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Biomedical subjects

G Albrektsen

Publications and source records attributed to G Albrektsen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Tumour size measured by transrectal ultrasonography in the staging of prostate cancer before radical prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) in predicting the local extent of prostate cancer before radical prostatectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From April 1990 to April 1993, 59 consecutive patients (mean age 63 years, range 49-71) with clinically localized prostate cancer were examined using TRUS before radical prostatectomy. Primary tumours were clinically categorized according to the TNM classification and biopsies graded histologically. Tumour size was measured as length on a longitudinal and height and width on a transverse ultrasonogram. The results from TRUS were compared with those from the histopathological examination of whole-mount step sections of the surgical specimens. RESULTS: In 50 patients, TRUS using standard criteria achieved sensitivity, specificity, positive- and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) of 0.47, 0.63, 0.73 and 0.36, respectively, in predicting pathological stage. Dimensions were obtained from 45 patients with hypoechoic tumours; in a multivariate linear discriminant analysis the TRUS estimate of width was the best predictor of pathological stage. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for tumour width from TRUS, using a threshold of 19 mm, were 0.42, 0.93, 0.93 and 0.43, respectively. CONCLUSION: Tumour width measured by TRUS may improve the assessment of the local extent of prostate cancer.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Reproductive factors and incidence of epithelial ovarian cancer: a Norwegian prospective study.

To examine relations between the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer and time-related effects of pregnancies, we analyzed data from a prospective study of 1,145,076 women in Norway aged 20 to 56 years. The mean follow-up time per woman was 16.4 years and a total of 1,694 women were diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were estimated by Poisson regression analysis of person-years at risk. The risk of epithelial ovarian cancer decreased with an increasing number of full-term pregnancies (IRR = 0.56, 95 percent confidence interval = 0.48-0.67 for three pregnancies cf one). However, no further reduction in risk was seen after the third pregnancy. The association with parity became weaker with increasing age at last birth. Further, the reduction in risk among parous women compared with nulliparous women was more pronounced shortly after birth. Both higher age at last birth and shorter time since last birth were associated with a reduction in risk, although these relations were seen mainly for the first and second births. Increasing age at first birth was associated with a decrease in risk among uniparous women but not among multiparous women. Our results indicate that the relations between the incidence of epithelial ovarian cancer and reproductive factors are more complex than previously believed.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Is the risk of cancer of the corpus uteri reduced by a recent pregnancy? A prospective study of 765,756 Norwegian women.

We have examined the relations between the incidence of cancer of the corpus uteri and pregnancies in a cohort of 765,756 Norwegian women, contributing a total of 9,307,118 person-years in the age interval 30-56 years. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated by Poisson regression analyses of person-years at risk. Separate analyses were carried out for the 2 main histological subtypes, endometrial carcinomas (554 cases) and sarcomas (112 cases). We observed a decrease in risk of endometrial carcinoma with an increasing number of full-term pregnancies (p < 0.001). The reduction in risk associated with the first pregnancy was more pronounced than that observed for any subsequent pregnancy. The risk of endometrial carcinoma increased with increasing time since last birth (IRR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.08-1.34 per 5-year time interval). The reduction in risk among parous women compared to nulliparous women diminished with increasing time since last birth. For endometrial carcinoma, the decrease in risk with increasing age at first and last birth disappeared after adjustment for time since last birth. For sarcomas, however, the relation with age at births remained in analyses adjusted for time since birth, and time since birth seemed to be of minor importance as an independent risk factor. Our results support the hypothesis that the reduction in risk of endometrial carcinoma associated with a pregnancy is related to a mechanical shed of malignant or pre-malignant cells at each delivery.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Multiple births, sex of children and subsequent breast-cancer risk for the mothers: a prospective study in Norway.

Endocrinological changes occurring during pregnancy may influence the subsequent cancer risk of the mother. Further, the endocrinological milieu may differ according to different birth characteristics. In the present study possible relations between multiple births, sex of children and breast-cancer risk were examined in a population-based, prospective study of 802,269 parous Norwegian women aged 20-56 years. A total of 4,782 women were diagnosed with breast cancer during follow-up. Of these, 97 had ever experienced a multiple birth. We found a slightly lower risk of breast cancer among women ever having had a multiple birth than among women with singletons only (IRR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.73-1.09). The reduction in risk was mainly observed among women with a multiple last birth. Further, the reduction in risk seemed to diminish with increasing parity, and among women with 4 or more full-term pregnancies, ever having had a multiple birth was associated with an elevated risk (IRR = 1.48, 95% CI = 0.97-2.25). The sex of the first or last child did not affect the subsequent breast-cancer risk. Further, we found no associations with the sex distribution among all children or in multiple births, despite a tendency toward a reduced risk among women with several daughters only.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

The short-term and long-term effect of a pregnancy on breast cancer risk: a prospective study of 802,457 parous Norwegian women.

Time-related effects of a pregnancy on breast cancer risk were examined in a population-based prospective study of 802,457 parous Norwegian women aged 20-56 years. The mean follow-up time was 16.4 years. A total of 4787 women were diagnosed with breast cancer. We observed a short-term increase in risk of breast cancer after a full-term pregnancy, with a maximum 3-4 years after delivery, followed by a long-lasting decrease in risk. The maximum risk was about twice the risk for women whose last delivery was 20 or more years previously (incidence rate ratio = 1.99, 95% confidence interval = 1.70-2.33). Compared with nulliparous women, those with one or two children were at higher risk in the first decade after the last pregnancy, whereas those with three or more children were at lower risk in most categories of time since the last birth. The positive association between breast cancer risk and age at last birth was markedly reduced after adjustment for time since last birth. We conclude that there is a non-linear relationship between breast cancer incidence and time since last birth. Part of the relation with age at last birth may be attributed to the association with time since last birth.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Prognostic factors for survival in multiple sclerosis: a longitudinal, population based study in Møre and Romsdal, Norway.

A longitudinal, population based study of life expectancy in multiple sclerosis was performed in the county of Møre and Romsdal, Norway during the period 1950-84. A total of 251 patients with multiple sclerosis (110 men, 141 women, mean age at onset of disease 33.6 years) were included. The mean follow up time was 18.1 years. At the end of the study period 70 patients had died. Fifty four (77.1%) of these had multiple sclerosis as the underlying or contributing cause of death on the death certificates. Young age at onset, initial remitting clinical course, and the presence of sensory symptoms at onset were significantly associated with longer survival.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Breast cancer incidence before age 55 in relation to parity and age at first and last births: a prospective study of one million Norwegian women.

We examined the relation between breast cancer, parity, and age at first and last births in a large national cohort of young women in Norway. We estimated relative incidence rates by Poisson regression analyses of person-years at risk with parity and age at last (most recent) birth as time-dependent variables. A total of 1,071,795 women were included in follow-up, contributing a total of 16,643,883 person-years in the age range 20-54 years. Follow-up times ranged from 1 month to 34.5 years. A total of 4,302 women were diagnosed with breast cancer during follow-up. With adjustment for age at first and last births, high parity was associated with an overall reduced risk of breast cancer (incidence rate ratio = 0.46; 95% confidence interval = 0.36-0.59 for women with five or more children vs uniparous women). Among women age 20-29 years, however, the results suggested an increase in risk with increasing parity (incidence rate ratio = 1.25; 95% confidence interval = 0.64-2.45 for women with three children vs uniparous women). The protective effect of high parity was particularly strong among women with first birth before the age of 20 years and rather weak among those with first birth at age 30 years or more. Low ages at first and last births were both associated with reduced breast cancer risk in analyses with adjustment for the other factor, with the association with age at last birth being slightly stronger.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Isoprinosine stimulates granulocyte chemiluminescence and inhibits monocyte chemiluminescence in vitro.

Isoprinosine may delay disease progression in human immunodeficiency virus infection, presumably through modulation of lymphocyte function. However, the influence of isoprinosine on phagocyte function is largely unknown. This study describes the effects of isoprinosine and azidothymidine on phagocyte chemiluminescence and migration. Incubation with isoprinosine concentrations of 250 micrograms/ml and above increased the chemiluminescence of granulocytes. Random migration of granulocytes was decreased at isoprinosine concentrations of 50 micrograms/ml and higher, but chemotaxis was not affected. Azidothymidine exerted no effect on the chemiluminescence or migration of granulocytes. For monocytes, luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence was reduced at isoprinosine concentrations of 250 micrograms/ml and above, whereas migration was not affected. These findings suggest that the immunomodulatory properties of isoprinosine may extend to phagocytic cells. This may be of significance in the treatment of immunodeficiency states.

Cell Movement↗
PubMed1993

Cutaneous malignant melanoma: association with height, weight and body-surface area. a prospective study in Norway.

To investigate whether anthropometric indices as body height, body-mass index (BMI) and body-surface area (BSA) have any influence on the risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM), we analyzed height and weight data from a Norwegian screening survey running between 1963 and 1975 and comprising 1.3 million individuals followed for 14 to 26 years. Among females, CMM was diagnosed in 2814 incident cases, while the number among males was 2144 during 22,988,345 person-years of follow-up. With adjustment for age, birth cohort, geographic region and BMI, the risk for CMM increased significantly with increasing quintiles of height in both sexes. The tallest persons were at greater relative risk than the shortest ones: 1.60 and 1.59 in males and females respectively. This positive association was also found for CMM localized on face and trunk in both sexes, and in the lower limbs only in females. Males in the highest quintile of BMI had a relative risk for CMM of 1.26 compared with the lowest quintile, while a non-significant negative association were found in obese females. This negative association increased and was significant for CMM located on the trunk and lower limbs in females. Among males we observed a consistent association between BSA and risk of CMM similar to that for height. These relationships between anthropometric indices and CMM are discussed according to factors which promote growth, among which nutrition, social class and hormones are the most important.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

The effects of participation in a support group on self-assessed quality of life in people with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of participation in a support group on self-assessed quality of life. Based on an initial self-report assessment of quality of life 25 people were allocated to 5 groups comprising 4-6 participants (intervention group) and 36 controls. The support groups met fort-nightly for 6 months and were facilitated by the investigator and a diabetic nurse specialist. Group processes were aimed at alleviating distress and improve satisfaction with life and included installation of hope, imparting information and group cohesiveness. Both the intervention and control group completed the quality of life measure at the end of 6 months. There were no significant differences between the intervention and control group on background characteristics or quality of life pre-test scores. No significant differences were found between the intervention and control group on difference in pre and post-test scores, indicating that support group participation did not effect self-assessed quality of life. This finding may be due to methodological issues i.e. selection, sample size and the instrument used, the implementation of the intervention and/or the concept of quality of life as an outcome variable.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Organic solvents and multiple sclerosis: a case-control study.

A case-control study of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been carried out in western Norway. The study included 93% of the patients who had clinical onset of MS in the county of Hordaland during the years 1976-86 (N = 155) and 200 controls, marginally matched for age, sex and residence. There was no statistically significant difference between MS patients and controls with regard to exposure to organic solvents, exposure to the combination organic solvents and welding or to organic solvents and other chemical compounds.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Infections in childhood and adolescence in multiple sclerosis. A case-control study.

A case-control study on multiple sclerosis was conducted in Western Norway during the years 1986-1988. Included were 155 persons with multiple sclerosis and 200 controls, marginally matched according to age, sex and area of residence. The mean age at measles infection was for the cases 6.6 years and for the controls 5.7 years (p = 0.06). The cases had more frequently experienced bronchitis and/or pneumonia in the age group 11-15 years (OR = 3.20, 95% confidence interval 0.96-10.63). Tonsillectomies were reported more frequently by the cases. The odds ratio was especially high for those treated at age 0-6 years (OR = 3.44, 95% confidence interval 1.63-7.27). The results are consistent with the idea of MS as an age-dependent, host-immune response to infection during childhood or adolescence.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

The stability of quality of life experience in people with type 1 diabetes over a period of a year.

The aim of the present study was to examine the stability of self-reported quality of life experience over a period of 1 year using a standard measure consisting of 29 items measuring satisfaction in the physical, social, psychological and behavioural/activity life domains and 11 well-being scales. One hundred and six people with Type 1 diabetes attending a Norwegian diabetes clinic participated in the study. At first and second assessment, questionnaires were administered and completed at the diabetes clinic. Regression coefficients for the linear relationship between the assessments were relatively high indicating stability in reported quality of life experience over a period of 1 year. Comparisons between subjects experiencing life events relating to personal and/or family problems during the 12-month period and those not showed that, in addition to stability coefficients being relatively high for both groups, the majority of the stability coefficients for the group reporting life events were not significantly different from the stability for the group reporting no life events.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Risk factors for admission to a nursing home. A study of elderly people receiving home nursing.

Risk factors for permanent admission to a nursing home were studied in a prospective study of persons 70 years and over who received home nursing. Demographic data and use of psychotropic drugs were registered, and mental capacity, behaviour, and performance of activities of daily living (ADL-function) estimated. 214 patients received home nursing. 166 patients were available for the follow-up study after 16 months, of whom 31 had been admitted to a nursing home. Senile dementia and stroke were the most frequent diagnoses of admitted patients. Mental impairment, age, and amount of home nursing were associated with permanent admission to a nursing home. The odds for being admitted were 10.2 (C.I. 2.3-44.4) times higher in moderately and severely mentally impaired persons than in not mentally impaired persons. The odds for admittance for those 85 years and over, compared with those younger than 80, were 5.0 higher (C.I. 1.6-15.6); and those receiving home nursing three times weekly or more had 3.8 (C.I. 1.4-9.8) times higher odds than those with less help.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1991

Clustering of residence of multiple sclerosis patients at age 13 to 20 years in Hordaland, Norway.

Geographic and temporal variation and migration studies point to an exogenous agent in the etiology of multiple sclerosis. If infectious etiology is involved, space-time clustering would also be expected. The authors analyzed 381 patients with a clinical onset of multiple sclerosis between 1953 and 1987 in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Patients within the same birth cohort had lived significantly closer to each other than would be expected during ages 13-20 years, with peak clustering at age 18 years (p = 0.002). Clustering was also shown between patients in pairs comprised of one individual with initial remittent disease and the other with chronic progressive course of disease, suggesting a similar etiology for both clinical patterns. Clustering between cases with widely divergent dates of clinical onset provides evidence of marked variation in latency. No similar clustering was observed in age-, sex-, and area-matched hospital controls without multiple sclerosis, and no clustering was found among the cases when using fixed number of years before onset. These results are compatible with a common infectious agent, such as the Epstein-Barr virus, acquired in adolescence in genetically vulnerable persons who are also not protected by an infection acquired before this age of susceptibility. Susceptibility could be related to the route of transmission or to other age-related covariates or it may be hormonally mediated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Radical radiation treatment of invasive and locally advanced bladder carcinoma in elderly patients.

A total of 146 patients with invasive or locally advanced carcinoma of the bladder (T2-T4) underwent radiation treatment. A significantly higher complete response rate was observed with doses equal to or above 55 Gy and with doses corresponding to cumulative radiation effect (CRE) values of 1700 radiation effect units (reu) or more. In multivariate analysis, decreasing time from the first diagnosis of bladder carcinoma to radiation treatment and 1 or more transurethral resections was associated with a significant increase in survival; increases in T category and sedimentation rate were negative prognostic factors. Although both radiation dose and CRE levels had a significant effect on survival in univariate analysis, an increase in CRE levels alone was associated with a significant increase in survival in multivariate analysis. However, the most important predictor of survival was whether the patient showed a complete local response or not. This study emphasises the importance of treating patients with an adequate radiation dose over a short period of time in order to achieve the maximum radiobiological effect and thereby increase the possibility of cure.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Quality of life, perceived difficulties in adherence to a diabetes regimen, and blood glucose control.

The first aim of the present study was to investigate if self-assessed quality of life was associated with perceived difficulties in adherence to a regimen, and the second, if perceived difficulties in adherence were associated with poor blood glucose control. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 247 patients with Type 1 self-administered questionnaire was completed by 247 patients with Type 1 diabetes who consecutively attended a Norwegian diabetes clinic. Results from multiple linear regression analysis indicated that a higher level of quality of life was associated with greater perceived ease of adherence to the regimen. Adherence to control of smoking, increased physical exercise, and control of weight and diet were perceived as most difficult. Analysis of covariance showed that women who perceived difficulties in adherence to self-care behaviour had on average less satisfactory blood glucose control than those reporting less difficulty in adherence.

Adolescent↗