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Biomedical subjects

A Linos

Publications and source records attributed to A Linos.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Corrected QT interval in relation to the severity of diabetic autonomic neuropathy.

The aim of this study was to investigate to what extent the existence of objective signs of diabetic autonomic neuropathy affects the corrected QT interval (QTc) in diabetic subjects. A total of 105 diabetic subjects (type 1, n = 53; type 2, n = 52) as well as 40 matched (by age and sex) control subjects were studied. All subjects underwent the battery of five Ewing tests. Autonomic neuropathy was diagnosed if two of the five tests were abnormal. In addition, the result of each test was considered as normal (grade = 0), borderline (grade = 1) or abnormal (grade = 2), and on the basis of the sum of the scores we calculated a total score for autonomic neuropathy. The QTc interval was measured at rest, and a value > 440 ms was considered abnormal. The QTc interval was significantly more prolonged in diabetic persons with autonomic neuropathy than in those without neutopathy and in control subjects: 408.4 +/- 24.2 ms vs. 394.6 +/- 27.9 ms and 393.6 +/- 25.5 ms respectively (P = 0.001). Furthermore, multivariate analysis controlling for age, sex, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), smoking, type and duration of diabetes, type of treatment, HBA1c and total score of autonomic neuropathy eliminated the role of all these factors as potential confounders except for the total score of autonomic neuropathy, which was found to affect QTc interval independently and significantly (P = 0.012). In summary, the present study confirmed the well-known relation between autonomic neuropathy and QTc interval; in addition, it showed that QTc prolongation is associated with major degrees of autonomic neuropathy.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

HLA-DRB1 alleles in Greek rheumatoid arthritis patients and their association with clinical characteristics.

The association of certain HLA-DRB1 alleles in Green rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with several features of the disease, the gender of the patient and the age at onset was investigated. This case control study includes 86 Greek RA patients and 130 healthy controls unrelated to the patients. HLA typing was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and hybridization with sequence-specific oligonucleotide (SSO) probes. HLA-DR4 was significantly increased in RA patients. The alleles *0101, *0401, *0405 and *1001 were associated with a higher risk of RA. The *0408 allele was absent from our patients. Sixty-five per cent of RA patients carried the 'sharp epitope' (SE) compared with 31.5% of controls. The risk for RA in individuals carrying a single allele positive for SE was 2.85 times higher, and for those carrying two alleles positive for SE 8.57 times higher, than in SE-negative individuals. The risk was higher in those carrying the *0401 allele, followed by *0405 and *0101, while the genotype *0401/*0404 was absent. Alleles positive for SE comprise a predisposing factor for RA at an early age, particularly in men, and are associated with positive rheumatoid factor, nodules and erosions.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Is aluminum toxicity responsible for uremic pruritus in chronic hemodialysis patients?

Pruritus is a common symptom among patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis. However, its etiology remains unclear. In an attempt to clarify its cause we tried to correlate pruritus and its intensity with several serological variables in 94 hemodialysis patients. Our results show that higher serum aluminum concentrations are found in dialysis patients with pruritus (p = 0.008) and that the intensity of pruritus is also significantly related to the aluminum concentration (p = 0.007). The intensity of pruritus was also correlated with the calcium-phosphate product (p = 0.03). Our findings suggest that prolonged exposure to aluminum in patients with chronic renal failure might be involved in the pathogenesis of uremic pruritus and elevated calcium-phosphate product seems to be an additional factor predisposing to pruritus.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Family history as a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the first degree relatives and to investigate whether the sex of the parent influences the pattern of inheritance. METHODS: An interview based case-control study, with subjects serially matched for age and sex. We analyzed 126 cases (hospital cases) and 94 controls (derived from the same hospitals), who gave information for family history of RA. Data concerning RA history among siblings and parents were computerized and analyzed univariately and multivariately. RESULTS: The odds ratio (OR) for developing RA is 4.4 (p < 0.001) if a first degree relative reported having the disease and 5.4 (p < 0.01) if a female first degree relative reported having the disease. For females the OR is 7.0 (p < 0.01) if the first degree relative is female. When the analysis was restricted to parents only, it was found that mothers with RA predispose their daughters and sons to develop RA more (OR = 8.6, p < 0.01, for daughters and 4.8, p < 0.05, for both sexes) than fathers (OR = 1.1 and 1.9, respectively). CONCLUSION: This case-control study confirms the familial clustering of RA and suggests that mothers confer susceptibility to RA on their offspring more often than fathers.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Building up a computerized follow-up register and information system for cervical cytology.

It is well known that cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and human papilloma virus (HPV) infection are closely related to cervical cancer. The cervical cytology examination (pap-test), followed by a colposcopic examination and a biopsy are the common tools for the early detection and the establishment of diagnosis of the cervical precancerous lesions. The monitoring and surveillance of those precancerous lesions is essential for the prevention of cervical cancer and for effective patient management. Nowadays, the long-term care of patients with a chronic and/or serious disease is feasible with the use of computerized follow-up registers or through more complex information systems. Nevertheless, manual recording is still the predominant method of data collection in 'Alexandra' University Hospital and this is the case in most health services in Greece due to scarcity of resources. A 'circulating' outpatient card, where information on gynecologic cytology, colposcopy and biopsy examinations is recorded, was the basis for the development of a computerised follow-up register and information system for cervical cytology in the Department of Cytopathology.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1993

Evaluation of risks for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma by occupation and industry exposures from a case-control study.

The etiology of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is not well understood. To develop hypotheses on causes of this tumor, data from a population-based case-control interview study of 1,867 white men (622 cases and 1,245 controls) in Iowa and Minnesota conducted during 1980-1983 were examined. Subjects, or their next of kin, were interviewed to obtain information on agricultural exposures, work history, medical conditions, and family history. This analysis focuses on risks of NHL by occupation, by industry, and by selected exposures. Although many comparisons were made, few significant associations were observed. Small numbers and limitations in exposure assessment, however, would tend to reduce opportunities to detect associations. The strongest finding was with various occupations that work in metals and metal products. The analysis by exposure estimates also uncovered a significant association with metals, but risks did not increase with estimated intensity of exposure. Slightly elevated risks were also noted among persons employed as painters and construction workers, agricultural and forestry workers, printers and typesetters, funeral directors and embalmers, and dry cleaners. Although the overall risks for benzene and other solvents were small, they increased slightly with level of assigned exposure. Although some associations may be due to chance, several of these occupations and industries have been linked to lymphoma in other investigations and deserve further attention.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Comments on occupational and environmental factors in the origin of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The review of the literature regarding non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and occupational and environmental factors presented at this workshop suggested associations with viruses, solvents, and hair dyes. A population-based case-control study among men from Iowa and Minnesota notes similar associations. Workers engaged in metal working, hair care, painting, and dry cleaning experienced nonsignificant excesses. Risks from specific exposures showed some variation by histological type. Both follicular and diffuse non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were associated with benzene. The diffuse type was linked to solvents other than benzene and formaldehyde, while the follicular was excessive among workers exposed to oils and greases.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Incidence and natural history of primary systemic amyloidosis in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1950 through 1989.

No reports of the incidence rates for primary systemic amyloidosis (AL) have come to our attention. Records of all residents of Olmstead County, Minnesota, with a diagnosis of amyloidosis were obtained from the Mayo Clinic and its affiliated hospitals, as well as other medical groups that might have seen local patients for the period January 1, 1950 to December 31, 1989. Twenty-one patients fulfilled the criteria for the diagnosis of AL. The median age was 73.5 years, and 62% were men. In all but one patient the diagnosis was made ante mortem. The clinical data of the 21 patients were similar to those referral patients with AL seen at Mayo Clinic. Immunohistochemical stains were positive for monoclonal light chains in the amyloid deposits in 15 of the 21 cases. In six cases, tissue was not available for immunohistochemical studies. Three of the six patients without immunohistochemical stains had a free monoclonal lambda light chain in the urine, and the other three had a monoclonal serum protein. Immunoelectrophoresis/immunofixation detected a monoclonal (M)-protein in the serum of 16 of 17 patients tested. A monoclonal light chain was found in the urine of 10 of 15 patients. The overall sex- and age-adjusted rate per million person-years was 6.1 from 1950 to 1969 and 10.5 from 1970 to 1989. The similarity of these rates suggests no significant increase over time.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

The effect of olive oil and fish consumption on rheumatoid arthritis--a case control study.

In an interview based, case control study of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) 168 cases and 137 controls were included. Patients and controls were interviewed with regard to a variety of socioeconomic, medical and dietary factors. During univariate analysis it was found that RA cases consumed significantly less olive oil and fish and adhered more rarely to the dietary restrictions traditional in Orthodox lent than controls. Applying multiple logistic analysis though (by which several variables were controlled for), only the association with olive oil consumption and lent adherence remained significant. More specifically; an increase in olive oil consumption by two times per week, resulted in a Relative Risk (RR) for development of RA of 0.49, whereas adherence to lent during the 27 weeks per year prescribed by the Orthodox Church, resulted in a RR of 0.33. We conclude that olive oil consumption and adherence to Orthodox lent may have a protective effect on the development and/or the severity of RA. This is a hypothesis generated by the present study that needs verification.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1990

The incidence of cholelithiasis and cholecystitis in Rochester, Minn, 1950 through 1969.

During the period 1950 through 1969, 2344 persons (755 men and 1589 women) in Rochester, Minn, met diagnostic and residency criteria for cholelithiasis. The age-adjusted average annual incidence rates per 100,000 population were 217 for men and 370 for women (adjusted rates were 255 and 276, respectively). Incidence rates increased with age in both sexes, but more rapidly so for men, so that by 70 years of age the rate for men was higher than that for women. For the decades covered in this study, no secular trend in incidence was detected for the two sexes combined or separately.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1988

Effects of prolonged administration of two new alpha-glucosidase inhibitors on blood glucose control, insulin requirements and breath hydrogen excretion in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors delay carbohydrate absorption. In order to study the effects of two new alpha-glucosidase inhibitors with long (BAYo1248) and short (BAYm1099) duration of action on glycaemic control, seventeen insulin-dependent diabetics were connected to the Biostator for 24 h and postprandial hyperglycaemia, insulin requirements and breath H2 concentrations were assessed under three conditions: (a) before administration of any alpha-glucosidase inhibitor (control experiments), (b) after administration of BAYo1248 (40 mg before breakfast, nine patients) or BAYm1099 (100 mg before breakfast and dinner, eight patients) for 1 month, (c) after 1-month administration of placebo (double-blind crossover study). All patients were on standard diets (30 kcal kg-1, 45% carbohydrate, 35% fat, 20% protein). BAYo1248 reduced postprandial hyperglycaemia and insulin requirements (vs. values in control and placebo experiments) after breakfast (124 +/- 8 vs. 159 +/- 8 and 158 +/- 8 mg dl-1, 16 +/- 2 vs. 24 +/- 4 and 23 +/- 3 units, P less than 0.01) and lunch (138 +/- 7 vs. 155 +/- 11 and 162 +/- 13 mg dl-1, 19 +/- 3 vs. 24 +/- 3 and 23 +/- 3 units, P less than 0.01) whereas BAYm1099 reduced postprandial hyperglycaemia and insulin requirements after breakfast (127 +/- 4 vs. 167 +/- 12 and 159 +/- 6 mg dl-1, 15 +/- 3 vs. 24 +/- 4 and 21 +/- 3 units, P less than 0.02) and dinner (128 +/- 4 vs. 169 +/- 7 and 157 +/- 10 mg dl-1, 19 +/- 2 vs. 28 +/- 3 and 25 +/- 2 units, P less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

1-Deoxynojirimycin↗
PubMed1986

Malignant lymphoma in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1970 through 1977.

A study of the incidence of malignant lymphoma in Olmsted County, Minnesota, revealed 91 new cases during the period 1970 through 1977. On the basis of the analyzed data, the overall average annual incidence rate per 100,000 population was 12.2 for males and 14.2 for females. The rates for both sexes combined (unadjusted for age) were 1.5 for Hodgkin's disease, 6.2 for lymphosarcoma, and 5.5 for reticulum cell sarcoma. The incidence rate for Hodgkin's disease decreased insignificantly, whereas that for both lymphosarcoma and reticulum cell sarcoma increased significantly during the period 1970 through 1977 in comparison with rates from the period 1945 through 1969. The largest increase was for rural males, for whom the rates for all three histologic types of lymphoma were substantially higher than those for urban males.

Female↗
PubMed1983

Case-control study of rheumatoid arthritis and prior use of oral contraceptives.

This study was designed to determine whether oestrogens in oral contraceptives and other drugs have a protective effect against development of rheumatoid arthritis. The medical records of 229 women with rheumatoid arthritis and 458 individually matched controls identified through the comprehensive records system for the population of Rochester, Minnesota, were examined for current and prior use of oestrogens. No association was found between rheumatoid arthritis and the use of oral contraceptives, or the use of oestrogens for menopause-related or postmenopausal symptoms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Leukemia and prior malignant and hematologic diseases: a case-control study.

Records of 138 patients with leukemia diagnosed between 1955-1974 in Olmsted County, Minnesota, and 276 controls were examined for the occurrence of prior malignancies and hematologic diseases. No significant excess of malignancy was observed when all types of malignancy and all types of leukemia combined were considered. When they were analyzed separately, however, a fivefold increase in the risk of prior skin cancer was found in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Because of the relatively small numbers, this difference is of borderline statistical significance. The presence of prior hematologic disorders was also examined, and the findings are discussed.

Female↗
PubMed1981

Incidence and secular trend of multiple myeloma in Olmsted County, Minnesota: 1965-77.

The average annual age-adjusted incidence rate of multiple myeloma for Olmsted County, Minnesota, for 1965-77 was 2.7/10(5) person-years. The sex-specific rates for males and females were 3.5 and 2.2/10(5) person-years, respectively; the male-to-female incidence ratio was 1.6:1.0. These rates were similar to rates reported for white people from the Third National Cancer Survey and the New York and Connecticut tumor registries. This average incidence rate did not appear different from the rate for the 20-year period 1945-64 in Olmsted County. The incidence of multiple myeloma was not shown to have increased in the past 33 years, and the observed increase in mortality from this disease reported in other parts of the country indicated improved case ascertainment during recent years, a factor not likely to be important in Olmsted County.

Adolescent↗