Identification of early HIV infections using the fourth generation Abbott ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CIA) in San Diego County.

Background: HIV screening assays have gone through several generations of development in an effort to narrow the "window period" of detection. Utilizing a fourth generation HIV screening assay has the potential to detect earlier HIV infection, thus reducing HIV-1 transmission.

Objective: To identify acute infections to decrease HIV transmission in San Diego County.

Improvement in appropriate autologous donations with local education: 1987 to 1989.

Preoperative autologous blood donation for elective surgery patients at university hospitals was underused in the past. More recently, national educational efforts have been made. To test the impact of local surgeon interviews and education, in 1988 the same local educational program was instituted at three university hospitals; three community hospitals were used as controls.

Factors associated with successful autologous blood donation for elective surgery.

Not all donors can donate the number of autologous blood units requested by their physicians before surgery, and donors are more frequently unsuccessful as more units are requested. Therefore, 368 autologous blood donors who were requested to donate 4 or more units during the 6-week period before surgery at one community blood center were studied. More men were able to donate 4 units with no deferrals for anemia than were women (86% [181 of 211] compared to 42% [48 of 115], P less than 0.

Blood loss and replacement in total hip arthroplasty: a multicenter study. The Preoperative Autologous Blood Donation Study Group.

To determine blood loss, the number of transfusions, and the hemoglobin levels achieved in patients via transfusion in the course of total hip arthroplasty, 324 patient records from 1987 through 1989 were reviewed at three university and three community hospitals. Calculated blood loss was 3.2 +/- 1.