Browsing by Author "Cabrini, Mercedes"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Chemsex y uso de sustancias durante las relaciones sexuales: resultados de una encuesta realizada en Argentina
    (2020-11) Salusso, Diego; Nuñez, Sebastián; Cabrini, Mercedes; Rolón, María José; Cahn, Pedro
    Introduction: "Chemsex" is related to the use of certain drugs to facilitate sustained arousal and induce a feeling of instant rapport with sexual partners. Aim: To describe the consumption profile of users of substances during sexual intercourse (SSI) and its relationship with demographic, lifestyle, and health variables. "Methods: Descriptive and cross-sectional study conducted through a self-administered and anonymous survey under the Google Forms platform® which was broadcasted on different social networks. Main outcome measures: Description of demographic and lifestyle aspects of the respondents and in the subgroup of SSI and chemsex users. Results: 2924 surveys were received; 421 people (16.9%) reported having consumed at least once one or more of the following: mephedrone, crystal meth, GHB/GBL, cocaine, LSD, poppers, ketamine, and ecstasy. Chemsex was defined as the consumption of the first three, and its prevalence was 1.1%. An SSI and chemsex user profile in our study was a man between 26 and 35 years, MSM, and inhabitant of the city of Buenos Aires. SSI and chemsex users were more likely to have an STI in the last year and to have an HIV diagnosis. Conclusions: This is the first survey that deals with this issue in our country and in Latin America. Considering the tendency to use condoms less and to present more diagnoses of STIs and HIV in the population of SSI users, we consider it necessary to study this subject in our country as the rising reports in world literature show a boost in substance use.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Exposición ocupacional al virus de la hepatitis C
    (2007) Ricart, Javier J.; Fink, Valeria; Cabrini, Mercedes; Figueroa, Maria Ines; Laufer, Natalia; Cahn, Pedro
    La transmisión ocupacional de virus de hepatitis C (VHC) es un área de creciente preocupación dada la falta de profilaxis y la poca información de su prevalencia en el medio hospitalario. Sobre 128 exposiciones ocupacionales ocurridas en el Hospital Diego Paroissien entre1999 y 2003 hubieron 8 casos de exposición a VHC (6.3%) y un caso de seroconversión posterior a la exposición (0.8%). No existiendo en la actualidad terapia preventiva para VHC resulta de gran interés la posibilidad de tratamiento de la infección aguda. La mayor parte de los autores coincide en recomendar el tratamiento del episodio agudo de hepatitis por VHC basado en la evidencia actual, aunque aún no está bien definida la mejor estrategia diagnóstica y terapéutica. El acatamiento de las Normas de Precauciones Universales sigue siendo en la actualidad la más importante medida preventiva para evitar la infección ocupacional por VHC en el personal de salud y la de mejor equilibrio costo-beneficio.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and HIV coinfection among people living with HIV/AIDS in Buenos Aires, Argentina
    (2010) Laufer, Natalia; Quarleri, Jorge; Bouzas, Maria B.; Juncos, Gerardo; Cabrini, Mercedes; Moretti, Franco; Bolcic, Federico; Fernández-Giuliano, Silvina; Mammana, Lilia; Salomon, Horacio; Cahn, Pedro
    The HIV epidemic in Argentina has changed since the first case was reported in 1982. Since the beginning of the 1990s, a decrease in the number parenterally acquired infections has been observed, with a marked increase in transmission through unprotected sexual contact (heterosexual and homosexual), and in the number of women living with HIV/AIDS [1]. Few prevalence studies have addressed the hepatitis B and C virus coinfection in Argentina. We performed this study in a large single clinic in Buenos Aires, taking care of more than 3,000 HIV patients. During a seven-month period (9/2004 to 3/2005), all HIV-positive patients ≥ 18 years old, who were followed up at our unit and who had their scheduled controls for HIV viral load (VL) at the Argentinean National Reference Centre for AIDS (CNRS), were invited to participate in the study. The study was approved by the Fernández Hospital Ethics Committee. Patients gave their informed consent to be included in the study. Six hundred subjects were asked to enter the study, and 593 accepted. Studied population: 65.6% males, 64% young adults between 20 and 40 years old. The main route of HIV infection was through sexual contact (70%). Of the 593 samples, 52% (n=308) showed positive results for serological markers (HBcAb/HBsAg/anti-HCV) for hepatitis B or C coinfection. Coinfection rates and subjects characteristics are described in Table 1.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The coughing patient: TB or not TB; That is the question
    (2010) Laufer, Natalia; Sued, Omar; Abusamra, Lorena; Cabrini, Mercedes; Socias, Maria E.; Sisto, Alicia; Perez, Hector; Cahn, Pedro
    Tuberculosis (TB) has been declared a global emergency, increasing approximately 1% each year. There are evidences that TB is being underdiagnosed worldwide1,2. One of the reasons is the failure of healthcare workers to consider TB in the differential diagnosis of patients with respiratory symptoms. Delay in the diagnosis of TB in HIV-infected people in an important contributor to the excess morbidity and mortality 2,3. The main purpose of this prospective study was to define clinical and epidemiological characteristics that can guide physician to the rapid diagnosis of pulmonary TB in HIV patients. During 18 month (10/2004 to 04/2006), all patients attending for unscheduled visits to an Infectious Diseases Division of a public Hospital in Argentina, were asked if they present cough among their symptoms and if so they were invited to participate in the study. Patients, who signed informed consent, filled a questionnaire and their clinical records were evaluated prospectively. Chest X-Rays were classified according to the classification described by Tattevin, et al.4. Epidemiological and clinical data were compared between HIV patients with TB coinfection and those with HIV and other diagnosis. X2 and t-test were used to compare data. During the period studied, 9245 unscheduled visits were recorded, with 286 patients presenting cough. Among the patients with cough, 40 did not sign the consent. Of the remaining who agreed to participated, 35 (13%) presented a TB diagnosis (positive sputum smear and/or positive sputum or blood culture for M. tuberculosis), 211 have a non-TB diagnosis (most of them with PCP –n=51, 24%-, community acquired pneumonia –n=70, 33%-). Twenty three of the TB patients were HIV co-infected. When TB-HIV-coinfected patients were evaluated (Table 1) and compared with HIV-infected patients who have cough but non-TB diagnosis, statistical association with TB was found with: hepatomegaly (p=0.005); splenomegaly (p=0.003); night-sweats (p=0.001); weight-loss of more than 5 kg (p=0.003; duration of symptoms between 15 and 30 days (p=0.03) but not with longer time; elevate alkaline phosphatase (p=0.03); chest X-ray pattern of typical (p=0.0003) or compatible (p=0.013) with TB and previous contact with a patient with TB. We could not find association (p >0.05) with hemoptysis, pulmonary physical examination, previous TB or incarceration, lower educational level, LT CD4 count, HIV-1 viral load, number of previous opportunistic infections or white cell count.