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A Aromaa

Publications and source records attributed to A Aromaa.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Increase of allergen-specific immunoglobulin E antibodies from 1973 to 1994 in a Finnish population and a possible relationship to Helicobacter pylori infections.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of atopic diseases--hayfever, asthma and eczema--has increased over the past decades. The increase may be associated with decreased rates of infections such as measles, hepatitis A, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, and, as recently suggested, Helicobacter pylori gastritis. OBJECTIVE: Since the increase of atopy has been mainly based on clinical studies, we wanted to study the prevalence of allergen-specific Immunoglobulin (Ig)E antibodies in two cross-sectional, adult population-based serum samples two decades apart. Since the sera had been tested for H. pylori antibodies, we also had a chance to look for a possible relationship between these two findings. METHODS: We determined the prevalence rate of allergen-specific serum IgE antibodies against birch and timothy pollen, and cat and dog epithelium allergens by the radioallergosorbent test in a 15-54-years-old Finnish population using 326 sera collected in 1973 and 319 sera collected in 1994 from randomly selected subjects. RESULTS: From 1973 to 1994 allergen-specific IgE prevalence rates and IgE antibody levels rose. In 1994, the prevalence rate of positive findings in 15-24-year-old population had increased from 11 to 38% (3.5-fold increase, P = 0.0001, OR 5.12, CI 95% 2.32-11.3). In older 10-year age groups similar trends did not reach significance, but the overall change was significant with all three cut-off levels of allergen-specific IgE analysed. The percentage of IgE-positive persons rose mainly in the subgroup with no H. pylori antibodies. In 1994 21% of the H. pylori-negative subjects had IgE antibodies compared with 5% of the H. pylori-positive subjects (in 1973 11% in both subgroups). CONCLUSIONS: IgE-based evidence for an increase in IgE-mediated allergy was uncovered. The increase occurred mainly in the subgroup with no antibodies to H. pylori, which support the hypothesis that H. pylori could be one of the microbes counteracting atopy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Evidence that cagA(+) Helicobacter pylori strains are disappearing more rapidly than cagA(-) strains.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori colonisation in populations in developed country has been declining, as shown by community based serological surveys of adults in Vammala, Finland in 1973 and 1994. In this study, we determined whether the proportion of subjects colonised by cagA(+) or cagA(-) H pylori strains has changed as the overall prevalence of H pylori(+) has declined. METHODS: We examined 911 sera from Vammala's study for antibodies to the CagA antigen of H pylori using a truncated CagA protein as the antigen in an ELISA and we examined the trend in acquisition and carriage of cagA(+) strains. RESULTS: As expected, the prevalence of carriage of both cagA(+) and cagA(-) strains fell between 1973 and 1994 (p<0.001). However, the prevalence of cagA(+) strains among those <45 years declined (34% to 8%) significantly (p<0.001) more than for cagA(-) strains (12% to 6%). Of 221 subjects with paired serum samples, 12 (5.4%) changed H pylori status; the estimated seroconversion and reversion rates were 0.4% and 0.13% per year, respectively. Except for the few individuals who changed serostatus, absolute antibody levels to H pylori antigens, including CagA, changed little over the 21 year period. CONCLUSIONS: The decline in CagA seroprevalence predominantly reflects declining acquisition of cag(+) strains in younger subjects. In addition, these data confirm that H pylori acquisition chiefly occurs during childhood but continues to occur during adulthood, albeit at low rates, in developed countries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Hyperhomocystinemia: a risk factor or a consequence of coronary heart disease?

BACKGROUND: Mild hyperhomocystinemia has been suggested as an indicator of an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether serum homocysteine concentration is a predictor of coronary heart disease (CHD) events. METHODS: A case-control study, nested in a population-based cohort study was used. During a follow-up of 13 years, 166 major coronary events (death from CHD or nonfatal myocardial infarction) occurred in men with evidence of heart disease at baseline and 272 events in men without a history of heart disease. Two controls per case were selected by individual matching. RESULTS: Among men with known heart disease at baseline, the relative risk (95% confidence interval) of CHD events adjusted for age, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, serum cholesterol level, body mass index, and alcohol consumption was 2.23 (95% confidence interval, 1.03-4.85) in the highest serum homocysteine quintile compared with the lowest quintile. Among the men free of heart disease at baseline, the corresponding relative risk was 0.90 (95% confidence interval, 0.51-1.60). CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study does not support the hypothesis that a high concentration of serum homocysteine is a risk factor for coronary events in a population free of heart disease. However, it does suggest that mild hyperhomocystinemia predicts secondary coronary events in men with heart disease, possibly as a consequence of atherosclerotic changes.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed2001

A prospective seroepidemiological study of human herpesvirus-8 infection and the risk of multiple myeloma.

Presence of the Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) genome has been reported in the bone marrow of multiple myeloma (MM) patients. So far, serological studies of HHV8 and MM have been inconsistent but have not included prospective epidemiological studies. We evaluated whether HHV8 infection is associated with increased risk for MM in a prospective population-based study of 39 000 Finnish subjects who donated serum samples in the period 1968-72. Serum samples from 47 subjects who developed MM during a 23-year follow-up and 224 age, area of residence and sex-matched subjects who remained healthy over a similar follow-up period were evaluated for HHV8 antibodies at enrollment, as assayed both with an immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for lytic and latent HHV8 antigens and by Western blot (WB) with three recombinant HHV8 proteins (ORFs 65, 73 and K8.1A). HHV8 seropositivity for at least one HHV8 protein on WB was found in 7% of the Finnish population and was not associated with the risk of developing MM (Relative Risk (RR) = 0.89, Confidence Interval (CI): 0.25-3.25). HHV8 seropositivity for lytic and latent antigens in the IFA was found in 16% and 0.4% of the Finnish population and tended to associate with risk of MM (RR = 2.02, CI: 0.94-4.33 and RR = 10.00, CI: 0.91-110.29, respectively). In conclusion, no statistically significant evidence for an association between HHV8 infection and the risk of future MM was found.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed2001

Validity of the prostate specific antigen test for prostate cancer screening: followup study with a bank of 21,000 sera in Finland.

PURPOSE: We investigate the validity of prostate specific antigen (PSA) as a screening test for prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A registry of serum samples drawn from 1968 to 1976 from 21,387 men was linked to the Finnish Cancer Registry. During followup from 1968 to 1991, 104 prostate cancers were identified. A matched case control design with incidence density sampling and nested in the serum sample bank was applied, and PSA was assessed. RESULTS: The estimated sensitivity of the test was 44% and specificity 94% at a cutoff of 4.0 microg./l. in the total material. The sensitivity had improved to 86% in patients diagnosed in 5 years after the sample drawing. The test had a better sensitivity (93%) and specificity (96%) in men younger than 65 years at the time of the sample drawing compared to those older. The sensitivity further improved to 100% with a cutoff of 2.5 microg./l. CONCLUSIONS: PSA is a valid screening test for prostate cancer, which compares favorably with mammography for breast cancer. However, until an effect on mortality has been shown, routine screening cannot be recommended.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Prospective study on milk products, calcium and cancers of the colon and rectum.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between consumption of milk and milk products, calcium, lactose and vitamin D and occurrence of colorectal cancers. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SUBJECTS: A total of 9959 men and women aged 15 y or older without history of cancer at baseline. During a 24 y follow-up, 72 new cancers of the large bowel (38 in the colon and 34 in the rectum) were detected. RESULTS: Consumption of milk and total milk products was suggested to be inversely related to colon cancer incidence, whereas no similar association was seen for rectal cancer. The relative risk between the highest and lowest quartiles of intake adjusted for potential confounding factors was 0.46 (95% confidence interval 0.14-1.46, P for trend 0.09) for milk and 0.37 (95% CI=0.12-1.39, P for trend 0.06) for total milk products. Lactose intake showed a similar inverse relationship with colon cancer: the relative risk was 0.31 (95% CI=0.08-1.15, P for trend 0.03). Intake of vitamin D or total dietary calcium was not significantly related to colorectal cancer risk, whereas calcium provided by fermented milk products was associated with increased colorectal cancer incidence; in the highest quartile the multivariate adjusted relative risk for colorectal cancer was 2.07 (95% CI=1.00-4.28). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that individuals showing high consumption of milk have a potentially reduced risk of colon cancer; however, the association does not appear to be due to intake of calcium, vitamin D, or to specific effects of fermented milk. SPONSORSHIP: This study was supported by a grant from the Swedish Cancer Foundation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Homocysteine and major coronary events: a prospective population study amongst women.

OBJECTIVES: To study serum homocysteine concentration for its prediction of major coronary heart disease events amongst women. DESIGN: A case-control study nested within a follow-up study. Subjects. A total of 74 and 75 major coronary events (coronary deaths or nonfatal myocardial infarction) which occurred in women with and without known heart disease, respectively, during a 13-year follow-up and two individually matched controls per case. Main outcome measure. Major coronary event. RESULTS: Amongst women with baseline heart disease, the relative risk (95% CI) of such events, adjusted for age, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, serum cholesterol and body mass index, was 3.32 (1.05-10.5) in the highest homocysteine quintile compared with the lowest quintile. Amongst women free of heart disease at baseline, the corresponding relative risk value was 0.77 (0.24-2.45). CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study support the hypothesis that homocysteine is a risk factor for coronary events in women with heart disease.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Specialists as consultants to GPs. Private sector services as an alternative way of organising consultant services in health care.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect on referral rate when GPs are given a better opportunity to send their patients to specialists for consultation. DESIGN: Intervention study with a control group. SETTING AND SUBJECTS: A 34-month experiment in the City of Turku. The experimental group consisted of 10 GPs working in municipal health centres with a list system and serving 23000 residents. As a control group, there were four GPs without a list system serving 10800 residents. OUTCOME MEASURES: GP visits and their referrals to specialists. RESULTS: The number of patient visits was higher among GPs in the experimental group than among those in the control group. During the experiment, the referral rate of GPs in the experimental group increased from 5.7% to 6.8%, but there was no change among the control GPs. Of all referrals to specialists, the share to the private sector increased from 5% to 35%, while at the same time the share to the hospital outpatient clinic decreased. CONCLUSIONS: An enhanced possibility to consult private specialists increases the number of referrals, but there are no consequent changes in the relative shares of the consulted specialties.

Cooperative Behavior↗
PubMed2001

Mental disorders and cause-specific mortality.

BACKGROUND: The impact of clinically diagnosed mental disorders on mortality in the general population has not been established. Aims To examine mental disorders for their prediction of cause-specific mortality. METHOD: Mental disorders were determined using the 36-item version of the General Health Questionnaire and the Present State Examination in a nationally representative sample of 8000 adult Finns. RESULTS: During the 17-year follow-up period 1597 deaths occurred. The presence of a mental disorder detected at baseline was associated with an elevated mortality rate. The relative risk in men was 1.6(95% confidence interval 1.3-1.8) and in women, 1.4 (95% Cl 1.2-1.6). In men and women with schizophrenia the relative risks of death during the follow-up period were 3.3 (95% Cl 2.3-4.9) and 2.3 (95% Cl 1.3-3.8) respectively, compared with the rest of the sample. In both men and women with schizophrenia the risk of dying of respiratory disease was increased, but the risk of dying of cardiovascular disease was increased only in men with neurotic depression. CONCLUSIONS: Schizophrenia and depression are associated with an elevated risk of natural and unnatural deaths.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Decreasing prevalence of helicobacter antibodies in Finland, with reference to the decreasing incidence of gastric cancer.

Time trends and geographical variation of Helicobacter pylori antibodies in Finland were investigated by enzyme immunoassay in 20- to 34-year-old randomly selected females from six localities during 1969-73 (n = 375), and 15- to 45-year-old females representing nine communities and four geographical areas in 1983 (n = 882) and 1995 (n = 842). In the six communities investigated at three different time points, the overall prevalence declined from 38 to 12%, with an emphasis on the latter 12 years. The regionally varying rate of decrease in helicobacter prevalence changed the pre-existing geographical variation, leaving northern Finland with the highest rate. A 10%-units higher local helicobacter prevalence seemed to predict a 23% (95% CI 3-44%) higher gastric cancer incidence 20 years later. The overall decline in helicobacter seropositivity is consistent with earlier reports from Finland and other developed countries, and supports the cohort theory as an explanation for the age-related increase in H. pylori seroprevalence.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Quercetin intake and the incidence of cerebrovascular disease.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relation between intake of the antioxidant flavonoid quercetin and subsequent incidence of cerebrovascular disease (CVA). DESIGN: A cohort study carried out among 9208 Finnish men and women 15 y or more of age and initially free from cardiovascular disease. During a 28 y follow-up period in 1967-1994, a total of 824 cases with CVA were diagnosed. METHODS: Food consumption data were collected using a dietary history interview method covering the total habitual diet during the previous year. RESULTS: Quercetin intake was not associated with CVA incidence. The relative risk of CVA adjusted for age, serum cholesterol, body mass index, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, geographical area, occupation and intake of beta-carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C, fibre, various fatty acids, and energy between the highest and lowest quartiles of quercetin intake was 0.99 (95% confidence interval (CI)=0.71-1.38) for men and 0.85 (CI=0.60-1.21) for women. In contrast, apples, the major source of quercetin in the study population, showed a significant inverse association both in men and women, mainly due to an association with thrombotic or embolic stroke. The relative risks of thrombotic stroke after further adjustment for quercetin intake were 0.59 (CI=0.35-0.99; P=0.45) and 0.61 (CI=0.33-1.12: P for trend=0.02) for men and women, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the intake of apples is related to a decreased risk of thrombotic stroke. This association apparently is not due to the presence of the antioxidant flavonoid quercetin.

Aging↗
PubMed2000

Heart rate and mortality.

OBJECTIVES: Increased heart rate has shown to be associated with risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases in some studies, but not in others. Increased heart rate has also been linked to causes of death other than cardiovascular. To clarify the role of heart rate as a predictor of death we studied its predictive value in a large population study. DESIGN: A prospective population study with a follow-up time of 23 years. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study population comprised 5598 men and 5119 women 30-59 years of age on entry. Heart rate was measured from resting ECGs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Mortality from specified causes. RESULTS: A total of 1848 men and 840 women died during the follow-up period. Increased heart rate was significantly associated with death from all causes, cardiovascular causes, and natural noncardiovascular, nonmalignant causes of death. Increased heart rate was associated with death from cancer in men with heart disease but not in men without heart disease on entry into the study. The increase in cardiovascular mortality with high heart rate was explained by the close association between heart rate and blood pressure. Adjustment for risk factors did not alter the significance of the association between increased heart rate and mortality from noncardiovascular causes. CONCLUSIONS: High heart rate is simple to observe clinically and a significant if nonspecific predictor of mortality. Increased risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases can be explained by association with high blood pressure. The increased mortality risk associated with high heart rate related mainly to a group of diseases of noncardiovascular or nonmalignant origin.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Airway obstruction in relation to symptoms in chronic respiratory disease--a nationally representative population study.

We examined the severity of airway obstruction and the occurrence of respiratory symptoms in a large, nationally representative population sample and in a subgroup of subjects with chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema to obtain information for developing national prevention and treatment strategies for these diseases. The study population comprised of 7217 randomly selected subjects (aged 30 years and older) who participated in a comprehensive health examination survey. The 'cases' were subjects diagnosed as having chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema. The survey methods comprised of questionnaires, interviews, physical measurements, including spirometry, and clinical examinations. In the whole study population, the age-adjusted prevalence of chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema was 22% among men and 7% among women, whilst clinically relevant airways obstruction (FEV1/FVC%< or = 69) was present in 11% of men and in 5% of women. The occurrence of chronic cough and phlegm production was lowest among the 'cases' with pronounced obstruction (in 68% of men with severe and in 60% of women with moderate obstruction), whereas cold air-associated dyspnoea aggravation showed an inverse relationship, occurring most commonly in men (80%) with severe obstruction. Unexpectedly, half of the bronchitic women had never smoked. We conclude that the occurrence of certain bronchitic symptoms, such as chronic cough and phlegm production and cold air-associated dyspnoea aggravation, may to some degree indicate different stages of the disease. Smoking was not closely associated with airflow limitation in women here.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Does antibacterial treatment for urinary tract infection contribute to the risk of breast cancer?

Low lignan status has been reported to be related to an elevated risk of breast cancer. Since lignan status is reduced by antibacterial medications, it is plausible to hypothesize that repeated use of antibiotics may also be a risk factor for breast cancer. History of treatment for urinary tract infection was studied for its prediction of breast cancer among 9,461 Finnish women 19-89 years of age and initially cancer-free. During a follow-up in 1973-1991, a total of 157 breast cancer cases were diagnosed. Women reporting previous or present medication for urinary tract infection at baseline showed an elevated breast cancer risk in comparison with other women. The age-adjusted relative risk was 1.34 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.98-1.83). The association was concentrated to women under 50 years of age. The relative risk for these women was 1.74 (95% CI 1.13-2.68), whereas it was 0.97 (95% CI 0.59-1.58) for older women. The relative risk in the younger age-group was 1.47 (95% CI 0.73-2.97) during the first 10 years of follow-up, and 1.93 (95% CI 1.11-3.37) for follow-up times longer than 10 years. These data suggest that premenopausal women using long-term medication for urinary tract infections show a possible elevated risk of future breast cancer. The results are, however, still inconclusive and the hypothesis needs to be tested by other studies.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Serum selenium, serum alpha-tocopherol, and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

Antioxidant micronutrients have been hypothesized to provide protection against rheumatoid arthritis. We investigated serum selenium and serum alpha-tocopherol for their prediction of subsequent development of rheumatoid arthritis in a case-control study nested within a Finnish cohort of 18,709 adult men and women who had neither arthritis nor a history of it at the baseline examination in 1973-1978; by late 1989, 122 had developed rheumatoid arthritis. Of the incident cases, 34 were rheumatoid factor-negative. Three controls per each incident case were individually matched for sex, age, and municipality. Serum selenium and alpha-tocopherol concentrations were measured from stored serum samples collected at baseline. Serum selenium was inversely related to subsequent occurrence of rheumatoid factor-negative but not rheumatoid factor-positive rheumatoid arthritis. The relative risks, adjusted for smoking and serum total cholesterol, for the highest relative to the lowest tertile of serum selenium, were 0.16 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.04-0.69] for rheumatoid factor-negative and 0.96 (CI = 0.49-1.90) for rheumatoid factor-positive rheumatoid arthritis. During the first 10 years of follow-up, the relative risk for rheumatoid arthritis for the highest compared with the lowest tertile of serum alpha-tocopherol was 0.44 (CI = 0.19-0.99). No association was found for longer follow-up periods. Low selenium status may be a risk factor for rheumatoid factor-negative rheumatoid arthritis, and low alpha-tocopherol status may be a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis independently of rheumatoid factor status.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Coffee consumption, rheumatoid factor, and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Recent epidemiological studies have suggested that smoking is a risk factor for rheumatoid factor (RF) positive rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Being overweight, high serum cholesterol, and dietary factors have in some studies been found to be associated with the risk of RA. No attention, however, has been paid to coffee consumption as a risk determinant, though it is a shared covariate of the alleged risk factors. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed at examining coffee consumption for its associations with RF positivity and with the risk of RA. METHODS: Coffee consumption was studied, firstly, for its association with RF (sensitised sheep cell agglutination titre >/=128) in a cross sectional survey of 6809 subjects with no clinical arthritis, and secondly, for its prediction of RA in a cohort of 18 981 men and women who had neither arthritis nor a history of it at the baseline examination in 1973-76. Up to late 1989, 126 subjects of the cohort study had developed RA, of whom, 89 were positive for RF by the time of diagnosis. RESULTS: In the cross sectional survey the number of cups of coffee drunk daily was directly proportional to the prevalence of RF positivity. Adjusted for age and sex this association was significant (p value for linear trend, 0.008), but after further adjustment for smoking the linear trend declined below significance (p=0.06). In the cohort study there was an association between coffee consumption and the risk of RF positive RA that was not due to age, sex, level of education, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index, or serum cholesterol. After adjustment for these potential confounders the users of four or more cups a day still had a relative risk of 2.20 (95% confidence interval 1.13 to 4.27) for developing RF positive RA compared with those drinking less. Coffee consumption did not predict the development of RF negative RA. CONCLUSION: Coffee consumption may be a risk factor for RA, possibly through mechanisms contributing to the production of RF. This hypothesis remains to be tested in further studies.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Serum C-reactive protein does not predict rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Clinical rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is preceded by an immunological process. Our objective was to investigate C-reactive protein (CRP) for its prediction of RA. METHODS: A case-control study was nested within a Finnish cohort of 19,072 adults who had no arthritis and no history of the disease at the baseline examination conducted between 1973 and 1977. By late 1989, 124 had developed RA. Three controls for each incident case were individually matched for sex, age, and municipality. The CRP concentration was measured by a sensitive ELISA. RESULTS: No difference was noted in serum CRP levels between cases and controls. The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of RA in the quintiles of CRP were 1.0, 0.89 (0.45-1.76), 1.11 (0.59-2.08), 0.99 (0.51-1.91), and 0.95 (0.49-1.87). Similarly, there was no difference when the data were analyzed in strata of sex, age, rheumatoid factor (RF) status at baseline, and length of time from taking the specimens to the onset of clinical disease. CONCLUSION: Pre-rheumatoid immunological process as reflected in RF production is not associated with any marked inflammation or tissue injury heightening CRP.

Adult↗