Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

T Riise

Publications and source records attributed to T Riise.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Mechanisms of occupational injuries reported to insurance companies in Norway from 1991 to 1996.

BACKGROUND: To study the association of injury events, types of movements and types of objects involved in relation to occupation, age, and gender in serious occupational injuries to determine where preventive measures should be implemented. METHODS: The occupational injury claims made to the insurance companies in Norway for 1991-1996, which were stored in a database, were analyzed. RESULTS: Falls were the most frequent injury event in both genders and in all occupational groups, and the incidence rate increased with age. Among men, the most common action when the injury occurred was handling of goods or materials, whereas for women it was moving without goods or materials. Primary economic activity and manufacturing had the highest injury rates. CONCLUSIONS: Priority should be given to reduce the occurrence of falls in both genders, and especially among older workers.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed2001

Total mortality is increased in rheumatoid arthritis. A 17-year prospective study.

The purpose of this study was to determine the total and cause-specific mortality in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients compared to a control population in northern Norway. One hundred and eighty-seven patients with RA and 930 population controls matched for age, gender and municipality were followed until death or for a maximum of 17 years. The total mortality in RA patients was twice that of their controls (MRR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.6-2.5). Patients possessing serum rheumatoid factors did not have a higher relative mortality than the seronegative patients. There was no statistically significant increased mortality from cancer or cardiovascular diseases. Indications for a higher death rate in RA patients than in controls were found for infection and sudden death.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Prognostic factors in major depression: a long-term follow-up study of 323 patients.

BACKGROUND: Optimal long-term treatment of major depression should assess the background factors affecting remission and recurrent episodes. The duration and number of previous depressive episodes has been shown to be important for recurrence. This long-term prospective study of patients with major depression assessed the prognostic effect of variables related to childhood, social life and occupation. METHODS: The study examined 323 patients in two follow-up examinations 12-25 years from the initial examination to the second follow-up. Stepwise logistic regression was used to evaluate the prognostic effect for depression at the second follow-up. RESULTS: The risk of depression at the second follow-up was associated with several psychosocial factors in childhood, female gender, social isolation and a negative attitude towards one's own occupation. LIMITATIONS: The patient group was selected from the practice of only one psychiatrist. CONCLUSIONS: Several psychosocial factors in childhood, female gender, social isolation and a negative attitude towards one's own occupation have previously been shown to be associated with the risk of depression. The results in this study suggest that these factors are also important in predicting the outcome of a major depressive episode and the risk of recurrent episodes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Changes in therapy of rheumatoid arthritis during the period 1979 to 1996.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), cytotoxic agents, and corticosteroid therapy in patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in two periods, 1979 to 1987, and 1988 to 1996. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Review of the records of 788 patients with RA diagnosed at the Department of Rheumatology, the University Hospital of Tromsø. RESULTS: We found a significant increase in the proportion of patients who started with auranofin, sulfasalazine, methotrexate, and corticosteroids in 1988 1996 compared to 1979 1987. The initiation of use of gold salts, antimalarials, and D-penicillamine declined significantly from the first to the second period. CONCLUSION: Patients diagnosed with RA between 1988-1996 were treated more actively than patients diagnosed in the period 1979-1987. During 1988 to 1996 auranofin, sulphasalazine, methotrexate, and corticosteroids replaced gold salts, antimalarials, and D-penicillamine.

Antirheumatic Agents↗
PubMed2001

Occupational injuries to fisheries workers in Norway reported to insurance companies from 1991 to 1996.

Fisheries work is one of the occupations at highest risk for occupational accidents in many countries. It is necessary to understand the injuries in order to prevent them. This study of occupational injury claims by fisheries workers in Norway made to insurance companies from 1991 to 1996 analysed the workers' age, time of injury, injury type, part of the body involved, injury event and cost. The highest injury incidence rates were among the younger fisheries workers and during the winter months. Bruises and fractures were the most frequent injury types, and fingers and hands were most often affected, whereas falls and accidents related to machines were the most common causes. Safety measures should be taken on board to prevent falls and machine-related injuries, and young fisheries workers should have better on-the-job training.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed2001

The impact of psychosocial work factors on musculoskeletal pain: a prospective study.

A prospective cohort study investigated how psychosocial work factors predict musculoskeletal pain. A total of 721 workers at 226 automobile repair garages answered two questionnaires distributed with a 1-year interval. The predictor variables were psychological demands, decision authority, social support, and management support. The outcome variables were neck pain, low back pain, and an index of pain from seven different parts of the body in the past 30 days. The best predictors were low decision authority and management support. Low decision authority predicted neck pain, low back pain, and total musculoskeletal pain when adjusted for the effect of the respective musculoskeletal pain measured in the first survey, for age, and for gender. Low management support predicted both low back pain and general musculoskeletal pain. The study indicates that psychosocial factors at work may predict musculoskeletal pain.

Humans↗
PubMed2001

Disability and prognosis in multiple sclerosis: demographic and clinical variables important for the ability to walk and awarding of disability pension.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate disability and prognosis in an untreated population-based incidence cohort of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. METHODS: The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score was recorded in 220 MS patients. Disease progression was assessed by life table analysis with different endpoints and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed for evaluation of prognostic factors. RESULTS: The probability of being alive after 15 years was 94.8 +/- 1.8% (s.e.), of managing without a wheelchair (EDSS < 7.0) 75.8 +/- 3.2%, of walking without walking assistance (EDSS<6.0) 60.3 +/- 3.6%, and of not being awarded a disability pension 46.0 +/- 3.7%. The probability of still having a relapsing-remitting (RR) course after 15 years was 62.0 +/- 4.1%. A RR course and long interval between the initial (onset) and second episode (> 3 years) predicted favorable outcome. There was also a trend towards favorable outcome in patients with optic neuritis, sensory symptoms and low age at onset but these factors were associated with the RR course. Motor symptoms and high age at onset indicated unfavorable outcome, but these factors were associated with the primary progressive course. CONCLUSIONS: A RR course and long inter-episode intervals in the early phase of the disease were associated with a better outcome. Other onset characteristics indicating a favorable outcome were associated with the RR course while characteristics indicating an unfavorable outcome were associated with the PP course.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Reduced quality of life among multiple sclerosis patients with sexual disturbance and bladder dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: Physical disability explains only part of the reduced quality of life found among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Bladder dysfunction and sexual disturbance are frequent and distressing problems for MS patients. We therefore estimated the relationship between the presence and degree of sexual disturbance/bladder dysfunction and the patients' quality of life as measured by the SF-36 Health Survey. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study of all individuals with the onset of MS between 1976 and 1986 in Hordaland County, Norway. The disease duration at examination was 9-19 years; 194 patients (94%) participated. RESULTS: Fifty-three per cent of the patients with low physical disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) < or = 4.0) reported disease-related sexual disturbance and 44% had bladder dysfunction according to the Incapacity Status Scale. The corresponding figures for the patients with a high physical disability (EDSS > 4.0) were 86 and 81% respectively. The patients with sexual disturbance had markedly and significantly reduced scores on all eight SF-36 scales, this was after adjustment for disease development measured by the EDSS. The patients without sexual disturbance scored 0.5 s.d. lower than a normal population on the social functioning scale, whereas those with marked sexual disturbance scored 1.5 s.d. lower. Similar results were found for the patients with bladder dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Bladder and sexual problems are associated with a marked reduction in the quality of life, also among patients with otherwise low disability. This underlines the need for identifying and treating these problems.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

The impact of social and organizational factors on workers' coping with musculoskeletal symptoms.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Workers with musculoskeletal symptoms are often advised to cope with their symptoms by changing their working technique and by using lifting equipment. The main objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that negative social and organizational factors where people are employed may prevent workers from implementing these coping strategies. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 1,567 automobile garage workers (72%) returned a questionnaire concerning coping with musculoskeletal symptoms and social and organizational factors. RESULTS: When job demands, decision authority, social support, and management support related to health, environment, and safety (HES) were used as predictor variables in a multiple regression model, coping as the outcome variable was correlated with decision authority, social support, and HES-related management support (standardized beta=.079,.12, and.13, respectively). When an index for health-related support and control was added to the model, it correlated with coping (standardized beta=.36), whereas the other relationships disappeared. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Decision authority and social support entail health-related support and control that, in turn, influences coping.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

High mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and atlantoaxial subluxation.

OBJECTIVE: To study relationships between atlantoaxial subluxation (AAS) and total mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Radiological reports and clinical files of patients with RA were reviewed for the presence of cervical spine involvement verified by cervical radiographs. RESULTS: Among 241 patients with cervical radiographs, anterior AAS > or = 4 mm was found in 5% [95% confidence interval (CI) 2-8] of patients. Vertical and posterior subluxations were found in 1.4 and 0.5%, respectively. The mean observation time from RA diagnosis to AAS was 3.9 years. Patients with AAS had 8 times higher mortality than patients without AAS (95% CI 3-25). According to the death certificate, the patients died from cancer, stroke, and myocardial infarction. Cervical spine disorder was not mentioned on the death certificate. However, an autopsy was not performed. CONCLUSION: We found high mortality in RA patients with AAS. AAS in the cervical spine developed relatively early in the course of the disease. Analyses adjusted for seropositivity, erosiveness, and glucocorticosteroids did not reduce the mortality rate ratio. Our results underline the need for careful evaluation of patients with RA with respect to development of AAS.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Quality of life as a predictor for change in disability in MS.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive value of quality of life on changes in disability measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). BACKGROUND: There are few good prognostic factors for disease development in MS. Quality of life and self-rated health have been shown to be highly predictive of morbidity and disease development in heart disease and cancer. METHODS: Data on quality of life (SF-36 Health Survey) were ascertained at baseline for 97 relapsing-remitting patients with MS participating in a short-term clinical trial on interferon alpha-2a. These scores were correlated with change in EDSS scores 1 year later, 6 months after treatment ended. RESULTS: Low scores on the SF-36 mental health scale were correlated with increased (worsened) EDSS scores 1 year later (r = -0.29, p = 0.006). The results were not altered by adjusting for disease activity at baseline, which was measured by the number gadolinium-enhanced MRI lesions, relapse rate for the preceding 2 years, and baseline EDSS score. Similar results were found for self-rated health (according to the first question of the SF-36). CONCLUSIONS: These findings reinforce the importance of incorporating the patients' evaluation of their quality of life during treatment. Further, assessing such measures is important in evaluating effects in treatment trials in MS.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Heavy metals in human primary teeth: some factors influencing the metal concentrations.

Human primary teeth have been used as indicators of heavy metal exposure for several decades, but the knowledge about the influence of factors such as tooth type and the presence of caries and roots on metal concentrations is limited. Samples of tooth powder from more than 1200 Norwegian primary teeth without fillings have been analyzed for lead, zinc and cadmium content, and 554 of them for mercury. The material represents all groups of tooth types (incisors, canines and molars), carious and non-carious teeth, and teeth with and without roots. Here we investigate how tooth group and the presence of caries and roots are related to metal concentrations in the teeth. We find that carious teeth have higher metal concentrations than non-carious teeth; the difference was statistically significant for lead, mercury and zinc. Teeth with roots have higher lead and zinc concentrations than teeth without roots. We find differences in metal concentrations between the tooth groups for lead, mercury and zinc. Significant, positive correlations are found between lead and the three other metals and between mercury and zinc. We conclude that metal concentrations in primary teeth are affected by the presence of caries and roots and by tooth group.

Cuspid↗
PubMed2000

MRI of cervical spine with flexion and extension used in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) often have involvement of the cervical spine. The most common abnormality is atlanto-axial subluxation (AAS). The more serious vertical subluxation (VS) is thought to develop at a later stage. Direct cord compression may occur, but the symptoms may be vague and difficult to interpret. In addition to clinical follow up, RA patients undergo several conventional radiographs of the cervical spine, with addition of flexion and extension images. This, in spite of the fact that the cervical cord and soft tissue do not show. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is the modality of choice to visualize soft tissue and the cervical medulla, but is rarely performed in the follow up of RA patients. Five patients with long-standing RA, episodes of neck pain, and known AAS were asked to volunteer for a MRI study of the cervical spine, consisting of sagittal T2 weighted images of the cervical spine during flexion and extension of the neck. Compared to clinical examinations and cervical radiographs, MRI gave valuable information not otherwise obtained. The importance of MRI with the neck in a flexed and extended position is stressed. This is possible to obtain within a conventional quadrature neck coil in many RA patients.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Systematic health, environment and safety activities: do they influence occupational environment, behaviour and health?

This study investigated the relationships between systematic health, environment and safety (HES) activities (as defined by Norway's Internal Control Regulation), the working environment, and workers' health-related behaviour and health. A questionnaire on systematic HES activities was answered by 237 managers of motor vehicle repair garages. A further questionnaire, on the working environment, health-related behaviour and health, was answered by workers (n = 2174) from the same garages. Using regression analysis, systematic HES activities were positively and significantly correlated with the following separate outcome variables, measured at an individual level: satisfaction with HES activities, physical working environment, social support, HES-related management support, health-related support, and control and workers' participation in activities related to occupational health. Workers at garages with systematic HES activities reported fewer musculoskeletal symptoms. Firm conclusions on the direction of causality are difficult to draw because of the cross-sectional design.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed2000

Prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among aluminium workers.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) in workers in the aluminium industry, and to test the relationship with work by using the duration of employment as a measure of exposure. A total of 5654 workers (92%) answered a questionnaire. Operators, who were more exposed to physically demanding work, showed a greater incidence of MSS than did office workers. Among operators, the duration of employment was significantly correlated with MSS in nine out of ten areas of the body, when adjusted by multiple regression analyses for age, gender, height, weight, smoking and physical activity. Among office workers this relationship was weaker and was significant only for neck and lower back areas. The higher prevalence of MSS among operators and the association between their duration of employment and MSS suggests that a higher risk of MSS is related to the working environment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Performance of the SF-36, SF-12, and RAND-36 summary scales in a multiple sclerosis population.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients accumulate both physical and mental health problems along with disease progression. Valid and sensitive outcome measures are important to measure disease effects and the effect of treatment. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test the performance of the physical and mental summary scales of SF-36, SF-12, and RAND-36. METHODS: The scales were evaluated by comparing the scores of a cohort of 194 MS patients with general population data and using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and the Incapacity Status Scale-mental as criterion variables for physical functioning and mental health. RESULTS: All 3 physical summary scales were markedly reduced and correlated highly with the EDSS. The SF-36 mental summary score was only slightly reduced among MS patients (0.2 SD) compared with the general population, despite significantly reduced scores on all 4 health scales being most related to mental health and despite a high prevalence of mental health problems. This results from the poor physical functioning (mean scale score, 2.3 SD below the general population) and the orthogonal factor rotation used to derive independent measures of physical and mental health. Similar results were found for the SF-12. The nonorthogonal RAND-36 physical and mental summary scores were both markedly reduced. This is more compatible with the disease progression in MS and the results of the other measures of physical and mental health used in the study. CONCLUSIONS: The SF-36 and SF-12 mental health summary scales appear to overestimate mental health in people with MS.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2000

Compensation for occupational injury and disease in Norway: ranking of job groups.

The health risk of various job groups in Norway was estimated by ranking them according to the annual occupational insurance costs per capita. This was done by dividing the costs of work-related injury and disease from 1991 to 1996 in various job groups by the number of workers in these groups. Occupational groups were also ranked according to total annual costs. The five occupational groups with the highest total costs were metalworkers, woodworkers, nursing-related workers, fisheries workers, and teachers. The groups with the highest annual cost per worker were shoe and leather workers, oil and gas extractors, fisheries workers, miners and quarry workers, and ship's officers. Fisheries workers and ship's officers were ranked among the top 10 positions on both lists and deserve priority in preventive measures.

Accidents, Occupational↗