The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
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Int. J. Tuberc. Lung Dis. · May 2013
ReviewChronic obstructive pulmonary disease in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major global health problem. Although COPD is the sixth most common cause of mortality in low- and middle-income countries, most research comes from high-income countries. We set out to systematically review existing published research on COPD in sub-Saharan Africa to identify knowledge gaps and opportunities for further research. ⋯ There is little existing research on COPD in sub-Saharan Africa. Prevalence estimates varied, reflecting the range of populations studied, inconsistent diagnostic criteria and variable methods and methodological quality. Population-representative studies using appropriate case definitions are needed to define the epidemiology of COPD in sub-Saharan Africa and to inform the development of prevention and management strategies for the future.
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Int. J. Tuberc. Lung Dis. · May 2013
Validation of a scoring tool to predict drug-resistant pathogens in hospitalised pneumonia patients.
Health care-associated pneumonia (HCAP) affects a heterogeneous group of patients in frequent contact with health care systems. However, HCAP criteria poorly predict infection with drug-resistant (DR) pathogens. ⋯ According to current HCAP criteria, half of the HCAP patients were treated unnecessarily with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Risk scoring by stratifying risk factors could improve the identification of patients likely to be infected with DR pathogens.