Background: Caffeine is often used for its benefits, which include increased vigilance. It does have side-effects, however, such as palpitations and withdrawal symptoms that include headaches and drowsiness. Tertiary education often requires students to study for extended hours, especially during periods of increased workload prior to tests and examinations. Medical students, who have to master a very large volume of academic work in a limited period of time, are no exception. This cross-sectional study investigated caffeine use for 'academic purposes' by first-to third-year medical students at the University of the Free State in 2006, and their knowledge of its benefits, side-effects and withdrawal symptoms.

Background: Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) presenting with irreversible lower limb pathology has a high morbidity and mortality rate. This study aimed to determine the outcome of patients who underwent lower limb amputations (LLAs) because of PVD at Pelonomi Hospital, Bloemfontein, 2008-2011. Methods: Prospective data collection of a retrospective cohort study group was performed. Included were patients with PVDinduced LLAs. Demographic and contact information was collected from Meditech. Living status (alive or dead) was determined using the Department of Home Affairs database and interviews with relatives. Results: Of the study population (n = 224), 119 had contact information. Data of 158 people were available to determine living status: 71.5% had died by follow-up in 2014. Forty-nine interviews were possible, 31 patients had died, with cause of death reported to be primarily vascular related. The cumulative mortality showed that 16.1% died within a month and 48.4% within one year post-amputation. Among the 18 living amputees, 50.0% became unemployed, 77.8% used wheelchairs, 11.1% used crutches and 11.1% a prosthesis. Conclusion: Lower limb amputation due to PVD is indicative of a poor prognosis. In our study only 28.5% of patients survived 3-6 years post-amputation. Restoration to ideal mobility was achieved in a minority of cases. Keywords Bloemfonteinlower limb amputationspatient outcomeperipheral vascular disease

In a retrospective study, the antenatal records of 241 consecutive patients were analyzed. Maternal gravidity, age, blood pressure recordings, and fetal gestational age at birth, weight and perinatal deaths were recorded. Blood pressure recordings were done by the clinic staff with the patient in the supine position tilted 15 degrees to the right. Hypertension was defined as a diastolic pressure (Korotkoff phase 4) of 90 mmHg or more. Forty-one percent were classified as hypertensive. Hypertension before 33 weeks had a perinatal mortality of 264/1000.

No abstract available.