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Biomedical subjects

M Kaminski

Publications and source records attributed to M Kaminski.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Birth outcomes of immigrant women in the United States, France, and Belgium.

OBJECTIVES: To compare maternal characteristics and birth outcomes of Mexico-born and native-born mothers in the United States and those of North African mothers living in France and Belgium to French and Belgian nationals. METHODS: We examined information from single live birth certificates for 285,371 Mexico-born and 3,131,632 U.S.-born mothers (including 2,537,264 U.S.-born White mothers) in the United States, 4,623 North African and 103,345 Belgian mothers in Belgium, and a French national random sample consisting of 632 North African and 11,185 French mothers. The outcomes were mean birthweight, low birthweight, and preterm births. Differences between native/nationals and foreign-born mothers in each country were assessed in bivariate and multivariate analyses controlling for maternal risk factors. RESULTS: The adjusted odds for low birthweight were lower for immigrants than native/nationals by 32% in the United States, by 32% in Belgium, and by 30% in France. The adjusted odds for preterm births were lower for immigrants compared with native/nationals by 11% in the United States and by 23% in Belgium. In France, the odds for preterm births were comparable for immigrants and naturalized mothers. Infants of immigrant mothers also had higher mean birthweights in all three countries. CONCLUSION: Despite their disadvantaged status, Mexico-born and North African-born women residing in the United States, France, and Belgium show good birth outcomes. These cannot be explained solely by traditional risk factors. Protective factors and selective migration may offer further clues.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Participation in a mail survey: role of repeated mailings and characteristics of nonrespondents among recent mothers.

This study analysed the characteristics of respondent and nonrespondent mothers at each stage of a survey procedure, from a initial questionnaire to a reminder letter and two repeated mailings. Of 938 mothers of liveborn children who, while maternity inpatients, received a questionnaire and information about a mail survey to follow 2 months later, 828 completed and returned the initial questionnaire, 708 agreed to participate in the mail survey and were sent the mail questionnaire, and 612 finally completed and returned the questionnaire at 2 months. There were differences between respondents and non-respondents for socio-demographic factors at each stage of the process. The final response rate to the mail questionnaire was higher among mothers who were younger, were breast feeding, and had more education, an occupation and fewer children. The characteristics of late respondents were intermediate between those of early to middle respondents and nonrespondents for age, educational level, breast feeding and occupation. Maternal and infant health varied only slightly according to response status. Repeated mailings increased response and diminished selection. A mail questionnaire after contact in a maternity ward is a cost-effective means of gathering data about a large sample of recent mothers and their children.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Congenital intrapulmonary bronchogenic cyst in the neonate--perinatal management.

Approximately 50% of all congenital lung malformations are pulmonary and mediastinal bronchogenic cysts (BC). Therefore, their diagnosis and management is of clinical importance. Usually asymptomatic in the first months of life, bronchogenic cysts are frequently clinically inapparent even adulthood. Early diagnosis and elective surgery can prevent late complications such as pneumothorax, pulmonary hypertension, and recurrent infections; prognosis after surgery is excellent. If mediastinal shifting is present, fetal thoracocentesis is indicated to prevent cardiovascular insufficiency. We report a case of a prenatally diagnosed intrapulmonary BC of the right lung. Following in utero thoracocentesis of the cyst and transient spontaneous regression postnatal onset of severe clinical symptoms due to rapidly developing hyperinflation and mediastinal shifting within the first days of life required early surgical intervention.

Bronchial Diseases↗
PubMed1999

Parental visiting, communication, and participation in ethical decisions: a comparison of neonatal unit policies in Europe.

AIM: To compare neonatal intensive care unit policies towards parents' visiting, information, and participation in ethical decisions across eight European countries. METHODS: One hundred and twenty three units, selected by random or exhaustive sampling, were recruited, with an overall response rate of 87%. RESULTS: Proportions of units allowing unrestricted parental visiting ranged from 11% in Spain to 100% in Great Britain, Luxembourg and Sweden, and those explicitly involving parents in decisions from 19% in Italy to 89% in Great Britain. Policies concerning information also varied. CONCLUSIONS: These variations cannot be explained by differences in unit characteristics, such as level, size, and availability of resources. As the importance of parental participation in the care of their babies is increasingly being recognised, these findings have implications for neonatal intensive care organisation and policy.

Communication↗
PubMed1999

[Infant temperament at 6-9 months old: validation of the French version of the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire and factors associated with measurement].

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to assess the validity of the French version of the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire (ICQ), which was developed by Bates in 1979 to investigate the parental perceptions of infant temperament at 6 months of age. METHODS: The French version was established after translation/back-translation, and tested on a sample of 794 mothers, who gave birth in 1995 in four French Departments and who returned the questionnaire which was mailed 6 months after the birth. RESULTS: The non-response rate of each item was very low (< 2%). Factor analysis resulted in the same four factors as in the American data: fussy/difficult, unadaptable, unpredictable, dull. However, some of the items did not have similar factor loadings. Thus new factor scores were defined for the French version of the ICQ. Internal consistency, as measured by the Cronbach coefficient, was satisfactory (> 0.7) for the factors fussy/difficult and unadaptable. It was lower, but acceptable (> 0.6) for the two other factors. The infant's temperament was not related to birth parameters. In contrast, some factor scores were significantly associated with parity, mother's education, as well as her health and the infant's health after leaving the maternity ward. CONCLUSIONS: The French version of the ICQ is well accepted and has a good validity. This scale provides a useful instrument for research, especially for epidemiological studies on infant health and development, as well as their determinants.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Gastric teratoma].

Gastric teratomas are rare and mostly benign. They frequently become evident as a palpable abdominal mass. A malignant, aggressive solid tumor must be excluded. We present a 6-month-old male infant with a history of bleeding of the upper gastrointestinal tract. After in toto excision the histopathology was that of a benign gastric teratoma. Our method of reading the diagnosis and the subsequent therapy are described.

Diagnostic Imaging↗
PubMed1998

[Breast feeding at maternity hospitals in France in 1995. National perinatal survey].

UNLABELLED: The objectives of the study were to estimate the current level of breast-feeding at hospital discharge in France, and to identify maternal factors and characteristics of the pregnancy and delivery associated with breast-feeding. DATA AND METHODS: The sample included all births during 1 week in France in 1995 (n = 12,179 babies). The data were collected during the postnatal stay in hospital. Factors associated with breast-feeding were identified, using bivariate analysis and multiple logistic regression. As the relations between the studied factors and breast-feeding differed between French women and women of foreign nationality, multivariate analysis was carried out separately in the two groups. RESULTS: In 1995, 52% of babies were breastfed at hospital discharge, including 10% of babies partially breastfed. Breastfeeding was more common among women of foreign nationality than among French women, 76 vs 49%. In both groups, breastfeeding was more common among older women, women with a high level of education or a qualified occupation; breastfeeding was also more frequent among non smokers during pregnancy and among women who attended antenatal classes. On the contrary, among French women, induction of labour and delivery in a small hospital were associated with a low level of breastfeeding; among women of foreign nationality, a low level of breastfeeding was observed for unmarried women, women who had an induction or a caesarean section, and those who delivered in a private hospital. CONCLUSION: France was at the lowest level among Western countries for which national data on breastfeeding were available. Efforts to promote breastfeeding are needed, both towards sub-groups of pregnant women and towards health professionals. Maternity hospitals should provide support to breastfeeding mothers, and avoid practices which may affect breastfeeding.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Sex as a variable can be a surrogate for some working conditions: factors associated with sickness absence.

More than twice as many workdays are lost to illness than for personal or family reasons. We examine possible workplace determinants of sickness absence among French workers in the food processing industry. These workers are exposed to a variety of environmental and organizational constraints: cold, uncomfortable postures, assembly-line work, and irregular schedules. In 1987-1988, a medical examination and questionnaire were administered to 558 men and 790 women as part of a study of 17 poultry slaughterhouses and 6 canning factories. Women's and men's working conditions were very different, and their sickness absences for musculoskeletal and respiratory illnesses were related to some of their specific working conditions: cold exposure, ill-adapted work stations, and problems with their supervisors and co-workers. If male and female workers were combined into a single analysis that adjusted for sex, many of the associations operant for a single sex could no longer be seen.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1998

Prenatal alcohol exposure and development at preschool age: main results of a French study.

Very high levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy are harmful for the central nervous system of the child and affect morphogenesis and growth. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of moderate prenatal alcohol exposure on development at preschool age in a longitudinal study. Pregnant women were interviewed on their alcohol consumption during pregnancy at their first visit to the maternity hospital of Roubaix, France. The development of their 160 children was assessed at the age of 4 1/2. Multiple regression analyses indicated that consumption of 1.5 oz of absolute alcohol (approximately 3 drinks) or more during pregnancy was significantly related to a decrease of 7 points on the general cognitive index of the McCarthy scales, after controlling for confounders. This level of consumption was also related to a higher score on minor neurological anomalies, a lower height of the child, and a higher score on facial features. This level of 1.5 oz of absolute alcohol/day should not be interpreted as a biological threshold, because the study does not allow conclusions to be drawn regarding the effects of lower levels of alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can affect the development of the child, at levels well below those associated with fetal alcohol syndrome.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1998

A study of the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and other markers of upper gastrointestinal tract disease in patients with rosacea.

OBJECTIVE: Recent reports have suggested that patients with rosacea, a chronic inflammatory skin disorder of unknown etiology, have an increased prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection. However, no causal relation has been identified. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of H. pylori infection and upper gastrointestinal symptoms in rosacea patients and in subjects without chronic skin disorders. METHODS: Forty-five patients with rosacea and 43 healthy subjects underwent serological testing for H. pylori infection. Demographics, gastrointestinal symptoms, and medication use were recorded using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the seroprevalence of H. pylori infection between rosacea patients and healthy subjects (26.7% vs 34.9%; p = 0.40). Significantly more patients with rosacea complained of indigestion (66.7% vs 32.6%; p = 0.001) and used antacids (60% vs 32.6; p = 0.01). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of H. pylori infection between symptomatic and asymptomatic rosacea patients, or in those using antacids. There were no differences in the frequency of heartburn, history of peptic ulcer disease, family history of peptic ulcer disease, use of H2-receptor antagonists, or use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with rosacea have similar rates of H. pylori infection as healthy subjects. Rosacea patients complain significantly more frequently of "indigestion" and use more antacids unrelated to H. pylori infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

AIDS wasting syndrome as an enterometabolic disorder: the gut hypothesis.

There is an interesting relationship between the HIV virus, the health of the gastrointestinal tract, and AIDS wasting syndrome, involving Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF alpha), specific and non-specific immunity in the gut, gut permeability, and oxidative stress. It is hypothesized that the progression of HIV to full-blown AIDS may be impacted by maintaining a healthy gut. A therapeutic protocol which decreases oxidative stress, inhibits TNF alpha, enhances phase I and II liver detoxification, and improves specific and non-specific immunity in the gut should be part of a therapeutic protocol for HIV-infected individuals. Through a better understanding of the pathophysiology of HIV advancing to AIDS, the practitioner can develop a treatment strategy of nutritional and lifestyle changes which could theoretically prevent an HIV infection from advancing to full-blown AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1997

Galactomannan from the seeds of Mimosa scabrella: a scale-up process.

In view of the wide industrial applications of galactomannans as a thickening agent, those of Mimosa scabrella (bracatinga), a leguminous tree abundant in Southern Brazil, are under investigation. Seeds of bracatinga were processed on a pilot plant scale in order to obtain its galactomannan. The process consisted of successive milling, enzyme inactivation, aqueous extraction, precipitation of polysaccharide, and drying and milling. The product was obtained in 20% yield, with characteristics similar to those obtained on the laboratory scale, namely mannose:galactose ratio (M:G) 1.1:1.0 and intrinsic viscosity. Considering the seed availability in the metropolitan regions of Curitiba, it should be possible to obtain 3000 ton/year of this polysaccharide.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

[Ethical decisions making in neonatal intensive care. Survey among nursing staff in 2 French centers].

A European Concerted Action, Euronic, has been set up to study the attitudes and self-reported practices of the staff working in neonatal intensive care units about parent's information and ethical decisionmaking. This paper presents the results of a preliminary qualitative survey conducted in two French units and including 23 physicians and nurses. The answers indicate that withdrawal of treatments are part of their practices. Parents are never directly involved in the decision-making process. The decision to withdraw life sustaining treatments generate psychological distress among the caregivers. Nurses consider that they are more emotionally involved with the baby and the parents. They express concerns about painful treatments and life-prolonging therapies. Most respondents believe that an ethical committee would be of little help in the decision-making process and that the actual legislation should not be modified as it gives obligation for more in-depth consideration of each case.

Decision Making↗
PubMed1997

The EURONIC Project: a European concerted action on information to parents and ethical decision-making in neonatal intensive care.

The paper presents the background, objectives and methods of a European concerted action project aimed at exploring the transmission of information to parents and the ethical decision-making process in neonatal intensive care from the perspective of health personnel, and in relation to the legal, cultural, social and ethical backgrounds of the various European countries. Eight countries are taking part in the project (France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom), which is about to be extended also to Central and Eastern Europe (Estonia, Lithuania and Hungary). In each of them, the medical and nursing personnel of a number of randomly selected units will be interviewed through an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. Information on the organisation and policies of the Units and on the national legislation will also be collected. The key features of the study lie in the multidisciplinary and international approach, the random selection of the sample as a guarantee of representativeness and lack of selection bias, the focus on the staff practices as well as on their attitudes and opinions.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Risk factors for Raynaud's phenomenon among workers in poultry slaughterhouses and canning factories.

BACKGROUND: Apart from the use of vibrating tools, little is known about risk factors for Raynaud's phenomenon. However, it has been hypothesized that this disorder may have a multifactorial aetiology, involving potential causal or triggering factors which can be found in the workplace. The objective of the study is to identify individual and occupational risk factors of Raynaud's phenomenon in a population of workers not exposed to vibration, but exposed to cold. METHODS: The survey was carried out in 1987-1988 in 17 poultry slaughterhouses and six canning factories and included 1474 employees. Data were collected at the annual visit to the occupational health physician. Finger sensitivity to cold and Raynaud's phenomenon were identified from a list of symptoms occurring from exposure to cold. The role of potential risk factors was assessed using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: A high prevalence of symptoms of finger sensitivity to cold was observed. Raynaud's phenomenon was more common in women than in men, was related to family history of the disease but not to smoking or alcohol consumption. After controlling for non-occupational factors, the following working conditions appeared as risk factors for Raynaud's phenomenon: use of plastic gloves, less than four rest breaks, breaks in an unheated place, continual repetition of the same series of operations, exertion of the arm or hand and being able to think of something else while working. CONCLUSION: The study showed that a number of working conditions were associated with an increased risk of Raynaud's phenomenon and finger sensitivity to cold. Changes in working conditions might reduce the risk of this disorder in the food processing industry.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Spontaneous liver rupture after thrombolytic therapy with streptokinase].

Two months after an osteosynthesis of a Maisonneuve-fracture a 45-year-old patient developed a thrombosis of the deep veins on the side of the fracture. Subsequent to two days of lysis with Streptokinase a rupture of the liver occurred and was treated by hemihepatectomy. A traumatic event or a tumor could be excluded as reason for the rupture. Therefore a rupture of the liver due to the application of Streptokinase has to be assumed.

Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury↗