South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
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Thyroid nodules are common and mostly benign. Inadequate sampling generally occurs in 13 - 17% of thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsies (FNABs), but the proportion was found to be as high as 45% on evaluating 100 ultrasound (US)-guided FNABs in a previous unpublished audit at Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa (SA). ⋯ These findings illustrate the importance of the multidisciplinary approach and standardisation of the US-guided biopsy procedure and the value of consistency and quality control in a health system. While nodular thyroid disease is common and FNAB is relatively simple, early referral to a central specialised unit to minimise the incidence of inadequate FNAB should be considered.
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Patients with Gaucher disease (GD), a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease, commonly present to paediatricians with massive splenomegaly. While the diagnosis and management of patients with this chronic multisystem disorder has evolved significantly in recent years, the initial diagnosis represents a challenge. We describe the case of a 15-year-old black African male who presented with abdominal distension, delayed growth and fatigue. ⋯ A computed tomography scan of the abdomen showed an enlarged liver of 173 mm and massive splenomegaly of 27 mm. The diagnosis of GD was confirmed by reduced beta-glucocerebrosidase activity and heterozygous mutations in the GBA1 gene. The patient was managed at a dedicated paediatric haematology unit with enzyme replacement therapy and regular clinical, biochemical and radiological monitoring.
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The impacts on mortality of both the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic and the interventions to manage it differ between countries. The Rapid Mortality Surveillance System set up by the South African Medical Research Council based on data from the National Population Register (NPR) provides a means of tracking this impact on mortality in South Africa. ⋯ COVID-19 and the interventions to manage it had differential impacts on mortality by age and sex. The impact of the epidemic on life expectancy in 2020 differs from that in most other, mainly developed, countries, both in the limited decline and also in the greater impact on females. These empirical estimates of life expectancy and mortality rates are not reflected by estimates from agencies, either because agency estimates have yet to be updated for the impact of the epidemic or because they have not allowed for the impact correctly. Trends in weekly excess deaths suggest that the drop in life expectancy in 2021 will be greater than that in 2020.
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An important step in preparation for the fourth COVID-19 wave is to provide healthcare workers (HCWs) with skills to facilitate behaviour change in vaccine-hesitant patients. Convincing members of the public who are vaccine hesitant rather than anti-vaxxers should be the focus of our efforts. ⋯ If we are to truly address hesitancy, we must take time to understand the reasons for an individual's hesitancy. Developing a conceptual framework and skills for HCWs during encounters with unvaccinated individuals will be important not only for shifting some to get vaccinated, but also to manage the complex emotions that HCWs will undoubtedly be forced to confront during the fourth wave.
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Hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM) are major causes of natural death in South Africa (SA). Underdiagnosis of these treatable diseases would hamper efforts to improve their management and hence reduce morbidity and mortality. ⋯ There is significant underdiagnosis of hypertension and DM in SA. The underdiagnosis of these two treatable conditions, which have high morbidity and mortality, has major population health implications.