Hormonal contraception and postmenopausal hormone therapy in Spain: time trends and patterns of use.

Objective: This study aims to describe time trends in and patterns of use of hormonal contraception and postmenopausal hormone therapy and to identify factors associated with their use among Spanish women.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis using data from 1,954 population controls (aged 24-85 y) in 12 provinces of Spain who were enrolled in the Multi Case-Control Spain study (2007-2013). Data were collected from a questionnaire conducted face-to-face by trained personnel.

Incidence of and factors associated with hepatocellular carcinoma among hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus coinfected patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

We compared the incidence of and factors associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among hepatitis C virus (HCV)-monoinfected subjects and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/HCV-coinfected individuals, both with decompensated cirrhosis. In a retrospective study, a cohort of 180 individuals with HIV coinfection and 1037 HCV-monoinfected patients with decompensated HCV-related cirrhosis from eight centres in Spain were analyzed. HCC was found in 234 (23%) HCV-monoinfected subjects and in four (2%) HIV-coinfected subjects (p<0.

Incidence of and risk factors for severe hepatotoxicity of nelfinavir-containing regimens among HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Objectives: To determine the incidence of and risk factors for severe hepatotoxicity of nelfinavir-containing regimens among human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus (HIV/HCV)-coinfected patients with known stage of liver fibrosis.

Methods: All HIV/HCV-coinfected patients were monitored for a period of 12 months after starting nelfinavir-containing regimens and, with an available liver biopsy, were included in a retrospective study.

Results: A total of 82 patients were included in the study.

Efficacy of beta-lactams against experimental pneumococcal endocarditis caused by strains with different susceptibilities to penicillin.

Objectives: To compare the in vitro and in vivo activity of penicillin, cefotaxime and ceftriaxone, using three strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae with different susceptibilities to penicillin (MICs of 0.015, 0.25 and 2 mg/L, respectively).

HIV coinfection shortens the survival of patients with hepatitis C virus-related decompensated cirrhosis.

The impact of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection on the survival of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related end-stage liver disease (ESLD) is unknown. Because HIV infection is no longer considered an absolute contraindication for liver transplantation in some countries, it has become a priority to address this topic. The objective of this study was to compare the survival of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients with decompensated cirrhosis due to HCV.

Epidemiological, clinical, and prognostic differences between the diseases caused by Mycobacterium kansasii and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus: a multicenter study.

A multicenter, comparative study was performed to determine the epidemiological, clinical, and prognostic differences between the diseases caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium kansasii in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. From 1 January 1995 through 31 December 1999, 25 HIV-infected patients received diagnoses of M. kansasii infection, and another 75 were selected as control subjects from among patients who had M.

Influence of the response to induction therapy on the rate of progression of cytomegalovirus retinitis in AIDS patients on intravitreal maintenance therapy.

In order to assess whether complete inactivation of retinitis at the end of induction therapy leads to delayed progression during maintenance therapy with weekly intravitreal ganciclovir, the time to the first progression to retinitis was evaluated in 27 AIDS patients (34 eyes) with stable cytomegalovirus retinitis. Data were censored before the introduction of protease inhibitors. Overall, retinitis progressed in 22 of 34 eyes in a median time of 12 weeks (mean +/- SD, 33 +/- 9 weeks).

Case-control study of risk factors for the development of enterococcal bacteremia.

To determine the risk factors involved in the development of enterococcal bacteremia, a prospective, observational, case-control study was carried out over 18 months. All episodes of enterococcal bacteremia with clinical significance detected in adults were included. A control matched by sex, age and hospitalization ward (medical, surgical or intensive care unit) was selected randomly for each patient with enterococcal bacteremia.

Attributable mortality rate and duration of hospital stay associated with enterococcal bacteremia.

The mortality rate of patients with cases of enterococcal bacteremia is high, although it has often been related to the patients' underlying conditions rather than to the infection itself. To analyze the attributable prognosis of enterococcal bacteremia (assessed by its attributable mortality rate and duration of hospital stay), a prospective, matched case-control study was done. All adults with an episode of enterococcal bacteremia without endocarditis were included.

Cerebrospinal fluid tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8 as diagnostic markers of cerebrospinal fluid infection in neurosurgical patients.

Objective: To evaluate whether cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, or IL-8 may be used as diagnostic markers for the differential diagnosis of aseptic vs. bacterial meningitis and/or ventriculitis in neurosurgical patients.

Design: Prospective, observational study.

Murine typhus as a common cause of fever of intermediate duration: a 17-year study in the south of Spain.

Background: Fever of intermediate duration (FID), characterized by a febrile syndrome lasting from 7 to 28 days, is a frequent condition in clinical practice, but its epidemiological and etiologic features are not well described. Murine typhus (MT) is a worldwide illness; nevertheless, to our knowledge, no studies describing its epidemiological and clinical characteristics have been performed in the south of Spain. Also, its significance as a cause of FID is unknown.

Pneumocystis carinii meningoradiculitis in a patient with AIDS.

Pneumocystis carinii is a common opportunistic pathogen in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia is common, while extrapulmonary infections with Pneumocystis carinii have been reported sparingly. The clinical features are frequently nonspecific.

Comparative study of bacteremias caused by Enterococcus spp. with and without high-level resistance to gentamicin. The Grupo Andaluz para el estudio de las Enfermedades Infecciosas.

A prospective, multicenter study was carried out over a period of 10 months. All patients with clinically significant bacteremia caused by Enterococcus spp. were included.