HCQ reduces neonatal morbidity in women with SLE by significantly decreasing the rate of prematurity and intrauterine growth restriction.

The aim of the paper is to describe the characteristics of postmenopausal HIV-infected women and to investigate the factors associated with an earlier onset of menopause in a hospital-based cohort. Information was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. A Cox model was used to determine factors associated with menopause. Among the 404 women who completed the questionnaire, 69 were naturally postmenopausal at the time of the study (median age at onset: 49 years, premature menopause <40 years: 12%). The onset of menopause was studied among the 41 women still menstruating at the enrollment in the cohort, and who experienced menopause during follow-up. African origin (hazard ratio [HR] = 8.16; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.23-29.89) and history of injecting drug use (IDU) (HR = 2.46; 95% CI = 1.03-5.85) were associated with an increased risk of earlier menopause. Women with a CD4 cell count <200 cells/mm(3) tended to reach menopause earlier (HR = 2.25; 95% CI = 0.94-5.39). Earlier occurrence of menopause seems to be associated with factors already reported in HIV-negative women (IDU, ethnicity) and with HIV-related immunodeficiency.

To determine the factors associated with clinical progression (AIDS events and death) in antiretroviral-naïve patients who have begun highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). MethodsHIV-infected patients naïve to antiretroviral therapy were included in a prospective hospital-based cohort who began HAART between June 1996 and December 2001. Progression was explained by baseline characteristics using Cox proportional hazards models. ResultsOverall, data for 709 patients were analysed. In multivariate analysis, factors associated with an increased risk of progression were CD4 count o50 cells/mL [hazard ratio (HR) 5 13.0 (95% confidence interval 3.8-44.3)] and between 50 and 199 cells/mL [HR 5 5.1 (1.6-16.3)], when compared with patients with CD4 count4350 cells/mL; AIDS events before HAART prescription [HR 5 2.1 (1.2-3.7)]; CD8 count o 400 cells/mL [HR 5 1.8 (1.1-3.0)]; and older age (HR 5 1.2 by 10 years (1.0-1.5)]. In a second model including CD4 percentage, factors associated with progression were CD4o10% [HR 5 6.3 (2.2-17.9)] and 10%oCD4 o15% [HR 5 4.2 (1.4-12.5)], when compared with patients with CD4420%; CD8 count; AIDS events before HAART prescription; and older age. In a third model including the CD4:CD8 ratio, factors associated with progression were CD4:CD8o15% [HR 5 8.2 (2.3-28.8)] and 15%oCD4:CD8o30% [HR 5 4.6 (1.3-16.0)], when compared with patients with CD4:CD8445%; AIDS events before HAART prescription; and older age. The Akaike information criteria for model analysis were 803, 805 and 815, respectively. ConclusionsConsideration of CD4 level in terms of CD4:CD8 ratio or CD4 percentage can be a good alternative to absolute CD4 count. Other prognostic factors such as older age, CD8 count o400 cells/mL and AIDS events also have to be considered in the decision to initiate HAART.