Freedom Gumedze
University of Cape Town, Statistical Sciences, Faculty Member
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Microbiology, Medical Microbiology, Informed Consent, Cameroon, Nigeria, and 23 moreAdolescent, South Africa, Prospective studies, Tuberculosis, Humans, Female, Male, Hiv Infection, Registries, Clinical Sciences, Aged, Middle Aged, Human immunodeficiency virus, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Odds ratio, Combination drug therapy, Sub Saharan Africa, Diagnostic Test, Chi Square Test, Clinical Presentation, Cardiac Disease, and Confidence Interval
To determine the mortality rate and its predictors in patients with a presumptive diagnosis of tuberculous pericarditis in sub-Saharan Africa. Between 1 March 2004 and 31 October 2004, we enrolled 185 consecutive patients with presumed... more
To determine the mortality rate and its predictors in patients with a presumptive diagnosis of tuberculous pericarditis in sub-Saharan Africa. Between 1 March 2004 and 31 October 2004, we enrolled 185 consecutive patients with presumed tuberculous pericarditis from 15 referral hospitals in Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa, and observed them during the 6-month course of antituberculosis treatment for the major outcome of mortality. This was an observational study, with the diagnosis and management of each patient left at the discretion of the attending physician. Using Cox regression, we have assessed the effect of clinical and therapeutic characteristics (recorded at baseline) on mortality during follow-up. We obtained the vital status of 174 (94%) patients (median age 33; range 14 - 87 years). The overall mortality rate was 26%. Mortality was higher in patients who had clinical features of HIV infection than in those who did not (40% v. 17%, p=0.001). Independent predictors of de...
Research Interests:
BACKGROUND: In spite of antituberculosis chemotherapy, tuberculous (TB) pericarditis causes death or disability in nearly half of those affected. Attenuation of the inflammatory response in TB pericarditis may improve outcome by reducing... more
BACKGROUND: In spite of antituberculosis chemotherapy, tuberculous (TB) pericarditis causes death or disability in nearly half of those affected. Attenuation of the inflammatory response in TB pericarditis may improve outcome by reducing cardiac tamponade and pericardial constriction, but there is uncertainty as to whether adjunctive immunomodulation with corticosteroids and Mycobacterium w (M. w) can safely reduce mortality and morbidity.
Background Pericardial constriction is a serious complication of tuberculous pericardial effusion that occurs in up to a quarter of patients despite anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy. The impact of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)... more
Background Pericardial constriction is a serious complication of tuberculous pericardial effusion that occurs in up to a quarter of patients despite anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy. The impact of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on the incidence of constrictive pericarditis following tuberculous pericardial effusion is unknown.
Background and Purpose—To determine the relationship between chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and stroke in Cameroon. Methods—Sixty-four consecutive stroke patients 26 to 80 years of age were enrolled at 2 tertiary hospitals in... more
Background and Purpose—To determine the relationship between chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and stroke in Cameroon. Methods—Sixty-four consecutive stroke patients 26 to 80 years of age were enrolled at 2 tertiary hospitals in Yaoundé, Cameroon, between March 2000 and December 2001 and matched for age and sex to 64 controls. We measured IgG (1/64) and IgA (1/16) titers against C pneumoniae in both patients and controls using a validated microimmunofluorescence technique.
Objective: To verify whether a deficiency in the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum pump SERCA2a causes cardiac dysfunction in humans. Design: Cardiac performance was measured in a serendipitous human model of primary SERCA2a deficiency,... more
Objective: To verify whether a deficiency in the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum pump SERCA2a causes cardiac dysfunction in humans. Design: Cardiac performance was measured in a serendipitous human model of primary SERCA2a deficiency, Darier's disease, an autosomal dominant skin disorder caused by mutations inactivating one copy of the ATP2A2 gene, which encodes SERCA2a.
Background The incidence of tuberculous pericarditis has increased in Africa as a result of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic. However, the effect of HIV co-infection on clinical features and prognosis in tuberculous... more
Background The incidence of tuberculous pericarditis has increased in Africa as a result of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic. However, the effect of HIV co-infection on clinical features and prognosis in tuberculous pericarditis is not well characterised.
Background Meta-analysis typically involves combining the estimates from independent studies in order to estimate a parameter of interest across a population of studies. However, outliers often occur even under the random effects model.... more
Background Meta-analysis typically involves combining the estimates from independent studies in order to estimate a parameter of interest across a population of studies. However, outliers often occur even under the random effects model. The presence of such outliers could substantially alter the conclusions in a meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND:'Relaxers' are used by more than two thirds of African females to straighten hair, with easy grooming and increased length often cited as reasons. A recent study reported relaxed hair lengths much shorter than expected,... more
BACKGROUND:'Relaxers' are used by more than two thirds of African females to straighten hair, with easy grooming and increased length often cited as reasons. A recent study reported relaxed hair lengths much shorter than expected, suggesting increased fragility; the potential for scalp inflammation and scarring alopecia remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the biochemical effects of 'relaxers' on hair.
Methods In this study, samples from 36 participants (12 natural, 24 chemically treated) were tested for the presence of the profibrotic cytokine transforming growth factor (TGF) β1. The original study 1 was conducted at Groote Schuur... more
Methods In this study, samples from 36 participants (12 natural, 24 chemically treated) were tested for the presence of the profibrotic cytokine transforming growth factor (TGF) β1. The original study 1 was conducted at Groote Schuur Hospital in 2010 and approved by the faculty ethics committee. Sebum was collected by applying Sebutape (CuDerm Corporation) to the scalp crown and vertex at visit 1 (before and after scalp shampoo), visit 2 (before and after chemical treatments), and on follow-up (visit 3).
Objective: To determine the mortality rate and its predictors in patients with a presumptive diagnosis of tuberculous pericarditis in sub-Saharan Africa. Design: Between 1 March 2004 and 31 October 2004, we enrolled 185 consecutive... more
Objective: To determine the mortality rate and its predictors in patients with a presumptive diagnosis of tuberculous pericarditis in sub-Saharan Africa. Design: Between 1 March 2004 and 31 October 2004, we enrolled 185 consecutive patients with presumed tuberculous pericarditis from 15 referral hospitals in Cameroon, Nigeria, and South Africa, and observed them during the 6-month course of antituberculosis treatment for the major outcome of mortality.