George F. Badger

Myocardial infarction in the practices of a group of private physicians-IV: Factors related to the longevity of patients with myocardial infarction during the first five years

Abstract The mortality which occurred during the first five years following 156 first myocardial infarctions and 62 later than first infarctions has been described. Using relative survival rates it has been shown that: 1. 1. The excess mortality was very great during the first few weeks after the infarction, and continued as an excess but at a lower level throughout the five years. 2. 2. Survivorship following later than first infarctions was less favorable than following first infarctions during the first six months, but after that no statistically significant difference was found. 3. 3. Men and women had about the same prognosis for the five year period. 4. 4. Congestive heart failure in combination with a new arrhythmia was especially serious. In each period of time after the infarction, the survivors starting the period had a high mortality during the period. 5. 5. This was also true of congestive failure in the absence of arrhythmia, but to a reduced degree. Congestive failure contributed to a continuing poor prognosis whether it existed prior to the onset of the infarction or developed as an early complication of it. 6. 6. The number of patients with diabetes was small, and subdivision into smaller groups was not feasible. However, even those diabetics who had no complications during the first month had a relatively poor five year prognosis.

A quantitative method for measuring staphylococcal anticoagulase.

Summary A satisfactory serological test for the titration of anticoagulase in human and animal sera has been devised by controlling the various factors which enter into the coagu-lase-anticoagulase reaction.

Myocardial infarction in the practices of a group of private physicians—A comparison of patients with and without diabetes—II: The first two years, and a discussion of methodology☆

Abstract 1. 1. A 2-year follow-up of patients having acute myocardial infarction is presented. It is based upon all myocardial infarctions which occurred in the private practices of a group of internists. Diagnosis was made according to a predetermined set of detailed criteria. The status at the end of 2 years was known for all patients. 2. 2. The overall fatality rate was 37 per cent. 3. 3. The fatality rate was lower following a first infarction than following other than a first infarction. 4. 4. Certain complications occurring during the first 30 days following infarction were not associated with an increased 30-day to 2-year fatality if the infarction was the patients first. If the patient had had a previous infarction, the occurrence of these complications was associated with a higher fatality of borderline significance. 5. 5. The development of any one, or more than one, of certain complications during the first 30 days following the infarction was associated with a greater 2-year fatality in those with diabetes than in those without diabetes. 6. 6. Among patients with diabetes mellitus: (a) The 30-day to 2-year fatality was significantly higher than among those without it. This was true both for those having a first infarction and those having other than a first infarction. (b) There was no apparent relationship between the 30-day to 2-year fatality and the insulin dose, the degree of control or the duration of the diabetes preceding the index infarction. 7. 7. Some of the issues which must be considered in the design and analysis of a prospective prognostic study are discussed.

Search for Illness Due to Adenovirus Type 4 Among College Dormitory Freshmen.

Summary A search was made for presence of infection due to adenovirus type 4 in dormitory freshmen of Case Inst. of Technology, Western Reserve Univ., and U.S. Military and Naval Academies. Antibody analyses revealed no instance of such infection in 126 students. Three students had rises in serum titers of complement-fixing antibodies against adenovirus type 4; however, none of the 3 had rises in serum titers of neutralizing antibodies against adenovirus types 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. One student from the Naval Academy who had only a 1-tube rise in complement-fixing antibody developed a significant rise in neutralizing antibody against type 7 adenovirus.

Myocardial infarctions in the practices of a group of private physicians-III: Causes of death among patients who have survived a myocardial infarction

Abstract An analysis was made up of the causes of death during a five year period following recovery from a documented acute myocardial infarction. Forty-four per cent of the deaths were sudden and unexpected. An additional 33 per cent were due to congestive heart failure or subsequent myocardial infarction. Twenty-one per cent were neither cardiac nor sudden. The number of sudden deaths following a first myocardial infarction was about twice as great as in a matched sample of deaths which occurred in the general population.