Hospitalization risk following initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy

Objectives

While highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) decreases long‐term morbidity and mortality, its short‐term effect on hospitalization rates is unknown. The primary objective of this study was to determine hospitalization rates over time in the year after HAART initiation for virological responders and nonresponders.

Methods

Hospitalizations among 1327 HAART‐naïve subjects in an urban HIV clinic in 1997–2007 were examined before and after HAART initiation. Hospitalization rates were stratified by virological responders (≥1 log₁₀ decrease in HIV‐1 RNA within 6 months after HAART initiation) and nonresponders. Causes were determined through International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision (ICD‐9) codes and chart review. Multivariate negative binomial regression was used to assess factors associated with hospitalization.

Results

During the first 45 days after HAART initiation, the hospitalization rate of responders was similar to their pre‐HAART baseline rate [75.1 vs. 78.8/100 person‐years (PY)] and to the hospitalization rate of nonresponders during the first 45 days (79.4/100 PY). The hospitalization rate of responders fell significantly between 45 and 90 days after HAART initiation and reached a plateau at approximately 45/100 PY from 91 to 365 days after HAART initiation. Significant decreases were seen in hospitalizations for opportunistic and nonopportunistic infections.

Conclusions

The first substantial clinical benefit from HAART may be realized by 90 days after HAART initiation; providers should keep close vigilance at least until this time.

     

氧氟沙星软膏的制备和含量测定

介绍了氧氟沙星软膏的处方和制备工艺,建立了紫外分光光度法测定其含量的方法,该方法稳定、准确可靠,回收率为99.74％,RSD为0.52％,软膏中的附加剂对测定无干扰。     

Synergism between interleukin-6 and interleukin-3 in supporting proliferation of human hematopoietic stem cells: comparison with interleukin-1 alpha

Currently available evidence suggests that in the steady state, the majority of hematopoietic stem cells are dormant in cell cycle and reside in the so-called G0 period. Studies in our laboratory indicated that once a stem cell leaves G0, its subsequent proliferation requires the presence of interleukin-3 (IL-3). Recently it was reported that interleukin-1 (IL-1) may stimulate stem cells to become sensitive to IL- 3. In a separate study, we observed that interleukin-6 (IL-6, also known as B cell stimulatory factor-2/interferon beta 2) possesses synergism with IL-3, shortening the G0 period of murine hematopoietic stem cells. We report here that human IL-6 and IL-3 act synergistically in support of the proliferation of progenitors for human blast cell colonies and that IL-1 alpha reveals no synergism with IL-3 when tested against purified human marrow progenitors. Panned My-10+ human marrow cells were plated in culture and on day 14 of incubation, either IL-3, IL-6, IL-1 alpha or a combination of these factors was added to the cultures. Blast cell colony formation was analyzed daily between days 18 and 32 of culture. IL-6 or IL-1 alpha alone failed to support blast cell colony formation. In the presence of IL-3 alone, blast cell colonies continued to emerge between days 21 and 27. When a combination of IL-3 and IL-6 was added, blast cell colonies developed earlier than in cultures with IL-3 alone and twice as many blast cell colonies were identified. IL-1 alpha failed to augment IL-3-dependent blast cell colony formation. Replating studies of the individual blast cell colonies revealed various types of single as well as multilineage colonies. These observations suggest that IL-6 shortens the G0 period of human hematopoietic stem cells and that the reported synergistic activities of IL-1 on primitive hematopoietic cells may be indirect.     

Use of all-trans retinoic acid in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia

Twenty-four patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) were treated with all-trans retinoic acid (45 to 100 mg/m2/day). Of these, eight cases had been either nonresponsive or resistant to previous chemotherapy; the other 16 cases were previously untreated. All patients attained complete remission without developing bone marrow hypoplasia. Bone marrow suspension cultures were studied in 15 of the 24 patients. Fourteen of these patients had morphological maturation in response to the retinoic acid (1 mumol/L). Chloroacetate esterase and alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase staining as well as electronmicroscopic examination confirmed that retinoic acid-induced cells differentiated to granulocytes with increased functional maturation (as measured by nitroblue tetrazolium reduction, NBT). The single nonresponder to retinoic acid in vitro was resistant to treatment with retinoic acid but attained complete remission after addition of low-dose cytosine arabinoside (ara-C). During the course of therapy, none of the patients showed any abnormalities in the coagulation parameters we measured, suggesting an absence of any subclinical disseminated intravascular coagulation. The only side effects consisted of mild dryness of the lips and skin, with occasional headaches and digestive symptoms. Eight patients have relapsed after 2 to 5 months of complete remission. The others remain in complete remission at 1+ to 11+ months and are still being followed up. We conclude that all-trans retinoic acid is an effective inducer for attaining complete remission in APL.     

Impairment of verbal learning and memory and executive function in unaffected siblings of probands with bipolar disorder

Kulkarni S, Jain S, Janardhan Reddy YC, Kumar KJ, Kandavel T. Impairment of verbal learning and memory and executive function in unaffected siblings of probands with bipolar disorder.
Bipolar Disord 2010: 12: 647–656. © 2010 The Authors.
Journal compilation © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Objectives: Impairments in executive function and memory have been reported in relatives of patients with bipolar disorder, suggesting that they could be potential endophenotypes for genetic studies, but the findings are inconsistent. In this study, neuropsychological performance in unaffected siblings of probands with family loading for bipolar disorder is compared to that of individually matched healthy controls. We hypothesized that performance on tests of executive functions and memory would be impaired in unaffected siblings of probands with bipolar disorder compared to matched healthy controls. Methods: We evaluated 30 unaffected siblings of probands with bipolar I disorder and 30 individually matched healthy controls using tests of attention, executive function, and memory. Unaffected siblings and healthy control subjects did not differ with respect to gender, age, and years of education. Results: Unaffected siblings performed poorly on the Tower of London test (TOL), the Rey’s auditory verbal learning test (RAVLT), and the Rey’s complex figure test. In the multivariate analysis, significance was noted for the TOL, total number of moves (p = 0.007) and the RAVLT total learning score (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Our study suggests that the deficits in verbal learning and memory and executive functions (planning) could be potential endophenotypes in bipolar disorder. These deficits are consistent with the proposed neurobiological model of bipolar disorder involving the frontotemporal and subcortical circuits. Future studies could couple cognitive and imaging strategies and genomics to identify neurocognitive endophenotypes in bipolar disorder.     

Invasive cervical carcinoma: comparison of MR imaging and surgical findings

The accuracy of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in staging invasive carcinoma of the cervix was determined retrospectively in 57 consecutive patients in whom the extent of disease was surgically confirmed. MR images were analyzed for (a) location and size of the primary tumor; (b) tumor extension to the uterine corpus, vagina, parametria, pelvic sidewall, bladder, or rectum; and (c) pelvic lymphadenopathy. The accuracy of MR imaging in determination of tumor location was 91% and for determination of tumor size within 0.5 cm, 70%. Its accuracy was 93% for vaginal extension and 88% for parametrial extension. Pelvic sidewall, bladder, and rectal involvement were accurately excluded in all patients, but the positive predictive values were 75%, 67%, and 100%, respectively. Overall, the accuracy of MR imaging in staging was 81%. MR imaging is valuable because it can accurately demonstrate tumor location, tumor size, degree of stromal penetration, and lower uterine segment involvement. It is also valuable for ruling out parametrial, pelvic sidewall, bladder, and rectal involvement.     

运动训练性下腰痛患者肌肉及腰椎组织的生物力学变化

目的:以运动训练所致下腰痛患者为对象,观察运动疗法治疗下腰痛患者肌肉及腰椎组织的生物力学变化。方法:试验于2006-06/2007-01在广州体育学院康复中心完成。①试验对象:经运动训练引起下腰痛的患者18例,均对本试验知情同意。纳入标准:经骨科专科体检诊断为慢性下腰痛,除外骨关节性及椎管性下腰痛病变,症状持续在3个月以上,近5年内无腰部手术或心血管、神经系统方面的疾病。拍摄腰椎正侧位X光片,未见脊柱、腰椎异常,但可见腰椎前凸过度(54.89±6.12)°,超过正常。经视觉类比法确定疼痛程度在5以下。②试验方法:18例患者随机分为运动组和对照组,每组各9例,运动组按体疗方案实施运动疗法;对照组以服用止痛药为主。③试验评估:采用问卷法和试验法,所有受试者分别于试验前后填写中文版的《Roland-Monrris下腰痛功能障碍调查表(RMDQ)》和《Oswestry功能障碍指数(ODI)》。同时在试验前、后测试腹背肌耐力、腰部活动度、腰椎前凸曲度及运动疗法后的疼痛改善等指标。结果:纳入18名下腰痛患者,均进入结果分析,无脱落。①试验前,RMDQ和ODI得分、腹背肌耐力、腰部活动度、腰椎前凸曲度两组间差异无显著性,试验后差异有显著性(P<0.05,P<0.01)。②试验前后,运动组RMDQ和ODI得分、腹背肌耐力、腰部活动度、腰椎前凸曲度差异有显著性(P<0.05,P<0.01),而对照组差异无显著性(P>0.05)。③试验后,运动组9人中有8人疼痛得到了不同程度的缓解,且病情都有一定程度的改善;对照组只有3人疼痛得到缓解,没有病情改善情况。结论:①重点加强腹背肌力量训练的运动疗法对下腰痛有明显疗效。②采用RMDQ和ODI相结合的方法,对下腰痛患者进行综合评估,准确性较高,同时便于比较。