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Biomedical subjects

S Laurberg

Publications and source records attributed to S Laurberg.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Perioperative growth hormone treatment increases nitrogen and fluid balance and results in short-term and long-term conservation of lean tissue mass.

The surgical procedure for forming an ileoanal anastomosis with a J pouch (IAA) usually involves a temporary ileostomy; patients undergoing IAA surgery thus need to recover quickly because they return for ileostomy closure 3 mo later. We evaluated the effects of perioperative biosynthetic growth hormone (GH) treatment on short- and long-term changes in body composition and on nutritional intake. Patients with ulcerative colitis undergoing IAA surgery were randomly assigned to double-blind treatment with placebo (n=12) or 6 IU GH twice daily (n=12) from 2 d before to 7 d after the operation. Examinations were from 2 d before to 9 d after the operation and on days 30 and 90. Body composition was assessed with a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanner. The 2 groups had similar nutritional intakes. On postoperative day 7, placebo-treated patients had lost 4.2 kg (95% CI: 3.0, 5.4) total tissue mass, 3.6 kg (2.1, 5.1) lean tissue mass, and 0.5 kg (-0.1, 1.2) fat mass. These reductions persisted 3 mo later. Compared with placebo, GH improved nitrogen balance, changes in lean tissue mass [gain of 4.0 kg (1.9, 6.0), P=0.001], and changes in total tissue mass [gain of 3.2 kg (1.6, 4.9), P=0.001], but increased the loss of fat mass [loss of 0.7 kg (0.0, 1.5), P=0.049] on postoperative day 7. Three months later, the placebo-treated patients had lost 2.4 kg (0.7, 4.2) more lean tissue mass than GH-treated patients (P=0.009), whereas changes in total tissue and fat mass were not significantly different. Hence, GH treatment enhanced the long-term regain of lean tissue mass.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Differential changes in free and total insulin-like growth factor I after major, elective abdominal surgery: the possible role of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 proteolysis.

Major surgery is accompanied by extensive proteolysis of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3). Proteolysis of IGFBP-3 is generally believed to increase IGF bioavailability due to a diminished affinity of the IGFBP-3 fragments for IGFs. We have investigated 18 patients undergoing elective ileo-anal J-pouch surgery. Patients were randomized to treatment with GH (12 IU/day; n = 9) or placebo (n = 9) from 2 days before to 7 days after operation. Free IGF-I and IGF-II were measured by ultrafiltration of serum, and IGFBP-3 proteolytic activity was determined by a [125I]recombinant human IGFBP-3 degradation assay. In the GH-treated group, total IGF-I increased preoperatively by 99%. Postoperatively, total IGF-I decreased by 48% (placebo) and 52% (GH). Immunoassayable IGFBP-3 decreased by 27% (placebo) and 26% (GH). In the placebo-treated group, free IGF-I was unchanged throughout the study. In the GH-treated group, free IGF-I increased by 277% preoperatively and remained elevated after operation. IGFBP-3 proteolytic activity increased by 63-73% after operation. The relative elevations of free IGF-I levels despite decreased total IGF-I levels could thus relate to augmented IGFBP-3 proteolysis.

Adult↗

No relationship between subjective assessment of urinary incontinence and pad test weight gain in a random population sample of menopausal women.

PURPOSE: We studied the association between urinary incontinence and pad weight gain during a 24-hour pad test in healthy menopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Menopausal women 45 to 58 years old were randomly sampled from the national register. Information on self-reported urinary incontinence was collected at patient interview using a structured questionnaire. A 24-hour home pad test was performed and episodes of urinary incontinence during the pad test were noted. RESULTS: A total of 144 women 45 to 57 years old (mean age 50) were included in the study. At the interview 99 subjects (69%) reported urinary continence and 45 (31%) reported incontinence. Of the continence group 78 women (80%) performed the pad test and the mean weight gain was 3.1 gm. (range 0 to 9). Of the incontinence group 38 women (84%) performed the pad test and the mean weight gain was 3.3 gm. (range 0 to 8, not significant). Of the 38 women in the incontinence group 16 reported 1 or more episodes of urinary incontinence, whereas the remaining 22 reported no incontinence during the pad test. There was no difference in pad weight gain between these 2 groups (mean gain 3.3 gm., range 0 to 8). CONCLUSIONS: The subjective assessment of urinary incontinence was frequent but it was not associated with the objective findings of the 24-hour pad test.

Aged↗

Test-retest repeatability of anorectal physiology tests in healthy volunteers.

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to evaluate repeatability of tests of anorectal function in 58 healthy female volunteers, mean age 50 (range, 45-57) years. METHODS: Participants were studied on two separate occasions by one investigator in one laboratory using the same equipment. RESULTS: Mean difference for perineal position was 0.1 (95 percent confidence interval, -0.1-0.3) cm, and for perineal descent it was 0.02 (-0.2-0.3) cm. For anal mucosa electrosensitivity, mean difference was -0.1 (-0.4-0.1) mA, for maximum anal resting pressure it was 2.2 (-3.5-7.8) cm H2O, for maximum anal squeeze pressure it was -1 (-6.5-4.5) cm H2O, and for pudendal nerve terminal motor latency it was 0.04 (-0.02-0.09) msec. Coefficients of variation varied from 8 percent for pudendal nerve terminal motor latency to 49 percent for perineal descent. CONCLUSION: There was no systematic variation in repeated measurements for any of the parameters studied; however, the nonsystematic variation was generally large.

Bias↗

Colorectal function in patients with spinal cord lesions.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to describe the frequency and severity of colorectal problems among patients with spinal cord lesions and to determine whether these problems are associated with age, gender, time since the lesion, and level and severity of the lesion. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A detailed questionnaire describing colorectal and bladder function was sent to all 589 members of The Danish Paraplegic Association; 424 responded (72 percent). RESULTS: Only 19 percent felt a normal desire to defecate, whereas the remaining patients felt no desire to defecate (38 percent) or a combination of abdominal discomfort (37 percent) and headache, physical uneasiness, and perspiration (25 percent). Digital stimulation of the anal canal before defecation or digital evacuation of the rectum was used regularly by 65 percent of patients. Fecal incontinence was experienced by 75 percent of patients; however, most patients only had a few episodes of fecal incontinence each month (15 percent) or each year (56 percent). Overall, 39 percent of patients reported that colorectal dysfunction caused some or major restrictions on social activities or on their quality of life, and 30 percent regarded colorectal complaints to be worse than both bladder and sexual dysfunction. The severity of most symptoms was significantly correlated with the severity of the lesion, and the self-reported impact on social activities or quality of life was significantly more severe among women than men. CONCLUSION: Colorectal dysfunction is very common among spinal cord-injured patients, often causing restriction on social activities and quality of life. Therefore, these problems deserve more attention in the treatment of spinal cord-injured patients.

Adolescent↗

Effects of age on anal function in normal women.

PURPOSE: To study effects of age on anal function in healthy women. METHODS: A study of 75 women with no known anorectal disease, aged 20 to 83 (mean 50) years, mean parity 2 (range 0-4). Perineal position at rest (PR), descent during straining (PS), maximum resting pressure (MRP) maximum squeeze pressure (MSP) of the anal sphincters, and pudendal nerve terminal motor latency (PNTML) were measured. Data were analysed using the multiple regression technique including age and parity in the model. RESULTS: Increasing age was significantly associated with a weakening of anal function. PR and PS were both lowered (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0001). Anal sphincter pressures were reduced (MRP: P = 0.004, MSP: P = 0.015), and age was associated with an increased mean PNTML (P < 0.0001). All associations seemed to be linear. Parity was associated with a lowering of both PR and PS but not with the other parameters. Age accounted for 13-44% of the total variability seen in the tests of pelvic floor function. CONCLUSION: Age leads to a consistent reduction in anal function and this is likely to increase the risk of faecal incontinence in old age. From the current data we suggest that in normal women with an uncomplicated obstetric history increasing age is associated with significant changes in anal function whereas long-term effects of vaginal deliveries play a minor role. Moreover our results suggest gradual changes throughout adult life, rather than large changes occurring after menopause.

Adult↗

Age and anorectal sensibility in normal women.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to study associations between age and anorectal sensibility in healthy women. METHODS: Seventy-five women, with a mean age of 50 (range, 20-83) years, and mean parity of 2 (range, 0-4), were studied. Anal mucosa electrosensitivity (AME) was measured 1 and 2 cm from the anal verge. Rectal sensibility was also measured (minimum perceived volume (MPV), desire to defaecate (DD), and urgency (U)). Associations between anorectal sensibility and age were corrected for parity by using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Threshold values of AME increased with age (P = 0.03) (1 cm) and P = 0.01 (2 cm)). Rectal sensibility threshold values were also positively associated with age (MPV, P = 0.003; DD, P = 0.04; and U, P = 0.06). Changes in AME were greater after menopause, whereas associations between rectal sensibility and age seemed linear. CONCLUSION: Impairment of the anorectal sensibility appears to be part of the normal ageing process, thus increasing the risk of faecal incontinence in old women.

Aging↗

[Anus cancer].

The pathology, etiology and epidemiology of anal cancer (CA) and the treatment and prognostic factors are reviewed. CA is a rare disease. However, the incidence is rising and is now 0.7 per 100,000 women and 0.4 per 100,000 men in Denmark. The median age is 60 years. Smoking and infection with human papillomavirus or HIV increases the risk of CA. The most important prognostic factors are tumour size, depth of invasion, inquinal lymph node involvement, differentiation and DNA ploidy. Previously CA was treated with abdominoperineal resection. Now sphincter preserving treatment with radiotherapy either alone or in combination with chemotherapy is preferred in most centers. Its is unsettled whether combined treatment is superior to radiotherapy only. Careful follow-up is warranted in order to perform salvage surgery in case of recurrent disease.

Anus Neoplasms↗

[Laparoscopy in suspected acute appendicitis. Experiences with the first 233 laparoscopies at a university hospital department].

In an initial stage of introducing laparoscopic appendicectomy, 233 patients with indication for surgical treatment were evaluated in an open prospective trial. Surgery was done by a total of 39 trainees on duty. The procedure was started as a diagnostic laparoscopy followed by laparoscopic appendicectomy if the appendix was macroscopically inflamed. If the appendix was normal, it was left in place. There were 51 patients with a macroscopically normal appendix. Subsequently, none of them suffered from appendicitis or any other disorder requiring surgery. In 182 patients with laparoscopically assessed inflamed appendix, laparoscopic appendicectomy was attempted. One hundred and forty-eight proved successful, whereas 34 were converted to an open operation, mainly because of limited experience with the laparoscopic technique. Wound infection occurred in two and intraperitoneal abscess in four patients (0.9% and 1.7%), respectively. There was only one complication (0.4%) directly related to the laparoscopic procedure, namely a coecal leak. In conclusion, in a teaching hospital, laparoscopic appendicectomy can be safely offered to patients where surgery is indicated due to suspicion of appendicitis.

Abdomen, Acute↗

[Results of ileoanal reservoir surgery].

We report our surgical, late complications and functional outcome of 157 consecutive restorative proctocolectomies with an ileoanal J pouch at the Department of Surgery L, Arhus City Hospital. Nine patients had familial adenomatous polyposis, while 148 patients were operated for ulcerative colitis. All patients had a protecting ileostomy. There was no mortality. Surgical complications after J pouch: Six patients were reoperated, five due to intra-abdominal bleeding, one for ileus. There was only one pelvic abscess, and it was drained percutaneously. There were no fistulae, no anastomotic leakage and no early pouch removal. Surgical complications after ileostomy closure: Eight patients were reoperated; two due to wound infections, five for ileus and one due to a wound rupture. Late Complications: Four pouches were removed, due to incontinence, difficult evacuation, chronic pouchitis or Crohn's disease. There were three late pouchovaginal fistulae more than one year after surgery. Five patients had surgery for ileus, one for an intra-abdominal abscess, one for a perianal fistula and eight for incisional hernia. Functional outcome: One year after pouch surgery more than 90% of patients were satisfied with the operation, 2.2% had regretted and 3.6% were in doubt. The functional result was satisfactory in the majority of the patients, but 21.1% had one or more night evacuations and 13.9% had variable degrees of incontinence.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗

Effect of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) administration on the healing of colonic anastomoses in rats.

BACKGROUND: The gastrointestinal tract is highly responsive to the tropic effect of growth hormone (GH). GH stimulates the healing of colonic anastomoses either directly or through insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) since specific GH receptor as well as IGF-I receptor have been demonstrated in colon. AIM: To determine whether exogenous treatment with IGF-I could stimulate the healing of left colonic anastomoses in rats. METHODS: After colonic anastomotic operations adult rats were randomised to treatment with either IGF-I (500 mu g per day) or vehicle (controls). Anastomotic breaking strength and collagen deposition were determined at day after surgery. RESULTS: IGF-I treatment increased the anastomotic collagen content by 23% compared with controls. This resulted in a lower extensibility of the anastomosis (P < 0.05), whereas the anastomotic breaking strength did not differ between groups. The treatment resulted in a 3 fold increase in serum IGF-I of IGF-I treated rats, compared to controls. The postoperative body weight increased by 5% in the IGF-I rats from day 0 to day 3, while the control group had a weight loss of 2% in the same period (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Treatment of colon-operated rats with IGF-I increased the postoperative body weight and stimulates the collagen deposition of left colonic anastomoses, whereas the anastomotic strength may be unaffected by IGF-I treatment.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

Long-term effect of vaginal deliveries on anorectal function in normal perimenopausal women.

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to determine the long-term effects of vaginal deliveries on anorectal function in healthy perimenopausal women. METHODS: An observational study of 144 perimenopausal women living in the county of Aarhus, Denmark, aged 45 to 57 (mean, 50) years were randomly selected from the National Register. All women had delivered 0 to 6 (mean, 2) times 10 to 34 years before the investigation. Examinations describing pelvic floor function were measurements of perineal position at rest and descent during straining, anal mucosa electrosensitivity, maximum resting pressure and maximum squeeze pressure of the anal sphincters, and pudendal nerve terminal motor latency. All tests were performed by one of the authors (AMR) and without knowledge of parity. Data were analyzed using the multiple regression technique, and all associations between anorectal function and parity were corrected for age and hysterectomy status. RESULTS: Increasing parity correlated with a lowered perineal position at rest (correlation coefficient (r) = 0.26; P = 0.003), an increased descent during straining (r = 0.24; P = 0.006), an increased threshold of anal mucosa electrosensitivity (r = 0.22, P = 0.008), and an increased pudendal nerve terminal motor latency on both sides (r = 0.27; P = 0.002). No effect of parity of the maximum resting pressure (r = 0.06; P = 0.70) and maximum squeeze pressure (r = 0.06; P = 0.36) was found. The number of vaginal deliveries account for only a minor fraction of the total variability seen in the tests of pelvic floor function (between 1.6 and 5.7 percent). CONCLUSION: Repeated vaginal deliveries have a long-term adverse effect on anorectal physiology in a population of randomly selected healthy perimenopausal women.

Anal Canal↗

Multiple vaginal deliveries increase the risk of permanent incontinence of flatus urine in normal premenopausal women.

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the risk of permanent flatus or urinary incontinence after repeated vaginal deliveries. METHODS: In 1989 a questionnaire on obstetric history and urinary and fecal incontinence was sent to a sample of 304 women selected from the birth records from 1976 to 1988; 242 responded (80 percent). RESULTS: Participants had one, two, or three vaginal deliveries, all without an obstetric tear of the anal sphincter. After the first, second, and third deliveries, 1.2, 1.5, and 8.3 percent developed permanent flatus incontinence. The risk was significantly increased after the third delivery compared with the first and second deliveries (odds ratio, 6.6; confidence interval, 2.4-18.3). Permanent urinary incontinence after the first, second, and third delivery developed in 3.3, 1.0, and 6.8 percent. The risk was significantly increased after the third delivery compared with the first and second (odds ratio, 3.2; confidence interval, 1.1-9.1). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that repeated vaginal deliveries increase the risk of minor anal and urinary incontinence, which were found to be a common problem in premenopausal women.

Adolescent↗

Transmural trophic effect of short chain fatty acid infusions on atrophic, defunctioned rat colon.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to investigate and quantify trophic alterations in the defunctioned, atrophic rat colon after short chain fatty acid (SCFA) treatment was administered in a clinically relevant way. METHODS: Diverting colostomy with exclusion of distal colon was performed on adult female rats (58), and treatment was started four weeks later. Enemas of either a SCFA solution of sodium-acetate, sodium-propionate and sodium-butyrate (concentration, 780 mM), or isotonic saline (placebo) were instilled through the anus into the defunctioned colon. This was done twice daily for 7 or 14 days before death. RESULTS: After SCFA instillation for 14 days, the colonic wet weight was 18 percent higher compared with placebo (P < 0.01), and there was a similarly significant difference in dry weight (P < 0.05). Using stereologic assessment to determine the histologic composition of defunctioned colon, we found significant increases among SCFA-treated rats in the weight of the mucose (P < 0.05), the submucosa (P < 0.05), and the muscularis propria (P < 0.05) and a 30 percent increase in the mucosal surface area compared with placebo-treated in the mucosal surface area compared with placebo-treated rats (P < 0.05). Measurements of breaking strength and hydroxyproline content showed no differences between treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: SCFA enemas have a transmural trophic effect and preserve mucosal surface area of defunctioned and atrophic colon in rats.

Acetates↗

Impaired wound healing but unaltered colonic healing with increasing age: an experimental study in rats.

Age-related differences in the healing of left colonic anastomoses and abdominal incisional wounds were compared between young and old rats. Immediately after surgery the anastomotic strength (suture-binding capacity) was 67% higher in old rats corresponding to a 107% higher collagen content per unit length of left colon compared to young rats. After 2 and 4 days of healing there was no difference in the breaking strength of the anastomoses between young and old rats, although the increase in collagen content of the anastomosed segment was 100% in the young rats and only 35% in the old rats from day 2 to day 4. The healing of the abdominal incisional wounds was, however, impaired in old rats compared to young rats, since the tensile strength and the energy absorption on the 4th postoperative day was 67 and 57% lower, respectively. In conclusion, old rats have impaired skin healing, whereas colonic healing is not affected by age.

Aging↗

Trophic effects of biosynthetic growth hormone on normal and defunctioned left colon in rats.

BACKGROUND: In rats with diverting colostomies the effects of growth hormone can be differentiated from the actions of fecal passage. METHODS: After sham operation or diverting colostomy rats were treated with biosynthetic growth hormone (b-hGH) for 4 weeks. RESULTS: In defunctioned colon of b-hGH-treated rats there were increases in mucosal surface area and the weight of mucosa and muscularis propria compared with the atrophic colon of saline-treated rats. The breaking strength of defunctioned colon rings was greater and the defatted dry weight and hydroxyproline content of these specimens were also increased. In intact colon b-hGH stimulated luminal surface area, the weight of mucosal and submucosal layers, and the hydroxyproline content compared with controls. The breaking strength was highest in specimens from saline-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: B-hGH has a growth-promoting role throughout the whole thickness of the colonic wall in rats also in the absence of fecal passage.

Animals↗