Current HIV Research - Online First

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to significant changes in the lives, habits, and frequency of hospital admissions of People Living with HIV (PLWH). However, information is limited on the changes in the sexual behavior of these individuals and the resulting Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). This study aimed to determine the trends in syphilis among the Ege University HIV cohort before and during the pandemic.

All PLWH who presented to the HIV outpatient clinic of Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, for HIV care for the first time between January 1^st, 2008 and October 1^st, 2022, and whose laboratory results for syphilis were available, were reviewed. Those presenting between January 1^st, 2008, and March 11^th, 2020, were defined as the pre-pandemic (group A) cases, and those presenting between March 12^th, 2020, and October 1^st, 2022, were defined as the pandemic period (group B) cases. Clinical and laboratory information about the cases was obtained retrospectively from medical records.

The number of PLWH who presented to the clinic for a first visit with a new HIV diagnosis or follow-up between the specified dates was 1283 (956 group A, 327 group B). Overall, 155 (%12.1) PLWH were diagnosed with syphilis. A total of 204 syphilis episodes occurred during 6,173 Person-years of Follow-up (PYFU). Of these episodes, 86 (42.1%) were diagnosed in the pre-pandemic period, and 118 (57.8%) during the pandemic. The number of episodes during the pandemic was significantly higher in group A than in the pre-pandemic period (3.47 per 100 PYFU and 2.57 per 100 PYFU, respectively; p=0.0434). When comparing the number of episodes during the pandemic period, compared to group A, group B members had a significantly higher number of syphilis episodes during the pandemic (3.47 and 7.81 per 100 PYFU, respectively; p<.001).

This study shows that syphilis rates remained high during the pandemic. Healthcare providers are recommended to prepare PLWH for potential emergencies to be encountered in the future and repeatedly remind them to use prevention in all high-risk circumstances.

The aim of the study was to assess the clinical features of women infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using Holter monitoring.

Thirty-five female patients infected with HIV using a Holter monitor at the Ditan Hospital were retrospectively analyzed.

In terms of basic rhythms, there were 30 cases of sinus rhythm, 27 cases of ventricular premature beat, 26 cases of supraventricular premature beat, 12 cases of mild reduction of HRV, 9 cases of normal heart rate variability (HRV), 8 cases of supraventricular tachycardia, 5 cases of abnormal ST-segment changes and 2 cases of sinus bradycardia 2 cases of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation 2 cases of junctional escape rhythm. There was only one case in each of the following ECG changes: persistent atrial fibrillation, sinus tachycardia, couplet supraventricular premature beats, accelerated idioventricular rhythm, sinoatrial block, second-degree Mobitz type I atrioventricular block, second-degree Mobitz type II atrioventricular block, complete right bundle branch block, T-wave abnormality, and significant reduction of HRV.

The Holter monitor can show more changes in the electrocardiogram (ECG) of HIV-positive patients, particularly significant ECG abnormalities, such as paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and can direct early clinical treatment to serious adverse results.

The incorporation of anti-HIV drugs into polymer to form polymer-drug conjugates has been reported to result in improved therapeutic activity. Zidovudine, an anti-HIV drug, was explored alone and in combination with known drug molecules using polyamidoamine-based carriers.

Polymer-drug conjugates incorporated with zidovudine, cinnamic acid, and 4-aminosalicylic acid were prepared and evaluated for their potential efficacy in vitro against pseudo-HIV-1.

Aqueous Michael addition polymerization reaction was employed to prepare the conjugates. The conjugates were incorporated with zidovudine, cinnamic acid, and 4-aminosalicylic acid. They were characterized by SEM/EDX, XRD, FTIR, NMR, LC-MS, particle size analysis, in vitro analysis, computational studies, and in silico toxicity predictions.

The conjugates displayed spherically shaped morphology. The in vitro findings showed that polymer-drug conjugates, T15 and T16, with a single drug were effective against pseudo-HIV-1 at high concentrations of 111.11 and 333.33 µg/mL, respectively. Molecular docking studies supported the in vitro results. Additionally, SwissADME, ProTox-II, and GUSAR (General Unrestricted Structure-Activity Relationships) analyses revealed that these compounds have promising antiviral potential.

The prepared polymer-drug conjugates with a single drug showed promising effects against the Pseudo-HIV-1, and the conjugates displayed features that make them potential anti-HIV therapeutics that require further studies.