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Biomedical subjects

G Bovim

Publications and source records attributed to G Bovim.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Interleukin-1beta potentiates endothelin ET(B) receptor-mediated contraction in cultured segments of human temporal artery.

Segments of human temporal artery were placed in organ culture for up to 4 days and examined for endothelin ET(B) receptor activity in the presence and absence of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) by in vitro pharmacology and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The contractile effect of prostaglandin F2alpha (used as a reference), was not significantly altered by culture or IL-1beta. However, the selective ET(B) agonist sarafotoxin S6c induced no contraction in fresh arteries, but marked contraction after culture. Both maximal contraction and potency to sarafotoxin S6c were increased in segments incubated with IL-1beta . The contraction was sensitive to BQ 788 (ET(B) antagonist), but not FR 139317 (ET(A) antagonist). Actinomycin D abolished the contraction, whereas only the cytokine-induced increase in contraction was inhibited by cycloheximide. ET(A) and ET(B) receptor mRNAs were detected in all arteries; predominantly for the ET(A) receptor in fresh arteries, and for the ET(B) receptor after culture. However, there was no change in the ET(A)/ET(B) receptor mRNA ratio after treatment with IL-1beta. This suggests de novo synthesis of contractile ET(B) receptors after organ culture and that IL- 1beta may further stimulate translation of the mRNA to active receptors. The results raise the possibility that contractile ET(B) receptors may be implicated in disease states with inflammatory processes.

Cycloheximide↗
PubMed1999

The diversity of seizures related to alcohol use. A study of consecutive patients.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of hazardous alcohol drinking on the occurrence of epileptic seizures, the semiology of such seizures, and the extent of the problem. A consecutive sample of 142 acute seizure patients (78 male and 64 female, mean age 46 (16-79) years) was studied. Control groups were 185 consecutive sciatica patients and 254 healthy individuals. Subjects with a hazardous alcohol drinking level were identified by a score >8 in the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Seizures in AUDIT-positive individuals occurring within 72 h of the last drink were considered to be related to alcohol withdrawal. Generalized or partial onset seizures were classified on the basis of history, electroencephalographic (EEG) and neuroradiological findings. Thirty-five percent of seizure patients were AUDIT-positive, whereas conversely 27% were abstainers. Two-thirds of AUDIT-positive seizure patients met the criteria for withdrawal seizures. Indications of partial onset seizures were found in 25 (51%) of AUDIT-positive patients, all secondarily generalized seizures. Sixty percent of generalized onset seizure patients were AUDIT-positive. In conclusion, seizure patients included significantly more AUDIT-positive subjects, as well as abstainers, than healthy Norwegian controls and consecutive sciatica patients from our hospital. Partial onset seizures are more frequent among hazardous drinkers than hitherto recognized. A generalized onset seizure in adults warrants a high suspicion of alcohol as a provoking factor. Routine screening of acute seizure admissions with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test is recommended.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Pain after whiplash: a prospective controlled inception cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: In Lithuania, there is little awareness of the notion that chronic symptoms may result from rear end collisions via the so-called whiplash injury. After most such collisions no contact with the health service is established. An opportunity therefore exists to study post-traumatic pain without the confounding factors present in western societies. METHODS: In a prospective, controlled inception cohort study, 210 victims of a rear end collision were consecutively identified from the daily records of the Kaunas traffic police. Neck pain and headache were evaluated by mailed questionnaires shortly after the accident, after 2 months, and after 1 year. As controls, 210 sex and age matched subjects were randomly taken from the population register of the same geographical area and evaluated for the same symptoms immediately after their identification and after 1 year. RESULTS: Initial pain was reported by 47% of accident victims; 10% had neck pain alone, 18% had neck pain together with headache, and 19% had headache alone. The median duration of the initial neck pain was 3 days and maximal duration 17 days. The median duration of headache was 4.5 hours and the maximum duration was 20 days. After 1 year, there were no significant differences between the accident victims and the control group concerning frequency and intensity of these symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: In a country were there is no preconceived notion of chronic pain arising from rear end collisions, and thus no fear of long term disability, and usually no involvement of the therapeutic community, insurance companies, or litigation, symptoms after an acute whiplash injury are self limiting, brief, and do not seem to evolve to the so-called late whiplash syndrome.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1998

[Thiamine treatment today].

This article reviews some of the established data on thiamin and the most common symptoms of deficiency. Guidelines for appropriate therapy are offered. Thiamin or vitamin B1 was among the first vitamins to be discovered. Beriberi was the first disease to be associated with thiamin deficiency, and Wernicke's encephalopathy was shown to respond to thiamin treatment a few years later. However, thiamin treatment remains inadequate or delayed. Treatment is efficient in the early stages, but delays often causes permanent damage. It is important that all physicians are aware of what patients are susceptible to develop thiamin deficiency and that they recognize the symptoms as early as possible.

Alcohol Amnestic Disorder↗
PubMed1998

[Myelin diseases affecting both the central and the peripheral nervous system].

Myelin is synthesized by oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system and by Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system. A combined dysmyelinating/demyelinating process in the central nervous system and in the peripheral nervous system occurs only rarely. A brief review of these conditions is given in this article. Occasionally, coexistence of multiple sclerosis and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy is reported. Cases of multiple sclerosis, hypertrophic polyneuropathy, and central nervous system demyelination in Miller-Fisher syndrome and Guillain-Barré syndrome have also been reported. Concurrent dysmyelination in the central nervous system and peripheral nerve demyelination are common in metachromatic leukodystrophy, Krabbe disease and adrenoleukodystrophy. A Norwegian family with adult-onset demyelinating disease affecting both the peripheral and central nervous system has recently been described. The mode of inheritance is probably autosomal dominant, but its exact nature remains unknown.

Central Nervous System Diseases↗
PubMed1998

Extracranial nerves in the posterior part of the head. Anatomic variations and their possible clinical significance.

STUDY DESIGN: An anatomic study of the peripheral nerves innervating the occipital region. OBJECTIVES: To study the topography of the extracranial occipital nerves, to define optimal locations for anesthetic nerve blockades, to provide guidelines to use with the suboccipital surgical approach, and to search for structures with putative pathogenetic implications in cases of unilateral headache. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: There is little consensus in the literature concerning the sensory innervation of the scalp. Previous clinical and morphologic studies have not proven the existence of an entrapment mechanism in cases of unilateral head pain. Specific sites for anesthetic blockades have been defined only partly with reference to topographic landmarks. METHODS: The topography of the greater occipital (n = 20), the minor occipital (n = 19), and the greater auricular nerves (n = 17) was studied by dissection of 10 embalmed cadavers. Measurements of internerve distances and distances to defined landmarks were supplemented by drawings and photographs. RESULTS: A great variability in nerve topography was seen interindividually and intraindividually. The greater occipital nerve ascended between 5 mm and 28 mm from the midline along the intermastoid line. The minor occipital nerve was found between 32 mm and 90 mm from the midline along the same landmark. In most cases, both the greater occipital nerve and the minor occipital nerve pierced the aponeurosis after branching. Thirteen greater occipital nerves and eight minor occipital nerves also were embedded in this tissue. Twelve of the 20 greater occipital nerves formed a rich network around the occipital artery. However, anatomic structures with an imminent risk of causing entrapment were not observed. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that optimal locations for blockade techniques should be reconsidered. The acquired knowledge concerning greater auricular and minor occipital nerves behind the sternocleidomastoid muscle may aid in preventing intraoperative injuries.

Female↗
PubMed1998

[Hereditary autosomal dominant brain infarction].

Some aspects of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) are reviewed. The condition causes stroke and vascular dementia. Pathological examination reveals multiple small, deep infarcts, leukoencephalopathy, and non-atherosclerotic, non-amyloid angiopathy which mainly involve the small cerebral arteries where there are severe alterations in vascular smooth-muscle cells. In hereditary autosomal dominant stroke condition patients with mutations in the human Notch 3 gene on chromosome 19 have been identified. Skin and muscle biopsy may be useful for diagnosing this condition. No causal treatment is available. Hereditary autosomal dominant stroke condition has not been diagnosed in any Norwegian family to date.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Progressive central and peripheral demyelinating disease of adult onset in a Norwegian family.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical features of a Norwegian family with a combined central and peripheral demyelinating disease. DESIGN: Multiple case report. SUBJECTS AND MATERIALS: Three generations of a Norwegian family. Medical records were available for all 9 members of the second generation and 5 affected members in the third generation. RESULTS: At least 5 members had clinical features, neuroimaging findings, and electrophysiologic signs indicating a chronic progressive disorder affecting both the central and peripheral nervous systems. The clinical symptoms developed between the ages of 30 and 70 years in affected family members, who gradually developed sensory loss, muscle deterioration, and distal weakness in all extremities, unsteady gait, and dysarthria. Five of 9 persons in the second generation had strokes and experienced mental deterioration. The initial stroke episodes were recognized between the ages of 54 and 68 years, and death occurred between the ages of 62 and 75 years. In 7 subjects, cerebrospinal fluid protein levels were increased, and in 5 agar gel electrophoresis indicated blood-brain barrier dysfunction. Seven family members had neuroimaging signs of a widespread white matter disorder. In 4 subjects, neurophysiological investigations indicated a polyneuropathy, and in 3 subjects, results from a sural nerve biopsy showed a demyelinating neuropathy. There was no evidence of co-inheritance with genetic markers of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (19p), PMP22 (17q), APP (21q), CMTX1 (Xq), or PLP (Xq). CONCLUSIONS: Progressive central and peripheral demyelinating disease seems to be a distinct type of hereditary adult-onset demyelinating disorder affecting both the peripheral and central nervous systems. Its exact nature remains unknown.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Headache after whiplash: a historical cohort study outside the medico-legal context.

Headache is frequently reported as a chronic complaint after whiplash traumas. Criteria have been presented, but it has not been validated whether any specific headache type emerges after a trauma with whiplash mechanism. In a questionnaire-based historical cohort design, 202 adult Lithuanian individuals were interviewed 1-3 years after experiencing a rear-end car collision. The questionnaire was designed so that a diagnosis of migraine and tension-type headache in accordance with the International Headache Society criteria could be made. "Possible cervicogenic headache" was diagnosed according to Sjaastad et al.'s minimal criteria. The diagnostic panorama in those with traumas was compared with that of an age- and sex-matched control group. The introductory questions did not reveal differences in headache frequencies between the traumatized and control groups (p = 0.60). The prevalence of migraine and tension-type headache (both episodic and chronic) was also similar. A higher frequency of possible cervicogenic headache was observed in the traumatized group (10 vs 5), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.28). Sixteen patients in the accident group had headache > 15 days per month, 11 of the 16 had similar complaints before the trauma, while 5 had worsened headache as compared to (the recollected headache) before the trauma. None of the patients with possible cervicogenic headache reported increased headache after the accident. Accordingly, the present results obtained outside the medico-legal context do not confirm that a specific headache pattern emerges 1-3 years after a rear-end car collision.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1997

[Medical education in Norway. One common education, four different models].

There are four medical schools in Norway- in Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Tromsø. The curriculum at each faculty has undergone many changes during the last decade. The four curricula vary in both content and teaching methods. Two of the faculties base their curricula on problem-based learning and two have chosen other approaches. Terms with clerkships in local hospitals and in the primary health care system exist in each curriculum as periods which the students must spend on research work of their own choice. All faculties set the same standards in practical clinical skills with which the students must be familiar before graduation. We believe that having four different curricular is of benefit to the education of doctors. Only future evaluation and standard national examinations will determine whether there are any measurable differences in the practical and theoretical knowledge among graduates coming from these medical schools.

Curriculum↗
PubMed1997

The reproducibility of cephalic pain pressure thresholds in control subjects and headache patients.

Pain pressure thresholds (PPT) were measured at 13 cephalic points bilaterally in 30 headache patients (10 with tension-type headache, 10 with migraine and 10 with cervicogenic headache) and 10 control subjects on three different days. During the sessions, the subjects reported their pain intensity on the right and left sides of the head on a visual analogue scale (VAS). The variability between days was estimated as a coefficient of repeatability (CR = 2 standard deviations of intraindividual differences). The mean CR across all 13 locations was larger in headache patients (2.0 kg/cm2) than in controls (1.68 kg/cm2). Variability (CR) was larger in headache patients as compared to control subjects for 11 of the 13 points (p = 0.02). Reliability was better in controls (intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) ranging from 0.55 to 0.85) than in headache patients (ICC ranging from 0.43 to 0.78). A moderate negative association between PPT and pain intensity was demonstrated. The intraindividual PPT difference (PPT on the most painful occasions-PPT on the least painful occasions) was negative at 12 of 13 cephalic points (p = 0.003, across-location mean difference: -0.20 kg/cm2). The PPT differed significantly from one day to the next. A part of this variation was presumably related to the circumstances around the procedure; thresholds were lower when the subjects came directly to algometry without any preceding medical examination at all 13 points (p = 0.0002). These results have implications for the planning of future algometer studies. The sample size that is required in studies of headache patients is greater than that in studies of healthy subjects, especially when patients suffer from pain during the PPT session. Particular attention should be paid to circumstances (e.g. preceding medical investigations) around the algometry procedure in order to reduce variability.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Impotence and nerve entrapment in long distance amateur cyclists.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the frequency and duration of symptoms suggesting peripheral nerve compression after long distance cycling. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire based cross sectional study among 260 participants in a Norwegian annual bicycle touring race of 540 km. RESULTS: Thirty-five of 160 responding males (22%) reported symptoms from the innervation area of the pudendal or cavernous nerves. Thirty-three had penile numbness or hypaesthesia after the tour. In 10, the numbness lasted for more than one week. Impotence was reported by 21 (13%) of the males. It lasted for more than one week in 11, and for more than one month in three. Both genital numbness and impotence were correlated with weakness in the hands after the ride, a complaint reported by 32 (19%) of all 169 respondents. Forty-six cyclists (30%) indicated paraesthesia or numbness in the fingers, half of them from the ulnar nerve area only. CONCLUSION: The frequency of impotence, numbness of the penis, hand weakness and sensory symptoms from the fingers in bicycle sport may be higher than hitherto recognized. It afflicts both experienced cyclists and novices. In some, the complaints may last up to eight months. Besides changing the hand and body position on the bike, restricting the training intensity, and taking ample pauses may also be necessary in prolonged and vigorous bicycle riding to prevent damage to peripheral nerves.

Athletic Injuries↗