Biomedical subjects

M Kunze

Publications and source records attributed to M Kunze.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1995

[Effect of dexfenfluramine on eating behavior and body weight of obese patients: results of a field study of Isomeride in Austrian general practice].

In a multicenter study by 243 practicing physicians in Austria 819 severely obese subjects of both sexes without overt disease were encouraged to keep a calorie-restricted diet to reduce weight. After a run-in period of more than two weeks of dieting patients started taking 15 mg dexfenfluramine (Isomeride) twice daily for three month. While their weight was fairly stable during the run-in period progressive weight loss occurred during taking dexfenfluramine due to obvious changes in eating habits and appetite allowing to keep the reducing diet more strictly. Females lost 7.7 +/- 3.9 kg while obese men lost 9.32 +/- 4.6 kg. Laboratory tests obtained before starting dexfenfluramine and after 3 months at termination of medication showed blood glucose, cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides to decrease while HDL-cholesterol increased moderately. Dexfenfluramine was well tolerated by the majority of patients. Side effects such as fatigue, sedation, flatulence or diarrhea occurred in only 7.9% of the probands initially and dropped to 2.1% during the third month of the medication. It is concluded that Dexfenfluramine modifies eating habits and appetite thus making weight reducing diets easier acceptable and resulting in weight loss. It is suggested that Dexfenfluramine has a role in treatment regimes for morbid and refractory obesity.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

[Sleep apnea as a risk factor].

Sleep apnea and snoring are widely discussed as risk factors for internal and neurological diseases. The prevalence of snoring in an Austrian population survey is about 27.2% (males 36.5%, females 18.9%), and that of apnea (respectively irregularity and/or cessation of breathing) about 8.5% (31% of all snorers). Clinical symptoms like naps, daytime sleepiness, unquiet sleep, hypertonia, headache in the morning and psychological symptoms may be characteristics of sleep apnea. They should lead to further diagnosis and removal of this risk factor for ischemic heart disease and stroke.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Coffee, tea, and lifestyle.

BACKGROUND: Previous reports have indicated that coffee drinking is associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, compared with tea drinking, which may confound the effect in relation to coronary risk factors. METHODS: In a population sample of 2,400 25- to 64-year-old men and women, associations of lifestyle factors with coffee and tea consumption were analyzed. Lifestyle factors were related to four realms of behavior: smoking, eating, drinking, and physical activity. RESULTS: Overall response rate exceeded 77%. Twenty-two behavioral factors were included in the analysis and controlled for age and sex. Mean daily cigarette consumption, the consumption of main fat sources (meat and sausages) and lemonade drinking increased with coffee and decreased with tea consumption. Conversely, intake of fresh fruits, drinking of juice or mineral water, and physical activity on the way to work decreased with coffee and increased with tea. The strongest associations were between coffee, than tea, and cigarette smoking. Controlling smoking (and physical activity) changed trends mainly with respect to alcoholic drinks. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that drinking coffee is positively associated with factors that promote coronary heart disease, while drinking tea is associated with a preventive lifestyle. Factors supporting these results were found located in all realms of lifestyle for both for coffee and tea. Therefore, investigations on the health effects of coffee and tea must be carefully controlled for confounding behavioral parameters.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Tick-borne encephalitis in Austria: incidence 1990 and 1991.

In Austria 85 patients (1.10/100,000) were hospitalized with a tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in 1990, 77 patients (0.98/100,000) in 1991. A relatively low incidence is seen in the younger age groups. The regional distribution follows the distribution of infested areas, with the highest rates in the two provinces Kärnten and Steiermark provinces.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Factors delaying treatment of acute myocardial infarction.

The study was set up to investigate factors delaying treatment of acute myocardial infarction. Nine hundred and sixty-seven Austrian physicians submitted data on their most recent case of myocardial infarction in a cross-sectional study. Mean time for seeking medical care was 111 min from onset; mean admission time to the hospital was 136 min. The degree of anxiety and fear perceived by the patient was positively associated with an earlier decision. Adjusted means of decision time according to degree of fear ranged from 29 to 133 min, adjusted means of admission time from 77 to 153 min. Decision time and admission time were negatively associated with the presence of typical symptoms and a history of myocardial infarction. Adjusted means of decision time according to symptom-history category ranged from 75 to 134 min, adjusted means of admission time from 110 to 151 min. Admission time was also higher in men when patients lived alone, and if the journey to the hospital was a 40 min or more car drive (i.e. 90th percentile). We conclude that measures that increase awareness in patients at risk are vital to reduce delays in seeking medical care and hospital admission, and thus to improve the prognosis of acute myocardial infarction.

Aged↗

PubMed1994

[Epidemiology of sleep disorders in Austria].

UNLABELLED: Epidemiologic data on sleep disturbances in Austria were collected for the first time in March/April 1993 in a representative inquiry ( SAMPLE: n = 1000, 471 males, 529 females). 26% of the subjects reported sleep disturbances which were mostly chronic (21% had suffered from sleep disturbance for more than one year). The incidence of sleep disturbances increased with age, namely 13% in 14-30 year-old subjects, 22% in 31-50 year-old ones and 41% in subjects over 50. 7% suffered from disturbances in sleep initiation, i.e., they had a sleep latency of over 30 minutes. 19% of them had difficulties in getting to sleep at least once a week. Disturbances in maintaining sleep were reported by 28% of subjects, 56% of them needing longer than one hour to get back to sleep. 30% suffered from daytime sleepiness, 43% of the subjects were impaired by their sleep disturbances in some way, but only 34% had consulted their doctor.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

[Smoking intervention program].

For promoting health the "Fonds Gesundes Osterreich" worked out an "Intervention Programme Against Smoking". In cooperation with different institutions as "Osterreichische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Volksgesundheit", "Ludwig-Boltzmann Institut für Gesundheitspsychologie der Frau" and "Institute of Social Medicine, University of Vienna" a report on smoking and health, an update on smoking in pregnancy and associated health hazards, report and overview of smoking cessation in Austria and state of the art of smoking cessation therapy were carried out. Based on these projects curricula for physicians, pharmacists, midwives and psychologists were prepared to involve more and more health professionals that smoking cessation treatment will become a generally accepted part of any preventive or therapeutic strategy to control tobacco associated diseases. The target group of the intervention programme is the dissonant smoker, who wants to stop smoking, informing him and providing professional help. Many techniques ranging from self help to sophisticated combined therapeutic approaches including pharmacological interventions are now available to deal with the nicotine addiction problem. For health policy and public health smoking cessation will be one approach within the framework of a comprehensive approach to control the most important modern epidemic, the health damages caused by tobacco consumption.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

[Epidemiology of hyperlipidemia in Austria].

Hyperlipidemia is the most prevalent coronary risk factor in Austria. Several Austrian expert statements classified total cholesterol levels in adults below 200 mg/dl (5.17 mmol/l) with "normal", levels from 200 to 250 mg/dl (5.17 to 6.47 mmol/l) with "risk", and levels above 250 mg/dl (6.47 mmol/l) with "high risk". Based on different epidemiological studies we estimate that 25% of Austrians have "normal" and 75% elevated total cholesterol levels (50% "risk", respectively 25% "high risk"). Methodological factors prohibit general estimates for HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides based on present data. In a randomized survey among 25- to 64-year old adults in Western Austria, prevalence of low HDL-cholesterol levels below 35 mg/dl (0.91 mmol/l) was 4.0% in men, and 1.3% in women. Prevalence of triglyceride levels above 200 mg/dl (2.29 mmol/l) was 21.5% in men and 8.0% in women.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

[Influenza: incidence and costs of inpatient treatment].

In Austria, in 1990, a total of 3,808 patients with influenza were hospitalized for treatment (49.34/100,000). The age-specific incidence rates show three peaks: < 5 years (132.05/100,000), adolescents (15 to 19-year-olds, 111.5/100,000), old-age groups (85-year-olds, 102.7/100,000). Complications occurred in 1,479 (38.8%) patients, including 846 cases (57.2%) with "other complications" of the respiratory tract, 365 cases (24.7%) of pneumonia, and 268 cases (18.1%) with manifestations affecting other organs. The 3.808 patients spent a total of 34,684 days in hospital. The overall costs of hospital treatment were some 104 million Austrian schillings (approx. 15 million German marks)--per patient on average 26,700 schillings (approx. 3,840 marks); per pneumonia patient 61,200 schillings (approx. 8,743 marks).

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

[Factors delaying therapy in myocardial infarct].

The timelag from onset of myocardial infarction to beginning of treatment is significantly correlated with prognosis, especially since introduction of thrombolytic therapy. Based on the last case of 967 Austrian physicians (general practitioners and internists, working in an office or in a hospital) we investigated possible factors delaying the beginning of treatment. On the average it took 111 minutes from onset of symptoms until the patient contacted physicians working in offices. The overall mean from onset of symptoms to hospital admission was 136 minutes. Within the hospital almost no delay was reported. Main factors for delay were repression or suppression and misinterpretation of symptoms. Thus, the biggest potential for an early onset of treatment lies within the patients response to onset of symptoms. Measures improving knowledge about mechanisms of the disease of known or possible coronary heart disease patients are most important. Side-effects, such as over-critical or demanding patients should be avoided. In any case they should not distract from the importance of measures improving patients response.

Aged↗

PubMed1993

[Economic public health aspects of benign prostatic hyperplasia in Austria].

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most frequent diseases in advanced aged men. The introduction of a new coding system (ICD-VESKA) in 1989 made it possible to analyze the number of hospitalized cases and to calculate the costs of inpatient care. In 1990 10,710 BPH cases were treated within Austrian hospitals. Controlling for multiple entries 9,742 individual patients (269.4 per 100,000) were treated 138,761 days. Case fatality was 0.5% (46 deaths). The number of inpatients comprises only the top 1,3% of morbidity, the total number is estimated with 770,000 patients. Based on the official nursing fees total costs in public affiliated hospitals were AS 250 millions. Including private hospitals total costs increase to AS 306 millions. The inpatient care of BPH represents only a small proportion of the total health and economic burden, which obviously mainly occurs in the outpatient system. Therefore BPH is one of the diseases of which social and economic importance is usually underestimated due to a lack of information.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

[Osteoporosis. Attitude and opinion of Austrian physicians].

251 participants of a representative sample of Austrian physicians (general practitoners, gynecologists, internists) stated their attitudes towards osteoporosis risk factors and methods of prevention. About half of the doctors believe that osteoporosis has less influence on public health than coronary heart disease, stroke or diabetes. Concerning osteoporosis they estimate prevention as most important. For the doctors the most effective preventive strategies, for pre- as well as for postmenopausal women, are physical activity, high calcium intake, and postmenopausal estrogen replacement therapy. Some of the risk factors are very close to the individual lifestyle (e.g. physical activity, nutrition and smoking), 83% of the physicians think that lack of exercise has a great influence on osteoporosis risk, 64% think the same about low calcium intake, 95% about lack of estrogen and 80% about positive family history. Within the physicians as well as the general population osteoporosis awareness is most important concerning growing life expectancy and demographic aspects. Due to this fact it is essential that more than two thirds of the doctors estimate preventive measures as successful.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

[Epidemiologic development of AIDS in Austria].

AIDS statistics as released by the Austrian Health Authorities refer to the notification date of the disease, but not the time of diagnosis which is essential for descriptive analysis. We present for the first time data on the exact time of diagnosis of, and death from AIDS. Between 1981 and 1992 altogether 899 AIDS cases were registered (747 men, 152 women), of whom 547 persons have already died (462 men, 85 women). At present there are 352 patients with AIDS in Austria (285 men, 67 women). The incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates of AIDS in Austria, both in absolute and relative (per 100,000 men/women 1990) figures are presented in a table.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed1993

[Incidence of Haemophilus influenza meningitis in Austria].

The incidence of Haemophilus influenza meningitis was analysed for the first time in Austria. In 1990 a total of 55 cases occurred, representing an incidence of 0.71/10(5). Most of the patients were children aged less than 5 years (n = 42, 76.4%). The incidence in the age group 0-4 years was 9.48/10(5), in each of the other 5-year age groups the incidence was lower than 1/10(5).

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

[Therapy for smoking: consensus in German-speaking countries].

The german speaking countries (Austria, Germany, Switzerland) are not the most advanced in the world when it comes to the control of tobacco related diseases. The medical system in these countries has yet to be convinced that smoking cessation is not only necessary but feasible. In order to provide a basic document for further activities, a consensus development process was initiated. The consensus development process forms part of the activities performed by the UICC (International Union Against Cancer) Project Smoking Cessation, which is a project within the framework of the UICC Tobacco and Cancer Programme. The 1988 Report of the US Surgeon General states very clearly, that the use of tobacco products is not a matter of free choice, but is the result of an addiction as scientifically valid as the addiction to heroin and other narcotics. The scientific literature provides informations on many methods and techniques for a smoking cessation, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological. Many pharmacological approaches have been tried to treat nicotine dependence in man. According to scientific standards and many controlled studies, nicotine has been the only drug found to be effective in treating nicotine dependence. Many techniques, ranging from self help to sophisticated combined therapeutic approaches including pharmacological interventions, are now available to deal with the nicotine addiction. Smoking cessation treatment uses time, effort and other resources and the question of reimbursement for these services has to be considered. As with any other form of treatment, costs needed to be paid either by the individual patient/client and/or by other sources including private and national health insurance systems.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acupuncture Therapy↗

PubMed1992

Hyperglycemia and coronary risk factors results from western Austria.

We investigated mean levels and prevalences of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, systolic blood pressure and body mass index in adults aged 25 to 64 years participating in the WHO Country-wide Integrated Noncommunicable Diseases Intervention (CINDI) Programme in Vorarlberg, western Austria. According to the Austrian expert panel and based upon the above age standardized risk factors 50.9% of the male and 29.3% of the female population were at high risk for developing coronary heart disease. Risk factor levels were further compared between euglycemic and hyperglycemic participants. After adjusting for age hyperglycemia was associated with higher body mass index in men (p = 0.026) and women (p less than 0.001), higher systolic blood pressure in men (p less than 0.001) and women (p = 0.003), and higher levels of triglycerides in women (p = 0.008). No significant differences were observed in total and HDL cholesterol in either sex. When controlling for age and body mass index, fasting blood glucose levels had significant associations only with systolic blood pressure in men (p = 0.001). But, with respect to all risk factors, hyperglycemic participants had an age-adjusted adverse coronary risk profile both in men (p = 0.002) and in women (p less than 0.001).

Adult↗

PubMed1992

[Hepatitis A, hepatitis B--incidence of inpatient cases].

The incidence of hepatitis A, treated at hospitals in Austria in the year 1990, was 4,3/10(5) (n = 326), of hepatitis B 3,47/10(5). In hepatitis A the highest incidence was observed in children (5-9 years: 14.3/10(5)). Two peaks were observed in hepatitis B; 20-24 years: 5.93/10(5) and 60-64 years: 3.84/10(5). Both disease had the highest incidence in the district of Vorarlberg (hepatitis A 12.4/10(5), hepatitis B 6.86/10(5)), the lowest in the district of Burgenland (0.37/10(5) and no case of hepatitis B).

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Quantitative reconstitution of isolated influenza haemagglutinin into liposomes by the detergent method and the immunogenicity of haemagglutinin liposomes.

The reconstitution of influenza virus haemagglutinin into liposomes from lipid/protein/detergent mixtures by detergent removal provides vesicles that are similar in structure to viral particles. The dissociation properties of haemagglutinin aggregates and the molar ratio of lipid to protein in the starting mixture are the key factors for the individual and total yield of protein incorporation into liposomes. Structural properties of the detergent used as well as special reconstitution conditions are of minor importance for the formation of haemagglutinin liposomes. As determined by radial immunodiffusion-, haemolysis- and fusion experiments, specific properties of haemagglutinin were maintained to a large extent on liposomal incorporation, but its immunogenicity is increased, if the antigen is incorporated into the lipid bilayer of liposomes.

Animals↗