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Biomedical subjects

H Klausen

Publications and source records attributed to H Klausen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Wastewater exposure and health--a comparative study of two occupational groups.

AIMS: To investigate whether wastewater workers are at increased risk of developing cancer. METHODS: Two cohorts of workers employed by the City of Copenhagen, 591 wastewater workers and 1545 water supply workers (controls), were followed from 1965 until 1998. These two cohorts were compared in terms of cause specific mortality and cancer incidence. RESULTS: The wastewater workers' mortality exceeded that of the controls (relative risk (RR) = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.51). A similar small excess was seen for cancer incidence (RR = 1.27, 95% CI: 0.97 to 1.67). Though rare, there was a strongly increased incidence of primary liver cancer among the wastewater workers (RR = 8.9, 95% CI: 1.5 to 51.5). CONCLUSION: The excess mortality seen among the wastewater workers was smaller than originally feared. It may partly have been due to their occupational exposure, and for preventive purposes, exposure to wastewater and sludge should be minimised. The possibility that sewage exposure confers an increased risk of primary liver cancer deserves further investigation.

Cohort Studies↗
PubMed1998

Postural post-dural puncture headache after spinal and epidural anaesthesia. A randomised, double-blind study.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of patient expectation in the development of postural post-dural puncture headache (PPDPH). METHODS: 224 patients less than 55 years scheduled for minor non-obstetric surgery were randomised to receive single-injection spinal (SA) or epidural (EA) anaesthesia. A 27-g Quinke needle was used for SA and a 18-g Tuohy needle for EA. Patients, operating team and postoperative ward personnel were all blinded to the anaesthetic given and so was an independent observer responsible for follow-up after 5-7 days. The occurrence of headache, backache and other complaints was recorded. Headache was classified as PPDPH or non-PPDPH, and duration and intensity of the headache was registered. The quality of anaesthesia was directly evaluated by the surgeon using a VAS scale from 1 (excellent) to 10 (very poor) and indirectly by the supplemental use of opioid analgesia and general anaesthesia in the two groups. RESULTS: 212 patients, 103 SA and 109 EA, with a mean age of 36.7 years, could be fully evaluated. The groups were comparable with regards to age, sex and surgical procedure performed. Headache occurred in 44 patients postoperatively. PPDPH was diagnosed in 16 patients (15.5%) in the SA group and 2 (1.8%) in the EA group (P = 0.0014). Non-PPDPH occurred in 13 patients in each group. PPDPH had significantly greater mean intensity and duration than non-PPHPH. More patients in the EA group had postoperative backache (31.2%) than in the SA group (22.3%), but this difference was not statistically significant. More patients in the EA received general anaesthesia and opioid analgesia than in the SA group, and the surgeon's rating was on average 1.3 in the SA group compared to 2.5 in the EA group (P = 0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: SA gave more headache but superior quality of surgical anaesthesia compared with EA. Dural puncture, and not expectation, is the major cause of PPDPH.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Late effects of occupational organic brain damage in painters 6-8 years after diagnosis. Occurrence of mental and psychosomatic health problems and utilization of health services].

With the object of illustrating effects on health and social functions of occupational organic brain damage, a questionnaire study was carried out in 1986 concerning 192 brain-damaged painters and a reference group of 341 other painters. The study was repeated in 1990 to elucidate effects six to eight years after diagnosis. In 1986 a high prevalence of mental and psychosomatic symptoms was found among the brain-damaged painters. The prevalence correlated with severity of the disease, occupational situation and social network. In 1990 the same level of symptoms was found. In the reference group the prevalence of symptoms increased from 1986 to 1990. Besides the major difference in the prevalence of symptoms between the two groups, the level of symptoms correlated to the occupational situation in both groups. Twenty-seven percent of the brain-damaged painters were still at work in 1990. The high symptom level among the brain-damaged painters is considered to be chronic.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Bubble-induced aggregation of platelets: effects of gas species, proteins, and decompression.

We show that bubbles containing different gases (N2, He, Ne, Ar, or an O2-CO2-N2 mixture) are equally potent platelet agonists. The synergistic effect of different platelet antagonists does not seem to be affected by the type of gas in the bubbles. In contrast to aggregation in platelet-rich plasma (PRP), bubbles cause only a weak response in gel-filtered platelets (GFP), i.e., comparison of aggregation in protein-rich and protein-poor platelet suspensions may shed light on the role of different plasma proteins. Extracellular fibrinogen promotes bubble-induced platelet aggregation similar to known physiologic agonists, whereas albumin counteracts this aggregation. Bubble-induced aggregation is inhibited in GFP-fibrinogen by 2-deoxy-D-glucose plus antimycin A, suggesting dependency on ATP generation in the platelets and evidence for direct exposure of the "cryptic" fibrinogen receptor by bubbles. Hyperbaric compression and subsequent rapid, inadequate decompression of PRP caused little change in the aggregation response to gas bubbles and epinephrine at 1 bar, but reduced the response to ADP. Bubbles tended not to form before the surface film was broken. Pressure-induced aggregation was apparently metabolically active and not due to passive agglutination; electron microscopic studies and PRP with added glutaraldehyde did not show platelet activation, clumping, or reduced platelet count. In contrast to aggregation caused by pressure, bubble-induced aggregation in PRP at 1 bar (after treatment in the pressure chamber) was nearly completely inhibited by theophylline, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor that increases intracellular platelet cyclic AMP.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1990

[Resuscitation].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Humans↗
PubMed1989

[Organic brain damage in garage workers after long-term exposure to diesel exhaust fumes].

Diesel motors are employed to an increasing extent for occupational transport and fumes from diesel driven vehicles constitute an increasing problem as regards atmospheric pollution but, in particular, they constitute a considerable risk to health for the workers exposed to diesel exhaust fumes in their daily work. In the clinic for occupational medicine, The University Hospital, Copenhagen, 14 garage workers were examined. Eleven of these had been exposed to great quantities of diesel exhaust fumes for 2 to 29 years. All 11 presented acute symptoms due to diesel exhaust fumes in the form of headache, vertigo, fatigue, irritation of mucous membranes, nausea, abdominal discomfort or diarrhoea. Seven persons had been employed for more than five years as garage workers. Six complained of failure of memory, difficulty in concentration, irritability, increased sleep requirement, psychological changes or reduced libido. Neuropsychological examination was undertaken in these six persons and in five of them organic brain damage, mainly of slight extent, was demonstrated. Diesel exhaust fumes contain many toxic substances: carbon monoxide, nitrous gases, sulphur oxides, aldehydes and hydrocarbons. It is not possible to indicate a single compound which is responsible for possible brain damage and a combination effect may well be concerned. This is a casuistic material. Only few investigations have previously been available which illustrated a possible connection between the neurotoxic effects and, in particular, brain damage. It is now considered important to emphasize that this may constitute a problem on exposure to diesel exhaust fumes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Chronic toxic encephalopathy in solvent-exposed painters in Denmark 1976-1980: clinical cases and social consequences after a 5-year follow-up.

On the basis of previous investigations from occupational medicine, neurology, and neuropyschology, a retrospective evaluation was made of 21 painters in whom chronic toxic encephalopathy following exposure to organic solvents had been diagnosed during a stay in the Neurology Department of Gentofte Hospital, Copenhagen, in the period 1976-1980. All the painters had given up their jobs for this reason. The assumption of a causal relationship between the exposure and the intellectual impairment was supported by a possible dose-effect relationship. The chronic toxic symptoms had considerable social consequences. Five years later, ten had not gotten other jobs. The lack of working ability was correlated to advancing age, increasing exposure, and increasing intellectual impairment. According to the results of the study, conditions at work places ought to be changed in such a way that harmful exposure can be prevented in the future.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Alcohol consumption among laid-off workers before and after closure of a Danish ship-yard: a 2-year follow-up study.

The daily consumption of alcohol in a study of a population of Danish ship-yard workers laid off in relation to unexpected closure, was measured in 1976 (7 months before being laid off) and in 1978 (1 1/2 year after being laid off). The study population (N = 88) consisted mostly of skilled male workers. Data in 1976 and 1978 were collected in exactly the same manner. The main findings were that the unemployed workers were more likely to reduce their alcohol consumption than the reemployed workers in the same population-controlling for age. The study brings no evidence which could support the popular belief of a causal relation between unemployed and use of alcohol.

Alcohol Drinking↗