Johannes Ipsen

Bancroft's introduction to biostatistics

Bancrofts Introduction to Biostatistics (2nd ed.). By Johannes Ipsen and Polly Feigl. London, Harper and Row, 1971.

Mortality among males in periodic-health-examination programs.

Abstract Between 1950 and 1964, 20,648 males, almost all white and mostly in managerial positions and upper socioeconomic levels, were examined in employer-sponsored periodic-health-examination programs at eight co-operating clinics. Over this period, involving more than 138,000 man-years of exposure to the risk of death, 1018 of the men died. In relation to the experience of reasonably comparable groups, the ratio of actual to expected deaths in the total population examined varied from 0.60 to 0.997. For men examined two or more times, the ratio varied from 0.48 to 0.81 for the total period of exposure to the risk of death, and from 0.57 to 0.92 for the period of exposure after the second examination. The data presented are compatible with a favorable influence of periodic health examinations on mortality experience, but do not allow conclusions of such an effect. They do encourage well controlled prospective studies of the question.

Changes in severity of symptoms of asthma and allergic rhinitis due to air pollutants

Abstract A total of 314 patients with allergic rhinitis, asthma, or both were observed from August 1 to November 1, 1963. Of these, 225 were sensitive to ragweed as well as other inhalants. The mean severity of symptoms was related to 10 measurements of air pollution, weather data, and mold and pollen counts. Of these, ragweed pollen was the only variable that was significantly related to severity of symptoms. Those patients who were allergic to ragweed had increased symptoms with the rise in pollen count. There also was a significant rise in symptoms in those patients who were not believed to have ragweed allergy. Chemical air pollution and mold counts showed inconsistent relationships, as did measures of humidity. Temperature changes showed a negative correlation, which is interpreted as a fortuitous happening.

Clinical and Biological Observations on Working Men

Data are presented from the first examination of 14,110 men examined in regular periodic health examination programs. The wide range for 13 commonly used biological measurements suggests that normal ranges may be wider than commonly supposed. The proportion of the population showing evidence of 13 selected diseases increased with age but the order of frequency within age groups was notably different. The mean value of some biological measurements increased with age while others decreased. Certain diseases were associated with changes in measurements that exceeded those associated with age, and mean values among persons with a given diagnosis often differed significantly from those in persons without the diagnosis. This large population provides a resource for the study of chronic disease.

Tetanus — Still Here?

The current status of prevention of lockjaw is a glaring illustration of how things can go awry generally and, specifically, of the discrepancy between highly developed medical knowledge and tools ...

Committee on Drugs of the Research Council: Report of the subcommittee for study of the effects of papain in the treatment of bronchospastic disease

Summary Forty-six patients with asthma or chronic bronchitis were treated with papain and placebo tablets in a double-blind study. No statistically significant differences between the two preparations were noted in objective measurements of vital capacity, or in subjective evaluation of cough, wheezing, and dyspnea.

Venous Thrombosis in Surgical Patients Diagnosed by Clinical and Doppler Ultrasound Techniques

Since December 1968, we have been conducting a prospective study of the prevalence and incidence of venous disease in hospitalized surgical patients. A combined clinical and Doppler ultrasound examination has been performed at the patients bedside. This report will present a brief description of the technique, an estimate of the accuracy of clinical ultrasound examination and the initial prevalence and incidence findings in patients undergoing elective operation at The Medical College of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Hospitals. The objectives of the prevalence and incidence study that is in progress is to determine the following information obtained by clinical and ultrasound examination about lower extremity venous disease in surgical patients: