HIV prevalence, knowledge and self-perceived risk of HIV infection among tuberculosis patients in Serbia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to estimate the seroprevalence of HIV infection among TB patients, knowledge, self-perceived risks and testing practices related to HIV. METHODS: We performed cross-sectional study from 10 May to 15 July 2011. Cluster sampling method was used to select 27 hospitals where 289 TB patients were consecutively recruited. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression methods were used to identify the factors associated with correct comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS. RESULTS: HIV prevalence among TB patients was 0.3%. Only 25.2% of the respondents presented comprehensive correct knowledge of HIV/AIDS. The percentage of correct answers to all questions related to knowledge about HIV/AIDS increases with educational status (χ2 = 5.42; p < 0.05) and decreases with the age of respondents (χ2 = 8.53; p > 0.05). The independent predictors of correct comprehensive knowledge were living without partner (OR = 4.45; CI = 1.59-12.95) and self-awareness of HIV risk (OR = 4.43; CI = 1.20-16.52). CONCLUSION: HIV prevalence among TB patients is higher than among general population in Serbia. The level of comprehensive correct knowledge of HIV/AIDS is low. There is a need for continuous implementation of public health strategy to successfully manage HIV and HIV/TB co-infection in Serbia.

Prognostic value of lymphocyte/monocyte ratio in advanced Hodgkin lymphoma: correlation with International Prognostic Score and tumor associated macrophages.

We studied the prognostic significance of the absolute lymphocyte/monocyte count ratio (ALC/AMC), its contribution to the prognostic value of the International Prognostic Score (IPS), and evaluated if ALC/AMC could serve as a proxy for the frequency of CD68 + tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in 101 patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve identified best cut-off values of 2.0 for ALC/AMC and 25% for CD68 + TAM. Patients with ALC/AMC < 2, IPS > 2 and > 25% CD68 + TAM had an inferior overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS). Spearman's test also uncovered a significant correlation between the ALC/AMC and TAM. Multivariate analysis identified ALC/AMC < 2, IPS > 2 and > 25% CD68 + TAM as poor prognostic factors of OS and EFS. After evaluating ALC/AMC and IPS, we stratified patients into three progressively-worse-outcome groups (low-risk: 0 risk factors; intermediate: 1 risk factor; high: 2 risk factors). Our study encourages the combination of ALC/AMC with IPS, for refining risk prediction in advanced HL patients.

The value of pattern capillary changes and antibodies to predict the development of systemic sclerosis in patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon.

The aim of this study is to assess the prognostic value of major provisional criteria for the development of systemic sclerosis (SSc) in primary Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) patients. We retrospectively studied the chart of 497 patients with primary RP in whom anticentromere (ACA) and antitopoisomerase I (ATA) antibodies tests and a capillary reading were available. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratios (LHR+), negative likelihood ratios (LHR-), odds ratio (OR), and area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) of those criteria were assessed to predict the development of SSc. During the average follow-up of 2.3 ± 1.9 years, 159 (32 %) patients evolved to SSc, 245 (49.3 %) evolved to other connective tissue diseases, and 93 (18.7 %) patients did not progress. The SSc pattern predicted SSc satisfactorily (LHR+ 4.12, LHR- 0.07, OR 63, AUC 0.819; P < 0.001). ACA were not significantly associated with the development of SSc (LHR+ 1.19, LHR- 0.9, OR 1.32, AUC 0.538, P = 0.156). ATA were significantly associated with the development of SSc (LHR+ 9.32, LHR- 0.67, OR 15.13, AUC 0.777; P < 0.001). Both SSc pattern and ACA or ATA were significantly associated with the development of SSc (LHR+ 2.98, LHR- 0.70, OR 4.2, AUC 0.674; P < 0.001 vs. LHR+ 16, LHR- 0.68, OR 24, AUC 0.819; P < 0.001, respectively). SSc pattern or ATA as independent risk factors, as well as following two parameters together (SSc pattern and ATA or SSc pattern and ACA) were good predictors for the development of SSc.

The effect of metoprolol on perioperative outcome in coronary patients undergoing nonvascular abdominal surgery.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical effectiveness of the beta-1-adrenergic blocker, metoprolol. DESIGN: Prospective, observational, clinical study. SETTING: Operating room and intensive care unit of a tertiary-care teaching hospital. PATIENTS: 111 ASA physical status II, III, and IV consecutive patients who were scheduled for open abdominal nonvascular surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were divided into two stratification groups: 83 (74.8%) of 111 received metoprolol, and 28 (25.2%) of 111 were controls. Within 24 to 96 hours, the drug was used parenterally in a dose of 5, 10, and 15 mg per 24 hours. Metoprolol cardioprotection was applied during the whole perioperative period, in the form of tablets in a dose of 25, 50, and 100 mg per 24 hours until the 30th postoperative day. MEASUREMENTS: During surgery, and in the first 72 postoperative hours, patients were monitored by continuous ST-T segment monitoring. A 12-lead electrocardiogram was attached immediately after surgery; on postoperative days 1, 2, and 7; and one day before discharge from the hospital. Serum troponin-T level was controlled 6, 24, and 96 hours after surgery. MAIN RESULTS: Postoperative mortality of cardiac etiology after 30 days of surgery was 1.2% (1/83) in the metoprolol group versus 7.1% (2/28) in the nonmetoprolol group (P<0.05). The causes of death in these three patients were acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and malignant arrhythmias. CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative cardioprotection significantly reduced mortality until postoperative day 30 in patients having open abdominal nonvascular surgery with general anesthesia.

Coronary artery revascularization prior to abdominal nonvascular surgery.

BACKGROUND: Does preoperative revascularization of the myocardium reduce cardiac risk in noncardiac surgery? The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of preoperative cardioprotection by coronary artery revascularization in abdominal nonvascular surgery under general anesthesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The observational clinical study included 111 consecutive patients with angiographically verified coronary artery disease. Two stratification groups of patients were compared, those with coronary artery revascularization (34 patients, 30.6%) and those without coronary artery revascularization (77 patients, 64.9%), in relation to frequency of perioperative cardiac complications. The patients were followed up until the 30th postoperative day. During operation and in the following 72 postoperative hours, the patients were monitored by continuous ST-T segment recording. Twelve-lead electrocardiography was performed immediately after surgery and on postoperative days 1, 2, and 7 as well as 1 day before discharge. Serum troponin T levels were controlled at 6, 24, and 96 h postoperatively. RESULTS: The number of patients with major cardiac complications was 0 (0.0%, n=34) in the revascularized myocardium group and 10 (12.9%, n=77) in the nonrevascularized myocardium group (P<.05). Three patients in the nonrevascularized myocardium group died of acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and malignant arrhythmias, respectively, with severe coronary artery stenosis verified angiographically. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative cardioprotection by coronary artery revascularization significantly reduces morbidity and mortality in patients who have undergone abdominal nonvascular surgery. Patients with severe coronary artery stenosis and indication for coronary artery revascularization independently of noncardiac surgery should first undergo cardiosurgical intervention prior to elective abdominal nonvascular surgery.

[Basic spirometry measurements in workers on pig farmers]. / Osnovna spirometrijska merenja kod radnika na farmama svinja.

INTRODUCTION: Many epidemiological and clinical studies have demonstrated an increased risk for the symptoms of respiratory disorders consistent with chronic bronchitis and asthma and alterations of pulmonary function tests in pig farmers. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine basic pulmonary function values in workers in swine confinement buildings and to compare them with the same values in the control group of unexposed persons. The next aim was to examine the association between these values with duration of professional exposure, cigarette smoking, age, and sex of the examined persons. METHODS: We randomly selected for examination 145 workers of both sex who had worked for at least 2 previous years in pig farms and spent at least 3 hours per day, 6 days per week in a swine confinement building. The farmers worked at 6 different farms with 12,383 pigs on average on each farms. The subject was eligible for the study if he had had no history of atopic disease nor any serious chronic disease, and no acute respiratory infection within 3 previous months. As control group we examined 156 subjects who had lived and/or worked in the same areas and had had no history of exposure to farming environment or any other known occupational air pollutants. In both groups the study comprised cigarette smokers and persons who had never smoked. Pulmonary function data were collected according to the standard protocol with a Micro Spirometer, (Micro Medical Ltd, England, UK). The registered parameters were FEV1 and FVC. At least three satisfactory forced maximal expirations were performed by each subject and the best value was accepted for analyses. The results were also expressed as a percentage of predicted values and FEV1/FVC x 100 was calculated. RESULTS: There were no differences in the main demographic characteristics between two examined groups (Table 1). Mean duration of work in pig farming was 11.6 years (SD=8.5; range 2-40). The average values of examined pulmonary function tests are shown in table 2. The values of FEV1 and FVC in each groups were between 92% and 97% of predicted values, and FEV1/FVC x 100 was not lower than 82%. There were no differences in the average values of FEV1 (p=0.574) and FEV1 % predicted (p=0.653) between pig farmers and control subjects. Pearson coefficient of correlation and Spearman nonparametric correlation test revealed a high level of correlation of FEV1 values with sex and age and no correlation of pig farming exposure with cigarette smoking as predictor variables (Table 3). The analysis by linear regression method showed that all examined predictor variables had the effect on the value of FEV1 (Table 4). After the elimination of the two least significant predictor variables it was possible to make the equation for prediction of FEV1 values. DISCUSSION: In the present study there are no significant alterations in the values of the basic pulmonary function tests in pig farmers. In the majority of previous similar studies the differences in the average values of FEV1 and FVC between pig farmers and control subjects were also not found. However, in some studies the alterations in several more specific lung function parameters were registered. The decreased values of FEV1 during workshift were also found and they are probably connected to the bronchial hyperreactivity registered in many studies in pig farmers. Longer exposure to swine confinement environment caused more decline in FEV1 and FVC and accelerated mean age-related annual decline in FEV1 was observed reaching to 44 ml/yrs more than expected. The correlations between values of FEV1 with pig farming exposure and cigarette smoking in this study were not found. However, the analysis by linear regression method showed that all examined predictor variables had the effect on the value of FEV1. In a few previous bronchoscopic, BAL and sputum studies some signs of inflammation and morphological changes of the respiratory tract were observed. The absence of important alterations in the basic spirometric measures in this and the majority of the previous studies suggests that early airway injuries may not be readily apparent using spirometric measures of lung function. CONCLUSION: In contrast to other world studies, our study comprised an important number of women farmers, but alterations associated to sex were not found. To assess the lung function in these pig farmers after several years may be of great importance.