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Biomedical subjects

B Petersson

Publications and source records attributed to B Petersson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Clinical epidemiology of heart failure: experience in a rural hospital.

The prevalence of patients with heart failure is increasing in the population. This study was designed to find out whether this depends on increased survival or an increased incidence in the hospital catchment area. The hospital register of discharge diagnoses was searched for the diagnosis heart failure between 1987 and 1994. The vital status of each individual was checked in April 1995. For those deceased, survival time was calculated. The incidence increased gradually from 1.4/1,000 inhabitants in 1987 to 2.6/1,000 inhabitants in 1994, with the same incidence for men and women. There was no significant difference in survival for those treated in the beginning of the period compared to those treated late. Women had a 27% reduction in mortality compared to men. A one-decade age increase raised the hazard ratio by 35%. There has been an increase in incidence and demand for hospital beds for the diagnosis heart failure. The overall prognosis has not improved during the surveyed years. Being a man and being elderly carried a worse prognosis.

Data Interpretation, Statistical

Alcohol consumption and ischemic heart disease mortality in Sweden.

Most previous studies on the relationship between alcohol consumption and mortality from ischemic heart disease (IHD) have been conducted in countries with an alcohol consumption pattern different from that in Sweden (and other countries in the "Vodka Belt"), where irregular binge drinking of distilled spirits is common. Therefore, we carried out an ecological study in Sweden where cross-sectional, longitudinal, and time series analyses (1973-1986) were performed on consumption of spirits, wine and beer in relation to age-standardized mortality in IHD for males and females. There was a negative correlation in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses between wine consumption and mortality from IHD, especially strong for women, but no consistent relationship between the consumption of total ethanol, spirits and beer versus the mortality from IHD. In the time series analysis, only wine was negatively correlated with IHD mortality for women. We conclude that, on a population level, consumption of spirits and beer in a Swedish drinking pattern does not imply any protection against death from IHD. On the other hand, wine consumption in Sweden could be associated with a reduced risk of IHD death among women.

Adolescent

Human skeletal muscle protein: effect of malnutrition, elective surgery and total parenteral nutrition.

1. The concentration of alkali-soluble protein, DNA and RNA in percutaneous muscle biopsy specimens was analysed. Tissue alkali-soluble protein/DNA ratio is a measure of muscle protein concentration, while tissue RNA/DNA ratio may reflect the capacity for protein synthesis. 2. Patients with weight loss due to cancer (n = 6) were compared with metabolically healthy patients before elective surgery (n = 7). Alkali-soluble protein/DNA and RNA/DNA ratios in the weight loss group were 248 (14) g/g and 1.3 (0.1) g/g respectively as compared with 404 (13) g/g and 2.1 (0.1) g/g in otherwise healthy patients. All of the alkali-soluble protein/DNA ratios and 5/6 of the RNA/DNA ratios in the weight loss group were below the 95% confidence interval for the healthy control subjects. 3. Patients undergoing elective open cholecystectomy (n = 7) were studied preoperatively and on days 3, 10, 20 and 30 post-operatively. The alkali-soluble protein/DNA ratio remained unchanged on post-operative day 3 but decreased by 8.7% (P < 0.01), 9.6% (P < 0.05) and 20.4% (P < 0.01) on days 10, 20 and 30 respectively in patients eating at will after the operation. No significant post-operative changes in alkali-soluble protein/DNA ratio were seen in patients given post-operative total parenteral nutrition with (n = 9) or without (n = 7) glycyl-glutamine supplementation for 3 days after surgery. 4. In conclusion, patients with weight loss due to malignant disease have a low muscle protein concentration. Elective surgery of medium magnitude results in a decrease in muscle protein lasting for more than 30 days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged

Ambivalence among women applying for abortion.

BACKGROUND: Our purpose was to characterize women expressing ambivalence when applying for abortion. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data were collected, by self-administered questionnaires, from 339 women. Thirty percent were in doubt about the decision when the abortion was due. Socio-economic factors more often influenced the choice among ambivalent women than among those not in any doubt. RESULTS: Ambivalent women more often felt exposed to social pressure and some felt that the abortion was not their own choice. Their decision-making was marked by doubt during the entire process. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for professional support during this decision-making process. Many of the ambivalent women stated that their decision might not have been the same under different personal circumstances.

Abortion Applicants

Long-term effects of postoperative total parenteral nutrition supplemented with glycylglutamine on subjective fatigue and muscle protein synthesis.

Seventeen patients undergoing elective open cholecystectomy were given conventional total parenteral nutrition either with (nine patients) or without (eight) glutamine supplementation of 20 g/day for 3 days after surgery and thereafter ordinary food for the following 27 days. Muscle protein synthesis, as assessed by the total concentration of ribosomes, decreased in control patients on day 3 following surgery and remained low on days 10, 20 and 30 (P < 0.05). In patients who received glutamine the total ribosome concentration was maintained on the third day after operation. Concurrently, the subjective feeling of fatigue increased on days 3 and 10 after surgery and the nitrogen balance was negative after operation in both groups, without any difference related to glutamine supplementation. Intravenous glutamine after surgery counteracts a decline in muscle protein synthesis only for as long as it is provided.

Cholecystectomy

Long-term changes in muscle free amino acid levels after elective abdominal surgery.

Characteristic changes in the pattern of muscle free amino acids are seen on the third day after elective surgery. The time course of the restoration to normal levels in uncomplicated cases has not been established before. Seven metabolically healthy patients undergoing cholecystectomy were studied. Muscle biopsy specimens and plasma samples were taken before operation and on days 3, 10, 20 and 30 after surgery. The level of total free amino acids in skeletal muscle decreased and the concentrations of branched chain and aromatic amino acids increased on day 3. The original levels were found to be restored on day 10 after surgery. A decrease in glutamine of 38 per cent (P less than 0.001) was seen on day 3, of 20 per cent (P less than 0.05) on day 10 and of 22 per cent (P less than 0.05) on day 30, compared with preoperative values. These results constitute a baseline for future studies in which the impact of nutritional and pharmacological therapies is to be evaluated beyond the immediate postoperative period.

Amino Acids

Suicide attempts among Greek and Danish women and the quality of their relationships with husbands or boyfriends.

Greek and Danish women 15-45 years old who attempted suicide were interviewed with an extensive semistructured schedule, in Athens and Copenhagen, after admission to the intensive care unit of 2 general hospitals and one psychiatric reception ward. This article presents 2 groups from each country, a group of married women and a group with steady relationships (n = 56), focusing on the quality of their relationships and their significance for the women's suicide attempts. Most of the women in both countries had very poor relationships, as concerns communication, intimacy, concern, recreation, sharing of everyday activities and social and private life. A high degree of psychological and physical violence was found in all 4 groups. The burdensome and humiliating relationship created shame in the women. After unsuccessful attempts to change the relationship and inability to leave it because of financial and emotional dependence, the women attempted suicide to escape from the situation.

Adolescent

Elective abdominal surgery depresses muscle protein synthesis and increases subjective fatigue: effects lasting more than 30 days.

Ten patients without metabolic disease undergoing elective cholecystectomy were studied before surgery and on days 3, 10, 20 and 30 after operation. Percutaneous muscle biopsies were taken and protein synthesis was determined from the total concentration and size distribution of ribosomes. The subjective feeling of fatigue was estimated using a visual analogue scale. The nitrogen balance was calculated at 20 days following surgery. The mean (s.e.m.) total concentration of ribosomes per milligram of DNA decreased by 27.5(6.6) per cent (P less than 0.01), 44.5(6.5) per cent (P less than 0.001), 48.3(8.9) per cent (P less than 0.001) and 45.0(8.2) per cent (P less than 0.01) on days 3, 10, 20 and 30, respectively. By 30 days after surgery no sign of restoration of normality was seen. The relative proportion of polyribosomes had decreased by 20.4(6.4) per cent (P less than 0.05) on the third postoperative day and by 20.4(3.9) per cent (P less than 0.01) on the tenth postoperative day and was restored to the preoperative level by day 20. The subjective fatigue score increased after operation and five of nine patients had not regained their preoperative scores 30 days after surgery. The daily nitrogen balance was negative for 5 days. The cumulated nitrogen losses were not restored until after 18 days following surgery. Elective abdominal surgery caused a sustained depression of protein synthesis for over 30 days, a longer period than previously presumed. These results show that long-term follow-up is required when the effect of different postoperative nutritional regimens are to be evaluated.

Cholecystectomy

Can you dope yourself with food? On the abuse aspect of bulimia nervosa.

Bulimia Nervosa (BN) fulfilling the DSM-III-R criteria have been seen in Denmark since 1980. In this article the syndrome is divided in two parts, an abuse part, the binge-eating and a part related to the socialization of women, the different forms of weight regulation. The development and treatment of the syndrome is discussed from experience with women in group psychotherapy.

Anorexia Nervosa

Tissue culture of human fetal pancreas. Effects of nicotinamide on insulin production and formation of isletlike cell clusters.

Human fetal pancreas (HFP) is a potential source of beta-cells for transplantation to insulin-dependent diabetic patients. We have previously described a method for tissue culture of HFP that results in the in vitro development of isletlike cell clusters (ICCs) containing a minority of insulin-positive cells. Recently we found that nicotinamide, an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase, induces an increased islet cell DNA replication both in vivo and in vitro. In this study, this culture technique was used to evaluate the effects of addition of 10 mM nicotinamide on HFP explants cultured in RPMI-1640 medium plus 10% human serum. ICCs developed in 11 of 19 consecutive cultures with nicotinamide increased the yield of ICCs by 40%. Also, the insulin content of ICCs increased approximately 50% with nicotinamide supplementation, although measurements of DNA indicated an unchanged number of cells in each ICC. Neither the rates of insulin release in response to 16.7 mM glucose plus 5 mM theophylline nor the (pro)insulin or total protein biosynthesis rates were affected by nicotinamide addition. The combined results of this study suggest that nicotinamide is useful for stimulating the formation of ICCs from HFP.

Culture Techniques

Analysis of the role of alcohol in mortality, particularly sudden unwitnessed death, in middle-aged men in Malmö, Sweden.

An analysis of the role of alcohol in death was made in an unselected population of middle-aged males in Malmö, Sweden. 347 deaths were investigated in the years 1975-1981 among males who had been invited to a preventive screening program. An alcoholic background was prominent in the males whose deaths were sudden and unwitnessed. In general, definite pathology was not demonstrable post mortem for such deaths. Their possible mechanisms are discussed.

Alcoholism

Tissue culture of human fetal pancreas: growth hormone stimulates the formation and insulin production of islet-like cell clusters.

The human fetal pancreas (HFP) is a potential source of insulin-producing B-cells for transplantation to insulin-dependent diabetic patients. We recently described a technique for culturing HFP tissue in vitro which results in the development of islet-like cell clusters (ICC). These clusters exhibited (pro)insulin biosynthesis and a modest rate of insulin secretion, and immunocytochemical staining indicated the presence of insulin-positive cells in the cell clusters. In this study this technique was used to evaluate the effects of the addition of 1000 micrograms/L GH to HFP cultured in medium RPMI-1640 plus 10% human serum. ICCs developed in 21 of 33 consecutive cultures. GH increased the yield of ICC by 35% compared to explants supplemented with human serum alone. The insulin content of the ICCs also was increased, but the size of individual ICCs was not affected by GH, as reflected by an unchanged DNA content. GH also caused increased insulin release when the ICCs were stimulated with 16.7 mM glucose plus 5 mM theophylline. However, (pro)insulin biosynthesis was not affected by the addition of GH. These results suggest that GH stimulates the formation of both ICCs and insulin production within the explants. These observations are relevant both for the production of human fetal B-cells intended for transplantation into insulin-dependent diabetic patients and for our knowledge of the growth regulation of the HFP B-cell.

Culture Techniques