[Possibilities and limits of using physician referred disability statistics compiled by the administration of social insurance of the federal trade union]. / Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Nutzung der von der Verwaltung der Sozialversicherung (SV) des FDGB erstellten arztbezogenen Arbeitsunfähigkeits-(AU)Statistik.

The doctors related figure data of unfitness for work of the social insurence provides important informations for management and comparisions of efficiency in health system. It should be used better than before. However it is not suited to reflect the quality of doctors expertise of unfitness for work, but it signals striking deviations about to be explained. At the interpretation of the doctors related figure data of unfitness for work the knowledge of some methodical particularities is necessary to avoid the risk of incorrect evaluations.

[Development of the evaluation of physician-related work disability statistics of the social insurance administration of the federal trade union in the public health service]. / Zur Gestaltung der Auswertung der arztbezogenen Arbeitsunfähigkeits-(AU)-Statistik der Verwaltung der Sozialversicherung (SV) des FDGB im Gesundheitswesen.

Recommendations are given to organize the evaluation of doctor's related figure data of unfitness for work. They include both the districts administrative authorities of Social Insurance and the departments of health system of districts councils. To avoid the risk of incorrect evaluations, an accurate knowledge of facilities ad limits of this figure data is necessary. At adequate application it can contributes to advance discussions among experts to problems of doctor's expertise of unfitness for work.

[Developmental trends in work absenteeism of adolescents]. / Entwicklungstendenzen bei der Arbeitsunfähigkeit (AU) Jugendlicher.

An extreme negative development in the frequency of adolescent's exemptions from work during 1967-1977 is opposed by a positive development in the following period. Thus, in 1987 adolescents reached the lowest recorded level in respect to illness-caused absentee rates, related to the 1967 level. Therefore, decreases of sickness figures almost exclusively resulted from changes in the younger age groups, especially in adolescents. In the other age groups work absenteeism due to sickness not only remained at the high 1976 level, the year with the highest sickness figure in the GDR, but continuously exceeded it. The results are critically discussed.

[Long-term release from work]. / Zum Problem langdauernder Arbeitsbefreiungen.

Exemptions from work of long duration have a considerable portion in sickness figure. Almost the half of absentee rate due to illness results out of exemptions from work with a duration of more than four weeks. The main portion of sickness figure results from cases of unfitness for work with a duration until of half a year. Cases of unfitness for work of yet longer duration are very seldom (0.5%). The absentee rate due to illness implied by these amounts to 10.6%. Corrected figures are estimated to take into consideration the longer payment of sickness benefit in the GDR (78 weeks), in comparison to the sickness figures of other socialist countries who suspend the payment of sickness benefit already after 26 weeks (CSSR 52 weeks).

[Disease-related changes in work absenteeism of adolescents from 1967 to 1987]. / Diagnosenspezifische Veränderungen bei der Arbeitsunfähigkeit (AU) Jugendlicher im Zeitraum von 1967 bis 1987.

The negative development of sickness figures up to 1976/77 as well as the subsequent change of this trend in adolescents are analysed with regard to specific diagnoses. Both, the positive trend change and remaining problems are presented.

Adsorption of desflurane from the scavenging system during high-flow and minimal-flow anaesthesia by zeolites.

Application of high-silica zeolites in a special adsorber allows complete selective adsorption of the inhalation anaesthetic desflurane from the outlet port of the scavenging system of the anaesthesia machine. In comparison with charcoal filters, zeolites allow almost complete desorption at moderate temperatures followed by condensation of the desflurane to the liquid phase. The adsorption of scavenged desflurane by zeolites was measured in 13 patients. The duration of the anaesthesia was between 70 and 130 min. A minimal-flow regime (0.5 L min-1 fresh gas inflow) was used for maintenance in seven patients and a higher-flow regime (3 L min-1 fresh gas flow) was used for maintenance in six patients. In minimal-flow anaesthesia, 62% of the delivered desflurane was adsorbed by the zeolite while 86% of the delivered desflurane was adsorbed in higher-flow anaesthesia. Preliminary results show that about 85% of the adsorbed desflurane could be recovered as liquid with high purity via desorption.