Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Olafsson

Publications and source records attributed to S Olafsson.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

[Integration of preventive medicine in an emergency department. A pedagogic model for improvement of communication].

At the Medical Department, Telemark Central Hospital, a project has been going on for five years now to evaluate consultations in lifestyle groups in preference to individual consultations for persons with dyslipidemia. 363 persons were recruited to participate in a series of 5 group consultations at intervals of 3 months, each session to last for 2 hours. Altogether 1469 consultations were of this type. After the first session 79% said they preferred lifestyle group consultations, rather than spending their share of the allotted time on personal consultations, and after the fifth session 81%. The concept has been extended to include patients with chronic disease (asthma and chronic inflammatory bowel disease), with the principal aim of improving the patients' understanding of their disease, and showing them how to control it themselves. The project has attracted much attention, and a consultant in preventive medicine has recently been appointed to the staff. We think it important in terms of impact that the initiative to establish local expertise in preventive medicine emerged from a department that deals with emergency admissions due to lifestyle-related diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Common pathogenetic mechanisms in symptomatic, uncomplicated gallstone disease and functional dyspepsia: volume measurement of gallbladder and antrum using three-dimensional ultrasonography.

Following cholecystectomy for uncomplicated gallstone disease (GS) some patients experience persistent symptoms suggesting an underlying functional disorder. To study this phenomenon, we have compared symptomatic GS with functional dyspepsia (FD) patients and healthy individuals (C) with respect to putative pathogenetic mechanisms. Gallbladder and gastric antrum volumes were estimated with three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonography before and 10 min after ingestion of 500 ml meat soup in 18 patients with GS. Volume estimation was performed digitally after interactive manual tracing and organ reconstruction in three dimensions. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was calculated to index vagal tone. Abdominal symptoms were assessed by interview. The results were compared to previously published data in patients with FD and C investigated with the exact same methods. No significant differences were found between groups with respect to fasting gallbladder or gallbladder emptying. Antral volumes both fasting (P < 0.05) and postprandially (P < 0.01) were larger in GS and FD than in C. The soup meal induced dyspeptic symptoms in 2/18 (11%) of C, 12/18 (67%) of GS and 15/17 (88%) of FD patients (P < 0.001). Compared with C, both GS and FD patients had significantly decreased vagal tone (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between GS and FD patients with respect to antral volume, vagal tone, or symptoms. We concluded that both gallstone and functional dyspepsia patients are characterized by dyspeptic symptoms in response to ingestion of 500 ml of meat soup, a wide gastric antrum, low vagal tone, but normal gallbladder size and emptying. Thus, patients with symptomatic, uncomplicated gallstone disease and functional dyspepsia seem to have common pathogenetic mechanisms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Bismuth-based combination therapy for Helicobacter pylori-associated peptic ulcer disease (metronidazole for eradication, ranitidine for pain).

OBJECTIVES: 180 Helicobacter pylori-positive patients with peptic ulcer disease were randomly allocated to double-blind placebo-controlled treatment with one of four anti-H. pylori regimens consisting of bismuth subnitrate suspension (B), oxytetracycline (OT), metronidazole (M)/metronidazole placebo, or ranitidine (R)/ranitidine placebo. METHODS: Regimen 1: B 150 mg q.i.d., OT 500 mg q.i.d., M 400 mg t.i.d. for 10 days and R 300 mg b.i.d. for 4 wk. Regimen 2: same as regimen 1 except ranitidine. Regimen 3: same as regimen 1 except metronidazole. Regimen 4: same as regimen 1 except metronidazole and ranitidine. Gastroscopy and 14C-urea breath test were performed 4 wk after cessation of therapy, and breath test six months after cessation. RESULTS: According to intention-to-treat analysis, H. pylori eradication rates were 96%, 91%, 20%, and 9% with regimens 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Comparing regimens 1+2 and 3+4, the eradication rates with and without metronidazole were 93% and 14%, respectively (p < 0.0001). Metronidazole increased the occurrence of diarrhea and abdominal pain. Comparing regimens 1+3 with 2+4 ranitidine did not influence H. pylori eradication (58% with and 50% without ranitidine; p = 0.37) or ulcer healing (93% with and 90% without ranitidine; p = 0.72) significantly, but reduced the occurrence of pain (p < 0.01). Six months after treatment, three patients who were H. pylori negative at 4 wk had become positive. These three had all received metronidazole placebo. H. pylori status remained negative in the other 85 patients. CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori eradication with this triple therapy is critically dependent on metronidazole. Adding ranitidine reduces the occurrence of abdominal pain during such therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Bismuth therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection. A review of five years experience at a university hospital in Norway.

BACKGROUND: Eradication of H. pylori cures peptic ulcer disease. Bismuth and antibiotics in various combinations were tested at a single university hospital. METHODS: The standard treatment was bismuth subnitrate, metronidazole and oxytetracycline. A positive biopsy urease test was the main inclusion criterium, whereas a negative 14C-urea breath test performed at least four weeks after cessation of therapy was the main indicator of cured infection, and performed later for reinfection. In separate studies we tested the absorption of bismuth subnitrate compared to other bismuth preparations, what aspects of bismuth-based triple therapy are most important to obtain maximum eradication, what can be done to decrease side effects, and the reliability of diagnostic methods. RESULTS: The absorption of bismuth from bismuth subnitrate was very low. More than 90% cure rates were usually obtained. Including metronidazole in the regimen increased side effects but was crucial for effectiveness. Spiramycine could replaced oxytetracycline without substantial loss of effectiveness. Effectiveness was decreased if the patients had recently used metronidazole. Aluminium containing antacids and chlorhexidine were not very useful. Side effects were frequent, up to 60%, but usually mild and very few patients withdrew from treatment. Adding ranitidine to the regimen reduced abdominal pain. 14C-urea breath test was the "gold standard" and the specificity of the biopsy urease test in diagnosing H. pylori infection was high. CONCLUSIONS: Bismuth combination therapy combines high effectiveness with acceptable side effects and low cost. Biopsy urease test and urea breath test are reliable indicators of H. pylori infection.

Antacids↗
PubMed1995

Brain edema and intracranial hypertension in rats after total hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Glutamine, generated from ammonia in astrocytes, may account for brain edema in acute liver failure. Recent studies showing decreased intracranial pressure after hepatectomy in humans suggest that factors released by the necrotic liver could play a pathogenic role in brain swelling. The aim of this study was to examine whether brain edema and intracranial hypertension develop in hepatectomized rats. METHODS: Rats underwent a portacaval anastomosis or a sham operation. At 24 hours, animals underwent a second sham operation or a total hepatectomy. Intracranial pressure was continuously monitored, and cortical water and glutamine contents were measured after the rats were killed. In a second experiment, hepatectomized and devascularized (portacaval anastomosis plus hepatic artery ligation) rats were killed every 2 hours and at the time of intracranial hypertension. RESULTS: Although brain edema developed in both groups with liver failure, devascularization resulted in a higher brain water content in spite of an equivalent increase in glutamine concentration. Intracranial pressure increased to a similar degree in both groups, but all parameters increased earlier in anhepatic rats. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatectomized rats develop brain edema and intracranial hypertension. The temporal sequence in this model supports the role of glutamine as an organic osmolyte. In addition, other factors (e.g., brain volume) may contribute to intracranial hypertension in hepatectomized rats.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1995

Diagnosis and management of ascites in the age of TIPS.

In the mid 1990s, radiologists are asked to provide advice on managing patients with cirrhosis and refractory ascites. Liver disease is the most common cause of ascites. However, appropriate management of these patients is based on the ability to exclude other causes as well as knowledge of the physiological abnormalities that result in ascites. The goal of this review is to summarize advances in these areas as well as to discuss therapeutic options.

Ascites↗
PubMed1994

Ammonia-induced brain edema and intracranial hypertension in rats after portacaval anastomosis.

Brain edema, leading to intracranial hypertension and brain herniation, is a major cause of death in fulminant liver failure. Astrocyte swelling is a prominent neuropathological feature in experimental fulminant liver failure. It has been postulated that the osmotic effects of glutamine, generated in astrocytes from ammonia and glutamate in a reaction catalyzed by glutamine synthetase, could mediate brain swelling. Normal rats and rats that received a portacaval anastomosis were infused with ammonium acetate or a sodium acetate control; brain water in cerebral cortex was measured with the gravimetry method, intracranial pressure by means of a cisterna magna catheter and cortical amino acids using high-performance liquid chromatography. Although brain edema was detected in both groups receiving ammonia, it was of a greater magnitude in portacaval anastomosis rats (80.94% + 0.17% vs. 80.24% + 0.09%, p < 0.01), resulting in the development of intracranial hypertension. When portacaval anastomosis rats were infused with ammonium acetate and pretreated with 150 mg/kg methionine-sulfoximine, an inhibitor of glutamine synthetase activity, brain edema was ameliorated and intracranial pressure did not rise. A dose-dependent reduction in brain glutamine levels was seen with increasing doses of methionine-sulfoximine; however, brain edema did not decrease beyond the 150 mg/kg dose, suggesting that the increase in brain water was not solely a result of glutamine accumulation. We conclude that brain edema of a magnitude that results in intracranial hypertension is more likely to develop in rats after portacaval anastomosis receiving a continuous ammonia infusion. The osmotic effects of glutamine appear to mediate, but only in part, the increase in brain water seen in this preparation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Ammonia↗
PubMed1993

Complications of intracranial pressure monitoring in fulminant hepatic failure.

In patients with fulminant hepatic failure, brain oedema and the resulting intracranial hypertension often lead to death; intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring may therefore be valuable. However, there is uncertainty about the hazards of implanting ICP monitoring devices. We carried out a survey of complications associated with ICP monitoring among centres performing liver transplantation in the USA (n = 262 patients). Epidural transducers were the most commonly used devices and had the lowest complication rate (3.8%); subdural bolts and parenchymal monitors (fibreoptic pressure transducers in direct contact with brain parenchyma and intraventricular catheters) were associated with complication rates of 20% and 22%, respectively. Fatal haemorrhage occurred in 1% of patients undergoing epidural ICP monitoring, whereas subdural and intraparenchymal devices had fatal haemorrhage rates of 5% and 4%. Thus, in the setting of fulminant hepatic failure, epidural transducers may be the safest choice for ICP monitoring, even though they are known to be less precise than the other devices.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Musculoskeletal features of acne, hidradenitis suppurativa, and dissecting cellulitis of the scalp.

This article describes the various forms of acne and the clinical and radiographic features of the associated musculoskeletal manifestations. Occasionally, acne may occur together with hidradenitis suppurativa and dissecting cellulitis of the scalp, the so called "follicular occlusion triad." The current understanding of the etiology of these conditions and their treatment are also reviewed.

Acne Vulgaris↗
PubMed1985

Surgical palliation of respiratory insufficiency secondary to massive exuberant polyostotic fibrous dysplasia of the ribs.

A middle-aged man with long-standing polyostotic fibrous dysplasia had severe progressive restrictive lung disease with hypoxemia and pulmonary hypertension with heart failure because of exuberant intrathoracic, extraosseous proliferation of dysplastic tissue. Subtotal resection of this benign tissue mass ameliorated the respiratory insufficiency and led to sustained improvement in exercise tolerance, increase in pulmonary reserve, and decrease in signs of heart failure and pulmonary hypertension.

Fibrous Dysplasia of Bone↗
PubMed1978

Macroglobulinaemia in an Icelandic family.

Macroglobulinaemia in an Icelandic family is presented. A woman had Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia, and two of her brothers had monoclonal macroglobulinaemia of the benign form. One was asymptomatic, but the other had polyneuropathy and IgM deposits in peripheral nerves. A third brother of these siblings died of a lymphoreticular disease, which presented with a widespread neuropathy. A second sister had polyclonal increase in serum IgA and two other brothers of this sibship had IgM slightly elevated. A study of all descendants (45 in all and 19 spouses) revealed seven individuals with elevated IgM levels. No other immunoglobulin abnormalities were detected.

Aged↗
PubMed1976

[The use of drugs].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1971

Ventilatory mechanics and expiratory flow limitation during exercise in patients with obstructive lung disease.

The interrelationships among transpulmonary pressure, flow, and volume during exhausting exercise were studied in 12 males with chronic obstructive lung disease. Expiratory pressure during exercise was compared with flow-limiting pressure (P(max)) measured at rest. In 11 patients, expiratory pressure during exercise exceeded P(max), indicating that ventilation became mechanically inefficient. P(max) values of the patients were lower than those of normal subjects. Evidence of expiratory flow augmentation during exercise was noted in two subjects. Since 10 subjects achieved maximal expiratory flow predicted from flow-volume curves when heart rate was not maximal, we conclude that exercise capacity in most subjects was clearly limited by the deranged ventilatory apparatus. Elevations in mean intrathoracic pressure during exercise also may interfere with venous return and impose an additional limitation.

Adult↗
PubMed1969

Ventilatory mechanics and expiratory flow limitation during exercise in normal subjects.

We have examined the interrelationships among transpulmonary pressure, flow, and volume during exhausting exercise in 10 normal adult males. Expiratory transpulmonary pressures during exercise were compared with flow-limiting pressures measured at rest by two techniques. In no case did pressures developed during exercise exceed to an appreciable extent the flow-limiting pressures. This indicates that, during near-maximal exercise, ventilation remains efficient as judged in terms of the pressure-volume relationships of the lung. The mechanical properties of the lung do not appear to limit ventilation during exhausting exercise in normal subjects. We could find no relationship between the magnitude of transpulmonary pressure and exercise limitation. There was no evidence that lung mechanics changed during exhausting exercise in normal subjects. The two methods for estimating expiratory flow-limiting pressures, the orifice technique and the isovolume pressure-flow method, gave similar results.

Adult↗