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Biomedical subjects

D S Thelle

Publications and source records attributed to D S Thelle.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Intake of milk fat, reflected in adipose tissue fatty acids and risk of myocardial infarction: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To study the association between content of fatty acids from milk fat (14:0, 15:0 and 17:0) in adipose tissue and risk of a first myocardial infarction (MI). DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: A case-control study with 99 patients and 98 population controls both men and postmenopausal women, age 45-75 year. Adipose tissue fatty acids were determined by gas-liquid chromatography. RESULTS: The content of 14:0, 14:1, 15:0, 17:0 and 17:1 were all significantly higher in adipose tissue of controls than of the patients. Age and sex adjusted odds ratios (OR) for MI were significantly reduced with increasing quartiles of 14:0, 14:1, 15:0 and 17:1 in adipose tissue, but except for 15:0 (OR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.13-0.99), the trend was no longer significant after further adjustment for waist-to-hip ratio, smoking and family history for coronary heart disease. Correlations between 14:0 and 15:0 in adipose tissue, and waist-to-hip ratio were significantly negative (r = -0.22 for both, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that intake of dairy fat or some other component of dairy products, as reflected by C15:0 as marker in adipose tissue, may protect persons at increased risk from having a first MI, and that the causal effects may rely on other factors than serum cholesterol. SPONSORSHIP: Throne Holst's foundation for Nutrition Research, Research Council of Norway, The Norwegian Association of Margarine Producers, DeNoFa Fabriker A/S, TINE BA.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2004

Hormone therapy and mortality during a 14-year follow-up of 14 324 Norwegian women.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD), coronary heart disease (CHD) and all causes in relation to use of any hormone therapy (HT) and HT with oestradiol and norethisterone or levonorgestrel. DESIGN: Population-based cohort study. SETTING AND SUBJECTS: Women in three Norwegian counties were invited to a health survey in 1985-88 and 82.8% participated. In all 14 324 post- or perimenopausal women aged 35-62 years, including 702 HT users with a mean age of 48.8 years, were followed for 14 years. RESULTS: Women using HT had mortality from all causes and CVD comparable with that of nonusers. The relative risk (RRs) for CVD mortality amongst all women were 0.69 (95% CI: 0.35-1.33) for users of HT, and 0.96 (95% CI: 0.43-2.17) for users of HT with norethisterone or levonorgestrel. Amongst women free of self-reported cardiovascular health problems at baseline all-cause, CVD and CHD mortality tended to be lower amongst users of HT whilst HT use was linked with increased mortality amongst women with cardiovascular health problems. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of women around the usual age of menopause all-cause or CVD mortality amongst users of HT, most often oestradiol combined with norethisterone or levonorgestrel, was not markedly different from that of nonusers. Early CHD events amongst HT users prior to the baseline survey, together with selective inclusion of healthy subjects, may in part explain protective effects of HT on CHD reported from previous observational studies.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Filtered coffee raises serum cholesterol: results from a controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: Earlier studies and trials have shown a serum cholesterol raising effect of unfiltered coffee, which is reduced by about 80% in filtered coffee. Recent cross-sectional studies and trials, however, have indicated that filtered coffee may have a more pronounced serum cholesterol raising effect than previously anticipated. The objective of this controlled study was to assess the effects of the intake and abstention of filtered brewed coffee on blood lipids. DESIGN: A prospective, controlled study with four consecutive trial periods. The first and third periods were 3 weeks of total coffee abstention. The second and fourth periods consisted of 4 weeks with the subjects consuming 600 ml filter brewed coffee/day. SETTING: Free-living population. Volunteers. SUBJECTS: A total of 121 healthy, nonsmoking men and women aged 29-65 y. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum total cholesterol, serum HDL cholesterol, serum triglycerides, serum lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)), blood pressure and heart rate. RESULTS: The two coffee abstention periods were associated with a decline in serum cholesterol of 0.22 mmol/l (95% CI -0.31, -0.13) and 0.36 mmol/l (95% CI -0.46, -0.26), respectively. Filtered coffee/day 600 ml increased serum cholesterol by 0.25 mmol/l (95% CI 0.15, 0.36) and 0.15 mmol/l (95% CI 0.04, 0.26) during the two coffee drinking periods. CONCLUSIONS: Coffee abstention for 3 weeks decreased total serum cholesterol by 0.22-0.36 mmol/l. A volume of 600 ml (about four cups) of filtered coffee/day during 4 weeks raised total serum cholesterol by 0.15-0.25 mmol/l.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Folic acid supplement decreases the homocysteine increasing effect of filtered coffee. A randomised placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: Elevated levels of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) are identified as independent risk factors for coronary heart disease and for fetal neural tube defects. tHcy levels are negatively associated with folic acid, pyridoxine and cobalamine, and positively associated with coffee consumption and smoking. A total of 600 ml of filtered coffee results in a tHcy increase that 200 mug of folic acid or 40 mg of pyridoxine supplementation might eliminate. DESIGN: Randomised, blinded study with two consecutive trial periods. SETTING: Free living population. Volunteers. SUBJECTS: A total of 121 healthy, nonsmoking men and women (78%) aged 29-65 y. INTERVENTIONS: (1) A coffee-free period of 3 weeks, (2) 600 ml coffee/day and a supplement of 200 mug folic acid/day or placebo for 4 weeks, (3) 3-week coffee-free period, (4) 600 ml coffee/day and 40 mg pyridoxine/day or placebo for 4 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The difference between the change in tHcy in the supplement group and the change in tHcy in the placebo group during the 4-week trial period. RESULTS: Coffee abstention resulted in a tHcy decrease of 1.04 mumol/l for the whole group. In the subsequent coffee period, a further decrease of 0.17 mumol/l was observed in the folic acid group whereas an increase of 1.26 mumol/l was observed in the placebo group, the difference was 1.43 mumol/l (95% CI: 0.80, 2.07). Pyridoxine supplement had no impact on tHcy levels. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation of 200 mug folic acid/day eliminates the tHcy increasing effect of 600 ml filtered coffee in subjects not already on folic acid supplements. A supplement of 40 mg pyridoxine/day does not have the same effect.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Changing sex ratio in acute coronary heart disease: data from Swedish national registers 1984-99.

OBJECTIVES: To examine trends in sex ratios for different manifestations of coronary disease. DESIGN: National Swedish registers on hospital discharges and cause-specific deaths were used to calculate age- and sex-specific trends and sex ratios for coronary admissions and deaths. SETTING: Nineteen Swedish counties, average population 4.8-5.1 million in the investigated age groups. SUBJECTS: All patients aged 25-84 years with first hospital admissions or deaths as a result of coronary heart disease in 1984-99, in total 432,871 cases. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ratio men/women and rates (per 100,000) of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), acute admissions for angina and total of all acute admissions for any coronary disease. RESULTS: Below age of 65 years AMI incidence decreased more for men than for women and rates of acute admissions for angina increased more in women than in men. In men and women above 65 years trends were almost identical. In 1984-87 the ratio men/women with respect to myocardial infarction was 5.6 at age 25-44 years, but decreased to 3.7 in 1996-99. Corresponding sex ratios for angina decreased from 3.2 to 1.8 and for total coronary heart disease from 4.7 to 2.8. Amongst men and women aged 45-54 years, the sex ratio with respect to myocardial infarction decreased from 5.6 to 4.1, for angina from 2.4 to 1.7 and for total acute coronary disease from 4.2 to 2.7. Ratios men/women decreased less at higher ages and remained unchanged throughout the period in the oldest age group. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we found decreasing sex ratios at ages below 65, but above age 65 years trends in men and women were similar. These developments could be due to changing criteria for admission and diagnosis, but true differences in the clinical manifestation of coronary disease, possibly in response to secular trends in risk factor levels, cannot be excluded.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Troubled heart].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed2001

Validity of questions in the use of specific drug-groups in health surveys.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether morbidity in the general population could be assessed by questions on drug use in the Norwegian Health Survey 1995. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A sample of 6,702 persons, aged 20-79 years was interviewed in their homes using computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI). MEAN OUTCOME MEASURE: The validity of questions on use of analgesics and drugs against dyspepsia/peptic ulcer has been assessed according to categories of self-evaluated health. RESULTS: There was a difference between sporadic and daily users of the drugs to what extent they rated their health as poor. The validity of the drug questions assessed by sensitivity and specificity, showed that only using a dichotomous outcome variable, is too low to give a sufficiently valid measure of the morbidity in the population. CONCLUSIONS: Using "yes" or "no" as the only outcome of drug questions has the unfortunate effect of putting together chronic users of drugs with infrequent users for all of the subsequent analyses, which results in a considerable measurement error. This implies a need for improved methods to determine the optimal recall period for different drugs and it is crucial to include more details in questions on drug use to increase the validity of this information.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Abstention from filtered coffee reduces the concentrations of plasma homocysteine and serum cholesterol--a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Elevated concentrations of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) and serum total cholesterol are risk factors for ischemic heart disease (IHD). Previous studies showed that the consumption of very high doses of unfiltered coffee increases tHcy and total cholesterol. OBJECTIVE: A prospective intervention study was performed to assess the effects of coffee consumption on the concentrations of tHcy and total cholesterol by using doses and brewing methods common in southeastern Norway. DESIGN: The study was an unblinded, controlled trial with 191 healthy, nonsmoking, coffee-drinking volunteers aged 24-69 y randomly assigned to 3 groups who were asked to consume for 6 consecutive weeks no coffee, 1-3 cups (approximately 175-525 mL)/d, or > or =4 cups (approximately 700 mL)/d prepared in the manner to which they were accustomed. Blood samples were drawn when the subjects were randomly assigned and at 3 and 6 wk of the trial. Dietary data were collected by questionnaire. RESULTS: Ninety-seven percent of the participants reported being regular consumers of caffeinated filtered coffee. Abstention from coffee for 6 wk was associated with a decrease in the tHcy concentration of 1.08 micromol/L and a decrease in the total cholesterol concentration of 0.28 mmol/L in participants who had been drinking on average 4 cups of filtered coffee daily for the past year. Adjustments for several possible confounders did not alter the results. CONCLUSION: Abstention from filtered coffee in doses that are commonly consumed was associated with lower concentrations of tHcy and total cholesterol.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Differences in cardiovascular disease mortality and major risk factors between districts in Oslo. An ecological analysis.

BACKGROUND: The level of mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD), coronary heart disease (CHD) and from all causes varies considerably within Oslo. The purpose of this study was to examine these differences according to cardiovascular risk factors and socioeconomic variables at the district level. METHODS: Total mortality rates and cardiovascular mortality rates for subjects aged 45-74 years in 1991-1995, and their relationship to cardiovascular risk factors and socioeconomic indicators in the 25 districts of Oslo were studied. Cardiovascular risk factors were based on data from 40 year olds in 1985-1988. The following variables were used as independent variables in the regression analyses to explain differences between the districts: daily smoking, cholesterol level, systolic blood pressure, education and income. RESULTS: Mortality rates were strongly related to cardiovascular risk factors and to socio-economic indicators, with correlation coefficients (Pearson) of 0.74 for smoking and CVD mortality, and -0.78 for high income and CHD mortality. Smoking explained 70% of the differences in mortality from all causes for men and 46% for women, and 61% and 49% of the differences in CVD mortality for men and women respectively. Diastolic blood pressure and total cholesterol were closely related to socioeconomic indicators and to smoking, but the relative strength of the cardiovascular risk factors in the multivariate analyses differed for males and females. CONCLUSION: diovascular risk factors and socioeconomic indicators at the population level were strongly related to mortality, and explained a large proportion of the differences in mortality between different districts of Oslo in the 1990s.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

[Differences in health status--policy, life style and genes].

BACKGROUND: The five Nordic countries seem rather homogeneous when assessed from abroad. They do have a lot in common: similar political systems, same standard of living, and even a common language root for a large part of the population. The Nordic countries have collaborated quite closely after the Second World War in fields like the labour market, pension rights and passport control. However, the health status has varied considerably during the twentieth century, even though death rates from some of the most common diseases such as cardiovascular disease are starting to converge. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Vital statistics have been compared with regard to some common diseases. The differences are described according to current knowledge on preventive programmes such as breast cancer screening and screening for cardiovascular risk. The prevalence of some lifestyle variables such as alcohol, smoking, physical activity and fat consumption are reported. RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION: Lung cancer and cancer of the stomach still show substantial variation between the countries. Both discrepancies and similarities must be related to lifestyle, culture, politics and to some extent genetics. The five countries have their own viewpoints on tobacco, alcohol and nutrition policy, with the Danes the more liberal, and Swedes, Finns and Norwegians pursuing a stricter policy. These differences are to some extent reflected in the incidence of lung cancer, which are more positive in Finland, and the high death rates from liver cirrhosis in Denmark. The relatively unsatisfactory development in Denmark may be a consequence of a much longer period of structural unemployment than the other countries, as well as a more liberal attitude towards alcohol and smoking.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Adipose tissue fatty acids and risk of myocardial infarction--a case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: To study the association between content in adipose tissue of very long-chain n-3 fatty acids, trans fatty acids, linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid and risk of a first myocardial infarction. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: A case-control design among 100 patients and 98 population controls both men and postmenopausal women, age 45-75 y. Adipose tissue fatty acids were determined by gas-liquid chromatography. Intake data were obtained through interview using a validated food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: Dietary intake and adipose tissue content of the fatty acids studied correlated significantly. Adipose tissue contents of eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3), docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) were significantly lower while those of trans fatty acids, linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid were significantly higher in patients than in controls. Age and sex adjusted odds ratios (OR) were significantly reduced with increasing quintiles of very long-chain n-3 fatty acids, thus the OR in the fifth compared to the first quintile was 0.23 (95% CI 0.08-0.70). After further adjustment for waist-to-hip ratio, smoking, family history of CHD and content of trans fatty acids, the OR in the highest quintile was 0.17 (95% CI 0.04-0.76) and the P for trend 0. 016. Age and sex adjusted OR was increased in the fifth compared to the first quintile of trans fatty acids (OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.16-6.84), linoleic acid (OR 2.10, 95% CI 0.87-5.07) and alpha-linolenic acid (OR 1.96, 95% CI 0.83-4.61), and P for trend was 0.002, 0.005 and 0. 020, respectively. The trends remained significant after adjustment for waist-to-hip ratio, smoking, and family history of coronary heart disease. Trans fatty acids, linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid in adipose tissue were strongly correlated, indicating a common source, most likely margarine. When each of these fatty acid species were adjusted for the two others the trends were no longer significant. CONCLUSION: Intake of very long-chain n-3 fatty acids as reflected in adipose tissue content is inversely associated with risk of myocardial infarction. Trans fatty acids, linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid were intercorrelated and associated with increased risk. It is suggested that the increased risk may be connected to trans fatty acids or to some other factor associated with margarine consumption. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 54, 618-625.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2000

Cost and health consequences of reducing the population intake of salt.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to estimate health and economic consequences of interventions aimed at reducing the daily intake of salt (sodium chloride) by 6 g per person in the Norwegian population. Health promotion (information campaigns), development of new industry food recipes, declaration of salt content in food and taxes on salty food/subsidies of products with less salt, were possible interventions. DESIGN: The study was a simulation model based on present age and sex specific mortality in Norway and estimated impact of blood pressure reductions on the risks of myocardial infarction and stroke as observed in Norwegian follow up studies. A reduction of 2 mm Hg systolic blood pressure (range 1-4) was assumed through the actual interventions. The cost of the interventions in themselves, welfare losses from taxation of salty food/subsidising of food products with little salt, cost of avoided myocardial infarction and stroke treatment, cost of avoided antihypertensive treatment, hospital costs in additional life years and productivity gains from reduced morbidity and mortality were included. RESULTS: The estimated increase in life expectancy was 1.8 months in men and 1.4 in women. The net discounted (5%) cost of the interventions was minus $118 millions (that is, cost saving) in the base case. Sensitivity analyses indicate that the interventions would be cost saving unless the systolic blood pressure reduction were less than 2 mm Hg, productivity gains were disregarded or the welfare losses from price interventions were high. CONCLUSION: Population interventions to reduce the intake of salt are likely to improve the population's health and save costs to society.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1999

[The epidemiological transition during the 20th century].

An epidemiological transition took place during the 20th century causing profound demographic changes in the industrialised world. The transition is a reflection of lower birth rates and changing disease rates. These changes are associated with improved nutrition, hygiene and other social factors, and are unevenly distributed according to socio-economic status. Preventive efforts, intentional or not, and diagnostic and therapeutic improvements will contribute to a demographic transition resulting in an increasing number of elderly people. The epidemiological transition and the development of more sophisticated medical techniques will increase the demand for health care.

Epidemiology↗
PubMed1999

[Mortality trends in Russia].

Mortality statistics were sparse during the last two decades of the Soviet Union. Official spokesmen claimed that life expectancy increased after the Second World War, but reconstruction of mortality data after the downfall of the union revealed that mortality rates during the 1980s were far higher than in Western countries. During the 1990s, Russia has experienced a dramatic increase in mortality rates particularly in men aged 20-64 years. The major cause for this increase is the steep upturn of cardiovascular deaths which has been associated with high prevalence of smoking as well as high-fat diet. The increasing consumption of alcohol and the Russian habit of binge drinking is thought to be directly associated with an increased mortality of cardiovascular diseases. This is reflected in the excess number of cardiovascular deaths during weekends compared to weekdays.

Adult↗