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Biomedical subjects

M Berglund

Publications and source records attributed to M Berglund.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Integrated personal monitoring of cadmium exposure in Sweden.

Methods for the personal monitoring of human exposure to cadmium from air, food and beverages were studied in a group of 15 non-smoking women in Stockholm. Particles in the breathing zone air and duplicates of all food and beverages ingested were collected during seven consecutive days, as were faeces corresponding to the food ingested. Spot samples of blood and urine were also taken. The main sampling problems were caused by the noise of the personal air monitors and the short operation time of the batteries. On average, dietary cadmium (8.5 micrograms per day) contributed 99% of the total cadmium absorbed. There were large day-to-day variations in intake, most peaks corresponding to the consumption of seafood. Faecal cadmium was shown to reflect the total amount of cadmium ingested. There was a significant (p < 0.05) correlation between cadmium concentrations in blood (median 0.3 microgram/l) and average daily dietary intake of cadmium, but the blood cadmium levels could vary by a factor of four at one and the same average daily intake. The median urinary cadmium level was 0.2 microgram/l.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Serotonin-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis in platelets from post-withdrawal alcoholics.

It has previously been reported that serotonin-stimulated second messenger formation is inhibited in platelets from alcoholics undergoing detoxification. Serotonin-stimulated signal transduction was therefore analysed in platelets from young post-withdrawal alcoholics to elucidate whether the previously reported inhibition is a state or trait marker of alcoholism. No difference between post-withdrawal alcoholics and controls was found with regard to serotonin-stimulated [32P]-phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis or [32P]-phosphatidic acid formation. The results indicate that the inhibited serotonin2 receptor function seen in alcoholics undergoing detoxification is a state-dependent rather than a trait-dependent marker.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Methods for integrated exposure monitoring of lead and cadmium.

An international pilot monitoring study on exposure to lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) has been implemented in Beijing, Yokohama, Stockholm, and Zagreb as part of the UNEP/WHO human exposure assessment locations (HEAL) Program. The main objective was to develop and test methods, including methods for quality assurance, for monitoring of personal exposure to Pb and Cd. The study included analytical training for Pb and Cd in blood, air filters, dust, diets, and feces, as well as exposure monitoring activities in small groups of nonsmoking women, 23-53 years of age, during 7 consecutive days. Airborne particulates, duplicate diets, feces, and blood were collected. An extensive quality assurance program was implemented in order to assure the reliability and comparability of the monitoring data. The main problem in the sample collection was associated with the air monitoring. The pumps were noisy, and the batteries had to be recharged every 6-8 hr. Collection of duplicate diets during 1 week gave good estimates of average dietary intakes of Pb and Cd. The metal contents in feces were found useful for evaluation of total peroral intakes. The methods used made it possible to demonstrate that the diet was the main source of Cd exposure at all the HEAL sites.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Serum beta-hexosaminidase isoenzyme: a sensitive marker for alcohol abuse.

Serum beta-hexosaminidase (Hex) isoenzymes analyzed by enzyme immunoassay were investigated in a group of alcoholics (n = 38) hospitalized for detoxication, in another group of alcoholics (n = 22) abstinent between 6 days and 10 years and in a reference group (n = 20). Hex "B" isoenzyme was elevated in all 38 patients hospitalized for detoxication but only 35 of these had total Hex values above the upper limit of the reference group. The Hex A isoenzyme, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase showed considerable overlap between these patients and the reference group. In the group of 22 abstinent patients only one had an increased level of Hex A, Hex "B," and total Hex, whereas 10 had gamma-glutamyltransferase values above the upper limit of the reference group. It is concluded that Hex "B" is a useful marker for alcohol abuse.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Psychiatric symptoms in alcoholics attending outpatient treatment.

The importance of psychiatric symptomatology for the treatment course of alcoholics was analyzed in a long-term outpatient treatment study. Seventy-two patients, 60 men and 12 women, were personally interviewed during treatment and after 3 years. Before treatment psychiatric symptoms were rated according to the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS). Women had significantly higher scores than men. Men with many symptoms and women had more psychological benefits from drinking and a more impaired personality structure than men with few symptoms. Men with many symptoms also had a lower level of social functioning. The severity of abuse did not differ between the three groups. Men with many symptoms had a less favorable outcome between 25 and 36 months after start of treatment than men with few symptoms and women. Among men who completed treatment, those with many symptoms showed a less successful course after 6 months and during the 3rd year after start of treatment, while differences after 3 months and during later stages of treatment were less pronounced. It is suggested that before start of treatment a psychiatric evaluation should be performed including psychiatric diagnosis, personality analysis, and an assessment of psychological benefits from drinking.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Long-term use of aversive drugs in outpatient alcoholism treatment.

In a 2-year outpatient treatment programme for alcoholics, 90% of the patients used aversive drugs during some part of the treatment period. Long-term use was significantly related to a favourable drinking outcome during 2 years subsequent to treatment compared with short-term use. Long-term and short-term users did not differ in background data. Continued use of aversive drugs after the first 6 months might have been critical for favourable outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Personal monitoring of lead and cadmium exposure--a Swedish study with special reference to methodological aspects.

Methods for determining personal exposure to lead and cadmium were tested in Stockholm in 1988. Lead and cadmium in breathing-zone air, 24-h duplicate diets, and feces of 15 nonsmoking women (27-46 years of age) were studied. Blood was collected at the beginning of and immediately after the test period (seven consecutive days). An extensive quality assurance program was included. Most technical problems were encountered in the 24-h collection of airborne particles. The pumps were noisy, and the batteries had to be recharged every 6-8 h. The lead and cadmium levels in feces were found to be useful indicators of the total ingested amounts of these metals. Because of the large day-to-day variation in the dietary intake of lead and cadmium, the sampling period for duplicate diets and feces should be at least 5-6 d.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Clinical and physiological implications and correlations.

Cerebral dysfunction in alcoholics has important treatment implications. However, overall correlations between neuropathological impairment, neuropsychiatric performance, and clinical outcome are low and seldom reported to exceed 0.3-0.4. Three main diagnostic issues are discussed, reversibility of dementia symptoms, frontal lobe dysfunction, and the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. To predict the reversibility of dementia symptoms in the individual alcoholic is important for the clinician. While routine diagnostic procedures do not give such information, a combination of brain imaging techniques and psychometric tests could be a possible development. Frontal lobe dysfunction is related to high-level cognition and general integration of behaviour. Psychometric tests give uncertain results. Inclusion of brain imaging techniques could possibly improve the diagnostic procedure. The autopsy frequency of the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is much higher than the clinical diagnostic prevalence during life. This discrepancy may be related to the rarity of the classical symptoms and to overdiagnosis of non-Korsakoff alcohol dementia.

Alcohol Amnestic Disorder↗
PubMed1990

Screening chemical and physical stability of drug substances.

General multistep methods are described for the screening of the chemical and the physical stability and/or reactivity of new drug candidates. The chemical reactivity is studied in aqueous buffer solutions; the rate of degradation is measured as a function of pH. The products of the reaction mixture are evaluated at selected pH-values as a function of time and key reaction products are identified. Strategies for testing degradation products in stability studies are discussed. The purpose of the physical reactivity test is to obtain information on the existing solid-state form in relation to the thermodynamically stable form. A method for finding the stable form is described. When polymorphism is observed a search for additional polymorphs is performed and the different solid phases are characterized. Special tests are described for hydrates and anhydrous forms.

Chemical Phenomena↗
PubMed1989

Regional cerebral blood flow during alcoholic blackout.

Regional cerebral blood flow was measured during alcoholic blackout in a 61-year-old man with a blood-alcohol level of 0.38%. The mean flow level was found to be elevated by about 30-60% compared to repeated studies during long-term abstinence. The regional pattern did not change greatly. Increases of mean regional cerebral blood flow have previously been reported during social drinking and in Wernicke-Korsakoff's syndrome. A common disturbance of subcortical activation systems is hypothesized.

Alcohol Amnestic Disorder↗
PubMed1989

Changes of drinking goals in a two-year out-patient alcoholic treatment program.

Choice of drinking goals were studied in a two-year out-patient alcoholic treatment program with a low attrition rate. Eighty-four percent of the alcoholics (N = 50) preferred abstinence during the first 3-month period and 64% during the last 3-month period. Forty-four percent changed drinking goals (abstinence or controlled drinking) during the 2-year period. Women had a more stable choice than men (p less than .1). Patients with an abstinence drinking goal during the total 2-year period were more often physically dependent on alcohol and had more drinks during abuse days than the other patients. Patients did not differ in number of abuse days during the 2-year program as a function of goal choice.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Alcoholics committed to treatment: a prospective long-term study of behavioral characteristics, mortality, and social adjustment.

Three hundred eighty-three alcoholics, who had at least once been ordered supervision or compulsory treatment at an institution for alcoholics by the Temperance Board, were compared with 383 other alcoholics matched for age and sex. All the alcoholics were first admitted to the Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Lund, during the years 1949 to 1969 and followed up until January 1, 1981. They were systematically rated concerning symptoms and etiological factors at first admission. According to a stepwise logistic regression analysis, the following initial symptoms were positively associated with later compulsory treatment: slight cerebral dysfunction/personality change, antisociality/criminality, and impaired social and work performance. Social pressure/responsibility/conflict, slight depression, and continuous drinking were positively associated with the controls. There were 168 deaths in the compulsory treatment group and 124 in the control group (p less than 0.01). The excess deaths in the compulsory treatment group were mainly caused by accidents, poisoning, and violence (21 cases) and sudden cardiac death (10 cases), while there were no differences concerning alcohol-related neoplasms and liver cirrhosis. The compulsory treatment group had a worse long-term social adjustment. The findings indicate that compulsory treatment was related to behavioral patterns showing a stability over time, supporting the validity of subclassification of alcoholics using social data.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Prediction of posttreatment drinking outcome in a 2-year out-patient alcoholic treatment program. A follow-up study.

Fifty alcoholics who attended a 2-year out-patient treatment program with standardized evaluations every third month were followed-up 2 years after completion of the program. One patient refused to be followed-up and four were dead. Corroboration was available in 78% of the cases. The number of abuse days from the second half-year of therapy and forward was strongly related to the number of abuse days during the follow-up period as were ratings both of drinking goal fulfillment and fulfillment of other treatment goals at termination of the treatment period. On the contrary initial characteristics and background data as well as the number of abuse days during the first half-year were not related to number of abuse days during the follow-up period. Our findings indicate that improvement during long term out-patient treatment for alcoholism is stable during the following 2 years with a socially stable sample.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Post-diction of suicide in a group of depressive patients.

Prediction of suicides was made on the basis of 99 psychiatric patients included in a study of anti-depressive therapy during 1961-63. These patients were followed up until 31 December 1984. Eight of them committed suicide. The prediction was based on two test methods, the Serial Colour-Word Test (CWT), which registers style of adaptation to a conflicting situation, and the Meta-Contrast Technique (MCT), where incongruous or threatening stimulation is introduced by degrees into neutral pictures and various defense misrepresentations of the threat are spotted. Both tests could predict suicide, but MCT was most successful. The sensitivity of the test was 0.80 and the specificity 0.75. The main risk symptom appeared to be depressive retardation together with lack of functional defensive structures.

Adult↗