Research Updates: aids

TOHILL and COLLEAGUES, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease and Public Health Prevention, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity and Division of Reproductive Health, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.  btohill@cdc.gov investigated nutritional biomarkers associated with several gynaecological conditions among US women with or at risk of HIV infection. ... more

DE TRUCHIS and colleagues, AP-HP, University Paris-Ile-de-France-Ouest-Versailles, Hopital Raymond Poincare, 104 boulevard Raymond Poincare, 92380 Garches, France, have tested the effect of n-3 fatty acids in lowering triglyceride levels of patients on anti-HIV drug therapy. ... more

HURWITZ and co-authors, Behavioral Medicine Research Center, University of Miami, c/o VA Medical Center, FL 33125, USA, bhurwitz@miami.edu, have investigated the suppression of HIV with selenium supplements. ... more

BRAZIER and colleagues, Tzu Chi Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, The Art of Living Foundation, British Columbia, Canada, have evaluated an meditation and yogic breathing programme for people with HIV-AIDS. ... more

BRAZIER and colleagues, Tzu Chi Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, The Art of Living Foundation, British Columbia, Canada, have evaluated a programme of yogic breathing exercises and meditation for people with HIV / AIDS. ... more

FOSTER, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, PO Box 3050, Victoria BC, Canada V8W 3P5, hfoster@office.geog.uvic.ca, has reviewed (45 references) how HIV-1 causes AIDS. Abstract: HIV-1 encodes for one of the human glutathione peroxidases. As a consequence, as it is replicated, its genetic needs cause it to deprive seropositive individuals not only of glutathione peroxidase, but also of the four basic components of this selenoenzyme, namely selenium, cysteine, glutamine, and tryptophane. Eventually this depletion process causes severe deficiencies of all these substances. These, in turn, are responsible for the major symptoms of AIDS which include immune system collapse, greater susceptibility to cancer and myocardial infarction, muscle wasting, depression, diarrhoea, psychosis and dementia. Any treatment for HIV/AIDS must, therefore, include normalization of body levels of glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, selenium, cysteine, glutamine, and tryptophane. Although various clinical trials have improved the health of AIDS patients by correcting one or more of these nutritional deficiencies, they have not, until the present, been addressed together. Physicians involved in a selenium and amino-acid field trial in Botswana, however, are reporting that this nutritional protocol reverses AIDS in 99% of patients receiving it, usually within three weeks. ... more

ANASTASI and MCMAHON, Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, USA, have tested strategies to reduce diarrhoea in persons with HIV infection using traditional Chinese medicine. ... more

ULLMAN, Homeopathic Educational Services, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA, mail@homeopathic.com, reviews (43 references) clinical trials on the homeopathic treatments of people with HIV or AIDS. ... more

ANTONI, Department of Psychology, University of Miami, PO Box 248185, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA, mantoni@miami.edu, has reviewed (85 references) stress management and psychoneuroimmunology in HIV infection. Abstract: Stress-management techniques such as relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, coping-skills training and interpersonal-skills training, may reduce anxiety, depression, and social isolation in HIV infected individuals by lowering physical tension and increasing a sense of self-efficacy and control. A psychoneuroimmunological model is proposed whereby these psychological changes are accompanied by an increased ability to regulate neuroendocrine function. This in turn may lead to a partial normalization of immune functions such a lymphocyte proliferation and cytotoxicity, and thus provide more efficient surveillance of latent viruses that may contribute to increased HIV replication. Such a normalization of stress-related immune functions is thought to minimize increases in viral load and expression of clinical symptoms. From this model follows a research strategy for testing the effects of stress management interventions by assessing psychological changes in parallel with hormonal, immunological, viral. and clinical parameters over the course of time. ... more

CRUESS and colleagues, Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, 3815 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA, dcruess@psycho.upenn.edu, have reviewed (92 references) the impact of depression on immune function and AIDS progression in HIV infected individuals. Abstract: HIV infection is viewed as a chronic illness that confronts patients with a number of emotional challenges and disease-related issues. Over the past 20 years, there has been increasing evidence that depression is commonly observed in HIV infected individuals. There is also mounting evidence that depression has adverse effects on specific elements of the immune system and thus impacts on immune function and quality of life of HIV positive individuals. ... more

LESERMAN, Department of Psychiatry, CB #7160, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7160, USA, jles@med.unc.edu, reviews (67 references) the effects of stressful life events, coping skills, and cortisol on HIV infection. Abstract: There is substantial evidence to show that stressful life events as well as passive coping strategies may have a detrimental effect on HIV disease progression. The limited research on the effectiveness of interventions to promote more active coping skills is reviewed. The evidence is examined for the mediating and direct effects of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, on disease progression. ... more