Minorities Remain Underrepresented in HIV/AIDS Research Despite Access to Clinical Trials

BACKGROUND: The reasons for minority underrepresentation in HIV/AIDS clinical trials remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate the knowledge, experience and factors that influence minority participation in HIV/AIDS studies in the US. METHODS: An anonymous, bilingual, self-administered survey on study participation was given to HIV-infected adults attending AIDS Clinical Trials Group-affiliated clinics in the US and Puerto Rico. Chi-square tests were used to evaluate differences by race/first language/level of education. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for factors associated with being talked to about participation in a study. RESULTS: We analyzed 2,175 complete surveys (221 in Spanish). Among respondents, 31% were White, 40% black/African American (AA) and 21% Hispanic. The overall rate of previous participation in any HIV/AIDS study was 48%. Hispanics were less likely to know about studies compared to whites and AAs (67% vs. 74% and 76%; p<0.001). Compared to whites, AAs and Hispanics were less likely to have been talked to about participating in a study (76% vs. 67% and 67%; p<0.001). The OR for being talked to about participating in a study was 0.65 (95% CI: 0.52–0.81) for AAs and 0.65 (95% CI: 0.49–0.85) for Hispanics, compared to whites. AAs and Hispanics were more likely to state that studies were not friendly to their race (17% and 10% vs. 4%; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Minorities continue to face barriers for HIV/AIDS trial participation, even when clinical research is available. Enrollment strategies should better target minorities to improve recruitment in HIV/AIDS research

Membrane stabilization as a mechanism of the anti-inflammatory activity of methanol extract of garden egg (<it>Solanum aethiopicum)</it>

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Some observations and reports show that people with high consumption of <it>Solanum aethiopicum</it> (African garden egg) have relief in arthritic pains and swelling. We aimed at assessing the effect of methanol extract of <it>Solanum aethiopicum</it> in experimentally induced inflammation using leukocyte mobilization and vascular permeability tests in rats and human red blood cell (HRBC) membrane stabilization as studies.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twenty five (25) adult Wistar rats of either sex (120 g – 200 g) divided into five groups of five rats each were used for each of the animal models. Groups 2, 3 and 4 were administered varied doses of the extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg), while groups 1 (vehicle control) and 5 (treatment control) received normal saline and indomethacin (50 mg/kg) respectively. Vascular permeability was induced by the intra-peritoneal injection of 1 ml of acetic acid and monitored using 0.5 ml intravenous injection of 1% Evans blue solution. Leukocyte mobilization was induced by the intra-peritoneal injection of 0.5 ml of 3% agar suspension in normal saline. Heat and hypotonicity induced heamolysis of HRBC membrane was used to assess membrane stabilization.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The methanol extracts of garden egg significantly and dose dependently reduced (p≤0.05) the acetic acid induced vascular permeability and agar induced leukocyte mobilization in rats. The percentage inhibitions of induced vascular permeability were 21 ± 3.39, 25 ±1.92 and 60 ± 3.81 for the 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of the extract while the inhibitions of the agar induced leucocyte migration were 23 ± 2.17, 26 ± 1.58 and 32 ± 1.58 for the 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of the extract respectively. The extract also, at doses of 100, 200, 400, 600 and 800 μg/ml significantly inhibited heat induced lysis of the human red cell membrane with values of 66.46 ± 2.89, 65.14 ± 4.58, 46.53 ± 2.52, 61.88 ± 4.51and 86.67 ± 3.06 respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results show that methanol extract of <it>Solanum aethiopicum</it> has anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce inflammatory injury and tissue damage.</p