Affective Correlates of Stimulant Use and Adherence to Anti-retroviral Therapy Among HIV-positive Methamphetamine Users

The use of stimulants has important implications for HIV prevention and care. However, few investigations have examined psychological correlates of substance use and adherence to anti-retroviral therapy (ART) among HIV-positive stimulant users. This cross-sectional investigation examined affective correlates of stimulant use and ART adherence among HIV-positive methamphetamine users. In total, 122 HIV-positive men who have sex with men or transgendered individuals on ART who reported using methamphetamine in the past 30 days were recruited from the community. HIV-specific traumatic stress was consistently and independently associated with more frequent cocaine/crack use (but not with methamphetamine use). Positive affect was independently associated with a decreased likelihood of reporting any injection drug use and an increased likelihood of reporting perfect ART adherence. HIV-specific traumatic stress may be an important determinant of increased cocaine/crack use in this population. Positive affect may increase the likelihood that individuals will refrain from injection drug use and achieve high levels of ART adherence

Patient and Regimen Characteristics Associated with Self-Reported Nonadherence to Antiretroviral Therapy

BACKGROUND: Nonadherence to antiretroviral therapy (ARVT) is an important behavioral determinant of the success of ARVT. Nonadherence may lead to virological failure, and increases the risk of development of drug resistance. Understanding the prevalence of nonadherence and associated factors is important to inform secondary HIV prevention efforts. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used data from a cross-sectional interview study of persons with HIV conducted in 18 U.S. states from 2000-2004. We calculated the proportion of nonadherent respondents (took <95% of prescribed doses in the past 48 hours), and the proportion of doses missed. We used multivariate logistic regression to describe factors associated with nonadherence. Nine hundred and fifty-eight (16%) of 5,887 respondents reported nonadherence. Nonadherence was significantly (p<0.05) associated with black race and Hispanic ethnicity; age <40 years; alcohol or crack use in the prior 12 months; being prescribed >or=4 medications; living in a shelter or on the street; and feeling "blue" >or=14 of the past 30 days. We found weaker associations with having both male-male sex and injection drug use risks for HIV acquisition; being prescribed ARVT for >or=21 months; and being prescribed a protease inhibitor (PI)-based regimen not boosted with ritonavir. The median proportion of doses missed was 50%. The most common reasons for missing doses were forgetting and side effects. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Self-reported recent nonadherence was high in our study. Our data support increased emphasis on adherence in clinical settings, and additional research on how providers and patients can overcome barriers to adherence

Complexity Variability Assessment of Nonlinear Time-Varying Cardiovascular Control

The application of complex systems theory to physiology and medicine has provided meaningful information about the nonlinear aspects underlying the dynamics of a wide range of biological processes and their disease-related aberrations. However, no studies have investigated whether meaningful information can be extracted by quantifying second-order moments of time-varying cardiovascular complexity. To this extent, we introduce a novel mathematical framework termed complexity variability, in which the variance of instantaneous Lyapunov spectra estimated over time serves as a reference quantifier. We apply the proposed methodology to four exemplary studies involving disorders which stem from cardiology, neurology and psychiatry: Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), Major Depression Disorder (MDD), Parkinson?s Disease (PD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) patients with insomnia under a yoga training regime. We show that complexity assessments derived from simple time-averaging are not able to discern pathology-related changes in autonomic control, and we demonstrate that between-group differences in measures of complexity variability are consistent across pathologies. Pathological states such as CHF, MDD, and PD are associated with an increased complexity variability when compared to healthy controls, whereas wellbeing derived from yoga in PTSD is associated with lower time-variance of complexity

Using Community Health Workers to Improve Clinical Outcomes Among People Living with HIV: A Randomized Controlled Trial

AIDS-related mortality remains a leading cause of preventable death among African-Americans. We sought to determine if community health workers could improve clinical outcomes among vulnerable African-Americans living with HIV in Miami, Florida. We recruited 91 medically indigent persons with HIV viral loads ≥1,000 and/or a CD4 cell count ≤350. Patients were randomized to a community health worker (CHW) intervention or control group. Viral load and CD4 cell count data were abstracted from electronic medical records. At 12 months, the mean VL in the intervention group was log 0.9 copies/μL lower than the control group. The CD4 counts were not significantly different among the groups. Compared to the control group, patients randomized to CHWs experienced statistically significant improvements in HIV viral load. Larger multi-site studies of longer duration are needed to determine whether CHWs should be incorporated into standard treatment models for vulnerable populations living with HIV

Psychometric properties of the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence As propriedades psicométricas do Teste de Fagerström para Dependência de Nicotina

OBJECTIVE: The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) is a screening instrument for physical nicotine dependence and is extensively used in various countries. The objective of the present report was to review articles related to the psychometric properties of the FTND. METHODS: A systematic search for articles published up through December of 2007 was carried out in various electronic databases. The following search terms were used: "Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence"; "FTND"; "psychometric"; "validity"; "reliability"; "feasibility"; and "factors". We included articles published in English, Spanish or Portuguese and in which the psychometric properties of the FTND were evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies related to the psychometric properties of the FTND were identified in the indexed literature. Analysis of the studies confirmed the reliability of the FTND for the assessment of nicotine dependence in different settings and populations. CONCLUSIONS: Further validation studies using previously validated instruments as a comparative measure are needed before the extensive use of the FTND can be justified on the basis of its psychometric qualities.<br>OBJETIVO: O Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND, Teste de Fagerström para Dependência de Nicotina) é um instrumento de rastreamento para dependência física de tabaco, amplamente utilizado em diversos países. Objetivou-se realizar uma revisão de artigos relacionados às propriedades psicométricas do FTND. MÉTODOS: Uma busca sistemática foi realizada usando-se vários indexadores eletrônicos até dezembro de 2007, com os seguintes descritores: "Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence"; "FTND"; "psychometric"; "validity"; "reliability"; "feasibility"; e "factors". Foram incluídos os artigos relacionados à avaliação das propriedades psicométricas do FTND publicados em inglês, espanhol e português. RESULTADOS: Vinte e seis estudos relativos às propriedades psicométricas do FTND foram identificados na literatura indexada. A análise dos estudos confirmou a confiabilidade do FTND na avaliação da dependência de tabaco em diferentes contextos e populações. CONCLUSÕES: Futuros estudos de validação, utilizando como medida comparativa instrumentos aferidos, de modo a referendar o seu extenso uso pelas suas qualidades psicométricas ainda são necessários