Policosanol for managing human immunodeficiency virus-related dyslipidemia in a medically underserved population: a randomized, controlled clinical trial.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with dyslipidemia and increased risk for cardiovascular events; however, the use ofstatins in HIV-infected people is complicated by pharmacokinetic interactions and overlapping toxicities with antiretroviral medications. Policosanol is a dietary supplement derived from sugar cane that is widely used as a statin alternative in Latin America.

Primary Study Objective: To collect feasibility data on sugar cane-derived policosanol to normalize dyslipidemic profiles in a sample of medically underserved HIV-infected people.

Eggerthella lenta bacteremia in a Crohn's disease patient after ileocecal resection.

Eggerthella lenta is an anaerobic, nonspore-forming Gram-positive rod and is a common gut commensal. Bacteremia from this organism is rare but when present is always clinically significant. Gastrointestinal disease and malignancy are the most common causes for bacteremia from this organism.

Lipoprotein Particle Profiles by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Medically-Underserved HIV-Infected Persons.

BACKGROUND: HIV infection is associated with dyslipidemia and increased risk for cardiovascular events. Few studies have described lipid status in medically-underserved, HIV-infected ethnic minorities, a group that is characterized by health disparities. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to characterize the lipid profile of a medically-underserved, largely ethnic minority sample of HIV-infected persons using standard lipid panels and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) -derived lipoprotein particle profiles.

Cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities in patients with syphilis: association with clinical and laboratory features.

Objective: To define clinical and laboratory features that identify patients with neurosyphilis.

Methods: Subjects (n=326) with syphilis but no previous neurosyphilis who met 1993 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for lumbar puncture underwent standardized history, neurological examination, venipuncture, and lumbar puncture. Neurosyphilis was defined as a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) white blood cell count >20 cells/ microL or reactive CSF Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test result.

General nutrition management in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

Nutritional management is integral to the care of all patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV infection results in complicated nutritional issues for patients, and there is growing evidence that nutritional interventions influence health outcomes in HIV-infected patients. We define levels of nutritional care, and we discuss when patients should be referred to providers (i.

Electron beam computed tomography for assessment of coronary artery disease in HIV-infected men receiving antiretroviral therapy.

Hyperlipidemia has been seen in patients receiving protease inhibitor-based antiretroviral therapy, prompting concern that such patients are at risk for accelerated coronary artery disease (CAD). To assess the risk of CAD in antiretroviral-treated HIV-infected men, we quantified coronary artery calcium (CAC), a sensitive and established marker of subclinical CAD, using electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) of coronary vessels. Sixty HIV-infected men who met the following criteria (cases) were enrolled in the study: age of 40 years or older; naive to antiretroviral therapy or use of a stable antiretroviral regimen for >or=6 months (mean duration, 25.