Biomedical subjects

G Schou

Publications and source records attributed to G Schou.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1991

[Blood pressure among school 14-15 year old children. Blood pressure determination in school children aged 14-15 years in the county of Vejle by school physicians].

A total of 3,790 school pupils aged 14 and 15 years attending the ninth form during the school session 1986/87 were submitted to blood pressure measurements employing a digital sphygmomanometer. Where boys were concerned an average blood pressure of 123.9/65.9 mmHg was found while, in girls, the average blood pressure was 117.6/70.9 mmHg. In cases with blood pressure readings over the 90% fractile, repeated measurements are recommended. The 90% fractile for boys was 139/80 mmHg and for and for girls 133/84 mmHg. In cases where repeated measurements show blood pressure readings over the 95% fractile, further investigation and advice about risk factors are recommended. The 95% fractile for boys was 144/84 mmHg and 138/88 mmHg for girls. The influence of pubertal development and body-weight on the blood pressure are reviewed. Screening in connection with health examination in the ninth form is recommended in order to identify adolescents at risk for development of hypertension.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

Nitrofurantoin versus trimethoprim prophylaxis in recurrent urinary tract infection in children. A randomized, double-blind study.

The efficiency of nitrofurantoin and trimethoprim prophylaxis in preventing recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) was compared by means of actuarial percentage recurrence-free curves in a randomized, double blind study in 130 children (126 girls, 4 boys) aged 1 to 14 years (mean 7.5). The children received the antibiotics for 6 months. Nitrofurantoin proved to be the most efficient prophylactic drug in patients with abnormal urography and/or reflux (n = 60) as evaluated by actuarial percentage recurrence-free analysis (p = 0.0025). However, no differences was found in patients without urinary tract abnormalities. Nitrofurantoin prophylaxis altered neither the pattern of resistance nor the bacteriological constellation, while patients receiving trimethoprim prophylaxis had 76% trimethoprim resistant bacteria during prophylaxis, compared with 8% before (p less than 0.0001) and 17% after (p less than 0.0001) prophylaxis. The percentage of recurrences due to E. coli (70-80%) was unaffected by trimethoprim prophylaxis, but the proportion due to trimethoprim resistant E. coli was significantly higher during prophylaxis (65%) than before (6%, p less than 0.0001) and after (11%, p less than 0.001). The percentage of Staphylococcus epidermidis UTI was significantly higher during trimethoprim prophylaxis (27%) than before (2%, p less than 0.0003). Following prophylaxis there was no difference in the actuarial percentage recurrence-free curves of the two regimens. Side effects occurred more frequently in the nitrofurantoin group (37%) than in the trimethoprim group (21%) (p = 0.05). The majority of side effects in the nitrofurantoin group derived from gastrointestinal symptoms. In conclusion, nitrofurantoin is recommended as the first choice prophylactic treatment of children with recurrent UTI and urinary tract abnormalities.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Malignancy in ulcerative colitis.

All patients with ulcerative colitis referred to Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, from 1 April 1964 to 1 January 1983 (18 years and 9 months) were studied from time of referral until death, proctocolectomy, or end of the study (1983). There were 759 patients, 423 females (56%) and 336 males (44%). None was lost to follow-up study. Median time from onset of disease until death, proctocolectomy, or end of the study was 11 years (range, 0-54 years). Median age at onset was 28 years (range, 0-83) among the males and 28 years (range, 4-83) among the females. Pancolitis was present in 312 patients (41%), left-sided colitis in 212 (28%), and haemorrhagic proctitis in 235 (31%). Surgical treatment was performed in 299 patients (39%): proctocolectomy in 197 (26%), colectomy with occluded rectal stump in 72 (9%), and colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis in 30 (4%). Altogether, 49 patients developed cancer, 20 being intestinal and 29 extraintestinal cancer. Compared with the general population matched for age, sex, and calendar time, there was an excessive number with intestinal cancer in both sexes (p less than 0.05). In females the number with extraintestinal cancer was higher than in the general population (p less than 0.01), a finding that has not been reported elsewhere. We found a similar, significantly increased incidence of extraintestinal cancer in females with Crohn's disease in a previous report. We found no increased risk of colorectal cancer in patients with early onset of ulcerative colitis. For all age classes we found that the age of appearance of colorectal cancer followed the equation: age at colorectal cancer = 14 + age at onset of ulcerative colitis. We found no higher potential for development of colorectal cancer in patients with pancolitis. In our series the incidence of colorectal cancer in pancolitis and left-sided colitis was equal. The incidence in patients with haemorrhagic proctitis was zero.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1988

The joint effect of risk factors on endometrial cancer.

The joint effect of risk factors on endometrial cancer was examined by applying general statistical models to the data of a hospital-based case-control study conducted in Copenhagen, Denmark. The analysis included 149 cases of histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the endometrium and 154 age-matched controls with cervical cancer. Information on risk factors derived from the medical records. Estrogen use and body mass were found to be the main predictors of endometrial cancer risk. In the model proposed, women who ever used non-contraceptive estrogens had a 10-fold increased risk irrespective of their weight and height. Among non-users of estrogen, the risk of endometrial cancer rose with increasing body mass, the largest showing a five-fold increased risk. These data provide further evidence of the significant role that excess estrogens play, whether exogenous from replacement therapy or endogenous from enhanced androgen conversion, in the etiology of endometrial cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1988

Bowen's disease and internal malignant diseases. A study of 581 patients.

In a retrospective study of 581 patients with a diagnosis of Bowen's disease (BD) treated over a 40-year period, we traced patient records to identify later diagnoses of nonskin cancer. Fifty patients had nonskin cancer, as against an expected number of 40, but this difference was not significant. The lack of association was equally true for BD on sun-exposed and non-sun-exposed skin. Our findings support the view that BD is not a skin marker for internal malignant disease.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

Breast cancer incidence subsequent to surgical reduction of the female breast.

The incidence of breast cancer was determined in 1245 women who were treated surgically for breast hypertrophy in Copenhagen, Denmark, between 1943 and 1971. Breast cancer cases were identified by a linkage to the Danish Cancer Registry. The expected number of breast cancers was estimated from age and calendar-time specific incidence rates in the Danish female population. A total of 18 breast cancers developed compared to 30.28 expected, yielding a relative risk (RR) of 0.59 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35-0.94). The greatest risk reduction was observed ten or more years after the plastic surgery operation in women who had 600 g or more of breast tissue removed (RR = 0.27; 95% CI 0.03-0.99). This suggests that the number of potential foci are important for cancer development in the breast.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Malignancy in Crohn's disease.

The incidence of cancer in Crohn's disease has been evaluated in 473 patients admitted to Rigshospitalet during the period 1 April 1964 to 1 January 1983. The patients' condition at the end of the survey, their survival, and the number and location of cancers were registered. During the survey period 23 cancers (4.9%) were found. Five were intestinal (1.1%) and were split evenly among the two sexes, whereas among 18 patients with extraintestinal cancers there was only 1 man. There was no increased risk of developing cancer inside the gastrointestinal tract compared with a background population matched for age, sex, and calendar time. Extraintestinal cancer in women was, however, significantly in excess.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1986

Updating prognosis and therapeutic effect evaluation in cirrhosis with Cox's multiple regression model for time-dependent variables.

A multivariate Cox regression analysis with time-dependent variables has been performed on the data of 415 patients with cirrhosis included in a controlled clinical trial of 10-15 mg prednisone daily versus placebo. The analysis showed that a poor prognosis was associated with a low prothrombin index, marked ascites, GI bleeding, high age, high daily alcohol consumption, high bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase and low albumin values, little liver connective tissue inflammation, and poor nutritional status. Prothrombin index and ascites showed significant interaction with the treatment in such a manner that high prothrombin index and absence of ascites were associated with a beneficial effect of prednisone, whereas low prothrombin index and presence of ascites were associated with a harmful effect of prednisone treatment. The final model was validated in independent patients by comparing their actual survival with that predicted from the model, using a split-sample testing technique. The prognostic factors were combined with an index that can be used to update prognosis whenever changes occur in the clinical status of a patient during the course of the disease. The probability of surviving the next 3 or 6 months can be estimated from the prognostic index at any time during the course. The index may be of value for the correct timing of special therapeutic procedures such as liver transplantation.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Trends in cancer incidence in the Nordic countries. A collaborative study of the five Nordic Cancer Registries.

Time trends and differentials in cancer incidence in the five Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, were investigated, using material collected by the cancer registries in each country. The incidence at all sites combined and at 23 anatomical sites was studied by age, birth cohort and time period. The maximum lengths of the trends were used for each country. In Denmark the material comprised all the tumours diagnosed in 1943-1980, in Finland and Norway those diagnosed in 1953-1980, in Iceland those diagnosed in 1955-1980, and in Sweden those diagnosed in 1958-1980. For males the age-adjusted cancer incidence rates at all sites combined were highest in Denmark and Finland, and lowest in Sweden and Norway. In females the incidence was highest in Denmark and Iceland, and lowest in Finland. The rates increased slightly for both sexes. For cancer of the pancreas, Hodgkin's disease, acute leukaemia and childhood cancer (all sites combined) the rates in all the Nordic countries were similar every year. For cancers of the stomach, colon, breast, corpus uteri, ovary, prostate, testis, urinary bladder, melanoma of the skin and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas the trends were similar but on different levels. For cancers of the larynx and lung in males the rates in Finland decreased during the 1970s, whereas the rates were increasing in the other Nordic countries. For cancer of the rectum, the trend showed a decrease in Denmark but an increase in the other Nordic countries. For lip cancer the rate in Sweden was almost constant over time, but in Denmark, Finland and Norway a decrease occurred. For oesophageal cancer in males the rates decreased in Finland and Iceland in the 1970s, whereas in Denmark and Norway there was very little change, and in Sweden there was an increase in the rates. For cancer of the cervix uteri the rates started to decrease in Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden in the mid-1960s, but in Norway not until some ten years later. The differentials between the countries were largest for cancers of the testis and thyroid, in which the highest incidence was five to six times as large as the lowest. For testicular cancer the rate was the highest in Denmark, for thyroid cancer in Iceland. For both of these cancers the rate was the lowest in Finland. Melanoma of the skin was the cancer with the most rapid increase in incidence with time in all the Nordic countries.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

PubMed1985

Therapeutic and clinico-pathological factors in the survival of 1,469 patients with primary cutaneous malignant melanoma in clinical stage I. A multivariate regression analysis.

Therapeutic and clinico-pathological data of 1,469 patients with clinical stage I malignant melanoma of the skin without histological evidence of fibrotic areas of regression were examined by multivariate regression analysis. In accordance with a previous analysis anatomical site of tumour, tumour thickness, level of invasion, mitotic rate, ulceration, lymphocytic reaction, dominant type of invasive tumour cell, and sex were found to act as independent risk factors. The present analysis, furthermore, showed that size of resection margin, diagnostic biopsy, removal of the deep fascia, age at surgery, as well as presence and depth of nevus cells did not influence prognosis when adjusting for the independent risk factors.

Biopsy↗

PubMed1985

Survival with primary cutaneous malignant melanoma, evaluated from 2012 cases. A multivariate regression analysis.

Cox's multivariate regression model for survival data was applied to 2,012 patients with primary cutaneous melanoma in order to evaluate the relative prognostic value of numerous clinical and histological variables and to establish their prognostically most efficient combination. The material was divided into 4 groups according to the size of resection margin of the primary lesion (less than 2.0 cm, 2.0 cm, 2.1-4.9 cm, and greater than or equal to 5.0 cm). Data were analysed separately in these 4 groups and equivalent results were obtained. The risk factors were clinical stage, site of tumour, tumour thickness, level of invasion, mitotic activity, ulceration, lymphocytic reaction, predominant type of invasive tumour cell and partial regression. When accounting for these factors, histological type, nuclear pleomorphism, nucleolar size, vascular invasion, pigmentation, verrucous growth pattern, and dermal elastosis were without prognostic influence. The effect of sex and age of patient was uncertain and both variables, therefore, were retained in the model. By using Cox's method it is possible to make a qualified estimate of the survival for the individual patient.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Prognostic factors in primary cutaneous malignant melanoma.

Cox's multivariate regression model for survival data was applied to facts in cases of 2,012 patients with primary cutaneous malignant melanomas in order to evaluate the relative prognostic value of numerous clinicohistologic variables and to establish their prognostically most meaningful combination. The variables that were found to be independent risk factors were clinical stage, site of lesion, thickness of lesion, level of invasion, mitotic figures, ulceration, lymphocytic infiltrate, predominant type of neoplastic cell, and regression. The factors that were found to be without prognostic significance were histological type, nuclear pleomorphism, nucleolar size, vascular invasion, pigmentation, and attendant solar elastosis. The prognostic effects of sex and age of patients were uncertain, and both variables therefore were retained in the model.

Epidermis↗

PubMed1985

Biopsy and optimal size of margins of resection of primary cutaneous malignant melanomas.

Cox's multivariate regression analysis for survival data was applied to facts in 1,469 clinical Stage 1 cutaneous malignant melanomas without areas of regression in order to evaluate the prognostic value of size of margins of resection and preliminary biopsy as well as sex and age of patients when accounting for variables previously shown as independent risk factors, i.e., site of lesion, thickness of lesion, level of invasion, number of mitotic figures, ulceration, lymphocytic infiltration, and predominant type of neoplastic cell. These variables were also found to be independent risk factors together with sex of patient in the present study. In contrast, size of margins of resection, preliminary biopsies, and ages of patients were found to be without prognostic significance.

Biopsy↗

PubMed1985

Second cancer following cancers of the buccal cavity and pharynx in Denmark, 1943-80.

Cancers of the buccal cavity and the pharynx are not only anatomically related but, except for the nasopharynx, also have risk factors in common. Multifocal occurrence of cancers in the buccal cavity and pharynx must be kept in mind when one is interpreting findings on multiple tumors. However, susceptibility to common risk factors, predominantly alcohol and tobacco, seem to be in operation among males, inasmuch as excess lung cancer followed cancers of the tongue [relative risk (RR) = 2.2], other parts of the mouth (RR = 2.2), and pharynx (RR = 2.0). Among females, lung cancer was in excess after cancers of the tongue (RR = 3.7) and mouth (RR = 3.6). Among males, esophageal cancer was elevated after cancers of the mouth (RR = 4.7) and tongue (RR = 5.7). Other combinations of tobacco-related cancers among males include those of the bladder (RR = 2.5) after cancer of the tongue and larynx (RR = 5.4) after pharyngeal cancer. Common etiologic factors or the multifocal nature of tumors of the buccal cavity might also account for the increases of cancer of the mouth (RR = 2.6) following lip cancer and cancer of the tongue (RR = 14) following mouth cancers among males. Among females, cancer of the mouth (RR = 17) was elevated after tongue, tongue (RR = 31) after mouth, and tongue (RR = 10) after salivary gland tumors. The excess of pharyngeal cancers in women (RR = 19) following cancer of the lip may be explained by common risk factors. Observed deficits of colon cancer following cancer of the lip in males and after tongue and salivary gland tumors in females could reflect low socioeconomic status, although a deficit of stomach cancer among males (RR = 0.1) also followed cancer of the salivary glands.

Denmark↗

PubMed1985

Summary: multiple primary cancers in Denmark, 1943-80.

The risk of developing a second primary cancer was studied among 171,749 men and 208,192 women who were reported to the Danish Cancer Registry between 1943 and 1980. Only those who survived at least 2 months were included in the analysis, and more than 1.7 million person-years of observation were accrued. Altogether, 15,084 second primary cancers developed in organs other than the initial cancer site [relative risk (RR) = 0.99]. Adjustment for possible underreporting of multiple primary cancers increased the RR to 1.06. The overall RR of a second cancer developing for all sites was 0.91, but interpretation of this risk is difficult because new tumors arising within the same organ are generally not recorded in Denmark. The RR for all sites increased with time from 0.94 during the first decade of follow-up (excluding the first year) to 1.13 among 30-year survivors. Patients below the age of 20 years when first diagnosed with cancer experienced significantly increased risk of developing a second cancer. Elevated risks were also observed for sites thought to have a common etiology. For example, cancers of smoking-related sites were increased in both directions for cancers of the oral cavity, respiratory tract, and urinary organs. For cancers suspected to have a hormone- or dietary fat-related association, significant reciprocal relationships were seen among cancers of the endometrium, ovary, and colon. Cancer treatment probably is an important factor in second cancer development, even when judged indirectly in the present study. For example, radiotherapy may have been responsible for an elevated risk of subsequent cancers of the thyroid, breast, colon, rectum, bladder, connective tissue, and hematopoietic system in long-term survivors. Chemotherapy may have increased the risk of subsequent leukemias. Our data further indicate that cancer patients have no general susceptibility to develop new malignant tumors, although high rates may be found for particular sites sharing common risk factors. Conversely, the occurrence of one cancer does not appear to protect against developing a new cancer.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1979

The effects of low doses of cyproterone acetate on some functions of the reproductive system in normal men.

One daily dose of either 5 mg or 10 mg cyproterone acetate (CA) was administered to 2 groups of 4 fertile men for 6 months. The medication was preceded by a 3 months placebo period and followed by a recovery phase of 5 to 8 months. During CA-treatment the sperm count/ml decreased and the percentage of abnormal spermatozoa increased slightly (0.991 less than P less than 0.05). Sperm penetration assessed by the Kremer test did not show any decrease during treatment. Serum levels of testosterone and FSH decreased, but those of LH remained unchanged during treatment. Two pregnancies occurred after 13/4 and 51/2 months of CA-treatment. The serum-CA concentration in these 2 volonteers did not differ from that of the remainder. Three subjects who began the study were withdrawn because of depressive mood changes (2) and weakness combined with dizziness (1). Data from these subjects were not included. The results indicate that daily doses of 5 mg and 10 mg of cyproterone acetate are not effective as a male contraceptive.

Adult↗