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Biomedical subjects

A Leino

Publications and source records attributed to A Leino.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Bone turnover markers during lactation, postpartum amenorrhea and resumption of menses.

Changes in bone turnover, and consequent bone loss and recovery during lactation and the postweaning period, are likely modulated by varying estrogen levels inherent in these time periods. To address this question we measured serum biochemical markers of bone formation (bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, amino-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen, osteocalcin), of bone resorption (type I collagen carboxy-terminal telopeptide), and serum female sex hormones (estradiol, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone) in 32 healthy mothers prospectively after delivery, 3 months postpartum, after postpartum amenorrhea and 1 year after resumption of menses. During postpartum amenorrhea (mean 5.7, SD 2.9 months) bone mineral density decreased significantly, some 2% at the lumbar spine and some 3% at the femoral neck, but subsequently recovered completely at the former site and partially at the latter. Bone turnover marker levels were elevated at parturition and still at the end of postpartum amenorrhea. Subsequent to parturition the bone resorption marker level showed a decreasing trend while the formation marker levels continued increasing, and eventually coincided with the resorption level within the very first months postpartum. Both lactation and hormonal status modulated bone turnover marker levels. Maternal age was positively associated with increased bone turnover. Interestingly, higher parity and longer history of previous lactation were associated with lower bone turnover marker levels postpartum as compared with previously nulliparous women of the same age. The regression models explained typically some 20-30% of the variability in the bone turnover marker levels. The dynamic pattern in bone turnover is dissimilar to that occurring at menopause and it indicates that the bone loss most likely occurs in the beginning of postpartum period. It also seems that estrogen has a specific influence on bone turnover only during the first months of lactation.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Enterovirus, mycoplasma and other infections as predictors for myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES: To study antibodies against five infectious agents for their prediction of major coronary events in men with and without evidence of coronary heart disease at baseline. DESIGN: A case-control study nested within a prospective population study. SUBJECTS: The study cases included 441 men 45-64 years old with nonfatal myocardial infarction or coronary death within a mean follow-up time of 10 years. A total of 165 men had already signs of heart disease at baseline, whilst 276 were apparently healthy at the beginning of the study. Two controls for each case were matched for age, heart disease status and place of residence. Antibodies against enterovirus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, cytomegalovirus and adenovirus were determined. RESULTS: Men without reported baseline heart disease, but not those with heart disease, showing the highest quartile of antibodies to enterovirus and mycoplasma or increased levels of immune complex-bound antibodies to chlamydia had a significantly higher risk of coronary events than men with lower level of antibodies. The increased risk demonstrated in men with high levels of antibodies to enterovirus and mycoplasma remained significant after adjustment for other antibodies, acute-phase reactant and conventional risk factors. Serological evidence of infection by multiple agents was also significantly associated with coronary events. CONCLUSIONS: Serological evidence for several infectious agents is associated with the risk of coronary heart disease, but only in men without baseline history of heart disease.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗
PubMed2001

Comparison of eight commercial on-site screening devices for drugs-of-abuse testing.

Eight commercially available on-site drugs-of-abuse testing devices for detecting cannabinoids (THC-COOH), opiates (OPI), cocaine (COC), amphetamines (AMP), metamphetamines (MET) and benzodiazepines (BZO) were evaluated. The used urine specimens suspected of being drug positive were all confirmed by gas chromatographic/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). For AMP and MET, sensitivities varied between 83 and 95% and specificities between 98 and 100%. Correspondingly, sensitivities between 88 and 98% and specificities between 95 and 100% were observed for THC-COOH. For BZO, sensitivities varied between 91 and 97% and specificities between 97 and 100%. Only a few confirmed positive samples were available for OPI and COC, the sensitivities being between 83 and 100% and 100%, respectively. On-site devices did not always find extremely high drug concentrations. False-negative results were found with AMP in particular. Pholcodine, commonly used as medicine, was observed to give false-positive results with most of the devices and was not, however, included in given cross-reactivity tables. It was found that the devices differed markedly with respect to interpretation of test results and to ease of test performance, leading to the suggestion that different criteria for selecting on-site devices for either emergency laboratories in hospitals or for police stations and prisons should be used. Since the overall specificity of any of the devices was not 100% and false positives were identified, we found it important to confirm any positive screening test result.

Amphetamine-Related Disorders↗
PubMed2000

Reduced mildly oxidized LDL in young female athletes.

We investigated the effect of physical activity and sports participation on LDL oxidation in vivo and on lipid risk factors in 183 teenage girls (9-15 years): 64 gymnasts, 61 runners, and 58 controls. Oxidized LDL was measured as baseline levels of conjugated dienes in LDL lipids (ox-LDL). The gymnasts had a 15% lower ratio of LDL conjugated dienes to LDL cholesterol (ox-LDL:LDL ratio, P = 0.0052) compared to controls, and the difference persisted when the body mass index was included as a covariate (ANCOVA, P = 0.013). Also, the gymnasts had a 12% higher ratio of HDL cholesterol to total cholesterol than the controls (ANCOVA, P = 0.046). There were no differences in the other common lipid risk factors between the groups. The ox-LDL:LDL ratio correlated negatively with HDL cholesterol (r = -0.23, P=0.0021) and with physical activity METs (multiples of resting metabolic rate) (r = -0.21, P=0.0040). Our study strengthens the evidence that the atherogenic risk is influenced favourably by physical exercise and sporting activities as early as in adolescents. This risk reduction is associated with lower mildly oxidized LDL in adolescent girls.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Serum albumin and colorectal cancer risk.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between serum albumin and colorectal cancer occurrence. DESIGN: A case-control study nested within a cohort followed from 1968 to 1991. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The albumin concentration was determined from serum samples stored at -20 degrees C at baseline in 177 incident colorectal cancer cases and 288 controls matched for sex, age and study region. RESULTS: An elevated risk was present of cancer of the left, distal colon at high serum albumin concentrations. No significant association was observed for the right, proximal colon or the rectum. The relative risks of cancer of the distal and proximal colon among individuals in the highest and lowest quartiles of serum albumin were 17.03 (95% confidence interval 1.48-195) and 0.77 (95% confidence interval 0. 19-3.13), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The present study lends support to the hypothesis that some dietary factor associated with serum albumin may be a risk factor for distal colon cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

A 1-year prospective study on the relationship between physical activity, markers of bone metabolism, and bone acquisition in peripubertal girls.

We conducted a 1-yr prospective study to evaluate the association between physical activity and biochemical markers of bone formation and resorption with bone mineral acquisition in 155 peripubertal Caucasian girls (51 gymnasts, 50 runners, and 54 nonathletic controls). The bone mineral density (BMD) of the femoral neck, the greater trochanter, and the lumbar spine were measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Serum biochemical markers of bone formation (osteocalcin, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, amino-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen) and bone resorption (degradation product of C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen) were measured. The 1-yr increase in BMD (adjusted for age, height, Tanner stage, BMD at baseline, and increases in height and weight) of the femoral neck was 0.037 g/cm2 x yr [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.019-0.051 g/cm2 x yr), and that of the greater trochanter was 0.020 g/cm2 x yr (95% CI, 0.003-0.039 g/cm2 x yr) greater in gymnasts than in controls. The corresponding figures for gymnasts compared with runners were 0.038 g/cm2 x yr (95% CI, 0.009-0.041 g/cm2 x yr) and 0.033 g/cm2 x yr (95% CI, 0.006 to 0.043 g/cm2 x yr). The figures for the lumbar spine did not differ significantly between study groups. The baseline serum concentrations of formation markers and resorption marker accounted for 2.3-12.8% (P < 0.05) of the variation in the 1-yr increase in BMD at the femoral neck and lumbar spine. However, there was no significant difference between the levels of adjusted baseline bone turnover markers of the gymnasts, runners, and controls. The present data add considerable support to the argument that high impact mechanical loading is extremely important and beneficial for the acquisition of BMD of the hip during peripubertal years. Our results indicate also that a high rate of bone turnover, reflected as elevated bone markers, is only weakly associated with the 1-yr bone gain in peripubertal girls.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Low vitamin E status is a potential risk factor for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES: To study the association of vitamin E status with occurrence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). DESIGN: A case-control study nested within a 21-year follow-up study. SUBJECTS: Nineteen incident IDDM patients with an average age of 28 years and three individually matched controls per patient. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Serum concentrations of alpha-tocopherol. RESULTS: Serum alpha-tocopherol concentration at the baseline examination was inversely associated with IDDM occurring 4-14 years later. The cholesterol-adjusted relative risk of IDDM between the highest and lowest thirds of the vitamin concentration was 0.12 (95% confidence interval = 0.02-0.85). CONCLUSIONS: The finding corroborates the hypothesis of a protective effect of vitamin E against development of IDDM. Because of the relatively old age of the patients in the present population, further epidemiological studies on the topic are warranted.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Serum androgen-anabolic hormones and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: It has been hypothesised, mainly on the basis of indirect evidence, that low serum concentrations of androgen-anabolic hormones would play a causal part in the aetiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: A case-control study was nested with a Finnish cohort of 19,072 adults who had neither arthritis nor a history of it at the baseline examination during 1973-1977. Pre-illness serum specimens for the assay of testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) were available from 116 cases who had developed RA by late 1989. Three controls per each incident case were individually matched for sex, age, and municipality. RESULTS: The mean testosterone concentration was 1.4 nmol/l in those 84 women who developed RA and 1.4 nmol/l in their controls; the corresponding figures for DHEAS were 5.2 mumol/l and 5.5 mumol/l, respectively. Mean testosterone concentration in the 32 male cases was 26.1 nmol/l and 26.4 nmol/l in their controls; the corresponding figures for DHEAS were 11.2 mumol/l and 10.1 mumol/l, respectively. Analysis by subgroups (rheumatoid factor positive and negative disease, pre-menopausal and postmenopausal women) and by hormone distributions showed no differences. CONCLUSION: The findings are not in line with the contention that low concentrations of testosterone and DHEAS play a part in the aetiology of RA.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Trends in serum lipid levels during 1980-1992 in children and young adults. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

To assess secular trends in serum lipid levels in Finnish children and young adults, the authors examined a total of 3,517, 2,769, 2,392, 352, and 880 subjects who had complete data on serum lipids in 1980, 1983, 1986, 1989, and 1992, respectively, in a longitudinal follow-up study. Trend analyses were carried out among subjects aged 15 (n = 1,835) or 18 (n = 1,562) years to exclude the confounding effect of age on the study variables. Data on obesity, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol use were available from each study year, and data on diet were available for the study years 1980, 1986, and 1992. Between 1980 and 1992, mean total cholesterol levels decreased from 4.88 to 4.47 mmol/liter (from 189 to 173 mg/dl), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased from 3.06 to 2.85 mmol/liter (from 119 to 110 mg/dl). The mean high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased by 19%, from 1.43 to 1.15 mmol/liter (55.2 to 44.6 mg/dl). During 1986-1992, triglyceride levels increased by 15%, from 0.88 to 1.01 mmol/liter (78.2 to 89.9 mg/dl). During 1980-1992, body mass index values increased from 20.8 to 21.8 kg/m2, parallel to increases in skinfold thickness. In the diet, the ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids increased from 0.26 to 0.39. Alcohol and oral contraceptive use became more frequent, and the subjects tended to become less physically active. In conclusion, a change in the lipid profile in Finnish adolescents aged 15 and 18 years and young adults during 1980-1992 was observed, characterized by a decrease in low density lipoprotein cholesterol and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and an increase in triglyceride level. Possible determinants for these changes include alterations in diet and a trend toward increased obesity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Serum immunoglobulins and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with several autoantibodies that can precede the clinical disease. The immunoglobulin concentrations in serum samples before illness were studied to learn more about the immunological process before RA. METHODS: A case-control study was nested within a Finnish cohort of 19,072 adults who had neither arthritis nor a history of it at the baseline examination during 1973-1977. By late 1989, 124 had developed RA, of which 89 were positive for rheumatoid factor (RF). Three controls per each incident case were individually matched for sex, age, and municipality. The concentrations of IgG, IgA, and IgM were measured from stored serum samples. RESULTS: Serum IgG before illness was found to be directly proportional to the risk of RF positive RA, and a non-linear association was present between serum IgA and the risk of RF positive RA. These associations were constant between men and women and other subgroups of the study population and not confounded by serum orosomucoid concentration, level of education, smoking, alcohol intake or body mass index. As adjusted for these factors, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of RF positive RA in the lowest, mid, and highest tertiles of IgG distribution were 1.00, 1.55 (0.81, 2.97), and 2.22 (1.16, 4.26), and in the tertiles of IgA 1.00, 2.23 (1.14, 4.36), and 1.78 (0.89, 3.57), respectively. The associations persisted throughout the entire observation period but were most distinct when the period to the onset of clinical RA was > or = 10 years. IgM carried no predictive significance. None of the serum immunoglobulins predicted the development of RF negative RA. CONCLUSIONS: Increased IgG levels may reflect some, at present unknown process in the early events leading to the development of RA, typically occurring > or = 10 years before the onset of clinical disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Tracking of serum lipoprotein (a) concentration and its contribution to serum cholesterol values in children from 7 to 36 months of age in the STRIP Baby Study. Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project for Babies.

We investigated the tracking phenomenon of serum lipoprotein (a) concentrations and assessed the impact of serum concentration of lipoprotein (a) cholesterol on total cholesterol concentrations in children from 7 to 36 months of age. Serum samples for lipoprotein (a) and cholesterol determinations at 7, 13, 24 and 36 months were prospectively obtained from 430 children. Serum lipoprotein (a) was determined using immunoradiometric assay. A strong correlation was observed between lipoprotein (a) concentrations at 7 and 36 months of age (r = 0.88, P < 0.001). Seventy-eight per cent to 86% of the children in the lowest and highest lipoprotein (a) quintiles at 13 months remained in the respective quintiles at 36 months. The average contribution of lipoprotein (a) cholesterol to total cholesterol varied from 0.5% to 3.2% (individual variation 0.13-32.39%) depending on the type of milk received and the age of the children. At 7 months the contribution was 0.44% in breast-fed and 0.93% in formula-fed infants (P < 0.0001). The tracking phenomenon of serum lipoprotein (a) concentrations is strong already in early childhood. The contribution of lipoprotein (a) cholesterol to serum total cholesterol concentration should be taken into account when the changes in serum cholesterol levels are interpreted in the first year of life.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1997

Reference intervals for serum thyrotropin, free thyroxine and free triiodothyronine in healthy adults in Finland, measured by an immunoautomate based on time-resolved fluorescence (AutoDELFIA).

We have established reference intervals for healthy adults of serum thyrotropin, free thyroxine and free triiodothyronine using the AutoDELFIA (Wallac, Finland) automatic measuring device. The determination of reference intervals in a proper manner is costly, and many laboratories adopt reference ranges from the literature rather than determining them alone. This is the first report on reference values in thyroidology where this automatic system based on time-resolved fluorescence has been used. The reference intervals for thyrotropin, free thyroxine and free triiodothyronine were 0.6-4.3 mIU/l, 9.6-17.1 pmol/l and 4.3-7.5 pmol/l, respectively.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Prospective randomized trial of low-saturated-fat, low-cholesterol diet during the first 3 years of life. The STRIP baby project.

BACKGROUND: The long-term consequences of modified fat intake in early childhood are poorly known. The randomized prospective STRIP baby project evaluates the effects of repeated dietary counseling on nutrient intakes and serum lipid values in children 7 months to 3 years old. METHODS AND RESULTS: One thousand sixty-two infants were randomized to intervention and control groups at 7 months of age. The families of the 540 intervention children were counseled to reduce the child's intake of saturated fat and cholesterol but to ensure adequate energy intake. Five hundred twenty-two control children consumed an unrestricted diet. Food records were kept, and serum lipids were measured at 5- to 12-month intervals. Intakes of saturated fat, fat as proportion of energy (E%), and cholesterol were lower in the intervention children than in control children at 13, 24, and 36 months of age. Fat intake by the intervention children decreased from 29 +/- 5 E% at 8 months of age to 26 +/- 6 E% at 13 months and then increased to 30 +/- 5 E% at 24 months and to 31 +/- 5 E% at 36 months. The control children consumed 29 +/- 4 E%, 28 +/- 5 E%, 33 +/- 5 E%, and 33 +/- 5 E% of fat at 8, 13, 24, and 36 months, respectively. The ratio of dietary poly-unsaturated to saturated fats of the intervention children was consistently higher than that of the control children (P < .0001). Baseline adjusted mean serum cholesterol concentration was lower in the intervention children than control children between 13 and 36 months (P < .0001; 95% confidence interval of the difference between the group means, -0.27 to -0.12 mmol/L). The effect was significant only in boys (95% confidence interval, -0.39 to -0.20 mmol/L in boys; -0.21 to 0.01 mmol/L in girls). CONCLUSIONS: Repeated individualized dietary counseling markedly reduces the increase in serum cholesterol concentration that occurs in control children during the first years of life.

Aging↗
PubMed1996

Correlation of toddlers' serum lipoprotein(a) concentration with parental values and grandparents' coronary heart disease: the STRIP baby study.

The correlation between lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) concentrations in children aged 7-24 months and their family members was determined and the association between the Lp(a) values of the children and a family history of coronary heart disease (CHD) was assessed. The Lp(a) values of the children correlated strongly with midparent Lp(a) values as early as at 7 months of age (r = 0.54 to 0.59, p < 0.0001). This correlation was stronger than the correlation of serum total cholesterol and total cholesterol corrected for Lp(a)-cholesterol between children and parents. None of the parents had CHD. The median Lp(a) concentration of the parents with a family history of CHD was significantly higher than that of parents with no such history (111 vs 87 mg/1, p = 0.024). However, the children's Lp(a) levels were not associated with CHD in their grandparents. The genetic dependence of the Lp(a) concentration is already evident in infancy. The Lp(a) concentration in young parents, but not in their 24-month-old children, is associated with CHD in grandparents. This may be explained by a dilution of the genetic influence on Lp(a) over two generations.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Prospective randomised trial in 1062 infants of diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Interventions to avoid atherosclerosis might be more successful if launched early in life when eating and life-style patterns are formed, but dietary interventions have been limited by fears of diet-induced growth failure. We investigated the effects of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol on serum lipid concentrations and growth in 1062 healthy 7-month-old infants in a randomised study. Every 1-3 months, families in the intervention group received dietary advice aimed at adequate energy supply, with low fat intake (30-35% energy, polyunsaturated/monounsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio 1/1/1, and cholesterol intake < 200 mg daily). Infants in control families consumed an unrestricted diet. 3-day food records were collected at ages 8 and 13 months. Growth was carefully monitored. Between 7 and 13 months serum cholesterol and non-high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations did not change significantly in the intervention group (mean change -0.03 [SD 0.72] mmol/L and 0.01 [0.67] mmol/L) but increased substantially in the control group (0.24 [0.64] mmol/L and 0.23 [0.60] mmol/L; p for difference in mean changes between groups < 0.001). Daily intakes of energy and saturated fat were lower in the intervention than in the control group at 13 months (4065 [796] vs 4370 [748] kJ, p = 0.033, and 9.3 [3.5] vs 14.5 [4.8] g, p < 0.001, respectively), and intake of polyunsaturated fat was higher (5.8 [2.2] vs 4.4 [1.4] g, p < 0.001). Growth did not differ between the groups and was as expected for children at this age. Serum cholesterol concentrations fell significantly in parents of intervention-group infants. The increases in serum cholesterol and non-high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol concentration that occur in infants between the ages of 7 and 13 months can be avoided by individualised diets, with no effect on the children's growth.

Cholesterol↗
PubMed1995

Effect of weaning on serum lipoprotein(a) concentration: the STRIP baby study.

Risk for coronary heart disease is increased in adult Caucasians with high serum lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] concentration. In adults the concentration is mainly regulated by genetic factors. Our previous study suggests that breast milk has a beneficial effect on serum Lp(a) concentration in infants. Now we analyzed the influence of weaning by measuring serum Lp(a) and cholesterol in 414 infants at 7, 13, 24, and 36 mo of age. At 7 mo the infants received, in addition to solid food, only breast milk (n = 148), breast milk and formula (n = 74), or formula only (n = 191). Median (range) serum Lp(a) concentrations were then 25 (< or = 12-743) mg/L, 35 (< or = 12-1188) mg/L, and 45 (< or = 12-577) mg/L in the three feeding groups, respectively (p = 0.0013). Breast milk and formula were changed to cow's milk in all infants before 12 mo of age. At 13 mo serum Lp(a) concentration had increased more in infants who were weaned from breast milk than in those who had been fed both breast milk and formula, or formula only (median increases 37, 26, and 20 mg/L, respectively; p = 0.0062). Thus the serum Lp(a) concentration was similar in all feeding groups at 13 mo. This finding was also observed at 24 and 36 mo. The increase in serum Lp(a) concentration was independent of the baseline Lp(a) level, apolipoprotein E phenotype, gender, and weight gain of the infants between 7 and 13 mo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗