Mechanisms and Risk Factors for Premature Ventricular Contraction Induced Cardiomyopathy.

Frequent premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) can cause a reversible form of cardiomyopathy in patients without structural heart disease. Because of the challenging nature of PVC-induced cardiomyopathy (PVICM), the mechanisms and risk factors for PVICM are still unclear. Based on the evidence from retrospective and observational studies, the risk factors for the development of PVICM, in addition to PVC exposure, include QRS duration, coupling interval and male sex.

SynB3 Conjugated QBP1 Passes Blood-Brain Barrier Models and Inhibits PolyQ Protein Aggregation.

Background: Polyglutamine diseases are degenerative diseases in the central nervous system caused by CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion which encodes polyglutamine tracts, leading to the misfolding of pathological proteins. Small peptides can be designed to prevent polyglutamine diseases by inhibiting the polyglutamine protein aggregation, for example, polyglutamine binding peptide 1(QBP1). However, the transportation capability of polyglutamine binding peptide 1 across the blood-brain barrier is less efficient.

The safety and efficacy of PDE5-inhibitors-vardenafil on treating diabetes mellitus erectile dysfunction: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

Background: Diabetic mellitus erectile dysfunction (DMED) refers to erectile dysfunction (ED) secondary to diabetes. As people's lifestyle changes and the population ages, the incidence of DMED continues to increase. Many clinical trials have proven that PDE5-inhibitors-vardenafil has a significant effect in the treatment of Diabetic mellitus erectile dysfunction.

Nevirapine plasma concentrations are associated with virologic response and hepatotoxicity in Chinese patients with HIV infection.

Background: Limited information is available on the relationship between nevirapine plasma concentrations and virologic response or liver toxicity in Chinese patients with HIV infection. The objective of this prospective study was to test this relationship and to determine the minimal therapeutic trough concentration of nevirapine for Chinese patients.

Methods: A total of 227 HIV-infected, treatment naïve patients were enrolled into this study.

Detection of HIV-1 viruses in tears of patients even under long-term HAART.

To determine whether HIV-1 viruses exist in tears of patients under HAART, a cross-sectional study was designed. All participants who underwent long-term HAART with undetectable plasma viral load had detectable HIV-1 viral load in tears (n = 16) and had no difference from the controls (n = 5). Our data suggested that the lacrimal gland and/or other tear-associated tissues could be new reservoirs for HIV-1 and precautions should be taken when doing eye examinations.

[Safety study of 52-week highly active antiretroviral therapy in 198 HIV/AIDS Chinese patients].

Objective: To evaluate the safety profiles of three nevirapine-based therapies for antiretroviral-naive Chinese adults infected with HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus-1).

Methods: For this prospective multicentric randomized trial, a total of 198 antiretroviral-naive HIV-1 positive patients were recruited from 13 research centers in China. They were randomly assigned to receive three NVP-based antiretroviral therapies for 52 weeks: Group A, AZT (zidovudine) + DDI (didanosine) + NVP (nevirapine); Group B, D4T (stavudine) + 3TC (lamivudine) + NVP; Group C, AZT + 3TC + NVP.

[The impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy on bone mineral density in human immunodeficiency virus infected patients].

Objective: To evaluate the influence of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)on bone mineral density(BMD) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients and correlating clinical factors.

Methods: The clinical data from 2007 to 2008 were analyzed, including 50 patients treated with HAART (named treated group), 12 HIV-infected antiretroviral-naive patients (named untreated group) and 20 healthy people (named control group). Lumbar, femoral neck, femur, femoral greater trochanter and whole body BMD were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Longitudinal observation of an interferon gamma-released assay (T-SPOT.TB) for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in AIDS patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Background: T-SPOT.TB is a novel test for tuberculosis infection with higher sensitivity and specificity than the traditional tuberculin skin test (TST). However, there are no longitudinal data in the literature evaluating T-SPOT.

Impact of hepatitis C virus coinfection on HAART in HIV-infected individuals: multicentric observation cohort.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection on clinical, immunological, and virological responses and on adverse reactions to nevirapine-containing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in Chinese adult antiretroviral-naive HIV-positive patients.

Methods: This prospective, multicentric study enrolled 175 HIV-1-positive subjects who initiated HAART and attended follow-up visits over 100 weeks from 2005 to 2007. They were grouped based on HCV antibody and HCV RNA test results.

Impact of baseline CD4(+) T cell counts on the efficacy of nevirapine-based highly active antiretroviral therapy in Chinese HIV/AIDS patients: a prospective, multicentric study.

Background: CD4(+) T cell counts have been used as the indicator of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) disease progression and thereby to determine when to start highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Whether and how the baseline CD4(+) T cell count affects the immunological and viral responses or adverse reactions to nevirapine (NVP)-containing HAART in Chinese HIV-1 infected adults remain to be characterized.

Methods: One hundred and ninety-eight HIV-seropositive antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive subjects were enrolled into a prospective study from 2005 to 2007.

Three generic nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatments in Chinese HIV/AIDS patients: multicentric observation cohort.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of three nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatments for adult antiretroviral-naïve Chinese patients with HIV-1 infection.

Methodology: This was a prospective, multicenter study. 198 antiretroviral-naïve HIV-1 positive subjects with CD4 lymphocyte counts between 100/ul and 350/ul and plasma HIV-1 RNA levels more than 500 copies/ml were randomized to start three NVP-based antiretroviral treatments: group A, NVP+AZT+ddI; group B, NVP+3TC+d4T; group C, NVP+AZT+3TC.

[Clinical characteristics of 143 Chinese HIV/AIDS patients].

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients in China.

Methods: Totally 143 HIV/AIDS patients who were first diagnosed in Peking Union Medical College Hospital form January 1988 to April 2006 were enrolled in this study. Clinical characteristics were retrospectively analyzed.

[Abnormal changes of CD28 expression on CD4 + T cells in treatment-näive and highly active antiretroviral therapy-treated HIV/AIDS patients].

Objective: To study the alteration of the expression of CD28 on CD4 + T cells in HIV/AIDS patients and observe the dynamics of CD28 expression under highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

Methods: The expression of CD28 on CD4 + T cells, CD4 counts, and plasma viral load were measured by flow cytometry and bDNA assays in 278 treatment-naïve HIV/AIDS patients and 56 healthy controls. In addition, the evolution of these parameters was assessed in 59 patients who initiated HAART and were followed for 12 months in regular 3-month visits.

Clinical outcomes and immune reconstitution in 103 advanced AIDS patients undergoing 12-month highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Background: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) produces profound suppression of HIV replication, substantial increase in CD4(+) T cells, and partial reconstitution of the immune system. However, the numbers of subjects were small in previous Chinese studies. This study evaluated the efficacy and side effects of HAART in Chinese advanced AIDS patients.

[The clinical outcome and immune reconstitution in 45 advanced AIDS patients undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy for 12 months].

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and side effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in Chinese AIDS patients.

Methods: 45 antiretroviral drug-naive AIDS patients were enrolled and divided into two groups by their baseline CD(4) count < 100/microl or > or = 100/microl. Clinical, virological and immunological outcomes as well as side effects were followed at baseline and at the end of month 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 after receiving HAART.

Association between Nef-specific CD8 T-cell responses and disease progression in HIV-1 subtype B infection.

Background: The correlation between HIV-1 Nef-specific CD8 T-cell responses and markers of HIV-1 disease progression still remains unclear. This study analysed and compared the role of HIV-1 Nef-specific CD8 T-cell responses in patients with different disease status.

Methods: Two groups of patients with HIV-1 subtype B infection were selected according to CD4 count and clinical manifestations: long-term nonprogressors (LTNPs, n = 20) and advanced progressors (APs, CD4 count < 500 cells/microl, n = 34).

[Dynamics of T lymphocyte subsets in HAART treated AIDS patients with successful suppression of HIV replication and different CD4 + T cell restoration].

Objective: To study the dynamic changes of T lymphocyte subsets of AIDS patients during more than 24 months of highly active antiretrovirus therapy (HAART) with successful suppression of HIV replication and different CD4 + T cell restoration.

Methods: Totally 45 AIDS patients who had received HAART for more than 24 months were included. During HAART (including DO, M3, M6, M12, M18, and M24), the number of plasma HIV-1 RNA was measured quantitatively using the bDNA assay, and T lymphocyte subsets including CD3 + CD4 + cells, CD3 + CD8 + cells, naive CD4 + cells (CD4 + CD45RA + CD62L +), CD4 + CD28 + cells , and CD8 + CD38 + cells were detected with flow cytometer.

[The correlation of HIV-1 viral load to expression of CD8+ T lymphocyte activators CD38 and HLA-DR].

Objective: To investigate the correlation of CD38 and HLA-DR abnormal activating expression on CD8+ T with plasma viral load (VL) and evaluate the possibility of the economical CD38 and HLA-DR test to substitute VL assay in HIV/AIDS patients.

Methods: A multi-point correlation study of the percentage of CD38 and HLA-DR on CD8+ T by flow cytometry with plasma VL by bDNA was performed in 103 HIV/AIDS patients during a 12-month highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). The cutoff values of CD38 and HLA-DR were evaluated with ROC area, sensitivity and specificity for predictive VL < 50 copies/ml, < 500 copies/ml, > 1000 copies/ml and > 10,000 copies/ml respectively.

Correlation between gag-specific CD8 T-cell responses, viral load, and CD4 count in HIV-1 infection is dependent on disease status.

Background: It still remains controversial which kind of relationships exist between HIV-1-specific CD8 T-cell responses and HIV RNA load or CD4 count over the course of the infection. This study was designed to investigate the role of HIV-specific CD8 responses in patients with different disease status.

Methods: Three cohorts of patients were selected according to CD4 count levels: long-term nonprogressors (LTNPs, n = 19), asymptomatic progressors (CD4 counts between 500 and 350 cells/mm(3), n = 14), and progressors (CD4 counts <350 cells/mm(3), n = 23).