Clinical, behavioral and biomarker predictors of PCSK9 levels in HIV-infected patients naïve of statin therapy: A cross-sectional analysis from the Swiss HIV cohort.

Background And Aims: Better characterization of Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin 9 (PCSK9) profile is currently needed to tailor appropriate lipid-lowering strategies in HIV patients.

Methods: HIV-infected individuals aged ≥ 40 years and naive of statin therapy included in the Swiss HIV cohort study were screened for PCSK9 levels with a routine blood sample collection in 2014 at the Geneva University Hospitals. An exploratory linear regression model was built including clinical (age, sex, ethnicity, cardiovascular risk factors, body mass index, low CD4 defined as ≤200 cells/μl, leucocytes, lymphocytes, platelet, antiretroviral therapy), behavioral (tobacco and marijuana smoking, alcohol use and physical activity) and biomarker (CRP, TNF-α, IL-8, Il-10 and MCP-1) to investigate association with continuous PCSK9 levels.

Is acute idiopathic pericarditis associated with recent upper respiratory tract infection or gastroenteritis? A case-control study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the association of a clinical diagnosis of acute idiopathic pericarditis (AIP), and a reported upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) or gastroenteritis (GE) in the preceding month.

Design: Patients who were hospitalised with a first diagnosis of AIP were retrospectively compared with a control group of patients admitted with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), matched by gender and age.

Setting: Primary and secondary care level; one hospital serving a population of about 170,000.

Lipodystrophy among HIV-infected patients: a cross-sectional study on impact on quality of life and mental health disorders.

Background: Lipodystrophy (LD) is a frequent adverse event of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) and occurs mainly in patients exposed to first-generation antiretroviral drugs. The aim of this study was to explore and measure the interaction between LD, mental health, and quality of life of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive individuals seen in a metabolic clinic.

Methods: We conducted a single-site cross-sectional study including all HIV-infected patients attending the LIPO group and metabolism day clinic at the University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland between January 31, 2008 and November 28, 2013.

Tobacco-stained fingers: a clue for smoking-related disease or harmful alcohol use? A case-control study.

Objective: Tobacco stain on fingers is frequent. However, there is scarce description of this clinical sign. We aimed to explore tobacco stain on fingers as a marker of tobacco-related disease independent of cumulative tobacco exposure, and to find behavioural and environmental characteristics associated with those stains.

Is bone mineral mass truly decreased in teenagers with a first episode of forearm fracture? A prospective longitudinal study.

Background: Forearm fractures are common in the pediatric population and are mostly treated by cast immobilization. The purposes of this study were first to determine whether forearm fractures in adolescents are associated with abnormal bone mineral density (BMD) or content (BMC) at the time of fracture, and second, to quantify the bone mineral loss at various sites due to cast-mediated immobilization.

Methods: This longitudinal case-control study recruited 50 adolescents (age, 12.