艾滋病对家庭稳定性影响的调查

目的了解艾滋病病毒（HIV）感染对家庭稳定性的影响,为进行艾滋病（AIDS）综合防治提供参考。方法按照保密、知情同意的原则,对266户HIV/AIDS家庭进行问卷调查,数据用SPSS 14.0软件包分析。结果266户家庭中,因性途径感染艾滋病家庭116户,因血途径感染的家庭150户;丧偶、离婚及分居的家庭分别占16.9%、6.4%和4.1%。因婚外性行为感染艾滋病的家庭,离婚比例为11.2%,因供血、输血感染艾滋病的家庭,离婚比例为2.7%,两者差异显著（P〈0.05）。性传播的HIV/AIDS家庭,一方或双方感染的家庭离婚比例不同,分别为21.1%和1.7%（P〈0.05）;年龄低于30岁、婚龄短于两年、无子女的家庭离婚较多（P〈0.05）。17.2%婚外性行为感染HIV者,对配偶隐瞒患病事实。结论HIV感染增加家庭的不稳定性,防艾工作对维持家庭稳定具有现实意义。     

The genetics of Graves' disease: HLA and disease susceptibility

To relate genetic variation in Graves' disease (GD) susceptibility to polymorphism at MHC loci, clinical and family studies were undertaken in eastern Hungary. Among 1980 relatives of 534 index patients, 2.9% of siblings, 2.7% of offspring, and 3.0% of parents had GD. HLA haplotype combinations in affected sibling pairs were determined in the present data and combined with data in the literature (12 sibling pairs from Farid 1981, 12 from Chan et al. 1980, and 15 from Sasazuki et al. 1983); 43, 23, and 1 affected sibling pairs shared, respectively, 2, 1, and 0 HLA haplotypes. This distribution is inconsistent with simple dominant inheritance, but is consistent with simple recessive inheritance of HLA-related susceptibility over a range of gene frequencies (0.2-0.4). A frequency of 0.3 gives the best fit and is consistent with penetrance of 7.1% for the recessive susceptibility genotype; the data, however, can accommodate penetrance values up to 16%. The distribution of HLA haplotypes in 33 families related disease susceptibility more strongly to DR than to other loci. The distribution of HLA-B8 genotypes in 256 patients was in close agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium proportions, also favoring recessive inheritance of MHC-related susceptibility. The probability that an individual will be affected with GD can be predicted, based on sex, HLA genotype, and family history. For example, 14.9% of DR3-positive women with an affected first degree relative are likely to be affected. These predictions can be tested as family data accumulate.     

The 'family' context of HIV: a need for comprehensive health and social policies

This paper reports on the findings from a multi-site psychosocial study of Canadian families with HIV-positive mothers. A total of 110 adults, representing 91 families across Canada participated in interviews. Qualitative analysis revealed a number of themes including: a complex web of personal, health and family concerns; the needs of children; family finances; disclosure dilemmas; and social experiences and challenges. These themes reflect an intricate and dynamic picture of parental and family life for adults and children living with HIV infection. Nowhere in the literature do we see HIV framed as a 'family infection'. Surveillance reporting reflects information on infected adults and children but not family groupings. Yet with HIV several family members and multiple generations as well as single or both parents may be infected, highlighting the importance of 'family HIV' as a framework for health policy and programme development. At issue is the problem that medical and other institutions view issues of surveillance, treatment and care through the lens of the infected individual, rather than being family focused. Often it is only in the context of identifying support, or barriers to support, for the medically diagnosed individual that biological or socially created families become a focus of concern. The failure to situate both chronic and life-threatening illnesses within the family setting has serious quality of life and planning consequences for parents and children living with HIV infection as well as other illnesses.     

HLA B27 and the genetics of ankylosing spondylitis.

One hundred and twenty-eight of 145 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) were found to be HLA B27 positive. Five patients had evidence of a sero-negative peripheral arthritis resembling peripheral psoriatic arthritis and 3 of these were B27 negative. One further B27 negative patients had a sister with ankylosing spondylitis and ulcerative colitis and a mother with ulcerative colitis. There was evidence of a somewhat later age of onset of symptoms in B27 negative patients. These findings are interpreted as suggesting some degree of clinical and genetic heterogeneity in ankylosing spondylitis with genes for psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease being important in some individuals, particularly those who are B27 negative. Twenty-five first-degree relatives with ankylosing spondylitis were all B27 positive. The only instance of disassociation of B27 and spondylitis in a family was where the proband had ulcerative colitis as well as spondylitis. Of 13 B27 positive fathers 3 could be diagnosed as having definite ankylosing spondylitis (23%). These findings are thought to provide evidence against the concept that the gene for ankylosing spondylitis is not B27 but a closely linked gene and favour the occurrence of an environmental event affecting approximately one-fifth of B27 positive males to result in disease.     

Drug utilization and prescribing patterns in a skilled nursing facility: the need for a rational approach to therapeutics.

A study was made of 50 patients drawn at random from a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) attended by seven physicians. For 59 percent of these patients, polypharmacy was practiced but no substantiating diagnoses were recorded. Approximately half of the drugs were administered pro re nata. More drugs were prescribed in potentially toxic dosages than in subtherapeutic dosages. The risk of an adverse drug reaction (ADR) was most often associated with anticholinergic agents, sedative-hypnotic drugs, and neuroleptics (thioridazine and chlorpromazine), particularly when prescribed concurrently. Risk of an ADR was highest when a drug was prescribed without recording a definite diagnostic indication. Lack of consistency by individual physicians in their approaches to the therapy of similar disease entities in comparable patients tended to support the concept of peer review in SNFs and also the need for teaching a rational approach to therapeutics in SNFs based on clinical pharmacology as applied to the elderly.     

The influence of HLA antigens on progression of alcoholic liver disease

The aim of our study was to elucidate further possible genetic influences on the incidence and progression of alcoholic liver disease. We determined HLA A, B and DR antigens in a well-controlled group of chronic alcoholics with and without liver disease, in repeated liver biopsies over period of 8.1 years (+/- 0.4 SEM). Patients with the antigen B 35 had an increased incidence of alcoholic liver cirrhosis, and especially a more rapid progression to cirrhosis (p less than 0.01). Increased susceptibility of these patients was shown by a more rapid progression of liver disease, despite the consumation of less alcohol over a shorter period. Results of this long-term study suggest that there is a sub-group of alcoholics genetically predisposed to higher susceptibility with more rapid deterioration of alcohol-induced liver disease.     

The role of the HLA system in the genetics of Type I diabetes mellitus]

Major determinants of susceptibility to Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes (IDDM) have been mapped to the HLA complex, near to or identical with genes encoding class II molecules. The association of IDDM with HLA-DR3 and/or DR4 antigens and the highest risk for DR3/4 heterozygotes suggest a synergistic effect of the two haplotypes. The characterization at the molecular level of the class II region has provided evidence that DQ rather than DR determinants may primarily influence the disease. In caucasians the susceptibility strongly correlates with the absence of aspartic acid at position 57 on the DQ beta chain and/or the presence of arginine at position 52 on the DQ alpha chain. The formation of a putative DQ susceptibility molecule (DQ alpha Arg52+, DQ beta Asp57-) accounts best for the disease associations when trans-complementation between alpha and beta chains encoded by different haplotypes is postulated to explain the excess of heterozygotes. Observations in other populations and in animal models indicate, however, that other residues on DQ alpha and beta chains, other class II (DR beta) molecules and non-HLA linked genes also contribute to the susceptibility. The mechanism(s) by which susceptibility determinants influence IDDM is not known. It is probably in relation with the role of class II molecules in the antigen presentation to T lymphocytes.     

The influence of knowing someone with HIV/AIDS on preventive behaviors in Italy

The influence of knowing someone with HIV/AIDS on HIV preventive behaviors has become increasingly relevant in the literature, with controversial findings. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between knowing someone with HIV/AIDS and preventive behaviors in a representative sample of the Italian adult population. Drawing on two sociocognitive models, perceived threat and HIV/AIDS knowledge were proposed as mediators of this relationship. Results from 1969 telephone interviews were analyzed. Questions included sociodemographic information, knowing someone with HIV/AIDS, past sexual behaviors, HIV/AIDS knowledge, HIV/AIDS perceived threat (susceptibility and severity), and preventive behaviors (HIV testing and condom use). The results of mediation models showed that knowing someone with HIV/AIDS had an indirect effect on condom use through HIV-perceived susceptibility. Knowing someone with HIV/AIDS showed a direct and an indirect effect through HIV/AIDS knowledge on HIV testing.