Prevalence and predictors of airflow obstruction in an HIV tertiary care clinic in Montreal, Canada: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The reported prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in people living with HIV (PLWHIV) varies widely. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of airflow obstruction and COPD in unselected PLWHIV and identify characteristics that increase the risk of nonreversible airflow obstruction in order to guide case finding strategies for COPD. METHODS: All adults attending the Chronic Viral Illness Service were invited to participate in the study, regardless of smoking status or history of known COPD/asthma. Individuals underwent spirometric testing both before and after use of a salbutamol bronchodilator. Airflow obstruction was defined as forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1 )/forced vital capacity (FVC) < 0.7 post-bronchodilation, whereas COPD was defined as FEV1 /FVC < 0.7 post-bronchodilation and Medical Research Council (MRC) score > 2. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate risk factors associated with airflow obstruction, reported as adjusted odds ratios (aORs). RESULTS: Five hundred and three participants successfully completed spirometry testing. The median (Q1; Q3) age was 52 (44; 58) years. The median (Q1; Q3) CD4 count was 598 (438; 784) cells/µL and the median (Q1; Q3) nadir CD4 count was 224 (121; 351) cells/µL. There were 119 (24%) current smokers and 145 (29%) former smokers. Among those screened, 54 (11%) had airflow obstruction whereas three (1%) of the participants had COPD. Factors that were associated with airflow obstruction included a history of smoking [aOR 2.2; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1; 4.7], older age (aOR 1.6; 95% CI 1.2; 2.2), and lower CD4 count (aOR 0.8; 95% CI 0.7; 1.0). CONCLUSIONS: Airflow obstruction was relatively uncommon. Our findings suggest that PLWHIV who are ≥50 years old, smokers and those with nadir CD4 counts ≤ 200 cells/µL could be targeted to undergo spirometry to diagnose chronic airflow obstruction.

The differential impact of natural killer (NK) cell education via KIR2DL3 and KIR3DL1 on CCL4 secretion in the context of in-vitro HIV infection.

Carriage of certain inhibitory natural killer (NK) cell receptor (iNKR)/HLA ligand pairs is associated with protection from infection and slow time to AIDS implicating NK cells in HIV control. NK cells acquire functional potential through education, which requires the engagement of iNKRs by their human leucocyte antigen (HLA) ligands. HIV infection down-regulates cell surface HLA-A/B, but not HLA-C/E. We investigated how NK cell populations expressing combinations of the iNKRs NKG2A, KIR2DL3 (2DL3) and KIR3DL1 (3DL1) responded to autologous HIV infected CD4 (iCD4) cells. Purified NK cells from HIV-uninfected individuals were stimulated with autologous HIV iCD4 or uninfected CD4 T cells. Using flow cytometry we gated on each of the 8 NKG2A+/- 2DL3+/- 3DL1+/- populations and analysed all possible combinations of interferon (IFN)-γ, CCL4 and CD107a functional subsets responding to iCD4 cells. Infected CD4 cells induced differential frequencies of NKG2A+/- 2DL3+/- 3DL1+/- populations with total IFN-γ+ , CCL4+ and CD107a+ functional profiles. 2DL3+ NKG2A+ NK cells had a higher frequency of responses to iCD4 than other populations studied. A higher frequency of 2DL3+ NK cells responded to iCD4 from individuals that were not HLA-C1 homozygotes. These results show that 2DL3+ NK cells are mediators of HIV-specific responses. Furthermore, responses of NK cell populations to iCD4 are influenced not only by NK cell education through specific KIR/HLA pairs, but also by differential HIV-mediated changes in HLA expression.

Predictors of interest in taking pre-exposure prophylaxis among men who have sex with men who used a rapid HIV-testing site in Montreal (Actuel sur Rue).

OBJECTIVES: The effective use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as an HIV prevention strategy depends on its uptake by individuals at high risk of infection. Few Canadian data are available on interest in PrEP among men who have sex with men (MSM). This study aimed to identify predictors of interest in PrEP among MSM clients of a rapid HIV-testing site in Montreal's gay village (Actuel sur Rue). METHODS: Data were collected using a self-administered and a community agent-administered questionnaire. Among men reporting at least one male sexual partner and visiting the site between July 2012 and November 2013, we aimed to identify sociodemographic, sexual and temporal predictors of interest in taking effective PrEP with logistic regression analyses (univariate and multivariable). RESULTS: Over half (55%; n = 653) of the sample of 1179 MSM were interested in PrEP. Among the 14 variables considered in the univariate analyses, only (younger) age, (greater) number of sexual partners (in the past 3 months), being part of a serodiscordant couple (in the past 12 months), ever combining sex with drugs and temporal events were associated with interest in PrEP at P < 0.20 and were included in the multivariable analyses. In the multivariable model, only being part of a serodiscordant couple [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.56; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.44-4.58], having > 10 partners (aOR 1.73; 95% CI 1.17-2.55) and responding after the publication of Quebec's interim PrEP guidelines (aOR 1.82; 95% CI 1.22-2.71) proved significant. CONCLUSIONS: In this assessment of predictors of PrEP interest among Canadian MSM, partnering issues and the arrival of PrEP guidelines in Quebec (10 July 2013) were most closely linked to PrEP interest.

Symptomatic relapse of neurologic syphilis after benzathine penicillin G therapy for primary or secondary syphilis in HIV-infected patients.

We describe 3 symptomatic cases of neurologic syphilis that occurred after the administration of the usual therapy for primary or secondary syphilis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. We discuss the difficulty of diagnosing neurosyphilis, the need for lumbar puncture, and risk factors of relapse. Because HIV infection may alter the natural history and response of neurologic syphilis to treatment, scrupulous follow-up and repeated cycles of therapy are warranted.

[Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the liver in HIV infected patient: case-report]. / Lymphome non hodgkinien primitif du foie chez un patient infecté par le VIH: à propos d'une observation.

INTRODUCTION: Primary liver non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, are extremely rare in HIV-infected patient. Most of them are diffuse large-cell lymphoma with B cell type. EXEGESIS: We report here the case of a 34-year-old HIV-infected patient, admitted for jaundice and fever since 15 days. Abdominal computerised tomography showed numerous hypodense lesions on all liver segments. The various biological, microbiological and morphological examinations (ultrasound, MRI with intravenous contrast agent specific for the liver) initially suggested a tumoral origin. The liver biopsy concluded to a large B-cell lymphoma. A chemotherapy (CHOP) with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (rituximab) was initiated without discontinuing antiretroviral therapy. CONCLUSION: This case-report does emphasize on the numerous presentations of primary liver lymphoma in HIV-Infected patient, and we illustrate the interest of MRI using a new intravenous contrast agent critical for differential diagnosis.

Incidence rate and risk factors for loss to follow-up in a French clinical cohort of HIV-infected patients from January 1985 to January 1998.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence rate and risk factors for loss to follow-up (LFU) in HIV-infected individuals. METHODS: We estimated the incidence rate of LFU in 1756 HIV-infected patients enrolled in the Tourcoing Clinical Cohort from January 1985 to January 1998. We then investigated potential LFU risk factors at inclusion through a case-control study. Cases were 209 patients who had attended neither our clinic nor another HIV clinic for at least 1 year. Controls were 209 patients randomly selected from the group of HIV-infected patients followed up regularly. RESULTS: The incidence of LFU was estimated at 4.3 per 100 person-years [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.7-4.9]. Independent risk factors for LFU were (i) year of enrolment before 1993 [odds ratio (OR) 6.7; 95% CI 2.7-16.5 versus after 1997]; (ii) year of enrolment between 1993 and 1997 (OR 5.1; 95% CI 2.0-13.0 versus after 1997); (iii) age<30 years (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.0-3.5 versus >40 years); (iv) injecting drug use (OR 5.3; 95% CI 2.7-10.5 versus men who have sex with men); (v) homelessness and/or illegal immigrant status (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.0-4.9); and (vi) lack of a primary care provider (OR 6.0; 95% CI 2.4-15.1). A history of an AIDS-defining illness (OR 0.3; 95% CI 0.2-0.6) and a history of psychiatric disease (OR 0.4; 95% CI 0.3-0.8) were both associated with a decreased risk of LFU. CONCLUSIONS: This study assessed the sociodemographic, clinical and behavioural characteristics associated with LFU in HIV-infected patients. The findings of this study may allow clinicians to identify patients at risk of LFU, so that appropriate interventions may be initiated.