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Biomedical subjects

L J Baraff

Publications and source records attributed to L J Baraff.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Psychiatric screening in the emergency department: its effect on physician behavior.

The purpose of our prospective, controlled study was to determine whether providing the results of a psychiatric screening instrument, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), to emergency physicians would result in a change in the detection and management of patients with psychosocial problems. Five hundred ninety-nine emergency department patients were enrolled, 242 in the control and 357 in the intervention group. Noncritical patients, selected by presenting complaint, were given the GHQ to complete before physician evaluation; those whose GHQ scores were high (10 or higher) were identified as having a greater likelihood of having psychosocial problems. During the intervention phase, physicians were provided the patient's GHQ score before beginning their evaluation, as well as a specific mechanism for psychosocial referral. A significantly greater proportion of patients with high GHQ scores in both study groups were judged by physicians to have a psychiatric problem (P less than .0001). During the intervention phase, patients with high scores more frequently were assigned a psychiatric diagnosis (14.1% vs 7.7%) and received psychosocial referral (36.1% vs 5.7%). However, only the latter difference was statistically significant (P less than .0001). The majority (85.7%) of patients offered psychosocial referral accepted their referral. There was no difference in the number of laboratory tests ordered or medical/surgical referrals requested between patients in the control or intervention groups with high scores. Therefore, providing GHQ results to emergency physicians led to more frequent psychiatric diagnoses and psychosocial referrals of patients with high GHQ scores but did not alter their medical management.

Attitude↗
PubMed1989

Compliance with universal precautions in a university hospital emergency department.

We investigated the compliance of emergency department health care workers with barrier precaution policies adapted from the Centers for Disease Control's "Recommendations for Prevention of HIV Transmission in Health-Care Settings." One hundred sixty-nine health care worker encounters with 97 patients were observed. One hundred one observations were of noncritical ED patients undergoing IV catheter placement (35) or phlebotomy (66). Sixty-eight observations involved cardiac arrest or critical trauma patients. Observations in this latter group were of the use of needles, 22; physical examination, 18; patient handling, 17; endotracheal intubation, eight; and Foley catheter placement, three. For noncritical patients, only 52.5% of providers wore gloves for phlebotomy or IV catheter placement. For critical patients, gloves were worn by health care workers as follows: needle use, 64%; physical examination, 72%; intubation, 88%; physical handling of patients, 76%; and Foley catheter placement, 100%. Gowns, masks, and protective eyewear were used in encounters with critical patients by 28%, 1%, and 18% of workers, respectively. We conclude that there currently is a low rate of compliance with universal precaution policies by ED personnel.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

Analyses of adverse reactions to diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine by vaccine lot, endotoxin content, pertussis vaccine potency and percentage of mouse weight gain.

We investigated the rates of local and systemic reactions following 9920 diphtheria-tetanus toxoids-pertussis immunizations from 25 lots of commercially available, United States-licensed diphtheria-tetanus toxoids-pertussis adsorbed vaccines from four manufacturers as a function of vaccine lot, endotoxin content, pertussis vaccine potency and percent of mouse weight gain. There were significant differences between the rates of reactions by lot for all local and systemic reactions except convulsions and hypotonic hyporesponsive episodes. For these latter reactions there were insufficient cases for analyses. P was less than 0.0001 for local reactions, fever, drowsiness, fretfulness, anorexia and screaming and 0.017 for vomiting. No single lot was associated with the highest or lowest rate of reactions for more than 3 of the 11 reactions. There was a significant positive association of endotoxin unit (EU) content and the percent of vaccine recipients who developed fever (P = 0.004). Fever increased in frequency from 20.6% of children immunized with vaccine lots that contained 2500 EU to 55.1% of children immunized with vaccine lots containing 40,000 EU. There were significant positive associations of all local reactions and pertussis vaccine potency (P = 0.0004), and percent of mouse weight gain (P less than 0.0001). There was also a positive association of percent mouse weight gain and persistent screaming (P = 0.001). However, for the majority of reactions there was no clinically meaningful associations between reaction rates and the biological properties of the vaccine studied.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Initial clinical experience with computed radiography imaging in an emergency department.

In the emergency setting, dual imaging was performed in 42 examinations using conventional and computed radiography imaging (CRI) systems. Six specialists considered computed images to be preferable to conventional radiographs in 28% of observations, of equal quality in 50% of observations, and of lesser quality in 22% of observations, even though incorrect processing algorithms were used in 62% of the digital exams. Correct processing improved CRI image characteristics and increased its desirability over conventional studies, suggesting that digital imaging will have greater application in the emergency setting as processing features are simplified.

Emergency Service, Hospital↗
PubMed1989

The past, present, and future of pertussis. The role of adults in epidemiology and future control.

Pertussis is a severe epidemic disease that causes significant morbidity and mortality in unimmunized children. It is now clear, however, that adults with atypical disease account for many of the cases and are often responsible for transmission to susceptible infants. Because of the extent of unrecognized pertussis in the adult population, mass pediatric immunization has been successful in controlling the disease in children but not in reducing the presence of the organism in the United States. Pertussis immunization of children is associated with a high rate of side reactions and is temporally related to severe neurologic disease and death in infants. These events are often considered to be reactions, but available scientific evidence indicates that few, if any, are actually caused by pertussis immunization. Pertussis vaccine reactogenicity in adults is anecdotally considered to be worse than in children, but direct studies do not support that. In the context of current programs emphasizing adult immunization, consideration should be given to booster doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis in adults, using component pertussis vaccines when they become available.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed1988

Infants and children with convulsions and hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodes following diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis immunization: follow-up evaluation.

In a prior prospective study, we evaluated the nature and rates of adverse reactions occurring within 48 hours following 15,752 diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) immunizations. Nine children had convulsions, and nine had hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodes. After an interval of 6 to 7 years, we were successful in contacting the families of 16 of these children to determine whether any had evidence of neurologic impairment too subtle to have been detected at the time of initial evaluation. All 16 were considered normal by their parents and were doing well in school. A complete neurologic and psychometric evaluation was performed on 13 of these children. No child had significant neurologic deficit, although four had minor neurologic abnormalities. Psychometric testing revealed normal performance IQ scores (104.3 +/- 15.8) but low verbal IQ scores (91.8 +/- 18.4); however, these lower verbal IQ scores can be explained by the proportion of Hispanic and bilingual children in this sample. Therefore, there is no evidence that any of these 16 children have any serious neurologic damage as a result of a convulsion or a hypotonic-hyporesponsive episode temporally associated with a prior diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis immunization.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1988

An ongoing surveillance study of persistent crying and hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodes following routine DTP immunization: a preliminary report.

Hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodes and persistent crying are specific complications of pertussis immunization. Hyperinsulinemia, hypoglycemia, and leukocytosis have been noted after pertussis vaccine administration in a murine model. Five children with hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodes and 6 children with persistent crying following DTP immunization were studied. The children were found to have leukocytosis acutely, similar to findings reported in children following routine DTP immunization. No abnormalities were noted in plasma insulin or serum glucose. Five of 6 children with persistent crying had severe local reactions, suggesting that localized inflammation may be a cause of persistent crying.

Crying↗
PubMed1987

Use of intravenous pyelography in blunt trauma--a reappraisal.

The role of intravenous pyelography (IVP) in the evaluation of blunt abdominal trauma is controversial. Major renal injuries have occasionally been reported in the absence of hematuria, but the test is not always accurate, is expensive and has potential morbidity. By reviewing the charts of 150 consecutive patients seen in an emergency department who had IVP for blunt abdominal trauma, we evaluated the ability of clinical and laboratory findings to predict IVP findings, the incidence of abnormal findings on IVP and the number of times IVP affected patient management. Only one patient's management was found to be clearly affected by the results of the IVP. We feel, therefore, that IVP should be reserved in cases of blunt abdominal trauma for patients with gross hematuria and those with microscopic hematuria and suggestive clinical findings. The absence of hematuria should preclude the use of IVP unless there are other exceedingly strong clinical findings.

Abdominal Injuries↗
PubMed1986

IgG and IgG subclass specific antibody responses to diphtheria and tetanus toxoids in newborns and infants given DTP immunization.

To evaluate immune responses to diphtheria and tetanus toxoids in infants we used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to detect total IgG and specific IgG-1, IgG-2, IgG-3, and IgG-4 antibody. One group of infants received a newborn dose and subsequently received the usual three doses of DTP. A second group of infants received only the routine dosage at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. In sera acquired at birth, 6, and 9 months of age, there were no statistically significant differences between the two vaccine groups in IgG antibody responses to diphtheria or tetanus, or in IgG subclass tetanus-specific antibody responses. In individual children, tetanus-specific subclass responses were similar in pattern to that for total IgG tetanus antibody, i.e. each IgG subclass response appeared to be regulated by similar mechanisms in that child, but the regulation differed between children. In contrast to a prior study of pertussis immunity, maternally acquired antibody did not significantly affect immune responses to diphtheria or tetanus toxoid by 9 months of age. There was no discernible tolerance due to early tetanus or diphtheria immunization or to high levels of maternally acquired antibody.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1985

Psychiatric screening in the emergency department: validation of the General Health Questionnaire.

Both a 28-item psychiatric scale, the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) were administered to 25 emergency department patients to determine the validity of the GHQ as a screening instrument for psychopathology in the emergency department setting. There was a significant association (P = 0.0343) between GHQ scores and DIS assessment. The sensitivity of the GHQ in this series was 55.6% and the specificity was 87.5% when compared with the DIS. This suggests that the GHQ may prove to be a valuable screening tool for patients with somatic complaints to detect unsuspected psychiatric illness in the emergency department.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Larval conjunctivitis: a case report.

Presented is a case of acute bilateral conjunctivitis in a healthy 28-year-old man with signs and symptoms resembling those of catarrhal conjunctivitis but resulting from infestation with larvae of the sheep nasal botfly. The patient was treated with neomycin ointment and neomycin/hydrocortisone ophthalmic solution. While not a common cause of conjunctivitis, larval conjunctivitis requires prompt identification in order to institute specific and unique therapy that will prevent serious morbidity.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Prognostic significance of field response in out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation.

We reviewed 94 cases of prehospital ventricular fibrillation (VF) to determine aspects of field response that predicted outcome. Only one of 37 patients (3 percent) failing to achieve rhythms other than VF or asystole after the first two defibrillations survived to hospital discharge compared to nine of 57 (16 percent) achieving organized rhythms by this point (p less than 0.05). None of 56 patients failing to achieve pulses prior to transport survived to hospital discharge compared to ten of 38 achieving field pulses (p less than 0.01). However, survival to discharge was not significantly different between patients who developed pulses immediately with their rhythms (5 of 17, 29 percent) and those who were defibrillated into pulseless rhythms but later developed pulses in the field (five of 21, 24 percent). Thus, for prehospital VF, the best field response identifies potential survivors prior to hospital arrival. In addition, the frequent occurrence and potentially favorable outcome of an initially pulseless rhythm necessitates reevaluation of current therapy.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1985

An open study evaluating the reactogenicity and immunogenicity of a DTP vaccine containing an acellular pertussis component in four to six year old children.

Acellular pertussis vaccines have been used for mass immunization of children in Japan since the fall of 1981, but until recently they have not been evaluated in the United States. We report a trial with a DTP vaccine containing an acellular pertussis component in 36 four to six year old children who had previously received four doses of United States DTP licensed vaccine with a whole cell pertussis vaccine component. The study vaccine contained diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and 300 HA units of Takeda acellular pertussis component. The principle immunizing antigens in the pertussis component of the vaccine were lymphocytosis promoting factor (LPF) and filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA). Local and systemic reactions were monitored during the first 48 hours after vaccination, and pre-immunization and one month post-immunization serum specimens were obtained for antibody assay. The following reaction rates were noted: redness 50%, tenderness 50%, swelling 41%, fever (greater than or equal to 38 degrees C) 3%, drowsiness 17%, fretfulness 14%, anorexia 11%, and vomiting 6%. Pertussis antibody values (preimmunization/postimmunization) were as follows: agglutinin GMT, 1:21/1:100; FHA mean ELISA u, 28 +/- 6/greater than or equal to 229 +/- 47; LPF mean ELISA u, 176 +/- 59/1732 +/- 280. The pertussis component of the study vaccine would appear to be less reactogenic than United States whole cell pertussis vaccines but still immunogenic when given as a booster immunization to four to six year old children. Further studies are needed to assess reactions and immunogenicity in younger and previously unimmunized children.

Anorexia↗
PubMed1985

DTP vaccine reactions: effect of prior reactions on rate of subsequent reactions.

It is generally presumed that children who have had reactions to diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) immunization will be more likely to have similar reactions or more severe reactions upon subsequent immunization. To evaluate this contention, we studied the rates of selected reactions occurring within 48 hours of primary DTP immunization in 1,241 infants less than one year of age. Both local and systemic reactions were significantly more frequent following subsequent DTP immunization if present following a prior immunization. The rates of local reactions following subsequent DTP immunization as a function of previous reactions were as follows (no prior reactions/prior reaction): local redness greater than or equal to 2.5 cm, 12.5%/25.5% (p less than 0.0001); local swelling greater than or equal to 2.5 cm, 16.8%/29.0% (p less than 0.0001); local pain, 37.4%/56.4%; (p less than 0.0001). The rates of systemic reactions as a function of previous reactions were as follows (no prior reactions/prior reaction): drowsiness, 24.9%/42.8% (p less than 0.0001); fretfulness, 47.5%/64.7% (p less than 0.0001); vomiting, 4.8%/11.2% (p = 0.0084); anorexia 16.0%/26.3% (p = 0.0001); fever greater than or equal to 38 degrees C, 37.6%/58.5% (p less than) 0.0001); persistent crying, 2.6%/4.5% (p = 0.3557). In addition, infants who experienced a fever greater than or equal to 38 degrees C on the first of two immunizations were more likely to have a temperature greater than or equal to 39 degrees C following the second immunization, 4.2% vs. 12.4% (p = 0.0017). These data strongly support the presumption that children who have had previous reactions following DTP immunization are more likely to have similar reactions upon subsequent immunization.

Anorexia↗
PubMed1984

Cefaclor versus ampicillin for outpatient treatment of urinary tract infections.

An unblinded, randomized, prospective clinical trial of cefaclor, 250 mg twice daily, versus ampicillin, 500 mg four times daily, for a total of ten days of therapy, was conducted with 100 patients presenting to an emergency department with signs, symptoms, and urinalysis results suggestive of urinary tract infection (UTI). Eighty patients had a UTI proven by pre-therapy urine culture. Significantly more of the bacteria isolated were sensitive to cefaclor (96.3%) than to ampicillin (78.0%), P less than 0.01. Seventy-one patients returned for all follow-up visits and urine cultures. The overall success rate in the cefaclor group was 75.7% and in the ampicillin group 79.4%. There was a 10% failure rate in treating clinical cystitis with both regimens, and the satisfactory outcome rate for pyelonephritis and cystitis was similar in both treatment groups.

Ampicillin↗