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Biomedical subjects

L Knudsen

Publications and source records attributed to L Knudsen.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Social network ties and mortality among the elderly in the Alameda County Study.

Seventeen-year mortality data from the Alameda County Study are used to examine the relative importance of social ties as predictors of survival at different ages, ranging from 38-94 years at baseline. Previous analyses of Alameda County data by Berkman and Syme (Am J Epidemiol 1979;109:186-204) have shown that such ties are significant predictors of lower nine-year mortality risk for persons aged less than 70 years at baseline. Proportional hazard analyses indicate that social ties are also significant predictors of lower 17-year mortality risks for those aged 70 and older after adjusting for age, sex, race, baseline health status, perceived health, depression, and health practices (relative hazard = 1.49 for Berkman-Syme Social Network Index; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.09-2.05). Comparisons of the relative importance of four types of social ties reveal an interesting shift across the age groups. Marital status assumes primary importance for those aged less than 60 years at baseline (relative hazard = 1.6 and 1.4 for those aged 38-49 and 50-59, respectively; 95% CI = 1.12-2.29 and 1.02-1.91, respectively). However, ties with close friends and/or relatives assume greater importance for those aged 60 and older (relative hazard = 1.17 comparing those reporting five or more contacts per month to the more socially isolated who report less than five such contacts per month; 95% CI = 0.98-1.89).

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Benzodiazepine antagonist Ro 15-1788. Antagonism of diazepam sedation in outpatients undergoing gastroscopy.

In a double-blind, randomised trial the efficacy and safety of Ro 15-1788, a new benzodiazepine antagonist, was assessed in forty adults undergoing gastroscopy under diazepam sedation. Criteria of efficacy were the degree of sedation and anterograde amnesia. There was a significantly faster recovery of the patients after the injection of 0.6-1.0 mg of Ro 15-1788 than after placebo. Patients were awake shortly after Ro 15-1788, but remained drowsy or asleep after placebo administration. There were no side effects of note.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Urticaria pigmentosa treated with oral disodium cromoglycate.

4 patients with urticaria pigmentosa were treated with oral disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) for 2 months. During the treatment urine excretion of the main histamine metabolite, 1,4-methylimidazoleacetic acid (MIAA), was determined, and sequential skin biopsies were examined. DSCG was found to have beneficial effect on pruritus and whealing in 3 patients. The one treatment failure was in a patient without pruritus. The skin lesions remained unchanged. DSCG treatment had no effect on MIAA excretion or on the number of mast cells found in the skin biopsies.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1983

Oral disodium cromoglycate treatment of atopic dermatitis.

Fourteen adults and 10 children with active atopic dermatitis entered this double blind cross-over study of oral disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) (adults 200 mg qid, children 100 mg qid) compared with placebo. Oral DSCG and placebo were given for 6 weeks in random order. According to the investigators' assessments of eczema, significant differences between active and placebo were found after 6 weeks' treatment, DSCG being favoured (P less than 0.05). No differences were detected in the investigators' assessment of lichenization and overall disease. No significant differences between the two treatments were demonstrated in the patients' assessments. Results from food allergic patients were similar to those from non-food allergic patients. Two patients reported possible side effects of arthralgia and urticaria respectively. There were no treatment effects on serum IgE values or any other laboratory data.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1982

Sympathetic reflex control of subcutaneous blood flow in tetraplegic man during postural changes.

1. The effect of head-up tilt upon subcutaneous blood flow in the distal arm and leg was studied in 12 patients with complete traumatic spinal cord transection at the cervical level. 2. Blood flow was measured by the local 133Xe washout technique. 3. Leg lowering induced a 47% decrease in blood flow in the distal leg. During head-up tilt (45 degrees) blood flow in the leg decreased by 48%. In the arm remaining at heart level blood flow decreased by 37% during tilt and this vasoconstriction could be prevented by nervous blockade with lignocaine injected subcutaneously 5 cm proximally to the labelled area. Leg blood flow was unaltered by proximal blockade but could be blocked by local infiltration in the labelled area with lignocaine in low doses. 4. Head-up tilt of tetraplegic patients induced vasoconstriction in the subcutaneous tissue of the forearm, which could be prevented by proximal blockade. Thus the vasoconstriction could be due to a spinal sympathetic reflex mechanism. This as well as local mechanisms including the venoarteriolar reflex may play a role in recovery of arterial blood pressure during head-up tilt in the tetraplegic patient.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Polymyalgia rheumatica syndrome.

Eleven (14%( of 80 patients with polymyalgia rheumatica syndrome (PMR-S) recovered spontaneously within one year; two of them had received repeated injections of depot steroids before remission occurred. The remaining 69 patients, including 14 with giant cell arteritis (GCA), were all treated with systemic glucocorticoids for an average of 30 months (range 3-81 months). Nine of the patients developed side effects from the treatment, which in seven cases were severe osteoporosis and spinal compression. None suffered from loss of vision. The patients' mortality rate and causes of death did not differ from those of the population at large. The diagnostic criteria are discussed, with the omission of those applied for exclusion. Use of the common term PMR-S is preferred, as GCA and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are clinically indistinguishable. Systemic glucocorticoids are urgently needed when arteritis or ocular manifestations are detected or even suspected. In uncomplicated cases of PMR we recommend that trials be made with repeated injections of depot steroids. This procedure could also be used in patients suffering from severe subjective recurrences after cessation of treatment with systemic glucocorticoids, thereby reducing the number of cases where steroid treatment is unquestionably maintained for too long.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

Myositis ossificans circumscripta in para/tetraplegics.

At the Hospital of Physical Medicine, Hornbaek, we analysed in retrospect 52 cases of myositis ossificans circumscripta (MOC) among 605 patients with para/tetraplegia. MOC proved significantly more common after total than after subtotal spinal cord injuries. MOC was not observed in any case above the motor level of the spinal cord lesion. This neurological relationship appears to "explain" the finding that MOC is more common in para/tetraplegia of traumatic origin (more complete spinal cord lesions) than among those caused by slipped discs or tumours. Twenty-five per cent of the patients ended up with fairly mild and 12% with more severe hip contractures, the latter causing recurrent, contralateral decubital ulcers over the ischial tuberosity and protracted hospitalization. To aid diagnosis, the authors suggest a simple programme for all para/tetraplegics. In our opinion, routine X-ray examination is not necessary. Intensified research into the causative factors and treatment is needed, not only to facilitate these patients' social adaptation, but also for socio-economic reasons.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Hypotension during and after operation in glucocorticoid-treated patients.

The frequency and likely aetiology of systemic arterial hypotension occurring either during or following operation, in patients receiving steroids was analysed retrospectively. Hypotension occurred during surgery in 29 of 250 operations. Although patients receiving steroids until shortly before operation appeared more likely to develop hypotension during operation the differences were eliminated when allowance was made for the severity of the disease. In almost half of the instances of hypotension during surgery there was no adequate explanation. Hypotension occurred after surgery on eight occasions; there was one case of acute adrenocortical insufficiency, six of various types of circulatory failure and in one the cause as uncertain.

Adolescent↗