Clinical findings, diagnostic approach, and outcome of Brucella melitensis epididymo-orchitis.

We have studied 912 patients with brucellosis. Of these, 631 (69.2%) were male and 48 had epididymo-orchitis, giving an incidence of epididymo-orchitis of 7.6%. The duration of symptoms before diagnosis was 52.5 +/- 70 days. All the patients had fever, swelling, and scrotal pain, but only 2 (4.2%) reported urinary symptoms. Seven patients (14.5%) had leukocyte figures above 11 x 10(9)/L, and urine analysis was normal in 69% of the patients. Blood cultures were positive in 65.8% of cases. A total of 33 patients (68.8%) received a combination of doxycycline plus streptomycin and 13 (27.1%) doxycycline plus rifampin. The overall percentage of failure or relapse was 8.8%: 7.1% in the doxycycline plus streptomycin group and 20% in the doxycycline plus rifampin group. None of the patients required surgery. Pending clinical trials to confirm the results, conservative management with a combination of doxycycline for 2 months and streptomycin for 14 to 21 days appears to be adequate and could avoid unnecessary orchiectomy.

[Impact of demographic and psychosocial factors on adherence to antiretroviral treatment]. / Impacto de los factores demográficos y psicosociales en la no adherencia a los fármacos antirretrovirales.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Antiretroviral efficacy is closely related to the degree of adherence. The aim of this study is to assess the association between psychosocial and demographic variables and adherence to antiretroviral treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 320 patients under antiretroviral treatment was conducted in four Andalusian hospitals, using a semi-structured questionnaire given by health care professionals. RESULTS: Median age was 39.7 years. Nearly 12% of the sample was considered non-compliant to antiretroviral treatment. An interaction was observed between psychological morbidity and mental health quality of life scores. Among patients who presented psychological morbidity, a higher mental quality of life score was associated with a lower risk of non-compliance (P = 0.04). This association was not found among patients without psychological morbidity. Older age, homosexual or bisexual status and the use of injecting drugs for a shorter period of time was associated with non-compliance. CONCLUSIONS: Demographic and psychological factors have an influence on adherence to antiretroviral treatment.

Impacto de los factores demográficos y psicosociales en la no adherencia a los fármacos antirretrovirales / Impact of demographic and psychosocial factors on adherence to antiretroviral treatment

Antecedentes y objetivo. La efectividad de los antirretrovirales está asociada de forma muy estrecha al grado de adhesión. Este trabajo pretende determinar la asociación de las variables demográficas y psicosociales con la adherencia al tratamiento antirretroviral. Pacientes y métodos. Se realizó un estudio transversal con 320 pacientes en tratamiento antirretroviral, atendidos en cuatro hospitales de la Comunidad Autónoma Andaluza. Se utilizó un cuestionario semiestructurado, administrado por personal sanitario. Resultados. La edad media de la muestra fue 39,7 años. El 11,9% de la muestra estudiada fue considerada no adherida al tratamiento antirretroviral. Se detectó una interacción entre la presencia de morbilidad psíquica y la puntuación del índice de salud mental (ISM). Así, entre aquellos que padecían morbilidad psíquica a una mejor calidad de vida mental se les asoció un menor riesgo de no adherirse al tratamiento (p = 0,04), no describiéndose esta asociación entre aquéllos sin morbilidad psíquica. Una mayor edad, ser homosexual y haber estado menos años como consumidor de drogas por vía parenteral mostraron una tendencia a asociarse a la no adherencia. Conclusiones. Los factores demográficos y psicosociales influyen en la adherencia al tratamiento antirretroviral (AU)

Background and objective. Antiretroviral efficacy is closely related to the degree of adherence. The aim of this study is to assess the association between psychosocial and demographic variables and adherence to antiretroviral treatment. Patients and methods. A cross-sectional survey of 320 patients under antiretroviral treatment was conducted in four Andalusian hospitals, using a semi-structured questionnaire given by health care professionals. Results. Median age was 39.7 years. Nearly 12% of the sample was considered non-compliant to antiretroviral treatment. An interaction was observed between psychological morbidity and mental health quality of life scores. Among patients who presented psychological morbidity, a higher mental quality of life score was associated with a lower risk of non-compliance (P = 0.04). This association was not found among patients without psychological morbidity. Older age, homosexual or bisexual status and the use of injecting drugs for a shorter period of time was associated with non-compliance. Conclusions. Demographic and psychological factors have an influence on adherence to antiretroviral treatment (AU)

Impacto del apoyo social y la morbilidad psíquica en la calidad de vida en pacientes tratados con antirretrovirales / The impact of the social support and the psychic morbidity on the quality of life of patients with antiretroviral therapy

El objeto de este estudio es analizar la relación existente entre la morbilidad psíquica y el apoyo social con la calidad de vida. Por otro, el papel que realiza el apoyo social como amortiguador de la morbilidad psíquica en estos pacientes. Se estudiaron a 320 pacientes VIH positivos en tratamiento con antirretrovirales, que acudieron a las consultas externas del servicio de infecciosos de cuatro hospitales de la comunidad autónoma andaluza. Así, una mejor calidad de vida se asoció a una ausencia de morbilidad psíquica y a la presencia de apoyo social, a la vez que se observa el papel fundamental que juega el apoyo social como amortiguador de la morbilidad psíquica en este tipo de pacientes. Estos resultados ponen de relieve la importancia que los factores psicosociales tienen durante el transcurso de enfermedades de carácter crónico

The aim of this study is to analyse the existing relation between the psychic morbidity and social support and the quality of life. Besides this, the paper analyses the buffer roll that social support plays on the psychic morbidity in these patients. We studied 320 HIV+ patients in treatment with antiretrovirals, who attended the infectious disease services of four hospitals of the Autonomous Andalusian Community. Being associated a better quality of life to an absence of psychic morbidity and to the presence of social support, it is observed the relevant buffer role that the social support like shock absorber of the psychic morbidity in this one type of patients. These results show the importance that the psycho-social factors have during the course of chronic diseases