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Biomedical subjects

K Ekberg

Publications and source records attributed to K Ekberg.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Controlled two year follow up of rehabilitation for disorders in the neck and shoulders.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of an early, active, and multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme for neck and shoulder disorders. METHODS: Primary health care and industrial health care of a nonrandomised, controlled, cohort was followed up over two years in a geographically defined area. The cohort consisted of working people who consulted a physician about disorders of the neck or shoulders from 1 August 1988 to 31 October 1989. Criteria for acceptance; not chronic symptoms, patients had sick leave of no more than four weeks. Disorders were not caused by trauma, infections, malignancy, rheumatic diseases, abuse, or pregnancy. 107 people qualified for the study, 87% were followed up for two years. They were divided into two groups. One group obtained active, multidisciplinary rehabilitation for eight weeks that comprised physical training, information, education, social interaction, and work place visits. Controls were given traditional treatment; physiotherapy, medication, rest, and sick leave. The main outcome measures were: average number of days of sick leave for the two years after rehabilitation, subjective pain on a visual analogue scale, and ratings on seven subscales of the sickness impact profile. RESULTS: At 12 and 24 months of follow up effects of the active rehabilitation programme did not differ from traditional treatment in any of the outcome measures. New work task (P < 0.05) or changed work place (P < 0.001) during the follow up period were associated with decreased sick leave, independent of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Active, multidisciplinary rehabilitation of neck and shoulder disorders was not more effective than traditional treatment. Changed work conditions were associated with decreased sick leave, independent of type of treatment provided.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Case-control study of risk factors for disease in the neck and shoulder area.

A case-control study was performed to elucidate the strength of the relation between musculoskeletal disorders in the neck and shoulders and physical, organisational, and psychosocial aspects of the work environment. Cases were identified as those persons who consulted a physician in a community in southern Sweden for new musculoskeletal disorders in the neck and shoulders during a study period from August 1988 to the end of October 1989. One hundred and nine cases were collected and clinically examined. The cases also answered the Nordic questionnaire on symptoms as well as a questionnaire on work conditions and background factors. Controls were drawn as a random sample of the working population in the community where the cases appeared. A total of 637 controls answered the same questionnaires as the cases. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated by logistic regression. The odds ratios were 11.4 for women, 4.9 for immigrant background, and 3.7 for current smoking. To exercise rarely, compared with often, appeared as a preventive factor with an OR of 0.3. The ORs for various determinants of physical work load were 7.5 for repetitive movements demanding precision, 13.6 for light lifting, 3.6 for uncomfortable sitting positions, 4.8 for work with lifted arms, and 3.5 for a rushed work pace. Regarding work organisational determinants, the ORs were 16.5 for ambiguity of work role (uncertainty whether the person could manage the work) 2.6 for low quality work, and 3.8 for high demands on attention. Several of the determinants showed a significant dose-response relation with disease. It seems that work organisation and psychosocial work conditions are as important determinants for disease in the neck and shoulders as are the physical work conditions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Work organisation, work environment and the use of medical equipment: a survey study of the impact on quality and safety.

In a study of hospital staff's perceived quality of care and worry, related to the use of medical equipment, a systems approach was used. This included training and user aspects on the equipment, environmental ergonomics, work organisation and psychosocial work conditions. In a survey study, 543 hospital staff members from seven departments with various degrees of equipment utilisation participated. By means of factor analysis, factors which were important to perceived quality of care and worry were determined. Adaptation of equipment and environment and training on the use of equipment were shown to be important. However, several organisational and psychosocial factors turned out to have a still greater impact. In the assessment of healthcare technologies which include medical equipment a holistic systems approach is therefore advocated.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1993

Quantitation of the pathways followed in the conversion of fructose to glucose in liver.

Recently, only about 50% of the conversion of fructose to glucose was reported to be via fructose-1-P aldolase catalysis in children. This was also suggested to be the case in adults. That possibility has been tested using a method that quantifies the pathways of fructose conversion to glucose via the fate of 14C from specifically labeled fructose. Trace [6-14C] fructose or its immediate precursor [6-14C]sorbitol with unlabeled fructose (0.3 mg/kg body weight/min) was given intravenously or intragastrically with trace [1-14C]lactate to six normal adults fasted overnight. The distributions of 14C in glucose from blood samples were determined. The ratios of 14C in C1 to C6 of the glucose were equal to or only slightly less than the ratios of 14C in C3 to C4. Since incorporation into C3 and C4 of glucose must have arisen via the conversion of [1-14C]lactate to [1-14C]triose phosphates, fructose conversion to glucose must also have arisen predominantly via the triose phosphates. From the ratios, 85.1% to 100%, a mean of 94.9% of the fructose converted to glucose is calculated to have been converted to glucose with cleavage of the carbon skeleton of the fructose. These findings contrast with the report that in children under similar conditions only about 50% of the conversion of fructose to glucose is with cleavage. The findings agree with previous results in which fructose was administered to normal adults as a bolus at a dose of 60 mg/kg body weight. The possible reasons that the findings in children are different from those in adults are considered.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Early and late recovery after major abdominal surgery. Comparison between propofol anaesthesia with and without nitrous oxide and isoflurane anaesthesia.

A comparison was made between early and late recovery after major abdominal surgery under intravenous anaesthesia with propofol (with and without nitrous oxide) or inhalational anaesthesia with isoflurane. Sixty patients were randomly allocated to one of three forms of anaesthesia: propofol, propofol/nitrous oxide, or isoflurane/nitrous oxide anaesthesia. All received fentanyl and vecuronium. Recovery was monitored during the first 2 h after extubation and on days 1, 2, 3, 7 and 30 after surgery. Every 30 min during the first 2 postoperative hours, the Steward recovery scale, sedation, orientation, collaboration, and comprehension were assessed by a blinded observer. Psychomotor function was evaluated by computerised simple reaction time and finger tapping speed in 32 patients. A scale of symptoms and mood check list were filled in by 35 patients on days 1, 2, 3, 7 and 30. The preoperative values for all tests were collected 1-4 days before surgery. The time between end of surgery and extubation was longer in the propofol group, but early and late recovery of psychomotor function were similar in the three groups. Patients anaesthetised with isoflurane reported more vegetative symptoms than those who received propofol (P < 0.03). The addition of nitrous oxide to propofol did not change the reported degree of symptoms. The difference in vegetative symptoms between groups was most obvious on day 7. Patients anaesthetised with propofol reported better subjective control (P < 0.02) and were more socially oriented (P < 0.05) than patients anaesthetised with isoflurane. We conclude that early recovery was similar in the three groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abdomen↗
PubMed1991

Changes in plasma hypoxanthine and free radical markers during exercise in man.

Eight men cycled for about 6 minutes at workloads corresponding to 44 and 72% of maximal oxygen uptake and to fatigue at 98% maximal oxygen uptake. Blood samples from a brachial artery and a femoral vein were taken at rest and during exercise. Hypoxanthine, xanthine and urate in plasma were significantly elevated at fatigue and after 10 minutes of recovery. Only hypoxanthine showed a significant arterio-femoral venous difference. The release of hypoxanthine from the legs increased during the recovery period and was three-fold higher 10 minutes post exercise than at the end of exercise. It is concluded that the marked increase in plasma hypoxanthine which occurs during intensive exercise originates from the working muscle whereas the transformation to xanthine and urate may occur in other tissues. Glutathione, methemoglobin and malondialdehyd (MDA) were used as plasma markers of free radicals. Total glutathione (glutathione + glutathionedisulfide) in blood and plasma increased during intensive exercise and may be indicative of free radical formation. However, MDA was not detectable in plasma during any conditions (less than 0.1 mumol x l-1 plasma) and methemoglobin decreased slightly during exercise. Further studies using more specific techniques are required to determine whether the formation of free radicals is increased after brief intensive exercise.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Long-term follow up of workers exposed to solvents.

Long term occupational exposure to organic solvents may cause adverse effects to the central nervous system. This collaborative study between six Swedish departments of occupational medicine examines the overall prognosis in terms of working capacity, symptoms, and psychometric test performance for individuals occupationally exposed to organic solvents. After re-analyses of the data from an initial clinical investigation of 111 men, the subjects were divided into two subgroups: one group of 65 with symptoms but no impairment on the tests and one group of 46 with toxic encephalopathy (symptoms and test impairment). At least five years after the initial examination the subjects were asked to attend a re-examination that included a structured medical interview and a psychometric investigation. The results indicate that effects on the central nervous system persist even when exposure has ceased. In the group of 46 more men had stopped working and were receiving sickness or early retirement pensions. This group also had reduced activity levels with regard to everyday life, leisure activities, and education or training and more neuropsychiatric symptoms. There was no support for the view that a solvent induced toxic encephalopathy is a progressive disease comparable with presenile dementia such as Alzheimer's disease or Pick's disease. If a worker was removed from exposure when he presented symptoms without signs of impairment in intellectual function recovery was seen in most cases.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Neuropsychiatric effects of low exposure to styrene.

Workers exposed to styrene concentrations of about 50 mg/m3 at a plant manufacturing reinforced polyester boats were examined for neuropsychiatric symptoms both in close connection with exposure and also seven months after exposure had ceased. Physical workload is important for the uptake of styrene and was about 50 W at this plant. On the first occasion, after one week with no exposure, the workers reported a high frequency of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as fatigue, irritation, and forgetfulness whereas seven months later the frequency of these symptoms was low. These observations indicate that exposure to styrene at about 50 mg/m3 may induce reversible neuraesthenic symptoms. Even the relatively low Swedish standard (110 mg/m3 = 25 ppm) may, therefore, need revising.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Chronic and acute effects of solvents on central nervous system functions in floorlayers.

Floorlayers and age matched carpenters with long (greater than or equal to 20 years) and short (5-10 years) occupational experience were compared with respect to chronic and acute neuropsychiatric, neuropsychological, and general health effects as related to different types of solvent exposure. An increased prevalence of neuropsychiatric illness occurred among floorlayers with long occupational experience, possibly caused by high levels of exposure which were present until the 1970s. The disease appears partly reversible since, at the time of the investigation, all had essentially recovered. Some impairment of performance in psychological tests was seen, however, in this group. Visuoanalytical impairment was associated with indices of exposure to glues based on alcohols whereas contact adhesives appeared more deleterious to perceptual functions. The increased prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms among the floorlayers was interpreted to reflect mainly acute effects on the central nervous system.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1985

No acute behavioural effects of exposure to styrene: a safe level of exposure?

To determine whether exposure to low levels of styrene (below 110 mg/m3) causes acute behavioural effects and symptoms that may be related to concentrations of styrene in air or urinary mandelic acid or both, 12 men occupationally exposed to styrene were studied and compared with a reference group of 10 unexposed men. Simple reaction time was measured before and after work and information about symptoms was obtained by questionnaire. Active and passive sampling of airborne styrene was carried out and urinary mandelic acid concentrations were measured. Although the size of the study groups is small, the results indicate that exposure to styrene below 110 mg/m3 does not cause any acute adverse effects on the central nervous system.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in cerebrospinal fluid from men after long-term exposure to organic solvents.

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) is widely distributed within the central nervous system (CNS) and is thought to function as a neurotransmitter. VIP was measured in CSF from 14 men with psycho-organic syndrome occupationally exposed to organic solvents for 7-38 years and in CSF from 8 neurologically healthy male volunteers. The concentration of VIP in the exposed group, 28 +/- 15 (SD) pmol/l, did not significantly differ from that of controls, 38 +/- 14 pmol/l. Thus, determination of VIP in CSF appears to be of little value for detecting effects of long-term solvent exposure.

Humans↗
PubMed1984

Cerebrospinal fluid proteins and cells in men subjected to long-term exposure to organic solvents.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was obtained from 17 men occupationally exposed to organic solvents and diagnosed as having a psycho-organic syndrome. Healthy volunteers and patients without neurological disorders were used as controls. The albumin ratio was increased in three heavily exposed men, indicating an increased passage of albumin over the blood-brain barrier. A slight monocytoid reaction was present in three of the subjects in the exposed group. Myelin basic protein and enolase activity were within normal limits. Isoelectric focusing of CSF-enriched proteins obtained by absorption chromatography showed alterations in nine out of 17 exposed individuals: The most prominent change was a relative increase of the protein band with Ip 4.7.

Adult↗