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Biomedical subjects

E A Mortimer

Publications and source records attributed to E A Mortimer.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Possible mechanisms for vaginal infection with Staphylococcus aureus: inferences drawn from studies of nosocomial infection of newborn infants and surgical patients.

Previous epidemiologic studies of staphylococcal infections in newborn infants and surgical patients provide clues to the method of infection in toxic shock syndrome. In newborn infants, staphylococci were shown to be transmitted most often by the hands of nursery personnel to the umbilical stump, which afforded a warm, moist milieu for bacterial growth. Studies indicated that many surgical wound infections were due to the patients' own organisms, which were carried into the operating room on the patient's skin. It is hypothesized that in toxic shock syndrome the tampon becomes contaminated with a staphylococcal strain from the woman's own hands or skin during the process of insertion. With menstrual blood retained by the tampon in the warm vagina acting as a culture medium, the organism multiplies and elaborates toxin.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1981

Seeing the same doctor: determinants of satisfaction with specialty care for disabled children.

The effect of continuity of physician on satisfaction with medical care was examined in a sample of 370 families of disabled children receiving care from four specialty clinics of teaching hospitals. Families of children with myelodysplasia, cystic fibrosis (CF), cerebral palsy and multiple physical handicaps were included. A comparison of scores on the eight scales of the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire across the four clinics revealed marked and consistent differences: patients of cystic fibrosis clinic scored significantly higher than patients of other clinics on most scales. Multiple regression analysis in which source of care (CF clinic versus other clinics), continuity of care, waiting time and patient and family characteristics (income, race, education, level of disability) were used as predictors indicated that continuity of care accounted for a large part of the association between source of care and satisfaction. Further, when continuity of physician and waiting time in the clinic were held constant, patients of the CF clinic were indistinguishable from patients of other clinics in their satisfaction with doctors and with medical care. Further analysis revealed that continuity of care contributed to patient satisfaction not only in a clinic that constitutes a patient's principal source of care, but also in a clinic in which only specialized care is given, excluding care for intercurrent illnesses or immunizations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Long-term prognosis of ulcerative colitis with onset in childhood or adolescence.

From 1955 through 1974, 336 patients with ulcerative colitis diagnosed before age 21 years were studied. In 93 patients (29%), a blood relative had ulcerative colitis, one case of Crohn's disease being found. The total colon was involved in 63% of patients; the entire colon or all but the rectal stump was removed in 35%. Eighteen patients died, nine of carcinoma of the colon. Sixty-five percent of patients had symptoms for longer than 6 months before the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. If the diagnosis was delayed more than 24 months, there was a statistically significant correlation with increased rate of operations and complications and less good quality of life. When the 20-year study period was divided into two 10-year periods, the operative and complication rates were significantly different. Early diagnosis and treatment appear to improve the long-term prognosis of young patients with ulcerative colitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1978

Immunization against infectious disease.

Mortality and morbidity from infectious diseases in the United States have declined more than 90 percent since 1900. Factors believed to be responsible for this decline include changes in the natural history of disease, sanitation, quarantine measures, control of nonhuman vectors, antibacterial drugs, and immunization. The contributions of each of these factors differ among the various infectious diseases; except for smallpox and diphtheria control, immunization had little effect until after World War II. The success of present and future immunization programs is endangered by public and physician complacency and by complex legal and ethical problems related to informed consent and responsibility for rare, vaccine-related injury.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Reduction in mortality from coronary heart disease in men residing at high altitude.

In New Mexico, where inhabited areas vary from 914 to over 2135 m above sea level, we compared age-adjusted mortality rates for arteriosclerotic heart disease for white men and women for the years 1957-1970 in five sets of counties, grouped by altitude in 305-m (1000-foot) increments. The results show a serial decline in mortality from the lowest to the highest altitude for males but not for females. Mortality rates for males residing in the county groups higher than 1220 m in order of ascending altitude were 98, 90, 86 and 72 per cent of that for the county group below 1220-m altitude (P less than 0.0001). The results do not appear to be explained by artifacts in ascertainment, variations in ethnicity or urbanization. A possible explanation of the trend is that adjustment to residence at high altitude is incomplete and daily activities therefore represent greater exercise than when undertaken at lower altitudes.

Acclimatization↗