The prevalence of chiropractic-related terminology on South African chiropractors' webpages: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Effective communication is imperative for successful interprofessional collaborative interactions that augment both patient-centred and evidence based care. Inquiry into the prevalence of chiropractic-related terminology on South African chiropractor's webpages has not been explored to date. The implications of such analysis could indicate the professions' ability to effectively communicate in interdisciplinary settings. METHOD: From 1 to 15 June 2020, Google search was used to identify the webpages (excluding social media accounts) of South African private practice chiropractors registered with the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA). Webpages were word-searched for eight chiropractic terms with context: subluxation; manipulate(-ion); adjust(-ing/-ment); holism(-tic); alignment; vital(-ism/-istic); wellness; and innate intelligence. Data collected was transferred to an Excel spreadsheet. Accuracy of information was verified by the researchers through a process of double checking. The number of instances each term was used, and certain socio-demographic data were recorded. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were used to summarise and analyse the data. RESULTS: Among 884 AHPCSA-registered South African chiropractors, 336 webpages were identified and analysed. From 1 to 15 June 2020, the most commonly found terms on 336 South African chiropractic webpages were 'adjust(-ing/-ment)', 'manipulate/manipulation', and 'wellness', with prevalence estimates of 64.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 59.0% to 69.2%), 51.8% (95% CI, 46.5% to 57.1%), and 33.0% (95% CI, 28.2% to 38.2%), respectively. The least commonly found terms were 'innate intelligence' and 'vital(-ism/-istic)', with prevalence estimates of 0.60% (95% CI, 0.16% to 2.1%) and 0.30% (95% CI, 0.05% to 1.7%), respectively. Manipulate(-ion) was used more by male chiropractors (p = 0.015). The longer a chiropractor was in practice the more likely they were to use profession-specific terms (p = 0.025). The most frequently occurring combination of terms were adjust(-ing/-ment) and manipulate(-ion), found in 38 out of 336 webpages (11.3%; 95% CI, 8.4% to 15.1%). CONCLUSION: The use of chiropractic-related terminology on South African chiropractic webpages was common, with the prevalence of term use varying by type of terms, by gender of the chiropractor, and by clinical practice experience. Better understanding of the effects of chiropractic terminology use on interprofessional and patient interactions and communication is warranted.

Safety and efficacy of inclisiran in South African patients at high cardiovascular risk: A subanalysis of the ORION phase III clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Inclisiran significantly reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in individuals with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia, established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) or ASCVD risk equivalents (type 2 diabetes, familial hypercholesterolaemia or a 10-year risk of a cardiovascular event ≥20%) in the ORION phase III clinical trials. Infrequent dosing at days 1, 90, 270 and 450 resulted in a mean LDL-C reduction of ~50%. A total of 298 participants from South Africa (SA) were enrolled. Local data are needed to support the use of inclisiran in the SA population, potentially addressing an unmet need for additional LDL-C-lowering therapies. Objectives. To analyse the ORION phase III trial data to assess the efficacy and safety of inclisiran in SA participants. Methods. ORION-9, 10 and 11 were randomised, double-blind, phase III trials. Participants were receiving maximally tolerated statins with or without other lipid-lowering therapies (excluding protein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors). Participants were randomised 1:1 to inclisiran sodium 300 mg/284 mg (free acid) or placebo administered at days 1, 90, 270 and 450. The co-primary endpoints were the LDL-C percentage change from baseline to day 510 and the time-averaged percentage change in LDL-C from baseline after day 90 up to day 540. Key secondary endpoints included the absolute change in LDL-C from baseline to day 510, the time-averaged absolute change from baseline after day 90 up to day 540, and changes in other lipids and lipoproteins. Results. The mean age of the participants was 58.6 years (56% male). The mean LDL-C level at baseline was 3.6 mmol/L. At day 510, inclisiran reduced LDL-C levels by 54.2% compared with placebo (95% confidence interval (CI) -61.3 - -47.2; p<0.0001). The corresponding time-averaged reduction in LDL-C was 52.8% (95% CI -57.9 - -47.8; p<0.0001). Treatment-emergent adverse events at the injection site were more common with inclisiran compared with placebo (10.1% v. 0.7%); however, all were mild or moderate in nature and none were persistent. Conclusion. Inclisiran, given in addition to maximally tolerated standard lipid-lowering therapy, is effective and safe and results in robust reductions in LDL-C in SA patients at high cardiovascular risk.

Respiratory technologists in the frontlines against COVID-19.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed healthcare resources globally, but especially those of resource-limited countries. Strategies to supplement the number of healthcare workers attending COVID-19 patients had to be implemented. Several institutions used non-respiratory clinicians to work in COVID-19 wards. At Universitas Academic Hospital (UAH), Bloemfontein, South Africa, respiratory technologists were requested to assist with managing the oxygen supportive care of patients with severe COVID-19 and respiratory failure. Objectives: To highlight the contribution that respiratory technologists made in the management of severe COVID-19 pneumonia patients by describing the baseline characteristics and mortality of patients with COVID-19, whose oxygen supportive care was managed primarily by respiratory technologists at UAH. Methods: This was a retrospective study. The investigators extracted data from the hospital files of all adult patients admitted with severe COVID-19 to UAH and where respiratory technologists were involved in their care between 1 January and 31 December 2020. Results: A total of 781 patients were admitted to UAH, of whom 106 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The majority of the patients were female (n=68; 64.1%), and the median age (interquartile range (IQR)) was 59.5 (51 - 68) years. Hypertension (n=69; 65.1%) and diabetes mellitus (n=39; 36.8%) were the most frequent comorbidities. At the time of admission, the median oxygen saturation was 92% and the median respiratory rate oxygenation (ROX) index was 3.2. The median length of stay was 7 days and the mortality was 41.5%. Conclusion: The clinical characteristics and mortality of patients whose oxygen support was managed by respiratory technologists were similar to those in previously reported studies from resource-limited settings. Respiratory technologists can form a valuable addition to the front-line team when clinicians and nurses are faced with overwhelming patient numbers in subsequent COVID-19 surges and where the mainstay of treatment is oxygen supportive care.

Nine-hour X-ray quasi-periodic eruptions from a low-mass black hole galactic nucleus.

In the past two decades, high-amplitude electromagnetic outbursts have been detected from dormant galaxies and often attributed to the tidal disruption of a star by the central black hole1,2. X-ray emission from the Seyfert 2 galaxy GSN 069 (2MASX J01190869-3411305) at a redshift of z = 0.018 was first detected in July 2010 and implies an X-ray brightening by a factor of more than 240 over ROSAT observations performed 16 years earlier3,4. The emission has smoothly decayed over time since 2010, possibly indicating a long-lived tidal disruption event5. The X-ray spectrum is ultra-soft and can be described by accretion disk emission with luminosity proportional to the fourth power of the disk temperature during long-term evolution. Here we report observations of quasi-periodic X-ray eruptions from the nucleus of GSN 069 over the course of 54 days, from December 2018 onwards. During these eruptions, the X-ray count rate increases by up to two orders of magnitude with an event duration of just over an hour and a recurrence time of about nine hours. These eruptions are associated with fast spectral transitions between a cold and a warm phase in the accretion flow around a low-mass black hole (of approximately 4 × 105 solar masses) with peak X-ray luminosity of about 5 × 1042 erg per second. The warm phase has kT (where T is the temperature and k is the Boltzmann constant) of about 120 electronvolts, reminiscent of the typical soft-X-ray excess, an almost universal thermal-like feature in the X-ray spectra of luminous active nuclei6-8. If the observed properties are not unique to GSN 069, and assuming standard scaling of timescales with black hole mass and accretion properties, typical active galactic nuclei with higher-mass black holes can be expected to exhibit high-amplitude optical to X-ray variability on timescales as short as months or years9.

Forensic facial comparison in South Africa: State of the science.

Forensic facial comparison (FFC) is a scientific technique used to link suspects to a crime scene based on the analysis of photos or video recordings from that scene. While basic guidelines on practice and training are provided by the Facial Identification Scientific Working Group, details of how these are applied across the world are scarce. FFC is frequently used in South Africa, with more than 700 comparisons conducted in the last two years alone. In this paper the standards of practice are outlined, with new proposed levels of agreement/conclusions. We outline three levels of training that were established, with training in facial anatomy, terminology, principles of image comparison, image science, facial recognition and computer skills being aimed at developing general competency. Training in generating court charts and understanding court case proceedings are being specifically developed for the South African context. Various shortcomings still exist, specifically with regard to knowledge of the reliability of the technique. These need to be addressed in future research.

Soil color indicates carbon and wetlands: developing a color-proxy for soil organic carbon and wetland boundaries on sandy coastal plains in South Africa.

A relationship between soil organic carbon and soil color is acknowledged-albeit not a direct one. Since heightened carbon contents can be an indicator of wetlands, a quantifiable relationship between color and carbon might assist in determining wetland boundaries by rapid, field-based appraisal. The overarching aim of this initial study was to determine the potential of top soil color to indicate soil organic carbon, and by extension wetland boundaries, on a sandy coastal plain in South Africa. Data were collected from four wetland types in northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Soil samples were taken to a depth of 300 mm in three transects in each wetland type and analyzed for soil organic carbon. The matrix color was described using a Munsell soil color chart. Various color indices were correlated with soil organic carbon. The relationship between color and carbon were further elucidated using segmented quantile regression. This showed that potentially maximal carbon contents will occur at values of low color indices, and predictably minimal carbon contents will occur at values of low or high color indices. Threshold values can thus be used to make deductions such as "when the sum of dry and wet Value and Chroma values is 9 or more, carbon content will be 4.79% and less." These threshold values can then be used to differentiate between wetland and non-wetland sites with a 70 to 100% certainty. This study successfully developed a quantifiable correlation between color and carbon and showed that wetland boundaries can be determined based thereon.

Proper-motion age dating of the progeny of Nova Scorpii AD 1437.

'Cataclysmic variables' are binary star systems in which one star of the pair is a white dwarf, and which often generate bright and energetic stellar outbursts. Classical novae are one type of outburst: when the white dwarf accretes enough matter from its companion, the resulting hydrogen-rich atmospheric envelope can host a runaway thermonuclear reaction that generates a rapid brightening. Achieving peak luminosities of up to one million times that of the Sun, all classical novae are recurrent, on timescales of months to millennia. During the century before and after an eruption, the 'novalike' binary systems that give rise to classical novae exhibit high rates of mass transfer to their white dwarfs. Another type of outburst is the dwarf nova: these occur in binaries that have stellar masses and periods indistinguishable from those of novalikes but much lower mass-transfer rates, when accretion-disk instabilities drop matter onto the white dwarfs. The co-existence at the same orbital period of novalike binaries and dwarf novae-which are identical but for their widely varying accretion rates-has been a longstanding puzzle. Here we report the recovery of the binary star underlying the classical nova eruption of 11 March AD 1437 (refs 12, 13), and independently confirm its age by proper-motion dating. We show that, almost 500 years after a classical-nova event, the system exhibited dwarf-nova eruptions. The three other oldest recovered classical novae display nova shells, but lack firm post-eruption ages, and are also dwarf novae at present. We conclude that many old novae become dwarf novae for part of the millennia between successive nova eruptions.

Prognostic impact of genomic instability in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic impact of an indication of chromosomal instability (CIN) is evaluated in a consecutive series of 952 colorectal cancer patients treated at Aker University Hospital, Norway, during 1993-2003. Microsatellite instability (MSI) in this case series has recently been reported and made it possible to find the co-occurrence and compare the prognostic significance of CIN and MSI. METHODS: Data sets for overall survival (OS; n=855) and time to recurrence (TTR; n=579) were studied. To reveal CIN we used automated image cytometry (ICM). Non-diploid histograms were taken as indicative of the presence of CIN. PCR-based measures of MSI in this material have already been described. RESULTS: As with MSI, CIN was found to be an independent predictor of early relapse and death among stage II patients (TTR: n=278: HR 2.19 (95% CI: 1.35-3.55), P=0.002). Of the MSI tumours (16%), 71% were found to be DNA diploid, 21% were DNA tetraploid and 8% were DNA aneuploid. Among microsatellite stable tumours, 24% were DNA diploid, 15% were DNA tetraploid and 61% were DNA aneuploid. CONCLUSION: For patients presenting with stage II disease, genomic instability as detected by DNA image cytometry has the potential to provide a useful biomarker for relapse and cancer-related death following surgery with curative intent.

Contribution of endogenous bradykinin to fibrinolysis, inflammation, and blood product transfusion following cardiac surgery: a randomized clinical trial.

Bradykinin increases during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and stimulates the release of nitric oxide, inflammatory cytokines, and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), acting through its B2 receptor. This study tested the hypothesis that endogenous bradykinin contributes to the fibrinolytic and inflammatory response to CPB and that bradykinin B2 receptor antagonism reduces fibrinolysis, inflammation, and subsequent transfusion requirements. Patients (N = 115) were prospectively randomized to placebo, ε-aminocaproic acid (EACA), or HOE 140, a bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist. Bradykinin B2 receptor antagonism decreased intraoperative fibrinolytic capacity as much as EACA, but only EACA decreased D-dimer formation and tended to decrease postoperative bleeding. Although EACA and HOE 140 decreased fibrinolysis and EACA attenuated blood loss, these treatments did not reduce the proportion of patients transfused. These data suggest that endogenous bradykinin contributes to t-PA generation in patients undergoing CPB, but that additional effects on plasmin generation contribute to decreased D-dimer concentrations during EACA treatment.

Comparative effects of angiotensin receptor blockade and ACE inhibition on the fibrinolytic and inflammatory responses to cardiopulmonary bypass.

The effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition and angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade (ARB) on fibrinolysis and inflammation after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) are uncertain. This study tested the hypothesis that ACE inhibition enhances fibrinolysis and inflammation to a greater extent than ARB in patients undergoing CPB. One week to 5 days before surgery, patients were randomized to ramipril 5 mg/day, candesartan 16 mg/day, or placebo. ACE inhibition increased intraoperative bradykinin and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA ) concentrations as compared to AR B. Both ACE inhibition and AR B decreased the need for plasma transfusion relative to placebo, but only ACE inhibition decreased the duration of hospital stay. Neither ACE inhibition nor AR B significantly affected concentrations of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI -1), interleukin (IL )-6, IL -8, or IL -10. ACE inhibition enhanced intraoperative fibrinolysis without increasing the likelihood of red-cell transfusion. By contrast, neither ACE inhibition nor ARB affected the inflammatory response. ACE inhibitors and ARBs may be safely continued until the day of surgery.

Comparison of nuclear texture analysis and image cytometric DNA analysis for the assessment of dysplasia in Barrett's oesophagus.

BACKGROUND: Dysplasia is a marker of cancer risk in Barrett's oesophagus (BO), but this risk is variable and diagnosis is subject to inter-observer variability. Cancer risk in BO is increased when chromosomal instability is present. Nucleotyping (NT) is a new method that uses high-resolution digital images of nuclei to assess chromatin organisation both quantitatively and qualitatively. We aimed to evaluate NT as a marker of dysplasia in BO and compare with image cytometric DNA analysis (ICM). METHODS: In all, 120 patients with BO were studied. The non-dysplastic group (n=60) had specialised intestinal metaplasia only on two consecutive endoscopies after 51 months median follow-up (IQR=25-120 months). The dysplastic group (n=60) had high-grade dysplasia or carcinoma in situ. The two groups were then randomly assigned to a training set and a blinded test set in a 1:1 ratio. Image cytometric DNA analysis and NT was then carried out on Feulgen-stained nuclear monolayers. RESULTS: The best-fit model for NT gave a correct classification rate (CCR) for the training set of 83%. The test set was then analysed using the same textural features and yielded a CCR of 78%. Image cytometric DNA analysis alone yielded a CCR of 73%. The combination of ICM and NT yielded a CCR of 84%. CONCLUSION: Nucleotyping differentiates dysplastic and non-dysplastic BO, with a greater sensitivity than ICM. A combination score based on both techniques performed better than either test in isolation. These data demonstrate that NT/ICM on nuclear monolayers is a very promising single platform test of genomic instability, which may aid pathologists in the diagnosis of dysplasia and has potential as a biomarker in BO.

Confirmation of an association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the VDR gene with respiratory syncytial virus related disease in South African children.

Respiratory syncytial virus is a leading cause of lower respiratory tract infection in infants. Disease severity has been linked to host immune responses and polymorphisms in genes associated with innate immunity. A large-scale genetics study of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in children in the Netherlands identified SNPs in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and JUN genes which have a strong association with an increased risk of developing bronchiolitis following the first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. The Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) gene has two SNPs which have been associated previously with RSV disease severity in various populations. The aim of this study was to determine if these SNPs may be associated with RSV disease in African children in South Africa. RSV patient (n = 296) and control (n = 113) groups were established (median ages: 3 and 3.5 months) and DNA extracted from the collected specimens. Real-time polymerase chain reaction using hydrolysis probes was used to screen for SNPs in the VDR (Thr1Meth; rs10735810), TLR4 (Asp299Gly; rs4986790 and Thr399Ile; rs4986791) and JUN (c.750G/A; rs11688) genes. Carriers of the VDR (Thr1Meth) SNP minor T allele were more prone to RSV disease than individuals in the control group. The TLR4 (Asp299Gly), TLR4 (Thr399Ile), and JUN (c.750G/A) SNPs showed no significant association with RSV disease. It is concluded that children carrying the minor T allele of the VDR (Thr1Meth) SNP may be predisposed to RSV disease, as this SNP was identified as a risk factor for severe RSV disease in South African children, confirming the findings in the Netherlands.

A Survey for 'Candidatus Liberibacter' Species in South Africa Confirms the Presence of Only 'Ca. L. africanus' in Commercial Citrus.

Greening disease of citrus is a serious disease known in South Africa since the late 1920s. In South Africa, it is associated with infection by 'Candidatus Liberibacter africanus', a heat sensitive, phloem-limited, noncultured alpha-proteobacterium. Huanglongbing (HLB), a similar, but more devastating disease that was described initially from China but which now occurs in several citrus producing countries, is associated with a different Liberibacter species, 'Ca. L. asiaticus'. A 'Ca. L. africanus' subspecies, 'Ca. L. africanus subsp. capensis', has been found only in South Africa infecting an indigenous Rutaceous species, Calodendrum capense (Cape Chestnut), in the Western Cape in 1995. The discovery of a new Liberibacter species in Brazil, 'Ca. L. americanus', and the spread of 'Ca. L. asiaticus' to a number of additional countries over the last few years prompted us to assess whether only 'Ca. L. africanus' is present in commercial citrus orchards in South Africa. Samples displaying greening or similar symptoms were collected from 249 citrus trees from 57 orchards distributed throughout the greening affected citrus production areas of South Africa. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on DNA extracts to detect the known citrus Liberibacters. Amplicons were obtained from 197 samples. None of the samples yielded a 1,027-bp amplicon indicative of 'Ca. L. americanus' infection. The amplicons of 84 samples were sequenced, and all were identical to the cognate 'Ca. L. africanus' Nelspruit sequence in GenBank. No instance of 'Ca. L. asiaticus' or 'Ca. L. africanus subsp. capensis' sequence was found. Geographically representative samples that tested negative for Liberibacter also tested negative for phytoplasmas based on real-time PCR results. Based on the results of this survey, it is concluded that to date only 'Ca. L. africanus' is associated with citrus greening in commercial citrus in South Africa.

The bradykinin type 2 receptor BE1 polymorphism and ethnicity influence systolic blood pressure and vascular resistance.

We examined the effect of -58 C/T and BE1 +9/-9 polymorphisms in the bradykinin B2 receptor gene on forearm vascular resistance (FVR) before and during intrabrachial artery infusion of the B2 receptor-, endothelium-dependent agonist bradykinin and the endothelium-independent agonist sodium nitroprusside in 228 normotensive subjects. In 166 white Americans, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse pressure were highest in the BE1 +9/+9 group (118+/-2 and 51+/-2 mm Hg, respectively; P<0.05 versus -9/-9 for either), intermediate in the +9/-9 group (114+/-1 and 49+/-1 mm Hg, P<0.05 versus -9/-9 for pulse pressure), and lowest in the -9/-9 group (110+/-2 and 44+/-2 mm Hg). In 62 black Americans, FVR was 25% higher in the BE1 +9/+9 group compared with the BE1 +9/-9 and -9/-9 groups at baseline (P=0.038) or during bradykinin (P=0.03). Increased SBP or vascular resistance may contribute to increased left ventricular mass reported previously in individuals with the BE1+9/+9 genotype.

Long-term recovery of the human corneal endothelium after toxic injury by benzalkonium chloride.

INTRODUCTION: The inadvertent intra-ocular administration of benzalkonium chloride-preserved hydroxypropyl methylcellulose during cataract surgery at another hospital in 1999 resulted in toxic corneal endothelial injury and profound postoperative corneal oedema as a result of endothelial decompensation. The long-term effect of this adverse event was assessed. METHODS: All 19 patients were invited to return for examination including corneal endothelial specular microscopy and pachymetry seven years after the incident. Results were compared with data from one year after the incident. RESULTS: Five patients attended for examination, one had received a penetrating keratoplasty and was, therefore, excluded. Ten patients had died and four had moved out of the region and were unable to attend. All four study patients were pain free and achieved 6/12 or better. Mean central corneal thickness reduced by 13% from 652.6 microm at one year to 563.4 microm. Mean central corneal endothelial cell density (n = 3) increased 28% from 663.7 cells/mm(2) at one year to 835.7 cells/mm(2) (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: After toxic injury, corneal endothelial function may have a remarkable capacity for recovery even after the first postoperative year. The rise in central endothelial cell density may represent cell migration from less affected areas or cellular proliferation. Should this unfortunate event recur, clinicians may expect continued recovery beyond one year.

Evaluation of left ventricular enlargement in the lateral position of the chest using the Hoffman and Rigler sign.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate left ventricular enlargement in the lateral projection of the chest using the Hoffman and Rigler sign. BACKGROUND: The Hoffman and Rigler sign for determining left ventricular enlargement was suggested as early as 1965 before the routine use of echocardiography. METHODS: We studied 136 patients who had had cardiac ultrasound and chest X-rays with lateral projections. We assessed left ventricular size on the lateral projection using the Hoffman and Rigler method (measurement A) and compared this measurement to the value obtained by cardiac ultrasound. The effect of right ventricular size on this measurement was also evaluated. RESULTS The average value of measurement A in all patients with echocardiographic evidence of left vetricular enlargement (LVED above 59 mm) was 19 mm (SD +/- 4.03) (95% CI 17.96 to 20.04). Of the 48 patients with a normal size left ventricle on echocardiography, 25.58% had measurement A 18 mm and above, and 13.95% had a value 19 mm and above. Of the 19 patients with right ventricular enlargement (normal left ventricle) on echocardiography, 36.84% had measurement A18 mm and above, whereas 21.05% had this value 19 mm and above. Measurement A in patients with left ventricular enlargement compared with those with right ventricular enlargement showed a significant difference (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: When the crossing of the inferior vena cava and the left ventricle can be adequately visualised, the Hoffman and Rigler sign of evaluating left ventricular enlargement in the lateral projection of the chest is a valuable alternative where cardiac ultrasound is not readily available.

Problems with prostate specific antigen screening for prostate cancer in the primary healthcare setting in South Africa.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility of detecting early-stage prostate cancer in the primary healthcare setting, and to investigate whether there is a higher incidence of prostate cancer in Black African men. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study was a collaboration with registrars in the authors' institutions and primary healthcare centres serving mainly a Black African or mixed ancestry (Coloured) population in the semi-urban Cape Town metropolitan area of South Africa. Men aged 50-70 years attending the clinics were counselled about prostate cancer and invited to have a digital rectal examination (DRE), serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) assay and transrectal ultrasonography-guided sextant prostate biopsy if the DRE was clinically suspicious of malignancy or the serum PSA was > or = 4.0 ng/mL. An American Urological Association Symptom Index (AUA-SI) was obtained, and urine analysed using dipsticks. RESULTS: From May 2000 to November 2001, 660 men were assessed (mean age 59.4 years, range 30-82); 60.6% were Black African, 37.3% mixed (Coloured), 1.8% White (Caucasian) and 0.2% Asian (Indian). The mean (range) AUA-SI was 5.98 (0-35) in the whole group; the DRE was recorded as clinically suspicious of malignancy in 3.2%. The mean PSA was 20.39 (0.04-10 000) ng/mL in the whole group, but when two outliers (1865 and 10 000 ng/mL) were disregarded, it was 2.4 ng/mL. In Black patients the mean PSA was 31.8 (0.04-10 000) ng/mL, and without the outliers, 2.1 ng/mL; in Coloured patients it was 2.94 (0.05-50) ng/mL. The PSA was > or = 4.0 ng/mL in 9.6% of the whole group, in 7.8% of Black and in 13% of Coloured patients. Prostate biopsies were taken in 21 patients (3.2% of the whole group and a third of those with a PSA of > or = 4.0 ng/mL); in Black patients, biopsies were taken in 1.5% and 19.4%, respectively, and in Coloured patients in 6.1% and 46.9%, respectively. The prostate biopsy showed cancer in 43% of the whole group, in a third of Black and in 47% of Coloured patients; prostate cancer was detected in 1.4%, 0.5% and 2.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: That prostate biopsies were obtained in only 19% of Black and in only 47% of Coloured men with a serum PSA of > or = 4.0 ng/mL is of concern. This indicates that there is a significant problem in getting men with an elevated serum PSA level to undergo a prostate biopsy in the primary healthcare setting in South Africa.

Twelve-lead electrocardiography in tuberculous pericarditis.

OBJECTIVES: This study is part of an ongoing initiative started in 1995 to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of adjuvant corticosteroids in the management of tuberculosis (TB) pericarditis. In this retrospective, descriptive study we describe the changes found on the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) in patients with TB pericarditis, with and without cardiac tamponade. We determined the diagnostic accuracy of ECG parameters for cardiac tamponade. METHODS: All patients referred to our department with echocardiographically confirmed large pericardial effusions underwent a thorough clinical assessment followed by pericardiocentesis and drainage using an indwelling pigtail catheter. The amount of drained effusion was measured, and fluid was sent for diagnostic assessment. Patients were grouped into those with or without cardiac tamponade. The following ECG parameters were assessed: rate, rhythm, microvoltage, electrical alternans, PR segment and ST segment abnormalities. RESULTS: Of the 157 patients assessed, 88 were diagnosed with TB pericarditis All had abnormal ECGs and 83% had changes of chronic pericarditis. Microvoltage in the extremity and/or precordial leads correlated with the presence of large effusions (> 750 ml). None of the studied parameters correlated with the presence of cardiac tamponade. CONCLUSIONS: Twelve-lead ECG is of supportive but not diagnostic value in cardiac tamponade. The presence of microvoltage suggests the presence of a large effusion. The absence of microvoltage makes the presence of cardiac tamponade unlikely.

Valvular heart disease associated with systemic lupus erythematosus - the Tygerberg Hospital experience.

BACKGROUND: Valvular heart disease is the most important cardiac manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We performed a study to determine the presence of valvular heart disease in our patients with SLE. METHODS: We performed clinical, electrocardiographic, transthoracic echocardiographic and laboratory evaluations in 24 patients with SLE. The echocardiographic findings were compared with those of 10 age- and sex-matched volunteers. RESULTS: None of the 24 patients had obvious symptoms of cardiac origin. Valvular abnormalities were common. Valvular thickening was the most predominant finding (more than 50%), followed by mitral valvular regurgitation (12.5%) and pericardial effusions (12.5%). Valvular abnormalities were uncommon in the control group. CONCLUSION: Valvular heart disease is common in our patient population with SLE, although haemodynamically significant valvular dysfunction is rare.