SMJ // July 1989, Volume 82 - Issue 7
Editorial
Economic Welfare Versus Social Justice
Editorial
Seroprevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in a Prenatal Population at High Risk for HIV Infection
ABSTRACT: To determine the seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus infection in prenatal patients at high risk for HIV infection we tested 513 women from December 1985 through July 1987 at an inner-city hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Demographic and HIV risk information was collected from all seropositive women. Twenty-nine (6%) of…
Editorial
Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia in the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Diagnosis Using Minilavage Samples
ABSTRACT: Over a 30-month period, we evaluated 74 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) for suspected opportunistic pulmonary infection. All had abnormal findings on chest roentgenogram. Sixty patients (81%) were found to have Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). We assessed the yield of various diagnostic methods, and found that bronchoalveolar lavage…
Editorial
Increased Incidence of Bacteremia in Haitian Children With Sickle Cell Anemia
ABSTRACT: Children with sickle cell anemia who were less than 5 years old were observed over a three-year period. Those born to recent Haitian immigrants accounted for 108.4 patient-years. They had seven episodes of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia and five due to Haemophilus influenzae for rates of 6.5 and 4.6 episodes…
Editorial
Epidemic of Restaurant-Associated Illness Due to Salmonella newport
ABSTRACT: In June and July 1982, a large outbreak of gastroenteritis associated with a barbecue restaurant involved 120 persons in central Arkansas. The illness was characterized by diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting; 23 patients (19%) were hospitalized. Epidemiologic investigation showed that persons who became ill were more likely to have…
Editorial
Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome With Vitamin B6 A Double-Blind Study
ABSTRACT: We undertook a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to investigate the therapeutic effect of vitamin B6 on carpal tunnel syndrome. After ten weeks in the study, ten of 15 patients improved (this included patients given placebo and those given no treatment). Vitamin B6 seems to have no advantage over conservative…
Editorial
Severe Trauma to the Lower Extremity Long-term Sequelae
ABSTRACT: Limb salvage after major traumatic injury to the lower extremity has become commonplace in modern trauma centers. Despite initial successful limb salvage, however, long-term complications ofter occur. We present 121 patients who were treated for complications after major injuries to the lower limb at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center….
Editorial
Combined Transurethral Resection of the Prostate and Inguinal Herniorrhaphy
ABSTRACT: From 1983 to 1985, ten men had combined transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and inguinal herniorrhaphy; hernia repair immediately preceded transurethral resection. Eight men had unilateral inguinal hernia repair and two had bilateral inguinal herniorrhaphy. Four men had additional procedures done concurrently. Follow-up ranged from 14 to 33…
Editorial
Atheromatous Embolism Varied Clinical Presentation and Prognosis
ABSTRACT: Microemboli composed of atheromatous debris can produce sudden failure of one or many organ systems. The soft tissues of the lower extremity are almost always involved, and may sustain the only significant injury. Atheromatous embolization occurs more commonly than is recognized, and its incidence may be increasing. We report…
Editorial
High Cost of Trauma Care in the Elderly
ABSTRACT: Trauma in the elderly is a significant public health problem in terms of morbidity, mortality, and expenditure of health care resources. We compared injury severity score, length of stay, hospital charges, and mortality rate in a group of 60 elderly patients and a group of 60 younger patients admitted…
Editorial
Necrotizing Gas-Forming Infections in Cancer Patients
ABSTRACT: Necrotizing gas-forming infections in cancer patients present some unique characteristics, such as nontraumatic, spontaneous clostridial gangrene and gangrene involving an ischemic tumor mass. These infections can be rapidly progressive and uniformly fatal without surgical debridement. We review ten cases of gas gangrene seen during an 18-year period. Four were…
Review Article
Disease States in Which Blood Pressure Is Lowered
ABSTRACT: Hypertension can be ameliorated by certain concomitant disease states, especially those in which serum globulin is elevated. Blood pressure has been reduced in cases of cirrhosis of the liver, chronic alcoholism, congestive heart failure, arthritis, hypothyroidism, and myeloma. These clinical findings were confirmed experimentally when animals with various models…
Current Concepts
Bronchoprovocational Challenges in the Assessment of the Efficacy of Therapeutic Agents
ABSTRACT: Bronchoprovocational challenge techniques are useful clinical and research tools for evaluating airway hyperreactivity. Not only are they useful in guiding management of patients with asthma, but also are commonly used to assess the efficacy of bronchodilating agents. The mechanisms involved in the development of bronchoconstriction are poorly defined, but…
Article
Neonatal Intensive Care Admissions Changing Profile in Georgia, 1974 to 1982
ABSTRACT: Birthweight-specific admission rates were reviewed from 1974 to 1982 for Georgias five regional perinatal centers. Analysis of birthweight-specific neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions as a proportion of total live births revealed an upward trend for infants weighing 1,000 to 1,499 gm and a downward trend for those weighing…
Article
Evolution of Civil Aeromedical Helicopter Aviation
ABSTRACT: The rapid increase in the use of helicopters for hospital transport during the 1980s is the culmination of several hundred years of military medical innovation. Mass battlefield casualties spurred both technologic and medical changes necessary for todays sophisticated helicopter systems in use worldwide, particularly in the United States. The…
Medical Education
Pedigrees of Southern Surgical Chairmen
ABSTRACT: This review details the birth, medical education, surgical training, and previous academic appointments of the chairmen of departments of surgery in the medical schools in the geographic distribution of the Southern Medical Association.
