Predictors of serological cure after treatment in patients with early syphilis: A retrospective observational study in Thailand.

BACKGROUND: Some patients with early syphilis who receive appropriate treatment do not reach a serological cure and have a persistent titer which does not meet the criteria for treatment failure (serofast state). AIMS: This retrospective study aimed to determine the prevalence of serological cure and the serofast state as well as the factors associated with serological cure after treatment of patients with early syphilis. METHODS: A serological cure was defined as occurring when there was a ≥4-fold decrease in nontreponemal titer, whereas patients with a ≥4-fold increase were considered as having either a treatment failure or reinfection. Nontreponemal titers that neither increased nor decreased ≥4-fold after treatment were considered to be in a serofast state. Seroreversion was defined as occurring when there was a negative test within 12 months of treatment. RESULTS: There were 179 patients with a mean age of 31.9 years; 174 (97.2%) were men, and 125 (70%) were HIV patients. Of the total, 174 (98%; 95% confidence interval 94.82-99.42%) patients achieved a serological cure, whereas five were in a serofast state 12 months after treatment. Those five serofast patients were all HIV-positive men, of which 4 (80%) had secondary-stage syphilis, a CD4 count ≤200 cells/µl and a titer <1:8. In a bivariate analysis, a serological cure was associated with a baseline Venereal Disease Research Laboratory >1:16 titers (P = 0.018), and a CD4 cell count >200 cells/µl in 6 months preceding treatment (P = 0.016). The median time to a serological cure was 96 days. Only 22 (12.3%) of the patients achieved seroreversion at 12 months after treatment. LIMITATIONS: A retrospective medical record review is likely to have a selection bias, and in our study, 196 (52%) patients were excluded due to missing information. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients with early syphilis who achieved a serological cure at 12 months after treatment had high baseline Venereal Disease Research Laboratory titers and CD4 cell counts. However, only 22 (12.3%) had a negative Venereal Disease Research Laboratory titer after 1 year of treatment.

Treatment outcomes and loss to follow-up rate of male patients with gonococcal and nongonococcal urethritis who attended the sexually transmitted disease clinic: An 8-year retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Poor follow-up compliance of patients with infectious urethritis is a recognized and serious public health problem in Thailand. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine treatment outcomes and loss to follow-up rate of male patients with gonococcal urethritis (GU) and non-GU (NGU) at a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic at Thailand's tertiary hospital. METHODS: This retrospective chart review of male patients who sought treatment at STDs Clinic, Siriraj Hospital, and who were diagnosed with GU and/or NGU was conducted during January 2007 to December 2014 study period. RESULTS: Two hundred and twenty-seven male urethritis patients were included in this study with a mean age was 29.5 years. GU and NGU were found in 120 (52.9%) and 107 (47.1%) of patients, respectively. Overall prevalence of GU and NGU during the 8-year study period at STD Clinic, Siriraj Hospital, was 8.6% and 7.8%, respectively. Ninety-six patients (42.3%) were lost to follow-up. Recurrent urethritis was found in 23.8% of patients, and HIV infection was identified in 11.6%. Mean age of patients lost to follow-up was 29 years. Compared with patients who attended every scheduled follow-up visit, men who have sex with men had a significantly lower rate of loss to follow-up (P = 0.012). CONCLUSION: Almost half of patients with GU or NGU were lost to follow-up, and one-quarter had recurrent urethritis. Fast and easy access to services that provide accurate diagnostic testing and effective treatment should be a public health priority to prevent complications and reduce rates of disease transmission.

WILLINGNESS TO PAY, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND KNOWLEDGE ON HERPES ZOSTER AMONG THAI PATIENTS PRIOR ZOSTER VACCINE ERA.

Herpes zoster is a devastating condition affecting patients' wellbeing. Policy on zoster vaccine in developing countries needs more data on the disease burden. This study was designed to assess willingness to pay, quality of life, and the patients' knowledge on herpes zoster disease. All of the patients were asked to complete questionnaires about the willingness to pay for zoster treatment using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaires in Thai version and basic knowledge about herpes zoster. The demographic and clinical data were all recorded. Eighty-two from one hundred and eighteen patients in this study were female (69.5%), and the mean (SD) age was 57.6 (14.9) years. The median of their willingness to pay for zoster treatment was THB500 (range of THB50-10,000) or only 4.2% of median income per month. The mean of total DLQI score (SD) was 10.7 (6.2), which indicated moderate to severe impact on quality of life. From multiple linear regression analysis, three factors were related to inferior patients' quality of life including facial involvement (regression coefficients, b=4.789, p=0.001), presence of zoster complications (b=5.018, p=0.001) and advanced pain score (b=0.883, p<0.001). Moreover, more than half of them still had mistaken knowledge about the disease.

Clinical characteristics of hypertrophic herpes simplex genitalis and treatment outcomes of imiquimod: a retrospective observational study.

OBJECTIVE: Atypical presentations of herpes simplex genitalis are becoming more frequent. The aim of this study was to investigate the atypical clinical manifestations and treatment of this infection. METHODS: The charts of patients with herpes simplex genitalis who attended our clinics between January 2009 and December 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of 294 patients, 147 (50%) were male with a mean (standard deviation, SD) age of 48.3 (16.8) years. An ulcerative lesion was the most common symptom (48.3%), followed by vesicle clusters (36.4%). The mean duration of symptoms at first visit was 6 days. Oral acyclovir was administered to 87.6% of patients. Hypertrophic manifestations were observed in 4.8% (14/294) of patients; 50% (7/294) were male, with a mean age of 44.5 (SD 9) years. All patients with hypertrophic manifestations were infected with HIV. Hypertrophic manifestations had a mean duration of onset of 53.3 days. Acyclovir was prescribed to 11 (78.6%) patients. The mean duration to cure was 40.9 days. Topical imiquimod was given in six resistant cases (42.9%) as adjunctive therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Atypical manifestations of herpes simplex genitalis require careful consideration because their frequency is rising, particularly in patients with HIV infection. Although acyclovir is important in their treatment, imiquimod provides an additional benefit in resistant cases.

Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with syphilis: 5 year-case study from Thailand.

BACKGROUND: Syphilis has been increasing dramatically worldwide since 2000, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM), and in those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. However most previous reports studied about prevalence and riskfactors ofsyphilis in MSMpopulation without statistical comparison with non-MSMpopulation. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to describe epidemiological trends, clinical manifestations, laboratory investigation, treatment, and HIV co-infection in patients diagnosed with syphilis, including statistical evaluation these data between MSMand non-MSM as well as HIV and non-HIVpopulations. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This was a retrospective medical records review ofpatients diagnosed with syphilis who attended Sexual Transmitted Diseases (STD) clinic between January 2008 and December 2012. Demographic data, clinical manifestations, HIVstatus, VDRL titer; and treatment regimens were collected. RESULTS: Of the 922 patients that attended the STD clinic, 143 syphilis patients were recruited with an overall prevalence of 15.5%. Twenty-six patients were MSM and 31 were HIV infected patients. Prevalence rate of syphilis in MSMand HIV infected patients were 2.8% and 3.4%, respectively. Prevalence had upward trend that startedfrom 2008 and reachedpeak in 2011. When taking MSMinto account, MSMsignificantly had younger age than non-MSM Early stage ofsyphilis, VDRL titer higher than 1:32 at diagnosis, and MSMpopulation were significantly associated with HIV-positivity among syphilis patients. Regarding treatment ofsyphilis, median time to cure syphilis was 117 days (95% confidence interval = 93-141). Treatment regimen, MSM and HIVco-infection did not significantly show influence on duration to cure. CONCLUSION: Prevalence ofsyphilis has been continuously increasing. MSM with syphilis significantly associated with younger age. Moreover, early stage of syphilis, VDRL titer higher than 1:32, and MSMpopulation were significantly related with HIVinfection. Treatment regimen, MSM and HIVco-infection did not significantly show influence on duration to cure.

PREVALENCE AND CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF MALE PATIENTS WITH ANOGENITAL WARTS ATTENDING A SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE CLINIC PRIOR HPV VACCINE RECOMMENDATION.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide among men who have sex with men (MSM). A quadrivalent HPV vaccine has been recommended for men in the United States since 2011. We conducted a retrospective study to determine the male anogenital wart burden and patient characteristics at a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic to provide baseline data regarding HPV infection. We reviewed the charts of male patients who attended a STD clinic between January 2007 and December 2011 and were diagnosed with having anogenital warts by clinical examination. A total of 181 patients were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 31.1 years, of which 22.7% were MSM and 14.9% had human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The prevalences of anogenital warts were 22.6% among MSM and 15.1% among HIV infected patients. The prevalence of anogenital warts increased between 2007 and 2011. Compared with patients without anogenital warts at the same STD clinic, patients with anogenital warts were significantly younger and more likely to have multiple sexual partners. Among the HIV infected patients, 63% were MSM; they had a significantly higher anogenital wart recurrence rate. Male anogenital warts posed a significant burden at the STD clinic. A preventive program is needed for anogenital warts, especially among MSM.

Autoimmune and rheumatic manifestations and antinuclear antibody study in HIV-infected Thai patients.

BACKGROUND: There have been reports concerning an association between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and autoimmune and rheumatic diseases. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine autoimmune and rheumatic manifestations in HIV-infected patients and their correlation with antinuclear antibody (ANA) tests. METHODS: The clinical and laboratory results of HIV-infected patients attending the Department of Dermatology, Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, from February 1999 to January 2000, were analyzed. Laboratory studies included serum CD4 lymphocyte count and ANA tests. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients were enrolled prospectively in the study. Myalgia was the most common clinical presentation (50%). Others included photosensitivity (on history) (39%), arthralgia (26%), vasculitis (18%), sicca complex (10%), arthritis (7%), and Reiter's syndrome (2%). A history of hair loss was given by 23% of patients. A positive ANA test was detected in 3%. No cases of systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, or dermatomyositis were seen. CONCLUSIONS: Autoimmune and rheumatic manifestations were not uncommonly detected in patients with HIV infection. HIV infection may sometimes mimic systemic lupus erythematosus clinically.