South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
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Practice Guideline
2020 Heart Failure Society of South Africa perspective on the 2016 European Society of Cardiology Chronic Heart Failure Guidelines.
Heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is a condition frequently encountered by healthcare professionals and, in order to achieve the best outcomes for patients, needs to be managed optimally. This guideline document is based on the European Society of Cardiology Guidelines for the treatment of acute and chronic heart failure published in 2016, and summarises what is considered the best current management of patients with the condition. It provides information on the definition, diagnosis and epidemiology of HFrEF in the African context. The best evidence-based treatments for HFrEF are discussed, including established therapies (beta-blockers, ACE-i/ARBs, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), diuretics) that form the cornerstone of heart failure management as well as therapies that have only recently entered clinical use (angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), sodium/glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors). Guidance is offered in terms of more invasive therapies (revascularisation, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) by implantation of a biventricular pacemaker with (CRT-D) or without (CRT-P) an ICD, left ventricular assist device (LVAD) use and heart transplantation) in order to ensure efficient use of these expensive treatment modalities in a resource-limited environment. Furthermore, additional therapies (digoxin, hydralazine and nitrates, ivabradine, iron supplementation) are discussed and advice is provided on general preventive strategies (vaccinations). Sections to discuss conditions that are particularly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa (HIV-associated cardiomyopathy (CMO), peripartum CMO, rheumatic heart disease, atrial fibrillation) have been added to further improve clinical care for these commonly encountered disease processes. You are encouraged to read the complete 2016 ESC Heart Failure guideline: Ponikowski P, Voors AA, Anker SD, et al.; on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. 2016 ESC guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure. Eur Heart J 2016,37:2129-2200.
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Reports indicate that children infected with SARS-CoV-2 have thus far presented with less severe disease than adults. Anxiety regarding a greater ability to transmit the virus is largely unfounded and has played a significant role in the decision to allow children to return to school. In some patients, however, especially in infants and in those with underlying comorbidities, severe disease must be anticipated and planned for accordingly. ⋯ The impact of the pandemic on the economic and social wellbeing of children, including food insecurity and care when parents are ill, cannot be ignored. During this pandemic, it is imperative to ensure access to routine and emergency medical services to sick children. In so doing, potentially devastating medical and socioeconomic consequences can be mitigated.
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Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) remain inadequate - both globally and in South Africa (SA). We systematically scoped the available policies and guidelines for SRH-related policy for AGYW in SA. ⋯ Our policy review and analysis identified issues for researchers and policymakers to consider when developing and implementing programmes to improve SRH services. We suggest that considering national policies alongside evidence of what is effective, as well as contextual barriers to and enablers of strategies to address AGYW needs for SRH, are among the key steps to addressing the policy-to-implementation gap.
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An HIV-positive mother infected her daughter with extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Despite adhering to the then current guidelines for prevention, the infant was diagnosed with extensively drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis at the age of 4 months and developed tuberculous meningitis. After a short delay, appropriate treatment was initiated, followed by an inhospital stay at a specialised hospital. ⋯ Secondary hydrocephalus due to tuberculous meningitis required a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. After 2 years of microbiologically and clinically effective tuberculosis treatment and several shunt complications, the HIV-negative child died at the age of 28 months ‒ with radiological signs of a shunt infection. The reason for the fatal outcome was probably related to inadequate risk reduction of airborne mother-to-child transmission, inappropriate chemoprophylaxis and delayed initiation of adequate treatment.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of adherence measures using claims data in the South African private health sector.
Medication adherence measurement is becoming increasingly important. Biological assays and markers, directly observed therapy, self-reports, pill counts and surveys have been successfully used to assess adherence under various circumstances, but may be limited by cost, ethical concerns and self-reported bias. Administrative claims data, in addition to offering a solution to these limitations, provide access to large study populations under real clinical practice situations, and in a timely and effective manner. With the wide range of adherence measures determined from claims data available - some of which have been found to be mathematically equivalent - researchers are often faced with the decision of choosing which is appropriate. An assessment of the various measures is therefore important for better understanding and to facilitate future adherence studies using administrative data. ⋯ The MPR is considered the most widely used metric to measure adherence using administrative data, but it may not always be applicable owing to the type of data available. Adherence computed using the CR, CMOS and PDC capped was found to be comparable to the MPR, and they may therefore be used as alternatives.