A descriptive epidemiologic study of HIV-infected individuals in Hawaii: report of the Hawaii Sero-Positivity and Medical Management database (HSPAMM).

This is a retrospective study of the HSPAMM database evaluating differences in clinical, laboratory, HIV-risk factors and demographic characteristics with respect to gender and ethnicity. There were no significant differences comparing gender, and Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians with respect to developing a CD4 count < 200 cells/mm3. HSPAMM contains information on a large number of HIV-infected Asians/Pacific Islanders.

Urinary excretion of retinol in children with acute diarrhea.

Acute infections of childhood are associated with an increased of xerophthalmia, apparently due to depletion of vitamin A stores. The mechanism responsible for this is not known. Recently, it has been reported that severe infections in adult patients (ie, sepsis and pneumonia) result in excretion of large quantities of retinol in the urine.

Vitamin A is excreted in the urine during acute infection.

Episodes of acute infection are thought to deplete body stores of vitamin A. The mechanism by which this might occur is not known, but increased metabolic requirements are presumed to play a role. We have found, however, that significant amounts of retinol and retinol-binding protein (RBP) were excreted in the urine during serious infections, whereas only trace amounts were found in the urine of healthy control subjects.

Prenatal weight gain, term birth weight, and fetal growth retardation among high-risk multiparous black and white women.

Objective: To examine the association of prenatal weight gain below, within, and above the Institute of Medicine guidelines with birth weight and fetal growth restriction (FGR) among low-income, high-risk black and white women.

Methods: Eight hundred three black and 365 white women were grouped by pregravid body mass index (BMI): low (below 19.8), normal (19.

Evaluation of clinical management training programme for diarrhoea.

We report the evaluation of a training programme on clinical management of infantile diarrhoea. The training programme was delivered through a series of on-site clinical courses offered to a selected group of physicians and nurses from 16 health units in Peru and a series of local workshops conducted in their own health units. The outcome of this training programme was assessed by pre- and post-tests, knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) questionnaires, and observational surveys.