J Natl Med Assoc
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An important question left unanswered is whether transrectal ultrasound will result in earlier diagnosis in African Americans. Tumor registry data for 1985 and 1990 for a predominantly African-American population were reviewed to determine whether transrectal ultrasound influenced the stage at diagnosis of prostate cancer. ⋯ Curable diseases (stages A and B) increased from 38% to 57% of cases. It is concluded that transrectal ultrasound can increase the diagnostic yield of potentially curable disease in a predominantly African-American population.
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To better understand risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia, demographic, medical, and other epidemiological factors were compared for 83 African-American women with Alzheimer's disease and 46 with vascular dementia. Overall, the risk-factor profiles for Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia were similar to those in other studies. ⋯ The presence of such risk factors raises the possibility that there is a vascular component to the dementia in these African-American women with Alzheimer's disease. Neuropathological studies are needed to help answer this question.
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Review Case Reports
Hypercalcemia associated with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL).
Hypercalcemia is a frequent manifestation of human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL). Human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type I infection is endemic in the Caribbean, Japan, Melanesia, and Africa. This article presents two cases of ATL to increase awareness of the disease by primary care physicians. The management of hypercalcemia is discussed.
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A retrospective review was conducted to evaluate the influence of risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on the outcome of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The records of all patients seen at Howard University Hospital between February 1984 and July 1994 with a diagnosis of HIV infection were reviewed. ⋯ Risk factors for HIV infection in these patients were intravenous drug abuse, homosexual behavior, bisexual preference, and blood transfusion. None of these factors consistently influenced the survival of HIV-infected patients with ESRD.