Increase in blood pressure over a 7-year period in a mixed-ancestry South African population

Background. An increase in the prevalence of high blood pressure (BP) has been reported globally and in the South African (SA) population.Objectives. To investigate temporal changes in absolute BP levels and hypertension prevalence in the mixed-ancestry South Africans.Methods. Participants were from two independent cross-sectional surveys conducted during 2008/09 (N=928) and 2014/16 (N=1 969) in Bellville South, Cape Town, SA. Participants’ eligibility was based on several criteria, including age >20 years and neither bedridden nor pregnant. Data were obtained by administered questionnaires, clinical measurements (BP and anthropometry) and biochemical assessments (oral glucose tolerance tests and cotinine levels). Known hypertension was based on a self-reported history of doctor-diagnosed hypertension and ongoing treatment. Comparison across years was based on the crude prevalence of hypertension as well as direct age-standardised prevalence, based on the SA 2011 mixed-ancestry population distribution, in 10-year age increments.Results. In all, 708 participants (76.3%) in 2008/09 and 1 488 (75.6%) in 2014/16 were female. Between 2008/09 and 2014/16, mean systolic BP increased from 124 to 136 mmHg (absolute mean difference 15 mmHg) and mean diastolic BP from 75 to 85 mmHg (absolute mean difference 9 mmHg) in the overall sample. The prevalence of screen-detected hypertension increased from 11.6% to 24.8%, with a similar increase in males and females, while the prevalence of known cases remained stable. These changes remained significant after adjustment for age and gender.Conclusions. A rightward shift in absolute BP translated into a significant increase in the prevalence of hypertension over time in this population. The predominant increases in screen-detected hypertension suggest that the deteriorating profile was not matched by efforts to detect and manage individuals with higher-than-optimal BP levels.

Increase in blood pressure over a 7-year period in a mixed-ancestry South African population

CITATION: Davids, S. F. G., et al. 2019. Increase in blood pressure over a 7-year period in a mixed-ancestry South African population. South African Medical Journal, 109(7):503-510, doi:10.7196/SAMJ.2019.v109i7.13663.The original publication is available at http://www.samj.org.zaBackground. An increase in the prevalence of high blood pressure (BP) has been reported globally and in the South African (SA) population. Objectives. To investigate temporal changes in absolute BP levels and hypertension prevalence in the mixed-ancestry South Africans. Methods. Participants were from two independent cross-sectional surveys conducted during 2008/09 (N=928) and 2014/16 (N=1 969) in Bellville South, Cape Town, SA. Participants’ eligibility was based on several criteria, including age >20 years and neither bedridden nor pregnant. Data were obtained by administered questionnaires, clinical measurements (BP and anthropometry) and biochemical assessments (oral glucose tolerance tests and cotinine levels). Known hypertension was based on a self-reported history of doctor-diagnosed hypertension and ongoing treatment. Comparison across years was based on the crude prevalence of hypertension as well as direct age-standardised prevalence, based on the SA 2011 mixed-ancestry population distribution, in 10-year age increments. Results. In all, 708 participants (76.3%) in 2008/09 and 1 488 (75.6%) in 2014/16 were female. Between 2008/09 and 2014/16, mean systolic BP increased from 124 to 136 mmHg (absolute mean difference 15 mmHg) and mean diastolic BP from 75 to 85 mmHg (absolute mean difference 9 mmHg) in the overall sample. The prevalence of screen-detected hypertension increased from 11.6% to 24.8%, with a similar increase in males and females, while the prevalence of known cases remained stable. These changes remained significant after adjustment for age and gender. Conclusions. A rightward shift in absolute BP translated into a significant increase in the prevalence of hypertension over time in this population. The predominant increases in screen-detected hypertension suggest that the deteriorating profile was not matched by efforts to detect and manage individuals with higher-than-optimal BP levels.http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/view/12642Publisher's versio

Leadership and early strategic response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic at a COVID-19 designated hospital in South Africa

While many countries are preparing to face the COVID-19 pandemic, the reported cases in Africa remain low. With a high burden of both communicable and non-communicable disease and a resource-constrained public healthcare system, sub-Saharan Africa is preparing for the coming crisis as best it can. We describe our early response as a designated COVID-19 provincial hospital in Cape Town, South Africa (SA).While the first cases reported were related to international travel, at the time of writing there was evidence of early community spread. The SAgovernment announced a countrywide lockdown from midnight 26 March 2020 to midnight 30 April 2020 to stem the pandemic and save lives. However, many questions remain on how the COVID-19 threat will unfold in SA, given the significant informal sector overcrowding and poverty in our communities. There is no doubt that leadership and teamwork at all levels is critical in influencing outcomes

Imaging-guided chest biopsies: techniques and clinical results

Background This article aims to comprehensively describe indications, contraindications, technical aspects, diagnostic accuracy and complications of percutaneous lung biopsy. Methods Imaging-guided biopsy currently represents one of the predominant methods for obtaining tissue specimens in patients with lung nodules; in many cases treatment protocols are based on histological information; thus, biopsy is frequently performed, when technically feasible, or in case other techniques (such as bronchoscopy with lavage) are inconclusive. Results Although a coaxial system is suitable in any case, two categories of needles can be used: fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and core-needle biopsy (CNB), with the latter demonstrated to have a slightly higher overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. Conclusion Percutaneous lung biopsy is a safe procedure even though a few complications are possible: pneumothorax, pulmonary haemorrhage and haemoptysis are common complications, while air embolism and seeding are rare, but potentially fatal complications

Ring closing reaction in diarylethene captured by femtosecond electron crystallography

The photoinduced ring-closing reaction in diarylethene, which serves as a model system for understanding reactive crossings through conical intersections, was directly observed with atomic resolution using femtosecond electron diffraction. Complementary ab initio calculations were also performed. Immediately following photoexcitation, subpicosecond structural changes associated with the formation of an open-ring excited-state intermediate were resolved. The key motion is the rotation of the thiophene rings, which significantly decreases the distance between the reactive carbon atoms prior to ring closing. Subsequently, on the few picosecond time scale, localized torsional motions of the carbon atoms lead to the formation of the closed-ring photoproduct. These direct observations of the molecular motions driving an organic chemical reaction were only made possible through the development of an ultrabright electron source to capture the atomic motions within the limited number of sampling frames and the low data acquisition rate dictated by the intrinsically poor thermal conductivity and limited photoreversibility of organic materials

Relationship Between Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Blood Levels of Epstein-Barr Virus in Children in North-Western Tanzania: A Case Control Study.

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas (NHL) are common in African children, with endemic Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) being the most common subtype. While the role of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) in endemic BL is known, no data are available about clinical presentations of NHL subtypes and their relationship to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) load in peripheral blood of children in north-western, Tanzania. A matched case control study of NHL subtypes was performed in children under 15 years of age and their respective controls admitted to Bugando Medical Centre, Sengerema and Shirati district designated hospitals in north-western, Tanzania, between September 2010 and April 2011. Peripheral blood samples were collected on Whatman 903 filter papers and EBV DNA levels were estimated by multiplex real-time PCR. Clinical and laboratory data were collected using a structured data collection tool and analysed using chi-square, Fisher and Wilcoxon rank sum tests where appropriate. The association between NHL and detection of EBV in peripheral blood was assessed using conditional logistic regression model and presented as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). A total of 35 NHL cases and 70 controls matched for age and sex were enrolled. Of NHLs, 32 had BL with equal distribution between jaw and abdominal tumour, 2 had large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and 1 had NHL-not otherwise specified (NHL-NOS). Central nervous system (CNS) presentation occurred only in 1 BL patient; 19 NHLs had stage I and II of disease. Only 1 NHL was found to be HIV-seropositive. Twenty-one of 35 (60%) NHL and 21 of 70 (30%) controls had detectable EBV in peripheral blood (OR = 4.77, 95% CI 1.71 - 13.33, p = 0.003). In addition, levels of EBV in blood were significantly higher in NHL cases than in controls (p = 0.024). BL is the most common childhood NHL subtype in north-western Tanzania. NHLs are not associated with HIV infection, but are strongly associated with EBV load in peripheral blood. The findings suggest that high levels of EBV in blood might have diagnostic and prognostic relevance in African children

How to halt the global decline of lands

The assessment of land degradation and restoration by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services shows that land degradation across the globe is a wide and severe issue and is showing no signs of slowing down. This trend must be halted and reversed