Entries from August 2010 ↓

Among the 315 children, 119 (38%) were female; the median age of these children was 17 months (Interquartile range 12–24 months), and no difference was observed in the HIV status with regard to gender or age. The children showed a high prevalence of infections: pneumonia (68%), diarrhoea (38%), urinary tract infection (26%) and bacteraemia (18%), with no significant difference with regard to the HIV status (HIV-positive versus HIV-negative children). However, the HIV-positive children were more likely to have persistent diarrhoea than the HIV-uninfected severely malnourished children (odds ratio (OR) 2.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2–3.6). When compared with the HIV-negative children, the HIV-positive children showed a significantly lower median white blood cell count (10700 versus 8700) and lymphocyte count (4033 versus 2687). The CD4+ cell percentages were more likely to be lower in children with non-oedematous malnutrition than in those with oedematous malnutrition even after controlling for the HIV infection.

The novel observation of this study is that the CD4+ percentages in both HIV-positive and HIV-negative children without oedema were lower that those in children with oedema. These observations appear to imply that the development of oedema requires a certain degree of immunocompetence, which is an interesting clue to the pathophysiology of oedema in severe malnutrition.

Background

Severe malnutrition has been associated with acquired immunodeficiency (AID) among children worldwide, and it is referred to as Nutritionally Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or NAIDS . With the advent of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic, there has been a tendency to overlook the role of malnutrition in immunodeficiency, and indeed, only a handful of studies have investigated the CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte subsets in severely malnourished children.

There is little information on the effect of the added burden of HIV infection on the clinical features  and cellular immunity of severely malnourished children. The objective of this study was to report the clinical features, haematological findings and CD4+ and CD8+lymphocyte subsets of severely malnourished children with regard to their HIV status.

Subjects and methods

All severely malnourished children consecutively admitted to the paediatric wards of Mulago hospital, which is Uganda’s national referral and teaching hospital, during the two peak seasons of malnutrition, namely, September-November 2003 and September-December 2004 were followed up from the time of admission to outcome (death or discharge). In this study, we included a total of 450 severely malnourished children (presence of oedema and/or weight-for-height: z-score < -3) after obtaining the informed consent of their parents or caregivers; the age of these children was below 60 months. The risk factors for death in the first peak (2003) have been stated in a previous report that describes the methodology in greater detail.

In this paper, we report the complete results of the HIV tests as well as the CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts and percentages of the 315 children. In the case of 135 children, complete laboratory data could not be obtained; this was due to the lack of reagents in the case of 89 children; inadequate blood volume in 38, haemolysis in 6 and absence of blood sample in 2. The basic characteristics of the 315 children with complete results were compared with those of the 135 children with incomplete results.

The following parameters were recorded for all the children: demographic characteristics (age and sex), clinical features (weight, height/length and presence of oedema and diarrhoea), haematological tests (haemoglobin concentration, white blood cell (WBC) count and differentials and presence of malarial parasites), HIV tests (ELISA and RNA PCR), microbial tests (blood and urine culture and sensitivity), immunologic tests (CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts and percentages) and chest x-ray reports. We used the CD4+ cell percentage to categorize children with or without the HIV infection. The clinical definition of malnourishment classified all our patients into category C because all the children were severely malnourished. The haemoglobin concentrations were evaluated according to the WHO criteria: <5 g/dL and <4 mg/dL are referred to as severe anaemia and very severe anaemia, respectively.

Laboratory methods

Blood was collected in 5-ml EDTA vacutainer tubes (Becton Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) in the mornings between 8–11 am by venipuncture and transported within 4 h to Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) laboratory, Entebbe for serological testing. HIV testing was performed using the standard HIV algorithm of two enzyme-linked immunoassays (EIA) in parallel. Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were performed to confirm a positive EIA test for children below 18 months of age and those with indeterminate results on EIA.

TriTEST reagents (CD3, FITC/CD4, PE/CD45, PerCP and CD3, FITC/CD8, PE/CD45, Per CP) were used to stain PBMC for CD4+/CD8+ cell counting according to the manufacturer’s instructions. FACScan instrument and MultiSET software were used to perform flow cytometry and report the absolute CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts of each sample by using the dual-platform approach (Becton Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA). Complete blood count, including differential counts, was assessed using a Beckman Coulter counter . Blood was stained within 12 h of collection, and the observations were analysed within 24 h.

Severe malnutrition was defined according to the WHO classification and the presence of severe wasting (weight-for-height < 3 SD of the NCHS/WHO reference values with no oedema) and/or oedematous malnutrition (presence of symmetrical oedema involving at least the feet) . The children were divided in two groups; HIV-positive and HIV-negative groups.

The study protocol was approved by the Regional Committee for Medical Ethics, Bergen, Norway (REK Vest), Makerere University Faculty of Medicine Ethics and Research Committee, Mulago Hospital Ethics Committee and the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology.

Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 13. Medians were used to calculate the central tendency and interquartile range (IQR) for the spread of haemoglobin concentration, WBC, total lymphocyte and CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts. Children were grouped by their gender (male or female), age in months (?24 months and >24 months), presence or absence of oedematous malnutrition and HIV infection and CD4+ levels (CD4+ cell percentage < 20% and < 15%). Chi square and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests and multivariate analysis were used to determine differences with regard to the HIV status, gender and type of severe malnutrition (oedematous versus non-oedematous). A 2-tailed p value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Binary logistic regression models were constructed using the HIV status as the outcome variable. The appropriate important baseline data of clinical significance was included in a regression model and used for adjustment. The chi-square test was used to select variables according to their statistical significance (p < 0.05). Dummy variables were created for the categorical variables used. The chosen dependent variables were tested for interactions, and the very significant variables were stratified to assess for the possibility of effect modification. Positive interactions remained in the final model. Independent variables that showed a persistently non-significant relationship with the dependant variable during modelling were excluded from the final model.

Results

Of the 315 children, 119 (38%) were female, and the median age of these children was 17.0 months (IQR 12–24). The age of half the children was between 12–24 months, and that of a few children (3%) was below 6 months. The age distribution was not affected by their HIV status. Almost half the children (170/315) had oedematous malnutrition (kwashiorkor and marasmic-kwashiorkor). These characteristics (sex, age and type of malnutrition) were comparable to those of the 135 children with incomplete laboratory data.

There is important Acai health news that you’ll want to hear that can improve your well-being and it’s all about a remarkable berry.

This tiny berry is a powerful food weapon against toxins and because it is packed full of antioxidants, it is also touted as a leader in the fight against disease prevention. Antioxidants are said to help users win the fight against fatigue, certain heart diseases and even cancer.

Renata Nyleve Editor of the “Best Weight Loss Supplements” website — http://www.BestWeightLossSupplements.tv — pointed out;

“…But in other Acai health news, this fruit is also known to aid in the flushing away of toxins and bacteria that reside in the colon that can rob you of feeling your best. Doctors often tell patients to make sure they eat more fruits…”

The reasoning behind that is because of the way certain fruits deliver nutrients the body needs. Some of the fruits, like the Acai berry, are considered really super foods. The nutrients contained in the berry have long been known to boost health.

“…The latest information in Acai health news is that the amount of benefits offered to the users far outweigh the cost you will pay for the product, including any shipping fees. What you will gain in better health is worth the cost because you can not put a price tag on how important your body is…” added R. Nyleve.

Further information, resources and reviews of the best weight loss products you can get online by http://www.BestWeightLossProducts.tv

The Brain Health News That You Can Use
What’s the brain health news for these days? Well, the winner of the 2008 USA Memory Championship was recently announced. His name is Chester Santos and he will memorize a deck of cards in three minutes, learn one hundred random words and a hundred new names and faces in simply fifteen minutes. How does he do it? That’s his secret. He is willing to show you, for a price, of course. He recently quit his software job to teach his memory coaching techniques full time. In line with the Associated Press, the brain fitness software market was worth 5 million in 2007, a lot of than doubling the receipts from 2005.
Due in part to Nintendo’s unleash of the “Brain-Age game” and currently the second version of that game, the industry’s income is predicted to grow once more and again over the subsequent several years. By 2015, analysts expect to determine the industry take in billions of dollars.
Need more of the brain health news for nowadays? While the bulk of the games and puzzles target aging baby boomers, teenagers and school students are obtaining into brain exercises.
Some teachers are using the techniques to boost their student’s ability to recollect facts, dates, names, etc. It’s estimated that the K-12 market accounted for $sixty million value of the earnings in 2007.
Can any of those techniques help you, specifically? There’s a little bit of a query mark on that. Whereas some techniques work for some folks, they don’t necessarily work for everyone.
All that you have to try and do is browse some software reviews to work out that. Some individuals love the games and teasers. Others are not impressed.
In Could of 2008, the brain health news was all concerning the introduction of Posit Science’s new “cognitive behavioral training”. If you took any psychology categories, that term could remember names like Pavlov and B. F. Skinner, whose techniques weren’t continuously pleasant.
However, the term truly encompasses a broad range of behavioral therapies that relieve conditions like depression, anxiety and even schizophrenia. It is common today to depend upon mood altering drugs for those conditions, however when cognitive therapies are combined with drug therapy, the results are invariably a lot of positive.
Posit Science’s program is very expensive at 5, however it will combine a quite personalised program with regular assessments for effectiveness. Rather than a single exercise, the program includes a selection of techniques aimed at improving memory, multi-tasking abilities and mental clarity.
In August of 2008, the brain health news from the Washington Post was a little different. While many of us are exciting concerning the growing number of available choices, some experts warn that customers might be just as well off to save their money.
The Nintendo game, for example, is very inexpensive and the teasers range from a reasonably “rock-paper-scissors” to telling time on an upside down clock. Researchers have shown that video games improve an individual’s cognitive operate, but only when the volunteers were “non-players”.
Well, that’s it for the brain health news of today. The experts all agree that the most effective recommendation is to never stop looking for new challenges.

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative brain disorder named after German physician Alois Alzheimer, who first described it in the year 1906. Dementia is a general term used for the depicting loss of memory and other intellectual abilities which are serious enough to interfere with daily life.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia among older people. Alzheimer’s disease first causes progressive cognitive deterioration which involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. It is later accompanied by declining activities of daily living and by neuropsychiatric symptoms or behavioral changes. People suffering from Alzheimer’s disease often find it difficult to remember names of the people they know and tend to forget recent happenings. They might not recognize even their family members and may have trouble doing activities like speaking, reading or writing. Sometimes the condition of Alzheimer patients becomes so severe that they wander away from home.

The human brain contains 100 billion nerve cells or neurons. Each of these nerve cells communicates with each other to form a network like structure. These nerve cell networks coordinate the neural activities such as thinking, learning, remembering, smelling, hearing & seeing. To do their work, the brain cells operate like tiny factories. In Alzheimer’s disease, parts of the brain cell’s factory stop functioning properly. Scientists are still unsure as to where exactly the trouble starts from.

Causes of Alzheimer’s disease
The greatest known cause for Alzheimer’s is increasing age. The statistics reveal that the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease doubles about every five years after age 65. The other major cause of Alzheimer’s disease is family history or heredity (genetics). When Alzheimer’s disease tends to run in families, either heredity (genetics) or environmental factors or both may play a major role. Alzheimer’s disease may also be caused by a serious head injury or severe heart diseases that damage the heart or blood vessels.

Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease
There are no medical tests currently available to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease with definite accuracy. The first step in following up on the symptoms is to go and see a doctor with whom the patient feels comfortable. The patient’s mood and mental status is evaluated along with a detailed review of the patient’s medical history. Later on a couple of clinical diagnostic tests are performed to ascertain conclusive evidence on whether the patient suffers from Alzheimer’s disease or not.

Home Care and Treatment for Alzheimer’s disease
At present, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers are looking for new treatments and care techniques to alter the course of the disease and improve the quality of life for people suffering with Alzheimer’s disease. It is important to take ample care of yourself if you have to take care of someone suffering from Alzheimer’s disease because taking care of Alzheimer patients can be quite challenging and overwhelming. You can talk to other people who have taken care of Alzheimer patients within their own family. But the most viable option is to get in touch with professional caregivers who are specialized in providing home care support to people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Heartwarming Care is a premier provider of home care services for people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia. At Heartwarming Care, we have specialized home care providers trained to safely help your loved one with the activities of daily living. Our professional health care services are provided by experienced certified companion aides. Consider our home health care services to take the strain off your back.

Call Us Toll Free: (888) 889-4092

Whenever a person is afflicted with HIV, it’s possible to utilize various tests such as CD4 tests and viral load test. The proper time for you to start the antiretroviral procedure is quite hard to figure out since there is no evidence as to when is the ‘right’ time.

To be able to stop the condition acquired by the patient for several years, the ARV treatment or the viral load exam needs to be activated. A lot of individuals believe that the treatment does not trigger severe problems. But there may be complexities such as drug interactions, side effects, drug resistance and adherence. People have different beliefs about when is the most efficient time for you to apply the treatment, however majority feels that treatment needs to be made as soon as symptoms for advance HIV stage occurs. This is a important decision that will have lasting implications.

The typical diagnosis that is appropriate for adults with HIV is the HIV Antibody exam. These kinds of tests are affordable and accurate. The trusted antibody test is the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent) or EIA (enzyme immunoassay). The body of the person who have contracted HIV responds by fighting the disease via special proteins known as antibodies. With the aid of the antibodies test, it looks for antibodies present in saliva, blood or urine. You can only claim someone as HIV positive in the event that Hive antibodies are seen. During the 6-12 weeks of infection, majority can already identify HIV antibodies. Anybody can possibly produce antibodies only if it reaches its 6 month however it’s seldom the case that it would take 6 or more months.

Utilizing the HIV test is for those engaged in sex without having protection, sharing of drug injections, or HIV exposure during a medical procedure or along at the workplace. But if you’ll still feel uneasy then go ahead and take test.

But what better way to understand whether you are HIV positive or not is to get that HIV test (HIV antibody test). The prognosis for this kind of HIV or AIDS disease is not dependent on its symptoms or just by looking at somebody. There are no present specific symptoms of HIV and AIDS as a result, the evaluation might present another type of sickness however still HIV test is the finest way to collect direct diagnosis.

It’s always best to carry out the HIV testing in a STD clinic. However you will find home sampling and home testing kits used in other nations. The home sampling kit allows the individual to take a blood sample of his own and send it to a lab for the testing processes. Results will be disclosed couple of days later. When the infection exists then you’ll need emotional assistance and referrals through a professional counselor. The test is simple and fast yet it’s inaccurate since it just tests the blood and there are no follow-up interviews later on. Checking out the a STD clinic for appointment remains the very best measure. It will provide you with a couple of laboratory tests at the same time ask for your condition’s history in addition to development.