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A Pearlman

Publications and source records attributed to A Pearlman.

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Recommendations for training in performance and interpretation of stress echocardiography. Committee on Physician Training and Education of the American Society of Echocardiography.

Stress echocardiography has emerged as a clinically useful procedure in the management of patients with ischemic heart disease and other conditions. However, the accuracy of this test relies on the ability of those who carry out the technical aspects of the test and depends critically on proper interpretation of the images. Appreciation of wall motion abnormalities is generally acknowledged as one of the most difficult skills to master in echocardiography. There is consensus that this is also one of the most difficult skills to teach. Appreciating stress-induced changes in wall motion, which sometimes are subtle, requires a significant commitment to initial training in this skill and its maintenance. This document provides recommendations for physician training in stress echocardiography.

Cardiology

Newborn hearing screening.

Congenital deafness is a relatively common problem with an incidence of 1/300 to 1/1000. Most states have no mass screening program for hearing loss, but the state of Kentucky compiles a High Risk Registry which is a historical survey of parents relating to risk factors for hearing loss. Unfortunately this survey can miss 50% of those who have a hearing deficit. If not detected prior to discharge, there is often a delay in diagnosis of deafness which prevents early intervention. We report 2 years' experience at Kosair Children's Hospital where 1,987 infants admitted to well baby, intermediate, or intensive care nurseries were screened using the ALGO-1 screener (Natus Medical Inc, Foster City, CA) which is a modified auditory brain stem evoked response (ABR). Our screening of this population led to an 11% incidence of referral for complete audiological evaluation. There were no significant complications. Forty-eight infants were found to have nonspecified, sensorineural, or conductive hearing loss. The positive predictive value of the test was 96%. Therefore, we feel that the use of the modified ABR in the newborn is a timely, cost efficient method of screening for hearing loss and should be used for mass screening of all newborns.

Deafness

Use of EEG spectral edge as index of equipotency in a comparison of propofol and isoflurane for maintenance of general anaesthesia.

Propofol and isoflurane were compared for haemodynamic stability and recovery time as main anaesthetic agents for maintenance in a total of 43 ASA I and II patients in uncomplicated operations lasting at least 30 min. The premedication (oral diazepam), induction (thiopentone-fentanyl-suxamethonium) and maintenance protocol (N2O-O2 2:1 litre min-1, fentanyl and vecuronium in incremental doses) were identical for all patients. In one group of 20 patients, propofol was used in continuous intravenous (i.v.) infusion (starting dose 3 mg kg-1 h-1), while in the second group of 23 patients, isoflurane was administered in a starting concentration of 1%. To improve the equipotency of the two agents in all cases the dose of the main anaesthetic was titrated to keep the EEG 90% spectral edge frequency (SEF-recorded by processed EEG monitor) between 8 and 12 Hz. Mean blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) deviations of +/- 20% from the baseline were recorded. The incidence of mean blood pressure deviations/case in the propofol group was less than half of those occurring in the isoflurane group (0.45 vs. 0.96 P = 0.04). The mean duration of blood pressure deviation from baseline value was 5.5 min in the propofol group vs. 16.8 min in the isoflurane group (P = 0.01). The recovery intervals were significantly shorter in the propofol group (P < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent

The adjuvant effect of lucanthone (miracil D) in clinical radiation therapy.

Clinical trials were undertaken to determine whether lucanthone (miracil D) affects radiation-induced regression in measurable pulmonary metastases and advanced squamous-cell oral and pharyngeal tumors. The time required for 50% tumor regression was decreased by approximately 50% in those patients who received lucanthone in addition to irradiation. These results indicate that lucanthone has a definite adjuvant effect when used together with irradiation.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell