JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association
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To assess the extent of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic in the District of Columbia and demonstrate an approach to monitoring HIV infection and projecting AIDS incidence at a community level. ⋯ Backcalculation and surveys yielded quantitatively consistent estimates of HIV prevalence. Many injecting drug users and heterosexuals in the District of Columbia were infected after January 1, 1986. Similar monitoring of the epidemic in other localities is needed to focus efforts to reduce the incidence of HIV transmission.
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To determine the incidence, clinical predictors and prognostic importance of perioperative ventricular arrhythmias. ⋯ Almost half of all high-risk patients undergoing noncardiac surgery have frequent ventricular ectopic beats or nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. Our results suggest that these arrhythmias, when they occur without other signs or symptoms of myocardial infarction, may not require aggressive monitoring or treatment during the perioperative period.
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To determine the incidence and significance of intraoperative and postoperative myocardial ischemia and their relationship to preoperative ischemia and postoperative cardiac events in patients undergoing peripheral arterial surgery. ⋯ Preoperative ischemia appears to identify high-risk patients, and subsequent perioperative monitoring detects silent ischemia that commonly precedes clinical events and that may be treatable with anti-ischemia therapy.