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Biomedical subjects

C Jensen

Publications and source records attributed to C Jensen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Discontinuation of proton pump inhibitors in patients on long-term therapy: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The proportion of proton pump inhibitor users on long-term therapy who can discontinue proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication without developing symptoms is unknown. AIM: To determine the proportion of patients on long-term PPI therapy who are able to discontinue PPIs without developing symptoms. METHODS: Patients on long-term PPIs, without a history of peptic ulcer or esophagitis underwent upper endoscopy. Patients were randomized double-blindly to taper down or continue a constant dosage of omeprazole for three weeks. Thereafter, all patients discontinued PPIs. RESULTS: Of the 97 patients enrolled, had used PPIs for 48 months, 78% had GERD. A total of 27% did not use PPIs during the year after discontinuation, 31% of the patients randomized to tapering discontinued PPIs and 22% of those who did not could discontinue therapy (NS). Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients were more prone to continue PPIs than non-GERD patients. Only 16 (21%) of GERD patients were off PPIs vs. 48% of patients without GERD (p < 0.05). Serum gastrin was higher at baseline in GERD patients who resumed PPIs versus non-resumers (p < 0.05). GERD and serum gastrin were independent predictors of PPI requirement. CONCLUSIONS: Discontinuation of PPI was successful in 27% of long-term PPI users. GERD patients had more difficulty discontinuing PPIs than non-GERD patients.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

First general outbreak of Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 in Denmark.

This report describes the first general outbreak of verocytotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC) in Denmark. Twenty five patients, 18 children and seven adults, with culture-confirmed VTEC O157:H- infection and indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis DNA profiles, were identified during a six month period from September 2003 to March 2004. The outbreak strain possessed the virulence genes: eae, vtx1 and vtx2c. All patients but one presented with diarrhoea; none developed haemolytic uraemic syndrome. The outbreak was restricted to Copenhagen and surrounding areas. A case-control study including 11 cases and 55 matched controls revealed an association between VTEC O157:H- infection and shopping in a specific supermarket chain in Copenhagen and surrounding area, matched odds ratio (OR): 8.7 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-71). After exclusion of three assumed secondary cases, only consumption of a particular kind of organic milk from a small dairy was associated with disease OR: 8.7 (95% CI 1.6-48). Environmental and microbiological investigations at the suspected dairy did not confirm the presence of the outbreak strain, but the outbreak stopped once the dairy was closed and thoroughly cleaned.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Invasive listeriosis in Denmark 1994-2003: a review of 299 cases with special emphasis on risk factors for mortality.

Listeriosis is a rare, but serious, foodborne infection which, in the invasive form, presents as bloodstream (BS) infection, an infection of the central nervous system (CNS), a maternofetal infection or a focal infection. The disease is notifiable in Denmark. This paper reviews the results of the Danish surveillance of invasive listeriosis from 1994 to 2003, excluding maternofetal cases. In total, 299 invasive cases of listeriosis were reported. Two-thirds of the cases were caused by isolates of serogroup 1/2, and one-third by serogroup 4. Most (70%) cases had conditions known to predispose to listeriosis. More patients with BS infection were predisposed because of concurrent underlying illness than were patients with CNS infection. Half of the patients were aged > 70 years, and 21% died of the disease. There was no change in the case fatality rate (CFR) during the 10-year period. The CFR was identical for men and women. BS and CNS infection caused the same incidence of mortality, but no mortality was observed in patients with focal infections at normally sterile body sites. In a multivariate analysis, isolates belonging to serogroup 4 were associated with a higher CFR than were isolates of serogroup 1/2. In patients aged < 70 years, underlying conditions predisposing to disease were related strongly to mortality, which was not the case in patients aged > 70 years. The underlying conditions associated most strongly with mortality in the younger age group were non-haematological malignancies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Evidence of transmission of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O111 from a cattle stable to a child.

Infections with verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) other than O157 have been assumed to have the same epidemiology as those with VTEC O157, but the source of infection is rarely defined for sporadic cases. This report describes a child with VTEC O111:H- infection who was probably infected by playing in a cattle stable and/or by drinking raw milk from the cows in this stable. E. coli O111 isolates colonising the cattle were indistinguishable from the patient isolate by the use of serotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and virulence profiling.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Self-reported workplace related ergonomic conditions as prognostic factors for musculoskeletal symptoms: the "BIT" follow up study on office workers.

AIMS: To identify prognostic ergonomic and work technique factors for musculoskeletal symptoms among office workers and in a subgroup with highly monotonous repetitive computer work. METHODS: A baseline questionnaire was delivered to 5033 office workers in 11 Danish companies in the first months of 1999, and a follow up questionnaire was mailed in the last months of 2000 to 3361 respondents. A subgroup with highly monotonous repetitive computer work was formed including those that were repeating the same movements and/or tasks for at least 75% of the work time. The questionnaire contained questions on ergonomic factors and factors related to work technique. The outcome variables were based on the frequency of musculoskeletal symptoms during the last 12 months. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify prognostic factors for symptoms in the three body regions. RESULTS: In total, 39%, 47%, and 51% of the symptomatic subjects had a reduced frequency of symptom days in the neck/shoulder, low back, or elbow/hand region, respectively. In all regions more men than women had reduced symptoms. In the multivariate logistic regression analyses, working no more than 75% of the work time with the computer was a prognostic factor for musculoskeletal symptoms in the neck/shoulder and elbow/hand, and a high influence on the speed of work was a prognostic factor for symptoms in the low back. In the subgroup with highly monotonous repetitive computer work, the odds ratios of the prognostic factors were similar to those for the whole group of office workers. CONCLUSION: When organising computer work it is important to allow for physical variation with other work tasks, thereby avoiding working with the computer during all the work time, and further to consider the worker's own influence on the speed of work.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Muscle activity and cardiovascular response during computer-mouse work with and without memory demands.

Computer-mouse work is characterized by repetitive movements combined with mental demands. The present purpose was to study how the body responded to simulated Computer Aided Design (CAD) work without memory demand and when a high short-term memory demand was introduced. Nine female subjects repetitively performed a task which involved 15 s of elevation of the right index and middle fingers followed by 6 s of rest. Every second time the fingers rested, the left index finger was required to type a six-figure number, either '123456' (without memory demand) or a random number shown half a minute before (with memory demand). After 7 min of performing the task without memory demand, the memory demand was introduced and continued for 1 h. Introduction of memory demand resulted in increased heart rate (77-->84 beats/min), blood pressure (systolic 129-->140 mmHg; diastolic 72-->79 mmHg) and forearm extensor muscle activity (wrist, 2.7-->4.5% EMGmax; finger, 5.6-->7.5% EMGmax) and finger flexor muscle activity (0.7-->1.2% EMGmax) indicating increased co-contraction. Hereafter, muscle activity and cardiovascular response tended to decrease. Self-reported stress and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) for the right shoulder increased throughout the period. Two additional sub-studies were inlcuded, which focused on adaptation to the physical load, showing a decrease in muscle activity and arousal, and reintroduction of the memory load, showing a lower response as compared to the initial response. The practical consequences of the findings suggest that job content should have variable mental demands.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Comparative genomic hybridization detects multiple chromosomal amplifications and deletions in undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver.

Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma (UES) is the third most common hepatic malignancy in children. Previous reports have described a broad range of complex cytogenetic abnormalities in individual cases of hepatic UES. Herein we report the cytogenetic findings of six cases of hepatic UES at our institution analyzed by conventional cytogenetic methods and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). The CGH demonstrated several chromosomal gains and deletions in each case, but there was no specific abnormality seen in every case. Patterns of chromosomal changes included gains of chromosome 1q (four cases), 5p (four cases), 6q (four cases), 8p (three cases), and 12q (three cases), and losses of chromosome 9p (two cases), 11p (two cases), and chromosome 14 (three cases). The three cases in which CGH showed gains in the 12q region were studied specifically for amplifications of MDM2 and CDK4, two genes that have been shown to be amplified in other soft tissue sarcomas. However, Southern analysis showed no amplification of MDM2 or CDK4 in these three cases. Further analysis will be needed to determine the critical events in the pathogenesis of these malignant pediatric liver tumors.

Blotting, Southern↗
PubMed2001

[Late, life-threatening bleeding after hemorrhoidectomy].

Two patients with severe late rectal bleeding after haemorrhoidectomy are described. Both were suffering from alcohol-induced cirrhosis. The first patient died, because of a late diagnosis and treatment in combination with coagulation disturbances. We call attention to the difference between haemorrhoids and anorectal varices and also to the importance of keeping in mind the possibility of massive bleeding several days after haemorrhoidectomy.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed2001

Health risk factors and occupation among Iowa workers.

BACKGROUND: Health behaviors represent major risks for premature morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to establish whether health risks varied substantially across occupational groups. METHODS: We focused on the 2223 Iowa Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) subjects who reported, in 1999, that they were currently working. RESULTS: Even after controlling for age and gender, we found significant associations between occupation and health risk factors. We found these associations among the different categories of health risk factors, including insurance/access, health conditions, preventive behaviors, and screening behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: The considerable differences in the prevalence of risk factors for chronic disease and injury across occupational groups in Iowa underscore the need for nationwide ongoing collection of occupational status in the BRFSS. These national data on the distribution of risk factors across occupations will support development of more targeted prevention interventions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Normal pressure hydrocephalus: vascular white matter changes on MR images must not exclude patients from shunt surgery.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: White matter changes such as periventricular hyperintensity (PVH) and deep white matter hyperintensity (DWMH) are associated with both periventricular edema and ischemic white matter degeneration. Their diagnostic and predictive value in normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is unclear. To identify prognostically important changes, we classified PVH and DWMH at MR imaging in a large series of patients with NPH, before and after ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery. METHODS: Axial proton density- and T2-weighted turbo spin-echo sequences and coronal T1-weighted sequences were performed on a 0.5-T imager in 34 patients with NPH, before and 3 months after shunt surgery. PVH at the anterior, central, and posterior thirds of the lateral ventricles was assessed on transaxial images with a semiquantitative five-step scale describing the extension (in mm) and shape of the PVH. DWMH was quantified with a four-step scale. The number of cortical and subcortical lacunar infarctions, the flow void sign, and the width of the third and lateral ventricles were registered. Gait ability, need for sleep, urinary incontinence, living conditions, and psychometric test performance were assessed pre- and postoperatively. RESULTS: After shunt surgery, 25 patients improved and nine did not. PVH, DWMH, and other MR imaging variables before shunting did not differ between groups, and no MR imaging variable could predict the clinical effect of shunt surgery. Postoperatively, the width of PVH was reduced in the improved patients, and clinical improvement correlated with reduction in PVH. Only the irregular type of PVH located at the frontal horns was reduced postoperatively. The presence of risk factors or MR imaging changes normally associated with cerebrovascular disease had no negative influence on the outcome of shunt surgery. CONCLUSION: The presence of DWMH or subcortical lacunar infarctions in NPH did not predict a poor outcome from shunt surgery and should not be used as exclusion criteria for shunting. No MR imaging findings could predict outcome of shunt surgery in patients with NPH. Clinical improvement after surgery is associated with reduction in the irregular type of PVH located around the frontal horns.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Case study: childhood-onset tardive dyskinesia versus choreoacanthocytosis.

A male adolescent presented with aggression, depressed mood, and severe movement disorder that developed at age 5 after exposure to neuroleptics. Evaluation revealed acanthocytes in his blood, which led to a differential diagnosis of tardive dyskinesia versus choreoacanthocytosis. However, this is unusually young age of onset for these conditions. Differential diagnosis, medication management of the movement disorder, and pathophysiological mechanisms in tardive dyskinesia and choreoacanthocytosis are discussed.

Acanthocytes↗
PubMed2000

Long-term renoprotective effect of nisoldipine and lisinopril in type 1 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the long-term effect on kidney function of a long-acting calcium antagonist (nisoldipine) versus a long-acting ACE inhibitor (lisinopril) in hypertensive type 1 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed a 4-year prospective, randomized, double-dummy controlled study comparing nisoldipine (20-40 mg once a day) with lisinopril (10-20 mg once a day). The study was double-blinded for the first year and single-blinded thereafter. The study included 51 hypertensive type 1 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy. Three patients dropped out during the first month; results for the remaining 48 patients are presented. RESULTS: At baseline, the two groups were comparable: glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was 85 +/- 5 and 85 +/- 6 ml x min(-1) x [1.73 m](-2); mean 24-h ambulatory blood pressure was 108 +/- 3 and 105 +/- 2 mmHg, and albuminuria was 1,554 mg/24 h (95% CI 980-2,465) and 1,033 mg/24 h (760-1,406) in the lisinopril and nisoldipine groups, respectively. Mean 24-h arterial blood pressure during the study did not differ between the lisinopril and nisoldipine groups (100 +/- 2 and 103 +/- 1 mmHg, respectively). The time-course of albuminuria differed between groups (P < 0.001). Whereas initiation of treatment with lisinopril resulted in a reduction from baseline albuminuria by 52% (95% CI 14-73), albuminuria in the nisoldipine group did not change throughout the study GFR declined in a biphasic manner with an initial (0-6 months) reduction of 1.3 +/- 0.3 ml x min(-1) x month(-1) in the lisinopril group compared with 0.2 +/- 0.4 ml x min(-1) x month(-1) in the nisoldipine group (P < 0.01). The subsequent sustained decline (6 to 48 months or the end of treatment) was identical in the two groups: 0.5 +/- 0.1 ml min(-1) x month(-1) (NS). Two patients in the lisinopril group and three patients in the nisoldipine group entered therapy for end-stage renal failure. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term treatment with lisinopril or nisoldipine has similar beneficial effects on progression of diabetic nephropathy in hypertensive type 1 diabetic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Cerebrospinal fluid markers for Alzheimer's disease evaluated after acute ischemic stroke.

Potential cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) include tau protein, the 42 amino-acid form of amyloid beta (amyloid beta(1-42)) and apolipoprotein E (apoE). To study new aspects of these protein markers, we examined consecutive CSF samples from 26 patients with acute ischemic stroke. CSF samples were taken on day 0-1, day 2-3, day 7-9, 3 weeks and 3-5 months after the stroke. CSF-tau showed a marked increase day 2-3, which peaked after 1 week and returned to normal after 3-5 months. CSF-tau also showed correlation (r=0.95; p<0.01) with the size of the infarct. In contrast, CSF-amyloid beta(1-42) and CSF-apoE showed no significant changes during the period. The marked increase in CSF-tau levels after acute ischemic stroke indicate that CSF-tau reflect the degree of neuronal damage. The reason for unchanged levels of CSF-amyloid beta(1-42) and CSF-apoE after ischemic stroke remains unclear.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Acute response to precision, time pressure and mental demand during simulated computer work.

OBJECTIVES: The electromyographic (EMG) activity of shoulder and forearm muscles was recorded during a standardized computer task with different combinations of time pressure, precision demands, and mental demands to study the interaction of these factors and their effect on muscular response during simulated computer work. METHODS: The computer task lasted 5 minutes, and it was performed by 14 female computer-aided design (CAD) operators during 8 exposure combinations that differed with respect to time pressure, precision demand, and mental demand. Performance (number of produced drawings, mouse clicks, and errors) were recorded. The EMG activity was recorded from the trapezius, infraspinatus, deltoid, and extensor digitorum muscles. An electrogoniometer was used to measure wrist postures and movements. RESULTS: High time pressure (combined with low precision and low mental demands) resulted in higher EMG activity for all the muscles and in a small increase in the number of produced drawings. High precision demands caused a large reduction in the number of produced drawings, but not always a change in EMG activity. High precision demands and high mental demands led to no change or a reduction in muscle activity because the number of drawings was greatly reduced. CONCLUSIONS: The interaction between work pace and other exposure factors must be taken into account when the effects of changes in exposure demands on muscular response are predicted. Only then can it be predicted whether changing demands will constitute a risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Cholesterol-lowering potential in human subjects of fat from pigs fed rapeseed oil.

The possibility of achieving blood-lipid-lowering characteristics of pig fat by increasing the content of unsaturated fat in pig feed was evaluated. Three pig feeding regimens were applied: basal feed (no added fat or vitamin E), basal feed + rapeseed oil (60 g/kg feed), and basal feed + rapeseed oil (60 g/kg) + vitamin E (200 mg/kg). Meat and meat products from the three pig groups were incorporated into diets providing 86 g pig fat/10 MJ. The diets were served to twelve healthy human male subjects for 3 weeks each in a randomised crossover design. The diets prepared from pigs fed rapeseed oil had a lower content of saturated fatty acids (approximately 9 v. 11% of energy) and a higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (approximately 6 v. 4% of energy) than the diet prepared from pigs fed the basal feed. Diets based on fat from pigs fed the rapeseed oil resulted in significantly lower (approximately 4%, P = 0.019) total serum cholesterol concentration compared with the diet from pigs fed the basal feed. No differences were observed in LDL-, HDL- or VLDL-cholesterol, or in triacylglycerol or VLDL-triacylglycerol concentrations. Addition of vitamin E to the pig feed resulted in only a minor increase in vitamin E content in the human subjects' diet and the vitamin E content was low in all three pig diets. Plasma vitamin E concentration in the human subjects at the end of the period with diets from pigs fed rapeseed oil without vitamin E was significantly lower (P = 0.04) than in the other two diet periods. In conclusion, an increased content of rapeseed oil in pig feed changes the fatty acid composition of the pig fat in a way that has a potential to reduce blood cholesterol concentrations in human subjects. However, intake of pig fat with a higher content of unsaturated fatty acids needs to be matched by a higher dietary intake of vitamin E.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Effects of Alzheimer's disease and gender on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to lumbar puncture stress.

Differences in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responsiveness to lumbar puncture (LP) stress were studied in normal elderly subjects and Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients of both genders. Elderly normal subjects had larger peak cortisol and ACTH responses than AD patients. These results contrast with some previous reports of increased HPA-axis responsivity associated with AD and suggest that AD-related changes in HPA responsiveness depend on the type of stressor involved and are mediated 'upstream' to the final common pathway to ACTH secretion. HPA-axis responsiveness also differed by gender, with higher peaks and prolonged elevations in elderly female subjects than in elderly males.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1999

Upper trapezius muscle activity patterns during repetitive manual material handling and work with with a computer mouse.

Firstly, upper trapezius EMG activity patterns were recorded on the dominant side of 6 industrial production workers and on the side operating a computer mouse of 14 computer-aided design (CAD) operators to study differences in acute muscular response related to the repetitiveness of the exposure. The work tasks were performed with median arm movement frequencies ranging from 5 min(-1) to 13 min(-1) and were characterized by work cycle times ranging from less than 30 sec to several days. However, the static and median EMG levels and EMG gap frequencies were similar for all work tasks indicating that shoulder muscle loads may be unaffected by large variations in arm movement frequencies and work cycle times. An exposure variation analyses (EVA) showed that the EMG activity patterns recorded during production work were more repetitive than during CAD work, whereas CAD work was associated with more static muscle activity patterns, both may be associated with a risk of developing musculoskeletal symptoms. Secondly, upper trapezius EMG activity patterns recorded on the mouse side of the CAD operators were compared with those recorded on the non-mouse side to study differences in muscular responses potentially related to the risk of developing shoulder symptoms which were more prevalent on the mouse side. The number of EMG gaps on the mouse side were significantly lower than the values for the upper trapezius on the non-mouse side indicating that more continuous activity was present in the upper trapezius muscle on the mouse side and EVA analyses showed a more repetitive muscle activity pattern on the mouse side. These findings may be of importance to explain differences in the prevalence of shoulder symptoms.

Adult↗