Category Archives: Population(s)
Effects of interferon-alpha treatment on the incidence of hyperglycemia in chronic hepatitis c patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: There is a significant association between effects of interferon-alpha treatment and the risk of developing hyperglycemia in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The objective of this...
Screening for HIV: Systematic review to update the 2005 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation
BACKGROUND: A 2005 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) review found good evidence that HIV screening is accurate and that antiretroviral therapy (ART) for immunologically advanced disease is associated with...
The effectiveness of highly active antiretroviral therapy among HIV-infected children in Asian countries
Worldwide, there are 2.1 million children under 15 years of age living with HIV infection. In the past five years, there has been significant progress in providing antiretroviral therapy (ART)...
Efficacy of antiretroviral drugs in reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Africa: A meta-analysis of published clinical trials
Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) have been shown to be efficacious in decreasing mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. A summary estimate of the efficacy of ARVs in reducing MTCT is important for...
Nutritional interventions for reducing morbidity and mortality in people with HIV
Background: Adequate nutrition is important for optimal immune and metabolic function. Dietary support may, therefore, improve clinical outcomes in HIV-infected individuals by reducing the incidence of HIV-associated complications and attenuating...
Life-threatening adverse reactions after acupuncture: A systematic review
Acupuncture is amongst the oldest forms of medical treatment. Many proponents feel that this fact sufficiently demonstrates its safety. While traditional use and acceptance renders frequent adverse reactions unlikely, we...
Polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of HIV infection in adults: A meta-analysis with recommendations for clinical practice and study design
PURPOSE: To do a meta-analysis of studies that have evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in...
Effects of HIV antiretrovirals on the pharmacokinetics of hormonal contraceptives
OBJECTIVES: To review available information on pharmacokinetic effects of HIV antiretrovirals on hormonal contraceptives. METHODS: A PubMed search was conducted from 1964 to 2006 using each antiretroviral generic name and...
School-based teenage pregnancy prevention programs: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials
We compared school-based abstinence-only programs with those including contraceptive information (abstinence-plus) to determine which has the greatest impact on teen pregnancy. The United States has one of the highest rates...
Virological monitoring and resistance to first-line highly active antiretroviral therapy in adults infected with HIV-1 treated under WHO guidelines: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Antiretroviral-therapy rollout in resource-poor countries is often associated with limited, if any, HIV-RNA monitoring. The effect of variable monitoring on the emergence of resistance after therapy with commonly used drug...
The effectiveness and safety of syringe vending machines as a component of needle syringe programmes in community settings
Syringe vending machines (SVMs) have been introduced in Europe and Australasia as part of the effort to increase the availability of sterile needles and syringes to injecting drug users (IDUs)....
