Tropical doctor
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Most African children with severe malaria who die do so on the day of admission as a result of the complications of falciparum malaria. We highlight the value of a rapid structured triage assessment to look for emergency signs that will prioritize initial management and implementation of basic life support. This can be delivered with few resources and by non-specialist medical personnel. ⋯ Hypovolaemia has emerged as a common feature of children presenting with severe malaria complicated by acidosis. Early recognition and prompt treatment may lead to improvements in outcome. We discuss the new evidence supporting the role of hypovolaemia in severe malaria and potential treatment options whilst awaiting the results of clinical trials.
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This cross-sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence and risk factors for low back pain in an urban community. A house-to-house enquiry was conducted using a questionnaire administered by trained interviewers. Four hundred and seventy-four respondents, 271 men (57%) and 203 women (43%) participated in the study. ⋯ The prevalence of back pain was highest among farmers (85%) and lowest among housewives (32%). The prevalence of low back pain in this community is comparable to levels recorded in industrialized countries. However, in this study low back pain did not feature as a main cause of morbidity, accounting for a mean of 3 days off work per person per year.