Search

Introduction In HIV patients, haemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) may occur in the presence of cancer, concomitant viral infection, HIV primo-infection or at the initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Hodgkin lymphoma remains a rare cause of HPS. We describe a case of HPS with very high Epstein Barr virus (EBV) load in a HIV patient as initial manifestation of Hodgkin lymphoma. Materials and Methods A 29-year-old HIV positive man, successfully treated with HAART with an undetectable viral load and CD4 cells count of 438/µl, was admitted for high fever of unknown origin. Laboratory results showed a pancytopenia with haemoglobin at 82 g/l, lymphocyte count at 0.36G/l and platelets count at 47G/l; a highly elevated ferritine >7500 µg/l; increased lactate dehydrogenase at 885U/l and soluble IL2 receptor (CD25) >60 ng/ml. EBV load was measured and confirmed at 2,600,000 copies/ml. A PET-CT imaging showed diffuse elevated metabolic activity in the bone marrow and in two lesions in the spleen without lymphadenopathy. Bone marrow and liver biopsies revealed images of haemophagocytosis and lymphocyte depleted Hodgkin lymphoma. Treatment consisted in etoposid, steroids, and R-ABVD (rituximab, doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) chemotherapy. The patient completed six cycles of chemotherapy. We reviewed the literature in PubMed with the following keywords: HPS, HIV, EBV, Hodgkin lymphoma. Results We identified four publications and two reviews reporting cases of HPS associated with Hodgkin lymphoma in HIV patients with either a positive EBV load either the presence of encoded EBV RNA in tumour cells. Twenty-two cases (including one pediatric case) were described. Among adults, mostly men, the median age was <50 years and immune suppression was marked with a median CD4 cell count<100 cells/µl, even in patients receiving HAART. When measured, EBV load in the serum was high. Prognosis was poor with a high mortality despite adequate treatment consisting in steroids and chemotherapy, with or without etoposide (Table 1). Conclusions Our case report and the review of literature suggest that physicians should be aware of the association between EBV infection/reactivation and Hodgkin lymphoma as a cause of HPS in HIV patients, even if successfully treated with HAART. The pathogenesis of these three interrelated conditions (viral infection, oncogenesis and immunologic reaction) remains unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Morphological and metabolic complications in HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy remain a challenge. While new cases of lipoatrophy (LA) disappear, irreducible central lipohypertrophy (LH) and metabolic complications require highly specialized management. We described a day hospital dedicated to lipodystrophy (LD) and metabolic disorders in HIV patients on treatment in Geneva, Switzerland, with a focus on LH. Materials and Methods The 'Groupe Lipo & Metabolism' is a multidisciplinary consultation where patients undergo a standard evaluation including questionnaire, physical examination, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and L5-level CT scans, blood tests and consultations with various specialists. Based on prospectively maintained data, we describe clinical, biological and radiological characteristics of patients ≥18 years who attended the consultation between 2008 and 2013. We defined LH by CT scan, the gold standard method, as abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) ≥130 cm2, value associated with increased risk of cardiovascular event. Results A total of 195 patients attended the consultation during study period. Reasons for referral included LH in 28.3%, LA in 25% and mixed syndrome in 15.5% of cases. Metabolic disorders accounted for 19% of referrals with or without LD features. Among patients with a CT scan performed (n=183), 46 (25%) had LH with a VAT ≥130 cm2. In this population, mean age was 49.1 years and 53.6% were male. HIV viral load was <50 cp/ml in 87% of patients. Mean body mass index was 24.6 kg/m2. Mean waist to hip ratio (WHR) was 0.98 for males and 0.89 for females. A total of 9.8%, 29.5% and 35% of patients had abnormal levels of total cholesterol (≥6.5 mmol/L), triglycerides (≥2.0 mmol/L) and HDL cholesterol (≤1.0 mmol/L), respectively. Mean fasting glycaemia was 5.7 mmol/L and HbA1c was >6% in 10.5% of patients. Vitamin-D level was <75 nmol/L in 70.7% of patients. Respectively 31.2% and 12.1% of patients had osteopenia and osteoporosis on the spine and 44.8% and 6.6% on the hip neck. Factors associated with a VAT≥130 cm2 included male gender (OR 3.7 [95% CI 1.7-8.2] p<0.001), triglycerides ≥2 mmol/L (OR 2.6 [95% CI 1.3-5.4] P<0.01) and increase in BMI category (OR 1.8 [95% CI 1.2-2.8] p<0.01). Conclusions Lipohypertrophy is a prevalent feature of fat redistribution among HIV patients on treatment. Risk factors for LH include male gender, dyslipidemia and overweight. Glucose impairment and bone disorders are also common. A multidisciplinary approach is important to identify and promptly address these disorders. Acknowledgments The 'Groupe Lipo & Metabolism' team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis affected an estimated 8.8 million people and caused 1.4 million deaths globally in 2010, including a half-million women and at least 64 000 children. It also results in nearly 10 million cumulative orphans due to parental deaths. Moreover, it causes 6%–15% of all maternal mortality, which increases to 15%–34% if only indirect causes are considered. Increasingly, more women with tuberculosis are notified than men in settings with a high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and maternal tuberculosis increases the vertical transmission of HIV. Tuberculosis prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services should be included as key interventions in the integrated management of pregnancy and child health. Tuberculosis screening using a simple clinical algorithm that relies on the absence of current cough, fever, weight loss, and night sweats should be used to identify eligible pregnant women living with HIV for isoniazid preventive therapy or for further investigation for tuberculosis disease as part of services for prevention of vertical HIV transmission. While implementing these simple, low-cost, effective interventions as part of maternal, neonatal, and child health services, the unmet basic and operational tuberculosis research needs of children, pregnant, and breastfeeding women should be addressed. National policy makers, program managers, and international stakeholders (eg, United Nations bodies, donors, and implementers) working on maternal, neonatal, and child health, especially in HIV-prevalent settings, should give due attention and include tuberculosis prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services as part of their core functions and address the public health impacts of tuberculosis in their programs and services. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]