Safyeh Soufian; Arezoo Aghakhani; Minoo Mohraz; Mohammad Banifazl; Ali Eslamifar; Zahra Boland-Ghamat; Akbar Khadem-Sadegh; Amitis Ramezani
Volume 7, Issue 2 , April 2012, , Pages 80-85
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) results in dysregulation of the cytokine profile. A switch from a T helper 1 (Th1) to a Th2 cytokine has been proposed as an important factor in progression of HIV infection to AIDS. The aim of the present study was to assess ...
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Background and Objectives: Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) results in dysregulation of the cytokine profile. A switch from a T helper 1 (Th1) to a Th2 cytokine has been proposed as an important factor in progression of HIV infection to AIDS. The aim of the present study was to assess the level of Th1 and Th2 cytokines in HIV infected individuals in order to identify the switch from Th1 to Th2 cytokines.
Materials and Methods: This study was carried out on 140 HIV infected patients (21 treatment naïve and 119 under treatment) and 35 matched healthy controls refereed to Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Tehran, Iran. The serum samples were checked with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-10 and interferon (IFN)-gamma. The Chi-square and t2-tests were used with the SPSS 16 package program for statistical analysis
Results: A total of 140 HIV positive patients with mean age 36.9±9.2 years and 35 matched controls were enrolled in the study. IL-2 level was relatively higher and IL-10, IL-4 and IFN-gamma levels were relatively lower in the treatment naïve group than the under treatment group. Except for IL-2, all of the other cytokines exhibited a negative correlation with the CD4 cell counts and IFN-gamma levels showed the strongest negative correlation.
Conclusion: Our observations did not demonstrate switching of the type 1 to type 2 T helper cells cytokine profile in HIV infected patients and suggested more complex changes in Th1 to Th2 cytokine patterns in HIV infection.
Amitis Ramezani; Arezoo Aghakhani; Mohammad Banifazl; Zahra Boland-Ghamat; Maryam Foroughi; Latif Gachkar; Akbar hadem-Sadegh; Minoo Mohraz
Volume 7, Issue 1 , January 2012, , Pages 9-13
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Human T-cell lymphotropic viruses (HTLV) type 1 and 2 are retroviruses that share the same routes of transmission as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). As a consequence of epidemiologic similarities, HIV and HTLV-1/2 co-infection is frequent. Due to the limited data, this ...
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Background and Objectives: Human T-cell lymphotropic viruses (HTLV) type 1 and 2 are retroviruses that share the same routes of transmission as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). As a consequence of epidemiologic similarities, HIV and HTLV-1/2 co-infection is frequent. Due to the limited data, this study assessed the seroprevalence of HTLV-1/2 infections in HIV infected patients in Tehran, Iran.
Materials and Methods: This case-control study was carried out in 180 HIV infected patients from Iranian HIV/AIDS Research Center in Tehran and 117 matched healthy controls. The serum samples were checked with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for anti HTLV-1/2.
Results: A total of 180 HIV positive patients with mean age 36.9±9.2 years and 117 matched controls were enrolled in the study. All cases and controls were negative for HTLV-1/2 infection.
Conclusion: HTLV-1/2 infection is negligible in HIV infected patients in Tehran, Iran, although intravenous drug use is the most common route of HIV transmission in our study subjects.
Arezoo Aghakhani; Amitis Ramezani; Minoo Mohraz; Mohammad Banifazl; Ali Eslamifar
Volume 4, Issue 2 , April 2009, , Pages 80-84
Abstract
Background and Objective: Presence of hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) in the absence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) is defined, as isolated anti-HBc. little is known about the clinical significance of the isolated anti-HBc in hepatitis ...
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Background and Objective: Presence of hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) in the absence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) is defined, as isolated anti-HBc. little is known about the clinical significance of the isolated anti-HBc in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. The aim of this study was to assess the significance of anti-HBc as the only marker of HBV infection in high risk patients. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 395 patients including 289 patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD) and 106 HIV infected subjects were enrolled. HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc, Hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were tested in all subjects. The presence of HBV-DNA was determined quantitatively in plasma samples of patients with isolated anti-HBc by real-time PCR. Results: Of 395 patients, 40 (10.13%, 95% CI, 7.1%-13.1%) had isolated anti-HBc. HBV-DNA was detectable in 12 of 40 patients (30%, 95% CI, 15.8%-44.2%) who had isolated anti-HBc. Conclusion: Our study showed that detection of isolated anti-HBc could reflect unrecognized HBV infection; hence, screening of these patients is useful to preventing of HBV transmission.
Amitis Ramezani; Minoo Mohraz; Mohammad Banifazl; Latif Gachkar; Sara Jam; Ali Eslamifar; Farhad Yaghmaie; Kambiz Nemati; Arezoo Aghakhani
Volume 2, Issue 4 , September 2007, , Pages 154-158
Abstract
Background and Objective: Dyslipidemia has become a common problem in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, especially in patients on combination antiretroviral therapy. In this study we aimed to determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia and metabolic abnormalities in 2 groups of HIV infected patients ...
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Background and Objective: Dyslipidemia has become a common problem in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, especially in patients on combination antiretroviral therapy. In this study we aimed to determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia and metabolic abnormalities in 2 groups of HIV infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and antiretroviral-naive patients. Patients and Methods: Forty HIV infected patients treated by HAART as a case group (6 females and 34 males) with a mean age of 40.7 ± 10 years and 15 HIV naïve as a control group (2 females and 13 males) with a mean age of 38.40 ± 8.3 enrolled in this study. The two groups were well matched in respect to age, sex and CD4 cell counts. A standardized questionnaire with epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic data was completed by physicians. Blood samples were obtained for metabolic measurements. CD4 positive cell count was measured by f lowcytometry. Results: Levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL, lactate, and FBS were elevated in 24%, 37%, 3.7%, 44.4%, 29.6% and 11% of patients respectively. There was a significant difference regarding mean total cholesterol and LDL between treated group and controls (p<0.05). There was also no significant difference between treated group and controls regarding triglyceride, HDL, lactate and FBS levels. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that metabolic abnormalities are relatively common in HIV-infected patients receiving HAART. Therefore, it is recommended to screen the HIV infected patients on HAART for metabolic disorders, potential of morbidity, and possible long-term cardiovascular risk factors.