Biomedical subjects

E Wuokko

Publications and source records attributed to E Wuokko.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Bladder management in persons with spinal cord lesion.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional clinical descriptive prevalence study. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the methods of self-reported bladder management, the frequency of urinary tract infection (UTI) and subjective disturbance of bladder problems of all those individuals with traumatic spinal cord lesion (SCL) living in Helsinki area. SETTING: : Helsinki, Finland. METHODS: A total of 152 persons with SCL were found in the Helsinki area (546 000 inhabitants). A structured questionnaire was sent to all subjects and they were invited to a clinical visit. RESULTS: The final study-group consisted of 129 (85%) subjects. They were defined into seven specific subgroups of bladder management: 14 (11%) subjects in the normal voiding group, 15 (12%) in the controlled voiding group, 16 (12%) in the clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) group, 30 (23%) in the mixed group, 31 (24%) in the suprapubic tapping group, 16 (12%) in the compression or straining group and seven (5%) in the catheter or conduit group. The frequency of UTI was highest in the mixed group. The bladder management was a biggest bother to the subjects in the compression or straining group. CONCLUSIONS: This prevalence study assesses the self-reported bladder management methods in all the persons with traumatic SCL in the Helsinki area. The subjects who used CIC and other methods for bladder management had more problems than others. These subjects might manage better by using either CIC or suprapubic tapping as the only method for bladder emptying.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

N-acetyl-L-cysteine inhibits apoptosis in human male germ cells in vitro.

Antioxidant defenses play a critical role in the regulation of programmed cell death, even when death is induced by nonoxidative stimuli. During spermatogenesis, most of the testicular germ cells degenerate by an apoptotic process that is under hormonal control. However, the exact mechanisms by which hormonal signals are transduced within the cells to direct their life, and whether other effectors of the apoptotic pathway, for example antioxidants, take part in the control of human germ cell survival, are not known. In the present study, testosterone and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), which is an antioxidant, an inhibitor of apoptosis in several systems, and a survival factor in human semen, were found to suppress programmed cell death in human testicular germ cells in vitro. The samples came from adult men undergoing orchidectomy for prostate cancer. Germ cell death was induced by incubating segments of seminiferous tubules under serum-free culture conditions. This apoptosis, detected by Southern blot analysis of DNA fragmentation, by DNA labeling in situ, and by morphological analysis under the electron microscope, was significantly inhibited by testosterone at concentrations of 10(-6) and 10(-7) mol/L. NAC concentrations of 125, 100, 50, and 25 mmol/L suppressed germ cell death in a dose-dependent manner. This inhibition was effective during 4, 24, and 48 h of incubation. Apoptotic cells were identified mainly as spermatocytes and early spermatids. Programmed cell death was also demonstrated in late spermatids. We conclude that NAC, which is an antioxidant, plays an important role in germ cell survival in the human seminiferous tubules in vitro. We also suggest NAC as a possible new therapeutic factor for some men with idiopathic oligospermia.

Acetylcysteine↗

PubMed1987

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis in a functioning kidney. A case report.

A 34-year-old woman with xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis mimicking a renal tumour is presented. Preoperative examinations including renal ultrasonography, computed tomography, renal angiography and fine needle biopsy could not exclude malignancy. The diseased kidney had good function and there was no history or signs of urinary tract infection or calculi. During operation a frozen section biopsy showed xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis and a kidney-saving enucleation of the tumour was performed. The patient recovered uneventfully with good kidney function on the operated side.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

The effect of phenylpropanolamine on female stress urinary incontinence.

In a randomized double-blind manner, 43 women with grade I and II stress urinary incontinence were treated with either phenylpropanolamine p.o. 50 mg twice daily (Rinexin, 1 tablet b.i.d.) or placebo during two weeks. Urethral CO2 profilometry, with recording of maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP) and functional urethral length (FUL), and subjective response were considered for effect evaluation. The subjective response of Rinexin was highly significant (p = 0.01) above that of placebo. Clinical improvement was reported by 15 of 21 women on Rinexin and by 8 of 22 women on placebo. A significant increase in MUCP, 14%, was registered in women on Rinexin treatment. This increase was more pronounced in the grade I than in the grade II incontinent women. No statistically significant correlations were obtained between subjective response and increase in MUCP. An increase in FUL was recorded in both two treatment groups, but no statistically significant difference between them was obtained. Adverse drug reactions were rare. No changes in blood pressure occurred. Based on the present study, Rinexin (1 tablet b.i.d.) is an effective and safe medication for female grade I and II stress incontinence and is also recommended as adjunctive therapy to physiotherapy before Teflon injection or operation.

Adult↗

PubMed1981

Metronidazole prophylaxis against wound infection in patients undergoing appendicectomy.

The effect of a preoperative single intravenous dose of metronidazole was studied in a prospective trial of 203 patients. 17.5% of the patients in the control group developed a wound infection compared with 3.4% of those receiving metronidazole (p less than 0.001). The average length of hospitalization and convalescence was significantly reduced in the metronidazole group. The use of metronidazole in prevention of wound infection is recommended.

Adult↗