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Biomedical subjects

A Aromaa

Publications and source records attributed to A Aromaa.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Validity of hospital discharge data in a prospective epidemiological study on stroke and myocardial infarction.

The validity and coverage of hospital records of stroke and myocardial infarction were evaluated in a Finnish epidemiological cohort consisting of 57000 men and women. Information on their hospitalizations after the baseline examination was obtained by record linkage to the National Hospital Discharge Register. As compared to data based on re-examination of survivors after five years, the discharge register covered 78.2% of hospital treatments. A specific diagnosis code had been recorded for 81.7% of the definite strokes and for 84.7% of the definite myocardial infarctions. The 5-year incidence rates based on both hospital records and deaths were clearly lower than the rates previously reported from local registers of stroke and myocardial infarction in Finland. Although hospital discharge information underestimates morbidity in the population, the data are sufficiently valid for many epidemiological purposes, e.g. research on predictors of diseases.

Adolescent↗

Hypertension and mortality in diabetic and non-diabetic Finnish men.

Association of hypertension with six-year total and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality was studied among 139 diabetic and 8725 non-diabetic Finnish men aged 40-64 years who were initially CVD-free. Twenty-three diabetic men and 608 non-diabetic men died during the follow-up. A hypertensive group (systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 160 and diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 95 mmHg or drug treatment) and a normotensive group were formed on the basis of initial data. In comparison to normotensive non-diabetics the age-adjusted relative risk of death was 1.93 in hypertensive non-diabetics and 2.99 in hypertensive diabetics. Corresponding relative risks for CVD death were 2.62 and 4.69. A comparison of hypertensive non-diabetics to normotensive non-diabetics and hypertensive diabetics to normotensive diabetics suggested that hypertension has at least the same strength as a risk factor for CVD death in diabetics as in non-diabetics.

Adult↗

Serum fatty acids in Finnish men.

The fatty acid compositions of 4 serum lipid fractions were analysed from 244 randomly selected 30-59-year-old Finnish men from 4 areas involved in a population survey ('Mini-Finland') in 1979-80. Men in eastern Finland had significantly lower mean percentages of linoleate (18:2) in CE, TG, FFA and PL (45.1, 10.3, 9.3 and 18.8%, respectively) than men in the western part of the country (48.4, 12.5, 10.6 and 20.2%, respectively). Very low values of 18:2 were encountered in the North Karelian community of Ilomantsi, especially in men aged 50-59 (40.9, 8.0, 7.5 and 16.8%, respectively). The percentage of alpha-linolenate tended also to be lower and those of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids higher in the east, but there were no or only inconsistent differences in the contents of the prostaglandin precursors dihomo-gamma-linolenate, arachidonate and eicosapentaenoate. Eighteen men were studied in November and the following April. Only minor changes in the mean composition of serum fatty acids took place during this period and the correlation coefficients between the percentages of 18:2 recorded at the two time points ranged from 0.70 to 0.81. The low concentrations of 18:2 in serum lipids in Finnish men obviously reflect a low dietary P/S ratio and may contribute to the high prevalence of IHD in Finland and to its regional differences.

Adult↗

Risk of myocardial infarction in Finnish men in relation to fluoride, magnesium and calcium concentration in drinking water.

To study the influence of drinking water composition on the risk of myocardial infarction, the following study was conducted: The cases (C), men 30-64 years of age, had been discharged with a first acute myocardial infarction (AMI) from Kotka Central Hospital. The hospital controls (HC), matched for age and type of community, were selected for each case among surgical patients. Population controls (PC), matched for age and municipality, were drawn for each case from the population register. Subjects submitted a sample of their drinking water and a filled-in questionnaire. After exclusions, a series of 50 C-HC and 50 C-PC pairs was finally constructed. The point estimate of relative risk (RR) for the association between low F (less than or equal to 0.1 ppm) and increased risk of AMI was 3.0 in the C-HC series. In the C-PC comparison, RR was 4.4 RR for low Mg (less than or equal to 1.2 ppm) was 2.0 in the C-HC comparison and 4.7 in the C-PC comparison. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that both a low F and a low Mg intake are conducive to atherosclerosis leading to AMI.

Adult↗

The Social Insurance Institution's coronary heart disease study. Baseline data and 5-year mortality experience.

The Social Insurance Institution's Coronary Heart Disease Study is a prospective population study designed to investigate the prevalence, risk factors and incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in middle-aged Finnish men and women. The study population consisted of 5 738 men and 5 224 women, aged 30-59 years at entry, drawn from 12 cohorts from south-western, western, central and eastern Finland. The cohorts consisted of whole or random samples of rural or semiurban dwellers or employees of a factory. The participation rate was 90 per cent. The prevalence of symptoms was determined by the Rose questionnaire and abnormalities on resting ECG were coded according to the Minnesota code. Blood pressure, smoking habits, serum cholesterol, triglycerides, postload plasma glucose and obesity were the risk factors analysed at the baseline examination. The mortality of examinees has been followed continuously. This report deals with the main findings at the baseline examination and the mortality follow-up experience in 5 years. The prevalence of typical angina pectoris was 4.4 per cent in men and 5.4 per cent in women. Unequivocal ECG signs of past myocardial infarction were observed in 1.0 per cent of men and 0.3 per cent of women. Other ECG findings suggesting CHD were observed in 9.2 per cent of men and 11.1 per cent of women. The 5-year mortality was 4.3 per cent in men and 0.9 per cent in women. Men with typical chest pain symptoms had a seven-fold risk to die from CHD, compared to men without symptoms. Men with ECG abnormalities compatible with an old infarction had a 19.5-fold and men with other ECG findings suggesting CHD a 7.1-fold risk to die from CHD compared to men without resting ECG abnormalities. Men with ECG findings as the only indicator of CHD had worse survival than men with symptoms as the only indicator of CHD. The value of symptoms and ECG findings as predictors of CHD mortality in women was very low.

Adult↗

Type A in the mini-Finland health survey.

The prevalence of coronary-prone behaviour, Type A, was investigated in a representative sample of all Finnish adults comprising 1941 men and 2168 women aged 30-64 years. The behaviour pattern was assessed by the Jenkins Activity Survey. The mean of the Type A scores was --5.7 for men and --5.8 for women. Among men, 28.3%, and among women 26.8% had scores greater than or equal to 0. Type A was positively associated with the level of education. The prevalence of Type A in Finnish men and women seems to be lower than that found in most other surveys.

Adult↗

Prevalence of intermittent claudication and its effect on mortality.

The prevalence of symptoms of intermittent claudication and their association with 5-year mortality were examined in a population study in Finland. A number of 5738 men and 5224 women, aged 30-59 years, from 4 geographic areas of the country were studied. According to a structured interview, 2.1% of the men and 1.8% of the women reported typical symptoms of intermittent claudication. Claudication was most prevalent in East Finland and among persons with agricultural occupations. The symptoms were more frequent in diabetics and persons with symptoms and signs of coronary heart disease (CHD) than in persons without these diseases. High serum cholesterol and smoking were associated with these symptoms but high blood pressure was not. The risk of death from cardiovascular causes was nearly 3-fold in men with claudication compared to men without claudication. Symptoms of chest pain and smoking increased significantly the mortality risk of male claudicants. The validity of symptoms was poorer in women than in men and they were also less reliable predictors of death in women. A small part of the effect of claudication on mortality was due to its association with conventional CHD risk factors. However, after adjusting for symptoms and signs of CHD, claudication had no independent effect on mortality in men.

Adult↗

Hyperuricemia as a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality.

The value of hyperuricemia as a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality was investigated in 3195 men and 3160 women aged 40-69 years in Finland. Hyperuricemia was associated with obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension and history of heart disease. The total mortality of hyperuricemic men and women in 5 years was significantly higher than the mortality of normouricemics. Cardiovascular mortality was not higher in hyperuricemics than in normouricemics. However, in hyperuricemic women without known heart disease cardiovascular mortality was significantly increased in the follow-up period between 5 and 12 years. Total and cardiovascular mortality rates were significantly higher in hyperuricemic men with known heart disease than in corresponding normouricemic men. A rise of serum uric acid may be secondary to more advanced atherosclerosis. Thus, hyperuricemia may be associated with more advanced heart disease and it is not an independent cause of cardiovascular diseases.

Adult↗

Parity and obesity.

Parity was found to be closely related to adiposity and prevalence of obesity in a population sample of 17 688 non-pregnant women aged 25-84. The women took part in multiphasic screening examinations in various parts of Finland in 1966-72. The relationship between parity and obesity was independent of other factors such as +geographical area, region, marital status, occupation, smoking habits, or incapacity for work. Pregnant women were considered to be an important target population for nutritional education.

Adolescent↗

Spondylosis deformans and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) in Finland.

A population study with 6-year follow-up of 6 167 persons aged over 30 was carried out in nine population groups in Southern Finland. Estimation of spondylosis and DISH (Diffuse Skeletal Hyperostosis) was made from lateral chest X-rays. Reliability coefficients (kappa) in the repeat reading of 1 025 films ranged between 0.60 and 0.76. 214 cases of newly developed DISH and 1 080 of spondylosis were observed. With the exception of 4 new cases, all cases of DISH had developed in persons who had had spondylosis at baseline or developed it during the follow-up. The sexual incidence of spondylosis was fairly similar, i.e. 4 cases per 100 person years in both. Prevalence and incidence of spondylosis were highest in rural areas, in persons with strenuous occupations and in the obese. Incidence of DISH was 0.7 cases per 100 person years in men and 0.4 in women. DISH was equally common in all types of population. It was not associated with arduousness of occupation. Obesity and-to a lesser degree-diabetes mellitus and glucose intolerance were associated with DISH. Neither condition was associated with elevated serum calcium, serum cholesterol or bacteriuria. The study supports the concept that DISH is epidemiologically and pathogenetically different from spondylosis deformans.

Adult↗

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) and spondylosis deformans as predictors of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

The associations between DISH (diffuse skeletal Hyperostosis) and spondylosis deformans on the one hand and cardiovascular disease and cancer on the other were studied in a follow-up investigation of 6 167 persons in Finland. Mean duration of follow-up investigation of 6 167 persons in Finland. Mean duration of follow-up was 6.3 years. Similar methods were employed in the baseline and follow-up examination. A finding of DISH or of spondylosis was based on a reading of lateral X-ray films. Age-adjusted incidence of hypertension, ECG findings suggesting coronary heart disease (CHD), CHD history, enlargement of the heart determined by interpretation of photofluorograms, digitalis medication, cerebrovascular incidents and a history of cancer were compared in persons with and without DISH/spondylosis and free of these conditions at baseline. A further analysis, in which the data were analysed separately for DISH and spondylosis present at baseline and cases which developed during follow-up, was also carried out. A slight association between DISH and spondylosis, and hypertension probably due to obesity was observed. According to several criteria degenerative heart disease (CHD, heart enlargement, digitalis use) was associated with DISH and spondylosis, particularly in men. An association with heart enlargement was observed with DISH but not with spondylosis. No associations with cerebrovascular accidents or cancer were observed, but the paucity of cases prevents definite conclusions. Thus, there were some difference between spondylosis and DISH with regard to risk of future cardiovascular disease.

Adult↗

Breast cancer incidence: geographical correlations in Finland.

Correlation analysis was performed on breast cancer incidence and risk factors in geographical areas of Finland. Breast cancer risk is associated with fertility and taxable income but not with the size of the woman. Trends in risk factors indicate that the rapid increase in the incidence of breast cancer is likely to continue. It is concluded that factors which are reflected by the standard of living and fertility might act independently and not through the nutritional status, for which the size of the woman is an operational indicator.

Adolescent↗

Serum zinc concentrations in Finns.

Serum zinc concentrations were measured in 1416 Finns aged 15 years and above and belonging to 18 population groups living in various parts of the country. The mean serum zinc concentration was for men 12.7 mumol/l (82 microgram/100 ml) and for women 11.7 mumol/l (77 microgram/100 ml). Zinc levels varied with sex, age, length of fast, time of day and geographic area. It is noted that the incidence of coronary heart disease, the occurrence of a number of elements in soil and water, and the zinc level in human sera can in a statistical sence be linked to soil composition in Finland. Causal relationships, however, remain obscure.

Adult↗