Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Viikari

Publications and source records attributed to J Viikari.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Atherosclerosis precursors in Finnish children and adolescents. IX. Socioeconomic status and risk factors of coronary heart disease.

Relationships between parental socioeconomic status and CHD risk factors were examined in the Finnish Multicentre Study on Atherosclerosis Precursors comprising a material of 3,596 study subjects aged 3-18 years in five university cities and 12 rural communes. The work is based on the hypothesis that socioeconomic status has associations with important lifestyle factors related to the evolution of CHD risk factors. Although there is some indication that parental status variables correlate with CHD risk factors, the majority of the data point to the conclusion that socioeconomic status indicators have little relevance for children's CHD risk factor levels. The main exceptions to the above stated were the lower P/S ratio of the diet in farmers' children compared to the other socioeconomic groups in all age cohorts, and the higher serum total and LDL-cholesterol levels in the farmers' children as compared to the others in some age cohorts. The explanation to these findings is the dietary practice in farmers' households, full milk and butter being favoured instead of other milk types and vegetable margarine, respectively. Our findings illustrate the importance of the families' dietary habits with regard to certain CHD risk factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Atherosclerosis precursors in Finnish children and adolescents. X. Leisure-time physical activity.

As part of the more extensive project concerned with atherosclerosis precursors in Finnish children, this article aims at describing the method developed for epidemiological estimation of habitual physical activity, discussing the reliability and validity of the method and reporting the results of the application of this strategy in the measurement of habitual physical activity among 3 to 18-year-old Finnish boys and girls. The questionnaire for the measurement of physical activity was addressed to the parents of 3- and 6-year-old subjects (younger group) and to the subjects themselves in 9- to 18-year-olds (older group). Using four variables in the younger group and nine variables in the older group, sum indices of physical activity were made. Internal consistency coefficients (Kuder--Richardson) varied in the younger group from .57 to .63 and in the older group from .56 to .79. Most Finnish children and adolescents were physically active during their leisure-time. For comparison of passive and active children, screening for passive ones was difficult. Differences between East and West Finland associated with many risk factors, were not detected in the physical activity patterns of children and adolescents. On the other hand, the physical activity pattern was significantly determined by the local environment. In sparsely populated areas, young people were more inactive than in densely populated areas.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Atherosclerosis precursors in Finnish children and adolescents. XI. Psychological aspects.

The role of psychic risk factors in the early history of atherosclerosis was studied in 3,596 Finnish children and adolescents, aged 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 years. The family atmosphere, behavioural pattern and self-esteem were tested. The results showed that the abuse of alcohol by the parents and daily smoking by the child were the factors most clearly indicating the existence of psychic problems. The results showed that boys manifested in every age group behaviour most disposed to coronary heart disease (CHD). Furthermore, low serum HDL-cholesterol, high serum triglycerides, thick triceps skinfold and self-esteem problems coexisted and they can be supposed to independently contribute to the aetiology of CHD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Atherosclerosis precursors in Finnish children and adolescents. XIII. Serum and hair copper and zinc concentrations.

The copper and zinc status of 3-18-year-old Finnish children was estimated by analysing 3,480 serum copper and zinc concentrations, 853 hair copper and 868 hair zinc concentrations. Both copper and zinc have been proposed to be connected with the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, zinc is essential for normal growth and development. The mean serum copper concentration of 3-year-old children was 21.2 mumol/l and the concentration was significantly lower in older age groups. The average serum zinc concentration showed a narrow variation between 14.1 and 15.0 mumol/l in all age groups, nevertheless girls had significantly lower and boys higher values with increasing age. The distribution of hair copper concentration was skewed within the age groups; the median varied between 9.7 micrograms/g and 29.8 micrograms/g for 3-year-old urban girls and 18-year-old rural girls, respectively. Some rural girls had exceptionally high hair copper levels. Hair zinc concentrations increased with age. In the three youngest age groups (3, 6 and 9 years) the distribution was skewed and the levels low compared with results from the USA where a zinc concentration below 30 micrograms/g is found to be associated with the zinc deficiency syndrome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

C-peptide determination in the choice of treatment in diabetes mellitus.

The predictive value of the intravenous glucagon test in assessing the requirement of insulin therapy in diabetes mellitus was evaluated in 105 adult diabetics. Basal and stimulated C-peptide concentrations and increments of C-peptide concentration were examined separately among newly and previously diagnosed diabetics. The poststimulatory C-peptide concentration of 0.6 nmol/l (Novo, antibody M 1230) proved to be the most reliable basis for the choice of therapy. Adequate therapy could have been assessed in 70 cases (67%) without glucagon stimulation. To derive maximal information of plasma C-peptide concentrations, a biphasic scheme of the use for C-peptide determinations and glucagon stimulation is presented. Basal and stimulated C-peptide levels of insulin-requiring diabetics correlated negatively with the duration of diabetes but they did not correlate with the relative body weights. Basal and stimulated C-peptide levels of non-insulin-requiring diabetics did not correlate with the duration of diabetes, but they correlated positively with the relative body weights.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Determination of thyrotropin in serum by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay evaluated.

We evaluated a new, highly sensitive time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay for thyrotropin (TSH) in serum. This direct immunometric "sandwich"-type assay involves two monoclonal antibodies against TSH, one immobilized, the other labeled with europium. Extremely high specific activity of the label and the use of labeled antibody in large excess make the method sensitive enough to measure TSH values falling below the normal reference interval. The standard curve is nearly linear over a wide range of TSH concentrations (standard concentrations range from 0.25 to 324 milli-int. units/L). The lowest concentration detectable was 25 micro-int. units/L. The CV for the assay was less than 6% at 0.5 milli-int. unit/L or higher, 11.3% at 0.1 milli-int. unit/L. For a CV of 10% the lower limit of the working range would be around 0.1 milli-int. unit/L. The interassay CV was 6.7 to 11.8% for TSH concentrations of 0.31 to 19.6 milli-int. units/L. The 95% confidence interval for sera from 111 healthy persons was 0.6-3.8 (range 0.3-3.8) milli-int. units/L. For hyperthyroid patients and thyroid cancer patients treated with thyroxin after thyroidectomy, serum TSH values were all below the reference interval (most were less than 25 micro-int. units/L).

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Separation of plasma high-density lipoprotein subclasses by a combined precipitation method using polyethylene glycol 6000 and dextran sulphate.

A fast and cheap precipitation method for the separation of HDL subclasses been evaluated. It starts with precipitation of apo-B containing lipoproteins with PEG-6000 after which HDL2 is precipitated with dextran sulphate-Mg2+. A concentration of 0.72 g/l dextran sulphate was found to be suitable for the separation of HDL subclasses. HDL subclasses obtained by precipitation gave proper density profiles at density gradient centrifugations. The correlations between results obtained by this method and by sequential and density gradient centrifugation are good, r = 0.99 and 0.72, respectively.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Acute effect of exogenous thyroxine dose on serum thyroxine and thyrotrophin levels in treated hypothyroid patients.

Acute effects of exogenous thyroxine on the serum thyroxine (T4), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyrotrophin (TSH) levels were studied in 20 hypothyroid women during the long-term maintenance therapy. All patients were euthyroid by clinical and laboratory parameters (T4). In nine patients TSH secretion was totally suppressed (less than 1 mu/l) by the mean dose of 178 micrograms thyroxine. Eleven patients had TSH values greater than 1 mu/l. Their mean thyroxine dose (132 micrograms) was not significantly lower than that which totally suppressed the TSH secretion. Ingestion of thyroxine resulted in maximal T4 and FT4 levels at 2 h after taking the drug. Simultaneously TSH concentration reached its minimum. The results indicate that it is necessary to know when the patient has taken the thyroxine in relation to determination of T4, FT4 and TSH levels in order to make the right decisions about the substitution dose of thyroxine. Thus it is essential to take blood sample for hormone determination before the patient ingests the daily thyroxine dose. However, among hypothyroid patients substituted by thyroxine there are individuals whose TSH secretion is not suppressed by normal T4 and FT4 levels.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Chemical exposures at work and cardiovascular morbidity. Atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias.

Relatively little systematic research has been directed towards the potential effects, either etiologic or aggravating, of industrial chemicals on cardiovascular diseases. While some evidence indicates that exposure to certain pesticides might affect lipoprotein metabolism in man, there is no consistent documentation to support the view that atherosclerosis is caused in man by chemical exposures in industry. In this respect results from some animal studies are highly interesting, eg, exposure to some carcinogens, but the hypotheses presented have not yet been vigorously tested in man. Exposure to carbon monoxide is detrimental to the myocardium, especially in patients with ischemic heart disease, but there are no reliable data on elevated cardiac mortality due to carbon monoxide exposure in industrial populations. A few studies have reported arrhythmias or sudden deaths among workers exposed to solvents and organic nitrates. The effects of lead and cadmium upon human blood pressure have remained controversial, although the bulk of controlled epidemiologic studies suggests that they, if at all existent, are not strong.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

A study of cardiovascular risk factors and their determinants in finnish children.

This report describes the results of a cross-sectional study of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and their determinants among Finnish children. A random sample of 634 subjects (three- and 12-year-old girls and boys, and 17-year-old boys) was selected, and 72% of the subjects invited participated. The children were from five cities and their rural surroundings, representing various parts of Finland. Of the total energy intake, 14% was obtained from protein, 36% and 38-39% from fat, and 50% and 47-48% from carbohydrate by the three- and 12-year-old children, respectively. The mean polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids (P/S) ratio for the whole series was 0.21, rural children having a lower ratio than urban children. In the three- and 12-year-old children the mean plasma cholesterol concentrations were 4.8 and 4.9 mmol/l, HDL-cholesterol 1.3 and 1.5 mmol/l and triglycerides 0.83 and 0.87 mmol/l, respectively. These plasma cholesterol concentrations are high by international standards. In the 17-year-old boys the mean plasma cholesterol was 4.3, and HDL-cholesterol 1.2 mmol/l, respectively. Plasma cholesterol values were higher in eastern than in western Finland in the older children. The relationship between plasma lipid concentrations and the composition of the diet was apparent in the 12-year-old group.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Plasma cholesteryl ester fatty acids in 3- and 12-year-old Finnish children.

Risk factors associated with coronary heart disease were surveyed in a multicentre study carried out in 1979 among children living in different parts of Finland. The survey included analyses of plasma lipids and cholesteryl ester (CE) fatty acids as well as a dietary interview by a 48-hour recall method. The present report gives the plasma fatty acid compositions obtained from 181 3-year-old and 226 12-year-old children and their relations to dietary factors and other plasma lipids. The mean percentages (+/- SD) of CE linoleate in the 3- and 12-year-old children were 49.2 +/- 5.2 and 5.10 +/- 51.0%, respectively. Differences in CE fatty acid composition between the various regions of Finland were relatively small, but there was a trend to higher proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids in western and urban compared with eastern and rural communities. Among different dietary constituents the daily intake of margarine + oils or butter had the greatest effect on plasma CE fatty acid composition. There was a highly significant positive correlation between the dietary P/S ratio and the percentage of CE linoleate in plasma.

Child↗
PubMed1983

Serum fatty acids in 8-year-old Finnish boys: correlations with qualitative dietary data and other serum lipids.

To survey risk factors in coronary heart disease in Finnish children, fasting serum specimens from 244 healthy 8-yr-old boys were analyzed for the fatty acid composition of cholesterol esters (CE), triglycerides (TG), free fatty acids (FFA), and phospholipids (PL). A qualitative dietary survey was made by asking parents to answer a questionnaire including, among others, a question on the kind of fat usually used on bread by the child. The mean percentages of linoleate (18:2) in serum cholesterol esters, triglycerides, free fatty acids, and phospholipids were 53.1, 13.5, 11.5, and 22.7%, respectively, which represent an international average. The quality of dietary fat had a clear influence on serum fatty acids, eg, the content of 18:2 in CE was 56.8 +/- 3.6% in boys using soft vegetable margarine and 50.5 +/- 3.6% in those using butter. The former had also a marginally lower serum total cholesterol (4.87 +/- 0.86 mmol/l) than the latter (5.08 +/- 0.80 mmol/l). Serum total cholesterol showed significant negative correlations with the percentage of 18:2 in all four lipid fractions, the highest r values being with PL-18:2 (-0.41) and CE-18:2 (-0.24). Accordingly, serum cholesterol was lower in the highest CE-18:2 quartile (4.67 +/- 0.76 mmol/l) compared with the lowest (5.30 +/- 0.70 mmol/l; p less than 0.001). The results indicate that when serum fatty acids are used as indicators of the quality of dietary fat, a negative association between polyunsaturated fat and serum cholesterol may be demonstrable even within a free-living population.

Child↗