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J Hoff

Publications and source records attributed to J Hoff.

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

The validity in persons with spinal cord injury of a self-reported functional measure derived from the functional independence measure.

STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional, mailed survey on impairment and function using 6361 respondents to the Spinal Cord Dysfunction National Veterans Survey who reported spinal cord injury as the sole cause of their spinal cord dysfunction. OBJECTIVES: To establish the concurrent and construct validities of a Self-Reported Functional Measure appropriate for use in patients with spinal cord injuries. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Functional assessment is of increasing importance in clinical care, quality assurance, and national health-care planning. There is a conspicuous need for validated functional assessment measures that are rapid, reliable, and appropriate for use in the disabled population. METHODS: The correlation was examined of hours of personal assistance, number of affected limbs, amount of motor impairment, and amount of combined limb-motor impairment to Self-Reported Functional Measure response tertile (scores, 13-32, 33-45, 46-52; lower scores indicated worse function). RESULTS: There were statistically significant correlations between Self-Reported Functional Measure score and hours of personal assistance (P < 0.001), the number of affected limbs (P < 0.001), the amount of motor impairment (P < 0.001), and the amount of combined limbmotor impairment (P < 0.001). For example, 87% of people with the most limb-motor impairment (four affected limbs and no useful movement) were in the lowest Self-Reported Functional Measure tertile, compared with 3% of people in the least-affected category of limb-motor impairment. Furthermore, visual, sensory, or memory impairment did not influence the correlation between limbmotor impairment and Self-Reported Functional Measure score. CONCLUSION: The Self-Reported Functional Measure shows good concurrent and construct validities.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1999

Disability fingerprints: patterns of disability in spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis differ.

BACKGROUND: Models for causation of functional disability differ as to whether different diseases lead to common expressions of disability versus producing unique "disability fingerprints." Multiple sclerosis (MS) and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) both affect the spinal cord; however, their pathophysiologies differ (progressive vs. nonprogressive; multifocal vs. unifocal). METHODS: Patterns of disability were compared among veterans who reported in a national survey that they had MS (n = 1789) or SCI (n = 6361) as the sole cause of their spinal cord dysfunction. The study used self-reported information on disease duration, physical impairments, and self-care skills to compare the two samples for differences in disability overall and after stratification according to (a) disease duration, and (b) specific physical impairments. RESULTS: Patterns of disability differed significantly among persons with MS compared to SCI (p = .001). Differences in level of disability between the two samples remained statistically significant after stratification on disease duration. There were substantial, statistically significant differences between the two samples in the amount and kinds of physical impairment. However, differences in level of disability between the two conditions remained highly significant after stratifying on number of affected limbs (p = .003), amount of useful movement (p = .001), overall motor impairment (p = .003), amount of sensation (p = .001), impairment in memory and thinking (p = .001), and visual impairment (p = .001). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows differing diseases indeed have unique disability fingerprints, which remain unique after controlling for disease duration and for population-specific differences in physical impairment. These findings point out the need to explain the disablement process more fully.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1999

Maximal strength training improves work economy in trained female cross-country skiers.

PURPOSE: The present study examines the hypothesis that maximal strength training improves work economy and anaerobic threshold in trained female cross-country skiers while working on a ski ergometer. METHODS: Fifteen female cross-country skiers (17.9 +/- 0.3 yr, 166.7 +/- 1.3 cm, 60.1 +/- 1.9 kg, and 55.3 +/- 1.3 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1)) participated in the study. Eight skiers made up the high-intensity strength-trained group, and seven served as the control group. Endurance performance was tested on a specially instrumented ski ergometer. Strength training and testing simulated double poling in cross-country skiing. RESULTS: A significant (P < 0.001) improvement in double-poling economy on the ski ergometer was observed among the strength-trained group. Anaerobic threshold did not change during the experimental period for either group. After a 9-wk training period, time to exhaustion increased from 5.2 (+/-0.9) to 12.3 (+/-1.6) min (P < 0.001) and from 4.0 (+/-0.9) to 6.3 (+/-0.9) min (P < 0.01) for the strength and control group, respectively. Time to exhaustion was significantly higher (P < 0.001) for the strength group compared with the control group after training. One repetition maximum increased 14.5% (1.8) (P < 0.001) in the strength group but was unchanged in the control group. Expressed in relation to peak force at one repetition maximum, strength training resulted in a significant reduction in the relative available force employed working on the ski ergometer (P < 0.01). Time to peak force at maximal aerobic velocity on the ski ergometer was significantly reduced in the strength-training group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that maximal strength training in the upper-body improved the double-poling performance by improved work economy. Work economy was improved by a reduction in relative workload and time to peak force while double poling.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Strength and endurance of elite soccer players.

PURPOSE: The major purpose of the present study was to examine whether there exists a relationship between preseasonal physiological tests and performance results in the soccer league. Further, it investigated maximal oxygen uptake and maximal strength in proportion to body mass for soccer players. A secondary aim was to establish some normative data of Norwegian elite soccer players. METHODS: Two teams from the Norwegian elite soccer league participated in the study. RESULTS/CONCLUSION: The present study supports previous investigations indicating a positive relationship between maximal aerobic capacity, physical strength, and performance results in the elite soccer league. It is concluded that for soccer players, maximal oxygen uptake should be expressed in relation to body mass raised to the power of 0.75 and maximal strength in relation to body mass raised to the power of 0.67, when the aim is to evaluate maximal aerobic capacity when running and strength capacity among players with different body mass. Midfield players had significantly higher maximal oxygen uptake compared with defense players using the traditional expression, mL x kg(-1) x min(-1), while no significant differences were found expressing maximal oxygen uptake either absolutely (L x min[-1]) or in relation to body mass raised to the power of 0.75 (mL x kg[-0.75] x min[-1]) among players grouped by position. There was a significant correlation (r = 0.61, P < 0.01) between squat IRM and vertical jump height. Vertical jump heights for defense and forward players were significantly higher compared with midfield players. Mean results from the laboratory test were 63.7 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1) or 188.6 mL x kg[-0.75] x min(-1) for maximal oxygen uptake, 150 kg or 8.0 kg x mb(-0.67) for 90 degrees squats, 79.9 kg or 4.4 kg x mb(-0.67) for bench press. Mean values of vertical jump height were 54.9 cm.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Comparison of right atrial and peripheral procainamide infusion levels in patients with spontaneous or induced atrial fibrillation.

As part of a new effort to develop an implantable drug infusion/pacing system to treat atrial fibrillation, this study examined the effects of rapid intracardiac procainamide infusion in humans with pacing-induced atrial fibrillation. Twenty patients with atrial fibrillation for > 5 minutes during an EP study received 500 mg of procainamide either via a peripheral venous infusion (n = 5) or directly in the right atrium (n = 15). Peak coronary sinus and femoral vein procainamide blood levels (mean +/- SEM) during 10, 5, and 3.3 minute central infusions were 17.0 +/- 4.1, 25.1 +/- 4.5, 45.6 +/- 5.1 and 11.3 +/- 3.2, 17.1 +/- 6.4, 18.7 +/- 5.0, respectively. In contrast, peak coronary sinus and femoral procainamide levels following the 5 minute intravenous infusion were 17.7 +/- 5.1 and 9.3 +/- 2.1. Changes in QT, QTc, QRS, and RI intervals were similar at each infusion rate. Systolic blood pressures (BP) decreased more with higher procainamide infusion rates but similar when comparing intravenous versus central drug administration at the same rate. The mean +/- SEM decreases in blood pressure with the 10, 5, and 3.3 min procainamide infusions were 12f5, 20f11, and 39f14, respectively. Conversion to sinus rhythm was not a primary endpoint given the often transient nature of acute atrial fibrillation in this setting. We conclude that significantly higher femoral vein and coronary sinus procainamide levels can be achieved by central rather than peripheral drug infusion. These data support that concept that rapid central infusion of anti-arrhythmic therapy can result in high intracardiac levels of antifibrillatory agents for the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Prognostic value of dipyridamole thallium-201 screening to minimize perioperative cardiac complications in diabetics undergoing kidney or kidney-pancreas transplantation.

To minimize perioperative cardiac events, we utilize a screening protocol consisting of intravenous dipyridamole thallium-201 myocardial imaging (DPT), with the selective use of coronary angiography based on the presence of reversible defect(s) on DPT test. A retrospective study was performed to determine the prognostic value of this protocol and to identify any clinical parameters predictive of an abnormal DPT test. To accomplish this, a detailed chart analysis of 176 consecutive kidney (n = 89) and kidney-pancreas (n = 87) transplant recipients who had undergone pretransplant DPT testing was performed. The results of the DPT test were interpreted as normal in 111, fixed defect in 15, and reversible defect(s) in 50 patients. Forty-two of the 50 patients with reversible defect(s) underwent coronary angiography. Twelve of the 27 patients with significant coronary artery disease (CAD, > 50% stenosis in one or more coronary arteries) underwent pretransplant revascularization and the remaining 15 were treated medically. Cardiac events (documented acute myocardial infarction or sudden cardiac death) within 6 wk of transplant were stratified by the results of this protocol. Also, various clinical parameters were compared between patients with normal and abnormal (fixed and reversible defect) DPT tests. Only one of the 111 (0.9%) transplant recipients with a normal DPT test had a perioperative cardiac event. None of the 15 (0%) patients with a fixed defect and none of the 15 (0%) patients with reversible defect(s), but a nonsignificant (< 50% narrowing) coronary angiogram, had a perioperative cardiac event. Three of the 27 (11.1%) patients with reversible defect(s) and significant disease on coronary angiography, who had undergone pre-transplant revascularization or were managed medically, had a perioperative coronary event. Of 14 recipients parameters analyzed, age > 50 yr was the only variable predictive of an abnormal DPT test. We conclude that the incidence of perioperative cardiac events in patients with a normal or fixed defect, or reversible defect(s) but a nonsignificant (< 50% narrowing) coronary angiogram is very low, indicating the high correlation of these findings on DPT and an uneventful (cardiac) post-transplant course. The incidence of perioperative cardiac complications amongst the high-risk transplant recipients with reversible defect(s) and significant CAD on coronary angiogram may be minimized by appropriate preoperative medical management or revascularization. None of the clinical variables except age > 50 yr was predictive of an abnormal DPT test.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Coordination, the determinant of velocity specificity?

Initial strength gains were examined in the context of learning a new skill. Forty female volunteers were randomly assigned to one of four groups: a bench-press training group utilizing heavy loads in its training, a bench-press training group utilizing almost no load, an alternative training group using different exercises, or a control group that did not train. Training period was 6 wk, with three training sessions per week. Emphasis was put on keeping the coordination and muscular adaptation demands in the bench-press groups as invariant as possible. Bench-press training with a light or with a heavy weight was shown to be equally effective in improving the maximal velocity of contraction for a given absolute resistance. Mean velocity with loads of 0.37, 6.6, 16.6, and 20 kg improved by 21.1, 15.8, 16.9, and 19.5%, respectively. No significant differences in the percent improvement at the four different loads were apparent, indicating that no significant velocity-specific adaptations were present. The bench-press training group, utilizing heavy loads in its training, was the only group with improved one repetition maximum. Overall, findings point to the development of coordination as the determining factor in early velocity-specific strength gains.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1995

[Gelatinous peritoneal disease].

Gelatinous degeneration of the peritoin is an unusual disorder which inevitably takes the surgeon by surprise during laparotomy. Three cases are reported. The diagnosis, pathogenesis, prognosis and possible therapies are discussed. The tumoral pathogenesis usually appears to be non-malignant and to originate in the ovaries or appendix. However, gelatinous degeneration of the peritoin must be viewed as a disease with attenuated malignancy. The pattern of development is slow, with repeated peritoneal recurrences. The survival time is long. Treatment is essentially surgical even when recurrences occur.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗
PubMed1994

Fluctuations in plasma levodopa and motor responses with liquid and tablet levodopa/carbidopa.

To evaluate the ability of orally administered liquid levodopa/carbidopa (LD/CD) to stabilize plasma levodopa levels and reduce motor response fluctuations in Parkinson's disease, five patients received LD/CD hourly, as standard tablets or as an aqueous solution on two separate days in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design. Except for a slightly earlier peak plasma levodopa level, no significant advantage of the liquid formulation over tablet therapy was found. However, liquid LD/CD could be helpful in quickly resolving "off" states and by facilitating small dose adjustments that are not possible with tablets.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1994

Breast granuloma and C.R.S.T. syndrome.

One case of CRST syndrome with breast granuloma is presented. The presumed diagnosis were infectious or neoplastic diseases. High doses of corticosteroids led to improvement in breast nodules.

Breast Diseases↗
PubMed1994

[Value of cold-knife conization without hemostatic sutures].

Retractile scarring often occurs after conisation of the cervix uteri, concealing the new squamocolumnar junction. It has been suggested that healing quality is improved if haemostatic sutures are not used. We report here on 118 cold-knife conisations carried out without haemostatic sutures. On histological examination there were 3% microinvasive carcinomas, 87% high-grade and 10% low-grade dysplasias. The endocervical margin was positive or doubtful in 6% of cases (n = 7). Six of these patients underwent secondary procedures which produced specimens free of transformation. A new colposcopic examination was performed six months after the cone biopsy: the squamocolumnar junction was visible in 90% confirming the usefulness of the technique.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1993

[Anterolateral hysteropexy via abdominal approach. Results and indications. Apropos of a series of 92 patients].

Of the possible surgical techniques for the treatment of genito-urinary prolapses, abdominal suspension is reserved for young patients in whom retention of sexual function is desirable. Fixation to the sacral promontory is the reference method but has some contraindications. Anterolateral suspension of the uterine isthmus to the anterior superior iliac spines by a strip of non-absorbable mesh, as described by Kapandji, is then a good alternative. We report our results with this technique over an 8-year period in 92 patients. Mean follow-up was 5 years. There was no intraoperative mortality nor major complications. Anatomical results were satisfactory in 87% of cases at 5 years, with however 4 reoperations for total recurrent prolapse, of which one was posterior. Functional results showed two cases of deep dyspareunia and 12% post-operative stress urinary incontinence, of gradual onset. In conclusion, anterolateral hysteropexy associated with removal of the pouch of Douglas is a reliable procedure with no particular danger. It can be a good alternative to fixation to the sacram promontory when the latter is contraindicated or dangerous.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Hypercalcemia and breast cancer related to parathormone-like secretion by liver metastases.

A premenopausal woman developed hypercalcemia 30 months after treatment for infiltrating breast cancer. After bone metastases had been excluded, primary hyperparathyroidism was suspected. A parathyroid adenoma was removed and histologically confirmed. Hypercalcemia, associated with low plasma phosphate and severely depressed plasma parathormone (PTH) levels, persisted. Further investigations showed liver metastases from the primary breast cancer and also secretion of a PTH-like substance. Antitumoral treatment was effective on the liver metastases and also normalized calcemia and the PTH-like substance, demonstrating the existence of a paraneoplastic syndrome related to the secretion of a PTH-like substance by disseminated liver metastases of primary breast cancer.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1992

[Malignant hypercalcemia after treatment of breast cancer].

A premenopausal woman developed hypercalcemia 30 months after treatment for infiltrating breast cancer. After bone metastases had been excluded, primary hyper parathyroidism was suspected. A parathyroid adenoma was removed and histologically confirmed. Hypercalcemia persisted, associated with low plasma phosphate and severely depressed plasma parathormone (PTH) levels. Further investigations showed liver metastases from the primary breast cancer and also secretion of a PTH-like substance. Anti-tumoral treatment was effective on the liver metastases and also normalized calcemia and the PTH-like substance, demonstrating the existence of a paraneoplastic syndrome related to the secretion of a PTH-like substance by disseminated liver metastases of primary breast cancer.

Breast Neoplasms↗