Risk factors for catastrophic costs associated with tuberculosis in rural South Africa.

Fifty-five public clinics in northern South Africa. To estimate patient costs and identify the factors associated with catastrophic costs among individuals treated for tuberculosis (TB). We performed cross-sectional interviews of consecutive patients at public clinics from October 2017 to January 2018. 'Catastrophic costs' were defined as costs totalling ≥20% of annual household income. For participants with no reported income, we considered scenarios where costs were considered non-catastrophic if 1) costs totalled Among 327 participants, the estimated mean TB episode costs were US$365 (95%CI 233-498): out-of-pocket costs comprised 58% of costs, wages lost due to health care-seeking represented 26%, and income reduction accounted for 16% of costs. Ninety (28%) participants experienced catastrophic costs, which were associated with clinic travel times of 60-90 min (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 1.7, 95%CI 0.9-3.1), unemployment (aPR 2.0, 95%CI 1.0-4.0) and having fewer household members (aPR 0.6, 95%CI 0.3-1.0). In rural South Africa, catastrophic costs from TB are common and associated with distance to clinics, unemployment, and household size. These findings can help tailor social protection programs and enhance service delivery to patients at greatest risk of experiencing financial hardship. .

Tuberculosis patients with higher levels of poverty face equal or greater costs of illness.

SETTING: Fifty-six public clinics in Limpopo Province, South Africa.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between tuberculosis (TB) patient costs and poverty as measured by a multidimensional poverty index.DESIGN: We performed cross-sectional interviews of consecutive patients with TB. TB episode costs were estimated from self-reported income, travel costs, and care-seeking time. Poverty was assessed using the South African Multidimensional Poverty Index (SAMPI) deprivation score (a 12-item household-level index), with higher scores indicating greater poverty. We used multivariable linear regression to adjust for age, sex, human immunodeficiency virus status and travel time.RESULTS: Among 323 participants, 108 (33%) were 'deprived' (deprivation score >0.33). For each 0.1-unit increase in deprivation score, absolute TB episode costs were 1.11 times greater (95%CI 0.97-1.26). TB episode costs were 1.19 times greater with each quintile of higher deprivation score (95%CI 1.00-1.40), but lower by a factor of 0.54 with each quintile of lower self-reported income (higher poverty, 95%CI 0.46-0.62).CONCLUSION: Individuals experiencing multidimensional poverty and the cost of tuberculosis illness in Limpopo, South Africa faced equal or higher costs of TB than non-impoverished patients. Individuals with lower self-reported income experienced higher costs as a proportion of household income but lower absolute costs. Targeted interventions are needed to reduce the economic burden of TB on patients with multidimensional poverty.

Wernickes encephalopathy with central pontine myelinolysis presenting with hypothermia.

A male alcoholic who presented with hypothermia and confusion was diagnosed as suffering from Wernicke's encephalopathy. He showed in addition signs of bulbar damage with cranial nerve signs, weakness of all limbs and absent oculo-vestibular responses. His course was complicated by recurrent episodes of aspiration pneumonia with death resulting from this cause. Neuropathological findings included typical features of Wernicke's encephalopathy as well as central pontine myelinolysis.

Thrombokinetics in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with D-penicillamine.

The mechanism of D-penicillamine induced thrombocytopenia in rheumatoid arthritis was investigated by measuring platelet life-span and platelet production rate in 2 groups of rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with 250-750 mg/day D-penicillamine, 14 with a normal platelet count and 9 with thrombocytopenia (platelet count 50-130 X 10(9)/1). Age matched control patients not treated with D-penicillamine included 14 with rheumatoid arthritis and 9 with osteoarthritis. The platelet life-span was normal, but platelet production rate was significantly reduced in the thrombocytopenic patients, suggesting that D-penicillamine causes thrombocytopenia through bone marrow suppression.