HIV and syphilis prevalence among men who have sex with men: a cross-sectional survey of 61 cities in China.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has rapidly spread among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China in recent years; the magnitude of the epidemic is unclear. We sought to test 3 hypotheses: (1) The prevalence of both HIV and syphilis among MSM in China is high, (2) the 2 epidemics each have unique geographical distributions, and (3) demographic and sexual behavior characteristics are different among segments of the MSM population in China. METHODS: A total of 47 231 MSM from 61 cities in China participated in a cross-sectional survey conducted from February 2008 to September 2009. Demographic and behavioral data were collected and analyzed and blood samples tested for HIV and syphilis. Three subgroups among the broader MSM sample were described. Main outcome measures were HIV and syphilis prevalence. RESULTS: An overall prevalence of 4.9% (2314/47 231; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.7%-5.1%) for HIV and 11.8% (5552/47 231; 95% CI, 11.5%-12.0%) for syphilis was found. Syphilis-positive MSM had the highest HIV prevalence, 12.5% (693/5552; 95% CI, 11.6%-13.4%). However, correlations between HIV and syphilis prevalence were found in only 3 of 6 geographical regions (Northwest: r = 0.82, P = .0253; East: r = 0.78, P = .0004; and South-central: r = 0.63, P = .0276). Three subgroups-nonlocal MSM, Internet-using MSM, and female-partnering MSM-were found to have different profiles of characteristics and behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: HIV and syphilis prevalences among MSM in China are high and the 2 epidemics are largely separate geographically. Three segments of the Chinese MSM population each have different demographic and sexual risk "profiles" that suggest high potential for bridging infection across geographies, generations, and sexes.

Assessing the impact of micronutrient intervention programs implemented under special circumstances--meeting report.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The World Food Programme and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees organized a meeting of experts to discuss evaluation of micronutrient interventions under special circumstances, such as emergency and refugee situations. RESULTS: Multimicronutrient interventions for groups with higher needs may include home fortification products for young children or supplements for pregnant and lactating women. The choice of preparation should be guided by target group needs, evidence of efficacy of a product or its compounds, acceptability, and cost-effectiveness. Different designs can be used to assess whether an intervention has the desired impact. First, program implementation and adherence must be ascertained. Then, impact on micronutrient status can be assessed, but design options are often limited by logistic challenges, available budget, security issues, and ethical and practical issues regarding nonintervention or placebo groups. Under these conditions, a plausibility design using pre- and postintervention cross-sectional surveys, a prospective cohort study, or a step-wedge design, which enrolls groups as they start receiving the intervention, should be considered. Post hoc comparison of groups with different adherence levels may also be useful. Hemoglobin is often selected as an impact indicator because it is easily measured and tends to respond to change in micronutrient status, especially iron. However, it is not a very specific indicator of micronutrient status, because it is also influenced by inflammation, parasitic infestation, physiological status (age, pregnancy), altitude, and disorders such as thalassemia and sickle cell disease. CONCLUSION: Given the constraints described above, replicability of impact in different contexts is key to the validation of micronutrient interventions.

Enhancing HIV Testing and Treatment among Men Who Have Sex with Men in China: A Pilot Model with Two-Rapid Tests, Single Blood Draw Session, and Intensified Case Management in Six Cities in 2013.

OBJECTIVES: To explore models to improve HIV testing, linkage to care and treatment among men who have sex with men (MSM) in cooperation with community-based organizations (CBOs) in China. METHODS: We introduced a new model for HIV testing services targeting MSM in six cities in 2013.These models introduced provision of rapid HIV testing by CBO staff and streamlined processes for HIV screening, confirmation of initial reactive screening results, and linkage to care among diagnosed people. We monitored attrition along each step of the continuum of care from screening to treatment and compared program performance between 2012 and 2013. According to the providers of two rapid tests (HIV screening), four different services delivery models were examined in 2013: Model A = first screen at CDC, second at CDC (Model A = CDC+CDC), Model B = first and second screens at CBOs (Model B = CBO+CBO), Model C = first screen at CBO, second at Hospital (Model C = CBO+Hosp), and Model D = first screen at CBO, second at CDC (Model D = CBO+CDC). Logistic regressions were performed to assess advantages of different screening models of case finding and case management. RESULTS: Compared to 2012, the number of HIV screening tests performed for MSM increased 35.8% in 2013 (72,577 in 2013 vs. 53,455 in 2012). We observed a 5.6% increase in proportion of cases screened reactive receiving HIV confirmatory tests (93.9% in 2013 vs. 89.2% in 2012, χ2 = 48.52, p<0.001) and 65% reduction in loss to CD4 cell count tests (15% in 2013 vs. 43% in 2012, χ2 = 628.85, p<0.001). Regarding linkage to care and treatment, the 2013 pilot showed that the Model D had the highest rate of loss between screening reactive and confirmatory test among the four models, with 18.1% fewer receiving a second screening test and a further 5.9% loss among those receiving HIV confirmatory tests. The Model B and the Model C showed lower losses (0.8% and 1.3%) for newly diagnosed HIV positives receiving CD4 cell count tests, and higher rates of HIV positives referred to designated ART hospitals (88.0% and 93.3%) than the Model A and Model D (4.6% and 5.7% for CD4 cell count test, and 68.9% and 64.4% for referring to designated ART hospitals). The proportion of cases where the screening test was reactive that were commenced on ART was highest in Model C; 52.8% of cases commenced on ART compared to 38.9%, 34.2% and 21.1% in Models A, B and D respectively. Using Model A as a reference group, the multivariate logistic regression results also showed the advantages of Models B, C and D, which increased CD4 cell count test, referral to designated ART hospitals and initiation of ART, when controlling for program city and other factors. CONCLUSIONS: This study has demonstrated that involvement of CBOs in HIV rapid testing provision, streamlining testing and care procedures and early hospital case management can improve testing, linkage to, and retention in care and treatment among MSM in China.

Iron supplementation during pregnancy, anemia, and birth weight: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The need for prophylactic iron during pregnancy is uncertain. OBJECTIVE: We tested the hypothesis that administration of a daily iron supplement from enrollment to 28 wk of gestation to initially iron-replete, nonanemic pregnant women would reduce the prevalence of anemia at 28 wk and increase birth weight. DESIGN: Between June 1995 and September 1998, 513 low-income pregnant women in Cleveland were enrolled in the study before 20 wk of gestation. Of these, 275 had a hemoglobin concentration >/= 110 g/L and a ferritin concentration >/= 20 micro g/L and were randomly assigned to receive a monthly supply of capsules containing either 30 mg Fe as ferrous sulfate or placebo until 28 wk of gestation. At 28 and 38 wk of gestation, women with a ferritin concentration of 12 to < 20 micro g/L or < 12 micro g/L received 30 and 60 mg Fe/d, respectively, regardless of initial assignment. Almost all the women received some supplemental iron during pregnancy. We obtained infant birth weight and gestational age at delivery for 117 and 96 of the 146 and 129 women randomly assigned to receive iron and placebo, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with placebo, iron supplementation from enrollment to 28 wk of gestation did not significantly affect the overall prevalence of anemia or the incidence of preterm births but led to a significantly higher mean (+/- SD) birth weight (206 +/- 565 g; P = 0.010), a significantly lower incidence of low-birth-weight infants (4% compared with 17%; P = 0.003), and a significantly lower incidence of preterm low-birth-weight infants (3% compared with 10%; P = 0.017). CONCLUSION: Prenatal prophylactic iron supplementation deserves further examination as a measure to improve birth weight and potentially reduce health care costs.

Prevention and control of iron deficiency: policy and strategy issues.

Substantial efforts have been made in the past several decades to implement programs to reduce iron deficiency. Yet, compared with other micronutrients such as vitamin A and iodine, overall progress in reducing iron deficiency has been limited. Such limited progress is not attributed to a lack of scientific knowledge about the prevalence, causes or consequences of iron deficiency, but to limited implementation of effective interventions and ineffective communication tools. The challenge is to coordinate and balance research efforts more constructively with the implementation of practical and effective intervention programs. More attention must be paid to evaluating the operational feasibility of various intervention strategies to demonstrate their effectiveness under normal field conditions. Moreover, intervention efforts must be supported by substantially increased attention to communications to achieve effective advocacy for policy support and resource mobilization, foster partnerships and alliances, clarify priority target groups, including infants and young children, and support behavioral change. Through collaboration, researchers, program implementers and communicators can achieve substantial progress in reducing iron deficiency.

Iron supplementation: country level experiences and lessons learned.

Iron supplementation is a commonly used strategy to meet the increased requirements of at-risk groups, such as women of childbearing age, especially during pregnancy. Other at-risk groups for which iron supplementation may be appropriate include infants, young children, adolescents and the elderly. There is a need to consider iron supplementation as part of a comprehensive strategy for the prevention of iron deficiency, and not just as a treatment for anemia that is stopped as soon as clinical improvement is noted. Experience in developing countries indicates that often the poorest women with the most deficient intakes are the least likely to receive iron supplements during pregnancy. Providing supplements to women during antenatal care visits is useful but often inadequate, so other delivery channels must also be explored, including private sector markets and community networks. Communication efforts must be expanded to increase understanding of the importance of taking supplements and to address any fears or misconceptions relating to supplementation. Overall, we must increase the capacity of individuals and communities to define, analyze and act to address their own health needs.

Experiences and challenges in industrialized countries: control of iron deficiency in industrialized countries.

This paper provides a synopsis of the experience in combating iron deficiency in industrialized countries and identifies the reasons for the considerable success and future challenges. Significant progress has been made over the last century in reducing and even eliminating iron deficiency in many industrialized countries. Current estimates are that the prevalence of iron deficiency has declined to <20% in many of these countries, even among women and young children, compared with 30 to 70% in many developing countries. The reasons for this success cannot be attributed solely to a single approach but rather to a range of factors that have occurred over time as a result of both economic development and the implementation of specific policies. Several factors have contributed to improving both iron intakes and reducing iron losses; these include fortification, supplementation, dietary diversification and public health measures. For example, the decline in anemia in infants can be attributed to the introduction of iron-fortified formula and complementary foods in the 1960s to 1970s. Similarly, the enrichment and fortification of cereals with iron that began during World War II in North America and Europe is a result of effective public-private partnerships. Despite these successes, iron deficiency remains a public health concern in industrialized countries for selected subgroups such as women of reproductive age with excess menstrual losses and pregnant women who cannot meet increased requirements from the diet alone. Constant vigilance and innovative approaches for screening and combating this problem are thus still required even in developed countries.

Experiences and challenges in developing countries.

Compared with the industrialized nations, the challenges of combating iron (Fe) deficiency in developing countries include the far greater magnitude of the problem, the more limited resources and the more complex nature of the setting. The two groups most affected by Fe deficiency are young children and women of reproductive age. Infant diets in developing countries are low in iron, due to less use of industry prepared foods and much lower consumption of food from animal sources. Successful experiences in countries such as Chile and the United States have shown that it is feasible to reduce anemia levels in young children through the use of fortified infant food products and low cost weaning foods. In settings in which people are already using processed foods, the cost of improving the nutritional value of these foods is marginal compared with the significant benefits. However, costs and accessibility by the poorest are important concerns, and other options such as supplementation and efforts to improve complementary feeding also require attention. The high prevalence of iron and other micronutrient deficiencies due to poor diets and/or infections among women before and during pregnancy calls for strategies such as fortification and periodic supplementation. Experience to date suggests that fortification of staples (e.g., wheat flour) is a cost-effective and feasible strategy, but regulatory monitoring is required to demonstrate effectiveness and ensure quality. Supplementation is still required for all pregnant women, however, and challenges remain in finding ways to improve coverage and compliance. In summary, effectively combining and balancing the needs of program implementation, research and community involvement will help combat Fe deficiency.

Psychiatric side effects of indomethacin in parturients.

PURPOSE: To examine the central nervous system side effects of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) indomethacin in a case-series of obstetric patients. METHODS: The hospital records of patients experiencing any postpartum complication between 1994 and 1999 were reviewed for adverse drug reactions (ADR) attributed to indomethacin. Additional cases of indomethacin-induced adverse effects were identified through reports to the nursing administration and the Saskatchewan ADR reporting program. The Naranjo ADR probability scale was applied to all cases. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients experienced a psychiatric reaction after receiving indomethacin for postpartum pain. The symptoms were often severe and included dizziness, anxiety, fear, agitation, affective lability, depersonalization, paranoia, and hallucinations. There was no past psychiatric history documented in any of the cases. CONCLUSION: This study identifies a possible ADR to indomethacin occurring in postpartum patients. Whether the vulnerability to these neuropsychiatric reactions is randomly distributed or if parturients are at increased risk is yet to be determined. Proposed mechanisms of these side effects include a postpartum dopamine supersensitivity exacerbated by prostaglandin inhibition as well as a structural similarity between serotonin and indomethacin. The severity of the reactions to indomethacin in parturients and the potential for these disturbing psychiatric side effects to compromise the safety of both mother and infant have led to the use of alternative analgesics including different classes of NSAIDs for this population at our institution.

The high prevalence of low hemoglobin concentration among Indonesian infants aged 3-5 months is related to maternal anemia.

Iron deficiency anemia among young children is a large health problem. However, there is little information about the prevalence of anemia among young infants because it has been assumed that normal, breast-fed infants have adequate iron stores until 4-6 mo of age. We analyzed cross-sectional data from the HKI/GOI Nutrition and Health Surveillance System in rural Java, Indonesia from Sept. 1999 to Feb. 2001 for hemoglobin (Hb) of 3- to 5-mo-old breast-fed infants (n = 990) and related factors. The prevalence of Hb < 90 g/L was 13.4%, < 100 g/L, 37%, and < 110 g/L, 71%. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that normal birth weight infants (>2500 g) of anemic mothers (Hb < 120 g/L) had an odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] of 1.81 [1.34-2.43] to have a low Hb (< 100 g/L) compared with infants of nonanemic mothers with a normal birth weight. Infants of nonanemic mothers but with low birth weight had an OR of 1.15 [0.61-2.16], and those with low birth weight and anemic mothers of 3.68 [1.69-8.02]. Other risk factors included stunting (OR 1.70 [0.97-2.95]), a young mother (<20 y, OR 1.54 [0.95-2.49]), lower maternal education and living in West Java or East Java. Considering that maternal postpartum Hb reflects Hb during pregnancy, that anemia among mothers in this population is due mainly to iron deficiency, and that children born to anemic mothers are at higher risk of a low Hb, we hypothesize that low infant Hb in this population is due to iron deficiency. Intervention studies in iron deficient populations should test this hypothesis.