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Biomedical subjects

A Gulsvik

Publications and source records attributed to A Gulsvik.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

[Smoking prevention. Courses on smoking prevention conducted at a regional hospital].

We present the results of four smoking cessation courses conducted during the period 1986 to 1988 and including 105 persons. 68 women and 37 men participated in weekly lessons, three prior to and two after a predetermined quit-smoking day. Physicians presented information and smoking cessation techniques, the latter based on cognitive behavioural modification. At one year follow-up 27% of the participants had stopped smoking and 49% had reduced smoking consumption. More intensive follow-up and pharmacological treatment might reduce the relapse rate further.

Hospitals, District↗

[Respiratory changes in deep diving].

Deep diving refers to saturation diving to a depth of more than 180 m (1.9 MPa ambient pressure). In the 1990s diving to 400 m may be necessary on the Norwegian continental shelf. The safety margins are narrow and at such depths the respiratory system is subject to great strain. Respiratory resistance increases and the dynamic lung volumes are reduced as the pressure increases due to enhanced gas density. Helium is used together with oxygen as breathing gas and the lower density partly normalises the dynamic lung volumes. The respiratory system imposes clear limitations on the intensity and duration of physical work during deep diving. We lack systematic studies of lung mechanics, gas exchange and respiratory regulation in the different phases of deep dives. Demonstration of possible chronic occupational respiratory diseases connected to diving is dependent on follow-up over a long time.

Adult↗

Analyses of chromium and nickel in human pulmonary tissue. Investigations in lung cancer patients and a control population under special consideration of medical expertise aspects.

After inhalative occupational exposure to certain compounds containing nickel and chromium (mostly over many years), an accumulation of these metals may occur in the lung tissue. This is of particular importance, both from a toxicological point of view and with regard to expert reports, since certain nickel and chromium compounds may induce lung cancers. In the context of this study, samples of pulmonary tissue from 34 deceased persons from the Bergen area (Norway) were analysed by atomic absorption spectrometry with regard to their content of chromium and nickel. The deceased comprised 21 men and 13 women. In 15 cases, death resulted from lung cancer; in the other 19 deceased, there was no indication of a malignant disease of the airways. The concentrations of nickel found in the lung tissue do not differ between patients with lung cancer and patients with healthy lungs. On the other hand, the concentration of chromium in the pulmonary tissue in the patients who had died of lung cancer and who had all been inhalative smokers, are higher (statistically significant) than in the nonsmokers or in those with healthy lungs. An accumulation of these two metals in the tumor matrix could not be detected. Both the average nickel and the average chromium concentrations were higher in the persons who had probably been exposed occupationally. Considering the present state of scientific knowledge, the aspects relevant to expert reports which result from the analyses of metals in the pulmonary tissue are discussed.

Adult↗

Plasma levels of estradiol, estrone, estrone sulfate and sex hormone binding globulin in patients receiving rifampicin.

Plasma estrone, estradiol, estrone sulfate, androstenedione, testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin were measured in 14 patients (3 postmenopausal women, 11 men) with tuberculosis who received rifampicin. During treatment a moderate, but significant increase in the plasma level of estradiol (mean increase 32%, P less than 0.01) and estrone (mean increase 13%, P less than 0.01) were seen. In contrast, plasma estrone sulfate was significantly reduced (mean reduction of 25%, P less than 0.05). No alteration in plasma testosterone was observed, but there was a slight (mean 15%) increase in plasma androstenedione of borderline significance (P = 0.052). In eight patients, from whom all tuberculostatic treatment except rifampicin had been withdrawn, plasma sex hormone binding globulin was found to be increased by 75% by rifampicin treatment. Further, the results obtained in this part of the study confirmed the alteration in plasma estrone sulfate to be caused by rifampicin alone without any contribution from other tuberculostatic drugs. While plasma estradiol could be increased due to elevation of sex hormone binding globulin, plasma estrone was probably increased secondary to the increase in plasma androstenedione. A reduced plasma estrone sulfate level suggests that rifampicin enhances the rate of estrone sulfate metabolism. The possibility that treatment with drugs which reduce plasma estrone sulfate might be beneficial for hormone dependent cancers is discussed.

Adult↗

Precision of arterial blood gases and cutaneous oxygen saturation in healthy non-smokers.

Arterial blood from 20 healthy non-smokers (mean age 36 years) was sampled with a pre-heparinized syringe (Radiometer B129), and analysed with an automatic blood gas analyser (AVL945). Cutaneous oxygen saturation (sO2) was recorded on an ear oxymeter (Biox IIA). Mean pH +/- 2 SD was 7.392 +/- 0.072, mean arterial pCO2 +/- 2 SD was 5.15 +/- 0.90 kPa, and mean arterial pO2 +/- 2 SD was 13.68 +/- 1.90 kPa. Standard deviation for differences in pairs of analyses (SD) was, for pH 0.008, 0.20 kPa for pCO2, and 0.33 kPa for pO2. In arterial blood from 20 hypoxic patients, SD for pO2 was 0.10 kPa. Mean cutaneous sO2 +/- 2 SD was 96.7 +/- 2.2%, and mean calculated arterial sO2 +/- 2 SD was 97.6 +/- 1.0%. Mean arterial pO2 was higher than that expected from the literature.

Adult↗

Cerebral air embolism after transthoracic aspiration with a 0.6 mm (23 gauge) needle.

A 54 yr old man experienced weakness in his legs, ataxia and subsequent urinary retention after a percutaneous fine-needle aspiration of a tumor in the right lower lobe. Clinical neurological examination and electroencephalography revealed signs of a brain stem lesion, probably due to an air embolism to the basilar artery. The symptoms and signs gradually disappeared prior to, as well as after, hyperbaric oxygen treatment. We believe this to be the first case of air embolism after transthoracic puncture with a 23 gauge needle to be reported in medical literature.

Biopsy, Needle↗

Transthoracic fine-needle aspiration guided by fluoroscopy: validity and complications with 19 operators.

During a 3-year period, 19 physicians performed 271 transthoracic fine-needle aspirations (FNA) in 199 patients, using a 23-guage aspiration needle with an 18-guage guiding needle. The diagnosis was confirmed by cytological examination of the needle aspirates in 90 out of 122 patients with malignant tumors, giving a sensitivity of 74%. The specificity of the cytological diagnosis was 100%. Both cytological and histological material was available in 49 patients. The tumor typing from the FNA specimens and the biopsies was in agreement in all but 3 cases. Pneumothorax occurred in 27% of the patients, but only 3.5% required tube drainage. Small variations (p greater than 0.05) in number of diagnostic punctures and rate of complications were evident among the participating physicians and between two fluoroscopic equipments.

Adolescent↗

Cardiopulmonary effects of enprofylline. A xanthine with weak adenosine receptor antagonism in patients with severe chronic lung disease.

The acute cardiovascular effects of a new xanthine, enprofylline, were studied in patients with chronic lung disease. The studies were done during cardiac catheterization (n = 12) and by radionuclide ventriculography (n = 6). Enprofylline was given intravenously, 2 mg/kg, and measurements were done after ten and 30 min. Enprofylline reduced the mean pulmonary artery pressure from 30 +/- 10 to 26 +/- 7 mm Hg (p less than 0.05) and the mean systemic arterial pressure from 92 +/- 17 to 83 +/- 15 mm Hg (p less than 0.01), increased the heart rate from 89 +/- 15 to 100 +/- 18 beats/min (p less than 0.01) and reduced the stroke volume from 55 +/- 12 to 48 +/- 12 ml (p less than 0.05) after 30 min. Radionuclide ventriculography revealed unchanged ejection fraction of left and right ventricles after enprofylline. None of the patients experienced serious side effects of the drug. Thus, enprofylline induced modest acute cardiovascular effects with a chronotropic response together with a small vasodilation in pulmonary and systemic circulation.

Adult↗

A scoring system on respiratory symptoms.

A method for quantitative recording of psychiatric symptoms has been modified for application to respiratory symptoms such as cough, attacks of breathlessness, wheezing and dyspnoea. The method was evaluated in a survey of 193 subjects without pulmonary disorders and 186 patients with pulmonary disorders. The average time taken to obtain scores for four symptoms was six minutes. Inconsistencies were few when the subjects selected statements about symptoms. Cough score discriminated between groups of healthy persons with various smoking habits. Wheezing score distinguished healthy persons from patients with obstructive lung disease more accurately than cough, attacks of breathlessness and dyspnoea score. Regression analyses showed that per score point of dyspnoea and cough the peak expiratory flow rate decreased by almost 12 and 7% of predicted, respectively.

Cough↗