Correlates of work injury frequency and duration among firefighters.

This study examined demographic, personality, and economic incentive correlates of workplace injuries suffered by 171 firefighters over a 12-year period. Results showed that female firefighters experienced more injuries than male firefighters. Several Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) scales (Conversion Hysteria, Psychopathic Deviate, and Social Introversion) were positively related to injury frequency. Regression analyses revealed that age, tenure, gender, marital status, type of injury, and wage variables were significant when predicting the duration of injuries as well as an interaction between marital status and gender. Two MMPI scales (Psychopathic Deviate and Schizophrenia) were also significantly related to injury duration. Indemnity cost estimates were calculated. The results underscore the importance of distinguishing the duration of injury from the occurrence of injury.

Development of physical ability tests for police officers: a construct validation approach.

A construct validation approach was followed to affirm that 8 physical ability test events were significantly related to two important constructs underlying the job performance of police officers: strength and endurance. A sample of 115 incumbent police officers took 8 physical ability tests and were rated by supervisors on their physical performances in their job. LISREL methods were used to test the model specified, and a reasonable fit was achieved. Portions of the model were tested on an independent sample of 161 applicants; the fit of the model was again acceptable. A nomological network of relationships, in which strength and endurance factors correlated in expected directions with other physiological and demographic variables, was hypothesized and tested. Finally, the data were examined for potential gender differences and bias. Considerable differences were shown between men and women on both test and performance variables, and women would be overpredicted if a common regression line were used for selection purposes.

Abdominal pain due to Enterobius vermicularis.

The authors describe an unusual case of an 11-year-old girl who had right lower quadrant pain due to unilateral salpingitis, suppurative omentitis and periappendicitis. The etiologic agent was the parasite Enterobius vermicularis. A review of the literature revealed that pinworm may be the cause not only of appendicitis, but of inflammatory reactions in other intra-abdominal sites and that the frequency of this occurrence is probably higher than has previously been suspected.

Long-term follow-up of patients who underwent single valve replacement with Björk-Shiley prosthesis.

Single heart-valve replacement with a Björk-Shiley prosthesis was undertaken in 118 patients between Jan. 3, 1970 and Dec. 31, 1977. The hospital mortality was 7% for patients who had aortic valve replacement and 9% for those who had mitral valve replacement. Recent improvements in techniques for myocardial preservation and cardiopulmonary bypass resulted in a notable reduction in hospital mortality during the period 1974 to 1977 compared with that in the period 1970 to 1973; the rate was 5% for aortic valve replacement and 4% for mitral valve replacement between 1974 and 1977 compared with 9% and 18%, respectively, during the period 1970 to 1973. There was an additional late mortality of 8% in patients who had an aortic valve replaced and 11% in those who had a mitral valve replaced; the mean follow-up was 2.3 years (range 6 months to 7.5 years). Seventy-one patients with an aortic valve prosthesis and 38 patients with a mitral valve prosthesis were alive at the time of late follow-up. In patients who received an aortic valve prosthesis, 73% had an excellent result after operation (New York Heart Association classes I or II) and 18% had some functional improvement. In patients who received a mitral valve prosthesis, 68% had an excellent result and 18% were functionally improved after operation. The incidence of thromboembolism was 8.3% and of anticoagulant-related complications, 13.8%.

Solitary pulmonary nodules due to sarcoidosis.

Two patients, a 67-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man, had asymptomatic solitary nodular masses in the lung detected by roentgenographic examination. The preoperative investigations failed to make a firm diagnosis or to rule out the presence of a malignant lesion. In both patients the lesions were resected and found to contain noncaseating granulomas. Electron microscopy and immunochemical studies for lysozyme supported the diagnosis of solitary nodular sarcoidosis. Such roentgenographic presentations of sarcoid are rare.