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Biomedical subjects

S Larsen

Publications and source records attributed to S Larsen.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

In situ measurement of colorectal polyps to compare video and fiberoptic endoscopes.

The present study was performed to test the reliability of in situ measurements of colorectal polyps when comparing videoendoscopes with fiberoptic endoscopes. In 25 small rectosigmoid polyps 3-12 mm) removed endoscopically, in situ diameters were measured before polypectomy using both video- and fiberoptic endoscopes. Polaroid and videoprint pictures were taken for computerised analysis of the area of the polyps on the pictures. The results showed a good correlation between the polyp diameter measured with the videoendoscope and fiberoptic endoscope (r = 0.97), with no significant difference by parametric testing. The diameter and weight of the removed polyp also correlated well with the diameter measured in situ using videoendoscopes (r = 0.92 and 0.77, respectively) or fiberoptic endoscopes (r = 0.90 and 0.81, respectively). Furthermore, the weight of the removed polyp correlated reasonably well to the computerised area measurement, the correlation coefficient being r = 0.90 for fiberoptic endoscopes and r = 0.75 for videoendoscopes. We conclude that in situ polyp diameter measurements using videoendscopes and fiberoptic endoscopes are similarly reliable and sensitive, and both instruments can be used interchangeably in follow-up studies of polyp growth.

Colonic Polyps↗
PubMed1994

Alcohol use in the service industry.

It is frequently alleged that hotel and restaurant personnel drink more than other groups in the service industry, although only indirect evidence has been presented to substantiate this allegation. This paper reports data from two surveys concerning alcohol use in different segments of the service industry. In the first study 84 students at three different colleges in the Stavanger region were interviewed concerning their alcohol habits using the screening instrument AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test). The second survey concentrated on service employees in the Rogaland area. One hundred and five respondents answered the AUDIT questionnaire in this study. The results showed that hotel and restaurant affiliated individuals scored significantly higher on the AUDIT than the other respondents. The first survey indicated that students at the Norwegian College of Hotel Management obtained significantly higher AUDIT scores than other groups of students, whereas the second survey indicated that restaurant workers scored significantly higher than employees in other branches of the service industry. Implications of these results, as well as future research demands were indicated.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1994

Therapeutic effect of loratadine on pruritus in patients with atopic dermatitis. A multi-crossover-designed study.

The aim of the study was to assess the therapeutic efficacy of loratadine on pruritus in patients with atopic dermatitis, considering the patients' sensation of itch. Sixteen patients, mean age 24.8 years, with moderate or severe atopic dermatitis were included in a double-blind and placebo-controlled study with a six-period, multi-crossover design. The patients were given 10 mg loratadine or placebo every day, alternating between loratadine and placebo every 2 weeks. The degree of pruritus during the day and during the night was recorded by the patients every morning and every evening, respectively, on a 10-cm visual analog scale. The study detected a significant effect of loratadine, as compared with placebo, on pruritus during the day, pruritus during the night, and severity of rash. At least nine of the 16 patients included were classified as responders and only one as a nonresponder to loratadine treatment. It is concluded that loratadine may be tried as an adjuvant therapy in the management of severe and moderate atopic dermatitis, in patients complaining of pruritus.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Acute interstitial pneumonia in mink kits inoculated with defined isolates of Aleutian mink disease parvovirus.

The present study addressed the causal role of Aleutian mink disease parvovirus (ADV) in acute interstitial pneumonia in mink kits. All the examined isolates of ADV caused interstitial pneumonia in newborn kits, although the severity of disease and the mortality varied. These findings indicate that ADV is the direct causal agent of this disease in mink kits and that cofactors, which could have been present in the original ADV-K isolate, do not play a role. Acute interstitial pneumonia characterized by hypertrophy and hyperplasia of alveolar type II cells, intranuclear viral inclusions, interstitial edema, and hyaline membrane formation was experimentally reproduced in mink kits infected as newborns with five different isolates of ADV. Four hundred forty-nine newborn mink kits were included in the study, of which 247 were necropsied. The lesions caused by the different isolates were indistinguishable by histopathologic examination, but the incidence (50-100%) and severity (mortality of 30-100%, n = 218) of disease among the mink kits varied. Also, the content of ADV antigens in the lungs of infected kits varied among the groups. According to these features, the examined isolates could be placed in groups of high and low virulence. ADV-K, ADV-Utah I, and ADV-DK were in a highly virulent group producing a mortality of 90-100% (n = 110) in mink inoculated as newborns. ADV-GL and ADV-Pullman belonged to a group of low virulence, with an incidence of clinical disease of 50-70% and a mortality of approximately 30-50% (n = 118) in kits inoculated as newborns. The mortality in the control group receiving a mock inoculum was around 12% (n = 34). The period from infection to development of fatal disease varied from approximately 12 days for the highly virulent isolates up to around 20 days for the isolates of low virulence. The 107 mink kits that survived inoculation with ADV as newborns developed lesions typical of classical Aleutian disease irrespective of the ADV isolate used. The lesions consisted of chronic immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis and infiltrations with mononuclear cells, including plasma cells in lung, liver, spleen, kidney, mesenteric lymph node, and intestine. Surviving kits also had hypertrophy of the bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue and focal subpleural, intraalveolar accumulations of large cells with foamy cytoplasm, so-called lipid pneumonia.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

Growth of colorectal polyps: recovery and evaluation of unresected polyps of less than 10 mm, 1 year after detection.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Colonoscopic 1-year control of polyps of less than 10 mm left in situ was carried out in 103 (89%) of 116 originally examined patients. RESULTS: Analysis showed an 85% recovery: 91% and 81% for polyps of 5-9 mm and < 5 mm, respectively. The recovery was significantly related to size and localization, whereas the growth rate was inversely correlated to the originally measured diameter. A linear relationship was demonstrated between anus-to-polyp distances 1 year apart, with a normalized agreement index of 0.70. In only 1 of 189 polyps, an increase of diameter to > 10 mm was demonstrated. The 79 new polyps in 52 (50%) of the patients were significantly smaller, more often right-sided, and related to multiplicity of polyps at the initial examination but not to growth of recovered polyps or cleansing status. CONCLUSION: An acceptable recovery and growth rate of polyps < 10 mm seems to justify the continuation of the study for the remaining 2 years.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Comparison of sequential and fixed-sample designs in a controlled clinical trial with laparoscopic versus conventional cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare a fixed-sample and a sequential design with regard to study duration, sample size, and medical results in a real-life situation. METHODS: A randomized study comparing laparoscopic and conventional cholecystectomy was carried out with a fixed-sample design, parallel with a sequential design. The main variable was duration of postoperative convalescence. RESULTS: In the fixed-sample trial the necessary number of patients was calculated to be 72. The sequential trial was conclusive after inclusion of 24 patients and reduced the duration of the study from 43 to 18 weeks. Additionally, the sequential trial reached the same conclusions as the fixed-sample trial in all the observed variables except for one. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that sequential design should be used more frequently in clinical trials, to involve the smallest possible number of patients necessary to reach a conclusion.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Decreased serum insulin-like growth factor I during puberty in children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).

Previous reports concerning insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in diabetics are conflicting. This study describes IGF-I in children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and healthy controls in relation to pubertal development. Sixty-six children participated (34 girls and 32 boys) of which 33 had IDDM. The mean age in the study population was 14.3 years, (range 7.1 to 19.7). Serum IGF-I was significantly decreased in diabetics. Diabetic girls had a mean IGF-I of 28.3 (14.4; = SD) nmol/l compared with 42.8 (15.0) nmol/l in controls. In diabetic boys the result was 30.0 (16.0) nmol/l compared with 44.1 (23.4) in controls. Growth hormone was measured in only one fasting morning serum sample from each individual. There was no difference between girls, but diabetic boys had higher mean serum concentration of growth hormone than controls (3.5 (4.8) vs. 1.8 (1.5) micrograms/l respectively). Diabetic girls had delayed menarche, corresponding to a slightly delayed bone maturation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Acute kidney graft rejection. A morphological and immunohistological study on "zero-hour" and follow-up biopsies with special emphasis on cellular infiltrates and adhesion molecules.

Serial biopsies from 41 consecutive renal allotransplanted patients were evaluated in order to obtain pretransplant data as well as information on well-functioning and acutely rejecting grafts. Each patient served as his own control. Thirty-five patients were followed according to the schedule which included biopsy prior to transplantation, shortly after opening of reanastomosis, at least once postoperatively (days 7-10), and furthermore whenever clinically indicated. The morphological evaluation was in each case combined with immunofluorescence (to detect immunoglobulins and complement fractions) and immunohistochemistry with a wide panel of monoclonal antibodies for T cells (CD2, CD3, CD4, CD8, gamma delta), B cells (CD20, CD22), macrophages (CD68, MAC387) NK cells (leu-7, CD16), activation markers (IL-2-R, Ki-67, transferrin-R), MHC antigens (HLA-ABC, HLA-DR), adhesion molecules (ICAM-1, VCAM-1, ELAM-1, PADGEM, VLA-4, LFA-1 alpha/beta), and growth factors (EGF, TGF-alpha, EGF-R). When 132 biopsies and 10 failed allografts were examined, no specific morphological or immunohistological parameter predictive of rejection or graft outcome could be found. Morphology in follow-up biopsies from non-rejecting and rejecting patients revealed a continuum of inflammatory changes, and several non-rejecting cases demonstrated cellular inflammatory infiltrates which could not be discriminated from those seen in acute rejection. Of the patients 44% had acute rejection accompanied by increased infiltration of T cells and macrophages showing enhanced IL-2-R expression, increased tubular and endothelial staining for MHC class II, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1, and strong leukocytic expression of VLA-4 and LFA-1 alpha/beta.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

The independent effects of exercise and estrogen on lipids and lipoproteins in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of a moderate exercise program with and without oral estrogen replacement on levels of lipids and lipoproteins in postmenopausal women. METHODS: One hundred one postmenopausal women were randomized into four groups: control or sedentary (N = 20), exercise alone (N = 25), estrogen replacement using 0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogen (N = 28), and exercise supplemented with conjugated equine estrogen (N = 28). The exercise groups were placed on a moderate exercise program. Following baseline testing, each group returned at 3 and 6 months for cardiorespiratory fitness testing and serum lipid and lipoprotein profiles. RESULTS: We found a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure (P < .05) in all treatment groups. The maximum oxygen uptake increased by 9.0 and 7.8% in the exercise and conjugated equine estrogen/exercise groups, respectively, compared to the other groups (P < .05). These responses were seen at both 3 and 6 months. Total exercise time (time spent on the treadmill until exhaustion during testing) significantly increased in the exercise group by 21% (P < .01). Exercise alone was associated with significant decreases in total cholesterol (5.2%, P < .05), triglycerides (2%, P < .05), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (10%, P < .01), and a significant increase in the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol-LDL ratio (17.2%, P < .01). Significant changes were noted in these values, as well as increases in HDL cholesterol (16 and 14.8%; P < .01) and apolipoprotein A1 (25.6 and 26.5%; P < .001) in the conjugated equine estrogen and conjugated equine estrogen/exercise groups, respectively. However, there were no differences in the changes observed in the conjugated equine estrogen groups with versus without exercise. No direct correlation was seen between measures of exercise performance and the changes seen in lipids and lipoproteins. CONCLUSIONS: Estrogen therapy alone had the greatest beneficial effect on lipids and lipoproteins. Exercise alone resulted in a significant reduction in cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol, and an increase in the HDL-LDL ratio. However, combined conjugated equine estrogen and exercise did not demonstrate an added improvement in lipid metabolism. Physical fitness levels increased in the exercise groups, but not in the control group or the estrogen-alone treated women.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Crystallization and X-ray diffraction analysis of recombinant Coprinus cinereus peroxidase.

Crystals suitable for an X-ray diffraction investigation have been obtained of recombinant Coprinus cinereus peroxidase expressed in Aspergillus oryzae. The crystals were grown by the hanging drop method with polyethylene glycol 6000 as the precipitant. A pH range from 6.2 to 8.0 and CaCl2 or MgCl2 present at a concentration of 0.35 M were essential for the crystal growth. A metastable monoclinic modification can be obtained under certain conditions, and with variations in temperature they are transformed into a stable orthorhombic modification. With CaCl2 as the additive, the unit cell dimensions were a = 74.9 A, b = 76.8 A and c = 128.2 A. With two peroxidase molecules per asymmetric unit, the solvent content is 49% (v/v). In the diffraction pattern, the reflections Okl are systematically very weak for k = 2n + 1. Combined with an analysis of the Patterson function, this showed that the two independent molecules are related by the pseudotranslational symmetry 0.29a + 0.5b. The possible space groups are P2(1)2(1)2(1) or P2(1)22(1) because of this pseudosymmetry. The crystals diffract to a resolution of 2.9 A.

Coprinus↗
PubMed1993

[Smoking habits and risk of coronary heart disease, especially risk associated with low daily tobacco consumption].

The purpose of this study was to estimate the risk of acute myocardial infarction related to smoking habits, especially the risk among smokers with a daily tobacco consumption of five grams or less. The study is based on data from the 1914 population examined by the Glostrup Population Studies at the age of 50 and 60 in 1964 and 1974. Information concerning deaths and cases of hospitalisation has been obtained from national registers up to 1985. Blood pressure, lipids, body mass index and physical activity were used as confounders. It was not possible to make a definite conclusion for the group smoking five grams or less daily as a class, since both the size of the group and the number of myocardial infarctions within it were small. When tobacco consumption was used as a quantitative variable the risk of myocardial infarction was found to increase with increasing amount but the relation was found not to be non-linear. The best description of the tobacco-related risk of myocardial infarction was a logarithmically relation to daily tobacco consumption.

Denmark↗
PubMed1993

Rate of accumulation of blood lactate during graded exercise as a predictor of 'anaerobic threshold'.

The subject group comprised 35 endurance-trained males: 11 young adults, 11 seniors and a control group of 13 young adults. A graded submaximal exercise test on a treadmill was performed by 22 of the subjects. The exponential function [La-] = a.ebx + c (where x = running velocity) showed a high degree of correlation with the experimental results (mean r = 0.997) and had randomly distributed residuals. Twenty-two subjects performed a series of running sessions at constant speed to establish the highest working intensities that could be endured without an increase in blood lactate (BLa) - the maximal steady-state workload (MSSW). The observed velocities of MSSW were related to the BLa vs velocity curves from the graded test. The graded submaximal exercise tests yielded mean derivatives from the BLa vs velocity relationship curves equal to 0.089 and 0.083 mM per m.min-1 for the young and senior groups, respectively. The derivatives had moderate inter-individual variations. In reversing the procedure, MSSW was estimated for all of the subjects using a common slope of 0.086. Only small individual variations were found between observed and estimated MSSW. The mean BLa value f (x), calculated using exponential functions where x = individual observed MSSW, was 3.0 mM. Thus, for endurance-trained athletes, a BLa accumulation rate of 0.086 mM per m.min-1 or, alternatively, a fixed BLa concentration of 3 mM, is recommended as a predictor of MSSW when analysing the BLa-velocity profiles from a graded submaximal test.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Clinical and serologic evaluation of neonates for congenital syphilis: a continuing diagnostic dilemma.

Neonates born to women with reactive serologic tests for syphilis were studied; the total of 116 included 18 who were symptomatic, 60 asymptomatic but possibly infected, and 38 asymptomatic and probably uninfected. The fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption (FTA-ABS) 19S IgM test and an IgM capture ELISA for Treponema pallidum, both treponema-specific assays, and the reverse enzyme-linked immunospot (RELISPOT), which detects immunoglobulin-secreting cells and is a nonspecific indicator of infection, were evaluated. Sensitivities among symptomatic neonates were 88% (IgM ELISA), 73% (FTA-ABS), and 78% (RELISPOT). Specificities ranged from 97% to 100%. A major problem has been the inability to identify which asymptomatic but possibly infected neonate is really uninfected. Among 41 such babies who had all three tests done, 93% were negative by all assays, suggesting they were uninfected or recently infected. Strategies to accurately identify the truly uninfected asymptomatic newborn would prevent the unnecessary hospitalization of all at-risk infants, resulting in improved quality of care and reduced costs.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Urine profiles and kidney histologic findings after intravenous injection of mannitol and iohexol in the degeneration phase of gentamicin nephropathy in rats.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have shown that iodinated contrast media may cause further renal dysfunction in tubulointerstitial nephropathy induced by gentamicin. The current investigation was undertaken to study whether the dysfunction after intravenous injection of a low-osmolar contrast medium is due to a chemotoxic and/or an osmotic effect. METHODS: Urine profiles were followed for 3 or 9 days after intravenous injection of saline, mannitol, and varying dosages of iohexol (1, 2.5, 5, and 10 mL/kg body weight (BW); 350 mg I/mL) in 60 rats, in which intramuscular injection of 40 mg/kg BW gentamicin had been administered daily nine times. A seventh group of 10 rats was given 20 mg/kg BW gentamicin and 5 mL/kg BW of 350 mg I/mL iohexol. Another 10 rats injected with saline served as controls. RESULTS: Both mannitol and iohexol increased the excretion of albumin and the enzyme N-acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) temporarily; the effect was independent of the dose of iohexol. There was a dose-dependent effect on the transient increase in excretion of the enzymes lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALK); mannitol did not increase the excretion of these enzymes. In the group given 20 mg/kg BW gentamicin, only the dose-dependent effects of iohexol were seen. Neither various plasma components nor light/electron microscopy showed any changes that could solely be related to the contrast medium. CONCLUSIONS: Iohexol produces transient renal effects in gentamicin nephropathy, which may be due to both chemotoxic and osmotic mechanisms.

Animals↗