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Biomedical subjects

L Tougaard

Publications and source records attributed to L Tougaard.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

[The diagnosis of "smoker's lung" encourages smoking cessation].

In a controlled randomised trial we analysed whether the use of the term "smoker's lung" (Danish: "rygerlunger") instead of chronic bronchitis when talking to patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) changed their smoking habits. Fifty-six smoking patients with COLD were allocated to either intervention (n = 25) or control groups (n = 31). In the intervention group the lung disease was designated smoker's lung in all communication with patients about their illness and in the control group traditional terminology was used. All patients were given the same medical treatment and the same encouragement to stop smoking. One week after discharge 57% had stopped smoking in the smoker's lung group vs 26% in the control group (p = 0.028), at three months 50% vs 19% (p = 0.027) and at one year 40% vs 20% (p = 0.148). Referring directly to the cause of a self-inflicted illness may be an effective way of discouraging risk behaviour, at negligible cost.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[A short discharge letter with a copy to the patient--satisfactory for patients and practitioners].

This study evaluated the introduction of a new type of discharge letter (DL). The new DL is hand-written by the discharging doctor on a form, and a copy is both given to the patient and sent immediately to the general practitioner (GP). Questionnaires were sent both to the receiving patients and GPs. One hundred and thirty-four patients (55%) and 157 GPs (87%) replied to the questionnaires. Half of the responding patients stated that the DL had helped them to understand what had happened during their hospital stay, as well as future plans for treatment. A majority of the responding GPs found the hospital stay, the patient's status at discharge and the planned after treatment to be satisfactorily described in the new DLs. Almost all GPs (90%) were pleased with the promptness with which they received the new DL. Compared to the traditional DL, 40% of the responding GPs found the new DL to be better and 29% found it to be worse.

Denmark↗
PubMed1993

[Health economical benefits of personalized hospital treatment of chronic bronchitis].

One hundred patients (aged 48 to 89) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were allocated to receive either "personalized hospital practice" (PHP), which includes training in aspects of their disease, or standard hospital practice. Changes in "consumption" of health services per patient from one year before until one year after the intervention admission were evaluated in 82 (PHP group 42, controls 40). The increase in consumption of health services after intervention was on average kr 15.298 per patient per year less in the PHP group than in the control group (p = 0.048). Consumption of general practitioner services was significantly increased in the control group compared with the PHP group (mean 95% confidence limits) kr 1346 (549-2143) versus -89 (-423-245) per patient per year, p = 0.001). PHP reduces the consumption of health services by patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, probably by increasing patients knowledge of disease and their ability to manage themselves.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Economic benefits of teaching patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease about their illness. The PASTMA Group.

By instructing patients in how to deal with their disease financial demands on health services may be reduced. 100 consecutive patients (aged 48 to 89) admitted to a general medical ward in Denmark with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were allocated randomly to receive either "personalized hospital practice" (PHP), which includes training in aspects of their disease, or standard hospital practice. Changes in "consumption" of health services per patient from 1 year before until 1 year after the intervention admission were evaluated in 82 (PHP group 42, controls 40) patients who completed the intervention phase. Each group contained about the same percentage of asthmatics and smokers. The increase in consumption of health services after intervention was on average Kr15,298 per patient per year less in the PHP group than in the control group (p = 0.048, Wilcoxon test). Consumption of general practitioner services was significantly increased in the control group compared with the PHP group (mean [95% Cl] Kr1346 [549 to 2143] vs -89 [-423 to 245] per patient per year; p = 0.001, Wilcoxon test). These differences could not be explained by changes in smoking habits. PHP reduces the consumption of health services by patients with COPD, probably by increasing patients' knowledge of disease and hence their ability to manage themselves.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Bile acid metabolism in patients with Crohn's disease in terminal ileum.

Bile acid metabolism was studied by means of the fractional turnover rate or orally ingested 14C-labeled taurocholic acid and by gas chromatographic determination of fecal excretion of the bile acids cholic acid (CA), chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), deoxycholic acid (DCA), and lithocholic acid (LCA). Thirty patients with Crohn's disease (CD) of the small bowel, of whom 19 had been operated on with limited ileal resections, were studied and compared with 11 healthy volunteers. The unoperated group of CD patients did not show significant increase in bile acid excretion in the stools in contrast to the CD patients with ileal resection. The fecal excretion consisted mostly of primary bile acids, and a significant correlation between length of resection and bile acid excretion was found (rs = 0.81, p less than 0.01). The fractional turnover rate of CA + DCA was significantly increased in both unoperated (0.21 l/day) and operated (0.44 l/day) patients compared with normal controls (0.06 l/day). The bile acid pool of CA + DCA, however, was normal in patients with ileal resections, indicating a compensatory increase in bile acid synthesis. In unoperated patients the bile acid pool of CA + DCA was slightly decreased (3.1 mmol) compared with operated patients (6.2 mmol) and normal controls (4.8 mmol). The pool size was not significantly correlated to mean transit time of dietary residue, feces excretion, loss of weight, or amount of fat in feces. The mean transit time of dietary residue was decreased in both operated and unoperated CD patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

A simplified method for estimating mean values of multiple specimens.

Determination of the correct average content of a constituent in multiple specimens requires measurements of concentration and volume of each specimen. We have evaluated a simplified method by which the mean content is estimated from one concentration determination and the total volume of the specimens. The greatest possible deviation from the correct mean value can be estimated, and is shown in diagrams. It is demonstrated that a simplified method can often be used with little loss of accuracy. The method is exemplified by measurements of lipid and biliary acids in faeces from healthy subjects and from patients with Crohn's disease.

Bile Acids and Salts↗
PubMed1985

A plastic bag freezing method for preparation of faeces for analysis.

In order to obtain a completely homogeneous mixture of a normal stool it is found necessary only to homogenize the stool samples for 2 min using a paint-can shaker. A method for handling faeces in chemical analyses is based on a freezing procedure in which the homogenized faeces are frozen in a plastic bag separated into different compartments. The frozen faeces can be cut off and weighed for analysis. Compared to the usual method, the plastic bag freezing method is faster and avoids unpleasant smell.

Feces↗
PubMed1985

Bile acid malabsorption in patients with an ileum reservoir with a long efferent leg to an anal anastomosis.

Biliary metabolism in 11 patients with ileum reservoirs with anal anastomosis and a long efferent leg was studied. Eleven healthy persons served as controls. A significantly higher excretion of bile acids was found in the patients, but they seemed to have a normal cholic acid pool size. The bile acids excreted were cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid, the so-called primary bile acids, for more than 90%, whereas the normal controls mainly excreted secondary bile acids (deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid). Fat excretion was generally not increased in the group but was above normal in two patients. Vitamin B12 absorption was subnormal in two patients and was not correlated to bile acid excretion. Bile acid excretion was not correlated to the weight of feces. The bacterial flora was more feces-like than would have been expected from a normal terminal ileum but was correlated neither to the bile acid excretion nor to the quantity of feces. We conclude that the patients showed dysfunction of the terminal ileum with regard to biliary acid absorption comparable to that found in patients with partial ileal resections.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Extraction from bone powder: collagen, calcium and phosphate.

A method for the estimation of the extraction rate is shown and exemplified by preliminary data from extraction of collagen, calcium and phosphate with EDTA and neutral salt solution. The initial extraction rate was high, even with neutral salt solution, and optimal extraction efficiency was obtained within 24 h.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMed1982

Resonance of the human tibia. Method, reproducibility and effect of transection.

Driving point impedance technique was used for in vivo determination of the lowest frequency of resonance (Fa) in the human tibia. Optimum conditions for measurement were investigated. The precision of the method was 4.7 per cent and the greatest source of variation was the positioning of the leg and muscular tension. Fa was investigatyed during transection of the human tibia post-mortem and was found to decrease as stiffness was reduced by the transection. Accordingly Fa was decreased in four patients with crural fractures. The experiments indicate that the method can be used for the determination of fracture healing.

Biophysical Phenomena↗