ABSTRACT
The Department of Labor has set guidelines for the use of resting arterial blood gas analysis in determination of total and permanent disability for coal workers' pneumoconiosis. To determine the prevalence with which bituminous coal miners fall below the arterial tensions of both oxygen and carbon dioxide published in the Federal Register, we studied 1012 miners who had both reproducible spirometry and arterial blood gas analysis as part of their disability evaluation. Eighty-seven percent of impaired miners could be identified by the spirometric criteria. Thirteen percent of impaired bituminous coal miners had acceptable pulmonary function but were eligible for black lung benefits by the blood gas guidelines. This population would have been missed if blood gas analysis were excluded from the evaluation process. On the other hand, approximately 25% of the blood gas analyses that were performed could be eliminated if a policy was adopted to do this test only on miners with spirometry that exceed the federal guidelines.
Subject(s)
Carbon Dioxide/blood , Coal Mining , Disability Evaluation , Oxygen/blood , Pneumoconiosis/blood , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans , Kentucky/epidemiology , Male , Pneumoconiosis/epidemiology , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Kaposi's sarcoma occurs in the head and neck region, commonly in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. This tumor may also involve oromucosal surfaces, but only rarely leads to upper airway obstruction. When such obstruction develops, the emergency physician must be aware of the attendant problems of surgical manipulation and radiotherapy.
Subject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/complications , Airway Obstruction/surgery , Laryngeal Neoplasms/complications , Sarcoma, Kaposi/complications , Adult , Airway Obstruction/diagnosis , Airway Obstruction/etiology , Bronchoscopy , Child , Emergency Service, Hospital , Humans , TracheostomyABSTRACT
With the use of cocaine now at epidemic proportions, primary care physicians have a reasonable probability of having to provide medical care for a cocaine abuser. Because the cocaine reaction may progress rapidly to a fatal outcome, it is essential to know how to recognize and manage the symptoms of cocaine overdose.
Subject(s)
Cocaine/poisoning , Substance-Related Disorders/complications , Acute Disease , Adult , Female , Hospitals, Teaching , Humans , Kentucky , Male , Poisoning/therapyABSTRACT
A significant portion of health resource dollars are spent providing intensive care. We examined the immediate outcome of the utilization of medical intensive care for the patient with complications of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) at the teaching hospital of the University of Louisville. Our experience indicates that utilization of critical care services for the AIDS patient may favorably alter immediate morbidity and mortality.
