Research in Practice

A 38-year-old bodybuilder experienced health complications following prolonged use of anabolic steroids. Despite maintaining a general state of well-being, the patient exhibited symptoms including dyspnoea and palpitations. A series of medical examinations were conducted, the results of which indicated the presence of steroid-induced cardiomyopathy, in addition to other conditions.

Despite undergoing treatment and abstinence, the patient tragically succumbed to a cardiovascular event.

This case highlights the importance of:

• early medical intervention
• harm reduction strategies
• awareness of risks linked to anabolic steroid use.

A 38-year-old bodybuilder experienced health complications following prolonged use of anabolic steroids. Despite maintaining a general state of well-being, the patient exhibited symptoms including dyspnoea and palpitations. A series of medical examinations were conducted, the results of which indicated the presence of steroid-induced cardiomyopathy, in addition to other conditions.

Despite undergoing treatment and abstinence, the patient tragically succumbed to a cardiovascular event.
This case highlights the importance of:

• early medical intervention
• harm reduction strategies
• awareness of risks linked to anabolic steroid use.

The Hepatitis B and D coinfection Study uses Arud clinic data examine the proportion of clients who have active Hepatitis B and are coinfected with Hepatitis D.

The proportion of clients with active hepatitis B and hepatitis D infection important information about the quality of the care system, as the goal of all care must be to prevent Hepatitis B infection through vaccination, diagnose those who have active Hepatitis B infection and Hepatitis D coinfection early and provide them with therapy before long-term damage occurs.

The Hepatitis B/D coinfection study is led by Dr. Claudia Bernardini and financed with a research grant from Gilead.

In dieser Dissertation wurde zum ersten Mal in der Schweiz die Entwicklung der durchgeführten Hepatitis C-Screeningtests und der Anzahl positiver Resultate dieser Tests über einen längeren Zeitraum untersucht.

Im Zeitraum von 2007 bis 2017 hat die Zahl der durchgeführten HCV Antikörpertests deutlich mehr zugenommen als die Anzahl dieser Tests, die positiv ausfielen. Die Positivitätsrate sank entsprechend in diesem Zeitraum.
Die Autoren empfehlen die jährliche Erhebung dieser Werte auf nationaler Ebene im Sinne einer Surveillance im Rahmen der Eliminationsbestrebungen des nationalen Programms NAPS.

The project aims to create a network of specialist doctors and organisations working with people who use drugs, and to use this common platform to improve interdisciplinary health care for substance users, including preventive measures.

The SAMMSU cohort is an open cohort study, which aims to collect representative data of people in opioid substitution therapy in facilities that offer integrated physical health care in the German, French and Italian parts of Switzerland. The collection of longitudinal data is carried out on an annual basis: a number of sociodemographic and medical data are being collected initially and after every twelve months, such as information on drug use, risk behaviours, comorbidities, medications, vaccinations and lab results (e-CRF). A standard analysis includes regular description of the sample. For the analysis of a specific project, the full data set can be requested.

The project aims to create a network of specialist doctors and organisations working with people who use drugs, and to use this common platform to improve interdisciplinary health care for substance users, including preventive measures.

The SAMMSU cohort is an open cohort study, which aims to collect representative data of people in opioid substitution therapy in facilities that offer integrated physical health care in the German, French and Italian parts of Switzerland. The collection of longitudinal data is carried out on an annual basis: a number of sociodemographic and medical data are being collected initially and after every twelve months, such as information on drug use, risk behaviours, comorbidities, medications, vaccinations and lab results (e-CRF). A standard analysis includes regular description of the sample. For the analysis of a specific project, the full data set can be requested.

In der heroingestützten Behandlung gibt es in der Schweiz zurzeit die Möglichkeit, Diaphin® zum Spritzen und als Tablette einzunehmen. Neu wird die nasale Einnahme in einigen Behandlungszentren der Schweiz als „off-label“-Behandlung angeboten.

In dieser multizentrischen Studie wird untersucht, welcher Anteil an Patienten langfristig in dieser Behandlungsform bleibt, wie sich Dosierungen, Substanzkonsum und Gesundheit entwickeln und wie die Einschätzung dieser Behandlungsform durch die Patient:innen ist.

Daher werden Patient:innen, die nasales Diaphin® erhalten, über 3 Jahre insgesamt 5-mal zu ihren Erfahrungen und Einschätzungen befragt. Darüber hinaus werden Informationen zu den bisher verordneten Anwendungen von Diaphin® aus dem Patientendossier analysiert.

In der Heroin gestützten Behandlung (HeGeBe) sind, seit Beginn der Corona-Pandemie, erweiterte Diaphin© (DAM) Mitgaben bis zu einer Woche erlaubt.

Wir möchten herausfinden, welche Auswirkungen die verlängerten Mitgaben haben, und wie zufrieden die Patienten insgesamt damit sind.

DAM Take-Home Psy: Wiederholte Telefonische Befragungen von Patient:innen der Arud und in anderen HeGeBe-Zentren. Die Daten werden nur anonym und unabhängig von der Krankenakte gespeichert.
ProDAM: Retrospektive Analyse von Daten aus der elektronischer Krankengeschichte

Checkpoint Zürich und die Arud beteiligen sich am schweizweiten, multizentrischen Projekt SwissPrEPared. Das Ziel ist, Menschen mit einem erhöhten HIV-Risiko möglichst gut zu betreuen und neue HIV-Infektionen zu verhindern.
Um das zu erreichen besteht SwissPrEPared aus zwei sich ergänzenden Teilen: Zum einen handelt es sich um ein Programm, welches die Qualität bei der Beratung durch Ärztinnen und andere Gesundheitsexpertinnen verbessern soll. Zum anderen handelt es sich um eine Studie mit dem Ziel, wichtige Fragen zur PrEP – ein Medikament, das richtig eingenommen sehr wirksam vor einer Infektion mit dem HI-Virus schützt – und weiteren relevanten Gesundheitsthemen wissenschaftlich zu beantworten.

SwissPrEPared wird daher von Experten aus der Praxis, der Community und aus der Wissenschaft begleitet.

The project aims to create a network of specialist doctors and organisations working with people who use drugs, and to use this common platform to improve interdisciplinary health care for substance users, including preventive measures.

The SAMMSU cohort is an open cohort study, which aims to collect representative data of people in opioid substitution therapy in facilities that offer integrated physical health care in the German, French and Italian parts of Switzerland. The collection of longitudinal data is carried out on an annual basis: a number of sociodemographic and medical data are being collected initially and after every twelve months, such as information on drug use, risk behaviours, comorbidities, medications, vaccinations and lab results (e-CRF). A standard analysis includes regular description of the sample. For the analysis of a specific project, the full data set can be requested.

The Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) is a systematic longitudinal study to record HIV-infected people in Switzerland. It is a collaboration of the outpatient clinics for infectious diseases of all Swiss university hospitals and two big cantonal hospitals, all connected to laboratories, and a number of associated smaller hospitals and private doctors who treat HIV patients.

The SHCS sample is representative for the Swiss HIV epidemic. Its main objectives are to guarantee the best patient care, to reduce HIV transmissions and to conduct research projects on HIV treatment, pathogenesis, co-infections, immunology and virus-host interactions.