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Biomedical subjects

M Uhari

Publications and source records attributed to M Uhari.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Plasma cholesteryl ester fatty acids in 3- and 12-year-old Finnish children.

Risk factors associated with coronary heart disease were surveyed in a multicentre study carried out in 1979 among children living in different parts of Finland. The survey included analyses of plasma lipids and cholesteryl ester (CE) fatty acids as well as a dietary interview by a 48-hour recall method. The present report gives the plasma fatty acid compositions obtained from 181 3-year-old and 226 12-year-old children and their relations to dietary factors and other plasma lipids. The mean percentages (+/- SD) of CE linoleate in the 3- and 12-year-old children were 49.2 +/- 5.2 and 5.10 +/- 51.0%, respectively. Differences in CE fatty acid composition between the various regions of Finland were relatively small, but there was a trend to higher proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids in western and urban compared with eastern and rural communities. Among different dietary constituents the daily intake of margarine + oils or butter had the greatest effect on plasma CE fatty acid composition. There was a highly significant positive correlation between the dietary P/S ratio and the percentage of CE linoleate in plasma.

Child↗
PubMed1983

Serum fatty acids in 8-year-old Finnish boys: correlations with qualitative dietary data and other serum lipids.

To survey risk factors in coronary heart disease in Finnish children, fasting serum specimens from 244 healthy 8-yr-old boys were analyzed for the fatty acid composition of cholesterol esters (CE), triglycerides (TG), free fatty acids (FFA), and phospholipids (PL). A qualitative dietary survey was made by asking parents to answer a questionnaire including, among others, a question on the kind of fat usually used on bread by the child. The mean percentages of linoleate (18:2) in serum cholesterol esters, triglycerides, free fatty acids, and phospholipids were 53.1, 13.5, 11.5, and 22.7%, respectively, which represent an international average. The quality of dietary fat had a clear influence on serum fatty acids, eg, the content of 18:2 in CE was 56.8 +/- 3.6% in boys using soft vegetable margarine and 50.5 +/- 3.6% in those using butter. The former had also a marginally lower serum total cholesterol (4.87 +/- 0.86 mmol/l) than the latter (5.08 +/- 0.80 mmol/l). Serum total cholesterol showed significant negative correlations with the percentage of 18:2 in all four lipid fractions, the highest r values being with PL-18:2 (-0.41) and CE-18:2 (-0.24). Accordingly, serum cholesterol was lower in the highest CE-18:2 quartile (4.67 +/- 0.76 mmol/l) compared with the lowest (5.30 +/- 0.70 mmol/l; p less than 0.001). The results indicate that when serum fatty acids are used as indicators of the quality of dietary fat, a negative association between polyunsaturated fat and serum cholesterol may be demonstrable even within a free-living population.

Child↗
PubMed1983

Prevention of morphological changes of great arteries in coarctation of the aorta with antihypertensive therapy.

The possibility of preventing morphological changes in arterial walls in coarctation of the thoracic aorta with antihypertensive therapy was evaluated in an experimental study on dogs. Seven mongrel dogs weighing 2350-2980 g were operated upon at the age of 2 months. Antihypertensive therapy with a diuretic (hydrocholothiazide 25 mg/day), beta-blocker (propranolol and 80 mg/day) and vasodilatator (prazosin ad 40 mg/day) was started 1 month after the experimental coarctation was produced in the animals. Blood pressure decreased significantly, although not to the level of the control group. Seven months after the coarctation a perfusion fixation was done. Morphometrical light microscopic analysis was performed on the coronary and cerebral arteries. The histochemical findings in the aorta were analysed qualitatively, as was the amount of lipid in the coronary and the middle cerebral arteries. Electron microscopic studies were performed on the coronary artery. The findings were compared to the control and coarctated (non-treated) groups studied earlier (Uhari et al., 1982). Active antihypertensive therapy prevented all the major morphological changes previously reported to occur in coarctation. We suggest that active antihypertensive therapy started immediately after the diagnosis of coarctation might improve the prognosis of the patients with aortic coarctation by preventing morphological changes in the great arteries.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Acute phase proteins, humoral and cell mediated immunity in environmentally-induced hyperthermia in man.

The effects of repeated hyperthermia, caused by a Finnish sauna bath over 1 week, on the serum levels of some acute phase reactant proteins and on both humoral and cell-mediated immunity on twelve healthy young volunteers are presented. The mean rise in rectal temperature during each 30-min period in the bath was about 1.3 degrees C. Heat exposure caused significant increases in the serum concentrations of two of the acute phase reactant proteins, alpha1-antitrypsin (from a mean value of 1.8 (0.1) to 1.9 (0.2) g X l-1, p less than 0.01) and transferrin (from a mean value of 36.9 (3.4) to 38.3 (4.4) mumol X l-1, p less than 0.05), but no changes occurred in immunoglobulins or cell-mediated immunity. These findings suggest that environmentally induced hyperthermia can initiate the acute phase reaction associated with fever.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Haemodynamic changes in essential hypertension in young subjects.

The haemodynamic changes in essential hypertension were investigated in 7 girls and 4 boys under the age of 18 years. The Fick method was used for the estimation of cardiac output (CO). The cardiac indices (CIs) ranged form 2.8 to 6.6 litres/min/m2 and the total peripheral resistance (TPR) from 1,100 to 2,860 dyn/s/cm-5 X m2. Comparison of the results with normal values reported earlier showed that the CIs in the present series were increased in 2 patients and normal in the others. The stroke volume was increased in 3 patients. TPR was elevated in 4 patients. It is proposed that essential hypertension does not always begin with an increase in CO, and that some forms of essential hypertensions can have a high TPR already at the onset of the disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Multicenter study of atherosclerosis precursors in Finnish children--pilot study of 8-year-old boys.

A multicentre study was launched to analyze the prevalence of risk factors for coronary heart disease and their determinants in Finnish infants, children and adolescents and to provide facts for the planning of intervention. The present report gives the results of the pilot study conducted among 264 8-year-old boys in 5 cities and corresponding rural areas in various parts of Finland. Data on eating habits were obtained from the parents by means of a questionnaire. Fasting serum specimens were analyzed in 249 subjects for cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and immunoreactive insulin (IRI). The fatty acid composition of serum lipids was determined in 244 subjects by gas chromatography. Soft vegetable margarine was used on bread by 29% of the boys in the rural and 46% in the urban areas. Low fat or skim milk, vegetables and fruit were used more often in the western than in the eastern part of the country. The mean values for serum lipids were as follows: cholesterol 5.0, HDL-cholesterol 1.4, and triglycerides 0.7 mmol/1. The proportion of linoleic acid in the fatty acid cholesterol ester fraction was higher than expected, 53%. The IRI values ranged from 2 to 55 (mean, antilog, 9.4) mU/l. The results served as background material for the main study of blood pressure, anthropometric, biochemical and socioeconomic variables.

Arteriosclerosis↗
PubMed1982

Immune function in patients with chromosome deletions.

Non-specific, cell-mediated and humoral immunity were evaluated in six patients with different autosomal deletions, and in two patients with X-chromosome deletions. Six had an increased number of bacterial, viral, and mycotic infections. Mild disturbances were found in the immunological functions of almost every patient. Granulocyte phagocytosis and killing of bacteria were normal in all patients. The chemotactic response was increased in two, and normal in the others. The responses to phytohaemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen were normal in all patients and the response to concanavalin A was decreased in one patient. The lymphocyte response to purified protein derivative was decreased in the patients as a group when compared to the controls (P less than 0 . 005), but normal to oidiomycin. The number of acid-alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase positive cells was low in four patients. One had a high titre of antinuclear and antithyroid antibodies. One had a low concentration of serum IgA, C3 and C4. One had a high concentration of IgM. Two had elevated levels of C3 and C4. Our results show that several different chromosomal deletions are associated with immunological abnormality.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Morphology of the great arteries in chronic experimental coarctation in dogs.

Vascular changes of the great arteries could be one explanation for the serious complications and persistent hypertension after coarcectomy among patients with coarctation. This possibility was studied by evaluating the morphology of the coronary artery, aorta and middle cerebral artery in 7 experimental 9-month-old dogs in which a coarctation of the thoracic aorta had been made at the age of 2 months. A classical coarctation syndrome with high blood pressure and intense collateral circulation developed during growth. Five sham-operated dogs living in the same laboratory environment served as a control group. Morphometric measurements showed medial thickening of the coronary artery wall in the coarctated dogs (135 vs 103 microns, P less than 0.05). The relative amount of glycosaminoglycans of the media was also greater in the study group (14.8% vs 8.1%, P less than 0.02). The relative number of medial nuclei was significantly greater in the coarctated dogs (P less than 0.025), reflecting medial hyperplasia. Vacuolated smooth muscle cells and fragmented elastic membranes were found in the media of the aortas of coarctated animals. No significant differences between the groups were found in the cerebral arteries. It is suggested that re-evaluation of the optimal age of patients with coarctation for surgical repair is obviously necessary.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Close contact with tuberculosis in childhood.

In a 1-year prospective study 83 children, who had been in close contact with 52 adults who had tuberculosis, were examined. Thirty-six of the index cases had culture positive tuberculosis and 16 of these had smear positive tuberculosis. All the children had been BCG-vaccinated at birth. Forty-one (49%) of the children were PPD negative on examination with the Mantoux test. Of these 83 children, one 14-year-old boy was diagnosed as having primary tuberculosis and was treated. Twenty-one children received INH therapy, 12 because of their age (under 2 years of age or at puberty), nine because of a strong positive reaction to the first Mantoux test or because of the conversion of a negative test result to positive during the follow-up period. Seven of the latter nine children had been in contact with persons whose disease was culture- and smear-positive. It is concluded that as the frequency of tuberculosis declines, the practice of examining all children who have been in close contact with tuberculous adults is possible. The children who have been in contact with smear-positive index cases are at special risk of contracting tuberculosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Impaired weight gain and renovascular hypertension.

An eight month old infant was admitted to hospital because of poor weight gain. During the hospitalization she became unconscious and had convulsions. On these occasions a high blood pressure (205/120 mm Hg) was measured. In further evaluation of the hypertension, high plasma renin activity (32.8 ug/l/h) with a high serum aldosterone concentration (13000 pmol/l) was measured. Because of these findings renal angiography was performed: this revealed a stenosis of the left renal artery. A reconstruction of the renal artery was performed by a microsurgical technique and nine months after the operation the child was only mildly hypertensive but still required antihypertensive medication (propranolol 10 x 3, hydralazine 5 mg x 2): with this treatment her blood pressure was 110/80 mm Hg. After the operation her weight rose from below 2.5 percentile to the 10th percentile. The importance of blood pressure measurement in all children and infants admitted to hospital, regardless of their symptoms, is stressed.

Body Weight↗
PubMed1981

Renal blood flow in high and low positions of aortal catheter in rabbits.

The effect of aortal catheterization on renal blood flow (RBF) was evaluated in seven rabbits weighing 2500 to 3500 g. RBF was measured 21 times from 13 kidneys during aortal catheterization with an isotope (133 Xe) technique. The catheter was positioned in the aorta of each rabbit both above and below the origins of the renal arteries. The results of these two measurements were compared. Two phases of RBF, a fast first phase and a slow second phase, were determined. The fast phase of RBF was 5.3 ml/g/min, when it was in the high position. The results of the slow phase were identical, 0.16 ml/g/min, in both positions. No significant statistical difference could be found according to the phase of the catheter (paired t-test). These results in rabbits suggest that the aortal catheter does not cause any immediate decrease in RBF. This finding has clinical importance in aortal catheterization in neonates to obtain arterial blood samples. When considering the position of the aortal catheter in neonates factors other than RBF should be taken into account.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Immunodeficiency associated with a deletion in the short arm of the X-chromosome.

The immunocapacity of a 28-year-old mentally retarded proband and her clinically normal mother and sister, all having a deletion of the short arm of one of the X-chromosomes [46, X, del (X) (pter to 22: :p11 to qter)], was evaluated. The concentrations of immunoglobulin IgA (0 . 4 g/l), IgG (4 . 4 g/l) and IgM (0 . 2 g/l) were low in the proband. The serum IgA (0 . 9 g/l) concentration of her mother was also at the lower normal limit. The serum concentration of complement component C4 was low both in the proband (0 . 17g/l) and in her mother (0 . 18 g/l). Phagocytosis and killing of bacteria by granulocytes were normal in all of them. However, the chemotactic response of granulocytes was at the lower normal level in the patient. The in vitro responses of peripheral blood lymphocytes to the polyclonal T-clonal mitogens, PHA and Con A, were about half normal in the patient and were also decreased in her mother. The response was also decreased against PWM, to about one-sixth of the normal value in the patient and to one-half in her mother. The Con A response was decreased in the sister, while her PHA and PWM responses were normal. In contrast to these findings, the responses against the antigen-specific stimulators, PPD and oidiomycin, were normal in all subjects. Natural killer cell activity against the K-562 cell line was decreased in the patient but normal in her mother and sister. The number of B cells was at the normal limit in all subjects. The amount of E rosette-forming T lymphocytes was normal but the amount of ANAE-positive cells was decreased, especially in the proband (31%). Our results describe a new human immunodeficiency state, probably associated with X-chromosome deletion. We suggest that the short arm of the X-chromosome exerts its effect on regulatory T cells. Whether the humoral defect is connected with suppressor T cells remains to be established.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Hepatotoxicity of rifampicin and isoniazid in children treated for tuberculosis.

In order to determine the hepatotoxicity of rifampicin in children treated for tuberculosis, a survey was performed of 18 children receiving this medicine in combination with isoniazid. Fifteen of the 18 children (83%) showed a rise in ASAT values and 11 (61%) in ALAT values exceeding 29U/L. Seven children with maximal ASAT values between 40 and 100 U/L were treated without any changes in the regimen and the transaminases normalized later in the treatment. Six out of the eight children with ASAT values over 100 U/L were allowed a three-week pause in their therapy, one was given the same dose of rifampicin, and in one the treatment was discontinued entirely. The therapy was discontinued in an additional three children because of a second high rise in the transaminase values. Liver injury can occur at any time during treatment, and thus makes continuous follow-up tests necessary.

Adolescent↗