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Biomedical subjects

N Oyen

Publications and source records attributed to N Oyen.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

[Ethical dilemmas when teaching intubation techniques--what does the population think?].

Maintaining a clear airway and sufficient ventilation is vital in emergency medicine, but junior doctors and medical students rarely get sufficient training in the relevant techniques. These can be taught on mannequins, anaesthetised patients, or on recently deceased patients. The Norwegian and British medical associations recently banned the use of dead patients for intubation training for ethical reasons. A telephone survey of a random sample of 1,050 persons revealed that 69% would allow themselves to be practised on if they were anaesthetised, while 58% would accept that a close relative who had just died in hospital be used. Most of those who would not give their consent or who were unsure feared being injured, or the idea upset them. These results challenge previous assumptions about the attitude of the general public, and the medical associations' stand on the issue may have to be reconsidered for the sake of improving the teaching of vital skills.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Secular trends of sudden infant death syndrome in Norway 1967-1988: application of a method of case identification to Norwegian registry data.

In Norway, towards the end of the 1980s, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) was the most frequent cause of infant death. Both SIDS and the total post-perinatal mortality rates had increased. This paper presents a procedure for identifying SIDS from death certificates. Supplemented with additional information, a database was established to evaluate secular trends of SIDS and for further analytical research. The Medical Birth Registry of Norway comprises 1.3 million births from 1967 to 1988. Of these, 5447 infants died in the post-perinatal period. The cause of death was reviewed by an expert panel and 1984 cases of SIDS were retrieved. Low maternal age, higher birth order, male gender, and lower birth-weight were confirmed as risk factors for SIDS. In 1988, the rate for SIDS and for total post-perinatal deaths reached 2.69 and 5.02 per 1000 infants at risk. The incidence of SIDS increased 2.2 times from the period 1967-1971 to the period 1987-1988. Adjusted for maternal age, birth order, and birthweight, the odds ratio was 3.1. The increase is due to factors not yet accounted for. Adjusted mortality rates for the other post-perinatal deaths were not different from the crude rates.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1994

Infant survival in Norway and Sweden 1985-88.

In recent years, considerable attention has been attached to the disquieting fact that infant survival is much lower in Norway than in Sweden. In the present study, comprising all live single births in Norway and Sweden during 1985-88, the observed infant mortality was 1.5 times higher in Norway than in Sweden. The largest difference between Norway and Sweden was found in infants of young mothers with high birth order. Thus for the second births of mothers aged less than 20 years the observed mortality ratio of Norway to Sweden was 1.8. The infant mortality ratio decreased with increasing maternal age for all birth orders, and for the second births of mothers aged 35 years or more the mortality ratio was 1.0. The higher infant mortality in Norway was evident throughout the first year of life, with the highest mortality ratio observed at 6-8 months of life. Adjustment for maternal age, birth order and geographical region did not alter the observed infant mortality ratios. In both countries, the highest risk was found among infants of young mothers. this suggests a need for a more extensive preventive health care system directed at young mothers during their pregnancy and the infancy period.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Attitude of the public to autopsy. A questionnaire study].

A high autopsy rate is a requirement for confirming or correcting clinical diagnoses and for providing opportunities for medical education on pre- and postgraduate level. A telephone survey was conducted to obtain information about the opinion of the Norwegian public on this matter. A randomised sample of 1,050 persons over 15 years of age were asked whether they would consent to autopsy if a close family member died in a hospital. Of the 954 (91%) who agreed to answer, 86% (95% CI 84-89) would consent, while 14% (95% CI 11-16) were unsure or would object. Demographical background variables did not significantly influence the response. When asked if they would give prior consent to an autopsy on themselves, should they die in a hospital, 84% (95% CI 82-87) said they would agree, while 16% (95% CI 13-18) were unsure or would object. Age between 31-50 years, male sex and married civil status significantly increased the likelihood of a positive attitude towards autopsy. The survey revealed a generally favourable attitude in the population towards autopsy. This positive confidence has to be maintained through careful talks with relatives about autopsy, and arrangements for relatives to be informed of the result of an autopsy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Recurrence of sudden infant death syndrome among siblings.

Whether or not genetic factors play a role in sudden infant death syndrome represents an important question with respect to both etiology and prevention, and to counselling. An increased recurrence risk would define a high-risk group, essential from a preventive point of view. From an etiological perspective, an increased recurrence risk might indicate either genetic and/or highly stable environmental factors. On the other hand, an identical or only slightly increased recurrence risk would represent strong evidence that genetic factors are not involved in SIDS and would question future search for genetic markers. The acquisition of large materials (a recurrence risk in the population of 6-7 per 1,000,000) necessary to adequately elucidate the issue, represents important methodological problems which have hampered the interpretation of the results to date. Estimates of the risk increase (rate ratios) range from 10 to no significant increase. Data from population-based recurrence studies suggest only a minor, if any, increase, but further elucidation of the issue is needed.

Cause of Death↗
PubMed1992

Activation of blood platelets in workers exposed to organic solvents.

Organic solvents probably exert their clinical effects through distortion of cellular membrane structure and function. Blood platelets represent an easily available membrane system. This study describes an evaluation of mean platelet volume (MPV) and total platelet count (TPC) in a group of workers exposed to a mixture of organic solvents in paint factories. We have found a correlation between decreased MPV and present exposure. The reduction was reversed within an exposure-free interval of 3 weeks. The intracellular adenosine triphosphate/adenosine diphosphate (ATP/ADP) ratio was significantly increased in exposed workers, compatible with dense granule secretion. A quantitative study of the phosphoinositide cycle in the platelets revealed an increased concentration of the phosphatidic acid, indicating an increased turnover. These findings are consistent with a solvent-induced activation of circulating platelets.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1990

Sudden unexplained infant deaths among American Indians and whites in North and South Dakota.

Differences in risk factors for sudden unexplained infant death (SUID) were studied among American Indian and White infants in North and South Dakota. From 1977 to 1984, the incidence of SUID was 3.9 times higher among Indians compared with Whites. Indian SUID cases appeared to die at a slightly younger age than Whites, and the association of male gender and young maternal age with SUID was weak or absent among Indians. Low maternal education and late or no prenatal care were strongly related to SUID in both races. The Indian-White risk ratio was unaltered by adjustment for birthweight and maternal age but declined to 2.5 (95% confidence intervals = 1.9, 3.4) when adjusted for maternal education and trimester prenatal care began.

Age Factors↗