Primary Bone Marrow Presentation of Epstein-Barr Virus Driven HIV-Associated Hodgkin Lymphoma
December 2nd 2007A 55-year-old man was admitted after presenting to the hospital emergency department with short-term memory loss and headache and a 1-month history of intermittent fevers, weight loss, and chills.
Trimeris, Roche Pull No-Needle Fuzeon Bid, Obesity a Problem in HIV Population
December 2nd 2007Trimeris and its partner Roche said they are withdrawing an application to sell their injectable AIDS drug Fuzeon (enfuvirtide) in a needle-free device. "While the device has shown potential benefit for some patients, we don't believe it's the real alternative delivery option for all patients," said Michelle Zupancic, vice president, HIV, at Roche (Vollmer S. News & Observer [Raleigh]. October 4, 2007).
BP and Lipid Elevations: Can You Blame Them on Yesterday's Chips and Dip?
December 1st 2007Some of my patients who are being treated for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or both claim that an elevated blood pressure reading or lipid level measurement resulted from a sodium- or fat-laden meal that they had eaten 1 or 2 days before their office visit.
Managing the Patient With an Abnormal Liver Test: Part 1, Persistent Aminotransferase Elevations
December 1st 2007Identifying the cause of a persistent, asymptomatic aminotransferase elevation can be challenging. The possible diagnoses are many and varied. To narrow the differential, begin with a detailed history.
'Not your father's MRSA': What you need to know -- and do -- about community-associated MRSA
November 9th 2007The notoriously adaptable and increasingly common pathogen requires a new approach including routine I&D and culturing of infected tissues; the use of more-potent antibiotics, but only when needed; and a focus on hygiene in patients with recurrent infections.
Panel Backs AIDS Drug, Possible Carcinogen in Viracept, Breakthrough Antibiotic Treatment for TB
November 2nd 2007An independent advisory panel recommended accelerated FDA approval of Merck & Co's drug Isentress (raltegravir) for patients who have drug-resistant strains of HIV (Chong J-R. Los Angeles Times. September 6, 2007). If approved, Isentress would be the first in a new class of AIDS drugs, integrase inhibitors, that aim to prevent HIV from integrating into human DNA during the replication process.
HIV-Associated Intestinal Spirochetosis
November 2nd 2007A 33-year-old, sexually active homosexual HIV-positive man, with a CD4+ T-lymphocyte count of 258/µL and HIV-1 RNA level of 7079 copies/mL, presented to his primary care physician with left upper quadrant pain, urgency to defecate, and non-bloody watery diarrhea.
Psychiatric Aspects of HIV/AIDS
November 2nd 2007In the era of rapid transmittal of health information and frequent educational updates via the Internet, hardcover medical texts still have a place. A worthy newcomer in this regard is Psychiatric Aspects of HIV/AIDS, edited by Fernandez and Ruiz, a comprehensive sourcebook with contributions by a panel of experts.