https://hdl.handle.net/10646/2778 2026-04-15T21:54:59Z https://hdl.handle.net/10646/2891 Title: Use of packed red cells in a major hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe Authors: Abayomi, E.A.; Zibwe, G.; Adewuyi, J.O.; Mandisodza, A.; Cakana, A.Z. Abstract: Objectives: To document the current pattern of packed red cell (PC) usage and the crossmatch to transfusion ratio (C/T ratio) in a major city teaching hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe. Design: Restropective, (audit). Setting: Harare Central Hospital, a 1 200 bed multidisciplinary hospital located in Harare, Zimbabwe. Main Outcome M easures: Amount of PC ordered and proportion collected for the year 1995. Quantity of PC used by different medical specialities. Results: In 1995 a total of 8 292 PC were collected from Harare Hospital blood bank. This translates to an average PC usage for a 1 200 bed hospital of seven units per hospital bed per year. Only 48.5% of PC crossmatched was collected with a C/T ratio of 2.1:1. Revenue loss of Z$478 434 is estimated to have occurred due to expired units and resource wastage from uncollected crossmatched units. The largest consumer of PC was the Department of Gynaecology, followed by Surgery and Paediatrics. Conclusion: Regular auditing of blood usage is recommended to promote the efficient use of PC in accordance with accepted international standards and local guidelines and practice. 1999-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/10646/2888 Title: Haematologic features of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection in adult Zimbabweans Authors: Adewuyi, J.O.; Coutts, A.M.; Latif, A.S.; Smith, H.; Abayomi, A.E.; Moyo, A.A. Abstract: Objective: To describe the haematologic features of the HIV infection in adult Zimbabweans and compare the features in the different clinical stages of the disease. Design: Descriptive cross sectional study. Setting: Parirenyatwa Hospital, a tertiary and referral medical centre in Harare, and the blood donor clinics of the Blood Transfusion Service in Harare. Subjects: Patients attending HIV outpatients clinics or receiving inpatient care at Parirenyatwa Hospital and asymptomatic persons donating blood at the BTS Harare. Main Outcome Measures: Full blood counts and bone marrow cell counts and morphology. Results: Blood cytopenia was found in 47.5% of adults with HIV infection. The most frequent abnormalities were lymphopenia (31.5%); anaemia (30.8%); neutropenia (29.6%); thrombocytopenia (24.7%); eosinophilia (23.5%) and leucopenia (11.7%). Frequency of anaemia in the AIDS and symptomatic groups (43.4% and 24.5% respectively) was greater than in the carriers (6.7%), while the frequency of other cytopenias and of eosinophilia was about the same in all groups. There was also a general lack of association between the severity of haematologic abnormalities and the clinical stage of the disease. Conclusion: Severe haematologic changes occur frequently in HIV infection and AIDS but routine full blood count may not be helpful in the monitoring of the disease or the prediction of onset of AIDS. 1999-01-01T00:00:00Z