With the increasing incidence of chronic kidney disease in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the number of HIV-infected patients requiring hemodialysis has also increased. Dolutegravir is an integrase inhibitor that is a common component of HIV treatment regimens. Currently, there is no guidance regarding the use of dolutegravir in patients requiring hemodialysis. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the clinical correlates of safe and effective use of dolutegravir in hemodialysis. This was a retrospective cohort analysis of patients receiving dolutegravir and hemodialysis for at least six months at a single academic HIV medical clinic. The primary safety outcome was discontinuation of dolutegravir due to an adverse effect. The primary efficacy outcome was viral suppression six months after being on dolutegravir and hemodialysis simultaneously. Ten patients received dolutegravir while receiving hemodialysis for six months. No patients discontinued the medication during the six months. Eighty percent of the patients were virally suppressed at six months with 62.5% of those suppressed maintaining suppression and 37.5% achieving suppression over the course of the six months. In a retrospective review of ten patients receiving dolutegravir while on hemodialysis for at least six months, dolutegravir was generally safe and effective for use at standard dosages.

Purpose To assess the expression of selected cytokines in penile lichen sclerosus (PLS) and associate them with the occurrence of micro-incontinence (MI) in different stages of PLS. Methods The skin biopsies from 49 PLS affected, and 13 from nonlesional foreskins (healthy control adult males undergoing circumcision due to phimosis caused by short frenulum) were obtained. All specimens were used for RNA extraction and RT-qPCR. Quantitative assessment of the gene expression of interleukin 1-A (IL-1A), interleukin 1-B (IL-1B), interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RN), interleukin 6 (IL-6), transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), and interferon-gamma (INF-γ) was performed. To determinate the presence of MI, the patients were asked about voiding patterns, especially leaking tiny drops of urine from the urethral meatus after urination. Results IL-1A, IL-6, and INF-γ mRNA levels were approximately 150, 16, and 59 times higher in PLS than in control samples, respectively. The highest IL-1A mRNA levels were observed in early PLS (n = 13), INF-γ in moderate PLS (n = 32), while IL-6 in severe PLS (n = 4). MI was noted in 45 PLS patients vs. 0 in control (p < 0.0001). IL-1A and IL-6 vs control ratios were concentration (ca.) 400 and 30 times higher, respectively, in MI PLS samples than in PLS without MI. Conclusion Occlusion and irritating urine effect are associated with the clinical progression of penile LS with increased mRNA expression of IL-1A, INF-γ, and IL-6 pro-inflammatory cytokines in the foreskin.