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Biomedical subjects

L M Irwig

Publications and source records attributed to L M Irwig.

66 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Lead and morbidity: A dose-response relationship.

Many laboratory tests have been recommended for monitoring factory workers exposed to lead. To select the most useful test the best predictor of selected measures of morbidity was sought. 639 lead-exposed workers in several factories were questioned about abdominal ache, constipation, and fatigue and were examined for hand tremot. Packed-cell volume, blood-lead, urinary lead, and delta-aminolaevulinic acid were estimated in 489 workers. About half of the values for the latter three tests fell into the "excessive" or "dangerous" category of lead absorption. Blood-lead was a better predictor of morbidity than any other laboratory test, and further information did not add appreciably to morbidity prediction. The findings suggest that blood-lead measurement is the most meaningful test for monitoring workers exposed to lead. The effect of lead on morbidity does not appear to depend on its action on the porphyrin metabolic pathway.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1978

Lung function and respiratory symptoms in silicotic and nonsilicotic gold miners.

In a cross-sectional sample of 1,973 white gold miners 45 to 54 years of age, symptoms of chronic bronchitis were equally common in men with radiologically diagnosed silicosis and those without silicosis; however, more silicotic miners complained of missing work during the previous 3 years because of chest illness. Whereas mean forced vital capacity did not differ between the 2 groups, both the 1-sec forced expiratory volume and the mean forced expiratory flow during the middle half of the forced vital capacity were significantly lower in those with silicosis. This difference was almost entirely accounted for by their higher exposure to dust in the mines. Men with silicosis, therefore, have the same or only slightly more airway obstruction than men without silicosis who have had similar total exposure to dust.

Dust↗
PubMed1976

Surveillance in developed countries with particular reference to child growth.

Surveillance of biological function rather than of disease events is a possible method of detecting early changes in population health. The reasons for and methods of a pilot surveillance scheme of the growth of schoolchildren in Britain are discussed. The study, started in 1972, supports the feasibility of surveillance using simple growth measurements and information provided by parents on self-administered questionnaires. Other possible applications of this type of surveillance include growth and nutrition at other stages of life as related to nutrition intervention programmes, and respiratory function as related to environmental changes or the introduction of new substances such as 'safer' cigarettes.

Child↗
PubMed1976

Influence of family factors on the incidence of lower respiratory illness during the first year of life.

In a study of a cohort of over 2000 children born between 1963 and 1965, the incidence of bronchitis and pneumonia during their first year of life was found to be associated with several family factors. The most important determinant of respiratory illness in these infants was an attack of bronchitis or pneumonia in a sibling. The age of these siblings, and their number, also contributed to this incidence. Parental respiratory symptoms, including persistent cough and phlegm, and asthma or wheezing, as well as parental smoking habits, had lesser but nevertheless important effects. Parental smoking, however, stands out from all other factors as the one most amenable to change in seeking to prevent bronchitis and pneumonia in infants.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1976

Influence of family factors on asthma and wheezing during the first five years of life.

Family factors associated with the incidence of asthma and wheezing during childhood have been studied in a cohort of over 2000 children who, together with their families, were followed-up for five years. Episodes of wheezing not regarded by the parents as asthma had a different pattern of association with family factors to that found for asthma. The outcome of the two conditions in terms of ventilatory function at the age of five years was also different, in that children with a history of asthma had a lower peak expiratory flow rate than did children with a history of non-asthmatic wheezing.

Asthma↗
PubMed1975

Deafness in middle age--how big is the problem?

Screening for hearing defect by questionnaire and audiogram was undertaken in two group practices in the South-east of England in a total of 2,278 people aged 40-64 years.The prevalence of deafness in the combined populations of these two practices as measured by audiogram was found to be 5.8 per cent (+/- 0.5 per cent; one standard error). This figure is much more than estimates derived from American data for use in Britain. The prevalence of deafness was shown to increase with lower social class and age. The questionnaire was found to be unreliable for prevalence studies, but was thought to have some use as a screening instrument.There was an incidental finding of increased hearing defects in the left ears of men. The firing of rifles was felt to be a possible explanation of this.

Adult↗
PubMed1974

Breast cancer.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The prevalence of nosocomial and community-acquired infections in Australian hospitals.

The first national survey of the prevalence of nosocomial and community-acquired infections in Australian hospitals was carried out during July 1984. Data were collected on 28,643 patients in rural and metropolitan, public and private acute-care hospitals. The over-all adjusted prevalence of nosocomial infections was 6.3%; the prevalence of community-acquired infection was 9.7%. A total of 5940 infections occurred; 39% were hospital-acquired infections and 61% were community-acquired infections. These occurred at the following sites: the respiratory tract, 35.4% (2100 infections; contributing 19% of hospital-acquired infections and 46% of community-acquired infections); the urinary tract, 15.1% (896 infections; contributing 22% of hospital-acquired infections and 11% of community-acquired infections); surgical wounds, 13.4% (797 infections; contributing 34% of hospital-acquired infections); the gastrointestinal tract, 7.8% (466 infections; contributing 3.4% of hospital-acquired infections and 11% of community-acquired infections); skin, 6.3% (376 infections; contributing 4.4% of hospital-acquired infections and 8% of community-acquired infections); abscesses, 1.9% (113 infections; contributing 0.9% of hospital-acquired infections and 2% of community-acquired infections); traumatic wounds, 1.5% (90 infections; contributing 0.9% of hospital-acquired infections and 2% of community-acquired infections); bacteraemia, 1.5% (89 infections; contributing 1.6% of hospital-acquired infections and 1% of community-acquired infections); burns, 0.2% (14 infections; contributing 0.3% of hospital-acquired infections and 0.2% of community-acquired infections); and other, 16.8% (999 infections; contributing 13.4% of hospital-acquired infections and 19% of community-acquired infections). There was a significant association between hospital size and infection rates. The nosocomial infection prevalence rate increased from 4.2% in hospitals with 50-99 beds to 7.6% in hospitals with 500 or more beds. The prevalence of community-acquired infections was higher in rural (11.5%) than in metropolitan (8.7%) hospitals. After adjusting for hospital size, public hospitals had significantly-higher prevalences of nosocomial (6.7%) and community-acquired (10.6%) infection than did private hospitals (nosocomial infection, 4.8%; community-acquired infection, 6.3%).

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Predictors of surgical wound infection in Australia: a national study.

In July 1984, the first national Australian Nosocomial Prevalence Survey collected data on 12,742 surgical patients from 265 hospitals. This sample represented 59% of public and private hospitals with 50 or more acute-care beds in Australia. The infection control officers at each hospital provided data on patients in a random sample of beds. The over-all surgical wound infection rate was 4.6%. The surgical wound infection rate was twice (5.4%) as high in public than in private (2.8%) hospitals. The infection rates were greater in larger hospitals in both the public and private sector. However, after adjusting for the other predictor factors that are noted below the infection rate did not show any particular pattern for the size of hospital. Clean surgery had a higher (4.8%) infection rate than did clean-contaminated surgery (2.9%). The infection rate for contaminated surgery was 15.0%. Men were found to have nearly twice (6.5%) the infection rate of women (3.4%). Infection rates were lowest in the 15-to-34 years' age-group and highest in those of over 55 years of age. These trends remained even after adjusting for the other risk factors for infection. The cost of surgical wound infections for all hospitals during the year of 1984 was estimated at approximately $60 million. We suggest that a concerted effort should be made to attempt to reduce the infection rate for clean surgery to 1% or less.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A trial of the comparability of peak expiratory flow meters in schoolchildren.

In many circumstances it may not be possible to measure peak expiratory flow rate on all subjects using the same meter. A small trial was carried out to assess the variability of such meters. Five newly calibrated adult Wright peak expiratory flow meters, which gave comparable readings when rechecked on another rotameter, were compared in a trial on 160 schoolchildren. Each child blew once into each meter, and the design was balanced so that the effect of order of blow was eliminated. Statistically significant differences were found between the meters, although the difference between any pair of meters was less than 5% of the average peak flow rats. Since the meters were chosen because they were very similar it is likely that larger differences would be found in other circumstances. This could be an important source of error in multicentre studies where several meters have to be used.

Child↗