Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin's lymphoma (NLPHL) is a rare and unique subtype of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), accounting for approximately 5% of HL. On histology, NLPHL presents with “popcorn cells” composed of lymphocytic and histiocytic cells that express CD20 and CD45, unlike the pathognomonic Reed-Sternberg cells in classic HL (cHL) that express CD15 and CD30. Such differences in histopathology may require alternative treatment approaches. We present a rare case of NLPHL with atypical features at presentation with excellent response to treatment regimen used in Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL). A 36-year-old male presented with acute onset back pain. He also noted multiple gradually enlarging lumps in his neck, axilla, and anterior chest wall for a few months. He mentioned significant constitutional symptoms including fatigue, weight loss, and drenching night sweats. No evidence of end-organ damage was present, except significant hypercalcemia suggestive of hypercalcemia of malignancy. An excisional biopsy of his axillary lymph node confirmed the diagnosis of NLPHL with immuno-stains that were positive for CD20, CD45 and negative for CD15 and CD30. PET scan demonstrated extensive tumor burden in the skeletal system, including the sternum, and multi-stationary lymphadenopathy. Splenomegaly with lymphomatous infiltration was also present. He was assigned stage IV based on the Ann Arbor staging system. R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) was initiated with a goal of 6 cycles, differing from ABVD (adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) regimen that is used for cHL. Interval PET scan post 4 cycles of R-CHOP showed no evidence of residual disease. PET scan after 6 cycles demonstrated a complete response (CR), including resolution of hypermetabolic uptake in the spleen, lymph nodes and bones. NLPHL is often considered indolent in clinical courses but with a tendency for multiple late relapses compared to cHL. It still maintains a favorable prognosis. In contrast to cHL, NLPHL less frequently presents with constitutional symptoms, increased tumor burden, or at an advanced stage, which is associated with a worse prognosis. Our patient had multiple features that are unusual in NLPHL such as hypercalcemia, extensive bony involvement with hypermetabolic lytic lesions and significant constitutional symptoms. The clinical conundrum with this rare subtype is whether to treat with HL vs NHL regimens. Literature and the guidelines recommend a conservative approach for low stage NLPHL with observation vs radiation vs single agent rituximab (used in NHL!). Advanced stages require multi-agent regimens ranging from one end of the spectrum with ABVD (used in cHL) to the other end with R-CHOP and its variants (used in NHL). Our patient with a rare subtype of HL had a very unusual and aggressive presentation with CR to R-CHOP demonstrating that rituximab based regimens should be the mainstay of treatment.

In a population prevalence questionnaire study we demonstrated that constipation and fecal incontinence are common problems in the general Swedish population with a similar magnitude as in other Western countries. 95.6% of the population had between three bowel movements per day and three per week. Constipation was mostly defined by “hard stools” and “the need of using laxatives”. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is characterized by abdominal pain/discomfort and abnormal bowel habits. The diagnostic criteria of IBS are based on clinical symptoms. Division of IBS patients into symptom subgroups appears important as their bowel symptoms are characterized by heterogeneity. International criteria to subgroup IBS (Rome II) are based on expert consensus and not on evidence. We investigated the variation of stool consistency and defecatory symptoms in 135 IBS patients by symptom diary cards. Most patients had alternating stool consistency. When subgroups were based on stool consistency, all kinds of defecatory symptoms (straining, urgency, and feeling of incomplete evacuations) were frequently present in all subgroups. Stool frequency was in the normal range in the majority of patients. We propose that IBS subgroups should be based on stool consistency. We suggest that Rome II supportive criteria must be reconsidered as the determination of presence or absence of specific symptoms does not work as an instrument for categorization of IBS patients into diarrhoea- and constipation-predominant. We also propose that abnormal stool frequency should be excluded to define subgroups of IBS. Alternating stool consistency and presence of different defecatory symptoms, regardless of stool consistency should be included as criteria for IBS. Stress is known to play an important role in the onset and modulation of IBS symptoms. From experimental studies there is evidence for a stress-dependent alteration of visceral sensitivity. The biological mechanisms responsible for the causal link between stress and IBS symptoms are not completely understood, but the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and the autonomous nervous system seem to play a prominent role in the pathophysiology of IBS. We investigated visceral sensitivity and the effect of repeated maximal tolerable rectal distensions on salivary cortisol levels and skin conductance in patients with IBS, chronic constipation and healthy volunteers. We found that the expectancy of the experimental situation per se (provocation of bowel symptoms by rectal distensions) compared to non-experimental days at home measured as salivary cortisol had a high impact on the level of arousal in IBS. IBS patients had higher skin conductance values than controls in the beginning of distension series and lower rectal thresholds for first sensation, urge and discomfort than healthy controls and constipation patients. IBS patients demonstrated habituation to repeated subjective maximal tolerable rectal distensions according to sympathetic activity although patients continued to rate their discomfort as maximal. Constipation patients had lower sympathetic activity than IBS patients before and during repeated rectal distensions. None of the groups demonstrated a significant increase in cortisol after repetitive rectal distensions. We conclude that Rome II supportive criteria for IBS should be reconsidered according to our findings. IBS patients are more sensitive to pre-experimental stress than healthy controls and patients with constipation. This should be considered in the design of experimental IBS studies. IBS patients habituated to subjective maximal tolerable, repetitive rectal distensions with decreasing sympathetic activity. Since responses to repeated stimuli of close-to-pain intensities are resistant to habituation this finding could be caused by psychological influences on perception, that is, perceptual response bias.

Invasion of exotic species is a significant problem in natural ecosystems, reaching epidemic proportions and resulting in significant economic losses. However, insufficient knowledge of explicit spatial distribution of invasive species hinders our ability to prevent and/or mitigate future invasion. In this study, we demonstrate the use of existing voluntary data to survey invasive plant species in Kentucky. We also reconstructed the historical distribution of 16 exotic invasive plants typical to Kentucky using herbarium records. We found that Kentucky is facing a large threat from exotic invasive plants as they are reported throughout most counties. The distribution maps for four of the top 10 most reported invasive species revealed that Kentucky is presently or was previously a front of invasion. The majority of the 16 targeted invasive species were scattered throughout Kentucky with no concentrations within particular regions. Cumulative curves of occupied counties over time fit a “J” shape expansion curve, which indicates the potential for further future invasion. This study demonstrates the usefulness of voluntary data and herbarium data to reconstruct the historical and current distribution of invasive species. Further studies on other invasive species can take advantage of information associated with herbarium specimens to achieve more fruitful results.

123 p. / Submitted by Santiago Fabio (fabio.ssantiago@hotmail.com) on 2012-12-19T19:17:51Z No. of bitstreams: 1 66.pdf: 3131226 bytes, checksum: e78b51d59100da2e05f3d35b1609af84 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2012-12-19T19:17:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 66.pdf: 3131226 bytes, checksum: e78b51d59100da2e05f3d35b1609af84 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / O presente trabalho parte de um estudo de caso, em uma empresa petroquímica brasileira, envolvida em processo de mudança cultural em razão do contexto de fusão e integração de empresas. Neste cenário, investiga a percepção das pessoas sobre a influência de uma cultura forte e predominante na mudança cultural. Esta percepção é identificada através de uma pesquisa tipo survey, qualitativa e quantitativa, realizada através de questionário aplicado em amostra representativa das pessoas que vivenciaram diretamente o processo de mudança cultural do caso estudado. Na análise dos dados foi identificado que a cultura forte e predominante contribui sim para a mudança cultural em um ambiente de fusão e integração. Como complemento dessa confirmação, foi possível identificar na leitura qualitativa dos dados que essa influência é positiva. Os resultados foram comparados com estudos existentes na literatura e com pesquisas anteriores realizados no ambiente corporativo. Também foi abordada a influência de mudanças no ambiente físico de trabalho na mudança cultural. Como impactos gerenciais do estudo foi possível concluir que a existência de uma cultura dominante associada à sua prática efetiva são condições necessárias e indispensáveis para uma estratégia de gestão de mudança, porém, somente elas não garantem o sucesso. O exercício adequado do papel da liderança, reforçado pelo exemplo na prática dos valores e princípios da cultura dominante, constitui um caminho crítico para lograr êxito na execução dessa estratégia. / Salvador

Introdução-O aleitamento materno promove vantagens para a criança, mulher e sociedade. Entretanto as taxas de amamentação, principalmente o aleitamento materno exclusivo estão abaixo dos níveis desejados em diversos países. A identificação dos determinantes da interrupção precoce e a quantificação da interação destes fatores é crucial para estabelecer, avaliar e promover políticas públicas em prol das práticas de amamentação. Objetivo-Estimar os efeitos dos fatores associados à prevalência do aleitamento materno exclusivo, predominante e continuado no primeiro e segundo anos de vida em países da América Latina e Caribe no período de 2000 a 2016. Métodos-Foram utilizados microdados coletados no projeto Monitoring and Evaluation to Assess and Use Results Demographic and Health Survey. Para complementar as informações foram recolhidos dados agregados do World Bank. Os indicadores analisados foram aleitamento materno exclusivo (AME), aleitamento materno predominante (AMP) e aleitamento materno continuado (AMC) no primeiro e segundo anos de vida; os valores foram expressos em prevalência e estratificados por quintos de riqueza. Selecionou-se o último inquérito disponível de cada país da América Latina e Caribe com dados entre os anos de 2000 e 2016. As variáveis foram selecionadas segundo disponibilidade e enquadramento no modelo conceitual proposto por ROLLINS et al. (2016). O modelo utilizado no estudo foi elegido após análise com Regressão de Poisson e, posteriormente, foi realizada análise logística multinível de efeitos mistos para quantificar o efeito de cada determinante do efeito fixo ajustado pelo efeito randômico. Resultados-A variação das prevalências dos indicadores foi de 7,4% a 60,3% no AME, 13,9% a 71% no AMP, 35,0% a 86,6%no AMC no primeiro ano e 18,9% a 55,0% no AMC no segundo ano de vida. Bolívia e Guatemala se destacam por apresentar as maiores taxas de AME, 60,3% e 54,2%, respectivamente. Os países apresentaram maior prevalência dos indicadores nos quintos inferiores de renda, destacando-se as associações do padrão de aumento da magnitude do efeito negativo à medida que o quinto de renda aumenta. O AME e AMP se associaram diretamente à \"amamentação na primeira hora\", \"estado conjugal\" e \"queria o último filho; \"idade materna\" e \"status de trabalho\" se associaram inversamente aos indicadores AMC no 1º e 2º anos de vida. Na análise de efeitos mistos, os indicadores AME e AMP se associaram diretamente a \"amamentação na primeira hora\" e \"estado conjugal\" e inversamente às variáveis \"local do parto\" e \"status de trabalho\". A escolaridade materna apresentou associação inversa com os indicadores AMP, AMC no 1º e 2º anos de vida e o quinto de riqueza apresentou associação inversa com todos os indicadores estudados. O AME apresenta maior variância explicada pelo nível individual, enquanto o AMC no 2º ano de vida sofre grande influência pelo nível contextual (8,99e-15% e 69,7%, respectivamente). Conclusão-As variáveis relacionadas ao indivíduo foram as que melhor explicaram a variância do modelo para o AME, AMP e AMC no 1º ano de vida. As variáveis relacionadas ao contexto explicam maior variabilidade da prevalência do AMC no 2º ano de vida, exibindo a maior interferência do PIB e de influências de âmbito nacional. / Introduction-Breastfeeding promotes benefits for the child, woman and society. However, breastfeeding rates, especially exclusive breastfeeding, are below desired levels in many countries. The identification of the determinants of the interruption precociated and the quantification of interaction factors are crucial to establish, evaluate and promote public policies in breastfeeding practices. Objective-Estimate the effects of factors associated with the prevalence of exclusive, predominant and continued breastfeeding in the first and second years of life in Latin American and Caribbean countries from 2000 to 2016.Methods- We used microdata collected in the project Monitoring and Evaluation to Assess and Use Results Demographic and Health Survey. In addition to the information, aggregated World Bank data was collected. The indicators analyzed were exclusive breastfeeding (EB), predominant breastfeeding (PB) and continuous breastfeeding (CB) in the first and second years of life; the values were expressed in prevalence and stratified by quintiles of wealth. The last available survey of each Latin American and Caribbean country with data between the years 2000 and 2016 was selected. The variables were selected according to availability and framing in the conceptual model proposed by ROLLINS et. al. (2016). The model used in the study was chosen after analysis with Poisson Regression and later, multi-level mixed-effects logistic analysis was performed to quantify the effect of each determinant of the fixed effect adjusted by the random effect. Results- The prevalence of indicators ranged from 7.4% to 60.3% EB, 13.9% to 71% in PB, 35.0% to 86.6% in CB in the first year, and 18.9% to 55.0% in CB in the second year of life. Bolivia and Guatemala stand out for having the highest rates of EB, 60.3% and 54.2%, respectively. The countries presented a higher prevalence of indicators in the lower quintiles of income, especially the associations of the pattern of increase of the magnitude of the negative effect as the fifth of income increases. EB and PB were directly associated with \"first-time breastfeeding\", \"marital status\" and \"wanted the last child; \"maternal age\" and \"work status\" were inversely associated with the CB indicators in the 1st and 2nd years of life. In the mixed effects analysis, the EB and PB indicators were directly associated with \"first-hour breastfeeding\" and \"marital status\" and inversely to the variables \"place of birth\" and \"work status\".The maternal schooling presented an inverse association with the PB, CB indicators in the 1st and 2nd years of life, and the fifth of the wealth had an inverse association with all the indicators studied. The EB shows greater variance explained by the individual level, while the CB in the second year of life suffers great influence at the contextual level (8.99e-15% and 69.7%, respectively). Conclusion- The variables related to the individual were the ones that best explained the variance of the model for EB, PB and CB in the 1st year of life. The variables related to the context explain a greater variability of the prevalence of CB in the second year of life, showing the greater interference of GDP and national influences.

none

Introdução-O aleitamento materno promove vantagens para a criança, mulher e sociedade. Entretanto as taxas de amamentação, principalmente o aleitamento materno exclusivo estão abaixo dos níveis desejados em diversos países. A identificação dos determinantes da interrupção precoce e a quantificação da interação destes fatores é crucial para estabelecer, avaliar e promover políticas públicas em prol das práticas de amamentação. Objetivo-Estimar os efeitos dos fatores associados à prevalência do aleitamento materno exclusivo, predominante e continuado no primeiro e segundo anos de vida em países da América Latina e Caribe no período de 2000 a 2016. Métodos-Foram utilizados microdados coletados no projeto Monitoring and Evaluation to Assess and Use Results Demographic and Health Survey. Para complementar as informações foram recolhidos dados agregados do World Bank. Os indicadores analisados foram aleitamento materno exclusivo (AME), aleitamento materno predominante (AMP) e aleitamento materno continuado (AMC) no primeiro e segundo anos de vida; os valores foram expressos em prevalência e estratificados por quintos de riqueza. Selecionou-se o último inquérito disponível de cada país da América Latina e Caribe com dados entre os anos de 2000 e 2016. As variáveis foram selecionadas segundo disponibilidade e enquadramento no modelo conceitual proposto por ROLLINS et al. (2016). O modelo utilizado no estudo foi elegido após análise com Regressão de Poisson e, posteriormente, foi realizada análise logística multinível de efeitos mistos para quantificar o efeito de cada determinante do efeito fixo ajustado pelo efeito randômico. Resultados-A variação das prevalências dos indicadores foi de 7,4% a 60,3% no AME, 13,9% a 71% no AMP, 35,0% a 86,6%no AMC no primeiro ano e 18,9% a 55,0% no AMC no segundo ano de vida. Bolívia e Guatemala se destacam por apresentar as maiores taxas de AME, 60,3% e 54,2%, respectivamente. Os países apresentaram maior prevalência dos indicadores nos quintos inferiores de renda, destacando-se as associações do padrão de aumento da magnitude do efeito negativo à medida que o quinto de renda aumenta. O AME e AMP se associaram diretamente à \"amamentação na primeira hora\", \"estado conjugal\" e \"queria o último filho; \"idade materna\" e \"status de trabalho\" se associaram inversamente aos indicadores AMC no 1º e 2º anos de vida. Na análise de efeitos mistos, os indicadores AME e AMP se associaram diretamente a \"amamentação na primeira hora\" e \"estado conjugal\" e inversamente às variáveis \"local do parto\" e \"status de trabalho\". A escolaridade materna apresentou associação inversa com os indicadores AMP, AMC no 1º e 2º anos de vida e o quinto de riqueza apresentou associação inversa com todos os indicadores estudados. O AME apresenta maior variância explicada pelo nível individual, enquanto o AMC no 2º ano de vida sofre grande influência pelo nível contextual (8,99e-15% e 69,7%, respectivamente). Conclusão-As variáveis relacionadas ao indivíduo foram as que melhor explicaram a variância do modelo para o AME, AMP e AMC no 1º ano de vida. As variáveis relacionadas ao contexto explicam maior variabilidade da prevalência do AMC no 2º ano de vida, exibindo a maior interferência do PIB e de influências de âmbito nacional. / Introduction-Breastfeeding promotes benefits for the child, woman and society. However, breastfeeding rates, especially exclusive breastfeeding, are below desired levels in many countries. The identification of the determinants of the interruption precociated and the quantification of interaction factors are crucial to establish, evaluate and promote public policies in breastfeeding practices. Objective-Estimate the effects of factors associated with the prevalence of exclusive, predominant and continued breastfeeding in the first and second years of life in Latin American and Caribbean countries from 2000 to 2016.Methods- We used microdata collected in the project Monitoring and Evaluation to Assess and Use Results Demographic and Health Survey. In addition to the information, aggregated World Bank data was collected. The indicators analyzed were exclusive breastfeeding (EB), predominant breastfeeding (PB) and continuous breastfeeding (CB) in the first and second years of life; the values were expressed in prevalence and stratified by quintiles of wealth. The last available survey of each Latin American and Caribbean country with data between the years 2000 and 2016 was selected. The variables were selected according to availability and framing in the conceptual model proposed by ROLLINS et. al. (2016). The model used in the study was chosen after analysis with Poisson Regression and later, multi-level mixed-effects logistic analysis was performed to quantify the effect of each determinant of the fixed effect adjusted by the random effect. Results- The prevalence of indicators ranged from 7.4% to 60.3% EB, 13.9% to 71% in PB, 35.0% to 86.6% in CB in the first year, and 18.9% to 55.0% in CB in the second year of life. Bolivia and Guatemala stand out for having the highest rates of EB, 60.3% and 54.2%, respectively. The countries presented a higher prevalence of indicators in the lower quintiles of income, especially the associations of the pattern of increase of the magnitude of the negative effect as the fifth of income increases. EB and PB were directly associated with \"first-time breastfeeding\", \"marital status\" and \"wanted the last child; \"maternal age\" and \"work status\" were inversely associated with the CB indicators in the 1st and 2nd years of life. In the mixed effects analysis, the EB and PB indicators were directly associated with \"first-hour breastfeeding\" and \"marital status\" and inversely to the variables \"place of birth\" and \"work status\".The maternal schooling presented an inverse association with the PB, CB indicators in the 1st and 2nd years of life, and the fifth of the wealth had an inverse association with all the indicators studied. The EB shows greater variance explained by the individual level, while the CB in the second year of life suffers great influence at the contextual level (8.99e-15% and 69.7%, respectively). Conclusion- The variables related to the individual were the ones that best explained the variance of the model for EB, PB and CB in the 1st year of life. The variables related to the context explain a greater variability of the prevalence of CB in the second year of life, showing the greater interference of GDP and national influences.

Bakgrund: IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome) är en funktionell mag-tarmsjukdom med en oklar orsak och patofysiologi. IBS förekommer mest hos kvinnor och karakteriseras av buksmärta, uppblåsthet, diarré och/eller förstoppning samt ökad gasbildning. I nuläget finns inga läkemedel som botar sjukdomstillståndet, och den senaste tiden har intresset för probiotika som behandling av IBS ökat. Probiotika innehåller levande mikroorganismer som anses ha en gynnsam effekt på tarmflorans sammansättning, samt kan tros ha en symtomatisk effekt vid IBS. Syfte: Syftet med detta litteraturarbete är att ta reda på om kosttillskott som innehåller bakteriearten Lactobacillus plantarum har en positiv effekt för att lindra symtomen hos patienter som lider av en diarrépredominant IBS. Metod: Sex randomiserade, dubbelblinda och placebo-kontrollerade studier granskades. Studierna utvärderade effekten av den enskilda bakteriearten L. plantarum eller en kombination av probiotika som innehöll L. plantarum för symtomlindring hos IBS-patienter. Artikelsökning utfördes i databasen PubMed via Linnéuniversitetets bibliotek. Resultat: Tre av de fyra studierna som undersökte L. plantarum i kombination med andra bakteriestammar påvisade en statistiskt signifikant förbättring av symtomen buksmärta hos IBSpatienter. En av de två studierna som undersökte enbart L. plantarum visade en signifikant förbättring av symtomen buksmärta. Två av sex studier visade ingen signifikant förbättring av symtomlindring mellan probiotika- och placebo gruppen. Slutsats: Utifrån sammanställningen påvisades att effekten uppnåddes framförallt i gruppen med måttliga IBS besvär. Dock gav inte behandling med L. plantarum alltid en statistisk signifikant förbättring av symtomlindring hos diarré predominanta IBS-patienter. Vidare studier behövs på subtypen diarré predominant IBS för att stärka och fastställa L. plantarums effekt.

<p>Promotion of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), (giving breast milk only without any solids or liquids), has proved to be very challenging in the South African context, although this infant feeding practice has been found to protect babies against diarrhoea and respiratory tract infections and to carry a lower risk of HIV infection than mixed feeding (breastfeeding combined with formula or solids). Study design: The PROMISE-EBF study is a multi-country cluster randomised trial to examine peer support to promote exclusive breastfeeding in Africa. For the South African site in the PROMISE-EBF study, three sites, Paarl, Rietvlei and Umlazi, were selected because of their different geographic settings and each site operated as a separate stratum for cluster selection and randomisation purposes. The clusters were then randomised into intervention and control arms making a total of 17 clusters in each arm. HIV positive and negative women in the intervention arm received support on their choice of infant feeding from the peer supporters who visited them at their homes while the women in the control group only received the standard infant feeding counselling and support provided by health care&nbsp / workers at health facilities. Data collection: Mothers were interviewed at recruitment during the antepartum period to establish eligibility, obtain informed consent and data on socio-economic status. Home visits were scheduled for data collection by trained data collectors at 3, 6, 12 and 24 weeks after birth. Analysis of results: This mini-thesis was a secondary analysis of the PROMISE-EBF data focusing on the South African data only. The data was adjusted for clustering and analysed using SAS. Comparison of variables between the intervention and control groups within sites was done. Results: A significant difference, regarding counselling and infant feeding practices, was observed among all women who received peer support compared to those who received the standard antenatal counselling, with more women in the intervention group (20.5%) practising EBF than those in the control group (12.8%) by Week 3. When the women‟s HIV status was considered, more than 65% of HIV positive and 40% of HIV negative women practised MF and EFF (giving formula milk only with no breast milk) throughout the study, respectively, regardless of the group they were in. For women who hadintended to practise EBF at recruitment, 33% in the control group and 20% in the intervention group actually practised EBF by Week 3. Regarding disclosure and feeding choice, 77.4% of women who had disclosed their HIV status actually practised MF versus 8.6% who practised EBF by Week 3.Conclusion: Community peer counselling should be strengthened as the results from this study showed that a high percentage of women who practised EBF were those who had received counselling, irrespective of their HIV status. The high percentage of HIV positive women who practised high risk feeding, despite receiving infant counselling, is of concern. Disclosure of the women‟s HIV status did not translate to them practising low risk infant feeding methods, which may suggest that there are other issues that determine the women‟s choice of infant feeding.</p>

<p>Promotion of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), (giving breast milk only without any solids or liquids), has proved to be very challenging in the South African context, although this infant feeding practice has been found to protect babies against diarrhoea and respiratory tract infections and to carry a lower risk of HIV infection than mixed feeding (breastfeeding combined with formula or solids). Study design: The PROMISE-EBF study is a multi-country cluster randomised trial to examine peer support to promote exclusive breastfeeding in Africa. For the South African site in the PROMISE-EBF study, three sites, Paarl, Rietvlei and Umlazi, were selected because of their different geographic settings and each site operated as a separate stratum for cluster selection and randomisation purposes. The clusters were then randomised into intervention and control arms making a total of 17 clusters in each arm. HIV positive and negative women in the intervention arm received support on their choice of infant feeding from the peer supporters who visited them at their homes while the women in the control group only received the standard infant feeding counselling and support provided by health care&nbsp / workers at health facilities. Data collection: Mothers were interviewed at recruitment during the antepartum period to establish eligibility, obtain informed consent and data on socio-economic status. Home visits were scheduled for data collection by trained data collectors at 3, 6, 12 and 24 weeks after birth. Analysis of results: This mini-thesis was a secondary analysis of the PROMISE-EBF data focusing on the South African data only. The data was adjusted for clustering and analysed using SAS. Comparison of variables between the intervention and control groups within sites was done. Results: A significant difference, regarding counselling and infant feeding practices, was observed among all women who received peer support compared to those who received the standard antenatal counselling, with more women in the intervention group (20.5%) practising EBF than those in the control group (12.8%) by Week 3. When the women‟s HIV status was considered, more than 65% of HIV positive and 40% of HIV negative women practised MF and EFF (giving formula milk only with no breast milk) throughout the study, respectively, regardless of the group they were in. For women who hadintended to practise EBF at recruitment, 33% in the control group and 20% in the intervention group actually practised EBF by Week 3. Regarding disclosure and feeding choice, 77.4% of women who had disclosed their HIV status actually practised MF versus 8.6% who practised EBF by Week 3.Conclusion: Community peer counselling should be strengthened as the results from this study showed that a high percentage of women who practised EBF were those who had received counselling, irrespective of their HIV status. The high percentage of HIV positive women who practised high risk feeding, despite receiving infant counselling, is of concern. Disclosure of the women‟s HIV status did not translate to them practising low risk infant feeding methods, which may suggest that there are other issues that determine the women‟s choice of infant feeding.</p>