Association of APOE gene polymorphism with lipid profile and coronary artery disease in Afro-Caribbeans.

Objectives: Apolipoprotein E gene (APOE) polymorphism is associated with the lipid profile and cardio-vascular disease. However, these relationships vary between ethnic groups. We evaluated, for the first time in an Afro-Caribbean population, the distribution of APOE polymorphisms and their associations with coronary artery disease (CAD), the lipid profile and other cardio-metabolic risk factors.

Dengue fever in patients under biologics.

Dengue fever (DF) is an epidemic viral mosquito-borne infection limited to tropical and subtropical countries. Biological therapies have been frequently used for the last 15 years in the treatment of inflammatory rheumatic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. However, no data is available regarding the characteristics of this infection in patients on biological therapy.

[Primary pulmonary hypertension associated with HTLV-I retrovirus infection at the adult T-cell leukemia lymphoma stage].

Introduction: Primary pulmonary hypertension is a rare condition characterized by sustained elevation of pulmonary artery pressure without demonstrable cause. Risk factors such as HIV infection are associated with this disease. HTLV-1 is a retrovirus endemic in Japan and in the Caribbean and an adult T-cell leukaemia-lymphoma is the most severe complication induced.

Multiple cerebral infarctions following a snakebite by Bothrops caribbaeus.

Bothrops caribbaeus, a species of the Bothrops complex, is found only in the island of Saint Lucia, West Indies. Snakebite from this pitviper is very rare. We report the case of a healthy 32-year-old Saint Lucian man who developed multiple cerebral infarctions following envenoming by this snake.