Is early HIV infection diagnosis at a reference center a reality in the state of Ceara?

INTRODUCTION: Early diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) can decrease transmission and significantly affect morbidity and mortality; however, Brazil still confronts the reality of late HIV diagnosis. METHODS: Medical records of 284 HIV-positive patients were reviewed in this cross-sectional study. RESULTS: Of all patients, 28% were diagnosed in the context of health assessments, whereas 27% were symptomatic at diagnosis. Early HIV infection (Group 1) was diagnosed in 60.2% of participants. They were younger than those with late diagnosis (Group 2) (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the need for strategies to increase HIV testing in asymptomatic individuals and older patients.

Kidney involvement in malaria: an update.

Malaria is an infectious disease of great importance for Public Health, as it is the most prevalent endemic disease in the world, affecting millions of people living in tropical areas of the globe. Kidney involvement is relatively frequent in infections by P. falciparum and P. malariae, but has also been described in the infection by P. vivax. Kidney complications in malaria mainly occur due to hemodynamic dysfunction and immune response. Liver complications leading to hepatomegaly, jaundice and hepatic dysfunction can also contribute to the occurrence of acute kidney injury. Histologic studies in malaria also evidence glomerulonephritis, acute tubular necrosis and acute interstitial nephritis. It is also possible to find chronic kidney disease associated with malaria, mainly in those patients suffering from repeated episodes of infection. Plasmodium antigens have already been detected in the glomeruli, suggesting a direct effect of the parasite in the kidney, which can trigger an inflammatory process leading to different types of glomerulonephritis. Clinical manifestations of kidney involvement in malaria include proteinuria, microalbuminuria and urinary casts, reported in 20 to 50% of cases. Nephrotic syndrome has also been described in the infection by P. falciparum, but it is rare. This paper highlights the main aspects of kidney involvement in malaria and important findings of the most recent research addressing this issue.

Avaliação da cascata de cuidado contínuo em indivíduos com HIV/AIDS em um centro ambulatorial de referência no Nordeste do Brasil / Evaluación de la cascada de cuidados en individuos con VIH/SIDA en un centro ambulatorio de referencia en el Nordeste de Brasil / Evaluation of the care cascade in individuals with HIV/AIDS at an ambulatory reference center in Northeast Brazil

HISTÓRICO: A cascata de cuidado contínuo surgiu como uma estratégia para se transpor a infecção por HIV e se alcançar o objetivo final em cuidados, que seria a supressão viral. Este estudo tem como objetivo descrever a cascata de cuidado contínuo em indivíduos com HIV/AIDS em um Serviço Ambulatorial Especializado. METODOLOGIA: Esse é um estudo de coorte retrospectivo que analisou indivíduos adultos com diagnóstico confirmado de HIV/AIDS e que iniciaram seu acompanhamento no Núcleo de Atenção Médica Integrada (NAMI) da Universidade de Fortaleza (UNIFOR), cidade de Fortaleza, estado do Ceará, na região Nordeste do Brasil. Os dados que se seguem foram usados na pesquisa: carga viral CD4+/CD8+ e carga viral do HIV. Os participantes foram classificados em dois grupos: retidos no cuidado em saúde (grupo 1) e não retidos no cuidado em saúde (grupo 2), totalizando uma coorte de 511 participantes. RESULTADO: A análise univariada entre os grupos demonstrou que havia predominância significativa de pacientes homens com média de idade mais alta no grupo 1 (p = 0,01). Um histórico prévio de dependência química, e na primeira consulta, foi mais frequente no grupo 2 (p = 0,001 e p = 0,01 respectivamente). Os pacientes do grupo 1 tinham um histórico mais frequente de infecções sexualmente transmissíveis (IST) (p=0,002) e estavam mais imunossuprimidos quando do diagnóstico (p = 0,002). O uso de terapia antirretroviral (TARV) na primeira consulta foi mais significativo no grupo de pacientes retidos (p<0,001). CONCLUSÕES: Este estudo sugere a necessidade de aprimoramento da "cascata de cuidados" através de sua expansão, na medida em que considere riscos comportamentais dinâmicos, o que poderia transpor as barreiras sistêmicas de acesso aos serviços de saúde para as pessoas que vivem com HIV/AIDS.

ANTECEDENTES: La cascada constante de tratamiento/cuidados ha emergido como una estrategia a fin de dejar atrás la infección por VIH en busca de la meta última del tratamiento, que es la supresión viral. El estudio apunta a describir la cascada de cuidados en individuos con VIH/SIDA en un Servicio Ambulatorio Especializado. MÉTODOS: El diseño del estudio es un grupo retrospectivo de individuos adultos con diagnosis confirmada del VIH/SIDA, quienes iniciaron su seguimiento en el Centro de Cuidados Médicos Integrados (NAMI) de la Universidad de Fortaleza (UNIFOR), en la ciudad de Fortaleza, estado de Ceará, en el nordeste de Brasil. Las informaciones siguientes fueron utilizadas en la investigación: CD4+/CD8+ carga viral y carga viral del VIH/SIDA. Los individuos fueron clasificados en dos grupos: retenidos (grupo 1) y no retenidos (grupo 2), totalizando una muestra de 511 participantes. RESULTADOS: El análisis de variable única entre estos grupos demostró que había una predominancia significativa de pacientes masculinos con una edad promedio más elevada en el grupo 1 (p = 0.01). Un antecedente de adicción previa a narcóticos durante la primera consulta fue más frecuente en el segundo grupo (p = 0.001 y p = 0.01 respectivamente). Los pertenecientes al grupo 1, de manera más frecuente, tenían antecedentes de infecciones sexualmente transmitidas (IST) (p = 0.002) y estaban más inmunosuprimidos a la época del diagnóstico (p = 0.002). El uso de TARV (terapia antirretroviral) en la primera consulta fue también más significativo en el grupo de pacientes retenidos (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONES: El estudio sugiere la necesidad de mejorar la "cascada de tratamiento/cuidados" mediante su expansión, a fin de abordar los riesgos de conducta dinámica, lo cual puede transponer las barreras sistémicas de acceso a los servicios de salud para las personas que conviven con VIH/SIDA.

BACKGROUND: The continuous care cascade has emerged as a strategy to transpose HIV infection to attain the ultimate goal of care, which is viral suppression. The study aims to describe the care cascade in individuals with HIV / AIDS in a Specialized Ambulatory Service. METHODS: The study design is a retrospective cohort of adult individuals with a confirmed diagnosis of HIV/AIDS who initiated their follow-up at the Integrated Medical Care Center (NAMI) of Universidade de Fortaleza (UNIFOR), in the city of Fortaleza, state of Ceará, northeastern Brazil. The following data were used in the investigation: CD4+/CD8+ viral load and HIV viral load. The subjects were classified into two groups: retained (group 1) and non-retained (group 2), totaling a sample of 511 participants. RESULTS: The univariate analysis between these groups showed that there was a significant predominance of male patients with a higher mean age in group 1 (p = 0.01). A history of previous drug addiction and at the first consultation was more frequent in the second group (p = 0.001 and p = 0.01 respectively). Patients from group 1 more often had a history of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) (p = 0.002) and were more immunosuppressed at the time of diagnosis (p = 0.002). The use of ART at the first consultation was also more significant in the group of retained patients (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests a need to improve the "cascade of care" by expanding it to address dynamic behavioral risks, which can transpose the systemic barriers of access to health services for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Is early HIV infection diagnosis at a reference center a reality in the state of Ceara?

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Early diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) can decrease transmission and significantly affect morbidity and mortality; however, Brazil still confronts the reality of late HIV diagnosis. METHODS: Medical records of 284 HIV-positive patients were reviewed in this cross-sectional study. RESULTS: Of all patients, 28% were diagnosed in the context of health assessments, whereas 27% were symptomatic at diagnosis. Early HIV infection (Group 1) was diagnosed in 60.2% of participants. They were younger than those with late diagnosis (Group 2) (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the need for strategies to increase HIV testing in asymptomatic individuals and older patients.