Insights into the use of telemedicine in primary care in times of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic - a cross-sectional analysis based on the international PRICOV-19 study in Austria.

BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV2 pandemic as well as the implementation of public health measures to decrease the spread of the virus re-sparked the call for "virtual" health or "distance" treatments. This paper aimed to assess the use of video consultations, the up-to-dateness of practice websites, and the views of GPs on whether eHealth is a positive aspect for the future of their practices in publicly -funded primary healthcare facilities in Austria. METHODS: The cross-sectional online questionnaire, part of the PRICOV-19 study, was conducted from December 2020 until July 2021. We randomly recruited 176 GP practices across Austria. Descriptive statistics as well as binary logistic regression models were applied to examine the associations between telemedicine use and practice factors. RESULTS: Compared with before the pandemic (3.8%), 7.6% of publicly funded GP practices have been using video consultations since the pandemic. In line with this, 93.9% of the practices had no increase in video consultation use. Fewer than half (44.3%) had an up-to-date webpage, and 27.8% assumed that the pandemic might have been a positive driver for eHealth in their practices. Positive associations with video consultation use could be found in practices with fewer patients aged 70 years and over than the average and more patients with chronic diseases than the average. CONCLUSION: The use of video consultations in general practice and the readiness for other telemedicine approaches are both very low in Austria. Austria has to urgently follow the example of countries with a transparent and comprehensive national digital health strategy that includes video consultation. Without a proper payment system, patient inclusion, and support with regard to administrative and organizational aspects, no substantial change will occur in spite of an increase in need due to the pandemic and changes in the patient population.

In utero exposure to bisphenol-A disrupts key elements of retinoid system in male mice offspring.

The retinoid system controls essential cellular processes including mitosis, differentiation and metabolism among others. Although the retinoid-signalling pathway is a potential target for the action of several endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), the information about the developmental effects of bisphenol-A (BPA) on the hepatic retinoid system is scarce. Herein, male mice were in utero exposed to BPA following maternal subcutaneous doses of 0, 10 and 100 µg/kg bw/day from gestational day 9-16 and they were sacrificed at post-natal day 30. Retinoid concentrations and gene expression of key elements involved in the retinoid system were determined in liver. BPA increased all-trans-retinoic acid concentration and expression of Adh1, Aox1 and Cyp1a2 (biosynthesis of retinoic acid), while reduced Mrp3 (efflux from hepatocyte to blood), increased Bcrp expression (biliary excretion) and changed the retinoid-dependent signalling system after reducing expression of Rxrß and increasing that of Fgf21. Furthermore, we found bivariate associations of Rarγ and Rxrγ expressions with all-trans-retinoic acid concentrations and of Fgf21 expression with that of Rarγ. Those findings occurred in animals which showed altered pancreatic function and impaired glucose metabolism during adulthood. The present information should be useful for enhancing testing methods for the identification of EDCs.

[Prevalence of infection by HIV and hepatitis C virus in a cohort of patients on methadone treatment]. / Prevalencia de infección por virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana y hepatitis C en una cohorte de pacientes en tratamiento de mantenimiento con metadona.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Methadone maintenance treatment reduces drug-related-harm. The aims of the study were: a) to analyze the temporal tendencies of prevalence of infection by HIV and hepatitis C virus, and b) to evaluate if the adherence to methadone maintenance treatment protects against the infection by HIV and hepatitis C virus. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Retrospective longitudinal study with All the 1,487 patients receiving treatment in the Province of Alicante between June 1990 and December 1997. The prevalence of infection by HIV and hepatitis C virus were computed. The variables associated to the infection by HIV and hepatitis C virus were recognized though a model of logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of infection by HIV decreased, and the prevalence of infection by hepatitis C virus increased along the studied period. The independent predictors with regard to the infection by HIV were the age of beginning in treatment (odds ratio [OR] = 0.95; 95% confident interval [95%CI], 0.93-0.97; p < 0.001), total time within treatment (OR = 0.99; 95%CI, 0.98-1.0; p = 0.01) and non-parenteral route of administration (OR = 0.25; 95%CI, 0.18-0.33; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: To be admitted to methadone maintenance treatment for the first time after opiate dependence has been developed and to remain in treatment for long periods of time, all that decreases the risk of infection by HIV.

Increase of R-/S-methadone enantiomer concentration ratio in serum of patients treated with either nevirapine or efavirenz.

An increased methadone enantiomer ratio (R/S) was associated to both nevirapine (179%, n=5) and efavirenz (36%, n=9) treatments when compared with that of controls (n=52). Additionally, in four follow-up patients, both R- and S-methadone normalized concentrations decreased (19%-93%) while R/S increased (22%-314%) following nevirapine/efavirenz treatment. R/S decreased (42%) after non-compliance with efavirenz treatment. Therefore, the methadone-maintenance-treatment outcome should be evaluated when patients are treated with drugs which are supposed to induce CYP3A4 and CYP2B6 isoforms.