Medication adherence and health-related quality of life amongst HIV patients receiving care at umuebule cottage hospital, etched, Rivers State

HIV treatment is available, free, and accessible for individuals who are infected. The study is aimed at determining the levels of medication adherence and health related quality of life (HRQOL) among HIV patients receiving care at Umuebule Cottage Hospital, Etche, Rivers State.Method: This cross-sectional study recruited 430 adult clients who have been on ART for at least one year using a convenient sampling method. An average of 10 patients visits the facility on clinic days. After explaining the purpose of study and obtaining consent,patients who met the eligibility criteria were recruited on each clinic day for a period of 12 weeks, until the sample size was reached. Data was collected using semi-structured interviewer administered validated questionnaire; Morisky Medication Adherence Questionnaire (MMAS-8) and WHO-Quality of Life-BREF(WHOQOL-BREF), after a pilot study on 30 PLHIV from Okomoko general hospital, Etche. Data was analyzed with IBM-SPSS Version 25. The mean age of respondents was 35.9±10.9 years, 59.3% of the respondents' last viral load was suppressed, 19.1% had low level viremia, while (21.6%) were virally unsuppressed. Medication adherence levels were observed to be good (67.7%), poor (32.3%) respectively, while HRQOL of respondents were found to be poor (56.9%) and good (43.1%).Conclusion:A significant proportion of the respondents adhere to their medication whereas most of them had poor HRQOL. There is need for hospital management to collaborate with social welfare organizations to support PLHIV to set up means of earning to enable them to provide their basic needs for improved HRQOL

Supervivencia de personas seropositivas al virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana en un área de salud de Santiago de Cuba / Survival of seropositive people to the human immune deficiency virus in a health area of Santiago de Cuba

Introducción: La infección y el síndrome producido por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana constituyen las mayores problemáticas vividas a escala mundial. Objetivo: Estimar la supervivencia global de las personas seropositivas al virus de inmunodeficiencia humana, diagnosticadas en el área de salud perteneciente al Policlínico Josué País García de Santiago de Cuba. Método: Se realizó una investigación observacional, descriptiva, de serie de casos, de 26 personas seropositivas al virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana, diagnosticadas desde enero de 1998 hasta diciembre de 2008, y residentes en la mencionada área de salud en el momento del diagnóstico. Las principales variables analizadas fueron: sexo, edad, etapa clínica al diagnóstico y adherencia a la terapia antirretroviral de alta eficacia. Resultados: En la casuística predominaron el sexo masculino, los homosexuales, los diagnósticos realizados durante el período de latencia clínica y los no adherentes al tratamiento; asimismo, se evidenció que la media de tiempo de supervivencia sobrepasó la mitad del tiempo máximo vivido por el total de los investigados y que variables como la edad, la etapa clínica al diagnóstico y la adherencia al tratamiento no tuvieron un nivel de significación estadística importante, teniendo en cuenta la probabilidad de sobrevivir durante el período de tiempo prefijado. La supervivencia global lograda fue de 92,3 %. Conclusión: El nivel de supervivencia global obtenido sobrepasó los estándares nacionales e internacionales.

Introduction: The infection and the syndrome provoked by the human immune deficiency virus constitute the greatest problems lived worldwide. Objective: To estimate the global survival from seropositive people to the human immune deficiency virus, diagnosed in the health area belonging to Josué País García Polyclinic in Santiago de Cuba. Method: An observational, descriptive, of serial cases investigation, of 26 seropositive people to the human immune deficiency virus was carried out, they were diagnosed from January, 1998 to December, 2008, and residents in the mentioned health area in the moment of the diagnosis. The main analyzed variables were: sex, age, clinical stage when diagnosed and adherence to the antiretroviral therapy of high effectiveness. Results: In the case material there was a prevalence of the male sex, homosexuals, the diagnoses carried out during the period of clinical latency and those no adherent to the treatment; also, it was evidenced that the mean time of survival surpassed half of the maximum time lived by the total of those investigated and that variables as age, clinical stage when diagnosed and adherence to the treatment didn't have an important level of statistical significance, taking into account the probability of surviving during the period of preset time. The achieved global survival was of 92.3 %. Conclusion: The obtained level of global survival surpassed the national and international standards.

Current Profile of Hepatitis C in Tripura, India

Introduction: Viral hepatitis is one of the common causes of chronic liver disease. Hepatitis C is the second most importantcause of chronic viral hepatitis. Globally, an estimated 71 million people have chronic hepatitis C infection. In 2015, there were1.75 million new hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Approximately 399,000 people die each year due to HCV-related cirrhosisand hepatocellular carcinoma. Highest numbers of infections are noted in Egypt. South East Asian region countries are alsohaving high prevalence. The prevalence in India is around 1%. In Tripura, blood bank-based study shows prevalence around0.1%. Higher prevalence was seen in patient on maintenance hemodialysis.Objectives: The study was designed to determine. (1) Mode of transmission of hepatitis C in Tripura, (2) To evaluate genotypicpattern of hepatitis C infection in Tripura, (3) To evaluate coinfection with human immune deficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis B virus (HBV).Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study done on 60 consecutive hepatitis C patients attended the liver clinic ofHepatitis Foundation of Tripura between January 2018 and December 2018.Results: The study reveals that in this group, 65% hepatitis C patients were males and 35% were females and 63.3% patientsare from rural areas whereas 36.7% patients are from urban areas. Study shows that there is shift of age among hepatitis Cpatients from older to the younger group. It was observed that 5% of hepatitis C patients had coinfection with HIV infectionbut no coinfection with HBV. Regarding mode transmission of hepatitis C, 30% are through blood transmission, 20% throughdrug abuse, 16.7% patients through sexual route, 11.6% patients through dialysis, 1.7% prenatal transmission, and 20%remain unknown. Genotype 3 was 75% (3a was found in 55% and 20% were genotype 3b,) and genotype 1 was 25% (21.7%genotype 1a and 3.3% were genotype 1b). In the study group, 18% were in decompensated chronic liver disease.Discussion: The prevalence of HCV infection seems to be increasing among people who inject drugs in Tripura. Malepreponderance in this study may be due to more exposure to drugs among males. Higher prevalence of Hepatitis C amongthe rural people may be due to increase quackery practice in the rural areas.

Evaluate the carotid artery stiffness of acquired immune deficiency syndrome patients by ultrasound quantitive artery stiffness technique / 中华医学超声杂志（电子版）

Objetive To evaluate the carotid artery stiffness of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and analyze the mechanism and influence factors. Methods Fifty cases of AIDS patients and Fifty healthy people were enrolled in this study according to the principles of randomize and control. Quantitive inter-media thickness (QIMT) and quantitive artery stiffness (QAS) technique were employed to evaluate the inter-media thickness (IMT) and stiffness of right carotid artery. The parameters included IMT, compliance coefficent (CC), stiffness β (β), and pulse wave velocity (PWV). Unpaired t test was used to compare the parameters between two groups, and Pearson correlation analysis was used for linear correlation analysis. Results There were no statistically difference of carotid artery IMT between two groups [(0.569±0.095) mm vs (0.512±0.114) mm, P>0.05]. There was statistically difference of stiffness parameters (CC,β, PWV) between two groups [(0.59±0.21) mm2/kPa vs (1.04±0.41) mm2/kPa, 13.01±6.10 vs 8.14±1.37, (8.70±1.65) m/s vs (6.81±1.37) m/s, all P0.05 ). There was no statistically signification association between IMT, CC,β, PWV and CD4+, CD8+T cell count (r was 0.000, 0.012,-0.093,-0.097, 0.096, 0.012, 0.056, 0.024, all P>0.05). Conclusion The carotid artery stiffness of AIDS patients is reduced. HIV may play a role in the development of artery stiffness in AIDS patients.

Assessment of Antiretroviral Effects of a Synthetic Aluminum-magnesium Silicate.

Aim: For an affordable therapy for Human immune-deficiency virus (HIV) infections, antiretroviral effects of a synthetic aluminum-magnesium silicate (AMS) were tested. Materials and Methods: Plasma that tested positive to HIV and the AMS were mixed, on equal volume to weight basis, incubated one hour at room temperature and centrifuged for ten minutes at 3,000 revolutions per minute. These procedures were repeated on each supernatant. HIV titres of the two sets of supernatants and the titres in portions of the plasma, not incubated with the AMS were assessed by direct passive hemagglutination test. Results: Mean HIV titres of the plasma increased from 4.00±1.60 to 14.00±2.00 when incubated with the AMS. Repeating the incubation, reduced mean HIV titres in plasma from 14.00±2.00 to 6.50±1.50 (P=0.024). Conclusion: It was concluded that the AMS has antiretroviral effects and could be an inexpensive antiretroviral therapy for regular treatment to reduce high rate of HIV infection among low income groups.

Calidad de la atención médica a las personas que viven con VIH/sida. / Quality of medical care to persons living with HIV/aids.

Se realizó una investigación de evaluación de sistemas y servicios de salud en el Policlínico Docente "José Martí Pérez" de Santiago de Cuba, durante el 2009, a fin de evaluar la calidad de la atención médica (38 médicos y 38 enfermeras de la familia) a las 58 personas que viven con virus de inmunodeficiencia humana/sida en esta área, según las dimensiones científico-técnica, de satisfacción de los usuarios, conocimientos de los proveedores de salud y efectividad. Mediante la creación de un grupo de expertos, que establecieron criterios explícitos, descriptivos y normativos, construyeron indicadores y prefijaron estándares para valorar aspectos seleccionados de la estructura, el proceso y los resultados; se constató que existían deficiencias en la estructura de los consultorios médicos, con limitación de los recursos materiales e insuficientes conocimientos de los prestatarios del sector en aspectos fundamentales de la epidemiología de la infección y del seguimiento a estos afectados, los cuales constituyeron los indicadores de peores resultados y además influyeron en que la evaluación de los indicadores de impacto seleccionados fuera inadecuada. Finalmente, se recomendó llevar a cabo actividades de capacitación sistemáticamente para los proveedores de salud.

An investigation of health systems and services evaluation was carried out in "José Martí Pérez" Teaching Polyclinic in Santiago de Cuba, during the 2009, in order to evaluate the quality of medical care (38 family's physicians and 38 nurses) to the 58 people living with the human immune deficiency virus/aids in this area, according to the scientific-technological dimensions, to the users' satisfaction, to the knowledge of the health providers and effectiveness. By means of a group of experts who established explicit descriptive and normative criteria, they built indicators and they preset standards to evaluate selected aspects of the structure, the process and the results; it was verified that deficiencies existed in the structure of the doctor's offices, with limitation of material resources and scarce knowledge of the sector providers in fundamental aspects of the epidemiology of the infection and of the follow-up to these affected patients, which constituted the indicators of worst results and they also influenced on the inadequate of the evaluation of the selected impact indicators. Finally, it was recommended to carry out systematically training activities for the health providers.

Sexually transmitted disease: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome: A Review.

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, a disease in which there is a severe loss of the body's cellular immunity, greatly lowering the resistance to infection and malignancy. The cause is a human immune deficiency virus, or HIV transmitted in blood and in sexual fluids. AIDS was first reported June 5, 1981. A combination of several antiretroviral drugs, called highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), has been very effective in reducing the number of HIV particles in the bloodstream. The best treatment for AIDS in humans is prevention by vaccination.

Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C virus and human immune deficiency virus in cirrhotic patients undergoing sclerotherapy for esophageal varices at Siriraj Hospital.

116 sera from cirrhotic patients were tested for HbsAg, Anti-HCV and Anti-HIV to assess the prevalence and determine risk factors of virus acquisition. Forty-two patients (36.21%) were positive for HbsAg, thirty patients (25.86%) were positive for Anti-HCV, five patients positive both HbsAg and Anti-HCV and only one patient (0.86%) was positive for Anti-HCV. There is no statistically different between risk factors (IVDU, prostitute, units of blood transfusion) and positity of viral markers, but alcohol seems to be less in HbsAg positive patients (p < 0.0001). For HIV the prevalrnce is comparable to general populations there is no need for routine Anti-HIV examination in cirrhotic patients with bleeding esophageal varices, but universal precaution is still the rule.