PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Bengtsson

Publications and source records attributed to C Bengtsson.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Molecular charge heterogeneity of human serum erythropoietin.

The charge heterogeneity of human serum erythropoietin (S-Epo) was studied in 89 serum specimens from 78 subjects by zone electrophoresis in 0.17% agarose suspension at pH 8.6. The electrophoretic elution profiles of S-Epo were determined with a radioimmunoassay for Epo. The number of Epo peaks indicated that at least 20-30 different forms of Epo were present in a single serum specimen. The median charge of Epo, estimated as its median electrophoretic mobility, was determined for each serum specimen. This median charge was measured in 10 healthy adults, 46 patients with anaemia, six patients with secondary polycythaemia, one patient with polycythaemia vera treated by phlebotomy, and six healthy newborn infants (cord sera). Forty-four of the patients with anaemia had a median charge of S-Epo within the reference range for healthy adults, while all the patients with polycythaemia and the newborn infants had less negatively charged forms of S-Epo. In nine patients in whom the S-Epo level had a circadian rhythm, the forms of S-Epo in the evening were less negative than those in the morning. The median charge of recombinant preparations was much less negative than that of S-Epo in healthy individuals, while that of the 2nd International Reference Preparation was more negative than in any of the 78 subjects analysed. A significant change to less negatively charged S-Epo forms was observed 24 h after a subcutaneous injection of recombinant Epo in one patient, who before the injection had a normal median charge and concentration of S-Epo. In conclusion, Epo exhibits a considerable charge heterogeneity in individual serum specimens, the forms of S-Epo in the morning may differ from those in the evening, those in adults differ from those in newborn infants, and those in patients with anaemia differ from those in polycythaemia. The results also suggest that the methods used in this study may be useful for detecting the presence of injected recombinant Epo in the blood in persons with a normal endogenous Epo production.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Antihypertensive drugs and glucose metabolism: comparison between a diuretic, a beta-blocker and felodipine, a new calcium antagonist in subjects with arterial hypertension and diabetes.

Felodipine, a new antihypertensive calcium antagonist, was compared with metoprolol, a beta-blocker, and hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic, with respect to glucose tolerance in a randomized double-blind cross-over study consisting of 11 patients, of age range 50-70 years, who had developed diabetes during antihypertensive treatment. Each treatment period lasted for 10 weeks. The blood pressure was similar irrespective of treatment. Serum glucose levels during the oral glucose tolerance test were significantly lower when the patients were treated with felodipine than when they were taking hydrochlorothiazide. Serum insulin levels appeared to decrease at an earlier stage of the test when the patients were treated with felodipine, the calcium antagonist, than with the other two antihypertensive substances, which suggests that glucose tolerance is impaired to a lesser extent during treatment with the calcium antagonist. Glucose tolerance was never completely normalized with any of the drugs tested.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Fasting serum insulin concentration and early insulin response as risk determinants for developing diabetes.

Among a cohort of 348 women aged 50 on entering a 12-year prospective study, the incidence of diabetes was increased (17.1%) during follow-up in those who initially had fasting glucose concentration above the upper quintile, a fasting serum insulin concentration above the upper quintile (14.9%), a disappearance rate of glucose below the lowest quintile in an IV glucose tolerance test (12.7%), or early insulin response below the lowest quintile (17.1%). The incidence in all women was 4.9%. By multivariate analysis, the highest risk was for high fasting serum insulin concentration. Obesity and treatment with antihypertensive drugs further increased the risk. An initial low early insulin response was not however a prerequisite for the development of manifest diabetes. Determination of fasting insulin concentration, especially in overweight hypertensive subjects, is of value in order to find out which subjects are at high risk of developing diabetes.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed1990

Uniform guidance for medical care. A description of the process for preparing guidelines accepted by different levels of care.

Advice by telephone is an important part of primary health care service. Telephone advice is given at different levels of care. In order to give people confidence in the health care system it is important that personnel at different levels give similar advice for the same symptom or complaint. In order to establish generally accepted guidelines, discussions were held between personnel at different levels of care. This procedure was laborious but successful. Generally accepted guidelines could be agreed upon for all the symptoms and complaints discussed, altogether more than 60. This paper describes the procedure used during the collaborative work to provide these guidelines. It must be emphasised, though, that the guidelines should be adapted to local circumstances before being used as a practical aid in the health care service at health centres and at other outpatient units.

Clinical Protocols↗
PubMed1990

Symptoms by age and sex. The population studies of men and women in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Symptoms by age and sex were studied in two population studies from Gothenburg, Sweden. In general, men and women showed the same age-related pattern. The prevalence of the following symptoms increased with age--sleeping disturbances, pain in the joints, pain in the legs, breathlessness, and impaired hearing. Six symptoms decreased with age--general fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea, cough, and headache. A group of symptoms showed a curvilinear shape with a peak at the age of 50. In general, women presented more symptoms than men. This was especially true for symptoms of depression and tension. A possible explanation is that women are more attentive to their internal state. A more probable explanation, supported by our study, is that the mental symptoms are related to the woman's situation in life with double work (responsible for both work and family).

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Prevalence of urinary incontinence among women at a Swedish primary health care centre.

Information on urinary incontinence was obtained by means of a questionnaire from women visiting a Swedish health centre. Among women aged 18 and above, 44% stated that they had urinary incontinence. About one-third of these women reported stress incontinence, one-third urge incontinence, and one-third both. Urinary incontinence was more prevalent with increasing age and was more common among women who had given birth to children, in overweight women, in women taking diuretics, and in women with some defined diseases. Of those with incontinence, 13% stated that it impaired their work and 28% that it impaired leisure activities. Many of them had not asked for medical help for the symptom. It is important to emphasize the high prevalence of the symptom, and even more important to increase our knowledge of how best to take care of these women.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Optimal felodipine dose when combined with metoprolol in arterial hypertension: a Swedish multicenter study within primary health care. Swedish General Practitioner Felodipine Study Group.

In a multicenter study comprising 23 Swedish primary health care centers, felodipine extended-release (ER) tablets in doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg were compared double-blind with placebo when given in addition to metoprolol controlled-release (CR) tablets 100 mg. All medication was given once daily in the morning. Altogether, 251 hypertensive patients with a diastolic blood pressure greater than 95 mm Hg after 4 weeks of treatment with placebo in combination with metoprolol CR 100 mg were randomized to four parallel groups. After 4 weeks of treatment, there were significantly greater reductions in blood pressure with all doses of felodipine ER than with placebo, both 2 and 24 h after intake of the tablets. Twelve patients were withdrawn because of adverse reactions. Of these, one patient was taking placebo, one 5 mg of felodipine ER, four 10 mg of felodipine ER, and six patients 20 mg of felodipine ER. When combined with metoprolol, 5 mg of felodipine ER seemed to be less effective than higher doses, but was very well tolerated. Adding 10 mg of felodipine ER to the basal metoprolol appeared to be optimal if both the effect and adverse reactions were taken into consideration.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Incidence of diabetes during antihypertensive treatment.

A prospective population study of women in Gothenburg, Sweden, showed an increased risk of developing diabetes in women taking diuretics or beta-blockers as antihypertensive agents compared to other women. The risk seemed to be still higher, if the combination of diuretics and beta-blockers was used. The same observation was made also when the study was confined to hypertensive women indicating that not only the hypertensive state but also the antihypertensive drugs per se may be a risk factor for developing diabetes. This possibility is further strengthened by the fact that, as far as diabetes type II is concerned, the hypertensive state in most cases precedes the development of diabetes, while only few subjects with diabetes type II develop arterial hypertension. We could only study the possible diabetic effect of diuretics and beta-blockers. It must, however, be of great interest to study alpha-blockers, calcium antagonists and ACE inhibitors in the same way. If one or more of these new substances will prove not to be diabetogenic, this will be a very important factor in our choice of first drug in the treatment of arterial hypertension.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1990

Morbidity, mortality, and quality of life for patients treated with levothyroxine.

In a population study of 1462 middle-aged women initiated in 1968 and 1969 we identified 29 women treated with levothyroxine from 1 to 28 years. In a 12-year follow-up in 1980 and 1981 we investigated the subjects for end-point myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, stroke, cancer, and death (the status of 99.7% of the initial participants was established). The women treated with levothyroxine showed no increase in morbidity or mortality. Of the 24 women still receiving levothyroxine in 1980 and 1981, 22 had serum thyrotropin and triiodothyronine concentrations with-in reference limits. These individuals were compared with the 968 women from the population study having no history of thyroid disease, and appeared identical as to laboratory and clinical data, with the exception of a slightly higher body mass, taller stature, and lower serum cholesterol concentration. The treated group did not differ in a life quality estimate based on 19 questions regarding life satisfaction and sensory function. We conclude that the levothyroxine-treated woman suffers no side effects from her life-long therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Some errors inherent in a longitudinal dietary survey revealed by the urine nitrogen test.

In the longitudinal population study 'Women in Gothenburg', subgroups of 154, 205 and 331 women in 1968/69, 1974/75 and 1980/81 respectively, were subjected to a dietary interview and collected a 24-h urine specimen for nitrogen analyses. The dietary data demonstrated a continuous increase in intake of energy and protein with time (2030, 2150 and 2350 kcal/d and 73, 77 and 90 g protein/d), while the 'true' protein intake (calculated from 24-h urine nitrogen) was unchanged (75, 73 and 75 g/d). The discrepancies were interpreted as being due to the changes in the dietary questionnaires made before the interviews in 1974/75, and again in 1980/81, changes expected to improve the method. In 1968/69 overweight women (BMI 24-30), as well as obese women (BMI greater than 30), reported a significantly smaller intake of energy and protein than lean women. Their reported protein intake was significantly lower than their 'true' protein intake (69 versus 77 g/d and 73 versus 94 g/d, respectively). Significant underreporting of dietary intake by the overweight and obese women in the studies 1974/75 and 1980/81 was revealed by the urine nitrogen test after correction for the methodological errors of the questionnaires. The results illustrate the necessity of using an independent validation test in dietary surveys.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Malignant neoplastic disease in women.

This study refers to a longitudinal population study of women in Gothenburg, Sweden. The prevalences of malignant neoplastic disease in two cross-sectional studies in 1968-1969 and in 1980-1981, respectively, and incidence figures for the 12-year period between these cross-sectional studies are presented. The data on malignant neoplasms were based on interview of the participants in the population study, on information from the Cancer Registry of the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare and from the Swedish National Bureau of Statistics and were confirmed by death certificates, inpatient and outpatient records and reexaminations of tissue specimens from the tumor tissue. The prevalences of malignant neoplastic disease increased with age from 0.3% at the age of 38 to 9.9% in women aged 60. The incidence rates during the 12-year period increased with age from about 2% in women aged 38 at the beginning of the study to be about 10% in women initially aged 60. Breast cancer was found to be the most common single malignant neoplasm followed by cancer of uterus and cancer of the ovaries.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Reliability of articular indices and function tests in a population study of rheumatic disorders.

Reliability and method error were assessed for 25 clinical tests by test-retest on 31 subjects with rheumatic disorder (RD) and on 28 consecutive non-RD of a reference group (REF) from a female population sample. Low systemic differences were found for joint mobility tests in the RD group and correlation coefficients were generally above 0.7. A significant difference in the RD group was found only for climbing stairs, and in the REF group for shoulder external rotation and flexion, wrist extension and grip strength. The relative method error of grip strength was large (17%). A new assessment of activities of daily living could not be fully evaluated because the population studies had limited disability, but the error was acceptable. Articular indices (Lansbury, Ritchie, and American Rheumatism Association) showed large method errors (9-25%), acceptable test-retest correlations (greater than 0.75), and a systematic difference only in the Ritchie index. The analyses showed that a number of clinical tests are adequate for population studies of RD, but the metrical properties of these tests must be considered in the planning of clinical and population studies.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1989

Obesity, adipose tissue distribution and health in women--results from a population study in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The associations between generalized obesity measured as body mass index (BMI), or adipose tissue distribution, measured as the waist/hip circumference ratio (WHR), on one hand, and a number of socioeconomic, somatic as well as psychologic and mental health variables on the other, were analysed in a population study of women (1462 participants, aged 38-60 years, participation rate 90.1%). The anthropometric measurements were adjusted for their influence on each other. BMI, but not WHR, was negatively associated with socioeconomic status and education. Increased WHR correlated to a number of somatic diseases from different organ systems, including diabetes mellitus, infectious respiratory and abdominal diseases. Even more striking were strong correlations to a number of variables indicating accident proneness as well as mental disorder, and increased use of antidepressants and tranquilizers. BMI and WHR were also associated to different personality profiles. Furthermore, the use of alcohol and smoking were positively correlated to the WHR. In contrast, most of these associations were not seen with the BMI--sometimes even negative correlations were found. Exceptions were, however, varicose veins, joint problems and surgery for gall bladder disease, which were positively correlated to BMI only. Blood pressure, plasma triglycerides and uric acid were positively correlated to both BMI and the WHR, plasma cholesterol, however, only to the WHR. Obesity (high BMI) and abdominal adipose tissue distribution (high WHR) clearly show differences in their associations to various health variables. It is hypothesized that an arousal syndrome might be a contributing factor to cause symptoms of psychological maladjustment, including psychosomatic disease. Hypothetically, in parallel, an accumulation of depot fat in the abdominal depot, might follow as a consequence of neuroendocrine dysregulation of endocrine secretions.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1989

Aspects of hormone replacement therapy in the post-menopause.

A review of the literature indicates that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in post-menopausal women not only reduces the frequency of hot flushes and sweating episodes but also has a protective effect as regards the post-menopausal osteoporotic process. However, it has not yet proved possible to arrive at any conclusions concerning the overall effect of HRT on either ischaemic heart disease and other cardiovascular problems or the risk of developing malignant neoplastic disease. Nevertheless, there is evidence that oestrogen replacement in combination with a progestogen will reduce the risk of endometrial and breast cancer. There is a clear need for additional knowledge and it would therefore seem ethically appropriate to carry out an intervention study in order to determine whether women in general or specific groups in particular would benefit from long-term HRT. Such a study would seem especially urgent, since fractures of the neck of the femur and other osteoporotic manifestations are likely to be a major problem among women in the future.

Estrogens↗
PubMed1989

Dietary habits and incidence of noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in a population study of women in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Dietary intake as initially estimated in a cross-sectional study has been related to the 12-y incidence of diabetes mellitus in a prospective study of 1462 women. In addition, all 50-y-old women (n = 352) were subjected to an intravenous glucose tolerance test. Because of the sampling procedure and a high participation rate the participants were representative of middle-aged women in the general population. No differences of statistical significance were observed concerning intake of energy and different nutrients. Neither did the number of meals nor the longest time between meals differ between women who developed diabetes and those who did not. Women with impaired glucose tolerance who developed diabetes did not differ from those who did not develop diabetes, concerning dietary intake. Body mass index was significantly higher in women who developed diabetes compared with other women. No specific dietary recommendations can be based on the results of this study.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Medical advice by telephone at Swedish health centres: who calls and what are the problems?

Advice by telephone is an important activity at Swedish health centres and is mainly dealt with by nurses. This telephone counselling was studied during one week (Monday to Friday) at six Swedish health centres which were representative of rural as well as of urban populations. Based on the figures obtained from this study it could be calculated that about 20 million calls of this type are dealt with at Swedish health centres each year (population of Sweden about eight million). It was more common for women than for men to contact the health centre by telephone. About 70% of the calls were made by the patients themselves. Pain was the most common reason for contacting the health centre by telephone, followed by signs of infection. The majority of the telephone calls dealt with sick care, a minority were classified as administrative. About 40% of all calls were managed by the telephone adviser without involving the doctor at the health centre. Of all incoming calls, 44% resulted in an appointment time for a visit to a physician at the health centre, more than half of these being given for a visit during the same day. As the telephone counsel function is an important part of the activity at a Swedish health centre, it is important to evaluate its content and consequences.

Community Health Centers↗