Browsing by Author "Parrish, Andy"

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    How good are our guidelines? Four years of experience with the SAMJ’s AGREE II review of submitted clinical practice guideline
    (Health & Medical Publishing Group, 2018) Kredo, Tamara; Wiseman, Roger; Gray, Andy; Parrish, Andy; Miot, Jacqui; Cohen, Karen; Jamaloodien, Khadija; Blockman, Marc
    The South African Medical Journal (SAMJ) is an established source of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) serving the local healthcare community. CPGs link professional societies and clinicians by guiding best practice through the collation and interpretation of the best available evidence. Not only are CPGs important in standardising the quality of patient care, but they also assist with medicine selection and resource allocation decisions, adjudicating medicolegal claims, and promoting equity by influencing medicine access and health system organisation.
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    Mortality in patients treated for tuberculous pericarditis in Sub-Saharan Africa
    (Health and Medical Publishing Group (HMPG), 2008-01) Mayosi, Bongani M.; Wiysonge, Charles Shey; Ntsekhe, Mpiko; Gumedze, Freedom; Volmink, Jimmy A.; Maartens, Gary; Aje, Akinyemi; Thomas, Baby M.; Thomas, Kandathil M.; Awotedu, Abolade A.; Thembela, Bongani; Mntla, Phindile; Maritz, Frans; Blackett, Kathleen Ngu; Nkouonlack, Duquesne C.; Burch, Vanessa C.; Rebe, Kevin; Parrish, Andy; Sliwa, Karen; Vezi, Brian Z.; Alam, Nowshad; Brown, Basil G.; Gould, Trevor; Visser, Tim; Magula, Nombulelo P.; Commerford, Patrick J.
    Objective. To determine the mortality rate and its predictors in patients with a presumptive diagnosis of tuberculous pericarditis in sub-Saharan Africa. Design. Between 1 March 2004 and 31 October 2004, we enrolled 185 consecutive patients with presumed tuberculous pericarditis from 15 referral hospitals in Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa, and observed them during the 6-month course of antituberculosis treatment for the major outcome of mortality. This was an observational study, with the diagnosis and management of each patient left at the discretion of the attending physician. Using Cox regression, we have assessed the effect of clinical and therapeutic characteristics (recorded at baseline) on mortality during follow-up. Results. We obtained the vital status of 174 (94%) patients (median age 33; range 14-87 years). The overall mortality rate was 26%. Mortality was higher in patients who had clinical features of HIV infection than in those who did not (40% v. 17%, p=0.001). Independent predictors of death during follow-up were: (i) a proven non-tuberculosis final diagnosis (hazard ratio (HR) 5.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.76-16.25), (ii) the presence of clinical signs of HIV infection (HR 2.28, CI 1.14-4.56), (iii) coexistent pulmonary tuberculosis (HR 2.33, CI 1.20-4.54), and (iv) older age (HR 1.02, CI 1.01-1.05). There was also a trend towards an increase in death rate in patients with haemodynamic instability (HR 1.80, CI 0.90-3.58) and a decrease in those who underwent pericardiocentesis (HR 0.34, CI 0.10-1.19). Conclusion. A presumptive diagnosis of tuberculous pericarditis is associated with a high mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Attention to rapid aetiological diagnosis of pericardial effusion and treatment of concomitant HIV infection may reduce the high mortality associated with the disease.