Motivational interviewing and problem-solving therapy intervention for patients on antiretroviral therapy for HIV in Tshwane, South Africa: A randomized controlled trial to assess the impact on alcohol consumption.

Background And Aims: Reduction of alcohol consumption is important for people undergoing treatment for HIV. We tested the efficacy of a brief intervention for reducing the average volume of alcohol consumed among patients on HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Design, Setting And Participants: This study used a two-arm multi-centre randomized controlled trial with follow-up to 6 months.

The illness burden of gastrointestinal illness is two times higher if it is associated with systemic symptoms and signs: a cross-sectional study of the super rugby tournament over 5 seasons (102,738 player-days).

Background: Gastrointestinal tract illness (GITill) in rugby players is underreported. The incidence, severity (% time loss illness, days lost per illness) and burden of GITill with/without systemic symptoms and signs in professional South African male rugby players during the Super Rugby tournament (2013-2017) are reported.

Methods: Team physicians completed daily illness logs of players (N.

The Diagnostic Performance of 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT in Prostate Cancer Patients with Early Recurrence after Definitive Therapy with a PSA <10 ng/ml.

Aim: The prostate bed is one of the common sites of early recurrence of prostate cancer. The currently used PSMA ligands (Ga-PSMA-11 and Tc-PSMA) undergo early urinary clearance resulting in interfering physiological activity within and surrounding the prostate. This can result in sites of cancer recurrence being obscured.

Influence of first- and second-generation antipsychotics on anthropometric parameters of male psychiatric patients.

Background: The use of antipsychotic medication, particularly second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease in people with severe mental illness (SMI). Few studies have compared body measures of people with SMI taking first generation antipsychotics (FGAs) to those taking SGAs.

Aim: We compare body measures between long-term male inpatients using either FGAs or SGAs.

A comparison of the diagnostic performance of F-PSMA-1007 and GA-PSMA-11 in the same patients presenting with early biochemical recurrence.

Objective: Accurate early assessment of biochemical recurrence is essential in determining the correct treatment plan for patients with prostate cancer. Gallium-68-prostate-specific membrane antigen-11 (Ga-PSMA-11) targeting PSMA has been at the forefront of imaging in biochemical recurrence however the emergence of fluorine-18 (F)-PSMA-1007 may prove to be advantageous over the Ga-PSMA-11 molecule due to its physical and physiologic al attributes. The aim of our study was to assess the diagnostic performance of F-PSMA-1007 as compared to that of Ga-PSMA-11 in the same patients who presented with biochemical recurrence.

Days until return-to-play differ for sub-categories of acute respiratory tract illness in Super Rugby players: A cross-sectional study over 5 seasons (102,738 player-days).

Objectives: To document incidence rate and severity of specific sub-categories of respiratory tract illness (RTill) in rugby players during the Super Rugby tournament.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: Team physicians completed daily illness logs in 537 professional male rugby players from South African teams participating in the Super Rugby Union tournaments (2013-2017) (1141 player-seasons, 102,738 player-days).

Short-term real-time prediction of total number of reported COVID-19 cases and deaths in South Africa: a data driven approach.

Background: The rising burden of the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic in South Africa has motivated the application of modeling strategies to predict the COVID-19 cases and deaths. Reliable and accurate short and long-term forecasts of COVID-19 cases and deaths, both at the national and provincial level, are a key aspect of the strategy to handle the COVID-19 epidemic in the country.

Methods: In this paper we apply the previously validated approach of phenomenological models, fitting several non-linear growth curves (Richards, 3 and 4 parameter logistic, Weibull and Gompertz), to produce short term forecasts of COVID-19 cases and deaths at the national level as well as the provincial level.

The clinical outcomes of patients with diabetes and hypertension in a peri-urban area, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Aim: To describe the clinical outcomes of patients with type 2 diabetes (DM2) and hypertension (HT) who received treatment and care at a specialized primary healthcare facility.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted and data retrieved from 349 patient's records. The clinical outcomes were linked to individual risk factors and demographic profiles.

Functional outcomes after flexor tendon repair of the hand.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the hand function after flexor tendon repair (FTR) and to investigate factors associated with functional outcomes.

Patients And Methods: Between January 2013 and September 2015, a total of 126 patients (84 males, 42 females; mean age 31 years; range, 15 to 62 years) who underwent FTR due to flexor tendon injuries (FTIs) were included. The hand function was assessed using the Jebsen Hand Function Test (JHFT) and Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (Quick DASH) at three and six months following FTR.

Team illness prevention strategy (TIPS) is associated with a 59% reduction in acute illness during the Super Rugby tournament: a control-intervention study over 7 seasons involving 126 850 player days.

Objectives: To determine whether a team illness prevention strategy (TIPS) would reduce the incidence of acute illness during the Super Rugby tournament.

Methods: We studied 1340 male professional rugby union player seasons from six South African teams that participated in the Super Rugby tournament (2010-2016). Medical staff recorded all illnesses daily (126 850 player days) in a 3-year control (C: 2010-2012; 47 553 player days) and a 4-year intervention (I: 2013-2016; 79 297 player days) period.

The impact of differences in plasma glucose between glucose oxidase and hexokinase methods on estimated gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence.

We evaluated the extent of measurement discordance between glucose oxidase and hexokinase laboratory methods and the effect of this on estimated gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) prevalence in a routine clinical setting. 592 consecutive urban African women were screened for GDM. Paired venous specimens were submitted to two independent calibrated laboratories that used either method to measure plasma glucose concentrations.

Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography integrated with computed tomography in carcinoma of the cervix: Its impact on accurate staging and the predictive role of its metabolic parameters.

Objectives: To determine the impact of FDG-PET/CT in the initial staging of cervical cancer among women with and without HIV and to determine the abilities of FDG-PET/CT metabolic parameters in predicting the presence of distant metastasis.

Methods: We reviewed the FDG-PET/CT images of women with FIGO stage IB2 to IVA carcinoma of the cervix. We compared the FIGO stage before and after FDG-PET/CT.

Accuracy of five plasma calibrated glucometers to screen for and diagnose gestational diabetes mellitus in a low resource clinic setting.

Aims: We investigated the clinical and analytic accuracy of five plasma calibrated glucometers, the use of which is advocated by the World Health Organisation and the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, to screen for and diagnose gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in low resource settings.

Methods: 592 consecutive black African women underwent a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 24-28 weeks gestation at an urban South African community health clinic. Capillary glucose was measured by one of five glucometer brands, each paired with a routine laboratory hexokinase method of plasma glucose measurement.

Match injury incidence during the Super Rugby tournament is high: a prospective cohort study over five seasons involving 93 641 player-hours.

Objectives: To determine the incidence and nature of injuries in the Super Rugby tournament over a 5-year period.

Methods: 482 male professional rugby union players from six South African teams participating in the Super Rugby tournament were studied (1020 player-seasons). Medical staff of participating teams (2012-2016 tournaments) recorded all time loss injuries (total injuries and match injuries) and exposure hours (93 641 total playing hours; 8032 match hours).