Search results for "HIV infections"
showing 10 items of 304 documents
Correlation between FIB4, liver stiffness and metabolic parameters in patients with HIV and hepatitis C virus co-infection.
2010
Assessment of liver fibrosis is crucial in HIV/HCV coinfected patients, in whom metabolic disturbances are frequent. Aims of this study were to analyse the association of two non-invasive liver fibrosis evaluation methods, liver stiffness measurement and FIB4, and their correlation with metabolic parameters.This was a single centre cross-sectional study. All patients underwent biochemical and virological assessment, FIB4 score, HOMA and transient elastography.Seventy-five patients were evaluated. Liver stiffness values positively correlated with FIB4 (R = 0.62; p0.0001). By ROC curve analysis the optimal cut-off for liver stiffness to identify high FIB4 was calculated as 10.1 kPa. The area …
Transient elastography: A non-invasive tool for assessing liver fibrosis in HIV/HCV patients
2010
AIM: To assess the prevalence of advanced liver fibrosis (ALF) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV/HCV patients using transient elastography, and to identify factors associated with ALF. METHODS: Between September 2008 and October 2009, 71 HIV mono-infected, 57 HIV/HCV co-infected and 53 HCV mono-infected patients on regular follow-up at our Center were enrolled in this study. Alcohol intake, the main parameters of liver function, presence of HCV-RNA, HIV-RNA, duration of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) and CD4 cell count were recorded. ALF was defined as liver stiffness (LS) ≥ 9.5 kPa. To estimate liver fibrosis (LF) a further 2 reliable bio…
The effects of prebiotics on microbial dysbiosis, butyrate production and immunity in HIV-infected subjects
2017
Altered interactions between the gut mucosa and bacteria during HIV infection seem to contribute to chronic immune dysfunction. A deeper understanding of how nutritional interventions could ameliorate gut dysbiosis is needed. Forty-four subjects, including 12 HIV+ viremic untreated (VU) patients, 23 antiretroviral therapy-treated (ART(+)) virally suppressed patients (15 immunological responders and 8 non-responders) and 9 HIV- controls (HIV-), were blindly randomized to receive either prebiotics (scGOS/lcFOS/glutamine) or placebo (34/10) over 6 weeks in this pilot study. We assessed fecal microbiota composition using deep 16S rRNA gene sequencing and several immunological and genetic marker…
Vitamin D supplementation, bone turnover, and inflammation in HIV-infected patients
2018
IF 1.307 (2017); International audience; ObjectiveTo assess whether vitamin D supplementation could be associated with a modification of inflammatory markers and bone turnover in HIV-1-infected patients.Patients and methodsPatients who participated in an initial survey in 2010 and who were followed in the same department were included in a new study in 2012. Between 2010 and 2012, vitamin D supplementation was offered to patients presenting with hypovitaminosis D as per appropriate guidelines. Clinical examinations were performed, and fasting blood samples were taken for inflammation and bone marker evaluations.ResultsOf the 263 patients who participated in the 2010 study, 198 were included…
Resources to cope with stigma related to HIV status, gender identity, and sexual orientation in gay men and transgender women
2017
The stigma related to HIV status, gender identity, and sexual orientation has negative implications for the quality of life of individuals. A qualitative study was conducted to explore the resources that these stigmatized groups recognize as tools to cope with stigma and maintain their psychological well-being. Four focus groups were conducted with gay men and transgender women divided by HIV status. A thematic analysis revealed that individual, interpersonal, and institutional resources are commonly recognized as coping resources. This article discusses the importance of enhancing self-acceptance, social support, and a legal framework that legitimizes these groups as right holders.
New data from the Italian National Register of Congenital Coagulopathies, 2016 Annual Survey
2018
BACKGROUND: In Italy, the National Register of Congenital Coagulopathies (NRCC) collects epidemiological and therapeutic data from patients affected by haemophilia A (HA), haemophilia B (HB), von Willebrand’s disease (vWD) and other rare coagulation disorders. Here we present data from the 2016 annual survey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data are provided by the Italian Haemophilia Centres, on a voluntary basis. Information flows from every Centre to a web-based platform of the Italian Association of Haemophilia Centres, shared with the Italian National Institute of Health, in accordance with current privacy laws. Patients are classified by diagnosis, disease severity, age, gender and treatment-r…
Virologic, hematologic, and immunologic risk factors for classic Kaposi sarcoma.
2006
BACKGROUND Classic Kaposi sarcoma (CKS) is an inflammatory-mediated neoplasm that develops in the presence of KS-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and immune perturbation. In the current study, the authors compared CKS cases with age-matched and sex-matched KSHV-seropositive controls without human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection and markers of viral control, blood counts, CD4-positive and CD8-positive lymphocytes, and serum β-2-microglobulin and neopterin levels. METHODS Viral loads were detected using real-time amplification of the KSHV-K6 and EBV-pol genes, anti-K8.1 (lytic) titers were detected by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay, and antilatent nuclear antigen (LANA) titers were detec…
Trends for genetic variation of Hepatitis C Virus quasispecies in Human Immunodeficiency virus-1 coinfected patients
2007
Chronic infection by Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) causes liver fibrosis, which is accelerated by unknown mechanisms in patients with HIV-1 coinfection. The evolution of HCV quasispecies in this setting of coinfection is not fully understood. To compare HCV quasispecies between HIV-HCV coinfection and HCV monoinfection, we sequenced 340 HCV clones from the HVR-1 and NS3 regions at two different time points in two groups of treatment-naive patients with HCV-1a infection: (1) HIV-HCV positive (n=6); and (2) HIV negative-HCV positive (n=3). In HCV/HIV coinfection, we found a trend for reduced HCV genetic complexity and diversity, and a trend towards reduced dN/dS ratios in the HVR-1 region, especial…
HBV virological suppression: still not enough to save from hepatocellular carcinoma. A case report on a 15-year, real-life story
2017
Among HIV-infected patients worldwide, 2-4 million are chronically infected with HBV. We report a 15-year, real-life story of a patient with HBV-HIV coinfection, who developed HCC despite high treatment adherence and complete viral suppression. The aim of our report is to alert the infectious diseases community to monitor the possible development of HCC regardless of high treatment adherence and complete viral suppression.
Infectious diseases among foreign prisoners: results of a hospital-based management model in Palermo.
2017
Foreign prisoners have a high vulnerability in terms of morbidity and access to care in overcrowded Italian prisons. This paper presents and comments on the management model of infectious diseases in foreign prisoners at our outpatient clinic, in order to describe a model of management for these conditions. Overall, 133 subjects (mean age 35.5 years) from 29 countries were followed for a period of 15 years. The most commonly represented area of origin (54.1%) was the Maghreb region. HCV infection (40.6%), HIV (22.5%), HBV (9.8%) and co-infection (15%, HIV/HCV or HIV/HBV) were observed. Ten subjects had tuberculosis, and only 30% of them were compliant with the treatment. Only 46.3% of HCV m…