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PubMed · 8271101

Difficulties in developing a respite program.

M Cumming
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Abstract

St. Paul's Hospital Palliative Care Unit is a 15-bed integrated AIDS and non-AIDS unit that has been open since 1989. A respite program has also been operating since 1989. Overall admissions to the unit have comprised approximately one-third AIDS patients and two-thirds non-AIDS patients. However, the respite patients have consisted of about two-thirds AIDS patients and one-third non-AIDS patients. The 53 patients in the first three years of the respite program have generated 96 respite admissions and 37 non-respite admissions. In the course of developing this program a number of questions and issues have arisen relating to goals and objectives of the respite program, perceptions of the patient and caregivers, and the effectiveness of the program. A review of the utilization patterns of this program and a discussion of selected case histories will be instructional for those who are considering developing their own respite programs.

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Acquired Immunodeficiency SyndromeAdultAgedFemaleHospicesHumansLength of StayMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasmsPatient AdmissionProgram DevelopmentReferral and ConsultationRespite CareUtilization ReviewCase ReportsJournal Article

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M Cumming. 1993. Difficulties in developing a respite program.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8271101/

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PubMed1996

Changes in plasma HIV-1 RNA and CD4+ lymphocyte counts and the risk of progression to AIDS. Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study Group on AIDS.

BACKGROUND: Clinical trials of antiretroviral drugs can take years to complete because the outcomes measured are progression to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or death. Trials could be accelerated by the use of end points such as changes in CD4+ lymphocyte counts and plasma levels of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA and beta 2-microglobulin, but there is uncertainty about whether these surrogate measures are valid predictors of disease progression. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study on AIDS, which compared immediate with deferred zidovudine therapy. Patients' plasma levels of HIV-1 RNA and beta 2-microglobulin were measured in stored plasma. RESULTS: Among the 129 patients in the immediate-treatment group, 34 had disease that progressed to AIDS, as compared with 57 of the 141 patients in the deferred-treatment group (P = 0.03). Progression to AIDS correlated strongly with base-line CD4+ lymphocyte counts (P = 0.001) and plasma levels of HIV-1 RNA (P < 0.001), but not with base-line levels of beta 2-microglobulin (P = 0.14). A decrease of at least 75 percent in the plasma level of HIV-1 RNA over the first six months of zidovudine therapy accounted for 59 percent of the benefit of treatment, defined as the absence of progression to AIDS (95 percent confidence interval, 13 to 112 percent). Plasma beta 2-microglobulin levels and CD4+ lymphocyte counts explained less of the effect of treatment. A 75 percent decrease in the plasma HIV-1 RNA level plus a 10 percent increase in the CD4+ lymphocyte count could explain 79 percent of the treatment effect (95 percent confidence interval, 27 to 145 percent). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment-induced changes in the plasma HIV-1 RNA level and the CD4+ lymphocyte count, taken together, are valid predictors of the clinical progression of HIV-related disease and can be used to assess the efficacy of zidovudine and possibly other antiretroviral drugs as well.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1996

IL-12 expression in AIDS-related lymphoma B cell lines.

IL-12 is a 70-kDa heterodimer formed by the 40-kDa heavy chain (p40) and the 35-kDa light chain (p35). Twenty-five Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines (CL) and seven normal lymphoblastoid B CL were studied. The Burkitt's CL included AIDS-associated B CL (AABCL) (7 EBV+/2 EBV-) and non-AABCL (8 EBV+/8 EBV-). Reverse transcription-PCR detected p40 in EBV+ AABCL (7 of 7), EBV+ non-AABCL (3 of 8), and normal lymphoblastoid B CL (6 of 6) but not in EBV- CL (0 of 10). p35 mRNA was detected in 30 of 30 CL. Constitutive secretion of p40 was found in 7 of 7 EBV+ AABCL (range, 341-18,086 pg/ml) and p70 in 3 of 7 EBV+ AABCL (range, 25-197 pg/ml), but in only 1 of 8 EBV+ non-AABCL and 0 of 7 normal lymphoblastoid CL. PMA stimulated p40 secretion in 7 of 7 EBV+ AABCL and p70 secretion in 5 of 7 EBV+ AABCL. PMA also triggered p40 and p70 secretion in 2 EBV+ non-AABCL and in 3 of 7 normal lymphoblastoid CL. No IL-12 secretion was detected in 10 EBV- CL, including EBV- AABCL. The CL produced IL-10, a known inhibitor of IL-12, but anti-IL-10 Abs did not neutralize IL-12. Similarly, neutralizing anti-IFN gamma Abs or IFN gamma did not affect B cell IL-12. For IL-12R studies, reverse transcription-PCR and 125I-IL-12 binding assays were performed. Although all CL tested showed mRNA accumulation for one of the IL-12R components, IL-12 binding sites were detected in only 1 of 30 CL. Our data suggest that: 1) AABCL constitutively secrete large amounts of IL-12, contrasting with low IL-12 production by HIV-1 infected PBMC; 2) lack of IL-12 expression in EBV- AABCL suggests that in vivo exposure of B cells to HIV-1 only does not induce IL-12 secretion and that both HIV-1 and EBV are required; 3) the autocrine-negative effect of IL-10 on IL-12 in monocytes and the enhancing effect of IFN gamma on IL-12 secretion do not apply to B cells derived from AIDS patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗