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Biomedical subjects

U Strömberg

Publications and source records attributed to U Strömberg.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Mortality and cancer incidence among Swedish fishermen with a high dietary intake of persistent organochlorine compounds.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine mortality and cancer incidence in two cohorts of Swedish fishermen with different dietary intakes of persistent organochlorine compounds. METHODS: The following two cohorts of Swedish fishermen were established: a cohort of 2896 subjects from the Swedish east coast (on the Baltic Sea), and a cohort of 8477 subjects from the Swedish west coast. Mortality and cancer incidence were studied in these cohorts and comparisons were made both with the regional populations and between the cohorts. RESULTS: The incidences of stomach and squamous cell skin cancers among the eastcoast fishermen were elevated as compared with those of the regional population [standardized incidence ratio (SIR 1.6, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.0-2.4 and SIR 2.3, 95% CI 1.5-3.5 respectively] and with the westcoast cohort (IRR 2.2, 95% CI 1.3-3.5 and IRR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-3.1, respectively), while that of colon cancer was decreased. Moreover, mortality from multiple myelomas was increased among the eastcoast fishermen as compared with that of the general population [standardized mortality ratio (SMR) 3.1, 95% CI 1.2-6.4) and the westcoast fishermen (IRR 3.2, 95% CI 1.2-8.7). A 12% decreased mortality in ischemic heart disease was found for the eastcoast cohort. A slight, but significant increase in such deaths was noted among the westcoast fishermen. CONCLUSIONS: High consumers of fatty fish, contaminated with organochlorine compounds, had an increased risk for stomach and skin cancer. They also had a suggestive decrease in mortality from ischemic heart diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Decreased birthweight among infants born to women with a high dietary intake of fish contaminated with persistent organochlorine compounds.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to assess reproductive outcomes, especially birthweight, and the consumption of fatty fish from the Baltic Sea, contaminated with persistent organochlorine compounds, among women from the Swedish east coast. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cohorts of fishermen's wives from the Swedish east and west coasts were established and linked to the Swedish Medical Birth Register for 1973-1991; 1501 children were born in the eastcoast cohort and 3553 in the westcoast cohort. Comparisons were made with regional populations and between the cohorts. Dietary interviews were made with 69 randomly selected women from the cohorts and 69 referents. RESULTS: The women interviewed from the east- and westcoast cohorts ate locally caught fish more than twice as often as their referents. Compared with the regional population, the women in the eastcoast cohort gave birth to an increased number of infants with low birthweights (< 3000 g), whereas the opposite was seen in the westcoast cohort. Infants in the eastcoast cohort had significantly lower birthweights than infants from the westcoast cohort (median 3530 versus 3610 g, P < 0.001). Even after adjustment for potential confounders, eastcoast affiliation showed an increased risk for low birthweight (odds ratio 1.44, 95% confidence interval 1.18-1.76). The effect was more conspicuous for boys (odds ratio 1.95) and heavy smokers (odds ratio 3.00). CONCLUSIONS: The present data support, but do not prove, an association between a high consumption of contaminated fish from the Baltic Sea and an increased risk for low birthweight.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

The effect of desmopressin on reducing blood loss in cardiac surgery--a meta-analysis of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.

The effect of desmopressin (DDAVP) on reducing postoperative blood loss after cardiac surgery has been studied in several randomized clinical trials with conflicting outcomes. Since most trials had insufficient statistical power to detect true differences in blood loss, we performed a meta-analysis of data from relevant studies. Seventeen randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials were analyzed, which included 1171 patients undergoing cardiac surgery for various indications; 579 of them were treated with desmopressin and 592 with placebo. Efficacy parameters were blood loss volumes and transfusion requirements. Desmopressin significantly reduced postoperative blood loss by 9%, but had no statistically significant effect on transfusion requirements. A subanalysis revealed that desmopressin had no protective effects in trials in which the mean blood loss in placebo-treated patients fell in the lower and middle thirds of distribution of blood losses (687-1108 ml/24 h). In contrast, in trials in which the mean blood loss in placebo-treated patients fell in the upper third of distribution (> 1109 ml/24 h), desmopressin significantly decreased postoperative blood loss by 34%. Insufficient data were available to perform a sub-analysis on transfusion requirements. Therefore, desmopressin significantly reduces blood loss only in cardiac operations which induce excessive blood loss. Further studies are called to validate the results of this meta-analysis and to identify predictors of excessive blood loss after cardiac surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Disorders of the neck and upper limbs in women in the fish processing industry.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to study the association between personal factors and physical and psychosocial work environment factors and disorders of the neck or upper limbs among women in the fish processing industry. METHODS: A cross sectional study was performed on 206 women in the fish processing industry and 208 control women. Several physical and psychosocial work environment factors were evaluated. Subjective complaints about the neck or upper limbs were assessed by questionnaire and by a clinical examination. RESULTS: The study showed a high prevalence (35%) of diagnoses in the neck or shoulders of the exposed women. All prevalence odds ratios (POR's) were substantially higher in young women. There was a pronounced dose-response relation between disorders of the neck or shoulders and duration of employment for women < 45 years old. When studying 322 former workers, the proportion who claimed musculoskeletal complaints as the reason for leaving was highest among the older women. Muscular tension, stress or worry, work strain, and the largest fraction of the work time spent with highly repetitive work tasks were clearly associated with disorders of the neck or shoulders. The measurements of the wrist movements also showed that the work was performed almost without any pauses and that the median flexion and extension velocity was high (41 degree/s). The results of observation showed good agreement with the measurements of wrist motion. CONCLUSION: Work in the fish processing industry is a risk factor for disorders of the neck and upper limbs. Due to the homogenity of the physical work load in the exposed group, we could not show any associations between the objective measurements and disorders. In cross sectional studies the risk may be underestimated due to a healthy worker effect.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Retention patterns of asbestos fibres in lung tissue among asbestos cement workers.

Retention patterns in lung tissue (determined by transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometry) of chrysotile, tremolite, and crocidolite fibres were analysed in 69 dead asbestos cement workers and 96 referents. There was an accumulation of tremolite with time of employment. Among workers who died within three years of the end of exposure, the 13 with high tremolite concentrations had a significantly longer duration of exposure than seven in a low to intermediate category (medians 32 v 20 years; p = 0.018, one sided). Crocidolite showed similar patterns of accumulation. In workers who died more than three years after the end of exposure, there were no correlations between concentrations of amphibole fibres and time between the end of exposure and death. Chrysotile concentrations among workers who died shortly after the end of exposure were higher than among the referents (median difference in concentrations 13 million fibres (f)/g dry weight; p = 0.033, one sided). No quantitative differences in exposure (duration or intensity) could be shown between workers with high and low to intermediate concentrations. Interestingly, all seven workers who had had a high intensity at the end of exposure (> 2.5 f/ml), had low to intermediate chrysotile concentrations at death, whereas those with low exposure were evenly distributed (31 subjects in both concentration categories); hence, there was a dependence between last intensity of exposure and chrysotile concentration (p = 0.014). Among 14 workers with a high average intensity of exposure, both those (n = 5) with high tissue concentrations of chrysotile and those (n = 10) with high tissue concentrations of tremolite fibres had more pronounced fibrosis than those with low to intermediate concentrations (median fibrosis grades for chrysotile: 2 v 1, p = 0.021; for tremolite: 2 v 0.5, p = 0.012). Additionally, workers who died shortly after the end of exposure with high concentrations of chrysotile and crocidolite had smoked more than those with low intermediate concentrations (medians for chrysotile 35 v 15 pack-years, p = 0.030; for crocidolite 37 v 15 pack-years, p = 0.012). The present data indicate that chrysotile has a relatively rapid turnover in human lungs, whereas the amphiboles, tremolite and crocidolite, have a slower turnover. Further, chrysotile retention may be dependent on dose rate. Chrysotile and crocidolite deposition and retention may be increased by tobacco smoking; chrysotile and tremolite by fibrosis.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Does induction time have any bearing on definition of study base?

A study population with either a low or high exposure prevalence usually results in a less efficient study, compared with a study on a population with an intermediate exposure prevalence. We discuss a strategy for improving efficiency when exposure is rare: one can include in the study base, for each individual, only follow-up corresponding to a potential exposure-associated increase in risk. This strategy is achieved by choosing so-called preinclusion and preexclusion periods, which, in turn, follow from relevant induction time assumptions.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1993

Controlling for a confounder monotonically related to exposure by means of isotonic quantile regression.

We present a new approach to evaluating the effect of a continuous exposure factor when that factor increases with a covariate (for example, age) which is regarded as a potential confounder. The basic idea is to estimate, as functions of the covariate, some selected quantiles of the exposure distribution, under the assumption that the dependence of each quantile on the covariate is monotonic. The resulting estimates are then used to divide the data into different exposure categories. This method of categorizing the data implies that the covariate distribution will be almost the same in each exposure group. We illustrate the approach with a study of blood pressure and cardiovascular mortality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Indoor radon-daughter concentration and gamma radiation in urban and rural homes on geologically varying ground.

The radon (Rn)-daughter level (track film, 3 months) was lower in 129 urban than in 197 rural houses (geometric means, (GM) 18 versus 40 Bq/m3; P < 0.001; range 3-416). In rural dwellings higher levels were found in those built over deposits of alum shale occurrences (P = 0.04; 12 on porous glaciofluvial cover 94 Bq/m3; 127 others 43 Bq/m3; significant interaction, P = 0.01), than in 158 others (37 Bq/m3). There was no systematic effect of the type of water supply, neither of indoor smoking. One hundred twenty three homes with a complete cellar were lower than 200 with no or part cellar (18 versus 40 Bq/m3; P < 0.001). There was only a weak association between log-transformed gamma radiation (GM 10, range 33-50 microR/h) and Rn-daughter levels (r = 0.18; 95% confidence interval 0.07-0.28). Our results show the importance for indoor Rn-daughter levels of the bedrock and cover beneath the house, and the need for Rn-daughter measurements in epidemiological studies.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMed1993

Incidence of cancer and exposure to toluene diisocyanate and methylene diphenyldiisocyanate: a cohort based case-referent study in the polyurethane foam manufacturing industry.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between occupational exposure to toluene diisocyanate or methylene diphenyldiisocyanate and risk of cancer. DESIGN: A cohort based case-referent study. STUDY BASE: 7023 subjects employed during the period 1958 to 1987 in nine Swedish polyurethane foam manufacturing plants. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Odds ratios adjusted with respect to the matching factors (age at risk, calendar year at risk, sex, and plant), calculated from the conditional logistic regression model. RESULTS: A non-significant association was found between high exposure to isocyanates and prostate cancer (OR 2.66, 90% confidence interval (90% CI) 0.39-18.1), which was not enhanced when an induction latency period of 10 years was applied. An association between isocyanate exposure and colon cancer was even weaker. No associations were seen for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and rectal cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The tentative associations, derived from a previous cohort study, between isocyanate exposure and excess risk for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and rectal cancer were not supported. Instead, non-significant associations with prostate cancer, and possibly colon cancer, were seen.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1992

Electromyographic fatigue in neck/shoulder muscles and endurance in women with repetitive work.

EMG was recorded with surface electrodes from the trapezius and deltoid muscles during a static endurance test at approximately 20% of maximal voluntary contraction. Objective parameters for localized muscular fatigue were derived from the time course of the root mean square (RMS) and mean power frequency (MPF) of the EMG recordings. Isotonic regression is introduced as a tool for assessment of such parameters. The most pronounced sign of fatigue for trapezius was an increase in the RMS values, while for deltoid it was a decrease in the MPF values. This could be explained by the different functions of the two muscles. The endurance time for a group of 11 women in industrial work with repetitive short-cycled work tasks who were diagnosed with neck/shoulder disorders (tension neck) was significantly shorter (p less than 0.05) than for a group with the same work, but without neck/shoulder disorders (n = 11), and shorter than for a control group (n = 11). Regarding the EMG fatigue measures, there were no significant differences between the three groups. We did not find any relationships between endurance time and the EMG parameters. The results indicate that neck/shoulder disorders were not associated with divergent mechanisms for developing fatigue in the muscles, as recorded with surface EMG.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Differences between (+)- and (-)-amphetamine in effects on locomotor activity and L-dopa potentiating action in mice.

The L-Dopa-potentiating effects of the two optical isomers of amphetamine, as well as the effects of their own, were investigated in mice, using locomotor activity as test parameter. The study was performed in three steps. First, the time-course were studied for the effects of (+)- and (-)-amphetamine and L-Dopa. Second, dose-response relationships were established for the amphetamine enantiomers. Third, the L-Dopa-potentiating effects, of a few, selected doses of the amphetamine isomers were investigated by establishing dose-response curves for L-Dopa with and without the amphetamines. All animals given L-Dopa were pretreated with an inhibitor of extracerebral aromatic amino acid decarboyxlase. (+)-Amphetamine, 0.5-8 mg/kg, caused a dose-dependent stimulation of locomotoractivity, whereas (-)-amphetamine, 1-4 mg/kg, caused a dose-dependent depression. Doses higher than 8 mg/kg of the laevo-isomer caused stimulation of the activity. (+)-Amphetamine, 0.25 mg/kg, and (-)-amphetamine, 0.5 mg/kg, i.e. doses without any effect on locomotor activity of their own, caused virtually the same shift to the left of the dose-response curve for L-Dopa. (-)-Amphetamine, 4 mg/kg which per se caused depression of locomotor activity, caused a marked potentiation of the L-Dopa-induced stimulation of motor activity. Thus, there does not exist a close correlation between the L-Dopa-potentiating action of the amphetamines and their stimulating properties per se.

Amphetamine↗