Prevalence of hypoalbuminemia in outpatients with HIV/AIDS

<div><p>Abstract INTRODUCTION: Hypoalbuminemia may predict progression of disease and mortality in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). This study was conducted to investigate the risk factors associated with hypoalbuminemia in outpatients with HIV/AIDS. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in 196 outpatients with HIV/AIDS. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypoalbuminemia was 11.7%. The only risk factor associated with hypoalbuminemia was current antiretroviral therapy (no exposure: odds ratio=3.46, 95% confidence interval=1.20-10.02). CONCLUSIONS: The monitoring of plasma albumin is key to determine when antiretroviral therapy should be initiated in individuals not exposed to antiretroviral medicines.</p></div

Risk Factors Associated with HIV Infection among Male Homosexuals and Bisexuals Followed in an Open Cohort Study: Project Horizonte, Brazil (1994-2010)

<div><p>Background</p><p>There has recently been an increase in HIV infection rates among men who have sex with men (MSM). This study aimed at investigating risk factors associated with incident HIV infection in a MSM cohort–Project Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.</p><p>Methodology</p><p>This is a nested case-control study in an ongoing open cohort of homosexual and bisexual men, carried out in 1994–2010, during which 1,085 volunteers were enrolled. Each HIV seroconverted volunteer (case) was compared with three randomly selected HIV negative controls, matched by admission date and age (±3 years). During follow-up, 93 volunteers seroconverted and were compared with 279 controls.</p><p>Principal Findings</p><p>The risk factors associated with HIV seroconversion were: contact with partner’s blood during sexual relations (OR 3.7; 95% CI 1.2–11.6), attendance at gay saunas in search for sexual partners (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.3–5.4), occasional intake of alcohol when flirting and engaging in sexual activity (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.3–5.1), inconsistent use of condoms in receptive anal sex (OR 2.4; 95% CI 1.1–5.4), little interest to look up information about AIDS (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.0–6.7) particularly in newspapers (OR 3.4; 95% CI 1.4–8.1).</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>This study shows that MSM are still engaging in risk behavior, such as unprotected anal intercourse, despite taking part in a cohort study on various preventive measures. New preventive strategies in touch with the epidemic’s development and the specificities of this particular population are needed.</p></div

Final conditional logistic regression model: HIV risk factors among MSM, Project Horizonte, 1994–2010.

(a)<p>OR  =  Adjusted Odds Ratio (matched by age and admission time).</p><p>Final conditional logistic regression model: HIV risk factors among MSM, Project Horizonte, 1994–2010.</p

Univariate analysis of sexual behavior, comparing HIV-positive and HIV-negative controls, Project Horizonte, 1994–2010.

(a)<p>OR  =  Matched Odds Ratio.</p><p>Data for refusals, “not done” and “don’t know” are not shown.</p><p>Sexual practices were analyzed independently of the type of partnership (steady or casual).</p><p>Univariate analysis of sexual behavior, comparing HIV-positive and HIV-negative controls, Project Horizonte, 1994–2010.</p

Univariate analysis of the contextual characteristics, comparing HIV-positive and HIV-negative controls, Project Horizonte, 1994–2010.

(a)<p>OR  =  Matched Odds Ratio (matched by age and admission time).</p>(b)<p>Only for those that reported attendance of sex venues.</p><p>Data for “no applicable” and “no response” are not shown.</p><p>Univariate analysis of the contextual characteristics, comparing HIV-positive and HIV-negative controls, Project Horizonte, 1994–2010.</p

Factors associated with death from visceral leishmaniasis, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 2002–2009.

a<p>Covering the period 2002–2009 and including the variables present in both versions of SINAN (111 death from VL and 777 cures).</p>b<p>Covering the period 2007–2009 and including the variables common to both versions of SINAN together with the new variables included in the Net version (49 death from VL and 327 cures).</p

Demographic and clinical variables according to death from visceral leishmaniasis, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 2002–2009.

a<p>The total number of individuals listed in SINAN and included in the study (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) were 888, of which 512 were registered in the Windows version and 376 in the Net version of the database.</p>b<p>Numerical information not applicable.</p>c<p>Variable registered for VL cases occurring in the period 2007–2009 (Net version of SINAN).</p>d<p>Variable registered for VL cases occurring in the period 2002–2006 (Windows version of SINAN).</p

Predictive scoring system for death from visceral leishmaniasis, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 2007–2009.

<p>Scoring system based on the variables listed in the SINAN Net version.</p

Comparison between the variables of Windows and Net versions of the SINAN database.

<p>Comparison between the variables of Windows and Net versions of the SINAN database.</p

Clinical variables according to death from visceral leishmaniasis, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 2002–2009.

a<p>The total number of individuals listed in SINAN and included in the study were 888, of which 512 were registered in the Windows version and 376 in the Net version of the database.</p>b<p>Numerical information not applicable.</p>c<p>symbol equal to zero.</p