Annals of internal medicine
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To examine the relation of circulating cytokines and cytokine antagonists to the progression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) disease. ⋯ High circulating levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta and TNF-alpha, combined with an excess of their natural inhibitors interleukin-1Ra and TNF-sRp55, were seen in clinically asymptomatic HIV-1-positive African women but not in African women with AIDS or in HIV-negative controls. Circulating cytokine antagonists may play a clinical role in modulating cytokine-associated symptoms in the early phases of HIV infection.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The effectiveness of early treatment with "second-line" antirheumatic drugs. A randomized, controlled trial.
To compare two therapeutic strategies for patients with recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis. ⋯ Early introduction of SAARDs may be more beneficial than delayed introduction for patients with recently diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis.
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1) To determine the proportions of patients with visceral leishmaniasis who had various treatment outcomes when cared for under wartime conditions and with limited resources and 2) to identify patient characteristics associated with the outcomes. ⋯ The patients had a median age of 15 years and were notably anemic (median hemoglobin level, 77g/L) and malnourished (median body mass index of adults [> or = 18 years of age], 15.2 kg/m2); most (91.0%) had been sick less than 5 months. Although patients could not be monitored after treatment to document cure, most (2562 [83.3%]) were successfully treated; 336 (10.9%) died during their first admission, and 79 are known to have relapsed (3.0% of those discharged alive [that is, those whose final treatment outcome was successful treatment or relapse]). In univariable analysis, young and older age (<5 or > or = 45 years of age), long duration of illness (> or = 5 months), markedly low hemoglobin level or body mass index, large spleen, high parasite density, and vomiting at least once during the treatment course were associated with death. In multiple logistic regression analysis of data for a subgroup of 1207 adults (those who did not default or relapse and for whom data were recorded on age, sex, duration of illness, hemoglobin level, body mass index, and spleen size), the approximate risk ratios for death were 2.2 (95% Cl, 1.4 to 3.6) for those with a long duration of illness, 3.6 (Cl, 2.1 to 5.9) for those 45 years of age or older, 4.6 (Cl, 2.2 to 9.4) for those with a hemoglobin level less than 60 g/L, and 12.2 (Cl, 3.2 to 47.2) for those with a body mass index less than 12.2 kg/m2. CONCLUSION; Despite the severe debility of the patients and the exceptionally difficult circumstances under which they were treated, most fared remarkably well.