it is associated with maternal and perinatal adverse outcomes. There is no meta-analysis on anemia during pregnancy in Sudan. The current systemic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the prevalence, types and determinant of anemia durin...

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance is a global health problem. The present study was carried out to determine the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of uropathogens in the outpatient departments (OPDs) at the clinics of Qassim University, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to December 2016. Nonrepetit...

Background: Anaemia during pregnancy is associated with adverse maternal and child health. Investigations of anaemia and its predictors among pregnant women are needed for preventive measures. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and determinants of anaemia in early pregnancy in Khartoum, Sudan. Clinical c...

Background: Helicobacter pylori and Chlamydia trachomatis infections are associated with many complications of pregnancy including preeclampsia. The association between H. pylori and C. trachomatis with preeclampsia needs to be further explored. Methods: A case- control study was conducted at Saad Abualila Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan during the perio...

Objectives This study aimed to establish the reference intervals (RIs) of thyroid function test among the adult Sudanese population in Khartoum, Sudan. A multi-stage survey stratified sampling method was used. Total triiodothyronine (TT3), total thyroxine (TT4) level and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were measured using radioimmunoassay...

Preeclampsia is a health concern and it is the main cause of maternal and perinatal mortality. The macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) are factors associated with preeclampsia. A case-control (45 women in each arm) study was conducted at Saad Abualila Maternity Hospital (Khartoum, Sudan). The cases...

Background The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii ranges widely in different areas of the world and different populations. Although toxoplasmosis is typically benign and asymptomatic, it induces major complications in immunocompromised individuals and during pregnancy. Prevention of maternal primary infection constitutes the major tool for avoidin...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between Helicobacter pylori seropositivity and low birthweight (LBW). METHODS: The present case-control study was conducted at a Sudanese maternity hospital from September fi1rst to December 30, 2015. Patients who delivered single neonates with LBW (>500 g but <2500 g) and the subsequent singleton delivery...

Objective: To investigate the association between Helicobacter pylori seropositivity and low birthweight (LBW). Methods: The present case-control study was conducted at a Sudanese maternity hospital from September fi1rst to December 30, 2015. Patients who delivered single neonates with LBW (>500 g but <2500 g) and the subsequent singleton delive...

Objectives To assess the association between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and insulin resistance among pregnant Sudanese women attending Saad Abuelela hospital (Khartoum). A cross-sectional study was conducted from 1st July 2017 to 31st January 2018. One hundred and sixty-six women were enrolled and underwent testing for H. pylori IgG...

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages early initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour after birth with the objective of saving children’s lives. There are few published research papers about factors associated with the initiation of breastfeeding in Sudan. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of and fa...

Background: Pre-eclampsia is the main cause of maternal and perinatal adverse effects. Although the exact mechanism and pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia are not yet fully understood, there are recent studies on the association between various infections and pre-eclampsia. This study investigated the association between maternal Toxoplasma gondii in...

Background: Pre-eclampsia is the main cause of maternal and perinatal adverse effects. Although the exact mechanism and pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia are not yet fully understood, there are recent studies on the association between various infections and pre-eclampsia. This study investigated the association between maternal Toxoplasma gondii i...

Background: Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxin (T4) and T3 levels are varied in the different settings with disorders of thyroid homeostasis. It is recommended that every setting has to establish its own reference intervals (RIs) for these hormones. Methods: A multi-stage stratified sampling method was used to select a representative sampl...

Objectives: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Gadarif, eastern Sudan to assess glycaemic control among Questionnaire was used to gathered sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. adult patients with type 2 diabetes in eastern Sudan. Poor glycaemic control was defined as HbA1c level of ≥ 7.0%. Results: A total of 339 patients (69.9% wer...

Introduction: Haemozoin -containing leucocytes (HCL) can be used to predict severe malaria. Methodology: A case -control study was conducted in Singa, Sudan, to investigate the haematological values and HCL in children with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The cases were children with severe P. falciparum malaria (67). The two groups of con...

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is as a major cause for childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide. This study was conducted to investigate the adherence and response of the WHO guidelines for treatment of severe pneumonia. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the period of June 2009 to July 2010 at Khartoum Hospital, Su...

Background Malaria is a major public health problem in endemic countries including Sudan, where about 75% of populations are at risk. Due to widespread of chloroquine-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum, artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is currently treatment of choice for malaria in the vast majority of malaria-endemic countries....

AIM: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Saad Abualila Hospital (Khartoum, Sudan) to evaluate the vitamin D levels and thyroid function among pregnant Sudanese women (132) in early pregnancy. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Saad Abualila hospital (Khartoum, Sudan) during the period from March to July 2015. Women who were in...

Background: Although the exact mechanism of preeclampsia – high blood pressure and proteinuria after 20 gestational weeks – is not yet fully understood, placental growth factor (PLGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) are known to play important roles in vascularization and in the pathology of preeclampsi...

Background: The rate of blood pressure (BP) control in adult hypertensive patients is poor and the reasons for poor control of BP pressure are not fully understood globally. This study aimed to assess the rate and factors associated with BP control in adult hypertensive patients in Sudan. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducte...

Background: Previous published studies have reported conflicting results of association between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and preeclampsia. There was no published data on HBV and preeclampsia in Africa including Sudan. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between HBsAg seropositivity and preeclampsia. Methods: A c...

Background: The defense mechanisms of the urinary tract are attributed mainly to the innate immune system and the urinary tract urothelium which represent the first line of defense against invading pathogens and maintaining sterility of the urinary tract. There are only a few publications regarding cathelicidin (LL-37) and a urinary tract infectio...