Association of HIV infection, hepatitis C virus infection, and metabolic factors with liver stiffness measured by transient elastography.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the relationship of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) monoinfection and its associated perturbations with liver fibrosis. METHODS: USING multivariable linear regression, we examined the demographic, behavioral, metabolic and viral factors associated with transient elastography-measured liver stiffness in 314 participants (165 HIV positive/hepatitis C virus [HCV] negative, 78 HIV positive/HCV positive, 14 HIV negative/HCV positive, 57 HIV negative/HCV negative) in the Women's Interagency HIV Study. RESULTS: Compared with HIV negative/HCV negative women, HIV positive/HCV positive women had higher median liver stiffness values (7.1 vs 4.4 kPa; P < .001); HIV positive/HCV negative and HIV negative/HCV negative women had similar liver stiffness values (both 4.4 kPa; P = .94). HIV/HCV coinfection remained associated with higher liver stiffness values (74% higher; 95% confidence interval [CI], 49-104) even after multivariable adjustment. Among HCV positive women, waist circumference (per 10-cm increase) was associated with 18% (95% CI, 7.5%-30%) higher liver stiffness values after multivariable adjustment; waist circumference showed little association among HIV positive/HCV negative or HIV negative/HCV negative women. Among HIV positive/HCV negative women, history of AIDS (13%; 95% CI, 4% -27%) and HIV RNA (7.3%; 95% CI, 1.59%-13.3%, per 10-fold increase) were associated with greater liver stiffness. CONCLUSIONS: HCV infection but not HIV infection is associated with greater liver stiffness when infected women are compared with those with neither infection. Our finding that waist circumference, a marker of central obesity, is associated with greater liver stiffness in HIV/HCV-coinfected but not HIV-monoinfected or women with neither infection suggests that in the absence of HCV-associated liver injury the adverse effects of obesity are lessened.

Cancer registration and healthcare access in West Bank, Palestine: a GIS analysis of childhood cancer, 1998-2007.

In low and middle income countries (LMIC), high-quality disease registration is difficult to achieve in the setting of inadequate healthcare infrastructure and political or economical instability. In this article, we explore the potential of geographic information systems (GIS) to add value to the understanding of childhood cancer patterns in the West Bank, despite a variety of obstacles to disease registration. All incidence cases of childhood cancers (under the age 15) from 1998 to 2007 were collected from the West Bank Cancer Registry. Temporal, spatial and space-time analyses were performed using the SatScan software developed by Martin Kulldorff and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The analyses were categorized into the following groups: all childhood cancer, leukemias, acute lymphocytic leukemia, lymphomas, brain and central nervous system (CNS) cancers and remaining cancers (excluding leukemia, lymphoma and CNS tumors). The temporal analysis revealed that cancer registration was more complete from 1998 to 2000 (p=0.0162), and that leukemia registration was severely deficient from 2003 to 2005 (p=0.0012). The spatial analysis showed a concentration of cancer in metropolitan districts where referral hospitals are based. Under registration was detected in the northern districts of Jenin and Tulkarm (RR=0.59, p=0.0059), more prominent from 2002 to 2005 (RR=0.33, p=0.0006). The analysis for high rates found a cluster of lymphoma in town of Dura and its surrounding agricultural villages (RR=4.10, p=0.0023). Our study reveals that the application of GIS tools to registry data in LMIC can help to identify geographical patterns in cancer registration and healthcare accessibility, generating priorities for future health research and policy in resource-limited areas.

Treatment of pediatric vogt-koyanagi-harada syndrome with infliximab.

PURPOSE: To report treatment results with infliximab in 2 pediatric Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome (VKH) patients. DESIGN: Interventional case series. METHODS: Medical records of 2 patients were reviewed. RESULTS: In 1 case with bilateral complete serous detachments, there was improvement but persistent fluid after 2 months of high-dose prednisone, methotrexate, and infliximab therapy. Infliximab was discontinued, and cyclophosphamide monthly intravenous injections were initiated with resolution of all subretinal fluid within 3 weeks. The second patient had mild subretinal fluid around the right optic nerve head tracking into the macula. Treatment with prednisone, methotrexate, and infliximab was initiated, with resolution of the subretinal fluid. Prednisone was tapered off within 4 months, and the inflammation remains controlled. CONCLUSIONS: Infliximab as adjunctive therapy in pediatric VKH showed a benefit in reducing systemic corticosteroid exposure in 1 patient, but incomplete timely resolution of inflammation in another patient.

Management of nontraumatic corneal perforation with tectonic drape patch and cyanoacrylate glue.

PURPOSE: To report a case of nontraumatic corneal perforation managed with a tectonic drape patch. METHODS: Interventional case report. RESULTS: A 60-year-old patient with a corneal scar in his left eye likely secondary to herpes simplex virus interstitial keratitis underwent laser peripheral iridotomy for narrow angles. He developed progressive thinning of the cornea overlying the scar that led to a descemetocele and then ultimately a 1.2- × 1.7-mm perforation. Intraoperatively, several attempts were made to seal the perforation with cyanoacrylate glue, but the wound continued to leak. Sterile plastic drape that was on the surgical field was fashioned into a 2-mm-diameter patch, and the peripheral edge of the tectonic drape patch was glued over the perforation, successfully sealing the cornea. One week later, the drape patch was intact without leak, and a penetrating keratoplasty was carried out without complication. CONCLUSIONS: Tectonic drape patch technique for nontraumatic corneal perforations in which there is tissue loss is a viable temporizing option when cyanoacrylate glue alone fails and when there is no corneal tissue or amniotic membrane available to close the wound.