Serum ferritin in HIV-positive patients is related to immune deficiency and inflammatory activity.

To analyse the prevalence of high ferritin levels in asymptomatic HIV patients and its related factors we conducted a cross-sectional study of a cohort of HIV outpatients in regular follow-up. Epidemiological, clinical, analytical and therapeutic data were collected. Patients completed a questionnaire about cardiovascular risk factors and underwent a physical examination and a 12-h fasting blood analysis. High ferritin levels were defined as a plasma ferritin level >200 µg/L in women and >300 µg/L in men. A total of 571 patients (78.1% men) were included. Median age was 43.2 years, HIV sexual transmission 68.5%, median CD4 count 474 cells/µL, 36.3% AIDS cases, 86.2% on antiretroviral therapy and 74.8% of them with undetectable viral load; 14.6% metabolic syndrome criteria, and mean cardiovascular risk at 10 years 6.67%. High ferritin levels prevalence was 11%, and related factors were a CD4 count <350 cells/µL (odds ratio, OR 2.37 [1.3-4.1], p = 0.003), ultrasensitive C-reactive protein >3 mg/L (OR 2.67 [1.5-4.7], p = 0.001) and chronic hepatitis C virus infection (OR 2.77 [1.5-4.9], p = 0.001). High ferritin levels are not uncommon in HIV patients, and they correlate with immunosuppression defined as CD4 count <350 cells/µL, higher ultrasensitive C-reactive protein and hepatitis C virus infection, and in contrast to the general population, they are not related to increased cardiovascular risk or metabolic syndrome.

Reappraisal of the outcome of healthcare-associated and community-acquired bacteramia: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated (HCA) bloodstream infections (BSI) have been associated with worse outcomes, in terms of higher frequencies of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms and inappropriate therapy than strict community-acquired (CA) BSI. Recent changes in the epidemiology of community (CO)-BSI and treatment protocols may have modified this association. The objective of this study was to analyse the etiology, therapy and outcomes for CA and HCA BSI in our area. METHODS: A prospective multicentre cohort including all CO-BSI episodes in adult patients was performed over a 3-month period in 2006-2007. Outcome variables were mortality and inappropriate empirical therapy. Adjusted analyses were performed by logistic regression. RESULTS: 341 episodes of CO-BSI were included in the study. Acquisition was HCA in 56% (192 episodes) of them. Inappropriate empirical therapy was administered in 16.7% (57 episodes). All-cause mortality was 16.4% (56 patients) at day 14 and 20% (71 patients) at day 30. After controlling for age, Charlson index, source, etiology, presentation with severe sepsis or shock and inappropriate empirical treatment, acquisition type was not associated with an increase in 14-day or 30-day mortality. Only an stratified analysis of 14th-day mortality for Gram negatives BSI showed a statically significant difference (7% in CA vs 17% in HCA, p = 0,05). Factors independently related to inadequate empirical treatment in the community were: catheter source, cancer, and previous antimicrobial use; no association with HCA acquisition was found. CONCLUSION: HCA acquisition in our cohort was not a predictor for either inappropriate empirical treatment or increased mortality. These results might reflect recent changes in therapeutic protocols and epidemiological changes in community pathogens. Further studies should focus on recognising CA BSI due to resistant organisms facilitating an early and adequate treatment in patients with CA resistant BSI.

[First antiretroviral therapy regimen in HIV-infected patients. Durability and factors associated with therapy changes]. / Primera pauta de tratamiento antirretroviral en pacientes con infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana. Durabilidad y factores asociados a su modificación.

AIM: To analyze the durability of the first highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen used in naïve HIV-infected patients and the factors leading to therapy changes. METHODS: Multicenter, retrospective study of naïve HIV-infected patients from 5 hospitals in Málaga (southeast Spain), who started HAART between January 1997 and December 2003. The main outcome measure was median time to the first change in the antiretroviral regimen. A descriptive analysis was performed and Kaplan-Meier curves were used to assess durability of the first HAART used. Independent factors associated with durability were evaluated with a Cox multiple regression model. RESULTS: A total of 603 patients started HAART, and 130 (21.6%) remained under the same treatment at the latest evaluation point. Median time on the same HAART was 17.5 months, and reached 24 months when cases of simplification or structured intermittent treatment interruption were excluded from the analysis. HAART had been interrupted in 36% by one-year of follow-up. Toxicity was the main cause of switching therapy (25%), followed by simplification (19%), and virologic failure (15%). Longer durability of HAART was observed in non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) regimens, (P < 0.046; HR, 1.58) and in those with less than 5 pills (P < 0.001; HR, 2.05). CONCLUSION: Median durability of the first HAART was almost one year and a half, and discontinuation was mainly due to toxicity. NNRTI regimens showed longer durability, which could be attributable to a lower pill burden, at least in part.

Primera pauta de tratamiento antirretroviral en pacientes con infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana. Durabilidad y factores asociados a su modificación / First antiretroviral therapy regimen in HIV-infected patients. Durability and factors associated with therapy changes

OBJETIVOS. Se evaluó la durabilidad de la primera pauta de tratamiento antirretroviral de gran actividad (TARGA) en pacientes sin tratamiento antirretroviral previo infectados por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) y los factores asociados a su modificación. MÉTODOS. Estudio multicéntrico, retrospectivo, de pacientes con infección por el VIH que iniciaron su primer TARGA entre 1997 y 2003. La variable principal medida fue la durabilidad de la primera pauta de TARGA hasta su cambio. Se realizó estadística descriptiva, curvas de Kaplan-Meier para evaluar la durabilidad y se construyó un modelo de regresión múltiple de Cox para valorar los factores asociados a la durabilidad. RESULTADOS. Iniciaron su primer TARGA 603 pacientes y 130 (21,6%) lo mantuvieron hasta la visita final, con una mediana de duración de 17,5 meses. Un 36% de los pacientes interrumpió el tratamiento antes del año. Cuando se excluyeron las causas “no desfavorables”(simplificación/interrupción estructurada), la mediana de duración aumentó hasta los 2 años. La causa principal del cambio fue la toxicidad (25%), seguida de la simplificación(19%) y el fracaso virológico (15%). Se encontró una mayor durabilidad de las pautas con un inhibidor de la transcriptasa inversa no análogo de nucleósidos (ITINAN)(p < 0,046; hazard ratio [HR], 1,58) y de aquellas con menos de cinco comprimidos (p < 0,001; HR, 2,05).CONCLUSIÓN. La mediana de duración del primer TARGA fue algo menor de 1,5 años y la causa principal del cambio fue la toxicidad. Se constata una mayor durabilidad de las pautas con ITINAN que, al menos en parte, podría explicarse por su menor número de comprimidos (AU)

AIM. To analyze the durability of the first highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen used in naïve HIV-infected patients and the factors leading to therapy changes. METHODS. Multicenter, retrospective study of naïve HIV-infected patients from 5 hospitals in Málaga(southeast Spain), who started HAART between January 1997 and December 2003. The main outcome measure was median time to the first change in the antiretroviral regimen. A descriptive analysis was performed and Kaplan-Meier curves were used to assess durability of the first HAART used. Independent factors associated with durability were evaluated with a Cox multiple regression model. RESULTS. A total of 603 patients started HAART, and130 (21.6%) remained under the same treatment at the latest evaluation point. Median time on the same HAART was 17.5 months, and reached 24 months when cases of simplification or structured intermittent treatment interruption were excluded from the analysis. HAART had been interrupted in 36% by one-year of follow-up. Toxicity was the main cause of switching therapy (25%), followed by simplification (19%), and virologic failure (15%). Longer durability of HAART was observed in non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) regimens, (P < 0.046; HR, 1.58) and in those with less than 5 pills (P < 0.001; HR, 2.05).CONCLUSION. Median durability of the first HAART was almost one year and a half, and discontinuation was mainly due to toxicity. NNRTI regimens showed longer durability, which could be attributable to a lower pill burden, at least in part (AU)

A study of hospital discharges for venous thromboembolism in the south of Spain. An analysis of 19,170 cases from a regional database from 1998 to 2001.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to learn about the incidence of hospitalization for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the public health care system in Andalusia and to define the profile of the patients, with special reference to the Department of Internal Medicine. METHODS: We analyzed the discharged data set of 32 hospitals in the Andalusian Health Care Service between 1998 and 2001, identifying the cases in whom the diagnosis was VTE. The age, sex, length of stay, outcome, number of diagnoses, diagnosis-related group (DRG), and coded procedures were studied. RESULTS: During the period studied, there were 2,228,894 discharges, 19,170 of which involved VTE. In 8494 of these, VTE was the cause of the admission. Some 3961 patients (46.6%) were admitted for pulmonary embolism (PE); 45% were discharged from internal medicine, 41% from pneumology, and 14% from other departments. The average patient age was 65, the length of stay 13.8 days, and the global in-hospital mortality rate 13%. Some 4533 cases (53.4%) were admitted due to deep vein thrombosis (DVT): 38.5% to internal medicine, 21.30% to general surgery, 12.35% to angiology, and the remainder to other departments. The length of stay was 10.6 days with an in-hospital mortality rate of 2.20%. In 7721 cases, VTE was the secondary diagnosis (after excluding 2955 cases of superficial thrombophlebitis of the upper limbs); 74% was associated with a medical DRG. CONCLUSIONS: VTE is a frequent pathology in our hospitals. It shows a great variability in clinical practice although there are differences between patients treated by different specialists. VTE as secondary diagnosis was more frequent in medical inpatients.

HIV infection in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy: the Malaga Study.

We analyse the characteristics of patients diagnosed with HIV infection in the highly active antiretroviral therapy era in the southeast of Spain. Data were collected on 470 HIV patients diagnosed between January 1997 and December 2002. The number of cases fell over recent years and HIV transmission was sexual in 70.5%. The mean CD4 lymphocyte count was 302.1 x 10(6)/L and the mean viral load 4.70 log(10). Diagnosis of HIV coincided with an AIDS-defining opportunistic illness in 30.6% of patients and a late diagnosis (CD4 < 200 x 10(6)/L) was made in 48.3% of patients. A late diagnosis was related to male gender (OR 2.50; 95% CI 1.20-5.12; P < 0.001) and AIDS case (OR 18.80; 95% CI 10.50-33.80; P < 0.00001). These results suggest that there has been a progressive reduction in new cases of HIV-infected patients, with the main route of transmission being sexual and that the diagnosis was late in almost half the patients.

Human papillomavirus DNA and protein in tissue samples of oesophageal cancer, Barrett's oesophagus and oesophagitis.

BACKGROUND: The risk of presenting with oesophageal cancer is associated with Barrett's oesophagus, with a higher prevalence in some Asian and African countries. Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA has been identified in oesophageal carcinomas, which share common features with cervical cancers and originate in stratified epithelium. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-eight paraffin-embedded tissue biopsies were selected from Mexican patients: 17 from oesophageal cancers, 28 from cases of Barrett's oesophagus and 23 from cases of oesophagitis. HPV protein was detected immunohistochemically and the presence and types of HPV DNA were assessed by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: HPV DNA-positive results were found in 26% of samples of oesophagitis, 96% of samples of Barrett's oesophagus and 88% of samples of oesophageal cancers. HPV viral types 6 and 11 were prevalent. HPV protein was detected in 41 samples (60%). CONCLUSION: Mexico has a high prevalence of HPV in premalignant and malignant oesophageal diseases compared with other countries.