Morbidity after surgical management of cervical cancer in low and middle income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: To investigate morbidity for patients after the primary surgical management of cervical cancer in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). Methods: The Pubmed, Cochrane, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, LILACS and CINAHL were searched for published studies from 1st Jan 2000 to 30th June 2017 reporting outcomes of surgical management of cervical cancer in LMIC. Randomeffects meta-analytical models were used to calculate pooled estimates of surgical complications including blood transfusions, ureteric, bladder, bowel, vascular and nerve injury, fistulae and thromboembolic events. Secondary outcomes included five-year progression free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Findings: Data were available for 46 studies, including 10,847 patients from 11 middle income countries. Pooled estimates were: blood transfusion 29% (95%CI 0.19–0.41, P = 0.00, I 2 = 97.81), nerve injury 1% (95%CI 0.00–0.03, I 2 77.80, P = 0.00), bowel injury, 0.5% (95%CI 0.01–0.01, I 2 = 0.00, P = 0.77), bladder injury 1% (95%CI 0.01–0.02, P = 0.10, I 2 = 32.2), ureteric injury 1% (95%CI 0.01–0.01, I 2 0.00, P = 0.64), vascular injury 2% (95% CI 0.01– 0.03, I 2 60.22, P = 0.00), fistula 2% (95%CI 0.01–0.03, I 2 = 77.32, P = 0.00,), pulmonary embolism 0.4% (95%CI 0.00–0.01, I 2 26.69, P = 0.25), and infection 8% (95%CI 0.04–0.12, 2 95.72, P = 0.00). 5-year PFS was 83% for laparotomy, 84% for laparoscopy and OS was 85% for laparotomy cases and 80% for laparoscopy. Conclusion: This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of surgical morbidity in cervical cancer in LMIC, which highlights the limitations of the current data and provides a benchmark for future health services research and policy implementation

Causes of perinatal mortality and associated maternal complications in a South African province : challenges in predicting poor outcomes

BACKGROUND: Reviews of perinatal deaths are mostly facility based. Given the number of women who, globally, deliver outside of facilities, this data may be biased against total population data. We aimed to analyse population based perinatal mortality data from a LMIC setting (Mpumalanga, South Africa) to determine the causes of perinatal death and the rate of maternal complications in the setting of a perinatal death. METHODS : A secondary analysis of the South African Perinatal Problems Identification Program (PPIP) database for the Province of Mpumalanga was undertaken for the period October 2013 to January 2014, inclusive. Data on each individual late perinatal death was reviewed. We examined the frequencies of maternal and fetal or neonatal characteristics in late fetal deaths and analysed the relationships between maternal condition and fetal and/or neonatal outcomes. IBM SPSS Statistics 22.0 was used for data analysis. RESULTS : There were 23503 births and 687 late perinatal deaths (stillbirths of ≥ 1000gr or ≥ 28 weeks gestation and early neonatal deaths up to day 7 of neonatal life) in the study period. The rate of maternal complication in macerated stillbirths, fresh stillbirths and early neonatal deaths was 50.4%, 50.7% and 25.8% respectively. Mothers in the other late perinatal deaths were healthy. Maternal hypertension and obstetric haemorrhage were more likely in stillbirths (p = <0.01 for both conditions), whereas ENNDs were more likely to have a healthy mother (p < 0.01). The main causes of neonatal death were related to immaturity (48.7%) and hypoxia (40.6%). 173 (25.2%) of all late perinatal deaths had a birth weight less than the 10th centile for gestational age. CONCLUSION : A significant proportion of women have no recognisable obstetric or medical condition at the time of a late perinatal death; we may be limited in our ability to predict poor perinatal outcome if emphasis is put on detecting maternal complications prior to a perinatal death. Intrapartum care and hypertensive disease remain high priority areas for addressing perinatal mortality. Consideration needs to be given to novel ways of detecting growth restriction in a LMIC setting.http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpregnancychildbirtham201

What is needed for taking emergency obstetric and neonatal programmes to scale?

Scaling up an emergency obstetric and neonatal care (EmONC) programme entails reaching a larger number of people in a potentially broader geographical area.Multiple strategies requiring simultaneous attention should be deployed. This paper provides a framework for understanding the implementation, scale-up and sustainability of such programmes. We reviewed the existing literature and drew on our experience in scaling up the Essential Steps in the Management of Obstetric Emergencies (ESMOE) programme in South Africa.We explore the non-linear change process and conditions to be met for taking an existing EmONC programme to scale. Important concepts cutting across all components of a programme are equity, quality and leadership. Conditions to be met include appropriate awareness across the board and a policy environment that leads to the following: commitment, health systems-strengthening actions, allocation of resources (human, financial and capital/material), dissemination and training, supportive supervision and monitoring and evaluation.Medical Research Council of South Africa,the University of Pretoria and the School of Women's and Infants' Health at the University of Western Australia.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/bpobgyn2016-11-30hb201

Attitudes towards the implementation of universal umbilical artery lactate analysis in a South African district hospital

BACKGROUND : Of the 5.54 million stillbirths and neonatal deaths occurring globally each year, a significant amount of these occur in the setting of inadequate intrapartum care. The introduction of universal umbilical artery lactate (UA) measurements in this setting may improve outcomes by providing an objective measurement of quality of care and stimulating case reflection, audit, and practice change. It is important that consideration is given to the barriers and facilitators to implementing this tool outside of a research setting. METHODS : During the period 16/11/2014 -13/01/2015, we conducted a training course in cardiotocograph (CTG) interpretation, fetal physiology, and the sampling and analysing of UA lactate, with a pre and post questionnaire aimed at assessing the barriers and facilitators to the introduction of universal UA lactate in a district hospital in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. RESULTS : Thirty-five pre-training questionnaires available (overall response rate 95 %) and 22 post training questionnaires (response rate 63 %) were available for analysis. Prior to training, the majority gave positive responses (strongly agree or agree) that measuring UA lactate assists neonatal care, is protective for staff medicolegally, and improves opportunities for audit and teaching of maternity practice (n = 33, 30, 32; 94.4 %, 85.7 %, 91.4 % respectively). Respondents remained positive about the benefits post training. An increased workload on medical or midwifery staff was less likely to be seen as barrier following training (71 vs. 38.9 % positive response, p = 0.038). A higher rate of respondents felt that expense and lack of equipment were likely to be barriers after completing training, although this wasn’t significant. There was a trend towards lack of time and expertise being less likely to be seen as barriers post training. CONCLUSION : The majority of participants providing intrapartum care in this setting are positive about the role of universal UA lactate analysis and the potential benefits it provides. Training aids in overcoming some of the perceived barriers to implementation of universal UA lactate analysis.Emma Allanson is a PhD candidate funded by the University of Western Australia with an Australian post-graduate award, and an Athelstan and Amy Saw Medical top-up scholarship, and by the Women and Infants Research Foundation with a Gordon King doctor of philosophy scholarship.http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpregnancychildbirtham2016Obstetrics and Gynaecolog

Impact of maternal HIV on umbilical cord lactate measurement at delivery in a South African labor ward

OBJECTIVE : To assess umbilical artery lactate levels and perinatal outcomes among women with and without HIV infection. METHODS : The present prospective cohort study recruited women planning to undergo vaginal delivery at Kalafong Hospital, South Africa, between March 3 and November 12, 2014. Umbilical artery lactate levels were measured and perinatal outcome data were recorded. Outcome analyses were stratified by maternal HIV status, and a subgroup analysis was performed where women with a CD4 count below 350 × 106 cells/L were compared with women without HIV. RESULTS : In total, 936 women with singleton fetuses were enrolled. Maternal HIV status was available for 897 (95.8%) participants, of whom 202 (21.6%) had HIV infections. Overall, 186 (92.1%) women with HIV infections received prophylaxis or treatment. There was no difference between participants with and without HIV infections in the preterm delivery rate (P=0.770), mode of delivery (P=0.354), neonatal resuscitation rate (P=0.717), 1‐ or 5‐minute Apgar scores below 7 (P=0.353), or the rate of having an umbilical artery lactate level above 5.45 mmol/L (P=0.301). Similarly, there were no differences in outcomes in the subgroup analysis of women with a CD4 count below 350 × 106 cells/L. CONCLUSION : Umbilical artery lactate levels and perinatal outcomes were found to be comparable between patients with and without HIV infections in a South African setting.University of Western Australia; Women and Infants Research Foundationhttp://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/ijgo2019-06-01hj2018Obstetrics and Gynaecolog

Interventions to Increase Follow-Up of Abnormal Cervical Cancer Screening Results: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION: Ensuring timely follow-up of abnormal screening results is essential for eliminating cervical cancer. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to review single and multicomponent interventions designed to improve follow-up of women with abnormal cervical cancer screening results. We report on effectiveness across studies, and describe what aspects of these interventions might be more impactful. METHODS: Publications were searched between January 2000 and December 2022. The search included observational, quasi-experimental (pre-post studies) and randomized controlled studies describing at least one intervention to increase follow-up of women with abnormal cervical cancer screening results. Outcomes of studies included completion of any follow-up (i.e., attending a follow-up appointment), timely diagnosis (i.e., colposcopy results within 90 days of screening) and time to diagnostic resolution (i.e., days between screening and final diagnosis). We assessed risk of bias for observational and quasi-experimental studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) tool and the Cochrane collaboration tool for randomized studies. We conducted a meta-analysis using studies where data were provided to estimate a summary average effect of the interventions on follow-up of patients and to identify characteristics of studies associated with an increased effectiveness of interventions. We extracted the comparison and intervention proportions of women with follow-up before and after the intervention (control and intervention) and plotted the odds ratios (ORs) of completing follow-up along with the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using forest plots for the interventions vs. controls when data were available. FINDINGS: From 7,457 identified studies, 28 met the inclusion criteria. Eleven (39%) of the included studies had used a randomized design. Most studies (63%) assessed completion of any follow-up visit as the primary outcome, whereas others measured time to definite diagnosis (15%) or diagnostic resolution (22%). Navigation was used as a type of intervention in 63% of the included studies. Most interventions utilized behavioral approaches to improve outcomes. The overall estimate of the OR for completion of follow-up for all interventions was 1.81 (1.36-2.42). The highest impact was for programs using more than one approach (multicomponent interventions) to improve outcomes with OR = 3.01 (2.03-4.46), compared with studies with single intervention approaches with OR = 1.56 (1.14-2.14). No statistical risks were noted from publication bias or small-study effects in the studies reviewed. CONCLUSION: Our findings revealed large heterogeneity in how follow-up of abnormal cervical cancer screening results was defined. Our results suggest that multicomponent interventions were more effective than single component interventions and should be used to improve follow-up after abnormal cervical cancer screening results. Navigation appears to be an important tool for improving follow-up. We also provide recommendations for future studies and implications for policy in terms of better defining outcomes for these interventions

Applying the international classification of diseases to perinatal mortality data, South Africa

OBJECTIVE : To examine the feasibility of applying the International Classification of Diseases-perinatal mortality (ICD-PM) coding to an existing data set in the classification of perinatal deaths. METHODS : One author, a researcher with a non-clinical public health background, applied the ICD-PM coding system to South Africa’s national perinatal mortality audit system, the Perinatal Problem Identification Program. The database for this study included all perinatal deaths (n = 26 810), defined as either stillbirths (of birth weight > 1000 g and after 28 weeks of gestation) or early neonatal deaths (age 0–7 days), that occurred between 1 October 2013 and 31 December 2016. A clinical obstetrician verified the coding. FINDINGS : The South African classification system does not include the timing of death; however, under the ICD-PM system, deaths could be classified as antepartum (n = 15 619; 58.2%), intrapartum (n = 3725; 14.0%) or neonatal (n = 7466; 27.8%). Further, the South African classification system linked a maternal condition to only 40.3% (10 802/26 810) of all perinatal deaths; this proportion increased to 68.9% (18 467/26 810) under the ICD-PM system. CONCLUSION : The main benefit of using the clinically relevant and user-friendly ICD-PM system was an enhanced understanding of the data, in terms of both timing of death and maternal conditions. We have also demonstrated that it is feasible to convert an existing perinatal mortality classification system to one which is globally comparable and can inform policy-makers internationally.http://www.who.int/bulletin/enam2019Afrikaan

Review of gynaecological cancer among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in Australia

Gynaecological cancers bear a significant burden on the health of Australians. Whilst Australia has made great strides in reducing the overall gynaecological cancer burden nationally, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women continue to experience disproportionately high rates of gynaecological cancers. This review focuses on the social, cultural, and historical contexts that contribute to inequitable gynaecological cancer rates among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women. An in-depth discussion on cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer are described; including the incidence, mortality, survival, and management of these diseases for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women. It highlights both the persistent barriers and facilitators relating to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander women’s uptake of preventative measures and treatments, including their use of services and programs relating to the management of gynaecological cancers. This review summarises past and current policies and strategies implemented by the Australian Government and other cancer related peak bodies that aim to address this health issue. It recommends that critical attention be given to risk reduction, participation in cancer screening programs, and improved access to culturally appropriate, high quality primary health care and tertiary specialist services. This would address inequitable differences faced by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and reduce the overall burden of gynaecological cancers

Mood, Activity Participation, and Leisure Engagement Satisfaction (MAPLES): Results From a Randomised Controlled Pilot Feasibility Trial for Low Mood in Acquired Brain Injury

Background: Acquired brain injury (ABI) is linked to increased depression risk. Existing therapies for depression in ABI (e.g., Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) have mixed efficacy. Behavioural Activation (BA), an intervention that encourages engaging in positively reinforcing activities, shows promise. The primary aims were to assess feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of two 8-week BA groups. Methods: Adults (≥ 18 years) recruited from local ABI services, charities, and self-referral via social media were randomised to condition. The Activity Planning group (AP; “traditional” BA) trained participants to plan reinforcing activities over 8 weeks, the Activity Engagement group (AE; “experiential” BA) encouraged engagement in positive activities within session only. Both BA groups were compared to an 8-week Waitlist group (WL). The primary outcomes, feasibility and acceptability, were assessed via recruitment, retention, attendance, and qualitative feedback on groups. The secondary outcome, potential efficacy, was assessed via blinded assessments of self-reported activity levels, depression, and anxiety (at pre- and post-intervention and 1 month follow up) and were compared across trial arms. Data were collected in-person and remotely due to COVID-19. Results: N = 60 participants were randomised to AP (randomised n = 22; total n = 29), AE (randomised n = 22; total n = 28), or re-randomised following WL (total n = 16). Whether in-person or remote, AP and AE were rated as similarly enjoyable and. In exploring efficacy, 58.33% of AP members had clinically meaningful activity level improvements, relative to 50% AE and 38.5% WL. Both AP and AE groups had depression reductions relative to WL, but only AP participants demonstrated anxiety reductions relative to AE and WL. AP participants noted benefits of learning strategies to increase activities and learning from other group members. AE participants valued social discussion and choice in selecting in-session activities. Conclusions: Both in-person and remote group BA were feasible and acceptable in ABI. Though both traditional and experiential BA may be effective, these may have different mechanisms. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03874650. Protocol version 2.3, May 26th 2020

Seeking order amidst chaos: a systematic review of classification systems for causes of stillbirth and neonatal death, 2009-2014.

BACKGROUND: Each year, about 5.3 million babies die in the perinatal period. Understanding of causes of death is critical for prevention, yet there is no globally acceptable classification system. Instead, many disparate systems have been developed and used. We aimed to identify all systems used or created between 2009 and 2014, with their key features, including extent of alignment with the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and variation in features by region, to inform the World Health Organization's development of a new global approach to classifying perinatal deaths. METHODS: A systematic literature review (CINAHL, EMBASE, Medline, Global Health, and PubMed) identified published and unpublished studies and national reports describing new classification systems or modifications of existing systems for causes of perinatal death, or that used or tested such systems, between 2009 and 2014. Studies reporting ICD use only were excluded. Data were independently double-extracted (except from non-English publications). Subgroup analyses explored variation by extent and region. RESULTS: Eighty-one systems were identified as new, modifications of existing systems, or having been used between 2009 and 2014, with an average of ten systems created/modified each year. Systems had widely varying characteristics: (i) comprehensiveness (40 systems classified both stillbirths and neonatal deaths); (ii) extent of use (systems were created in 28 countries and used in 40; 17 were created for national use; 27 were widely used); (iii) accessibility (three systems available in e-format); (iv) underlying cause of death (64 systems required a single cause of death); (v) reliability (10 systems tested for reliability, with overall Kappa scores ranging from .35-.93); and (vi) ICD alignment (17 systems used ICD codes). Regional databases were not searched, so system numbers may be underestimated. Some non-differential misclassification of systems was possible. CONCLUSIONS: The plethora of systems in use, and continuing system development, hamper international efforts to improve understanding of causes of death. Recognition of the features of currently used systems, combined with a better understanding of the drivers of continued system creation, may help the development of a truly effective global system.The Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, AustraliaThis is the final version of the article. It first appeared from BioMed Central via http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12884-016-1071-