W Indian Med J
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We report a case of a 76-year old female presenting with symptomatic severe hypercalcaemia, and subsequently diagnosed with late onset SLE due to the presence of anaemia, leucopenia, antibodies of antinuclear (ANA), anti-dsDNA, and also kidney impairment. Serum levels of FGF23 and intact-parathyroid hormone (iPTH) were low in this patient. Serum calcium, FGF23 and iPTH levels responded to steroids, which occurred simultaneously with disease activity. On follow-up, the faster increase in FGF23 than in parathyroid hormone suggested that FGF23 might be involved in the pathogenesis of hypercalcaemia in SLE.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Intravaginal cleansing among women attending a sexually transmitted infection clinic in Kingston, Jamaica.
Although common worldwide, intravaginal cleansing is associated with poor health outcomes. We sought to describe intravaginal cleansing among women attending a sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic in Jamaica. ⋯ A large proportion of women attending STI clinics in Jamaica engage in frequent intravaginal cleansing, indicating a need for clinicians to discuss this topic with them accordingly.
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A 60-year old female patient was found comatosed at home and taken to the hospital's Emergency Department by her relatives. It was learnt that she wrapped her knees with spirit-impregnated cotton pad for pain for one week. ⋯ The patient underwent haemodialysis. She was discharged from the hospital with no complaints, alert and rational following five days of follow-up treatment, with the diagnosis of methyl alcohol poisoning.
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The twin epidemics of HIV and homelessness present several challenging aspects to the development of programmes for the provision of treatment and care. This paper describes the characteristics of this population being managed by a collaborative effort between the Centre for HIV/AIDS Research, Education and Services, Department of Medicine, University Hospital of the West Indies and the National Council on Drug Abuse. ⋯ The implementation of combination interventions providing a comprehensive package of services that address the multitude of issues facing the HIV-infected homeless population is required in order to appropriately manage this population.
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Current epidemiological research indicates that HIV/AIDS endures and continues to be a significant vulnerability among adolescents and youths despite the increased access to antiretroviral drugs and the reduction in the global progression of the disease. This study examined the association between substance use and psychological distress within the Jamaican population of youths coping with the illness. ⋯ The emotional needs of youths living with HIV/AIDS are just as important as their medical needs.