How value perspectives influence decision-making in the South African private healthcare sector: A cross-sectional comparative study.

Background: Every healthcare clinical event aims to create value at a certain cost. This value has been defined as the outcome achieved (the degree to which a care event achieved a clinical goal) divided by the cost incurred (determined by the combined price charged by the care provides) to generate the outcome. Subsequently, patient experience has been included as a third factor contributing to value of care, but its value and relationship relative to clinical outcome and event cost is not well understood.

Changes in patient-reported outcomes during admission to a South African psychiatric facility.

Background: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are used as part of clinical practice to determine the impact of the condition and treatment interventions on a patient's health and quality of life. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a self-administered diagnostic tool that has been widely adopted for the detection and monitoring of depression.

Aim: This analysis reports the change in PHQ-9 scores from admission to discharge in patients admitted for depression to a South African acute psychiatric facility and aims to quantify the treatment effect of the admission using the PHQ-9 as the measurement tool.

Method of Anesthesia and Perioperative Risk Factors, Maternal Anesthesia Complications, and Neonatal Mortality Following Cesarean Delivery in Africa: A Substudy of a 7-Day Prospective Observational Cohort Study.

Background: The African Surgical Outcomes Study (ASOS) found that maternal mortality following cesarean delivery in Africa is 50 times higher than in high-income countries, and associated with obstetric hemorrhage and anesthesia complications. Mothers who died were more likely to receive general anesthesia (GA). The associations between GA versus spinal anesthesia (SA) and preoperative risk factors, maternal anesthesia complications, and neonatal outcomes following cesarean delivery in Africa are unknown.

An Evaluation of Severe Anesthetic-Related Critical Incidents and Risks From the South African Paediatric Surgical Outcomes Study: A 14-Day Prospective, Observational Cohort Study of Pediatric Surgical Patients.

Background: Severe anesthetic-related critical incident (SARCI) monitoring is an essential component of safe, quality anesthetic care. Predominantly retrospective data from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) report higher incidence but similar types of SARCI compared to high-income countries (HIC). The aim of our study was to describe the baseline incidence of SARCI in a middle-income country (MIC) and to identify associated risk for SARCI.

Natriuretic peptide-directed medical therapy: a systematic review.

Natriuretic peptides (NP) are strongly associated with perioperative cardiovascular events. However, in patients with raised NP, it remains unknown whether treatment to reduce NP levels prior to surgery results in better perioperative outcomes. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we investigate NP-directed medical therapy in non-surgical patients to provide guidance for NP-directed medical therapy in surgical patients.

Fracture-related infections in HIV infected patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the incidence of fracture-related infections (FRI) following surgical management of closed and open fractures in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, ProQuest, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library and Scopus. Our own files and reference lists of identified key articles were also searched.

An audit of paediatric pain prevalence, intensity, and treatment at a South African tertiary hospital.

Introduction: Pain in paediatric inpatients is common, underrecognised, and undertreated in resource-rich countries. Little is known about the status of paediatric pain prevention and treatment in low- and middle-income countries.

Objectives: This audit aimed to describe the prevalence and severity of pain in paediatric patients at a tertiary hospital in South Africa.

The role of cardiac rehabilitation using exercise to decrease natriuretic peptide levels in non-surgical patients: a systematic review.

Exercise is recommended in patients with cardiac failure. In the perioperative patient, exercise is also gaining popularity as a form of prehabilitation. In this meta-analysis, we examine if exercise is able to reduce natriuretic peptide levels.

Maternal and neonatal outcomes after caesarean delivery in the African Surgical Outcomes Study: a 7-day prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Maternal and neonatal mortality is high in Africa, but few large, prospective studies have been done to investigate the risk factors associated with these poor maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Methods: A 7-day, international, prospective, observational cohort study was done in patients having caesarean delivery in 183 hospitals across 22 countries in Africa. The inclusion criteria were all consecutive patients (aged ≥18 years) admitted to participating centres having elective and non-elective caesarean delivery during the 7-day study cohort period.

Humeral Stem Loosening Following Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Aseptic stem loosening following reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is an uncommon complication. The timing and the factors contributing to aseptic stem loosening remain poorly understood.

Methods: We performed a systematic review that identified 75 articles; 65 of the included articles were case series (Level-IV evidence), 8 were cohort studies (7 Level III, 1 Level II), and 2 were prospective randomized controlled trials (Level I).

A Prospective International Multicentre Cohort Study of Intraoperative Heart Rate and Systolic Blood Pressure and Myocardial Injury After Noncardiac Surgery: Results of the VISION Study.

Background: The association between intraoperative cardiovascular changes and perioperative myocardial injury has chiefly focused on hypotension during noncardiac surgery. However, the relative influence of blood pressure and heart rate (HR) remains unclear. We investigated both individual and codependent relationships among intraoperative HR, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS).

Predicting postoperative haemoglobin changes after burn surgery.

Background: Burn surgery is associated with significant blood loss and fluid shifts that cause rapid haemoglobin (Hb) changes during and after surgery. Understanding the relationship between intraoperative and postoperative (day 1) Hb changes may assist in avoiding postoperative anaemia and unnecessary peri-operative blood transfusion.

Objective: To describe the Hb changes into the first day after burn surgery and to identify factors predictive of Hb changes that would guide blood transfusion decisions.

Association of Postoperative High-Sensitivity Troponin Levels With Myocardial Injury and 30-Day Mortality Among Patients Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery.

Importance: Little is known about the relationship between perioperative high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) measurements and 30-day mortality and myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS).

Objective: To determine the association between perioperative hsTnT measurements and 30-day mortality and potential diagnostic criteria for MINS (ie, myocardial injury due to ischemia associated with 30-day mortality).

Design, Setting, And Participants: Prospective cohort study of patients aged 45 years or older who underwent inpatient noncardiac surgery and had a postoperative hsTnT measurement.

Prophylactic Phenylephrine Infusions to Reduce Severe Spinal Anesthesia Hypotension During Cesarean Delivery in a Resource-Constrained Environment.

Phenylephrine infusions are considered as standard management for obstetric spinal hypotension, but there remains reluctance to implement them in resource-limited contexts. This prospective, alternating intervention study of patients undergoing elective or urgent cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia compared a vasopressor bolus strategy to fixed-rate, low-dose prophylactic phenylephrine infusion with supplemental boluses. The primary outcome was the incidence of severe hypotension (mean arterial pressure <70% baseline or systolic blood pressure <80 mm Hg).

Recipes for obstetric spinal hypotension: The clinical context counts.

Hypotension following obstetric spinal anaesthesia remains a common and important problem. While recent research advances have brought us closer to the perfect recipe for the obstetric spinal anaesthetic, these advances have not been translated into practical guidelines able to reduce the unacceptable number of fatalities that occur in environments where resources are limited. In South Africa, more than half of anaesthetic deaths are still related to spinal hypotension.

Predicting the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events within 30 days of a vascular surgery: an empirical comparison of the minimum p value method and ROC curve approach using individual patient data meta-analysis.

We aimed to compare the minimum p value method and the area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve approach to categorize continuous biomarkers for the prediction of postoperative 30-day major adverse cardiac events in noncardiac vascular surgery patients. Individual-patient data from six cohorts reporting B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) were obtained. These biomarkers were dichotomized using the minimum p value method and compared with previously reported ROC curve-derived thresholds using logistic regression analysis.

What is the effectiveness of printed educational materials on primary care physician knowledge, behaviour, and patient outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analyses.

Background: Printed educational materials (PEMs) are commonly used simple interventions that can be used alone or with other interventions to disseminate clinical evidence. They have been shown to have a small effect on health professional behaviour. However, we do not know whether they are effective in primary care.

Comparison of hydroxyethyl starch colloids with crystalloids for surgical patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Fluid therapy is one of the most ubiquitous medical therapeutic interventions. There is a debate over whether colloids or crystalloids are better for fluid resuscitation. Recent large trials and meta-analyses suggest no mortality benefit and possible harm with hydroxyethyl starch (HES) use.

N-terminal pro-B-type Natriuretic Peptides' Prognostic Utility Is Overestimated in Meta-analyses Using Study-specific Optimal Diagnostic Thresholds.

Background: N-terminal fragment B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) prognostic utility is commonly determined post hoc by identifying a single optimal discrimination threshold tailored to the individual study population. The authors aimed to determine how using these study-specific post hoc thresholds impacts meta-analysis results.

Methods: The authors conducted a systematic review of studies reporting the ability of preoperative NT-proBNP measurements to predict the composite outcome of all-cause mortality and nonfatal myocardial infarction at 30 days after noncardiac surgery.

The use of preoperative B-type natriuretic peptide as a predictor of atrial fibrillation after thoracic surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine whether elevated preoperative B-type natriuretic peptide (NP) measurements are an independent predictor of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients having thoracic surgery.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Setting: In-hospital and 30 days after thoracic surgery.

Aspirin in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery.

Background: There is substantial variability in the perioperative administration of aspirin in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery, both among patients who are already on an aspirin regimen and among those who are not.

Methods: Using a 2-by-2 factorial trial design, we randomly assigned 10,010 patients who were preparing to undergo noncardiac surgery and were at risk for vascular complications to receive aspirin or placebo and clonidine or placebo. The results of the aspirin trial are reported here.

Clonidine in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery.

Background: Marked activation of the sympathetic nervous system occurs during and after noncardiac surgery. Low-dose clonidine, which blunts central sympathetic outflow, may prevent perioperative myocardial infarction and death without inducing hemodynamic instability.

Methods: We performed a blinded, randomized trial with a 2-by-2 factorial design to allow separate evaluation of low-dose clonidine versus placebo and low-dose aspirin versus placebo in patients with, or at risk for, atherosclerotic disease who were undergoing noncardiac surgery.

Myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery: a large, international, prospective cohort study establishing diagnostic criteria, characteristics, predictors, and 30-day outcomes.

Background: Myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS) was defined as prognostically relevant myocardial injury due to ischemia that occurs during or within 30 days after noncardiac surgery. The study's four objectives were to determine the diagnostic criteria, characteristics, predictors, and 30-day outcomes of MINS.

Methods: In this international, prospective cohort study of 15,065 patients aged 45 yr or older who underwent in-patient noncardiac surgery, troponin T was measured during the first 3 postoperative days.

What evidence is there for intraoperative predictors of perioperative cardiac outcomes? A systematic review.

Background: Patients undergo cardiac preoperative evaluation to identify those at risk of adverse perioperative cardiac events. The Revised Cardiac Risk index is commonly used for this task, although it is unable to accurately risk stratify in all patients. This may be partly a result of intraoperative events which significantly modify preoperative risk.