{"title":"Invasive fungal infections.","authors":"S Kwarteng Owusu","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i3.264","DOIUrl":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i3.264","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9549933/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42248604","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}
A G B Broadhurst, C Botha, G Calligaro, C Lee, U Lalla, C F N Koegelenberg, P D Gopalan, I A Joubert, G A Richards, B W Allwood
{"title":"The optimal management of the patient with COVID-19 pneumonia: HFNC, NIV/CPAP or mechanical ventilation?","authors":"A G B Broadhurst, C Botha, G Calligaro, C Lee, U Lalla, C F N Koegelenberg, P D Gopalan, I A Joubert, G A Richards, B W Allwood","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i3.241","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i3.241","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The recent pandemic has seen unprecedented demand for respiratory support of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, stretching services and clinicians. Yet despite the global numbers of patients treated, guidance is not clear on the correct choice of modality or the timing of escalation of therapy for an individual patient. This narrative review assesses the available literature on the best use of different modalities of respiratory support for an individual patient, and discusses benefits and risks of each, coupled with practical advice to improve outcomes. On current data, in an ideal context, it appears that as disease severity worsens, conventional oxygen therapy is not sufficient alone. In more severe disease, i.e. PaO<sub>2</sub>/FiO<sub>2</sub> ratios below approximately 200, helmet-CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) (although not widely available) may be superior to high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy or facemask non-invasive ventilation (NIV)/CPAP, and that facemask NIV/CPAP may be superior to HFNC, but with noted important complications, including risk of pneumothoraces. In an ideal context, invasive mechanical ventilation should not be delayed where indicated and available. Vitally, the choice of respiratory support should not be prescriptive but contextualised to each setting, as supply and demand of resources vary markedly between institutions. Over time, institutions should develop clear policies to guide clinicians before demand exceeds supply, and should frequently review best practice as evidence matures.</p>","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/39/63/AJTCCM-28-3-241.PMC9650135.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40722397","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":"Do all children in South Africa have access to dedicated paediatric intensive care?","authors":"Pierre Goussard","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i3.272","DOIUrl":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i3.272","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9551703/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43345447","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":"Comparison of outcomes between children ventilated in a non‑paediatric intensive care and a paediatric intensive care unit: A retrospective analysis.","authors":"X L Jingxi, P Tinarwo, R Masekela, M Archary","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i3.215","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i3.215","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Lack of paediatric intensive care infrastructure, human resources and expertise in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) often results in critically ill children being managed in non-intensive-care unit (ICU) settings.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To compare the mortality between critically ill patients who required ventilation for more than 24 hours in a non-paediatric ICU (PICU) setting v. those admitted directly to a PICU.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants were enrolled if they were between one month and 13 years of age and were ventilated in a non-PICU ward in a regional hospital and a PICU ward in a tertiary/quaternary hospital during the study period of January 2015 - December 2017 in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, Wilcoxon test and binary logistic regression were used for data analysis. Ethics approval was obtained (approval number BE568/18 BREC) from the Biostatistics Research Council of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 904 admissions, 25.1% (n=227) were admitted to non-PICU and 74.9% (n=677) to a PICU. A significantly higher proportion of non-PICU patients were malnourished than PICU patients (26.4% v. 13.3%, p<0.001). Patients ventilated in a PICU were 76% less likely to die (p<0.001), while patients who required inotropes were 15.08 (9.68 - 24.34) times more likely to die (p<0.001). There was a statistically significant association between admission setting and survival outcome, with higher mortality in the non-PICU setting than in the PICU setting (46.3% v. 19.5%, p<0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Critically ill children ventilated in a non-PICU setting in KwaZulu-Natal are more likely to be malnourished, require inotropes and have higher mortality. Although increasing access to PICU bed availability is a long-term goal, the high mortality in the non-PICU setting highlights the need to optimise the availability of resources in these non-PICU wards, optimise and train the staff, and improve primary healthcare services.</p>","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/f6/88/AJTCCM-28-3-215.PMC9620536.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40669031","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":"Rare rib tumours: Where geography matters.","authors":"I Schewitz","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i3.216","DOIUrl":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i3.216","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9554948/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45951265","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":"Methotrexate pneumonitis in a patient with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia.","authors":"M Agarwal, K K Sharma, K Deokar, N Bharti","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i3.254","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i3.254","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Methotrexate, an immunomodulatory agent used for a wide variety of indications, can cause pulmonary toxicity in the form of pneumonitis, organising pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis, pleural effusion, pulmonary infections or lymphoproliferative disease. We report a case of methotrexate pneumonitis in a patient with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. The diagnosis of methotrexate pneumonitis is challenging, as the signs and symptoms can be caused by intercurrent infection, concomitant medications or an underlying disease condition. A high index of suspicion is required for diagnosis. Management consists of drug discontinuation and steroids in patients with respiratory failure.</p>","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/7b/08/AJTCCM-28-3-254.PMC9632629.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40669029","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}
E Palalane, D Alpizar-Rodriguez, S Botha, Q Said-Hartley, G Calligaro, B Hodkinson
{"title":"Interstitial lung disease in patients with connective tissue disease: Subtypes, clinical features and comorbidities in the Western Cape, South Africa.","authors":"E Palalane, D Alpizar-Rodriguez, S Botha, Q Said-Hartley, G Calligaro, B Hodkinson","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i2.213","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i2.213","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is highly prevalent in patients with connective tissue disease (CTD) and is poorly characterised in South Africa.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To describe the clinical, serological and radiological features of CTD-ILD and their associations in patients attending a tertiary referral hospital.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study collating clinical, serological and radiological features of CTD-ILD in patients attending rheumatology and respiratory outpatient clinics in a tertiary referral hospital.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 124 CTD-ILD patients, 37 (29.8%) had rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 32 (25.8%) systemic sclerosis (SSc) and 55 (44.4%) other autoimmune connective tissue diseases (OCTD). Most patients were female (86.3%), of mixed racial ancestry (75.0%), and the median age was 55 years. Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) was the most common ILD pattern (63.7%), followed by usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) (26.6%). Overall, 60.5% were current or past smokers, 33.1% had previous pulmonary tuberculosis infection, and 75.6% had gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Patients with RA were older, had similar frequencies of NSIP and UIP, and had significantly better pulmonary function tests than the SSc and OCTD groups. Within three years of CTD diagnosis, two-thirds of the SSc and OCTD patients and almost half of the RA patients had developed ILD. Clinical features, chest X-rays and pulmonary function tests correlated poorly with high-resolution computerised tomography (HRCT). No case of acute pneumonitis was documented in CTD-ILD patients treated with methotrexate (MTX).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We suggest routine HRCT in all newly diagnosed CTD patients, particularly those with SSc and OCTD, where more than two-thirds of the patients had developed ILD within three years of their CTD. The use of MTX was not associated with the development of acute pneumonitis in patients with ILD.</p><p><strong>Key points: </strong>Clinical features, chest X-rays and pulmonary function tests correlated poorly with high-resolution computerised tomography (HRCT).Smoking, environmental toxins, gastro-oesophogeal reflux and previous pulmonary tuberculosis infection were significant comorbidities in CTD-ILD patients.Early screening of ILD with HRCT is recommended, particularly in SSc.Use of MTX before and after ILD diagnosis was not associated with acute pneumonitis.</p>","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":"28 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/ef/63/AJTCCM-28-2-213.PMC9390065.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33443588","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}
K Anderson, E Pietersen, K Dheda, Y F van der Heijden
{"title":"Comparison of treatment outcome definitions in drug-resistant tuberculosis patients with high incidence of acquired second-line drug resistance.","authors":"K Anderson, E Pietersen, K Dheda, Y F van der Heijden","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i2.177","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i2.177","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Simplified drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) treatment outcome definitions, mostly centred around receipt of treatment and sputum culture status at 6 months after treatment initiation, have been proposed, but have not been widely evaluated in resource-limited settings.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To compare DR-TB treatment outcomes, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) at the time of treatment, with simplified definitions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed retrospective folder reviews of a cohort of 246 South African DR-TB patients, most of whom developed second-line drug resistance. Sequential treatment outcomes were assigned retrospectively using both simplified Tuberculosis Network European Trials Group (TBNET)-based and 2013 WHO-based definitions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 246 patients, 40% were HIV-positive, and 88% developed second-line drug resistance. Patients were observed for a median of 38 (interquartile range 24 - 63) months from DR-TB treatment initiation. Using WHO-based definitions, 93% of patients had >1 sequential outcome, whereas with simplified definitions, 25% of patients had >1 outcome. Fewer outcomes of cure (3% v. 9%) and more outcomes of treatment failure (42% v. 22%) were assigned using simplified definitions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Simplified outcome definitions applied to real-world patients with long, often complex treatment histories resulted in underestimating cures and overestimating treatment failures compared with WHO-based definitions. Simplified definitions may identify more individuals at higher risk for treatment failure than WHO-based definitions, but without consistent programmatic follow-up it may be difficult to distinguish cure, failure and loss to follow-up.</p>","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/e0/5d/AJTCCM-28-2-177.PMC9379990.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40414675","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":"Interstitial lung disease in Africa - a need for recognition and earlier diagnosis.","authors":"M Wong","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i2.258","DOIUrl":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i2.258","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/30/80/AJTCCM-28-2-258.PMC9339139.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40578968","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":"Non-tuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease: A review of trends, risk factors, diagnosis and management.","authors":"L Nqwata, A R Ouédrago","doi":"10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i2.157","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7196/AJTCCM.2022.v28i2.157","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) reports have been on the rise globally, with increasing incidence and prevalence accompanied by poor outcomes. The rise has been attributed to an ageing population with increasing comorbid illnesses, and improved laboratory techniques in diagnosing the disease. However, despite the increase, some parts of the world still lack data, especially sub-Saharan African countries. The lack of data in our setting is difficult to explain, as we have a significant burden of NTM risk factors (i.e. HIV, tuberculosis and bronchiectasis). This review therefore serves as a reminder and a challenge to start searching, and reporting on our experiences. The review will highlight the rising incidence, important risk factors, diagnosis and management of NTM pulmonary disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":52847,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine","volume":"28 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/35/59/AJTCCM-28-2-157.PMC9394508.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33443589","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}