Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

B Steen

Publications and source records attributed to B Steen.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Oral glucose clearance in nonagenarians in relation to functional capacity, medication and oral variables.

OBJECTIVES: To study oral sugar (glucose) clearance and to examine some factors which were believed to either influence or be dependent upon oral glucose clearance. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, clinical study with analysis of records. SETTING: Göteborg gerontological and geriatric population studies, Göteborg University, Sweden. SUBJECTS: 71 community-dwelling individuals, 27 men and 44 women, of a representative sample of 260 92-year-old persons. INTERVENTION AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Glucose concentration was measured in saliva after chewing of a glucose tablet and the clearance was assessed by three different variables: (i) the initial salivary glucose concentration, (ii) the area under the curve (AUC) and (iii) the clearance time. RESULTS: The glucose clearance showed a wide inter-individual variation, which could be explained partly by differences in oral state, chewing time, stimulated salivary secretion rate and medication use. A positive correlation was found between the clearance variables and the number of lactobacilli and mutans streptococci in saliva and the percentage of untreated root caries lesions of the total number of exposed root surfaces. CONCLUSIONS: A slow oral sugar clearance is more common among 92-year-olds than younger adults earlier reported in other studies, particularly in those who have uncompensated functional impairments and a high medication history. A decreased oral glucose clearance was associated with high counts of salivary lactobacilli and mutans streptococci and a high proportion of untreated root caries lesions.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Dental caries and related factors in 88- and 92-year-olds. Cross-sectional and longitudinal comparisons.

Our aim was to compare two groups of 88- and 92-year-olds (n = 92 and n = 40), respectively, with regard to teeth, caries, and salivary and microbial conditions. Oral variables were analyzed in relation to functional capacity and use of cardiovascular agents and psychoactive drugs. Untreated root caries, plaque score, and counts of lactobacilli increased between the ages of 88 and 92 years (P < 0.01). Nine of the 24 longitudinally followed up subjects had lost 1-5 teeth over 4 years, and 17 subjects had developed new caries (DFS). The mean caries increment over 4 years was 1.3 coronal and 3.6 root surfaces, and new DFS per 100 surfaces at risk was 4.3 coronal and 17.5 root surfaces. Plaque score and final pH of buffer capacity increased (P < 0.05 and 0.01, respectively), whereas saliva flow, independent of gender, was unchanged. Use of cardiovascular agents and psychoactive drugs was associated with a deteriorated dental status.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1997

Body water in the elderly--a review.

Body composition including the amount, the proportion of body weight, and the distribution of body water are of profound interest to both gerontology and geriatric medicine. In this article, methods of estimating body water, the changes with age and in disease, and clinical implications are reviewed. There are many methods to determine body water, the methods having different properties regarding e.g. feasibility and validity. Validation should for the methods used be performed in the population and age group under study. Body water decreases with age, and increases or decreases of body water are common in diseases common in old age. This has obvious clinical implications regarding e.g. geriatric pharmacotherapy, and water and electrolyte therapy. The need for methods to estimate body water and for avoiding both underhydration and overhydration is obvious both in gerontological and geriatric research and in clinical geriatric medicine.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1996

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in retinoblastoma but not in posterior uveal melanoma.

All solid tumors must acquire a vascular stroma to grow beyond a minimal size. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent and specific angiogenic growth factor both in vitro and in vivo that may participate in the formation of the vascular tumor stroma. In the present study, we examined the expression of VEGF in the paraffin sections of 20 eyes harboring retinoblastoma or posterior uveal melanoma, but also in corresponding tumor cellines. By using in situ hybridization, we found that all but one of the retinoblastomas expressed VEGF mRNA. Particularly high expression was detected in areas of loosely packed tumor cells with prominent chromatin. By contrast, none of the posterior uveal melanomas expressed significant amounts of VEGF mRNA. Immunostaining with an antibody against VEGF confirmed that retinoblastomas, but not posterior uveal melanomas, also contained detectable VEGF protein. To further study the expression of VEGF in these tumor cells we performed Northern blotting on a retinoblastoma celline, Y79, and on an uveal melanoma celline, OM431. Both of these cellines expressed low levels of VEGF mRNA under normal culture conditions. However, when the cells were cultured under hypoxic conditions, a strong increase in VEGF mRNA could be seen in Y79 cells but not in OM431 cells. By using a bioassay, we also found that hypoxia stimulated the secretion of VEGF protein into the culture medium of Y79 cells. In conclusion, we have shown that VEGF mRNA and protein are expressed in retinoblastomas but not in posterior uveal melanomas. Moreover we have shown that VEGF is hypoxia-inducible in retinoblastoma cells. These results suggest that focal hypoxia may act as a stimulus for VEGF production in retinoblastomas, that in turn may contribute to tumor growth by stimulating the formation of a vascular stroma.

Blotting, Northern↗
PubMed1996

The use and effectiveness of assistive devices in an elderly urban population.

The aim of this study was to examine the type, frequency and usage rate of assistive devices in daily life activities in a community-based population aged 70 and over (N = 170), as well as the particular part of the intervention trial which focused on un-met needs, and the usage rate and effectiveness of assistive devices 6 and 12 months after prescription. Among persons under 80 years of age, 24% were users of assistive devices; in the 80 years or above group, this figure rose to 57%. Hygiene and mobility devices were the most common. The usage rate of assistive devices was 84%. The reasons for disuse were an improved health status, or difficulties in using the device. Sixteen percent of the study population had un-met needs of assistive devices. At follow-up visits, the subjects estimated a high degree of effectiveness when using the devices, particularly in the form of reduced difficulty and increment of safety, and increased capacity and ability in various activities. We conclude that the use of assistive devices increases with age, and that most of the assistive devices are used and are effective. As the need for assistive devices changes over time, follow-ups in the home are necessary. Therefore, to meet the needs of a growing elderly population, information about assistive technology should be supplied to both personnel in health care and in the social service system.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1996

Determinants of survival: an analysis of the effects of age at observation and length of the predictive period.

The main objective of this study was to analyze how the identification of determinants of survival is dependent on age at the time of data collection and on the length of the predictive period. The study is part of a gerontological and geriatric population investigation in Göteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden, called H70, which is a longitudinal study based on a large random sample of men and women born in 1901/1902 in Göteborg. They were first examined at the age of 70, and have then been re-examined at the ages of 75 and 79. Twelve variables from different areas were selected for use in the present study. As physical health has proven to be highly correlated to survival, the sample was split into two subgroups, one consisting of elderly with few health problems and the other of less healthy elderly. All analyses were performed on each gender separately, and on the whole samples of men and women, respectively, as well as on each health subgroup. The results show that the statistically significant determinants of survival differ substantially between the two subgroups. In addition, age at examination and length of predictive period proved to be very important in identifying determinants of survival. Lung capacity, measured be peak flow, was the only variable, among those selected for this study, that had predictive power for both genders, in both health groups and at each of the three observation ages.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Postural balance and its sensory-motor correlates in 75-year-old men and women: a cross-national comparative study.

BACKGROUND: There are no earlier cross-national comparative studies analyzing the functions of the posture control mechanisms and its sensory-motor correlates in elderly subjects. We investigated whether there are differences in balance between elderly subjects living in different geographical areas, and analyzed the sensory-motor associates of balance in men and women separately. METHOD: Using a force platform method, the functioning of the posture control system under three standardized conditions (normal standing, eyes open; normal standing, eyes closed; and tandem standing, eyes open) was studied among samples of 75-year-old residents in three Nordic localities, namely Glostrup in Denmark, Göteborg in Sweden, and Jyväskylä in Finland. The associations of the variables describing performance in each test with other sensory and motor functions were studied using correlation analyses and multivariate regression models. RESULTS: Differences between the populations were observed in both tests with visual control, favoring the participants from Glostrup and Jyväskylä compared with those from Göteborg. However, only minor differences between the subjects from different localities were observed in the test performed with the eyes closed. In all localities there was a primary sex difference in favor of the women which, however, mainly disappeared when body height was taken into the analyses as a covariate. A good performance in the balance tests (body height-adjusted values) was associated with good visual acuity, low vibrotactile thresholds, and high psychomotor speed. Also, isometric muscle strength, especially hand grip and body extension, was positively associated with good performance in the balance tests. Among the women, a poorer balance was observed in women with a smaller body mass. The results of the multivariate analyses showed that among the men, the most important predictors of good performance in the balance tests were low vibrotactile threshold on the foot, high isometric hand grip strength, and low body stature. Among the women, the most important predictors were low body stature, high body mass, high isometric body extension strength, and high psychomotor speed. However, only a small proportion of the variance in balance (about 13% in the men and 11% in the women) could be explained by the help of these factors. CONCLUSIONS: As the same procedure was applied to the analysis of postural balance, some differences between the populations living in different localities could be detected in some of the tests. The better performance of the women in the balance tests may partly be explained by anthropometric factors, especially differences in body height. There may also be differences in sensory-motor associates of balance in elderly men and women. On the basis of the associations observed, it is difficult to explain the differences in balance between the sexes or subjects living in different localities. Within the sexes, only a small proportion (10-13%) of the variation in balance during normal standing with eyes open could be explained by the factors included in the study.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Associations between self-assessed masticatory ability and some general health factors in a Swedish population.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were 1) to describe changes in self-assessed masticatory ability over a 14 year period (1975-89); and 2) to describe associations between self-assessed masticatory ability and age, dental state and some other background factors in a sample of the Swedish population in 1988/89. DESIGN: The Swedish National Central Bureau of Statistics investigates annually the living conditions of the Swedish population by means of interviews by trained persons. The data were analysed by means of stepwise logistic regression and calculation of adjusted relative risks. SUBJECTS: In the investigation in 1988/89, 12,901 people above 16 years of age participated and the response rate was 80%. RESULTS: In comparison between the investigations, the prevalence of reported impairment was lower in 1988/89 than in 1975 and 1980/81. Prevalence of reported impairment of chewing ability increased with ageing from 2% in young adults (16-34 years old) to 44% in older elderly (> 85 years old). In most age groups, edentulous people reported the highest prevalence, and dentate people the lowest. Relative risks for impaired masticatory ability, independent of age, gender and dental state, were higher for people in rural areas, with low income and living single, as well as for those with skeletal, gastrointestinal, psychiatric and tumour diseases. In the elderly, results from the logistic regression showed that some disability and psychosocial factors were also associated with masticatory ability. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that there was a group of elderly people who reported several functional and health problems including impaired masticatory ability.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Older immigrants' health compared with that of native Swedes. Greatest differences are subjective in nature].

Within the framework of the gerontological and geriatric population studies in Gothenburg, Sweden, the health of immigrants of non-Nordic origin was compared with that of native Swedes in a cohort of 70-year-olds born in 1922. Of the sample examined, 11.4 per cent were of non-Nordic origin, among whom the non-response rate was relatively high (48%). Although there were few differences in "objective" health criteria between the Swedish and immigrant subgroups, there were manifest differences in "subjective" criteria and quality of life. In view of the increasing proportion of elderly immigrants in the Swedish community, these findings need to be borne in mind.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Dental state and functional capacity in 75-year-olds in three Nordic localities.

The aims of the study were to compare dental state in three Nordic 75-year-old populations and to evaluate dental state as a marker of functional ageing. The study is part of a Nordic comparative study of 75-year-olds in Glostrup, Göteborg and Jyväskylä. In the dental studies, 411 subjects in Denmark, 308 in Sweden and 310 in Finland participated. Odontological history was obtained from interviews. Other methods, which are described elsewhere, were used to measure various functional parameters. In Göteborg, 23% of the 75-year-olds reported they were edentulous and 27% that they had more than 20 of their own teeth. The corresponding figures in Glostrup were 45% and 15% and in Jyväskylä 58% and 9%, respectively. In all three localities, economic factors and lifestyle factors, such as tobacco smoking, low physical activity and low social activity, were significant predictors for impaired dental health. The number of teeth was significantly associated with, for example, spirometry parameters, reaction time, body extention and body flexion in males. In females, significant associations were obtained with spirometry parameters, reaction time, handgrip, body extension and body flexion. Internordic differences regarding dental state were obvious. Dental state was associated with functional capacities. We suggest that dental state is a marker of functional capacity in elderly populations.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Oral complaints and utilization of dental services in relation to general health factors in a 88-year-old Swedish population.

The aim of this study was to describe dental state, oral health problems, self-assessed ability to perform oral hygiene and utilization of oral health services in a sample of 88-year-old people (n = 374) and to relate these variables to functional ability, subjective health and drug consumption. The intention was also to identify barriers to utilization of dental care in non-institutionalized elderly people. The results of interviews showed that 46% of the subjects were dentate. Oral complaints were reported by 24% of the home living individuals. Poor health, medication and feelings of loneliness were factors associated with oral discomfort. Difficulties in performing oral hygiene activities were reported by 10% of the subjects and were correlated with functional impairments and feelings of loneliness. Utilization of dental services was correlated with dental state; 72% of the dentate and 8% of the edentulous subjects made regular dental visits. The main reason for not visiting a dentist was "no perceived need". Independent of dental state, some factors were significantly correlated to low demand for dental services; these included feelings of loneliness, functional impairments and low school education.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1994

Motor function in 90-year olds measured by optoelectronic kinesiology and activities of daily living.

Computer-assisted optoelectronic movement analysis using a Posturo-Locomotor-Manual (PLM) test, and assessment with an ADL (Activities of Daily Living) scale were performed in 36 (18 women and 18 men) 90-year-old subjects as part of a larger study. In the PLM test, the subjects were asked to pick up an object placed on the floor, and carry it to a shelf at the height of their chin and at a distance of 150 cm from the starting position. In the ADL assessment, the subjects were classified as ADL-dependent or independent in each of 4 instrumental (cleaning, shopping, transport and cooking) and 5 personal activities (bathing, dressing, going to the toilet, transfer and feeding). ADL independence was defined as being able to perform ADL activities without assistance from another person. In this study, ADL-dependent subjects performed the PLM test considerably more slowly than the ADL-independent group. A correlation was found in females between poorer ADL performance and slower and less co-ordinated PLM test results. Particularly, the Postural and Locomotor phases representing lower limb mobility correlated to the ADL steps. In males, no such correlation was found, indicating that factors other than mobility were important for ADL performance in this group, e.g., cooking skills. The relationships between the PLM test and the ADL assessment estimating practical motor function could be an indication that the PLM test is not only a strict laboratory method, but also measures components of everyday motor activities. Combined use of optoelectronic measurements and ADL scales will improve measurements of motor performance in elderly persons.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1994

Intake of energy, nutrients and food items in a ten-year cohort comparison and in a six-year longitudinal perspective: a population study of 70- and 76-year-old Swedish people.

The aim of the investigation was to study cohort differences at age 70 in probands born in 1901/02 and 1911/12 and to study longitudinal changes of dietary habits and intake of energy and nutrients between ages 70 and 76. The study is part of the gerontological and geriatric population studies in Gothenburg, Sweden. The intake of both energy and nutrients was higher in the later cohort. One explanation for this lay in the choice of food items in that cohort. Intake of energy and almost all nutrients decreased in both men and women between ages 70 and 76. Energy intake reduced by 23% in men and 20% in women. The proportion of probands with nutrient intakes below RDA increased significantly at age 76. The study revealed both cohort and longitudinal age changes in dietary habits. There is no reason to believe that elderly people are more conservative regarding their food choices than the rest of the population--at least not at the relatively young ages studied.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Intraocular pressure in samples of elderly Finnish and Swedish men and women.

Intraocular pressure was measured in 231 systematically sampled 75-year-old men and women in Göteborg, Sweden and in 284 75-year-old and 201 80-year-old residents in Jyväskylä, Finland as part of a comparative study on functional capacity and health, NORA 75 (Nordic Research on Ageing). After excluding the cases reporting glaucoma in their medical history or using drugs for glaucoma treatment there were no significant differences in the distributions of intraocular pressure between the men (mean intraocular pressure in the right eye 15.1 mmHg, left eye 15.0 mmHg) and women (mean intraocular pressure in the right eye 15.5 mmHg, left eye 15.8 mmHg) in Göteborg. In Jyväskylä the 75-year-old men had significantly lower intraocular pressure (right eye 13.4 mmHg, left eye 14.2 mmHg) than either the Jyväskylä women (right eye 15.1 mmHg, left eye 15.4 mmHg) or the men and women in Göteborg. Among the 80-year-olds in Jyväskylä there were no significant differences between the sexes (means for the right eye 14.0 mmHg and 13.7 mmHg and for the left eye 13.9 mmHg and 13.7 mmHg for the men and the women, respectively). The 80-year-old women had lower intraocular pressure than the 75-year-old women of either location. Ouclar hypertension (intraocular pressure 22 mmHg or higher) was more common among the Swedish 75-year-olds than among either the Finnish 75- or 80-year-olds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1994

The Johanneberg study--a sociomedical survey in an urban elderly population. I. General presentation of the study including an analysis of non-response and identification of risk groups.

This study is the Swedish part of a world-wide transcultural and interdisciplinary study in elderly populations which addresses food habits, health and life-style. The aim of this paper is to present the general design including an analysis of non-response, and to identify risk-groups for intervention programmes. The study comprised 217 noninstitutionalized males (n = 73) and females (n = 144), aged 70 and over (mean age 78 years) in a small urban area. Home visits and clinical examinations with standard methods were used. The participation rate was 76%. Significant differences between non-respondents and respondents could be seen, which may be important when planning health promotion. On the basis of experiences during the examinations, a risk-group was identified for prospective and intervention study purposes, based on a multiple variable model and a clinical model.

Activities of Daily Living↗