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Biomedical subjects

A Apoola

Publications and source records attributed to A Apoola.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Patient preferences for partner notification.

OBJECTIVE: To identify patient preferences for notification of sexual contacts when a sexually transmitted infection (STI) is diagnosed. METHODS: A questionnaire survey of 2544 patients attending three large genitourinary clinics at Derby, Birmingham, and Coventry in the United Kingdom. RESULTS: The median age of the respondents was 24 with 1474 (57.9%) women, 1835 (72.1%) white, 1826 (71.8%) single. The most favoured method of partner notification was patient referral, which was rated a "good" method by 65.8% when they had to be contacted because a sexual partner has an STI. Notifying contacts by letter as a method of provider partner notification is more acceptable than phoning, text messaging, or email. Respondents with access to mobile telephones, private emails, and private letters were more likely to rate a method of partner notification using that mode of communication as "good" compared to those without. With provider referral methods of partner notification respondents preferred to receive a letter, email, or text message asking them to contact the clinic rather than a letter, email or text message informing them that they may have an STI. CONCLUSION: Most respondents think that being informed directly by a partner is the best method of being notified of the risk of an STI. Some of the newer methods may not be acceptable to all but a significant minority of respondents prefer these methods of partner notification. The wording of letters, emails, or text messages when used for partner notification has an influence on the acceptability of the method and may influence success of the partner notification method. Services should be flexible enough to utilise the patients' preferred method of partner notification.

Adolescent↗

Antiviral treatment of genital herpes.

A review of the randomized, controlled trials in the literature on the treatment of genital herpes infection with aciclovir, famciclovir and valaciclovir. Common clinical questions encountered by physicians, such as the effect of antivirals on symptoms, healing, aborting attacks and subsequent recurrences, are addressed. There is very little comparative data between the three licensed drugs but the little data that there is shows no difference in efficacy, tolerability and toxicity between aciclovir, valaciclovir or famciclovir when taken orally. Choice of therapy would then depend on convenience of dosing and cost.

2-Aminopurine↗

Is telephone follow-up as good as traditional clinic follow-up in achieving the proposed national outcome standards for chlamydia management?

A retrospective review of 400 cases of genital chlamydia managed with a traditional clinic follow-up was compared to 400 cases with a telephone follow-up appointment. We satisfactorily treated more patients with the telephone follow-up appointment than with a traditional clinic follow-up (204 [51%] vs 121 [30%]; P <0.0001). We also satisfactorily treated more partners with the telephone follow-up system than a traditional clinic appointment system (0.57 vs 0.45 contacts per case; P =0.0006). The introduction of the telephone follow-up appointment system in the clinic increased the number of patients and contacts of patients successfully managed for genital chlamydial infection. Our findings should lead to increased research and adoption of different methods of follow-up and help develop proper outcome standards.

Adolescent↗

Central pontine myelinolysis complicating treatment of multicentric Castleman's disease and Kaposi's sarcoma in a patient with AIDS.

An HIV positive black African woman presented with widespread lymphadenopathy and pancytopenia that had been ascribed to tuberculosis. Lymph node biopsy showed both Kaposi's sarcoma and multicentric Castleman's disease. Despite antiretroviral therapy and chemotherapy the patient deteriorated, developing confusion and dysphasia. A cranial magnetic resonance scan showed central pontine myelinolysis. Despite supportive therapy the patient died.

AIDS-Related Complex↗