African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Shisha use amongst students.","authors":"A Goolam Mahomed","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i1.893","DOIUrl":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i1.893","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/f3/9a/AJTCCM-29-1-893.PMC10105901.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9382952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Outcomes of patients with haematological malignancies and febrile neutropenia at the Universitas Academic Hospital multidisciplinary intensive care unit, Free State Province, South Africa.","authors":"C D S Martins,&nbsp;S D Maasdorp","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i1.263","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i1.263","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Mortality rates in patients with haematological malignancies who required intensive care unit (ICU) admission have in the past been high. More recently, however, improved outcomes for critically ill haematological patients have been reported.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To determine outcomes, average length of ICU stay, and factors associated with mortality in patients with haematological malignancies and neutropenic fever in the multidisciplinary ICU (MICU) at Universitas Academic Hospital (UAH), Bloemfontein, Free State Province, South Africa.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective review of medical and laboratory records of all patients admitted to the UAH MICU with haematological malignancies and febrile neutropenia between 2010 and 2019.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 182 patients with haematological malignancies were admitted to the MICU between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2019, of whom 51 (28.0%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria for the study. The median age was 33 years, and 29 patients (56.9%) were female. Most patients had either acute myeloid leukaemia (n=22; 43.1%) or acute lymphocytic leukaemia (n=16; 31.4%), while B-cell lymphoma (n=12; 23.5%) and multiple myeloma (n=1; 2%) were less frequent. The median length of stay in the ICU was 3 days. ICU mortality was 76.5% and hospital mortality 82.4%. Factors associated with mortality included septic shock, vasoactive agent use and mechanical ventilation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Patients with haematological malignancies and febrile neutropenia in the UAH MICU have high ICU and hospital mortality rates. More needs to be done with regard to timeous management of patients with haematological malignancies and septic shock in our setting to improve survival.</p><p><strong>Study synopsis: </strong>This is the first study to report on ICU mortality of adult patients with haematological malignancies and neutropenic sepsis in a tertiary hospital ICU in the Free State. These patients had a high mortality rate. <b>What the study adds.</b> Our study shows that septic shock, vasoactive agent use and mechanical ventilation were associated with increased ICU mortality.<b>Implications of the findings.</b> Strict adherence to infection prevention and control measures in haematology wards is required. Early recognition and treatment of sepsis before it progresses to septic shock is important. ICUs must be designed so that isolation cubicles are readily available to prevent cross-infection of patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/84/04/AJTCCM-29-1-263.PMC10354873.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10227101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ventilating my thoughts on severe asthma exacerbations.","authors":"M L Wong","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i2.1229","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i2.1229","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:p>-</jats:p>","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":"29 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/85/b4/AJTCCM-29-2-1229.PMC10450453.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10483390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Complementary value of the Shock Index v. the Modified Shock Index in the prediction of in-hospital intensive care unit admission and mortality: A single-centre experience.","authors":"S Surendhar,&nbsp;S Jagadeesan,&nbsp;A B Jagtap","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i2.286","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i2.286","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Shock is a state of circulatory insufficiency that creates an imbalance between tissue oxygen supply and demand, resulting in end-organ dysfunction and hypodynamic circulatory failure. Most patients with infectious and trauma-related illnesses present to the emergency department (ED) in shock.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To study the usefulness of the shock index (SI) and modified shock index (MSI) in identifying and triaging patients in shock presenting to the ED.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a year-long observational, cross-sectional study of 290 patients presenting to the ED of a tertiary hospital in compensated or overt shock. The SI and MSI were calculated at the time of first contact, and then hourly for the initial 3 hours. Relevant background investigations targeting the cause of shock and prognostic markers were done. The outcome measures of mortality and intensive care unit admission were documented for each participant.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean age of the participants was 49 years, and 67% of them were men. In consensus with local and national data, the major medical comorbidities were hypertension (20%) and diabetes mellitus (16%). An SI ≥0.9 and an MSI ≥1.3 predicted in-hospital mortality (p<0.05) and ICU admission (p<0.05) with no significant superiority of the MSI over the SI in terms of mortality, although the MSI was a better surrogate marker for critical care admission.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study showed the complementary value of the SI and MSI in triage in a busy tertiary hospital ED, surpassing their components such as blood pressure, heart rate and pulse pressure. We determined useful cut-offs for these tools for early risk assessment in the ED, and larger multicentre studies are needed to support our findings.</p><p><strong>Study synopsis: </strong><b>What the study adds.</b> The study highlights the usefulness of clinical bedside tools such as the shock index (SI) and modified shock index (MSI) in triaging patients in the emergency department, and their role in predicting morbidity and mortality.<b>Implications of the findings.</b> Compared with systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure, alone or in combination, the SI and MSI had higher sensitivity and specificity in terms of outcome prediction. While both an elevated SI and an elevated MSI predicted in-hospital mortality, the MSI was a better surrogate marker for ICU admission.</p>","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":"29 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/7e/fb/AJTCCM-29-2-286.PMC10446160.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10072188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"South African Thoracic Society position statement on the management of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in adults: 2023.","authors":"A Goolam Mahomed,&nbsp;S D Maasdorp,&nbsp;R Barnes,&nbsp;H van Aswegen,&nbsp;A Lupton-Smith,&nbsp;B Allwood,&nbsp;G Calligaro,&nbsp;C Feldman,&nbsp;I S Kalla","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i2.647","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i2.647","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Bronchiectasis is a chronic lung disorder that affects the lives of many South Africans. Post-tuberculosis (TB) bronchiectasis is an important complication of previous pulmonary TB and a common cause of bronchiectasis in South Africa (SA). No previous statements on the management of bronchiectasis in SA have been published.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To provide a position statement that will act as a template for the management of adult patients with bronchiectasis in SA.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The South African Thoracic Society appointed an editorial committee to compile a position statement on the management of adult non-cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis in SA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A position statement addressing the management of non-CF bronchiectasis in adults in SA was compiled. This position statement covers the epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis, investigations and various aspects of management of adult patients with non-CF bronchiectasis in SA.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Bronchiectasis has largely been a neglected lung condition, but new research has improved the outlook for patients. Collaboration between interprofessional team members in patient management is important. In SA, more research into the epidemiology of bronchiectasis, especially post-TB bronchiectasis and HIV-associated bronchiectasis, is required.</p><p><strong>Abstract: </strong>The South African Thoracic Society mandated a multidisciplinary team of healthcare providers to compile a position statement on the management of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in South Africa (SA). International guidelines on the management of bronchiectasis were reviewed and used as a basis from which the current position statement was compiled. This is the first position statement on the management of adult non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis in SA. A description of the epidemiology and aetiology of bronchiectasis is provided, as well as guidance on its diagnosis and management. The position statement provides guidance on the management of bronchiectasis to healthcare providers, policymakers and regulatory authorities.</p>","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":"29 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/85/58/AJTCCM-29-2-647.PMC10450449.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10465658","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing and comparing chest radiograph interpretation in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand medical school, according to seniority.","authors":"R G Dreyer,&nbsp;C M van der Merwe,&nbsp;M A Nicolaou,&nbsp;G A Richards","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i1.265","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i1.265","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chest radiographs are a common diagnostic tool in the internal medicine department, and correct interpretation is imperative for adequate patient management.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To determine the diagnostic accuracy of common pathologies in South Africa that are evident on chest radiographs, and to determine whether there are discrepancies according to different levels of qualification of doctors rotating through the internal medicine department, and which factors contribute to an accurate diagnosis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fifteen chest radiographs with common pathologies were given to all doctors rotating through the Department of Internal Medicine at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, and they were asked to interpret them. Information pertaining to their experience, designation and confidence in chest radiograph interpretation was also obtained.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Diagnostic accuracy according to years of experience was as follows: 0 - 5 years 27.0%, 6 - 10 years 43.0%, and >10 years 47.9%. For different designations, accuracy was as follows: consultants 50.5%, registrars 40.9%, medical officers 36.4%, and interns 19.5%. Participants who were confident obtained a mean score of 39.4% and those who were not, a mean score of 31.6%.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Chest radiographs are readily accessible and used daily in clinical practice in numerous facilities. An accurate diagnosis is important to provide quality healthcare. Improved training in interpretation for all, but especially for junior doctors, should be a priority in our training facilities.</p><p><strong>Study synopsis: </strong><b>What the study adds.</b> This study tested the diagnostic accuracy with regard to common pathologies present on chest X ray by doctors rotating through, or stationed at the internal medicine department at an academic hospital. <b>Implications of the findings.</b> Interpretation of chest X-rays was generally poor but the study did find that this improves with experience and confidence in diagnostic ability. These findings are significant in that they indicate a need to implement improved teaching programs in radiological interpretation, especially at an undergraduate level.</p>","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/4d/c1/AJTCCM-29-1-265.PMC10354876.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9840807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A rare case of aorta-right atrial tunnel demonstrated on coronary computed tomography angiography.","authors":"T Kalekar,&nbsp;A S Prabhu,&nbsp;D Dilip,&nbsp;A Dolas","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i1.270","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i1.270","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/60/d7/AJTCCM-29-1-270.PMC10354875.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10227100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Knowledge, practices and beliefs of students regarding health effects of shisha use in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: A cross‑sectional study.","authors":"A R Ouédraogo,&nbsp;K Boncoungou,&nbsp;J C R P Ouédraogo,&nbsp;A Sourabié,&nbsp;G A Ouédraogo,&nbsp;G Bougma,&nbsp;E Bonkian,&nbsp;G Ouédraogo,&nbsp;G Badoum,&nbsp;M Ouédraogo","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i1.246","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i1.246","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. Shisha use has recently been gaining increased popularity in many developed and developing countries.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To determine the prevalence of shisha use among students in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and associated knowledge, smoking practices and beliefs about health effects.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 443 students were selected for this cross-sectional study, using a stratified sampling method. Data on shisha use, knowledge about shisha, shisha smoking practices, and factors associated with use of shisha were collected via a questionnaire. The association between the independent variables and shisha use was assessed using a χ² test (p<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine variables that were independently associated with shisha smoking.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 421 respondents, 162 (38.5%) indicated that they had smoked shisha; 14.0% were regular smokers. We found that 183 students (43.5%) had poor knowledge about the health effects of shisha. The main reasons for shisha smoking were being in the company of friends who were users (57.4%), the pleasant flavour and fragrance of shisha (25.9%), and fashion (22.2%). Ninety-nine shisha smokers (61.1%) also consumed alcohol. Factors associated with shisha smoking included age <20 years (p<0.001), gender (p=0.034), and educational level of the respondent's father (p=0.0001) and mother (p=0.0004).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We found a relatively high prevalence of shisha smoking among the students, and that 43.5% of them had poor knowledge about its effects on health. Developing surveillance, intervention and regulatory/policy frameworks specific to shisha has become a public health priority.</p><p><strong>Study synopsis: </strong><b>What the study adds.</b> The study provides additional data from resource-poor settings such as Burkia Faso, where there is an overall high prevalence of Sisha smoking, and also among students who are poorly informed about the health effects of smoking. <b>Implications of the findings.</b> The data informs advocacy and intervention strategies to combat smoking and decrease overall tobacco use in an African setting.</p>","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":"29 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/71/71/AJTCCM-29-1-246.PMC10354872.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10227104","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Asthma in the intensive care unit: A review of patient characteristics and outcomes.","authors":"F Manyeruke,&nbsp;G L Calligaro,&nbsp;R Raine,&nbsp;R N van Zyl-Smit","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i2.212","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i2.212","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Most asthma-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, and South Africa (SA) is ranked fifth in global asthma mortality. Little is known about the characteristics and outcome of asthma patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission in SA.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To identify and characterise patients with acute severe asthma admitted to the respiratory ICU at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, SA, in order to evaluate outcomes and identify predictors of poor outcomes in those admitted.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed a retrospective descriptive study of patients with severe asthma admitted to the respiratory ICU at Groote Schuur Hospital between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2019.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>One hundred and three patients (110 admission episodes) were identified with an acute asthma exacerbation requiring ICU admission; all were mechanically ventilated. There was a female preponderance (53.6%; n=59/110), with a median (range) age overall of 33 (13 - 84) years. Of all admissions, 40 (36.4%) were current tobacco smokers and 16 (14.5%) patients with a history of substance abuse. Two thirds (60.0%; n=66/110) of the patients were using an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS). No predictors of mortality were evident in multivariate modelling, although those who died were older, and had higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) scores and longer duration of admission. Only 59 of the surviving 96 individual patients (61.5%) attended a specialist pulmonology clinic after discharge.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Among patients admitted to the respiratory ICU at Groote Schuur Hospital for asthma exacerbations, there was a high prevalence of smokers and poor coverage with inhaled ICSs. Although mortality was low compared with general ICU mortality, more needs to be done to prevent acute severe asthma exacerbations.</p><p><strong>Study synopsis: </strong><b>What the study adds.</b> Intensive care unit (ICU) admission represents the most severe form of exacerbation of asthma. South Africa (SA) has a very high rate of asthma deaths, and this study demonstrates that admission to an ICU with a very severe asthma exacerbation frequently results in a good outcome. However, many of the patients admitted to the ICU were not adequately treated with background asthma medications prior to their admission. <b>Implications of the findings.</b> Death from asthma should be avoidable, and admission to an ICU is not associated with high mortality. Patients are therefore likely to be dying at home or out of hospital. Better education and access to medication and early access to health services rather than improved in-hospital care would potentially alter SA's high asthma mortality.</p>","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":"29 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/3a/3e/AJTCCM-29-2-212.PMC10446163.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10072187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diffuse alveolar haemorrhage in children hospitalised in a tertiary‑level hospital: A retrospective descriptive study.","authors":"K Mopeli,&nbsp;T Mabaso,&nbsp;N Alli,&nbsp;Z Dangor,&nbsp;C Verwey","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i2.282","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2023.v29i2.282","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (DAH) is considered a rare condition in children. There is no consensus on the management of DAH syndromes in Africa or other low- and middle-income countries. In this brief report, the clinical characteristics, management and outcomes of children treated for DAH in the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital paediatric pulmonology unit in Johannesburg, South Africa are described. Fifteen children were included in this case series, of whom 11 (73.3%) presented with severe microcytic anaemia. Of the 11 children who had bronchoalveolar lavage, 9 (81.8%; 60.0% of the total) had haemosiderin-laden macrophages on microscopy. Only 5 children had a lung biopsy, of whom 3 (60.0%) had capillaritis. All the children were started on oral prednisone at presentation, and 11 (73.3%) received additional complementary treatment. Nine children (60.0%) had normal haemoglobin levels 1 year after initiation of treatment. Our series supports previous reports that DAH is uncommon in children. A large proportion of our patients responded well to treatment despite some resource limitations.</p><p><strong>What the study adds: </strong>The study provides additional data on children presenting with diffuse alveolar haemorrhage in a South African tertiary hospital.</p><p><strong>What are the implications of the findings: </strong>There is a need for South African pulmonologists to come together and conduct a national audit of these patients in different hospitals to determine the incidence in our country, as well as to inform a management plan in the presence or absence of specialised tests.</p>","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":"29 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/29/8c/AJTCCM-29-2-282.PMC10446159.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10075672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}