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Biomedical subjects

Timo E Strandberg

Publications and source records attributed to Timo E Strandberg.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Impact of different diagnostic criteria on prognosis of delirium: a prospective study.

A 2-year follow-up study was performed to compare the prognosis of delirium defined according to 4 different diagnostic classifications (DSM-III, DSM-III-R, DSM-IV and ICD-10 clinical criteria) among 425 elderly geriatric hospital patients and nursing home residents. The proportion of delirium varied from 24.9% (DSM-IV) to 10.1% (ICD-10). The prognoses were similar particularly according to all DSM classifications: 31.3-36.3% of the delirious patients died within 1 year and 57.8-62.5% within 2 years. The number of subjects diagnosed as delirious according to the ICD-10 was small, and their prognosis did not differ significantly from the others either. The DSM-IV has simplified the criteria of delirium. It identifies new, acutely ill and relatively nondependent subjects as delirious who share the poor prognosis of patients diagnosed with the previous criteria.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Delirium among patients with and without dementia: does the diagnosis according to the DSM-IV differ from the previous classifications?

BACKGROUND: Different diagnostic criteria differ in their capacity to identify subjects as delirious. It is not known how DSM-IV classification, compared with the DSM-III, DSM-III-R, and ICD-10, identifies delirium among individuals with and without dementia and whether the symptom profiles differ between these two subgroups. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed on patients (age > or = 70 years) in seven acute geriatric wards (n = 230) and in seven nursing-homes (n = 195) in Helsinki, Finland. Delirium was diagnosed according to the operationalized criteria according to the DSM-III, DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, and clinical criteria of ICD-10. Dementia was defined according to consensus judgment among three geriatricians with concise information including: prior dementia diagnoses, Clinical Dementia Rating Scale, operationalized criteria according to the DSM-IV, nurses and/or caregivers interviews, and the results of the brain CT/MRI and prior Mini-Mental State Examination scores, when available. RESULTS: According to the DSM-III, DSM-IIIR, DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria of delirium 22.7, 23.5, 25.9 and 14.9% of the demented, and 12.9, 13.5, 23.5 and 2.9% of the non-demented, respectively, were diagnosed as delirious. In stepwise logistic regression analysis clouding of consciousness, perceptual disturbances, and disorganized thinking were the most significant contributors to delirium diagnosis according to the DSM-IV among individuals with dementia, whereas perceptual disturbances, motor disturbances, and disorientation were the most significant contributors among those without dementia. CONCLUSIONS: DSM-IV criteria of delirium identify new, often non-demented, subjects as being delirious, while ICD-10 is overly restrictive. The symptom profile of delirium was slightly different among individuals with and without dementia.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Twelve-week, multicenter, randomized, open-label comparison of the effects of rosuvastatin 10 mg/d and atorvastatin 10 mg/d in high-risk adults: a DISCOVERY study.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines for the prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD) advocate reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) levels as the primary goals. However, approximately 50% to 60% of patients fail to reach recommended cholesterol goals. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this Direct Statin Comparison of LDL-C Values: An Evaluation of Rosuvastatin Therapy Compared with Atorvastatin (DISCOVERY) trial was to compare the efficacy of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors rosuvastatin calcium and atorvastatin calcium in achieving the 1998 Second Joint Task Force (JTF) of European and Other Societies on Coronary Prevention target for LDL-C. Secondary objectives included comparing the efficacy of rosuvastatin and atorvastatin in achieving the 1998 JTF-recommended goal for TC and modifying other lipid levels, and to compare the tolerability of the 2 statins. METHODS: This 12-week, randomized, open-label, 2-arm, parallel-group trial was conducted at 210 centers in Finland, Iceland, and Ireland. Patients aged > or =18 years with a high risk for CHD and primary hypercholesterolemia (LDL-C >3.5 mmol/L [>135 mg/dL]) were randomized (2:1) to receive rosuvastatin 10 mg or atorvastatin 10 mg PO OD for 12 weeks. Before randomization, statin-naive patients underwent 6 weeks of dietary counseling, whereas patients receiving treatment with a starting dose of another lipid-lowering therapy but with an LDL-C level >3.1 mmol/L (>120 mg/dL) were switched to study drug immediately after they were determined eligible for the study Patients were assessed for fasting lipid levels at weeks 0 and 12, and the proportions of patients attaining 1998 and 2003 JTF lipid goals (1998: LDL-C, <3.0 mmol/L [<116 mg/dL]; TC, <5.0 mmol/L [<193 mg/dL]; 2003: LDL-C, <2.5 mmol/L [<97 mg/dL]; TC, <4.5 mmol/L [<174 mg/dL]) were calculated. Tolerability was monitored for the 12-week study and for an additional 36-week optional extension period. RESULTS: One thousand twenty-four patients were randomized to treatment (568 men, 456 women; mean age, 60.7 years). Patient demographic characteristics were similar between the 2 treatment groups. The efficacy analysis consisted of 911 patients (504 men, 407 women; mean age, 60.7 years; mean body weight, 82.4 kg); 627 received rosuvastatin and 284 received atorvastatin. Compared with atorvastatin, rosuvastatin was associated with significantly greater reductions in LDL-C and TC (both, P < 0.05), and with a significantly greater increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (P < (105). A greater proportion of patients in the rosuvastatin group compared with the atorvastatin group reached the 1998 goals for LDL-C (83.4% vs 683%; P < 0.001) and TC (76.4% vs 59.5%; P < 0.001). Also, compared with the atorvastatin group, greater proportions of patients in the rosuvastatin group achieved the 2003 JTF goals for LDL-C and TC (both, P < 0.001). Both agents were well tolerated: serious drug-related events were observed in < or =3.0% of patients in each group, and no clinically significant differences were found between the 2 treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this study of selected patients at high risk for CHD and with primary hypercholesterolemia, rosuvastatin 10 mg/d for 12 weeks was associated with significantly greater reductions in LDL-C and TC levels compared with atorvastatin 10 mg/d. Furthermore, significantly more patients receiving rosuvastatin achieved the 1998 and 2003 JTF-recommended lipid targets compared with those receiving atorvastatin. Both agents were well tolerated.

Atorvastatin↗
PubMed2004

Sweet babies: chocolate consumption during pregnancy and infant temperament at six months.

BACKGROUND: Chocolate contains several biologically active components potentially having behavioral and psychological consequences. AIMS: We tested whether chocolate consumption and stress experiences during pregnancy predict mother-rated infant temperament at 6 months. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Prenatal frequency of chocolate consumption and intensity of psychological stress experience of the mothers, and temperament characteristics of the infants 6 months postpartum were evaluated in 305 consecutive, healthy mother-infant dyads. RESULTS: Mothers who reported daily consumption of chocolate rated more positively the temperament of their infants at 6 months. Maternal prenatal stress predicted more negatively tuned ratings of the infant temperament, particularly among those who reported never/seldom chocolate consumption. However, this effect was not observed among the mothers reporting weekly or daily chocolate consumption. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to producing subjective feelings of psychological well being, chocolate may have effects at multiple environmental and psychological levels.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

A follow-up study found that cardiovascular risk in middle age predicted mortality and quality of life in old age.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular risk reduction, while saving lives, may prolong the time with disability and impair the quality of life in survivors. We compared the consequences of middle age cardiovascular risk in old age. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: In 1974, risk was low in 593 (low-risk group) and high in 610 men (high-risk group). At baseline, all were healthy with similar age and socioeconomic status. Lifestyle and clinical factors, including quality of life (RAND-36), were surveyed with a questionnaire in 2000, and mortality was determined up to 2002. RESULTS: During the follow-up, 303 men died, with mortality 54% higher in the high-risk group (P=.001). In the 2000 survey, high-risk men still had significantly greater BMI, higher blood glucose, higher prevalence of smoking, and more sedentary lifestyle, and they reported more both cardiovascular and noncardiovascular diseases. All the RAND-36 scales were worse in the high-risk group; of the two component summary scores, physical (PCS), but not mental (MCS) score, was significantly lower in the high-risk group. CONCLUSION: Low cardiovascular risk in middle age was associated with lower mortality, morbidity, and better quality of life in old age 26 years later. The results may support the theory of compression of morbidity.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Alcohol consumption, 29-y total mortality, and quality of life in men in old age.

BACKGROUND: The negative effects of excessive alcohol consumption are well known, but moderate alcohol consumption is advocated for health reasons. OBJECTIVE: We compared 29-y total mortality and quality of life in old age by alcohol consumption in midlife. DESIGN: Cardiovascular disease risk factors and alcohol consumption were assessed in 1974 in 1808 men (aged 40-55 y) of high socioeconomic status. At baseline, the men were without signs of chronic diseases. Baseline alcohol consumption was divided as zero (n = 116), moderate (1-349 g/wk; n = 1519), and high (>349 g/wk; n = 173). Quality of life was surveyed in 2000 with the RAND-36 (SF-36) health survey (n = 1216). Mortality was retrieved from registers during the 29-y follow-up. RESULTS: Median alcohol consumption in 1974 and in 2000 was 123 (interquartile range: 56-238) and 84 (28-168) g/wk, respectively, and was significantly correlated. Values of cardiovascular disease risk factors measured in 1974 increased with increasing alcohol consumption. During the 29-y follow-up, 499 men (27.6%) died; mortality was significantly higher among men with the highest alcohol consumption (37.6%) than in abstainers (25.0%) or in men with moderate (26.7%) consumption. Quality of life was not significantly associated with baseline alcohol consumption in responding survivors but was worst in men with high consumption when deaths during follow-up were accounted for. CONCLUSIONS: In this male cohort of high socioeconomic status, only the highest alcohol consumption (>3 drinks/d) affected mortality, and it was associated with worse quality of life in old age. Moderate alcohol consumption in middle age offered no special benefits compared with abstinence over the long term.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Predictors of cognitive decline and mortality of aged people over a 10-year period.

BACKGROUND: The search for preventable and remediable risk conditions of cognitive decline is ongoing, but results have thus far been inconsistent. According to the hypothesis of our 10-year prospective study, the predictive values of different risk indicators change over time in a general 75+ population. METHODS: A population-based sample of 75-, 80-, and 85-year-old individuals (n=650) underwent comprehensive clinical examinations in 1990 in Helsinki, Finland. Cognitive function was assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and/or Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) at baseline and after 1, 5, and 10 years. RESULTS: At baseline, a low MMSE score was associated with age, history of stroke, apolipoprotein E allele epsilon4 (APOE4), and intermittent claudication. After 1 year, cognitive decline was typical of participants suffering from vascular diseases, e.g., heart failure and intermittent claudication. Five-year decline was predicted by the presence of atrial fibrillation (RR [relative risk] 2.8), APOE4 (RR 2.4), elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) (RR 2.3), diabetes mellitus (RR 2.2), and heart failure (RR 1.8). They also tended to increase 5-year all-cause mortality. At 10 years, the decline associated with APOE4 (RR 3.3), slightly elevated serum ionized calcium (RR 3.3), and feelings of loneliness (RR 3.0). CONCLUSIONS: Long follow-up of a general aged population explains several inconsistencies of earlier reports. In 75+ individuals, general ill health is a strong associate of cognitive deficits. The strongest predictors of both cognitive decline and mortality are age, APOE4, manifest vascular diseases, and diabetes. The role of new potential predictors, feelings of loneliness and hypercalcemia, needs clinical testing.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Impact of viral and bacterial burden on cognitive impairment in elderly persons with cardiovascular diseases.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Inflammation and infectious etiology have been implicated in the pathogenesis of dementia. We sought to investigate whether the seropositivity of common infections was associated with cognitive function. METHODS: Viral burden (seropositivity for herpes simplex virus type 1 [HSV-1], herpes simplex virus type 2 [HSV-2], or cytomegalovirus [CMV]) and bacterial burden (Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae) were related to cognitive status and its impairment among 383 home-dwelling elderly with cardiovascular diseases (mean age, 80 years). The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and its changes and the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) were used to define cognitive impairment. RESULTS: At baseline, 0 to 1, 2, and 3 positive titers toward viruses were found in 48 (12.5%), 229 (59.8%), and 106 individuals (27.7%), respectively. MMSE points decreased with increasing viral burden (P=0.03). At baseline, 58 individuals (15.1%) had cognitive impairment, which after adjustments was significantly associated with seropositivity for 3 viruses (hazard ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.3 to 4.7). MMSE score decreased in 150 (43% of 348) during 12-month follow-up. After adjustment for MMSE score at baseline and with 0 to 1 seropositivities as reference (1.0), the hazard ratios were 1.8 (95% CI, 0.9 to 3.6) and 2.3 (95% CI, 1.1 to 5.0) for 2 and 3 seropositivities, respectively. The prevalence of possible or definite dementia according to CDR also increased with viral burden. No significant associations were observed between bacterial burden and cognition. CONCLUSIONS: Viral pathogen burden of HSV and CMV was associated with cognitive impairment in home-dwelling elderly persons with cardiovascular diseases. The results need to be tested in larger databases, but they may offer a preventable cause of cognitive decline.

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PubMed2003

Possibilities of multifactorial cardiovascular disease prevention in patients aged 75 and older: a randomized controlled trial: Drugs and Evidence Based Medicine in the Elderly (DEBATE) Study.

AIMS: The effectiveness of multifactorial cardiovascular disease prevention in patients aged 75 years or older is uncertain, because these patients have often been excluded from trials. The aim of this pre-planned, first-year analysis of the Drugs and Evidence-Based Medicine in the Elderly (DEBATE) Study was to determine the feasibility of prevention efforts in elderly cardiovascular patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: For DEBATE, home-dwelling individuals aged 75 years and over with cardiovascular diseases (n=400, mean age 80 years, 65% women) were recruited from the community. These high-risk participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n=199) where both lifestyle modification and pharmacological cardiovascular treatments are individualized by a geriatrician according to current European guidelines. The control group (n=201) receives the usual care. Interim analysis of the study groups at one year shows that intervention has succeeded in increasing the use of statins, aspirin, beta-blockers, and ACE inhibitors, and decreasing serum cholesterol (p<0.0001), LDL-cholesterol (p<0.0001), and hsCRP (p=0.04). Body mass index, blood pressure, and blood glucose were similar at one year in both groups. No safety problems or adverse effects on health-related quality of life were observed and compliance was good. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible and safe to institute evidence-based cardiovascular treatments in the 75+ cardiovascular patients in a real life setting, but only serum cholesterol and hsCRP are significantly decreased.

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PubMed2003

Clinical findings, outcome and treatment in patients > or = 75 years with acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has changed dramatically during the 1990s, and the patients are older. Our aim was to characterize current clinical course, medication and invasive treatment in elderly patients with AMI, compare treatment between sexes and also with data from 1994. METHODS: The study population included all patients aged > or = 75 years (n = 197, 68% female), who were admitted from January 1997 to December 1998 to our hospital because of AMI. RESULTS: Sixty-six percent of both sexes had non-Q AMI. Peak creatine kinase (CK)-MB fraction values were significantly higher in men (p = 0.035). Thrombolysis was performed on 16% and coronary angiography, coronary angioplasty/cardiac surgery on 8% of patients each. In-hospital mortality was high (25%). Cholesterol-lowering agents were used for only 8% of patients. During hospitalization, 15% of patients had an infection requiring intravenous antibiotics. Multivariate analysis revealed that infection increased in-hospital mortality 2.90-fold (95% CI: 1.23-6.82) and congestive heart failure (CHF) 2.25-fold (95% CI: 1.02-4.97). Post-discharge mortality was 10% during the median follow-up of 12 months; 75% of deaths were due to re-infarction. Compared with the year 1994, the use of beta-blockers (84 vs. 70%, p = 0.010) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (43 vs. 31%, p = 0.062) had increased, and digitalis (27 vs. 43%, p = 0.0065) and calcium antagonists (13 vs. 26%, p = 0.0086) had decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment and hospital course of AMI in these elderly patients did not differ between sexes. Although drug treatments have become more evidence-based during the end of 1990s, in-hospital mortality was still high and more effective prevention, effective treatment of infections and CHF may be important for improving prognosis.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2003

What is the most important component of blood pressure: systolic, diastolic or pulse pressure?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Diastolic blood pressure has traditionally been considered the most important component of blood pressure and the primary target of antihypertensive therapy. However, over 30 years ago important epidemiological studies pointed out the importance of systolic blood pressure, and research during the 1990s has strengthened this view. Unlike diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure increases progressively with age, and in the ageing societies elevated systolic pressure is the most common form of hypertension. The characteristic changes of systolic and diastolic blood pressure with age lead to increases in pulse pressure (systolic minus diastolic), which has emerged as a new, potentially independent risk factor. In this review we compare the relative importance of various blood pressure components. RECENT FINDINGS: Generally, in studies in which readings of systolic and diastolic blood pressure have been compared, systolic blood pressure has been a better predictor of risk. Moreover, isolated systolic hypertension predicts risk better than isolated diastolic hypertension, and the treatment of both isolated systolic hypertension and combined hypertension has reduced cardiovascular events. There are no treatment studies of isolated diastolic hypertension. Pulse pressure reflects stiffening of large arteries and is associated with several cardiovascular risk factors. Pulse pressure also predicts events in epidemiologic studies, but elucidation of an independent role is hampered by the close correlation between pulse pressure and systolic blood pressure. SUMMARY: Epidemiological and treatment studies suggest that systolic blood pressure should be the primary target of antihypertensive therapy, although consideration of systolic and diastolic pressure together improves risk prediction. The greatest practical concern at the moment is the undertreatment of hypertension, especially systolic, and total cardiovascular risk.

Antihypertensive Agents↗
PubMed2003

The impact of different diagnostic criteria on prevalence rates for delirium.

A cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate the concordance of the present criteria of delirium among elderly (>70 years) geriatric hospital patients (n = 230) and nursing home residents (n = 195). Different subjects were diagnosed as having delirium when operationalized criteria according to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III, DSM-III-R, DSM-IV) and the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) were used. Whereas 132 subjects (31.1%) met the criteria for delirium by at least 1 classification, only 25 (5.9%) met all 4. The most inclusive was the DSM-IV (24.9% of the subjects) followed by DSM-III-R (19.5%), DSM-III (18.8%) and ICD-10 (10.1%), respectively. The DSM-IV and ICD-10 had the largest number of patients not overlapping with any other diagnostic group. The newest DSM-IV classification found more cases of delirium especially among acutely ill, hospitalized patients.

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PubMed2002

Preterm birth and licorice consumption during pregnancy.

Heavy licorice (glycyrrhizin) consumption has been associated with shorter gestation. The aim of the present study was to test whether this association also applies to preterm (<37 weeks) births. In 2000-2001, a sample of 95 Finnish women who delivered preterm singletons was compared with controls (n = 107) who delivered babies of normal gestational age in the same hospital. Glycyrrhizin intake was calculated from questionnaires containing detailed items on licorice consumption. Glycyrrhizin exposure was grouped into three levels: low (<250 mg/week), moderate (250-499 mg/week), and heavy (> or =500 mg/week). Heavy consumption versus a lower level of consumption was associated with a more than twofold increased risk of preterm (<37 weeks) delivery. The association was stronger when only the 40 births classified as early preterm delivery (<34 weeks) were included (odds ratio = 3.07, 95% confidence interval: 1.17, 8.05 for the fully adjusted model). In conclusion, heavy glycyrrhizin exposure was associated with preterm delivery and may be a novel marker of this condition.

Adult↗