Impacto del aislamiento por la pandemia de COVID-19 en la realización de pruebas rápidas de VIH en un hospital general de agudos de CABA / Impact of isolation measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic on rapid HIV tests in an Acute General Hospital in Buenos Aires City

Introducción: La infección por VIH continúa siendo un problema de salud pública a nivel mundial. Las restricciones tomadas durante la pandemia por COVID-19 podrían afectar el alcance de las metas 95-95-95 propuestas por ONUSIDA. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar el impacto de la pandemia por COVID-19 en la realización de pruebas rápidas de VIH en un hospital general de agudos.Métodos: Análisis retrospectivo de los datos de pacientes mayores de 16 años, de ambos sexos, que se realizaron una prueba rápida de VIH durante la pandemia por COVID-19 vs. el período previo.Resultados: De 611 tests, 473 (77,4%) corresponden al período prepandémico y 138 (22,6%) al pandémico. La mediana de edad (rango intercuartílico) fue 32 años (24-40); sexo masculino 386 (63,2%), sin diferencias significativas. Durante el período prepandémico los motivos de testeo fueron control de salud 47,6% (n=225) y situaciones de riesgo/síntomas 52,4% (n=248), mientras que en el período pandémico fueron control de salud 27,5% (n=38) y situaciones de riesgo/síntomas 72,5% (n=100) respectivamente, p=0.0001. Tests positivos: 5,7% (n=27) vs. 8,7% (n=12), p=0.28. Las medianas de recuento de linfocitos T CD4+ y carga viral fueron: 327 cel/uL (135-718) y 66300 copias/mL (5260-192000), sin diferencias significativas.Conclusiones: La cantidad de testeos realizados durante la pandemia corresponde a un tercio de los realizados durante el período previo, con un descenso en aquellos motivados por controles de salud, evidenciando el impacto de la pandemia en el diagnóstico de VIH

INTRODUCTION: HIV infection remains as a public health worldwide problem. The restrictions taken during the COVID-19 pandemic could have affected the scope of the 95-95-95 goals proposed by UNAIDS. The aim of this work is to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of rapid HIV tests in an Acute General Hospital.METHODS: Retrospective analysis of data from patients over 16 years old, of both sexes, who underwent a rapid HIV test during the COVID-19 pandemic vs. the previous period.RESULTS: Of 611 tests, 473 (77.4%) correspond to the pre-pandemic period and 138 (22.6%) to the pandemic. The median age (interquartile range) was 32 years old (24-40); male sex 386 (63.2%), without significant differences. During the pre-pandemic vs pandemic period, the reasons for testing were: health control 47.6% (n=225) and risk situations/symptoms 52.4% (n=248), vs 27.5% (n= 38) and 72.5% (n=100) respectively, p=0.0001. Positive tests: 5.7% (n=27) vs 8.7% (n=12), p=0.28. The median CD4+ T lymphocyte count and viral load were: 327 cells/uL (135-718) and 66,300 copies/mL (5,260-192,000), with no significant differences.CONCLUSIONS: The number of tests carried out during the pandemic equals to a third of those performed during the previous period, with a decrease in those motivated by health controls; evidencing the impact of the pandemic on the diagnosis of HIV

[Assessment of the humoral immunity induced by Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine (Gam-COVID-Vac) in healthcare workers]. / Evaluación de la respuesta de los anticuerpos IGG específicos contra SARS-CoV-2 en el personal de salud con el esquema completo de la vacuna Sputnik V (Gam-COVID-Vac).

Background: Vaccination for COVID-19 in healthcare workers (HCW) is essential to protect one of the populations most exposed to this disease. However, data on the humoral response rate to the vaccine and the factors associated with it in this population are limited. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the antibody response against SARS-CoV-2 in HCWs with complete Sputnik V vaccine scheme and factors associated with an increased antibody response. Material and methods: Prospective study to evaluate the anti-SARS-CoV-2 humoral response in HCWs vaccinated with two doses of the Sputnik V vaccine (April-July 2021). The assessment of anti-Spike IgG antibodies in plasma was performed using the COVIDAR IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A logistic regression was performed to identify independent factors associated with a positive IgG serology test and an elevated antibody response. Results: A total of 630 HCWs were enrolled. Median age (IQR): 47 years (35-56). Female sex: 462 (73.33%). Previous COVID-19: 158 (25%). The median interval time between vaccine doses was 3 (3-4) weeks. Positive serology was observed in 607 (96.35%) HCWs. In the multivariate analysis, a history of systemic reactogenicity was identified as an independent variable associated with a positive serology; and history of systemic reactogenicity, COVID-19, interval between doses ≥ 4 weeks and time to serology < 14 weeks were associated with an elevated antibody response. Conclusions: This study provides data on the humoral response to the Sputnik V vaccine in a real-life setting. These initial data can contribute to the development of future immunization strategies in HCWs.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in a Latin American country: Results from the ECCOVID multicenter prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical features and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infections diverge in different countries. The aim of this study was to describe clinical characteristics and outcomes in a cohort of patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 in Argentina. METHODS: Multicenter prospective cohort study of ≥18 years-old patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection consecutively admitted to 19 hospitals in Argentina. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify variables associated with 30-day mortality and admission to intensive care unit (ICU). RESULTS: A total of 809 patients were analyzed. Median age was 53 years, 56% were males and 71% had at least one comorbidity. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (32%), obesity (23%) and diabetes (17%). Disease severity at admission was classified as mild 25%, moderate 51%, severe 17%, and critical 7%. Almost half of patients (49%) required supplemental oxygen, 18% ICU, and 12% invasive ventilation. Overall, 30-day mortality was 11%. Factors independently associated with ICU admission were male gender (OR 1.81; 95%CI 1.16-2.81), hypertension (OR 3.21; 95%CI 2.08-4.95), obesity (OR 2.38; 95%CI 1.51-3.7), oxygen saturation ≤93% (OR 6.45; 95%CI 4.20-9.92) and lymphopenia (OR 3.21; 95%CI 2.08-4.95). Factors independently associated with 30-day mortality included age ≥60 years-old (OR 2.68; 95% CI 1.63-4.43), oxygen saturation ≤93% (OR 3.19; 95%CI 1.97-5.16) and lymphopenia (OR 2.65; 95%CI 1.64-4.27). CONCLUSIONS: This cohort validates crucial clinical data on patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 in Argentina.

Severe hyperkalaemia due to a potential drug-drug interaction between eplerenone and antiretrovirals in a HIV-positive patient after a myocardial infarction.

We present a case of a 48-year-old white HIV-1 positive man who presented an acute myocardial infarction. The patient was on ART for the last ten years with emtricitabine/tenofovir and ritonavir-boosted fosamprenavir. Eplerenone 25 mg/day was also initiated due to a left ventricular dysfunction. A week after discharge a routine laboratory examination revealed severe hyperkalaemia. Due to suspicion of a potential drug-drug interaction, both eplerenone and ARVs were interrupted. Despite daily treatment for hyperkalaemia, serum potassium levels normalized after two weeks. Eplerenone is metabolized by the hepatic P450 cytochrome isoenzyme CYP3A4; therefore, concomitant administration with CYP3A4 inhibitors, like ritonavir, may increase plasma levels of eplerenone and, therefore, the risk of side effects, mainly hyperkalaemia. Based on this case, it is important to alert the medical community of this possible life-threatening drug-drug interaction between eplerenone and ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor.

Uso de dolutegravir en infección aguda por VIH-1: primer caso reportado / Dolutegravir in acute HIV-1 infection: first reported case

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Assessment of a high-resolution candidate detector for prostate time-of-flight positron emission tomography.

We report on the measurements performed using a (22)Na source on a detector element for a magnetic resonance imaging-compatible time-of-flight-positron emission tomography endorectal prostate probe, with depth-of-interaction sensitivity. It is made from a LYSO scintillator crystal, wrapped with Lumirror, readout at both ends by means of silicon photomultipliers. With a detailed description of the data analysis procedure, we show that our results point to a 400 ps coincidence resolving time and, at the same time, to a depth-of-interaction resolution of 1 mm. These appealing features, along with the tiny 1.5 mm × 1.5 mm × 10 mm crystal size, are quite promising in view of the realization of a prototype probe.

Characterization of a scintillating mini-detector for time-of-flight positron emission tomography with depth-of-interaction.

By exploiting a suitable treatment of the scintillator surfaces, along with silicon photomultiplier photodetectors and specific algorithms for raw data analysis, we achieved a remarkable tradeoff between energy, time, and depth-of-interaction (DOI) resolution, thus supporting the feasibility of a prostate time-of-flight positron emission tomography probe, magnetic resonance imaging compatible, with the required features and performance. In numbers this means a detector element of 1.5 mm × 1.5 mm × 10 mm, promising to achieve at the same time energy resolution around 11.5%, coincidence resolving time around 300 ps corresponding to a space resolution <5 cm along the line of response, and DOI resolution even below 1 mm. We stress that such a time resolution allows to increase significantly the noise equivalent counting rate, and consequently improve the image quality and the lesion detection capability.

New devices for imaging in nuclear medicine.

Pinhole gamma camera imaging offers the ability to obtain high resolution images from single gamma ray emitting radiotracers playing a reasonable tradeoff between very small field of view (FoV) and sensitivity. On the other hand the total spatial resolution of a pinhole imaging device is predominantly affected by the detector intrinsic spatial resolution for reduced magnification factors. To design very compact pinhole SPET scanners with very high intrinsic spatial resolution, authors investigated a miniature gamma camera based on the newly developed Hamamatsu H8500 flat panel photomultiplier. The PSPMT was coupled to the following scintillation arrays: CsI(Tl) array with 0.2-mm, 1-mm, 1.4-mm pixel size and NaI (Tl) with 1-mm pixel size. The imaging performances were evaluated by 57Co spot and flood irradiations. NaI(Tl) array shows a better pixel identification for 1 mm pixel size, proving to be a good candidate to make a large area photodetector based on multi PSPMTs closely packed. Although CsI(Tl) array had the smallest pixel size, the low light output limited the best intrinsic spatial resolution to about 0.5 mm.