Quality of life, clinical characteristics and treatment adherence of people living with HIV/AIDS / Qualidade de vida, características clínicas e adesão ao tratamento de pessoas vivendo com HIV/AIDS / Calidad de vida, características clínicas y adhesión al tratamiento de personas viviendo con VIH/Sida

OBJECTIVES: to assess the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS and verify its association with clinical characteristics and treatment adherence. METHOD: cross-sectional study conducted in a hospital in the state of Paraíba, Brazil. A questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and clinical data. The quality of life scale proposed by the World Health Organization and a questionnaire to measure treatment adherence were used. RESULTS: of the 314 interviewees, 190 (60.5%) were male, aged 43 years on average, 121 (38.5%) had attended up to five years of schooling, 108 (34.4%) received up to two times the minimum wage, and 112 (35.7%) were on sick leave. In regard to clinical variables, individuals with an undetectable viral load scored higher in all the domains concerning quality of life, with statistically significant differences in three domains. Regarding treatment adherence, 235 (73.8%) presented poor adherence and those who strictly adhered to treatment obtained better scores in quality of life. The results show that quality of life is better among individuals adherent to ART. Supporting people to adhere to the antiretroviral treatment should be a persistent task of healthcare workers and other people participating in the treatment, such as family members and friends. .

OBJETIVOS: avaliar a qualidade de vida das pessoas vivendo com o vírus da imunodeficiência humana/síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida e suas associações com características clínicas e adesão ao tratamento. MÉTODO: estudo transversal, realizado em um hospital do Estado da Paraíba. Utilizou-se questionário para caracterização sociodemográfica e clínica, escala de qualidade de vida (proposta pela Organização Mundial da Saúde) e escala de adesão ao tratamento (Questionário para Avaliação da Adesão ao Tratamento Antirretroviral). RESULTADOS: dos 314 entrevistados, 190 (60,5%) eram do sexo masculino, idade média de 43 anos, 121(38,5%) contavam com até cinco anos de estudo, 108 (34,4%) recebiam até dois salários-mínimos e 112 (35,7%) estavam afastados das atividades laborais. Quanto às variáveis clínicas, identificou-se que os indivíduos com carga viral indetectável apresentaram maiores escores em todos os domínios de qualidade de vida, com diferença estatisticamente significante em três domínios. Sobre a adesão ao tratamento, 235 (73,8%) apresentaram adesão insuficiente, os que apresentaram adesão estrita obtiveram melhores escores de qualidade de vida. Os resultados mostraram que a qualidade de vida é melhor para os aderentes ao tratamento antirretroviral. Apoiar as pessoas em tratamento para melhorar a adesão aos antirretrovirais deve ser tarefa constante dos profissionais de saúde e de outras pessoas que participam do tratamento, como familiares e amigos. .

OBJETIVOS: evaluar la calidad de vida de las personas viviendo con VIH/Sida y sus asociaciones con características clínicas y adhesión al tratamiento. MÉTODO: estudio transversal, realizado en un hospital del estado de Paraíba. Se utilizó un cuestionario para caracterización sociodemográfica y clínica, la Escala de Calidad de Vida (propuesta por la Organización Mundial de la Salud) y la Escala de Adhesión al Tratamiento (Cuestionario para Evaluación de la Adhesión al Tratamiento Antirretroviral). RESULTADOS: de los 314 entrevistados, 190 (60,5%) eran del sexo masculino, edad promedio de 43 años, 121(38,5%) contaban con hasta cinco años de estudio, 108 (34,4%) recibían hasta dos salarios mínimos y 112 (35,7%) no realizaban actividades laborales. En cuanto a las variables clínicas, se identificó que los individuos con carga viral indetectable presentaron mayores puntajes en todos los dominios de calidad de vida, con diferencia estadísticamente significativa en tres dominios. Sobre la adhesión al tratamiento, 235 (73,8%) presentaron adhesión insuficiente, los que presentaron adhesión estricta obtuvieron mejores puntajes de calidad de vida. Los resultados mostraron que la calidad de vida es mejor para los adherentes a la TARV. Apoyar a personas en tratamiento para mejorar la adhesión a los antirretrovirales debe ser una tarea constante de los profesionales de la salud y de otras personas que participan del tratamiento, como familiares y amigos. .

Effect of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate on testis of albino rats: ultrastructural and biochemical studies.

Testis of male albino rats treated with depot medroxyprogesterone acetate DMPA, at the dose of 1 mg/animal/day for 60 days showed degenerative changes in the late spermatids. The changes were related with the mitochondrial sheath of the midpiece, including the plasma membrane enclosing the mitochondria and the mitochondrial cristae. Except lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase, all the testicular marker enzymes, viz. beta-glucuronidase, hyaluronidase, sorbitol dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase registered a significant decrease. The ultrastructural and biochemical changes are correlated, as the cellular degeneration is responsible for decrease in the activity of the marker enzymes.

Clinical and hormonal studies in precocious puberty.

Data from 31 children, 23 females (74.2%) and eight males (25.8%) with precocious puberty were analysed. They included 19 cases with central precocious puberty, 5 with premature thelarche, 5 with premature adrenarche and 1 each with adrenal adenoma and virilizing hepatoblastoma. Their clinical and hormonal profile and the treatment outcome are briefly discussed.

Modification of aflatoxin B1-induced changes in certain mitochondrial enzymes and lipids by medroxyprogesterone acetate.

The effect of a single dose of 5 mg/kg body weight of aflatoxin B1 on rat liver mitochondrial enzymes, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and Mg++ adenosine triphosphatase (Mg++-ATPase) and on certain lipids were studies at various intervals of time from 3 to 24 hours. A significant decrease in the specific activity of SDH was observed after 6, 12, 18 and 24 hr treatment. The Mg++-ATPase activity remained unaffected up to 12 hr but appreciably decreased after, 18 and 24 hr of the treatment. The level of phospholipids and cholesterol were not altered after 3, 6 and 12 hr treatment, thereafter (18 and 24 hr) an increase was observed in both the lipids following the aflatoxin treatment. Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) did not cause any alteration in the specific activities of these enzymes as well as levels of cholesterol and phospholipids. The treatment with MPA caused significant increase in contents of cytochromes P-450, b5 and activities of Arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH), UDP-glucuronyl transferase (UDP-GT) and NADPH-cytochrome C-reductase of hepatic microsomes. It was observed that pretreatment with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) could significantly minimuze the depression caused in mitochondrial SDH and Mg++-ATPase activities by aflatoxin B1.

Effects of long-acting steroid contraceptives on ovarian and uterine histology of rats.

Subcutaneous injection of single doses (5 to 20 mg/kg) of DMPA or NE in virgin female rats caused reduction in number and diameter of CL, and increase in number of atretic and cystic follicles in the ovary. Histological examination of the endometrium of these animals showed low cubiodal cells with sparse distribution of low columnar cells, glands with atrophic changes and compact uterine stroma with or without patches of oedema. The results suggest regressive and atrophic changes in the ovary and endometrium.