TY - JOUR
T1 - Unexpected opportunities
T2 - Incidental findings detected during impairment evaluations for coal workers' pneumoconiosis
AU - Prince, T. Scott
AU - Frank, Arthur L.
PY - 1997/4
Y1 - 1997/4
N2 - Coal workers' pneumoconiosis impairment evaluations for 374 miners, predominately from eastern Kentucky, were conducted by our department between January 1, 1989, and June 30, 1992. During a review of the cases, potentially significant findings not directly related to any detected pneumoconiosis were recorded. Sixty-five (17.4%) of the men had blood pressure ≤150 mm Hg systolic or ≤90 mm Hg diastolic during one measurement. Of 89 workers who had a previous diagnosis of hypertension and were being treated, 40 (44.9%) had an elevated blood pressure measurement. Twelve cases of incidental, previously undetected chest radiograph findings warranted follow-up; 9 of these were isolated pulmonary nodules. In addition, three patients were immediately referred for evaluation and treatment of conditions newly diagnosed during the examination-one for unstable angina pectoris, one for congestive heart failure, and one for recent cerebrovascular accident. These cases illustrate that physicians doing impairment evaluations, even if they are not the patient's treating physician, have the opportunity and responsibility to intervene and reduce morbidity and mortality.
AB - Coal workers' pneumoconiosis impairment evaluations for 374 miners, predominately from eastern Kentucky, were conducted by our department between January 1, 1989, and June 30, 1992. During a review of the cases, potentially significant findings not directly related to any detected pneumoconiosis were recorded. Sixty-five (17.4%) of the men had blood pressure ≤150 mm Hg systolic or ≤90 mm Hg diastolic during one measurement. Of 89 workers who had a previous diagnosis of hypertension and were being treated, 40 (44.9%) had an elevated blood pressure measurement. Twelve cases of incidental, previously undetected chest radiograph findings warranted follow-up; 9 of these were isolated pulmonary nodules. In addition, three patients were immediately referred for evaluation and treatment of conditions newly diagnosed during the examination-one for unstable angina pectoris, one for congestive heart failure, and one for recent cerebrovascular accident. These cases illustrate that physicians doing impairment evaluations, even if they are not the patient's treating physician, have the opportunity and responsibility to intervene and reduce morbidity and mortality.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030938689&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0030938689&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/00007611-199704000-00010
DO - 10.1097/00007611-199704000-00010
M3 - Article
C2 - 9114833
AN - SCOPUS:0030938689
SN - 0038-4348
VL - 90
SP - 413
EP - 415
JO - Southern Medical Journal
JF - Southern Medical Journal
IS - 4
ER -