Cochlear origin of hearing loss in MELAS syndrome.

There have been few studies investigating the mechanism and nature of the hearing loss that occurs in the mitochondrial disorders. We studied 18 patients with the MELAS A3243G point mutation from four different kindreds. Pure tone audiometry, speech discrimination testing, acoustic reflexes, tympanometry, and brain stem auditory evoked responses were performed to localize the site of pathology in the auditory pathways.

Unsuspected language impairment in psychiatrically disturbed children: prevalence and language and behavioral characteristics.

Objective: This study examined the prevalence of unsuspected language impairments in 4-12-year-old psychiatric outpatients.

Method: Children (N = 399) were routinely screened with standardized language tests, and parents and teachers completed behavioral checklists.

Results: Results indicated that of 288 children referred solely for a psychiatric disorder, 99 (34.

Attitudes and behaviors of primary care physicians regarding tight control of blood glucose in IDDM patients.

OBJECTIVE--To evaluate attitudes and practices of primary-care physicians toward tight blood glucose control in IDDM. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS--A mail and telephone questionnaire survey was conducted on a systematic, stratified sample of 1429 family-practice physicians, general practitioners, internists, and pediatricians in active practice in the United States who treated patients with IDDM. Physicians were asked about methods they used for clinical and laboratory assessment of blood glucose control and about their attitudes and beliefs in treating IDDM.

Survey of physician practice behaviors related to diabetes mellitus in the U.S. I. Design and methods.

Objective: To conduct a survey among a representative sample of primary care physicians in the U.S. to assess practice behaviors, treatment goals, and beliefs related to management of diabetes mellitus and prevention of its complications.

The role of annotated bibliographies in information dissemination.

In July 1982, a comprehensive questionnaire was sent to a random sample of names on the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) mailing list to measure user satisfaction with and use of annotated bibliographies about diabetes topics. The bibliographies are used to learn more about a topic and to locate cited materials. The total number of publications ordered by this sample is 8,857; therefore, an extrapolation from these data suggests that more than 45,000 publications were ordered as a direct result of the citations as the source of information.

Structure side-effect sorting of drugs. VI. Ototoxicities.

From a literature survey, over 130 (about 7.8%) drugs and chemicals have been associated with ototoxicities. The major classes are basic aminoglycoside and other antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, antimalarials, beta-blockers, antineoplastic agents, heavy metals, diuretics, some topical agents and various miscellaneous drugs.

Birth of a clearinghouse.

In 1976 the National Commission on Diabetes recommended the establishment of a diabetes information and education clearinghouse on a national level. This undertaking was initiated by the Director, National Institute of Arthritis, Metabolism, and Digestive Diseases, National Institutes of Health, and plans were developed in 1977. Printed diabetes materials for patients, professionals, and the public are being gathered and will be annotated and then published as subject bibliographies.