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Biomedical subjects

G Schou

Publications and source records attributed to G Schou.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Long-term, intermittent treatment of chronic hand eczema with mometasone furoate.

Chronic hand eczema can be incapacitating, and there is little knowledge of the efficacy and safety of long-term treatment with topical corticosteroids. We compared the efficacy and safety of two different schedules for the treatment of chronic hand eczema with a potent topical corticosteroid, mometasone furoate. In a prospective, open, randomized trial, 120 patients with chronic hand eczema were treated daily with mometasone furoate fatty cream until the dermatitis cleared or for a maximum of 9 weeks. Those who cleared were randomized to treatment for up to 36 weeks with mometasone furoate on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday (group A), mometasone furoate on Saturday and Sunday (group B) or no further corticosteroid treatment (group C). In the event of relapse, patients were permitted daily treatment with mometasone furoate for 3 weeks on two separate occasions. For 50 of 106 randomized patients, daily treatment for 3 weeks controlled their dermatitis; 29 needed 6 weeks and 27 needed 9 weeks of treatment. During the maintenance phase, 29 of 35 (83%) in group A, 25 of 37 (68%) in group B and nine of 34 (26%) in group C had no recurrences (P = 0.001, chi2-test). Side-effects were minimal. It is concluded that long-term, intermittent treatment of chronic hand eczema with mometasone furoate fatty cream is effective and safe.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Marital status and survival in colorectal cancer].

We analysed marital status and survival from colorectal cancer among 9596 patients in a nationwide Danish study with complete follow-up of 22-26 years. After exclusion of 2294 patients with missing information, adjusted survival among married patients diagnosed with colon cancer was significantly longer (RR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.78-0.93). We conclude that marital status does indeed prognosticate long-term survival from colon cancer. These results may have implications for psychosocial intervention after surgery for colorectal cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Ovarian stimulation and borderline ovarian tumors: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of borderline ovarian cancer among infertile women treated with fertility drugs. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Nationwide data obtained from public registers and postal questionnaires. PATIENT(S): All Danish women <60 years old with borderline ovarian cancer during the period 1989-1994 and randomly selected population controls. The analysis included 231 cases and 1,721 controls. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Influence of parity, infertility, and fertility drugs on the risk of borderline ovarian cancer after multivariate confounder control. RESULT(S): The odds ratio (OR) for borderline ovarian cancer among infertile untreated nulliparous women compared with fertile nulliparous women was 1.9. The OR for borderline ovarian cancer among treated nulliparous women compared with untreated infertile nulliparous women was 1.5, and the OR among treated parous women compared with untreated infertile parous women was 1.5. CONCLUSION(S): Among fertile women, the difference in the risk of borderline ovarian cancer between nulliparous women and parous women was not statistically significant. Nulliparous women who were infertile and who did not receive medical treatment had a twofold higher risk of borderline ovarian cancer than fertile nulliparous women. There was no statistically significant increase in the risk of borderline ovarian cancer among nulliparous women who were treated with fertility drugs compared with nulliparous untreated infertile women or among parous women who were treated with fertility drugs compared with parous untreated infertile women.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Alpha interferon therapy in Danish haemophiliac patients with chronic hepatitis C: results of a randomized controlled open label study comparing two different maintenance regimens following standard interferon-alpha-2b treatment.

Following a survey among all Danish haemophiliac patients 49 HIV-negative patients with chronic hepatitis C were offered enrollment in a randomized controlled open label study comparing two different maintenance regimens following standard interferon-alpha-2b treatment. Dose modifications and treatment discontinuation were based upon changes in transaminase levels. Forty-seven patients enrolled received 3 MU of alpha interferon thrice weekly (TIW) for 3 months. Twenty-six nonresponders had their dose increased to 6 MU TIW for an additional 3 months, while 21 responding patients continued on 3 MU TIW. At 6 months, 25 patients with a complete or a partial biochemical response were randomly allocated to either a fixed dose regimen (13 patients) (3 or 6 MU thrice weekly) or an individualized dose regimen (12 patients) tapering interferon dose from 3 or 6 MU by one-third every 2 months if transaminases were persistently normal. The remaining 22 biochemical nonresponders were followed for an additional 6 months without further treatment. After 12 months of treatment, 18 patients (38%) had a virological response, irrespective of regimen, and seven patients (16%) had a sustained virological and biochemical response after 6 months of follow up. Overall, the individualized treatment regimen did not seem to offer any advantage over the fixed dose regimen. The response to alpha interferon treatment in Danish haemophiliac patients with chronic hepatitis C immediately after treatment is comparable to that obtained in previous studies among nonhaemophiliacs. However, a sustained virological and biochemical response was seen in only 16% of treatment patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Sarcoidosis and cancer revisited: a long-term follow-up study of 555 Danish sarcoidosis patients.

For more than 20 yrs it has been debated whether the systemic disease sarcoidosis predisposes to malignant neoplasms. The aim of this study was to examine the occurrence of cancer in Danish sarcoidosis patients observed for 9-30 yrs. The clinical data of 555 consecutive sarcoidosis patients were linked with the nationwide Danish Cancer Registry in a database, comparing the results with the expected incidence in the Danish population, adjusted for sex, age and calendar time. The sarcoidosis patients were diagnosed in two areas during the periods of 1960-1971 and 1970-1981, respectively, and followed until December 31, 1991. No excess of cancer was observed in sarcoidosis patients. A total number of 48 patients were observed with cancer (20 males and 28 females). Cancer occurred 1-29 yrs after sarcoidosis diagnosis (median 14 yrs) The observed versus expected (O/E) ratio was 1.16 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.75-1.79) in males and 1.28 (95% CI 0.88-1.86) in females. No increased occurrence of lung cancer or malignant lymphoma (O/E ratios 0.23, 95% CI 0.00-1.25 and 1.25, 95% CI 0.02-6.95, respectively) was found. Neither age at diagnosis of sarcoidosis nor clinical sarcoidosis features were indicators of later occurrence of malignancy. The study could not confirm previous reports of an increased occurrence of malignant neoplasms in Danish sarcoidosis patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Infertility, fertility drugs, and invasive ovarian cancer: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of invasive ovarian cancer among infertile women treated with fertility drugs. DESIGN: A case-control study. SETTING: Nationwide data based on public registers. PATIENT(S): All Danish women (below the age of 60 years) with ovarian cancer during the period from 1989 to 1994 and twice the number of age-matched population controls. Included in the analysis were 684 cases and 1,721 controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Influence of parity, infertility, and fertility drugs on the risk of ovarian cancer after multivariate confounder control. Risk measure(s): odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. RESULT(S): Nulliparous women had an increased risk of ovarian cancer compared with parous women: OR 1.5 to 2.0. Infertile, nontreated nulliparous women had an OR of 2.7 (1.3 to 5.5) compared with noninfertile nulliparous women. The OR of ovarian cancer among treated nulliparous women was 0.8 (0.4 to 2.0) and among treated parous 0.6 (0.2 to 1.3), compared with nontreated nulliparous and parous infertile women, respectively. CONCLUSION(S): Nulliparity implies a 1.5- to 2-fold increased risk of ovarian cancer. Infertility without medical treatment among these women increased the risk further. Among parous as well as nulliparous women, treatment with fertility drugs did not increase the ovarian cancer risk compared with nontreated infertile women.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Influence of marital status on survival from colon and rectal cancer in Denmark.

Survival from colorectal cancer has been analysed in relation to marital status in a nationwide Danish study of 9596 patients with complete follow-up of 22-26 years. After exclusion of 2294 patients with missing information adjusted five-year survival among married patients was significantly longer (RR=0.85; 95% CI 0.78-0.93).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Prognostic factors and significance of chemotherapy in patients with recurrent or metastatic transitional cell cancer of the urinary tract.

BACKGROUND: Prognostic factors for patients with disseminated transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium (TCC) has been examined only in patients selected for studies with chemotherapy. This study was performed to determine important prognostic factors in patients with disseminated TCC and evaluate the impact of chemotherapy. METHODS: The prognostic factors for survival were analyzed in 240 patients with disseminated TCC admitted from 1976 to 1992. Information on prior medical history, baseline variables, and treatment were related to survival after dissemination. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors of independent importance. RESULTS: Univariate analyses indicated that performance status; hemoglobin; leukocyte count; platelet count; concentrations of serum creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase; hydronephrosis; bone metastases; disease extension; and chemotherapy were related significantly to survival. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that a good performance status, a normal alkaline phosphatase concentration, and a normal serum creatinine concentration were independent prognosticators for long survival. When chemotherapy was included in the analysis, it was found to be the most important independent prognostic factor in conjunction with alkaline phosphatase and performance status. CONCLUSION: This study has established the importance of performance status and alkaline phosphatase as the most important prognostic factors of survival in patients with disseminated TCC regardless of treatment. Chemotherapy was found to be an independent prognostic variable that indicates a possible prolongation of survival in patients receiving chemotherapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Renal cell carcinoma: prognostic factors.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the prognostic value of a series of pre-operative, per-operative and histopathological parameters in relation to renal cell carcinoma (RCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study involved a consecutive series of 76 patients (46 men and 30 women with a mean age of 65.3 years [range 44-91]) with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of RCC. Patients who were admitted over the period 1980-1984 were included. Data such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), alkaline phosphatase level, histological tumour grade, degree of necrosis and presence of tumour vessels were evaluated in relation to actuarial survival. RESULTS: The ESR and alkaline phosphatase level at the time of diagnosis of RCC, the histological tumour grade, degree of necrosis and presence of tumour vessels on angiography were all found to affect the actuarial length of survival significantly (P < or = 0.05 log-rank test). Macroscopic tumour demarcation estimated per-operatively by the surgeon or after surgery by the pathologist, microscopic demarcation, vascular density on histological examination, tumour diameter and vascular density on angiography were found not to affect actuarial survival significantly. CONCLUSION: The value of establishing simple and reliable diagnostic indicators for patients with RCC is stressed.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Apoplexy--the acute phase].

This review concerns the acute phase of stroke. It describes incidence, prevalence, etiology, diagnosis and treatment together with the possibilities for prevention. The incidence of stroke in the Danish population is about 2/1000 person years and has been largely unchanged during the last 20 years. About 85% of strokes are caused by cerebral infarcts, ten percent by intracerebral haemorrhages and about five percent by subarachnoid bleeding. The incidence increases with age. Up till age 65 years the ratio between men and women is two to one, while the ratio in the oldest age group approaches one to one. The most important risk factors for stroke are smoking, arterial hypertension, previous cerebrovascular disease, heart disease and diabetes mellitus. Till now, no treatment has been documented as effective in reducing the cerebral damage caused by acute stroke. Ongoing controlled clinical trials in the acute state of ischaemic stroke are testing the effect of thrombolytic therapy, treatment with calciumantagonists, aspirin and heparin. The general medical treatment including nursing and physiotherapy in the acute phase is described. Within recent years benefit of various strategies of stroke prevention has been documented.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1993

[Apoplexy--the acute stage].

This review concerns the acute phase of stroke. It describes incidence, prevalence, etiology, diagnosis and treatment together with the possibilities for prevention. The incidence of stroke in the Danish population is about 2/1000 person years and has been largely unchanged during the last 20 years. About 85 per cent of strokes are caused by cerebral infarcts, ten percent by intracerebral haemorrhages and about five per cent by subarachnoid bleeding. The incidence increases with age. Up till age 65 years the ratio between men and women is two to one, while the ratio in the oldest age group approaches one to one. The most important risk factors for stroke are smoking, arterial hypertension, previous cerebrovascular disease, heart disease and diabetes mellitus. Till now, no treatment has been documented as effective in reducing the cerebral damage caused by acute stroke. Ongoing controlled clinical trials in the acute state of ischaemic stroke are testing the effect of thrombolytic therapy, treatment with calcium antagonists, glutamate receptor antagonists, aspirin and heparin. The general medical treatment including nursing and physiotherapy in the acute phase is described. Within recent years benefit of various strategies of stroke prevention has been documented.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1991

[Blood pressure among school 14-15 year old children. Blood pressure determination in school children aged 14-15 years in the county of Vejle by school physicians].

A total of 3,790 school pupils aged 14 and 15 years attending the ninth form during the school session 1986/87 were submitted to blood pressure measurements employing a digital sphygmomanometer. Where boys were concerned an average blood pressure of 123.9/65.9 mmHg was found while, in girls, the average blood pressure was 117.6/70.9 mmHg. In cases with blood pressure readings over the 90% fractile, repeated measurements are recommended. The 90% fractile for boys was 139/80 mmHg and for and for girls 133/84 mmHg. In cases where repeated measurements show blood pressure readings over the 95% fractile, further investigation and advice about risk factors are recommended. The 95% fractile for boys was 144/84 mmHg and 138/88 mmHg for girls. The influence of pubertal development and body-weight on the blood pressure are reviewed. Screening in connection with health examination in the ninth form is recommended in order to identify adolescents at risk for development of hypertension.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Nitrofurantoin versus trimethoprim prophylaxis in recurrent urinary tract infection in children. A randomized, double-blind study.

The efficiency of nitrofurantoin and trimethoprim prophylaxis in preventing recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) was compared by means of actuarial percentage recurrence-free curves in a randomized, double blind study in 130 children (126 girls, 4 boys) aged 1 to 14 years (mean 7.5). The children received the antibiotics for 6 months. Nitrofurantoin proved to be the most efficient prophylactic drug in patients with abnormal urography and/or reflux (n = 60) as evaluated by actuarial percentage recurrence-free analysis (p = 0.0025). However, no differences was found in patients without urinary tract abnormalities. Nitrofurantoin prophylaxis altered neither the pattern of resistance nor the bacteriological constellation, while patients receiving trimethoprim prophylaxis had 76% trimethoprim resistant bacteria during prophylaxis, compared with 8% before (p less than 0.0001) and 17% after (p less than 0.0001) prophylaxis. The percentage of recurrences due to E. coli (70-80%) was unaffected by trimethoprim prophylaxis, but the proportion due to trimethoprim resistant E. coli was significantly higher during prophylaxis (65%) than before (6%, p less than 0.0001) and after (11%, p less than 0.001). The percentage of Staphylococcus epidermidis UTI was significantly higher during trimethoprim prophylaxis (27%) than before (2%, p less than 0.0003). Following prophylaxis there was no difference in the actuarial percentage recurrence-free curves of the two regimens. Side effects occurred more frequently in the nitrofurantoin group (37%) than in the trimethoprim group (21%) (p = 0.05). The majority of side effects in the nitrofurantoin group derived from gastrointestinal symptoms. In conclusion, nitrofurantoin is recommended as the first choice prophylactic treatment of children with recurrent UTI and urinary tract abnormalities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Malignancy in ulcerative colitis.

All patients with ulcerative colitis referred to Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, from 1 April 1964 to 1 January 1983 (18 years and 9 months) were studied from time of referral until death, proctocolectomy, or end of the study (1983). There were 759 patients, 423 females (56%) and 336 males (44%). None was lost to follow-up study. Median time from onset of disease until death, proctocolectomy, or end of the study was 11 years (range, 0-54 years). Median age at onset was 28 years (range, 0-83) among the males and 28 years (range, 4-83) among the females. Pancolitis was present in 312 patients (41%), left-sided colitis in 212 (28%), and haemorrhagic proctitis in 235 (31%). Surgical treatment was performed in 299 patients (39%): proctocolectomy in 197 (26%), colectomy with occluded rectal stump in 72 (9%), and colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis in 30 (4%). Altogether, 49 patients developed cancer, 20 being intestinal and 29 extraintestinal cancer. Compared with the general population matched for age, sex, and calendar time, there was an excessive number with intestinal cancer in both sexes (p less than 0.05). In females the number with extraintestinal cancer was higher than in the general population (p less than 0.01), a finding that has not been reported elsewhere. We found a similar, significantly increased incidence of extraintestinal cancer in females with Crohn's disease in a previous report. We found no increased risk of colorectal cancer in patients with early onset of ulcerative colitis. For all age classes we found that the age of appearance of colorectal cancer followed the equation: age at colorectal cancer = 14 + age at onset of ulcerative colitis. We found no higher potential for development of colorectal cancer in patients with pancolitis. In our series the incidence of colorectal cancer in pancolitis and left-sided colitis was equal. The incidence in patients with haemorrhagic proctitis was zero.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

The joint effect of risk factors on endometrial cancer.

The joint effect of risk factors on endometrial cancer was examined by applying general statistical models to the data of a hospital-based case-control study conducted in Copenhagen, Denmark. The analysis included 149 cases of histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the endometrium and 154 age-matched controls with cervical cancer. Information on risk factors derived from the medical records. Estrogen use and body mass were found to be the main predictors of endometrial cancer risk. In the model proposed, women who ever used non-contraceptive estrogens had a 10-fold increased risk irrespective of their weight and height. Among non-users of estrogen, the risk of endometrial cancer rose with increasing body mass, the largest showing a five-fold increased risk. These data provide further evidence of the significant role that excess estrogens play, whether exogenous from replacement therapy or endogenous from enhanced androgen conversion, in the etiology of endometrial cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗