scholarly journals Breast cancer, human immunodeficiency virus and highly active antiretroviral treatment; implications for a high-rate seropositive region

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Subash Chirkut

Sub-Saharan Africa is the region in the world with the most people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The incidence of breast cancer is also rising in the region. This transcript focusses on the burden of these two diseases when they converge in the same populace. This comprehensive literature review of the topic suggests a trend towards an increasing incidence of breast cancer in the HIV-infected population, and the rationale for such a tendency is hypothesized, especially in the context of the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Besides the age at diagnosis, all other clinical characteristics appear to be similar in HIV-positive and HIV-negative breast cancer populations. Outcomes of the different treatment modalities for breast cancer in HIV-positive patients are also appraised and finally innovative areas of future research are suggested along with plausible recommendations.

Author(s):  
Rumbidzai Chireshe ◽  
Keshena Naidoo ◽  
Rudo Nyamakura

Background: Since the roll-out of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) in the early 2000s, the life expectancy of people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has increased. However, the gains made in reducing mortality from HIV-related complications have been mitigated by the emergence of age-related chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as hypertension. Protease inhibitors (PIs), and prolonged exposure to highly active ART (HAART) have been implicated in the development of hypertension in HIV-positive people.Aim: To investigate the prevalence of hypertension and its associated risk factors among HIV-positive patients receiving ART.Setting: The study was carried out at an urban-based clinic that provides HAART and primary care to HIV-positive people in Harare, Zimbabwe.Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among non-pregnant adults on HAART attending the clinic between July and August 2018.Results: We studied 600 HIV-positive adult patients, of which 56% were women. The prevalence rate of hypertension was 29.9%. Of the participants in the hypertensive group, 11.2% were not previously diagnosed or on treatment. Factors associated with hypertension were advanced age, use of HAART for longer than 10 years, being overweight, a family history of hypertension and smoking. There was a 68.8% prevalence of body mass index greater than 25 kg/m2 among all participants.Conclusion: High hypertension prevalence was recorded. Hypertension was not associated with gender or use of PI regimens but being overweight was highly prevalent. Greater vigilance and integration of resources is required in the overall treatment and monitoring of HIV-positive patients for co-morbidities.


2015 ◽  
Vol 105 (5) ◽  
pp. 401-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Endri Afesllari ◽  
Timothy J. Miller ◽  
Michael J. Huchital ◽  
Christy M. King ◽  
James S. Johnston ◽  
...  

Background Implementation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) significantly increased the life expectancy of those living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Except for prevalence, scientific reports regarding clinical manifestations of plantar verrucae in the post-HAART era are lacking. The objective of this study was to compare clinical manifestations of plantar verrucae between HIV-infected and noninfected individuals and then to compare these findings with those observed before the implementation of HAART. Methods Nineteen patients with plantar verrucae (ten with HIV and nine without HIV) were examined to determine the size, number, and clinical type of verrucae present. The two groups were first compared with each other and then with previously collected data from a similar analysis conducted in 1995, before the implementation of HAART. Statistical significance was determined using the Fisher exact test or the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results No significant differences were observed in the size, number, or clinical type of verrucae between HIV-negative and HIV-positive patients. Compared with the 1995 data, there was a significant decrease in the number of verrucae lesions per individual and a nonsignificant decrease in the average size of verrucae in HIV-positive patients. Conclusions Study results indicate that the implementation of HAART has impacted the clinical manifestations of plantar verrucae in HIV-positive individuals. Further analyses with a larger number of patients are required to confirm and substantiate these findings.


2011 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Johnston ◽  
Christy M. King ◽  
Sky Shanks ◽  
Saieh Khademi ◽  
Joseph Nelson ◽  
...  

Background: Since the implementation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), the life expectancy of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has significantly increased. This is likely to cause changes in podiatric medical manifestations, such as plantar verrucae, in this population. Methods: Attendees at a San Francisco street fair in 2008 provided information about HIV status and the presence of verrucae via a survey. A total of 504 surveys were analyzed and compared with 1995 data, before HAART implementation. We examined if there was a statistically significant change in the increased likelihood of plantar verrucae in HIV-positive patients from 1995 to 2008. Then we examined the likelihood of HIV-positive patients (compared to HIV-negative patients) presenting with plantar verrucae in 2008, by using logistic regression, and controlling for age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Results: Patients with HIV infection were 5.2 times more likely to present with plantar verrucae compared to patients without HIV infection in 2008 (95% confidence interval, 2.5–11.0, P < .0001) and 10.0 times more likely in 1995 (95% confidence interval, 3.4–29.0, P < .0001). This decrease in likelihood over time was not statistically significantly different (P = .33). Logistic regression analysis controlling for the covariates of age, race, and sex showed that patients with HIV in 2008 were 4.5 times more likely to present with verrucae compared to patients without HIV (95% confidence interval, 2.1–9.9, P = .0002). Conclusions: Patients with HIV infection in 2008 are still significantly more likely to present with plantar verrucae after controlling for age, race, and sex. This increased likelihood has not changed significantly across time. Because HAART has increased the life expectancy of patients with HIV, this group of patients with plantar verrucae will continue to represent a significant population in the practice of podiatric medicine. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 101(1): 35–40, 2011)


2012 ◽  
Vol 126 (6) ◽  
pp. 548-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Harris ◽  
S Peer ◽  
J J Fagan

AbstractOtotoxic drugs are widely used in the developing world, without audiological monitoring. Epidemiological data on ototoxic deafness are lacking for developing countries. The public health aspect of ototoxicity is often overlooked, to the detriment of the individual patient. This paper reviews ototoxic hearing loss, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, and also assesses the impact of treatments for tuberculosis, cancer and human immunodeficiency virus (the latter including highly active antiretroviral therapy) on ototoxic hearing loss. The paper also discusses obstacles to audiological monitoring for ototoxicity in the developing world, and the potential of audiology screening using applications for mobile devices.


2012 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 764-767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred Bernardes Filho ◽  
Maria Victória Pinto Quaresma Santos ◽  
Felipe Nazareth de Matos Pinto de Carvalho ◽  
Carlos Gustavo Carneiro de Castro ◽  
Elisabete Dobao ◽  
...  

Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is caused by inherited or acquired partial deficiency of the uroporphyrinogen-decarboxylase (Uro-D) enzyme activity. It is the most common form of porphyria. The main triggering factors to the development of porphyria cutanea tarda are alcohol, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus. There are several reports of PCT associated with drugs, among them, antiretroviral therapy. We describe three HIV-positive patients, which showed photosensitivity as well as the emergence of tense blisters on sun-exposed areas during the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and discuss the possibility of PCT after the use of these drugs by those patients.


Author(s):  
C. O. Duru ◽  
J. M. Chinawa ◽  
B. F. Chukwu

Background: Children with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection could present with varying degrees of cardiac abnormalities, however the effect of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) has not been extensively studied in them. Objectives: To compare the ventricular functions of HIV positive children on HAART with that of HIV negative children using echocardiography.  Methods: This was a comparative cross sectional descriptive study involving 54 HIV positive children on HAART and 50 HIV negative controls. Using transthoracic echocardiography, trans annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), Left ventricular fractionating shortening (LVFS), Left ventricular (LV) mitral inflow velocities, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) were used to assess right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) function. Results: The mean TAPSE for subjects and controls were 26.78±5.92mm and 25.82±3.59mm respectively (t = 1.0, p = 0.32). The prevalence of right ventricular systolic dysfunction using TAPSE was significantly higher among the subjects; 29.63% compared with 8.0% in controls (χ2 = 7.82, p=0.005). There was no significant correlation between TAPSE and CD4 counts (Spearman’s correlation coefficient = 0.15, p = 0.31). The mean left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in subjects was 141.6±45.5g/M2. Forty-one (75.9%) of the subjects had left ventricular hypertrophy (LVMI > 103G/M2) compared with 26.0% (13/50) of the controls and the difference in proportion was significant (Chi-square = 30.49, p<0.001). Left ventricular systolic function was similar in subjects and controls. The prevalence of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was significantly higher in subjects (15.5%) than in controls (4.0%); {χ2 = 37.89, p<00.1) Conclusion: This study shows that children with HIV on HAART regimen have a very high prevalence of ventricular dysfunction compared with normal controls.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document