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Biomedical subjects

A Irgens

Publications and source records attributed to A Irgens.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

[Exposure therapy for anxiety disorders in a psychiatric ward].

Exposure treatment is efficient as a treatment for some anxiety disorders. Briefly described, it consists in letting the patient expose himself to an anxiety-inducing situation without running away from it. In the author's experience, this mode of treatment is too seldom used. This article exemplifies conditions in which this form of therapy can be useful. The method is easily learnt by general practitioners. The article describes the treatment of five patients with these psychiatric diagnoses: agoraphobia, social phobia, compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Birth defects and paternal occupational exposure. Hypotheses tested in a record linkage based dataset.

UNLABELLED: MAIN QUESTION: To test previously established hypotheses on associations of birth defects with paternal occupation on the basis of a Norwegian registry material. METHODS: The study comprised all births in Norway 1970 -1993 for which linkage with population censuses 1970, -80 and -90 on parents' job title could be obtained--about 1 million births (75% all births). The reference population was offspring of the group that did not belong to the actual occupation. RESULTS: Vehicle mechanics had an association with hypospadias--OR 5.19 (CI 1.31-14.24), painters had a non-significant association with spina bifida--OR 2.03 (CI 0.99-3.75) and printers with club foot--OR 1.61 (CI 0.89-2.90). Associations observed previously in off-spring of fathers in large occupational groups such as teachers, drivers, electricity related occupations, sales related occupations and agricultural workers were not confirmed in this dataset. CONCLUSIONS: The study gave further evidence of cause effect relationships in the confirmed positive associations, though without any clarification of possible mechanisms involved. Possible false negative findings might be caused by low statistical power due to small occupational groups or non-differential misclassification of exposure.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

The effect of male occupational exposure in infertile couples in Norway.

The objective of the study was to assess whether reduced semen quality in infertile couples is associated with occupational exposures known to be hazardous to fertility. Results of the first semen analysis were linked to occupational exposure data from a self-administered questionnaire. Reduced semen quality was found in men exposed to electromagnetic fields (odds ratio, 3.22; confidence interval, 1.46 to 7.09). A tendency toward reduced semen quality was seen in commuters (OR, 1.52; CI, 0.89 to 2.59), shift workers (OR, 1.46; CI, 0.89 to 2.40), and men exposed to heavy metals (OR, 1.47; CI, 0.76 to 2.87). In general, the impact of occupational exposure on semen quality in infertile couples in Norway seemed to be minor. However, occupational exposure mapping is still important in individual infertility investigations.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Secular trends in sperm variables for groups of men in fertile and infertile couples.

OBJECTIVE: To assess possible secular trends in sperm variables in men according to previous or subsequent paternity. DESIGN: A comparison of secular trends in sperm variables 1975-1994 in men under investigation for infertility in groups according to previous and subsequent paternity, based on data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. SETTING: University hospital, Sperm laboratory and the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. MATERIAL: Samples were obtained from: 1108 men who had fathered at least one child before the analysis. 1786 men who had at least one child after the analysis, and 2286 men with no children registered. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sperm concentration, seminal fluid volume, total number of spermatozoa per ejaculate. RESULTS: Analyzed by year of evaluation, men with no child registered had a significant secular decrease of sperm concentration, total number of sperms per ejaculate and seminal volume. The group with subsequent children had significant secular decrease of sperm concentration and total sperm count per ejaculate, while no significant changes were found for the group with previous children. Analyzed by year of birth, a significant decrease of sperm concentration and total sperm count was found for the group without and for the group with subsequent children. CONCLUSION: The results are compatible with a cohort effect, exhibiting a trend of deteriorating sperm variables in consecutive birth cohorts.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Reproductive outcome in offspring of parents occupationally exposed to lead in Norway.

In Norway, great efforts have been made to protect both male and female employees against teratogenic exposures. Associations between occupational lead exposure and reproductive outcome in the offspring were studied. All births in Norway 1970-1993 with possible maternal or paternal occupational lead exposure were compared with a reference population of offspring of parents without occupational lead exposure. Offspring of lead exposed mothers had an increased risk of low birth weight (RR = 1.34; CI = 1.12-1.60) and neural tube defects (RR = 2.87; CI = 1.05-6.38). Effects on birth weight and gestational age showed significant dose-response associations. Offspring of lead exposed fathers had no increased risks of any of the analyzed reproductive outcomes. However, decreased risks were observed of low birth weight (RR = 0.91; CI = 0.86-0.96) and preterm birth (RR = 0.89; CI = 0.86-0.93). Further efforts seem to be needed to protect the offspring of lead-exposed mothers.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1997

[Combination of several psychotherapeutic methods including psychopharmaceuticals. A case of obsessive-compulsive disorder].

The author describes the treatment of a patient with obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. The case shows that it may be fruitful to combine two different methods of psychotherapy with psychotropic medication. It is pointed out that in normal clinical psychiatric practice it may be better to use a combination of treatments rather than only one specific form of psychotherapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Male proportion in offspring of parents exposed to strong static and extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields in Norway.

Reduced male proportion in offspring of male carbon setters prompted a study into whether offspring of workers exposed to strong static and extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF) had a deviant sex ratio. The study was based on all births in Norway 1970-1993. The reference population was offspring of parents not exposed to ELF. The male proportion in offspring of men in aluminum works was 50.38%, RR 0.98 (0.94-1.03), in manganese works 47.32%, RR 0.92 (0.83-1.02), in factories producing iron 50.03%, RR 0.97 (0.93-1.02), in nickel works 48.27%, RR 0.94 (0.84-1.05), and in electric wire production 47.20%, RR 0.92 (0.80-1.05). In the offspring of women in aluminum works, the male proportion was 37.04%, RR 0.72 (0.59-0.90), in all smelter works grouped together, 45.13%, RR 0.88 (0.79-0.99). The male proportion in the reference population was 51.42%. The male proportion in offspring of men in industries with ELF, was slightly reduced, while offspring of women was significantly reduced.

Aluminum↗