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Biomedical subjects

E Kåss

Publications and source records attributed to E Kåss.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Quantitative radio-isotope scanning of the sacroiliac joints in ankylosing spondylitis.

A method for applying 99mTc-MDP for dynamic and static quantitative radioisotope scanning (QRS) of the sacroiliac joints (SI) in early progressive sacroiliitis in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is described. In a prospective study, 2 groups of male AS patients were investigated, one with increased elevated erythrocytic sedimentation rate (ESR) (group A, n = 7) and one with normal ESR (group B, n = 8). In both groups an increased uptake of the radiotracer was found in the static part of the study versus a control group C (n = 9). An increased uptake versus group C was also found for group A in the dynamic part of the study (p = 0.01) while there was no significant difference dynamically between groups B and C. The results of the dynamic study in group A indicate ESR to be a parameter of inflammatory activity in the SI joints. The study also seems to indicate QRS to be a valuable diagnostic method in early AS without definite radiographic changes in the SI joints.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Reintroduction of state activities. Problems of the health sector seen from a renewal's perspective].

Medical knowledge is increasing and calls for a flexible public health service. The counties' responsibility for the public health service makes this difficult. A National Hospital Council would ensure that the decentralized public health services makes full use of the country's total resources, without the transfer of money between different administrative levels at additional cost to the patient during serious illness. The article discusses management and administration of hospitals. The DRG-System is compared with the system of payment for patients' stay in hospital. The previous nationally appointed district doctor arrangement is discussed in relation to the present local community doctor arrangement.

Diagnosis-Related Groups↗
PubMed1989

Treatment of fibromyalgia (fibrositis syndrome): a parallel double blind trial with carisoprodol, paracetamol and caffeine (Somadril comp) versus placebo.

Forty-three of fifty-eight (74.1%) female patients with fibromyalgia completed an eight-week treatment period testing the combination of carisoprodol, paracetamol (acetaminophen) and caffeine versus placebo. Twenty-three patients received placebo and twenty active medication. In the placebo group 56.5% of the patients used additional analgesics or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs compared to only 20% in the active treatment group (p = 0.015). Forty-three percent of the patients in the placebo group and none of the patients in the active treatment group used tricyclic antidepressants, anxiolytics or sedatives (p = 0.0008). Active treatment gave statistically significant improvement after treatment for pain (p less than 0.01), for sleep quality (p less than 0.01) and for the general feeling of sickness (p less than 0.05). In the active treatment group increased pressure pain threshold after eight weeks was found at 70% of the sites measured, while the pressure pain threshold was increased at only 30% of the sites in the placebo group. In the placebo group improvement was found for the pain and sleep quality (p less than 0.05). This improvement may in part be due to the large amounts of extra medication in this group. Thus, the combination of carisoprodol and paracetamol (acetaminophen) and caffeine are effective in the treatment of fibromyalgia.

Acetaminophen↗
PubMed1989

Identification of antihistone antibodies in subsets of juvenile chronic arthritis.

Antihistone antibodies (AHAs) as measured by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were detected in the sera of 58 (48%) of 121 unselected patients with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA). AHAs were found in 28 (93%) of 30 patients with JCA with uveitis but in only 30 (33%) of 91 patients with JCA without uveitis. AHA positivity was unrelated to the type of joint involvement, disease activity, and drug regimen. When the AHA positive group was divided into 28 patients with JCA with uveitis and 30 patients with JCA without uveitis a distinct response pattern of AHA was detected in each group. Anti-H3 dominated in the JCA/uveitis group, whereas a more heterogeneous AHA pattern was shown in the group without uveitis. The results indicate that subtyping for AHA reactivity may define patients who are highly susceptible for the development of anterior uveitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Modulation of pain in fibromyalgia (fibrositis syndrome): cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) investigation of pain related neuropeptides with special reference to calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP).

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) were 0.94 +/- 0.06 fmol/ml (mean +/- SEM), of substance P, 35.1 +/- 3.2 fmol/ml and of substance P (1-7), 10.8 +/- 1.2 fmol/ml, as measured by radioimmunoassay in 26 female patients with fibromyalgia. No correlation was found between the levels of CGRP and the substance P and substance P (1-7) levels (r = 0.316, p = 0.14). Our results show that the anatomical coexistence of pain related neuropeptides in neurons is not necessarily reflected by the levels of these peptides measured in the CSF. The presence of CGRP in the CSF could be important since it can enhance the nociceptive activity of tachykinins. This may be of importance in the pathogenesis of pain in fibromyalgia.

Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide↗
PubMed1988

Effects of piroxicam and D-penicillamine on T lymphocyte subpopulations, natural killer cells and rheumatoid factor production in rheumatoid arthritis.

The effects of piroxicam and D-penicillamine on T lymphocytes, NK cell activity and rheumatoid factor production as well as clinical parameters were studied in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The level of total rheumatoid factor fell during treatment with D-penicillamine (p less than 0.02) and there was a positive correlation (K greater than 0.50, p less than 0.05) between this fall in rheumatoid factor and the improvement of several clinical activity parameters. No significant change was observed in the level of rheumatoid factor during treatment with piroxicam. Natural killer cell activity decreased from 21.1 +/- 2.5 to 15.8 +/- 1.9 after treatment with piroxicam for 3 weeks (p less than 0.05) as compared with changes in the controls. No change in natural killer cell activity was seen after treatment with D-penicillamine. Moreover, no significant changes in the numbers of T4+ and T8+ lymphocytes nor in the numbers of HLA-DR positive T cells were seen in the two treatment groups. Both laboratory and clinical activity parameters improved during the treatment with D-penicillamine, while only subjective parameters improved during treatment with piroxicam.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Cerebrospinal fluid levels of beta-endorphin in patients with fibromyalgia (fibrositis syndrome).

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 18 female patients with fibromyalgia (fibrositis syndrome) were analyzed for beta-endorphin. The mean CSF level of beta-endorphin was 20.7 +/- 0.7 fmol/ml in the patients compared to 20.5 +/- 2.0 fmol/ml (mean +/- SEM) in healthy controls (p greater than 0.05). Thus, patients with fibromyalgia (fibrositis syndrome) seem to have normal CSF levels of the pain modulatory neuropeptide beta-endorphin.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Tolerance of cyclosporine A in children with refractory juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

In an open trial, tolerance and safety of cyclosporine A was studied in 14 patients with refractory juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). The doses varied from 4-15 mg/kg/day. Treatment lasted for greater than 12 months in 11 and 6 to 9 months in 3 patients. Eleven patients were withdrawn due to lack of efficacy (4) or side effects (7). A drop of greater than 2 g/l in hemoglobin and a marked rise in serum creatinine were the cause of withdrawal in 5 patients. The effect of cyclosporine on disease activity seemed to be mainly symptomatic and temporary. Probably, the dose should be kept below 5 mg/kg/day. Future controlled studies should be aware of a risk of aggravation of anemia in children treated with cyclosporine.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1987

An open, controlled, randomized comparison of cyclosporine and azathioprine in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a preliminary report.

Cyclosporine (10 mg/kg/day) and azathioprine (2.5-3 mg/kg/day) were compared for 26 weeks in an open, controlled, randomized study of 24 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Each treatment group consisted of 12 patients. Those patients who took cyclosporine improved significantly in the 50-foot walk time, circumferences of proximal interphalangeal joints, Ritchie articular index, global assessment by investigator, and grip strength, when compared with baseline findings. In the azathioprine group, there was improvement only in grip strength.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1987

Phenotypes of T lymphocytes from peripheral blood and synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Evidence in favour of normal helper and suppressor functions of T lymphocytes from patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Lymphocytes from peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) from 21 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 18 patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) were studied with respect to T cell phenotypes using monoclonal antibodies in a rosette assay. The percentage of HLA-DR positive T cells was counted in PB and SF using indirect immunofluorescence. Suppressor cell activity of T cells from PB and SF was investigated by measuring the immunoglobulin production by pokeweed mitogen (PWM) stimulated B cells mixed with T cells at various ratios. The mean T4/T8 ratio was significantly lower in SF than in PB of both RA and JRA patients (p = 0.0062 and p less than 0.0001 respectively). The mean percentages of HLA-DR positive T cells were elevated in SF compared with PB in both patients groups (p less than 0.03 and p less than 0.04 in RA and JRA patients respectively). Mean suppressor cell activity and helper cell activity of T cells from SF and PB of JRA patients was normal. Thus there seems to be a dichotomy between the number of T8+ cells and suppressor cell function in mononuclear cells from SF of patients with JRA. This indicates that a considerable proportion of the T8+ cells in the SF do not have suppressor functions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Bechterew's syndrome (ankylosing spondylitis). A syndrome with distinct subgroups.

The results of tests for associations among radiographic findings of the dorsolumbar spine, peripheral joints, tendon insertions and the pubic symphysis are presented. Ankylosis of sacro-iliac joints, ankylosis of apophyseal joints, bridging syndesmophytes, ossified interspinous ligament, block vertebrae, arthritis of the pubic symphysis and new bone formation of the ischium were strongly mutually associated. They probably belong to the same subgroup of disease. Such findings were negatively associated with distal peripheral joint arthritis. Mixed osteophytes, parasyndesmophytes or shining corners (anterior spondylitis) showed associations suggesting that the etiology may be mixed. A late stage of sacro-iliitis, regressive changes, characterized by narrow joint spaces without extensive ankylosis and with minimal sclerosis (grade IV sacro-iliitis) was associated with distal peripheral joints arthritis, but negatively associated with signs of ankylosing processes of the dorsolumbar spine. On the basis of the radiographic findings, distinct subgroups of AS could be identified. These results confirm our previous results of an association pattern between clinical findings. We would also recommend that the grading system of sacro-iliitis put forward by Dale be adopted, since it turned out that this grading system often distinguished between distinct subgroups of this heterogeneous condition(s).

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Family studies in Bechterew's syndrome (ankylosing spondylitis). I. Prevalences of symptoms and signs in relatives of HLAB27 positive probands.

All available adult first-degree relatives of 66 patients with HLAB27 positive ankylosing spondylitis were examined clinically and radiographically and their white blood cells were HLA typed. Ten per cent of all relatives and 20% of HLAB27 positive relatives had Bechterew's syndrome. An additional 10% had minimal radiographical changes in the sacro-iliac joints, or peripheral arthropathy. Sixteen out of 19 persons who had minimal radiographical changes in the sacro-iliac joints were HLAB27 positive. Backache was common (25% or more) in any group of relatives, and did not discriminate well between relatives with or without Bechterew's syndrome. Spine or chest stiffness should prompt examination for Bechterew's syndrome, but is an inadequate diagnostic criterion for the syndrome. Typing for HLAB27 is probably the best prognostic test, although most HLAB27 positive persons did not exhibit any objective sign of disease. Repeated radiographical examination of HLAB27 negative persons should be avoided.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Family studies in Bechterew's syndrome (ankylosing spondylitis). II. Prevalences of symptoms and signs in relatives of HLAB27 negative probands.

All available adult first-degree relatives of 9 probands with HLAB27 negative ankylosing spondylitis were examined. Completion rate was 90%. Prevalences of symptoms and signs and distributions of chest and spinal mobility are presented. No secondary case of Bechterew's syndrome was found among the relatives, compared with 10% among the relatives of HLAB27 positive probands (p = 0.05). We conclude from this study and that of relatives of HLAB27 positive probands, that a HLAB27 negative relative runs a low risk of contracting Bechterew's syndrome, irrespective of the HLAB27 status of the proband.

Adult↗