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Biomedical subjects

A Bjelle

Publications and source records attributed to A Bjelle.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Epidemiological aspects of osteo-arthritis--an interview survey of the Swedish population and a review of previous studies.

A review of available prevalence data illustrates the importance of criteria and sampling in the study of osteo-arthritis (OA). An interview survey and insurance data were used to investigate regional distribution of OA in Sweden. Reported longstanding illness, complaints, handicap or other debility due to OA were most prevalent in Northern and in a South-Eastern areas of Sweden. OA was more prevalent among women than among men after retirement age. It was a larger part of all longstanding disorders in the South-Eastern than in other parts of Sweden. Several factors of physical strain from work were frequent in the South-Eastern and Northern areas but complaints of hot and cold climate conditions at work place were the most significant factors. The frequency of early pension due to OA was highest in the North of Sweden but higher frequencies were registered also in the South-Eastern region compared to adjacent areas of Southern Sweden.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

HLA B27 in the population of northern Sweden.

The frequency of HLA B27 in blood donors born in northern Sweden was found to be 16.6%. This was significantly higher than in southern Sweden or in caucasians generally, with the exception of Finland. A close genetic relationship has been found between the population of northern Sweden and the Finnish. The higher frequency of HLA B27 is particularly interesting in view of the finding of a higher incidence of rheumatic diseases in northern than in southern Sweden. We also found a surprisingly large number of patients with reactive arthritides and ankylosing spondylitis in the patient registers of the rheumatology department, which further indicated a genetic influence on rheumatic disorders in northern Sweden.

Arthritis, Reactive↗
PubMed1982

Plasma exchange in two patients with rheumatoid vasculitis.

Plasma exchange was performed in 2 patients with classical rheumatoid arthritis, complicated in one case by necrotic vasculitis, and in the other by mononeuritis multiplex. Immediate improvement in the peripheral circulation was observed in both patients with subsequent healing of necroses and nerve function, respectively. The treatment was combined with low doses of corticosteroids and cytostatic agents. After 2 years, both patients were still receiving intermittent plasma exchanges, performed at 3-4 month intervals. A correlation between immediate circulatory improvement and lowered plasma viscosity by the plasma exchange was indicated.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1982

The cytology of joint exudates in rheumatoid arthritis. Morphology and preparation techniques.

The cytology of joint exudates from patients with rheumatoid arthritis was examined by preparation of air-dried smears; a procedure that involved cytocentrifugation of synovial fluids following dilution in a balanced salt solution containing albumin. This procedure provided a monolayer of homogeneously distributed exudate cells with excellent preservation of morphological details. The dominant cell type in the exudates was polymorphonuclear leukocytes, often with signs of necrobiosis. The small and medium-sized mononuclear cells were lymphocyte-like and vital-looking. The large mononuclear cells displayed signs of extensive phagocytosis, especially phagocytosis of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. It is suggested that the granulocytes of the synovial fluid are cells which have reached their function compartment, where they work and die.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1982

Health care for rheumatic disorders in a Swedish county.

Utilization of rheumatological care by individual patients was studied in a Swedish county at all levels of the health care system. Calculated per population at risk, 0.6--0.8% per year were seen for rheumatoid arthritis. Of these, 35--81% were patients at the rheumatology department, varying according to distance of residence from the university hospital. The number of patients with other inflammatory diseases was, however, larger in primary care than in the specialist department. Only a minor part of the total care for rheumatic disorders (Chapt. XIII of ICD) in the county was provided by the rheumatology department. Back disorders constituted the largest diagnostic group of rheumatic disorders in primary care. During a period of one year a total of 12--14% of the population had contact with primary care, of the district hospital and/or the rheumatology department, because of rheumatic disorders. The results show the value of epidemiological studies to follow the development of and to define the future objectives of rheumatological care.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Occupational and individual factors in acute shoulder-neck disorders among industrial workers.

Twenty workers, consecutively attending the industrial health care centre for the first time with acute shoulder-neck pains, were subject to extensive rheumatological and ergonomic examinations. In seven patients congenital malformations for diseases causing musculoskeletal symptoms, or both, were probable aetiological factors. In the remaining 13 patients a significantly higher load was found on both shoulders (assessed by biomechanical film analysis) than in matched control. Age, anthropometric measures, muscle strength, or HLAB27 did not appear as significant predisposing factors. Most patients could return to work within a year.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Familial pyrophosphate arthropathy. Occurrence and Crystal Identification.

Hereditary pyrophosphate arthropathy has been observed in three Swedish families and in a few other caucasian populations. The inheritance is most probably autosomal dominant with a variable penetrance. The most severe cases have been found in homozygotes among isolates of immigrants in Slovakia and Chile. Studies on genetic and etio-pathogenetic factors in hereditary pyrophosphate arthropathy, and the utilization of new diagnostic techniques for crystal identification, are important approaches towards a further understanding of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Developments in epidemiological studies on rheumatoid arthritis.

The present state of epidemiological knowledge concerning rheumatoid arthritis is summarized. The potential for further epidemiological approaches to rheumatoid arthritis is indicated and priorities listed for the future directions of such studies.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1981

Rheumatic disorders in primary care. A study of two primary care centres and a review of previous Swedish reports on primary care.

Utilization of care for rheumatic disorders was studied in two primary care units. In both units 12% of visits concerned some form of rheumatic disease. This diagnostic group (chapter XIII of ICD) ranked third after cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The total number of visits per inhabitant was higher for all diagnoses, as well as for the rheumatic disorders, in the most remote primary care unit. The distribution of rheumatic diagnoses was similar in the two units. Back disorders were most frequent among men, whereas soft tissue rheumatism and back disorders each accounted for one-third of the cases among women. Inflammatory rheumatic diseases and osteo-arthritis played only a minor part. Visits due to rheumatic disorders decreased after retirement age, particularly among men. The findings were representative of primary care in rural areas of Sweden. Only 20% of referrals from primary care to the rheumatology department gave a tentative diagnosis and half of these suggestions were changed after examination. The majority of referred patients without any suggested diagnosis suffered from soft tissue rheumatism or inflammatory rheumatic disorders other than rheumatoid arthritis.

Catchment Area, Health↗
PubMed1981

Regional distribution of rheumatic complaints in Sweden.

Regional differences regarding prevalence of rheumatic complaints were found in a nation-wide interview survey of the adult Swedish population. A higher prevalence was found in regions of low population density, the highest being in the North. Osteo-arthritis was more prevalent in Northern Sweden, particularly among men, while back disorders were more common in all regions of low population density. Physically strenuous working conditions were found more frequently in all regions of low population density. Among other possible factors contributing to the regional differences in rheumatic complaints, genetic differences in HLA B27 within the Swedish population and the occurrence of cryophilic arthritogenic microbial flora, are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Production of split patterns on the articular cartilage surfaces of rats.

A device has been designed to permit reproducible loads to be applied perpendicularly to the acutely curved cartilage surfaces of the diarthrodial joints of small animals. With this apparatus, a sharp, round pin has been used to cause splits in the hyaline articular cartilage of the lower end of the femurs of 37 Wistar rats. In the patellar groove, the splits form a longitudinal pattern. On the condylar surface, the pattern is fantail, radial or non-uniform. It is suggested that cartilage thickness, joint congruence and load per unit area, are variables related to the directional pattern of the splits. These variables, in turn, reflect the gross, microscopic and molecular anatomy of the cartilage. The effects pin-pricks are comples: they disrupt surface collagen bundles and other cartilage components. Experiments made to test the effects of drying, isotonic saline, hyaluronic acid and sodium hydroxide support the view that the state of hydration and fluid flow are important determinants of the shape of cartilage splits. However, sodium hydroxide-induced cartilage disruption, involving glycosaminoglycan loss, did not influence split configuration. Some preliminary evidence suggests that the process of crack propagation, by which splits form, may be related to the position and shape of chondrocyte lacunae. It is concluded that pin-prick testing offers a means by which the structural properties of the cartilage of small diarthrodial joints may be conveniently tested in vitro.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Ultra-microcrystals in pyrophosphate arthropathy. Crystal identification and case report.

A patient with pyrophosphate arthropathy is reported who had no calcifications on joint radiographs, and no crystals were found in polarized light microscopy of the synovial fluid. Using techniques for idenfication of crystals at the ultrastructural level, abundant small (less than or equal to 1 mu) pyrophosphate crystals were recognized and identified. The possibility of "ultramicrocrystal depositions", including pyrophosphate arthropathy, is important to consider in acute arthritides since small crystals might cause more intense inflammation and be the cause of arthritides, hitherto not possible to classify.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Lymphocytes of synovial fluid and peripheral blood in reactive arthritis. A case report.

Lymphocytes were isolated from eight samples of synovial fluid obtained over a period of six weeks from a patient with reactive arthritis after venereal infection of unknown microbial etiology. The percentages of T lymphocytes were consistently higher in synovial fluid than in paired blood samples, whereas those of B lymphocytes were consistently lower in synovial fluid than in blood. When incubated in vitro the spontaneous DNA synthesis of the synovial fluid and blood lymphocytes was low. When phytohaemagglutinin or tuberculin was present in the cultures the lymphocytes from blood as well as those from synovial fluid responded with synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid and phytohaemagglutinin dose response curves of lymphocytes from the two sources were similar. Thus T lymphocytes of synovial fluid showed a similar in vitro reactivity as those from blood.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Pyrophosphate arthropathy.

Pyrophosphate arthropathy has a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms and is a common cause of synovitis in the elderly. The acute "pseudogout" attack is the most commonly recognized, but chronic synovitis might be just as prevalent. Familial pyrophosphate arthropathy with a dominant autosomal heredity is a rare form, with an earlier debut and a more severe prognosis. Another rare expression of pyrophosphate arthropathy is severe joint destruction. The cause of pyrophosphate arthropathy is still unknown. Both individual reactivity and crystal properties determine the intensity of the inflammatory response to crystals.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1979

Proteoglycan structure of bovine articular cartilage. Variation with age and in osteoarthrosis.

Proteoglycan subunits (PGS) were isolated from bovine articular cartilage of calves and from cows, 18 months and 8 years old respectively. From the latter cartilage of osteoarthrotic and of non-osteoarthrotic sites was taken. PGS were characterized by gel-chromatography on Sepharose 2B columns and subjected to digestion with chondroitinase ABC and with papain. The isolated keratan sulphate-protein cores obtained from chondroitinase digestion were characterized on Sepharose 4B and the chondroitin sulphate chains on Sephadex G-200 gels. A larger molecular size of PGS was found in calf cartilage than in the other samples. This was attributed to the larger molecular size of chondroitin, whereas no change was observed in the keratan sulphate-protein cores. No change was observed in molecular size of PGS, isolated chondroitin sulphates or keratan sulphate-protein cores in osteoarthrosis in comparison with non-osteoarthrotic cartilage from the same joint or from younger adult animals.

Age Factors↗