HIV patients in care lose more years of life to smoking than to HIV infection

Findings emphasize importance of patient counseling to stop smoking in integrated HIV care

2012-12-19

(Press-News.org) Among HIV patients receiving well-organized care with free access to antiretroviral therapy, those who smoke lose more years of life to smoking than to HIV, according to a Danish study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and available online. The findings highlight the importance of smoking cessation efforts in the long-term, integrated care of patients infected with HIV.

Marie Helleberg, MD, of Copenhagen University Hospital and colleagues estimated the effect of smoking on mortality, risk of death, and life expectancy, and the number of life years lost to smoking compared to years lost to HIV among nearly 3,000 HIV-infected patients treated in Denmark from 1995 to 2010. They also compared mortality associated with smoking between HIV patients and the country's background population. Where HIV care is integrated and antiretroviral therapy is available at no cost, "more than 60 percent of deaths among HIV patients are associated with smoking," rather than HIV, Dr. Helleberg said.

Estimated life expectancy differed significantly based on smoking status. A 35-year-old HIV patient who currently smokes had a life expectancy of 62.6 years, compared to 78.4 years for a nonsmoker infected with HIV. The loss of years of life associated with smoking was twice as high as that associated with HIV among HIV-infected patients. In addition, researchers found the excess mortality of HIV-infected smokers to be three times higher than that of individuals not infected with HIV.

"Our findings emphasize the importance of counseling HIV patients on smoking cessation as smoking may impact their life expectancy considerably more than the HIV infection itself," the study authors wrote. The results also underscore the importance of prioritizing interventions for stopping smoking in HIV patient care and for the general population. Smokers who stop see their risk of cardiovascular disease drop rather quickly, but they remain at increased risk of cancer until several years after quitting.

The emphasis on well-organized HIV care is crucial, according to Dr. Helleberg and her team. Continuing to smoke—or starting the habit—poses extra risks for patients with HIV. Patients who receive integrated care from a variety of health care professionals, including those who can help patients address lifestyle issues, can find support for decisions to stop smoking.

###The study is available online. It is embargoed until 12:01 a.m. EST on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012:

Clinical Infectious Diseases is a leading journal in the field of infectious disease with a broad international readership. The journal publishes articles on a variety of subjects of interest to practitioners and researchers. Topics range from clinical descriptions of infections, public health, microbiology, and immunology to the prevention of infection, the evaluation of current and novel treatments, and the promotion of optimal practices for diagnosis and treatment. The journal publishes original research, editorial commentaries, review articles, and practice guidelines and is among the most highly cited journals in the field of infectious diseases. Clinical Infectious Diseases is an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). Based in Arlington, Va., IDSA is a professional society representing nearly 10,000 physicians and scientists who specialize in infectious diseases. For more information, visit www.idsociety.org.

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

For power and status, dominance and skill trump likability

2012-12-19

Finding the next Barack Obama or Warren Buffett might be as simple as looking at who attracts the most eyes in a crowd, a new University of British Columbia study finds. For the study, which used eye-tracking technology, participants who observed groups of strangers were able to accurately predict who would emerge as leader of the group in 120 seconds or less. According to the study – to appear in the forthcoming Journal of Personality and Social Psychology – two sets of behaviours will accurately predict future leadership and catch people's attention. The first is ...

Global collaborative efforts help delineate pediatric TBI in China

2012-12-19

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) among children in China are a growing public health concern. Two new studies by researchers of the International Program at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Wuhan Children's Hospital in China examined pediatric TBIs that were treated at Wuhan Children's Hospital from 2002 to 2011. The first study, appearing in the December 2012 print issue of PLOS ONE, investigated the causes, characteristics and trends of pediatric TBIs in China and found that falls, struck by/against ...

Suppressing Evidence Could Dismiss Your Case

2012-12-19

The attorney representing a man accused of stabbing a man to death in an argument over $20 worth of marijuana earlier this year attempted to get some of the evidence tossed out before his client's trial. A twenty-one-year old man in State College, Pennsylvania was accused of killing a 20-year-old man over $20 worth of marijuana in January 2012. The 21-year-old was charged with first-degree, second-degree and third-degree murder, as well as robbery and aggravated assault. Centre County prosecutors alleged that what started as two men arguing over the drugs ended in one ...

Where Will My Property go After I Die?

2012-12-19

Texans who are considering if they need a will should know what happens to their property if they die without one. This depends on a lot of factors and can involve a very complicated court process. Texas has laws in place to deal with property transfers after death, but people who have certain wishes for their property disposition may want to talk to an attorney about creating a will. Separate property and community property for spouses After people get married in Texas, they own two types of property. One is separate property, and the other is community property. ...

Implications of the Legalization of Recreational Marijuana in Colorado

2012-12-19

Residents of Boulder County and people throughout the nation now know that on Election Day 2012, Colorado residents voted in favor of Amendment 64, which legalizes the recreational use of marijuana. That vote will likely have important consequences not only related to the decriminalization of some uses of marijuana, but for the use of police resources as well. Use of police resources for marijuana arrests According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting, the police in the United States arrest someone for marijuana possession every 42 seconds. Of the 1.5 million drug ...

A Look at Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

2012-12-19

When someone is behind on his or her loan payments and has creditors calling at all hours threatening to repossess a vehicle or foreclose on a home, the best option may be to file for bankruptcy. Two forms of bankruptcy are generally available to individual filers: Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Bankruptcy is a legal process through which debts are forgiven to give filers a fresh start. Under Chapter 13 bankruptcy, filers develop a repayment plan and after making payments on time over three to five years, have the rest of their debts forgiven. Those who are unable ...

Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in California

2012-12-19

In the past, bankruptcy often carried a stigma, but times are changing, and bankruptcy is becoming a preferable option for many. The difficult economy makes bankruptcy a viable and respectable choice, and filing for bankruptcy allows individuals and businesses to start fresh and rebuild Chapter 11 Bankruptcy for Businesses Chapter 11 Bankruptcy allows the debtor to enter into agreements with creditors that will keep the debtor's business in operation. Sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations are all eligible for Chapter 11. Sole proprietors, since their ...

New Technology Helps Document Slip and Fall Accidents

2012-12-19

Arizona residents know a slip and fall accident in a retail store can cause significant disruption to daily life. A recently released report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau reveals over 2000 slip and fall accidents occurred in 2011. That number is a 12 percent increase from 2010. New laser technology in retail stores New 3D laser technology is proving useful in documenting scenes where slip and fall accidents occur. The security and loss department of a retail store normally assists when a customer slips and falls. They help determine if the customer is injured ...

Future of Drug Detection Dogs is Questionable

2012-12-19

Is an "alert" from a drug sniffing dog enough to justify a search of a home or car? That question is under review by the U.S. Supreme Court. The court has long held that the sniff of a drug detection canine is not a search under the Fourth Amendment, which protects against "unreasonable searches and seizures." However, two Florida cases before the nation's High Court could change the parameters of the law and either limit or expand the privacy rights of everyone in the United States. Florida v. Harris The first case, Florida v. Harris, goes directly ...

Utah Bankruptcy Rates Finally Falling, But Still High

2012-12-19

Personal bankruptcy filings in Utah appear to have peaked, according to a recent report, and are showing signs of significant decline for the first time since 2005. Utah bankruptcy filings fell by 13 percent during the first nine months of 2012, the Salt Lake Tribune reported recently. While this certainly is good news for Utah homeowners, the progress is relatively modest in comparison to the gains seen in the national bankruptcy rate, which declined 14 percent during the same period according to the National Bankruptcy Institute. Despite the overall improvements, Utah ...

NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research

HIV patients in care lose more years of life to smoking than to HIV infection

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: