Genital secretion HIV RNA shedding in HIV-positive patients on ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor monotherapy or standard combination ART: a cross-sectional sub-study from the PIVOT Trial.

Background: Protease inhibitors (PI) have relatively low penetration into the genital tract, raising concerns about the potential for genital HIV RNA shedding in patients taking PI-based regimens, particularly PI monotherapy (PI-mono).

Methods: We measured HIV RNA and PI drug concentrations in samples of semen, cervico-vaginal and rectal mucosa secretions, and plasma in patients after 48-96 weeks on PI-mono or standard triple therapy.

Results: A total of 85 participants were recruited.

Effects of glucose ingestion on autonomic and cardiovascular measures during rest and mental challenge.

Background: High levels of dietary sugar consumption may result in dysregulated glucose metabolism and lead to elevated cardiovascular disease risk via autonomic nervous system and cardiovascular dysfunction. Altered cardiovascular function can be examined using perturbation tasks such as mental challenge. This study examined the effects of controlled glucose intake on cardiovascular measures at rest and in responses to mental challenge in a laboratory setting.

UK national audit against the key performance indicators in the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV Medical Foundation for AIDS and Sexual Health Sexually Transmitted Infections Management Standards.

A national audit of practice performance against the key performance indicators in the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) and HIV Medical Foundation for AIDS Sexual Health Standards for the Management of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) was conducted in 2011. Approximately 60% and 8% of level 3 and level 2 services, respectively, participated. Excluding partner notification performance, the five lowest areas of performance for level 3 clinics were the STI/HIV risk assessment, care pathways linking care in level 2 clinics to local level 3 services, HIV test offer to patients with concern about STIs, information governance and receipt of chlamydial test results by clinicians within seven working days (the worst area of performance).

What do HIV-positive patients in Plymouth think about sharing details of their HIV status with other health-care workers?

We carried out a prospective structured interview with 71% of the HIV cohort in Plymouth to establish patients' views on recording HIV status and details of HIV care in routine hospital and primary care notes. Forty-nine percent of patients did not want their HIV status routinely documented in hospital notes and 57% did not want hospital staff to have access to results of sexual health screens (SHSs). In light of these results, we plan to offer patients the option to opt out of using hospital notes for documentation of their HIV care and will be providing SHSs under a separate genitourinary medicine (GU) patient number.