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Biomedical subjects

R Honkanen

Publications and source records attributed to R Honkanen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Recurrent elderly fallers.

Factors associated with recurrent falling during a one-year period were analysed among elderly Finns (65 yrs and more) seeking medical treatment due to a fall. Recurrent falling in men was independently related to a lesser amount of depressive symptoms and to less severe injury due to the first fall. In women, recurrent falling was independently related to the non-occurrence of a fear of falling. Furthermore, recurrent falling, amount of daily movement, mental capacity, and falling during the previous year were related variables. Here the risk of recurrent falling was high among persons with poor mental capacity, who moved about a large amount daily, and who had had at least one accident during the previous year. In addition, there was an association between poor health and recurrent falling women. Demented women moving about daily, frail women, and incautious men and women seemed to be the main risk groups for repeated falling. What could general practitioners do to prevent repeated falls in the elderly? First, the overall health status and functional capacities of frail elderly women should be improved. Second, all elderly persons, especially those who have fallen, should be informed about how to minimize the risks of falls. Prevention is not easy among the demented population, however.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed1991

Impact of acute alcohol intoxication on patterns of non-fatal trauma: cause-specific analysis of head injury effect.

The impact of alcohol on injury patterns was studied by using 14,920 injured men aged 15-64 years seen in an emergency room in Helsinki, Finland. Blood alcohol was estimated by clinical evaluation and breath test, and was coded into a three-grade intoxication code. Intoxication was recorded in 19.7 per cent. Head injury was more common among the intoxicated (64.1 per cent) than among the sober (17.6 per cent). The odds of head injury, if 1.0 among the sober, was 8.3 among the intoxicated. This head injury effect (HIE) was found in every major external cause category: falls 15.4, traffic 3.0, other unintentional injury 3.4 and assault 2.6. A major difference in HIE was found by hospitalization status: 2.1 for hospitalized and 9.8 for ambulatory patients. Alcohol seems to produce mostly low-energy events (like falls) resulting usually in minor, though potentially dangerous, head injury.

Accidents↗
PubMed1991

Incidence of falling injuries leading to medical treatment in the elderly.

The incidence of falling injuries leading to medical treatment was described by sex, age, marital status, education, amount of daily motion, self-perceived health, mechanism of fall and severity of injury. Material was collected regarding persons aged 65 years or over seeking medical treatment due to a fall during a period of one year. Altogether 3.8% of the elderly population (men: 2.5%; women: 4.4%) sought medical treatment due to a fall at least once during this year. When repeated falls were taken into account, the total incidence rate was 5.5 per 100 persons per year. The cumulative incidence rate (percentage of persons seeking medical treatment due to a fall) of women was higher than that of the men and in both sexes it increased with age. It was also higher for unmarried, widowed or divorced persons than for married ones, and higher in less educated persons than in better educated ones. It was also higher in persons with a low amount of daily motion or poor self-perceived health than in persons with a moderate or high amount of daily motion or good health status. The multivariate analyses based on log-linear models showed two-term interactions. A low amount of daily motion, poor self-perceived health and high age were independently related to the occurrence of a fall leading to medical treatment in both sexes.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed1990

The role of alcohol in nonfatal bicycle injuries.

To assess the risk of nonfatal bicycle injury related to blood alcohol concentration (BAC) an unmatched case-control study was conducted in Helsinki in 1986. Eligible cases were the 140 adults injured either in motor vehicle or other bicycle accidents occurring between 3 P.M. and 10 P.M., who arrived at hospital within six hours of injury. Seven hundred bicyclists from the street were randomly selected as controls. BAC was measured with a breathalyzer. A major difference in alcohol involvement was found between cases (24.1%) and controls (4.0%). The injury risk estimate (odds ratio) of an inebriated bicyclist was at least ten-fold at BACs above 100 mg/dl compared to a sober bicyclist. Alcohol increased the bicyclist's risk of injury from falling more than from collision. As an unprotected road user, an inebriated bicyclist greatly increases his own risk of injury but seldom causes danger to other road users.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Impact of acute alcohol intoxication on the severity of injury: a cause-specific analysis of non-fatal trauma.

The impact of alcohol on the severity of injury was studied by using injured patients from an emergency room in Helsinki, Finland. Blood alcohol content was estimated either clinically or with a breath test and then was recorded using a three-grade intoxication code (Ethyl sign). The study population was comprised of 14,995 men aged 15-64 years. The Ethyl sign was positive in 19.7 per cent. Hospitalization was used as an indicator of the severity of injury. Hospitalization was almost as common among sober (9.3 per cent) as among intoxicated patients (9.6 per cent) and the odds of being hospitalized, if considered 1.0 among the sober, was 1.03 among the intoxicated. However, the severity of injury correlated positively with the alcohol intoxication in the injured car occupants with an odds ratio (OR) of 3.1 (95 per cent confidence interval (CI) 1.7-5.6) and in those injured in falls from stairs (OR = 2.6; 95 per cent CI 1.4-4.7), but negatively in those injured in unspecified falls on the same level (OR = 0.3; 95 per cent CI 0.2-0.6). The effect of alcohol on injury severity seems to vary with the cause of injury.

Accidents, Home↗
PubMed1990

Males as a high-risk group for trauma: the Finnish experience.

The high incidence of trauma among young men has been observed in many countries. To better understand this risk, we analyzed male injuries and their causes in Finland. The incidence peak of medically attended trauma in men aged 15-24 years was caused by occupational and sports injuries, whereas that of hospitalizations was due to motor vehicle injuries. Age patterns of nonfatal trauma resembled those recorded in the U.S.A. However, patterns and causes of fatal trauma were very different in the two countries: early adulthood in the U.S.A. and late middle-age in Finland were the ages of highest injury mortality. The majority of deaths in young men were caused by motor vehicle injuries in the U.S.A., whereas suicides and the extremely high rate of fatal non-motor vehicle accidents, largely due to alcohol poisoning and drownings, formed the main bulk of injury mortality in Finland. Similarities in early adulthood suggest general biological factors, whereas the deviance of the middle-aged male Finns from the general pattern may indicate more specific psychosocial factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

The necessity and safety of calcium and vitamin D in the elderly.

The necessity and safety of an oral calcium (Ca) and vitamin D regimen was evaluated in a population of 66 independently living and 73 institutionalized elderly women over an 11-week winter period. The members of both groups were randomly assigned into trial and control groups. Serum Ca, creatinine, and calcidiol levels were measured before and after the trial. The regimen consisted of 1.558 g of Ca and 45 micrograms (equal to 1,800 IU) of vitamin D administered daily in addition to the normal diet. The controls received no treatment. A majority of the elderly subjects living independently had ensured their Ca, and a quarter of them also their vitamin D intake on their own initiative. The mean serum calcidiol concentration before the trial was 24.1 nmol/L in the institutionalized and 38.5 nmol/L in the elderly subjects living independently (P less than .001). After the trial, serum calcidiol was 10.4 nmol/L in the institutionalized control subjects and had decreased (P less than .001) in both control groups, but increased (P less than .001) in both treatment groups. The safety indicators, serum Ca, creatinine, and calcidiol, did not indicate any group or individual side effect.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Phosphorylation of an inositol phosphate-stimulated protein phosphatase by protein kinase C.

It is shown that the catalytic subunit of an inositol phosphate-stimulated protein phosphatase (a member of the type-1 protein phosphatase family) purified from bovine brain membranes is phosphorylated in vitro by protein kinase C, but not by protein kinase A or by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. The phosphorylation of the protein phosphatase by protein kinase C induces an increased sensitivity to stimulation by Ins (1,4,5)P3, Ins(1,3,4,5,6)P5 and heparin.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Incidence and characteristics of bicycle injuries by source of information.

Data from analysis of bicycle injuries in a defined, semirural Finnish population were compared with the national hospital discharge register and official police statistics and were related to national data on prevalence of bicycling. The results suggested an incidence of 7.3 injured persons/1000 population, which was 20-fold the figure derived from the police statistics. Inclusion of injuries treated at health centres doubled the number requiring medical attention. Bicycle injuries accounted for 52% of all traffic injuries. A motor vehicle was involved in 11% of bicycle injuries. In these accidents 18% of the victims were hospitalized, but only 6% in other bicycle accidents. Police and hospital records overestimated the proportion of motor vehicle crashes, involvement of elderly persons and incidence of head injuries and fractures. Non-motor vehicle bicycle accidents accounted for most of bicycle injuries, for 58% of in-patients and 93% of out-patients. Information from all levels of health care is required for injury control.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1987

Incidence of burns requiring hospitalization in Finland in 1980.

In 1980 there were 1296 emergency hospitalizations for burn injuries in Finland, averaging 27 per 10(5) inhabitants. The incidence varied from 20 to 58 per 10(5) by central hospital district, 70% of the patients were men. The incidence was higher among men than women at all ages. High risk population groups were children aged 0-4 and men aged 80 years and over. The incidence was higher in rural than urban areas. That was true especially among the elderly, whereas the opposite was true among small children. Most (59%) of the burns were caused by hot substances. Open fire caused 16%. The treatment of burns accounted for a total of 23,327 hospital days. The average duration of the emergency hospital stay was 14.3 days. Causes of regional variation and high incidence among old men require further research. The establishment of burn units in high risk areas should be considered.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

The influence of total hip replacement on selected activities of daily living and on the use of domestic aid.

The effect of total hip replacement (McKee-Farrar and Brunswik prostheses) on selected activities of daily living and on the use of domestic aid in these activities was evaluated by interviewing 539 patients operated on. The mean age of the patients was 64.7 years and the mean follow-up time 4.2 years. After eliminating other diseases affecting mobility, a "proper" series of 294 patients was obtained. There was marked improvement in all activities. Walking ability was limited in 95% before and in 12% after the operation. The proportion of those unable to clean their homes decreased from 67% to 16%, to shop from 46% to 10%, to tie their shoes from 75% to 29%, to pull on stockings from 43% to 3% and to dress in other ways from 30% to 1%. The proportion of patients who were able to take care of themselves increased from 21% to 62%. The reliability of the interview was tested by comparing some objective observations with the information given by the patients. Thus a correlation was observed between the ability to walk and shop on the one hand, and pull on stockings and the flexion range of the hip, on the other.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1977

Records based on clinical examination as an indicator of alcohol involvement in injuries at emergency stations.

Clinical detection of alcohol involvement (AI) and its recording (ethyl sign) in accident patients was evaluated by comparing the ethyl signs with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) in 1012 injury victims. Of the 337 BAC-positive cases 50% had a positive ethyl sign, while an additional 13% had some reference to alcohol in their patient notes. Thus, the overall recording rate was 63%. Computer analysis of the statistics from the same emergency station revealed positive ethyl signs in 13.5% of all the 44 372 patients in 1973. The drunken victims of falls (44%) and fights & assaults (26%) formed the main bulk (70%) of all drunken injury patients. Ethyl sign was found to be a specific, though not a sensitive, indicator of AI and a useful device for studying the strain alcohol places upon the emergency services, statistically.

Accidents↗
PubMed1976

The effect of time factors on blood alcohol levels in accident victims.

Variations of alcohol involvement (AI) by time as well as the effect of the time interval between the last alcohol intake and accident occurrence, arrival, and specimen collection on blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) were studied in 1012 accident victims. In was found that 53% of accidents on Saturdays were alcohol-related, the corresponding percentage being 39% on Fridays and Sundays and 31% on other days. AI rose from its lowest figure (16%) in the morning to its highest (67%) in the following small and early hours. Most of the alcohol-involved accidents occurred with rising blood alcohol suggesting that this stage of intoxication might have a higher injury risk than the later stage with decreasing blood alcohol. The delay before arrival and specimen collection often led to a drop in BAC values which should be remembered when planning studies on AI in accidents and when interpreting the results of such investigations.

Accidents↗
PubMed1976

A case-control study on alcohol as a risk factor in pedestrian accident. A preliminary report.

Alcohol as a risk factor in pedestrian accidents was studied so that the BACs were measured by gas chromatography in 341 accident patients and by ASD-breathalyzers in 682 sex-, site-, and time-matched pedestrians not involved in accidents. Alcohol was found in the blood in 53% of the accident cases and in 15% of the controls. The RR, if 1.0 at zero BAC, was 0.59 at BAC 0.3-0.5, 2.2 at 0.6-1.0, 6.8 at 1.1-1.5, 13 at 1.6-2.0, and 29 at BACs of over 2.0 g/l.

Accidents, Traffic↗