Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-567X/1510004
Hepatocellular Carcinoma in HIV-Infected Patients: Clinical Characteristics and Prognostic Factors
Antonio Diaz-Sanchez, Pilar Miralles, Ana Matilla, Teresa Aldamiz-Echevarria, OscarNunez Ana Carrero, Beatriz Merino, Cristina Diez, Rafael Banares, Gerardo Clemente and Juan Berenguer
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: December 26, 2014
We analyzed 53 HIV-infected patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosed at our institution from 1998 to 2012. All patients were coinfected with hepatitis virus (77% HCV; 12% HBV; 11% HCV+HBV), and 95% had liver cirrhosis. HCC was diagnosed under surveillance in 41% of patients. Potentially curative therapy was given to 32% of patients and palliative therapy to 30% patients. Median survival was 2 months in those diagnosed from 1998 to 2005, and 11 months in those diagnosed from 2006 to...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-567X/1510003
Modification of Antiretroviral Therapy in a Cohort Study of HIV-Infected Patients Attending an Urban Teaching Hospital in Kenya
AO Owuor, GN Lule, CF Otieno, EO Omonge, MC Maritim and P Memiah
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: November 28, 2014
Objective: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with ART modification among HIV patients on 1st line therapy attending a large Teaching Hospital in Kenya.
Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional clinical record review. All patients who commenced ART from January 2005 to June 2011 and had at least 1 follow-up visit were evaluated. Baseline data, including socio demographic and clinical variables was collected using a standard chart abstraction tool.
Results: Out of 1,022 patien...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-567X/1510002
Prognostic Value of Some Acute Phase Reactants in the Management of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Disease
Akpotuzor Josephine O, Ekarika Evelyn A and Akwiwu Euphoria C
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: November 16, 2014
This study was conducted to assess the relevance of serum C- reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), relative plasma viscosity (RPV) and fibrinogen level in the management of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) disease. One hundred (100) PTB patients attending the TB clinic of Dr Lawrence Henshaw Memorial Specialist Hospital Calabar, and 70 age and sex-matched apparently healthy subjects between 15-65 years of age were selected and enrolled. Standard techniques were used for the a...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-567X/1510001
Therapeutic Targeting of Structural RNA Motifs in Viral RNA Genomes
Joanna Sztuba-Solinska
Article Type: Editorial | First Published: July 19, 2014
Viral RNA genomes have evolved functional motifs, which act at different stages of their life cycle. These unique structural domains, their interactions and association with host proteins and ligands, together orchestrate the multifunctionality of viral RNA genomes. Often, long-range RNA-RNA interactions bring regulatory elements into proximity, changing our view of a functional viral RNA genome from a linear molecule to one whose three-dimensional structure is an important contributor during th...
