South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
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Digital technologies continue to penetrate the South African (SA) healthcare sector at an increasing rate. Clinician-to-clinician diagnostic and management assistance through mHealth is expanding rapidly, reducing professional isolation and unnecessary referrals, and promoting better patient outcomes and more equitable healthcare systems. However, the widespread uptake of mHealth use raises ethical concerns around patient autonomy and safety, and guidance for healthcare workers around the ethical use of mHealth is needed. This article presents the results of a multi-stakeholder workshop at which the 'dos and don'ts' pertaining to mHealth ethics in the SA context were formulated and aligned to seven basic recommendations derived from the literature and previous multi-stakeholder, multi-country meetings.
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There is a paucity of data on the aetiology of neonatal sepsis in sub-Saharan Africa. ⋯ In our setting, physician-diagnosed sepsis represents a huge disease burden in previously healthy neonates hospitalised from home. Most sepsis cases were attributed to S. viridans, S. agalactiae and S. aureus.
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Case Reports
Treatment of tuberculous meningitis in adults: Is the duration of intensive-phase therapy adequate?
Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) results in considerable morbidity and mortality, especially in developing countries such as South Africa. Treatment regimens have been extrapolated from treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis, and the intensive-phase duration of 2 months may be inadequate for treatment of patients with TBM. We highlight this situation with a case report of a patient with TBM whose illness progressed after institution of the maintenance phase of treatment. We propose that the intensive-phase treatment of TBM be revisited with regard to duration of treatment, choice of drugs during continuation-phase therapy, or both.
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Observational Study
Delivery outcomes of patients with pre-eclampsia at 27 - 34 weeks' gestation at Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa: A retrospective observational study.
Obstetricians are cognisant of the serious nature of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Despite a 17% overall reduction in maternal deaths in South Africa between 2011 and 2016, there was a 14% increase in deaths due to hypertension. Delivery is the only known cure for pre-eclampsia, but the question regarding the safest route of delivery remains difficult to answer. ⋯ Of the EOPES population, 36% had successful IoL that culminated in VD. VD was more likely to occur with fetal growth appropriate for gestational age. The likelihood of CD increased if the UAD was abnormal, if the EFW was ≤3rd centile or if eclampsia was present. The decision to induce should be considered carefully in these circumstances.