In view of the high frequency of these autoantibodies, we postulate that they might be of potential use for additional diagnostics for mycobacterial infections, and further studies may shed light on the pathomechanisms of these two autoantibodies. “
“Lipoatrophy is a long-term adverse effect of some antiretrovirals that affects quality of life, compromises adherence and may limit the clinical impact of HIV treatments. This paper explores the effect of tenofovir/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) on the amount of limb fat in patients with virological suppression. A randomized, prospective clinical trial was performed to compare continuation on a zidovudine/lamivudine (ZDV/3TC)-based

regimen with switching to a TDF/FTC-based regimen in terms of the effect on limb fat mass as assessed by DEXA over a 72-week period. Eighty patients were included (39 in the TDF/FTC GSK2118436 arm and 41 in the ZDV/3TC arm) and 73 completed the study (37 and 36, respectively). In the switch arm, limb fat increased by a median of 540 g from

baseline (P = 0.022), while in the ZDV/3TC arm it decreased by a median of 379 g (P = 0.112; p between groups = 0.007). MDV3100 mouse Subjects with baseline limb fat ≤ 7200 g, previous time on ZDV > 5 years or a body mass index > 25 kg/m2 experienced higher limb fat gains than other subjects, and these differences were statistically significant. Haemoglobin increased by a median of 1.0 g/dL in the TDF/FTC arm (P < 0.001) and remained unchanged next in the ZDV/3TC arm (p between groups = 0.0002). There were no significant differences between groups in other secondary endpoints (body weight, total body and trunk fat content, total body bone mineral density, laboratory parameters, CD4 cell count and

viral load). Switching from a ZDV/3TC-based to a TDF/FTC-based regimen led to a statistically significant improvement in limb fat, in contrast to the progressive loss of limb fat in subjects continuing ZDV/3TC. “
“General review definition divides PUO as classical, nosocomial, HIV-related and immunosuppression-related [1]. For HIV infection, pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) identifies a pattern of fever with temperature higher than 38.3 °C on several occasions over more than 4 weeks for outpatients, or more than 3 days duration in hospital, in which the diagnosis remains uncertain after an initial diagnostic work-up, including at least 2 days of incubation of microbiological cultures [2]. It is a common clinical manifestation in HIV-seropositive patients with severe immunosuppression and probability of an infection-related aetiology for PUO in HIV infection increases with CD4 decline, i.e. greater risk if CD4 count <50 cells/μL than <100 cells/μL than >200 cells/μL [3]. Fever is rarely the result of the effects of HIV itself and investigation of a specific cause should be actively pursued [4] (level of evidence IV).