No abstract

To evaluate the association between Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) discontinuation time and therapeutic failure (TF) in Venezuelan immigrants with HIV that restart HAART. Methods: We carried out a retrospective cohort study in a large hospital in Peru. We included Venezuelan immigrants who restarted HAART and were followed over at least 6 months. The primary outcome was TF. Secondary outcomes were immunologic (IF), virologic (VF) and clinical (CF) failures. The exposure variable was HAART discontinuation, categorised as no discontinuation, less than 6 months, and 6 months or more. We applied generalised linear models Poisson family with robust standard errors to calculate crude (cRR) and adjusted (aRR) relative risks by statistical and epidemiological criteria. Results: We included 294 patients, 97.2% were males, and the median age was 32 years. Out of all the patients, 32.7% discontinued HAART for less than 6 months, 15.0% discontinued for more than 6 months and the remaining 52.3% did not discontinue. The cumulative incidence of TF was 27.9%, 24.5% in VF, 6.0% in IF and 6.0% in CF. Compared with non-discontinued HAART patients, the discontinuation for less than 6 months (aRR = 1.98 [95% CI: 1.27-3.09]) and from 6 months to more (aRR = 3.17 [95% CI: 2.02-4.95]) increased the risk of TF. Likewise, treatment discontinuation of up to 6 months (aRR = 2.32 [95% CI: 1.40-3.84]) and from 6 months to more (aRR = 3.93 [95% CI: 2.39-6.45]) increased the risk of VF. Conclusions: HAART discontinuation increases the probability of TF and VF in Venezuelan immigrants.K E Y W O R D S emigrants and immigrants, highly active antiretroviral therapy, HIV, Peru, treatment failure These findings were previously presented as the MD thesis of Kirbeliz E.

Sr. Editor. En octubre de 2009, el Tribunal Constitucional (TC) del Perú declaró inconstitucional la distribución gratuita del anticonceptivo oral de emergencialevonorgestrel (AOE), comúnmente conocido como "píldora del día siguiente". Esta decisión se basó en los principios pro homine y pro debilis ante el supuesto potencial abortivo del medicamento. En consecuencia, le prohibió al Ministerio de Salud desarrollar dicha distribución en los establecimientos del sector público (1). Sin embargo, su venta en forma privada no fue vedada. No hemos encontrado publicaciones científicas acerca de la proporción de mujeres peruanas que hace uso del AOE.