PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Anssi Sovijärvi

Publications and source records attributed to Anssi Sovijärvi.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Increased oxidative stress in asymptomatic current chronic smokers and GOLD stage 0 COPD.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with increased oxidative and nitrosative stress. The aim of our study was to assess the importance of these factors in the airways of healthy smokers and symptomatic smokers without airway obstruction, i.e. individuals with GOLD stage 0 COPD. METHODS: Exhaled NO (FENO) and induced sputum samples were collected from 22 current smokers (13 healthy smokers without any respiratory symptoms and 9 with symptoms i.e. stage 0 COPD) and 22 healthy age-matched non-smokers (11 never smokers and 11 ex-smokers). Sputum cell differential counts, and expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), myeloperoxidase (MPO), nitrotyrosine and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE) were analysed from cytospins by immunocytochemistry. Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and lactoferrin were measured from sputum supernatants by ELISA. RESULTS: FENO was significantly decreased in smokers, mean (SD) 11.0 (6.7) ppb, compared to non-smokers, 22.9 (10.0), p < 0.0001. Induced sputum showed increased levels of neutrophils (p = 0.01) and elevated numbers of iNOS (p = 0.004), MPO (p = 0.003), nitrotyrosine (p = 0.003), and 4-HNE (p = 0.03) positive cells in smokers when compared to non-smokers. Sputum lactoferrin levels were also higher in smokers than in non-smokers (p = 0.02). Furthermore, we noted four negative correlations between FENO and 1) total neutrophils (r = -0.367, p = 0.02), 2) positive cells for iNOS (r = -0.503, p = 0.005), 3) MPO (r = -0.547, p = 0.008), and 4) nitrotyrosine (r = -0.424, p = 0.03). However, no major differences were found between never smokers and ex-smokers or between healthy smokers and stage 0 COPD patients. CONCLUSION: Our results clearly indicate that several markers of oxidative/nitrosative stress are increased in current cigarette smokers compared to non-smokers and no major differences can be observed in these biomarkers between non-symptomatic smokers and subjects with GOLD stage 0 COPD.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Finland: prevalence and risk factors.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Finland, the current prevalence of COPD is unknown. This population-based study aimed to assess the prevalence of COPD in Finland in adults 21-70 years of age by using internationally accepted criteria for COPD, and to evaluate risk factors for COPD. A random sample (n = 959) of questionnaire responders was invited to participate in a clinical study, which included a structured interview, skin-prick tests, and spirometry. Complete data were received from 683 subjects. According to the criteria of the British Thoracic Society and the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, the prevalence of COPD was 5.4% and 9.4% respectively. The risk of COPD increased significantly with age, amount of smoking, and family history of obstructive airways disease, but not with skin-prick positive allergy, recreational skiing, or outdoor work. The smoking-adjusted risk of clinically relevant COPD did not differ significantly between men and women. Among subjects with a smoking history of more than 40 pack-years, the prevalence of COPD was over 50%. Early start age of smoking was a strong risk factor.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Abnormal blood lactate accumulation after exercise in patients with multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions and minor muscular symptoms.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Muscle is one of the most commonly affected organs in mitochondrial disorders, and the symptoms are often exercise related. The cardiopulmonary exercise test with the determination of lactic acid formation could give supplementary information about the exercise-induced metabolic stress and compensatory mechanisms used in these disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the exercise capacity and lactate kinetics related to exercise in subjects with two genetically characterized mitochondrial disorders (multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions with PEO, MELAS) compared with lactate kinetics in subjects with metabolic myopathy (McArdle's disease) and in the healthy controls. DESIGN: The subjects were consecutive, co-operative patients of Department of Neurology of Helsinki University Hospital. Molecular genetic analyses were used for group classification of the mitochondrial myopathy. STUDY SUBJECTS: The study groups consisted of 11 patients with multiple deletions (PEO) and five patients with a point mutation in the mitochondrial DNA (MELAS), four patients with a muscle phosphorylase enzyme deficiency (McArdle's disease) and 13 healthy controls. The clinical disease of the patients was relatively mild. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: A graded exercise test with ventilatory gas analyses and venous blood lactic acid analyses was performed. The main finding was the prolonged accumulation of blood lactate after the exercise in the PEO and MELAS groups compared with the controls. An overcompensation in ventilation was found in the MELAS and PEO group. CONCLUSIONS: The blood lactate accumulation after exercise occurs in patients with multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions or MELAS even in patients with only mild exercise intolerance. Cardiopulmonary exercise can be used in the diagnostic process of patients with mitochondrial myopathies.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Mulibrey heart disease: clinical manifestations, long-term course, and results of pericardiectomy in a series of 49 patients born before 1985.

BACKGROUND: Mulibrey nanism is a rare inherited disease characterized by growth failure and multiorgan manifestations, including constrictive pericarditis. Its long-term course, the results of pericardiectomy, and the details of myocardial involvement have not been reported previously. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 49 patients (26 men) born before 1985 and followed for up to 25 years. By 1999, 25 patients (51%) had developed congestive heart failure (CHF), 19 (39%) had undergone pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis, 10 (22%) had died of cardiac causes, and 5 (10%) had died of noncardiac causes. Of the 19 pericardiectomized patients, 12 derived lasting clinical benefit, whereas 1 patient suffered an early noncardiac death and 6 died later of unrelieved or recurrent CHF. At echocardiography in 34 living patients, left ventricular mass adjusted for body height and weight averaged (+/-SEM) 149+/-5 g in 21 unoperated patients, 144+/-8 g in 13 pericardiectomized patients, and 104+/-7 g in 16 healthy persons matched for age and sex (P=0.000). Autopsies of 11 patients showed fibrotic thickening of the pericardial leaves with myocardial hypertrophy and variable but mostly mild myocardial fibrosis. Endocardial thickening was seen in 3 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Constrictive pericarditis, myocardial hypertrophy, and variable myocardial fibrosis constitute the main elements of Mulibrey heart disease. At least one half of patients ultimately develop CHF. Pericardiectomy generally provides clinical benefit, but in approximately one third of patients, CHF may recur because of coexisting myocardial involvement.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Does living in a cold climate or recreational skiing increase the risk for obstructive respiratory diseases or symptoms?

OBJECTIVES: Respiratory symptoms and obstructive pulmonary diseases experienced during exercise and in cold weather were analysed in a large postal questionnaire study of a general adult population living in a cold climate. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of shortness of breath (SOB) during exercise, or in cold weather, and to find out if the risks (odds ratio=OR) for asthma, chronic bronchitis, or SOB during exercise, or in cold weather, were affected by recreational cross-country skiing, or by outdoor work in a cold climate. RESULTS: Of the 7937 invited persons, 84% responded; 876 of them were outdoor workers and 1497 were recreational cross-country skiers. Of the non-smoking responders, asthmatic subjects had the highest prevalence of SOB during exercise in cold weather (78%-82%), but allergic and bronchitic persons also had significantly higher prevalence rates (22%-38% and 27%-59%, respectively) than healthy persons (10%-19%). In all categories, the prevalence of SOB was significantly higher among current smokers than among ex- or non-smokers. Risk factor analysis revealed increased risks for respiratory conditions among those who had a family history of obstructive airway disease, or allergy. Skiers did not have a significantly increased risk for asthma, or respiratory symptoms. Among outdoor workers the risk for SOB during exercise in cold weather, OR 1.23 (CI 1.03-1.47), and for chronic bronchitis, OR 1.77 (CI 1.21-2.60), was higher than among indoor workers. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the risk for chronic bronchitis and bronchitic symptoms was elevated among outdoor workers, but not among regular recreational cross-country skiers, and the risk for asthma was not significantly elevated by regular exercising, or by working in a cold climate.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Lung function in diastrophic dysplasia.

Diastrophic dysplasia (DD) is a rare skeletal dysplasia characterized by short-limbed short stature, contractures and early degeneration of joints, and spinal deformities such as scoliosis. Mortality is increased in the neonatal period, in part due to tracheo- and bronchomalacia. Additionally, spinal deformities are very rigid, decreasing mobility of the chest cage. The aim of our study was to evaluate lung volumes and airway flow dynamics in patients with DD. A total of 31 patients (12 males, 19 females) underwent a detailed clinical examination measurements of standing height PA-radiography of the spine, flow-volume spirometry, and body plethysmography. The patients were assigned to two groups: children and adolescents (0-18 years, n = 18) and adults (over 18 years, n = 13). The mean spirometric parameters were mostly within the predicted value range, although the variation was wide. At least one abnormally low spirometry parameter was found in 6 (33%) of the children and adolescents and in 7 (54%) of the adults. Mean forced vital capacity (FVC) was 104% (range 48-163%) of predicted values in the children and adolescents and 95% (58-140%) of the adults. Peak expiratory flow (PEF) values were abnormal in 4 (22%) of the children and adolescents and in 5 (39%) adults. The mean plethysmographic parameters were all within the predicted value range. At least one abnormal plethysmographic value was found in 6 (33%) of the children and adolescents and in 4 (31%) of the adults. Airway resistance (Raw) was significantly higher in the adults than in the children and adolescents (P = 0.016), and was abnormally high in 3 (23%) of the adults. The angle of thoracic or thoracolumbar scoliosis correlated with the percentages of the predicted values of FVC (r(s) = - 0.66), forced expired volume in 1 sec (FEV(1)) (r(s) = - 0.56), and total lung capacity (TLC) (r(s) = - 0.67). Age correlated with the FEV(1)/FVC ratio (r(s) = - 0.41), with the maximal expired flow at 50% FEV (MEF(50)) values (r(s) = - 0.55), with the residual volume (RV) values (r(s) = - 0.47), and with the RV/TLC ratio (r(s) = - 0.43). Variable bronchial obstruction was found in 1 (6%) child and in 2 (17%) adults. Although the patients with DD had, on average, normal lung volumes, large individual variation occurred. Airway resistance was increased in adults. The angle of scoliosis correlated inversely with lung volume parameters.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

The quality of spirometric examinations in Finland: results from a national questionnaire survey.

National treatment programmes for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have in the past few years increased the need for spirometry in Finland. The purpose of this study was to determine, by means of a national questionnaire survey, the quality and number of spirometric examinations performed in Finland in 1998, the year when the national COPD programme was initiated. We estimated that 395 000-425 000 spirometric examinations were performed in Finland in 1998. The mean quality of spirometry was evaluated as moderate, and the quality index developed for this study indicated an average of scores of 67 (max 100), ranging between 43 and 88 in the whole country. The most common qualitative insufficiencies in spirometric examinations were found in preparation of the subject for the examination, performance of the examination, recognition of a successful spirometric curve and evaluation of reproducibility of the examination. Furthermore, the time reserved in the reports for performing the examination was often very short. However, in comparison with the previous questionnaire survey in Finland (in 1990), the quality of spirometry had markedly improved.

Finland↗
PubMed2002

Fat accumulation in the liver is associated with defects in insulin suppression of glucose production and serum free fatty acids independent of obesity in normal men.

We determined whether interindividual variation in hepatic insulin sensitivity could be attributed to variation in liver fat content (LFAT) independent of obesity. We recruited 30 healthy nondiabetic men whose LFAT (determined by proton spectroscopy); intraabdominal, sc, and total (determined by magnetic resonance imaging) fat; and insulin sensitivity of endogenous glucose rate of production (R(a)) and suppression of serum FFA [euglycemic insulin clamp combined with [3-(3)H]glucose (0-300 min); insulin infusion rate, 0.3 mU/kg.min, 120-300 min] were measured. The men were divided into groups of low (mean +/- SD, 1.7 +/- 0.2%) and high (10.5 +/- 2.0%) LFAT based on their median fat content. The low and high LFAT groups were comparable with respect to age (44 +/- 2 vs. 42 +/- 2 yr), body mass index (25 +/- 1 vs. 26 +/- 1 kg/m(2) ), waist to hip ratio (0.953 +/- 0.013 vs. 0.953 +/- 0.013), maximal oxygen uptake (35.6 +/- 1.5 vs. 33.5 +/- 1.5 ml/kg.min), and intraabdominal, sc, and total fat. The high compared with the low LFAT group had several features of insulin resistance, including fasting hyperinsulinemia (7.3 +/- 0.6 vs. 5.3 +/- 0.6 mU/liter; P < 0.02, high vs. low LFAT) hypertriglyceridemia (1.4 +/- 0.2 vs. 0.9 +/- 0.1 mmol/liter; P < 0.02), a low high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentration (1.4 +/- 0.1 vs. 1.6 +/- 0.1 mmol/liter; P < 0.05), and a higher ambulatory 24-h systolic blood pressure (130 +/- 3 vs. 122 +/- 3 mm Hg; P < 0.05). Basal glucose R(a) and serum FFA were comparable between the groups, whereas insulin suppression of glucose R(a) [51 +/- 8 vs. 20 +/- 12 mg/m(2).min during 240-300 min (P < 0.05) or -55 +/- 7 vs. -85 +/- 12% below basal (P < 0.05, high vs. low LFAT)] and of serum FFA (299 +/- 33 vs. 212 +/- 13 micromol/liter; 240-300 min; P < 0.02) were impaired in the high compared with the low LFAT group. Insulin stimulation of glucose Rd were comparable in the men with high LFAT (141 +/- 12 mg/m(2).min) and those with low LFAT (156 +/- 14 mg/m(2).min; P = NS). Fat accumulation in the liver is, independent of body mass index and intraabdominal and overall obesity, characterized by several features of insulin resistance in normal weight and moderately overweight subjects.

Adipose Tissue↗