Active clinical trials for "HIV Infections"

An open label, multi-centre, non-interventional post-marketing surveillance (PMS) to monitor the safety and efficacy of ZIAGEN® administered in Korean patients according to the prescribing information.

The purposes of this study include 1) to compare the seroconversion rate of an intensive standard-dose regimen (0, 1, 2 and 6 months) to a standard-dose regimen (0,1 and 6 months), and 2) to compare the seroconversion rate of an intensive double-dose regimen (40 μg at 0,1,2 and 6 months) to a standard-dose regimen (20 μg at 0,1 and 6 months) of HBV vaccine in HIV-infected adult patients.

Purpose is to identify whether immune markerscan predict success of salvage anti-retroviral therapy.

A new approach to HIV prevention currently being studied includes the use of topical microbicides and orally administered anti-HIV drugs. The purpose of this study is to better understand the impact of microbicides in women who are diagnosed with HIV-1 during participation in previous microbicide trials.

Background: The incidence of lung cancer is quite high among people with the human immunodeficiency (HIV) virus. Frequent smoking may explain that cancer increase, given that 50% to 70% of HIV-infected people are current smokers. Recent research suggests that other factors may be involved as well. Smoking habits, such as smoking earlier in life or smoking more cigarettes a day than others do, may have a role. Also, HIV-infected smokers seem to have a greater risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The association of HIV and COPD is important, because COPD itself is linked to an increased risk of lung cancer. About 1,600 subjects from the study known as ALIVE (AIDS Linked to the Intra-Venous Experience), which began in 1988 in Baltimore, Maryland, will be given a detailed questionnaire on smoking behaviors and lung cancer risk factors. They will also have spirometry testing, to evaluate lung function. Objectives: To better characterize smoking habits and compare tobacco use among HIV-infected and uninfected drug users. To compare serum cotinine levels and spirometry results, as a marker of tobacco use and a marker of damage to lung function, respectively. Eligibility: Patients 18 years of age and older who are in the ALIVE cohort. Design: Patients undergo the following procedures: Completing a questionnaire on smoking history. Questions include age when smoking began, periods of quitting smoking, average number of cigarettes per day for specific periods, amount of each cigarette smoked, depth of inhalation, type of cigarette, nicotine dependence, use of other smoked [Note: I would not mention that these drugs are illegal] drugs, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, past medical history, and recent respiratory symptoms. Spirometry testing. Patients are asked to breathe as deeply as possible and then rapidly exhale into a tube. The forced expiration volume in 1 second reflects the average flow rate during the first second, and it can be used to determine the degree of pulmonary obstruction. Blood samples. Tests measure levels of cotinine, a chemical made by the body from nicotine. African American males, who constitute the majority of the ALIVE cohort, participate in this test. Results would show how much tobacco smoke has recently entered the body. For this test, researchers plan to evaluate 240 current tobacco smokers and 100 participants who report no recent cigarette use.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of raltegravir with optimized background therapy (OBT) in multiple-experienced HIV infected patients, measured by the proportion of patients with undetectable viral load and the mean increase of CD4 cells count at week 24 and 48. It is also intended to evaluate: viral load suppression and the mean increase of CD4 cells count at week 24 and 48 in patients who needed to change antiretroviral (ARV) therapy due to inacceptable toxicity, as determined by the investigator, including patients who needed to replace T20. efficacy of raltegravir with OBT in HIV-2 infected patients that were included in this cohort, measured by the percentage of patients with undetectable viral load and the mean change of CD4 cells count at week 24 and 48. Study hypotheses: Raltegravir with OBT is effective in achieving and maintaining a long term virologic suppression along with a significant increase on CD4 cells count in both HIV-1 and HIV-2 infected patients. Patients who replaced T20 by raltegravir, due to intolerance, are able to maintain long term virologic suppression.

Oral human papillomavirus (HPV) and oral warts are common health concerns for HIV-infected people. This study will examine the frequency of oral HPV DNA shedding and oral warts in HIV-infected people who are enrolled in ACTG A5257 and who are beginning treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

Background Recently, the CDC issued recommendations calling for HIV screening for patients aged 13-64, when the individual accesses the health care system. For many patients, the emergency department (ED) is the primary or only contact point for health care. The rapid HIV test can be done as a point of care test in the ED. Study Objectives A. Primary: 1. To initiate HIV testing in the Baystate ED. B. Secondary: To estimate the resources involved in initiating a rapid HIV testing program in the ED. To describe the process of initiating a rapid HIV testing program. To compare the yield of testing for HIV in patients with known HIV risk factors compared to those without known risk factors. To describe the characteristics of the population tested for HIV in the ED. To determine the number of patients who declined testing and the reasons for declining testing. To analyze ED staff attitudes re: HIV rapid testing in the ED. Methods A trained HIV Educator/counselor will approach patients in the ED to offer free rapid HIV testing, at a time they are not currently engaged with the health care provider. Study informed consent and HIV consent will be obtained prior to testing. The HIV educator will obtain demographic and clinical information on the enrolled subjects including prior HIV testing and HIV risk factors. Patients testing negative will be counseled regarding HIV risk reduction strategies. Patients with an initial positive rapid HIV test will have blood drawn for confirmation (Western Blot) and will be referred to an HIV clinic for follow-up and treatment. Additionally, to assess acceptability of rapid testing in the ED, a brief anonymous electronic survey will be conducted of health care providers in the ED prior to starting this pilot program and following the program. Data Analysis The yield of testing will be calculated as will the seroprevalence of those tested. Among patients who decline HIV testing but agree to study participation (sign consent form), the number refusing testing will be recorded and reasons for refusing will be analyzed. The yield of testing will be compared in patients with to those without known HIV risk factors.

Medical illnesses and treatments can cause distress in patients, and medical professionals are very interested in identifying distress quickly to ensure that a patient can receive appropriate support and treatment. Adult patients often use a screening tool known as the Distress Thermometer to indicate the causes and levels of distress they feel. However, little work has been done on how to assess distress in pediatric patients. This study will investigate the effectiveness of the Distress Thermometer as a tool to accurately measure distress in pediatric patients, and determine whether primary caregivers and physicians can also use the Distress Thermometer to accurately gauge a patient s levels and sources of distress. The study will also investigate the effectiveness of the Distress Thermometer compared with other means of measuring fatigue, mood, and pain levels. This study will include approximately 90 patients between 7 and 21 years of age who are currently enrolled in a National Institutes of Health pediatric research study. It will also include responses from the primary caregivers and primary medical providers of the patients involved in the study. All patients will complete the Distress Thermometer s self-reported distress scale and other standardized measures of anxiety, depression, fatigue, and pain. In addition, patients between 18 and 21 years of age will be asked to assess the benefits and negative effects of participating in psychosocial research. On the same day, the patient s primary caregiver and primary medical provider will complete a Distress Thermometer survey to estimate the patient s distress level. If either the patient or the primary caregiver indicate high levels of distress or mood symptoms, the researchers will offer them an opportunity to speak with a mental health professional. The primary medical provider will also receive a copy of the responses reported on the patient s Distress Thermometer.

A clinical study to evaluate the use of cell phones to support drug adherence and follow-up of patients taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) for treatment of HIV. The intervention involves health-care providers sending regular short-message-service (SMS) text messages to patients and following up their responses. The hypothesis is that the cell phone intervention will improve ART adherence and health outcomes compared with the current standard of care.