Child pedestrian, drowning and burn mortality in Johannesburg.

The study examined the extent, demographics and risks for child pedestrian, burns and drowning mortality in Johannesburg. Information on the demographics, scene and temporal circumstances for childhood injury deaths from 2000 to 2010 was gleaned from the National Injury Mortality Surveillance System. Descriptive statistical methods were used.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms in a patient with Cushing's syndrome.

Cushing's syndrome (CS) may present with different neurological and/or psychiatric symptoms including anxiety, depression, cognitive impairment and psychosis. Psychosis is a rare clinical manifestation, with literature limited to case reports. We report a case of a 52-year-old woman with psychosis secondary to CS who was mis-diagnosed as schizophrenia-like psychosis.

Fidelity of implementation of the building bridges mentoring intervention to prevent violence among youth in low income settings.

Violence among youth is a major health and safety burden globally. There is a dearth in the development and evaluation of targeted interventions that addresses the multi-faceted nature of youth violence to ensure effectiveness and replicability. This study aims to systematically evaluate the fidelity of implementation of the Building Bridges Mentoring intervention that focuses on the prevention of youth violence in two low-income communities in South Africa.

SDHB-Associated Paraganglioma Syndrome in Africa-A Need for Greater Genetic Testing.

A germline mutation is identified in almost 40% of pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL) syndromes. Genetic testing and counseling are essential for the management of index cases as well as presymptomatic identification and preemptive management of affected family members. Mutations in the genes encoding the mitochondrial enzyme succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) are well described in patients with hereditary PPGL.

Secondary hypertension: An update on the diagnosis and localisation of a pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma.

Most cases of hypertension are because of essential hypertension, however 5% - 15% of cases can be a result of a secondary cause. In this article, we focus on the endocrine causes of secondary hypertension with a particular focus on pheochromocytomas (PCCs) and paragangliomas (PGLs). Around 15 endocrine disorders can initially present with hypertension.

Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome Secondary to Metastatic Paraganglioma.

Paraneoplastic or ectopic Cushing's syndrome (CS) is a rare cause of endogenous hypercortisolism. It is due to ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion and has been reported in association with a variety of neuroendocrine tumors such as small-cell lung carcinoma, carcinoid tumors, and medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. Paragangliomas (PGLs) are rare neuroendocrine tumors that can secrete catecholamines.

Acromegaly with empty sella syndrome.

Summary: Acromegaly is a rare, chronic progressive disorder with characteristic clinical features caused by persistent hypersecretion of growth hormone (GH), mostly from a pituitary adenoma (95%). Occasionally, ectopic production of GH or growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) with resultant GH hypersecretion may lead to acromegaly. Sometimes localizing the source of GH hypersecretion may prove difficult.

Neighbourhood characteristics associated with child pedestrian fatalities in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The present study investigated the relationship between neighbourhood characteristics and childhood pedestrian fatalities (2001-2010) in Johannesburg, South Africa. This cross-sectional study used negative binomial regression models. Results indicate that: areas with high concentrated disadvantage have elevated childhood pedestrian deaths, especially for those aged 5 to 9 years.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Complex, Multi-component, Dynamic, Community-Based Injury Prevention Interventions: A Statistical Framework.

Dynamic violence and injury prevention interventions located within community settings raise evaluation challenges by virtue of their complex structure, focus, and aims. They try to address many risk factors simultaneously, are often overlapped in their implementation, and their implementation may be phased over time. This article proposes a statistical and analytic framework for evaluating the effectiveness of multilevel, multisystem, multi-component, community-driven, dynamic interventions.

Community, intervention and provider support influences on implementation: reflections from a South African illustration of safety, peace and health promotion.

Background: The development, implementation and evaluation of community interventions are important for reducing child violence and injuries in low- to middle-income contexts, with successful implementation critical to effective intervention outcomes. The assessment of implementation processes is required to identify the factors that influence effective implementation. This article draws on a child safety, peace and health initiative to examine key factors that enabled or hindered its implementation, in a context characterised by limited resources.