Reducing sexual risk and promoting acceptance of men who have sex with men living with HIV in India: Outcomes and process evaluation of a pilot randomised multi-level intervention

ABSTRACT

HIV-positive men who have sex with men (HIV+MSM) in India need culturally-relevant interventions to promote safer sex. We tested a multi-level intervention among HIV+MSM that targeted individual, interpersonal, and community factors, based on the Social-Personal and Social Ecological Models. We conducted a 2?×?2 factorial RCT with 119 HIV+MSM randomised to receive either an individual-level intervention (ILI) using motivational interviewing to promote safer sex, a community-level intervention (CLI) to strengthen community norms toward safer sex and reduce stigma among MSM communities, a multi-level intervention combining the individual- and community-level interventions (ILI?+?CLI), or standard-of-care control. Participants completed pre- and post-intervention assessments of a composite sexual risk score and a process evaluation to assess fidelity and satisfaction. Out of the 119 HIV+MSM, 106 (89.0%) completed pre- and post-intervention assessments. Generalised Estimating Equation models showed that both CLI (Incidence Rate Ratio [IRR]?=?.67, 95% CI .47 to .96) and ILI?+?CLI (IRR?=?.66, 95% CI .48 to .91) groups had a statistically significant decrease in sexual risk compared to the standard-of-care. The interventions had high levels of fidelity and satisfaction. This pilot RCT demonstrated feasibility and potential effectiveness of a multi-level intervention that addresses individual, interpersonal and community-level contributors of sexual risk among HIV+MSM.     

The cost-of-illness for invasive meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis (MenB) in Germany

Introduction

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a severe disease mainly affecting infants and young children. The most common serogroup causing IMD in Germany is the serogroup type B Neisseria meningitidis (MenB). The aim of the present study is to estimate the economic burden of MenB-related IMD in Germany.

Treatment of osteoporosis in men

Osteoporosis in men is recognised worldwide as an important and increasing public health problem. The causes are more heterogeneous than those in women. About 50% are diagnosed as secondary cases. In some secondary forms of osteoporosis the specific diagnosis results in additional therapeutic options (e.g. androgen therapy in proven hypogonadism). The basic therapy for osteoporosis in men is no different to that in postmenopausal women, namely recommendations for counteracting modifiable risk factors, especially with regard to diet, physical exercise, and calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Concerning specific drug medications, however, even today there is still a therapeutic dilemma in male osteoporosis. While older substances (e.g. calcitonin, fluoride, alfacalcidol) are approved for both sexes, all newer medications have primarily been approved for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Health authorities request studies in purely male populations. For new drugs, fracture data are necessary while for new substances within a class (e.g. bisphosphonates), at the very least consistent effects on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover markers are requested. Due to these regulatory rules, ibandronate, teriparatide and strontium ranelate are not approved in the European Union. Some years ago, alendronate was the first bisphosphonate that was approved for the treatment of men with osteoporosis, based on consistent results from two independent male studies using a daily 10 mg dosage. Very recently risedronate was approved by the FDA and EMEA. A randomised, placebo-controlled multicentre trial of 285 male patients showed, after 2 years, a 5.8% increase in lumbar spine BMD in the risedronate 35 mg once weekly group vs 1.2% in the placebo group. In a prospective controlled study on 316 men with primary or secondary osteoporosis we found, after 12 months, a lumbar spine BMD of +4.7% vs +1.0% in controls. The number of patients with one or more new vertebral fractures was 8 in the risedronate group and 20 in the placebo group (a fracture reduction of 60%). Furthermore, we found a significantly smaller decrease in height and a steeper decrease in back pain in the risedronate group. Risedronate is the first oral bisphosphonate available for men with the more comfortable once weekly dosage.     

Alcoholism-associated spinal and femoral bone loss in abstinent male alcoholics,as measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry

Although alcoholism is a known risk factor for osteoporosis, there are few published reports on alcoholism-associated bone loss. To study alcoholism-associated bone loss, this study used a dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) densitometer to measure lumbar and femoral bone mineral density (BMD) in a previously little-studied population: 32 relatively healthy, nonhospitalized, Caucasian, alcoholic men with a period of abstinence longer than that previously studied (median abstinence 4.0 months, range 3 days–36 months). DXA is a new, highly precise densitometric method with many advantages over the methods used in previous studies. The subjects had statistically significant bone loss at three sites: lumbar spine, femoral neck, and Ward's triangle (multiple correction adjusted two-tailed P < 0.008). Compared to the mean BMD of sex-, age-, and race-matched norms, the subjects' average femoral neck, Ward's triangle, and lumbar BMDs were, respectively, 0.56, 0.69, and 0.57 standard deviations (SDs) below the normative values.This study was partially funded by a National Institutes of Health Short Term Research Training Grant (PHSHL 07491) to K.C.     

心肌梗死后死亡率的性别差异前瞻性研究

目的:比较心肌梗死(MI)患者的特征、处置与病死率在性别方面的差异。方法:收集1998～2004年在贵阳医学院附属医院住院的首次MI患者856例男性和587例女性资料并随访至2005年6月,分析比较MI患者的临床特征、处置与病死率在性别方面的差异。结果:在随访期有351例(41.00%)男性和283例(48.21%)女性死亡。单因素分析显示女性有较高的病死率(风险率1.44,95%CI为1.24～1.67,P<0.01),但经过年龄、吸烟、伴存疾病、心血管病病史、糖尿病、高血压和情感抑郁等多因素调整后无差异(风险率1.01,95%CI为0.87～1.19,P>0.05)。MI后1个月内女性有较高的病死率(风险率1.53,95%CI为1.19～1.96,P<0.01),但经过上述多因素调整后无差异(风险率1.03,95%CI为0.78～1.36,P>0.05)。分析用药的情况发现女性使用他汀类药物比例高(调整后OR=1.47,95%CI为1.09～1.96,P<0.01),而β受体阻滞剂较少(调整后OR=0.77,95%CI为0.59～1.00,P<0.05)。其他2级预防药物及溶栓药物无差异。结论:男、女性在MI预后差别的主要原因在于患者的年龄、处置和多因素的影响,如果女性患者能得到相同的处置,则生存率将与男性相同。     

人白细胞干扰素诱导慢性乙型肝炎病人DNA损伤修复的探讨

应用不同浓度人白细胞干扰素处理10例慢性乙型肝炎病人外周血淋巴细胞,观察病人姐妹染色单体互换(SCE)频率的动力学变化.结果表明,人白细胞干扰素处理组SCE平均频率明显低于对照组,差异高度显著(P<0.01);慢性迁延性肝炎和慢性活动性肝炎处理组之间SCE平均频率无显著性差异;但人白细胞干扰素处理低浓度组SCE平均频率低于高浓度组,差异不显著(P>0.05).提示人白细胞干扰素具有诱导HBV损伤人体DNA的修复作用;大剂量人白细胞干扰素对HBV损伤人体DNA的修复未必有益.     

老年男性2型糖尿病患者目标范围内时间与长期血糖变异性的关系研究

背景 目标范围内时间(TIR)作为血糖管理的新指标,与短期血糖波动相关,是否与长期血糖变异性相关尚不清楚。目的 探讨老年男性2型糖尿病患者TIR与长期随访期间糖化血红蛋白(HbA_1c)变异系数、HbA_1c变异性评分(HVS)的关系。方法 选取2007年1月至2011年1月在解放军总医院第二医学中心住院行动态血糖监测(CGM)的老年男性2型糖尿病患者200例,根据患者基线TIR水平,将其分为TIR≥85%组(n=141)和TIR<85%组(n=59)。对受试者随访观察(12.5±1.1)年,比较两组长期随访期间HbA_1c变异系数和HVS。采用Pearson相关、多元线性回归分析TIR与HbA_1c变异系数、HVS的关系。结果 TIR<85%组患者的长期HbA_1c变异系数[(9.7±3.8)%比(8.2±4.5)%,P=0.028)]、HVS[(48.7±20.4)分比(32.5±20.8)分,P<0.001)]均明显高于TIR≥85%组。Pearson相关分析结果...     

Characteristics of rectal chlamydia among men who have sex with men in southern Taiwan, 2020–2022: An emerging threat of rectal lymphogranuloma venereum L2b

BackgroundThe prevalence of rectal chlamydia among men who have sex with men (MSM) without human deficiency virus infection (non-HIV) remains uncertain in Taiwan, and rectal lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) among MSM has never been reported in the Far East.Material and methodsFrom January 2020 to April 2022, MSM coming for anonymous voluntary counseling and testing, for pre-exposure prophylaxis, and for antiretroviral therapy were enrolled. All participants submitted his fecal samples and completed a QR-code questionnaire. Medical records of those who took regular medical visits for HIV were recorded. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for all fecal samples, and ompA gene sequencing was therefore performed for each Chlamydia-positive fecal sample.ResultsAmong 341 MSM during 2020–2022 in southern Taiwan, 21 (6.2%) had rectal chlamydia infection. Risk factors of rectal chlamydia included co-infection with rectal gonorrhea (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 6.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.44–31.91, P = 0.015) and multiple sexual partners (AOR 1.373, 95% CI 1.002–1.882, P = 0.048). Further ompA gene sequencing from 19 Chlamydia-positive fecal samples revealed that the prevalent genotypes or genovariants were Da (26.3%) and L2b (26.3%), followed by B (21.1%), J (14.3%), and G (9.5%). All cases of rectal LGV genovariant L2b presented as acute proctitis with diarrhea, anal pain, or discharge and were treated successfully with prolonged treatment of doxycycline.ConclusionsRectal gonorrhea and multiple sexual partners are risk factors for rectal chlamydia. Clinicians in Taiwan should be aware of the emerging threat of rectal LGV among MSM with acute proctitis.