Biomedical subjects
Torsten Lauritzen
Publications and source records attributed to Torsten Lauritzen.
The course of low back pain in a general population. Results from a 5-year prospective study.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the course of low back pain (LBP) in a general population over 5 years. DESIGN: Prospective population-based survey by postal questionnaires in 1991, 1992, and 1996. SETTING: The municipal of Ebeltoft, Denmark. SUBJECTS: Two thousand people aged 30 to 50 years, representative of the Danish population. Main outcome measure Number of days with low back pain during the past year. RESULTS: One thousand three hundred seventy were recruited of whom 813 (59%) were followed to 5 years. The responders could be divided into 3 groups with regard to LBP: no pain, short-term pain, and long-lasting/recurring pain. More than one third of people who experienced LBP in the previous year did so for >30 days. Forty percent of people with LBP >30 days at baseline remained in that group 1 and 5 years later, and 9% with LBP >30 days in year 0 were pain free in year 5. People with LBP in year 0 were 4 times more likely to have LBP in year 1, and 2 times more likely to be affected in year 5. CONCLUSIONS: Low back pain should not be considered transient and therefore neglected, since the condition rarely seems to be self-limiting but merely presents with periodic attacks and temporary remissions. On the other hand, chronicity as defined solely by the duration of symptoms should not be considered chronic.
Limitations to subcutaneous insulin administration in type 1 diabetes.
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Low prevalence of ischemic electrocardiographic findings in a Danish population.
OBJECTIVE: Mortality and incidence of cardiovascular disease have declined during the past 35-40 years. The dual aim of this study is to investigate whether the prevalence of electrocardiographic findings is low compared with older studies and to describe the prevalence of electrocardiographic findings in the Danish population, which has not been reported since 1981. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study based on electrocardiograms obtained from a random sample of the population in the district of Ebeltoft, Denmark, December 1991-June 1992. RESULTS: The age and sex stratified prevalence of abnormal electrocardiograms ranged from 6.8% (95% CI: 4.01-10.7%) in women to 15.0% (95% CI: 10.6-20.4%) in men aged 41-51 years. Men had significantly more electrocardiographic changes than women (p = 0.004). Frequent findings were signs of earlier myocardial infarction (3.1%; 95% CI: 2.1-4.5%), axis deviation (3.1%; 95% CI: 2.1-4.5%) and incomplete right bundle branch block (1.2%; 95% CI: 0.6-2.2%). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of ischemic electrocardiographic findings is low when compared with studies from the past 50 years.
[Preventive health examinations and health promotion in general practice for middle aged population].
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[Polypharmacological treatment of type 2 diabetes in daily clinical practice. A registry-based study in the county of Aarhus].
INTRODUCTION: This study aims to describe the use and the level of HbA1c and furthermore, to describe the pharmacological treatment of type 2 diabetes in the County of Aarhus, Denmark. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The County of Aarhus has a background population of 641,000 citizens. Data were collected from public data files for the period January 2000 to December 2000. Patients were classified as having type 2 diabetes if they were treated with diet alone, with antidiabetic tablets or, irrespective of treatment, if they were more than 40 years of age at time of diagnosis. RESULTS: In a population of 10,431 type 2 diabetics, 86% had a HbA1c measurement. Mean HbA1c was 7.48% (95% CI 7.45%-7.51%). A description of drug therapy showed that 66% had purchased a prescription for antidiabetic drugs, 63% for antihypertensive drugs and 14% for lipid-lowering drugs. 8% had purchased prescriptions for antidiabetics as well as antihypertensive and lipid-lowering drugs. DISCUSSION: In this study it was found that a large proportion of type 2 diabetics have a HbA1c measurement and several type 2 diabetics have a poor glycemic regulation. Few had purchased prescriptions for antidiabetics as well as antihypertensive and lipid-lowering drugs and most after a long duration of diabetes. It is concluded that there are possibilities for improving treatment of type 2 patients and that registers easily can be established to monitor the quality of diabetes treatment.
[Can systematic general health screening and patient-physician health discussions improve the cardiovascular profile of the population? A randomized controlled trial in general practice with a 5-year follow-up].
INTRODUCTION: We investigated the impact of general health screenings and discussions with general practitioners on the cardiovascular risk profile of the population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A population-based, randomised, controlled, 5-year follow-up trial conducted in a primary care setting. In total 2000 randomly selected men and women, aged 30-50 years, from family practices in the district of Ebeltoft, Denmark. Of these persons, 1507 (75.4%) agreed to participate, and were randomised into: (1) a control group who did not receive health screenings; (2) an intervention group that received two health screenings; or (3) an intervention group that received both the two screenings and a 45-minute follow-up consultation annually with their general practitioner. All were followed up after 5 years by questionnaires and health screenings. The outcome measures were: cardiovascular risk score (CRS), body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, serum cholesterol, carbon monoxide in expiratory air, and use of tobacco. RESULTS: After 5 years, the CRS, BMI, and serum cholesterol levels were lower in the intervention groups, as compared with the control group. The improved outcome was greater in the baseline risk groups. The number of persons with elevated CRS in the intervention groups was about half the number of persons with elevated CRS in the control group. The difference was not a result of medication use. There was no difference between the group that received consultations after the screenings and the group that had health screenings alone. DISCUSSION: Systematic health screenings reduce the cardiovascular risk score in a middle-aged population. After 5 years of follow-up, the number of persons at elevated cardiovascular risk was about half the expected. The impact of intervention is higher in at-risk individuals. Planned consultations about health did not appear to improve the cardiovascular profile of the study population.
[The association between physical workload and low back pain clouded by the "healthy worker" effect].
INTRODUCTION: Both physical and psychosocial workplace factors are considered risk factors for low back pain (LBP). However, today, no consensus has been reached regarding the exact role of these factors in the genesis of LBP. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Questionnaire data were collected at baseline for 1,397 (and after five years for 1,163) men and women aged 31-50 years at baseline. LBP (any LBP within the past year; LBP < or = 30 days in total during the past year; LBP > 30 days in total during tha past year) was analysed in relation to physical workload (sedentary, light physical, and heavy physical work) using logistic regression and controlling for age, gender, and social group. The proportions af workers changing between the workload groups over the five-year period were analysed in relation to LBP status. RESULTS: A baseline no statistically significant differences in LBP outcomes were found for workers exposed to sedentary, light physical, or heavy physical work. This was true for both genders and all age and social groups. At follow-up these was a statistically significant dose-response association between any LBP and long-standing LBP during the past year and increasing physical workload at baseline, also after controlling for age, gender and social group. Subjects with a heavy physical workload at baseline changed significantly more often to sedentary work, if they had experienced LBP for more than 30 days out of the past year. DISCUSSION: Having a sedentary job might have a protective or neutral effect in relation to LBP, whereas having a heavy physical job constitutes a significant risk factor. Because og migration between exposure groups (the "healthy worker" effect), longitudinal studies are necessary for investigating the associations between physical workload and LBP.
[Life style counseling--what can be done in general practice?].
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[Risk, disease and prioritization].
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[General health check ups].
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Cholesterol reduction following health screening in general practice.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate changes in plasma cholesterol following health screening and health discussions in general practice. DESIGN: Randomised prospective population-based study conducted over a period of 5 years. SETTING: Primary care, all general practitioners (GPs) in a well-defined area. SUBJECTS: A random sample of inhabitants aged 30-49 years in January 1991, registered with a local GP was invited to participate. The participants (1507 persons, or 75.4% of the 2000 invited) were randomly allocated to two intervention groups and a control group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Plasma cholesterol, percentage of subjects with plasma cholesterol higher than 7 mmol/l. RESULTS: After 5 years of intervention, plasma cholesterol in the whole population was significantly lower in the intervention groups compared to the control group. The decrease was most pronounced (0.5 mmol/l) in subjects at high cardiovascular risk. The percentage of high-risk individuals with a cholesterol level higher than 7 mmol/l was significantly lower in the intervention groups compared to the control group (9.8% vs 6.2%, p = 0.04), corresponding to a 37% reduction. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that the health checks had a measurable impact on plasma cholesterol levels, the most pronounced effect is seen among individuals at high cardiovascular risk.
Patient and GP agreement on aspects of general practice care.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to compare patient and GP priorities for general practice care. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was carried out in general practice in Denmark which included 900 consecutive patients aged over 18 years from 15 practices collected in 1995, and 919 randomly sampled GPs in 1999. The postal questionnaire, developed by the EUROPEP group, contained 40 questions about eight aspects of primary care. Participants were asked to state their priorities for each question ranging from "not at all important" to "most important". A reminder questionnaire was sent to non-responders after 2 weeks. Top priority percentages ("very/most important") were calculated for each question as were differences between participant groups. RESULTS: Questionnaires were answered by 771 (85.7%) patients and 584 (64.2%) GPs. Their priorities were highly correlated (r = 0.754, P < 0.001). Patients gave higher priority than GPs to availability and accessibility of the practice and seeing the same GP. The GP should be capable of providing information on illness, investigations and treatments and patient associations, and should know the patient's history and be regularly updated through courses. CONCLUSIONS: Patient and GP priorities for primary care were highly correlated. The higher priority awarded by patients than by GPs to specific aspects of primary care should be acknowledged when organizing and developing general practice.
General health screenings to improve cardiovascular risk profiles: a randomized controlled trial in general practice with 5-year follow-up.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of general health screenings and discussions with general practitioners on the cardiovascular risk profile of a random population of patients. STUDY DESIGN: A population-based, randomized, controlled, 5-year follow-up trial conducted in a primary care setting. POPULATION: The study group consisted of 2000 patients, randomly selected middle-aged men and women aged 30 to 50 years from family practices in the district of Ebeltoft, Denmark. Of these patients, 1507 (75.4%) agreed to participate. Patients were randomized into (1) a control group who did not receive health screenings, (2) an intervention group that received 2 health screenings, (3) an intervention group that received both the 2 screenings and a 45-minute follow-up consultation annually with their general practitioner. OUTCOMES MEASURED: Cardiovascular risk score (CRS), body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, serum cholesterol, carbon monoxide in expiratory air, and tobacco use. RESULTS: After 5 years, the CRS, BMI, and serum cholesterol levels were lower in the intervention groups compared with the control group. The improved outcome was greater in the baseline risk groups. The number of patients with elevated CRS in the intervention groups was approximately half the number of patients with elevated CRS in the control group. The difference was not a result of medication use. There was no difference between the group that received consultations after the screenings and the group that had health screenings alone. CONCLUSIONS: Health screenings reduced the CRS in the intervention groups. After 5 years of follow-up, the number of persons at elevated cardiovascular risk was about half that expected, based on the prevalence/proportion in a population not receiving the health checks (the control group). The impact of intervention was higher among at-risk individuals. Consultations about health did not appear to improve the cardiovascular profile of the study population.