Evolving perspectives on HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome: moving from lipodystrophy to non-infectious HIV co-morbidities.

This article will provide insight into the evolving perspectives on HIV-related lipodystrophy syndrome: recent changes in epidemiology, a shifting focus from individual component assessment towards a more comprehensive risk evaluation for organ dysfunction and disease, the impact of patient-related outcomes in heath-related quality of life and the integration of this syndrome into a wider scenario of a premature ageing process in HIV-infected people will be discussed. The time has come to proceed beyond lipodystrophy studies based on blood concentrations of lipids and glucose and body fat evaluation. Surrogate markers of organ disease associated with lipodystrophy better identify patients vulnerable to non-infectious co-morbidities (NICMs) rather than statistical risk algorithms. In this evolving perspective NICMs take the place of lipodystrophy in the description of the clinical spectrum of HIV disease and allow integration of this syndrome into the wider scenario of a premature ageing process in HIV-infected people. Management of NICMs needs to be considered as part of a multi-disciplinary holistic approach that accommodates the increasing number of factors influencing non-infectious HIV-related outcomes

First-time use of bevacizumab for metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma in a HIV/HBV coinfected patient. A case report

A case of a HIV-1 infected patient with history of chronic hepatitis B and chronic alcohol use without cirrhosis, who presented with aggressive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with multiple metastasis is presented. Systemic chemotherapy combined with use of bevacizumab (anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody) was without effect and the patient succumbed to his disease within weeks. Relatively recent data indicate that HCC may be extremely aggressive in HIV/HBV or HIV/HCV coinfected patients with younger age at presentation, shorter evolution time, a more advanced stage at presentation with higher rates of extrahepatic-extranodal metastases and, finally, a reduced survival rate as compared with HIV-negative patients. To our knowledge, this is the first report in the English literature of bevacizumab use for metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma in HIV infected patients

Beneficial effects of intermediate dosage of anticoagulation treatment on the prognosis of hospitalized COVID-19 patients: The ETHRA study

Background/Aim: To investigate the efficacy (prognosis, coagulation/inflammation biomarkers) and safety (bleeding events) of different anticoagulation dosages in COVID-19 inpatients. Patients and Methods: COVID-19 inpatients (Athens, Greece) were included. The "Enhanced dose THRomboprophylaxis in Admissions (ETHRA)" protocol was applied in certain Departments, suggesting the use of intermediate anticoagulation dosage. The primary endpoint was a composite of intubation/venous thromboembolism/death. Inflammation/coagulation parameters were assessed. Results: Among 127 admissions, 95 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Twenty-one events (4 deaths, 17 intubations) were observed. Regression analysis demonstrated significant reduction of events with intermediate or therapeutic dosage [HR=0.16 (95%CI=0.05-0.52) p=0.002; HR=0.17 (0.04-0.71) p=0.015, respectively]. D-Dimer values were higher in those who met the composite endpoint. Intermediate dosage treatment was associated with decreased values of ferritin. Three patients (3%) had minor hemorrhagic complications. Conclusion: Anticoagulation treatment (particularly intermediate dosage) appears to have positive impact on COVID-19 inpatients' prognosis by inhibiting both coagulation and inflammatory cascades. © 2021 International Institute of Anticancer Research. All rights reserved

Should antibiotic prophylaxis before orthopedic implant surgery depend on the duration of pre-surgical hospital stay?

Abstract Background Prolonged hospital stay before surgery is a risk for colonization with antibiotic-resistant microorganisms and possible antibiotic-resistant surgical site infections (SSI), which lacks acknowledgement in international guidelines for perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. Method Retrospective cohort study focusing on prophylaxis-resistant SSI in adult orthopedic implant patients; with emphasis on length of hospital stay prior to the index surgery. Results We enrolled 611 cases of SSI (median age, 65 years; 241 females and 161 immune-suppressed) in four large implant groups: arthroplasties (n = 309), plates (n = 127), spondylodeses (n = 31), and nails (n = 46). The causative pathogen was resistant to the perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis regimen in 307 cases (307/611; 50%), but the length of pre-surgical hospitalization did not influence the incidences of prophylaxis-resistant SSIs. These incidences were (107/211;51%) for the admission day, (170/345;49%) within 10 days of delay, (19/35;54%) between 10 and 20 days, and (11/20; 55%) beyond 20 days of hospital stay before surgery. The corresponding incidences of methicillin-resistant staphylococci were 13%, 14%, 17%, and 5%, respectively. In adjusted group comparisons, the length of prior hospital stay was equally unrelated to future prophylaxis-resistant SSI (odds ratio 1.0, 95% confidence interval 0.99–1.01). Conclusions In our retrospective cohort of orthopedic implant SSI, the length of pre-surgical hospital stay was unrelated to the incidence of prophylaxis-resistant pathogens