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Biomedical subjects

Göran Nilsson

Publications and source records attributed to Göran Nilsson.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

QTc interval and survival in 75-year-old men and women from the general population.

AIMS: The study concerns the relationship of the corrected QT (QTc) interval to 6.4 years of survival and to measures of cardiac function, such as echocardiographic variables and plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), in 75-year-old people. METHODS AND RESULTS: QTc was measured in a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) in 210 men and 223 women, comprising a randomly selected sample from the general population (70% participation rate). The Sicard 440/740 computer-analysis program, with Hodges' formula for heart rate-based QT correction, was used. The optimal cut-off point for predicting survival according to the receiver operating characteristic curve was found between 429 and 430 ms. Individuals with a QTc interval of > or =430 ms (n = 115) had decreased survival when compared with those with shorter QTc interval (n = 318); the relative risk was 2.4 (95% confidence interval 1.5-3.7). The predictive ability of QTc reflects an association between QTc and the following variables: BNP, left ventricular mass, and left ventricular ejection fraction (but not diastolic filling patterns). Both Hodges' and Bazett's formulae for heart rate correction of the QT interval were useful for predicting survival. The median QTc was 415 ms using Hodges' formula and 430 ms with Bazett's formula. The QRS component of QTc predicted survival better than the rest of the QTc interval and was approximately as useful as the QTc interval itself. CONCLUSION: The computer-derived QTc obtained from the ordinary 12-lead ECG identifies high-risk individuals among elderly people from the general population.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Mitral annulus motion as a predictor of mortality in a community-based sample of 75-year-old men and women.

Mitral annulus motion (MAM) is a predictor of mortality in selected patient groups, but its prognostic value in less selected populations is not known. In a community-based random sample of 75-year-old men and women (n = 408), left ventricular function was measured as: (1) maximum amplitude of MAM; and (2) wall-motion index. During a median follow-up of 7.2 years, 83 persons died (26 from cardiac causes). Left ventricular function as measured by MAM predicted the risk of all-cause and cardiac mortality independently of other potential risk factors in this community-based sample. Regarding cardiac mortality, the predictive ability of MAM was also independent of left ventricular systolic function measured as wall-motion index. MAM may prove to be a valuable complement to other echocardiographic methods in the assessment of prognosis in less selected populations.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Artefacts in continuous ECG recordings--provoking and preventing manoeuvres.

OBJECTIVES: A systematic estimation of the effects of some clinically important artefact provoking and artefact-preventing manoeuvres. DESIGN: A test protocol for the evaluation of technical modifications of continuous ECG recordings was tested in 17 patients. The programme comprised ECG recordings during five artefact-provoking manoeuvres (slight shaking of the ECG cables, rotating shoulders, slight electrode touching, washing, teeth-brushing) and two simple artefact-preventing manoeuvres (taping ECG cables and covering electrodes with paper cups). RESULTS: The artefact-provoking manoeuvres induced a substantial increase in artefactual ECG. The artefact-preventing manoeuvres only incompletely prevented this increase. CONCLUSION: There is a great need of technical improvements to reduce the distortion of ECG by artefacts. The test protocol developed by us exposes a broad spectrum of different categories of ECG qualities and is therefore suitable for evaluating technical improvements concerning artefactual ECG.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

[The history of a detail--a study of ST-elevation in ECG].

ST-elevation in EKG is an important diagnostic sign of acute myocardial infarction since more than 80 years. Important clinical decisions such as hospitalisation for intensive coronary care and reperfusion of the occluded coronary artery by means of thrombolytic drugs or catheter intervention depend on this sign. A rapid resolution of a ST-elevation during these therapeutic procedures reflects successful reperfusion of the infarct-related coronary artery. The definition of ST-elevation is sometimes problematic. Availability of the patient's previous EKG from a database facilitates evaluation of ST-elevations.

Databases, Factual↗
PubMed2004

Electrocardiogram and B-type natriuretic peptide as screening tools for left ventricular systolic dysfunction in a population-based sample of 75-year-old men and women.

BACKGROUND: Plasma concentration of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) has been suggested as a powerful screening tool for left ventricular systolic dysfunction. However, there are reports indicating that the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) could be just as powerful. We aimed to evaluate the 12-lead ECG and BNP as screening tools for left ventricular systolic dysfunction in an elderly, unselected population. METHODS: In a randomly selected population-based sample of 75-year-old men and women (n = 407), diagnostic characteristics were evaluated for the ECG and plasma concentration of BNP to detect left ventricular systolic dysfunction. RESULTS: Sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values for the ECG to detect left ventricular systolic dysfunction were 96%, 79%, 100%, and 26%, respectively. The corresponding values for the BNP (cut-off value 28 pg/mL) were 93%, 55%, 99%, and 13%. In participants without major abnormalities in the ECG, left ventricular systolic dysfunction was found in <1% (1/302), irrespective of BNP concentrations. In participants with abnormal ECGs, systolic dysfunction was more prevalent in persons with abnormal BNP concentrations than in those with normal concentrations (35% vs 3%, difference 32%, 95%CI for the difference 16%-44%) CONCLUSIONS: In 75-year-old subjects both the ECG and the plasma concentration of BNP are highly efficient in excluding left ventricular systolic dysfunction. However, compared with the BNP, the ECG yields a lower number of false positive cases. In screening for left ventricular systolic dysfunction, the BNP has a diagnostic value in addition to the ECG, but only in individuals with abnormal ECGs.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Mitral annulus motion compared with wall motion scoring index in the assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction.

The biplane disc summation method is the recommended echocardiographic procedure to determine left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF). Assessment of mitral annulus motion (MAM) or wall motion scoring index (WMI) has been reported to be less dependent on image quality compared with the recommended method, and proposed as a surrogate to the disc summation method in calculation of LVEF. We aimed to compare MAM and WMI in the echocardiographic assessment of LVEF. In a randomly selected population-based sample of 75-year-old men and women in sinus rhythm (n = 409) MAM, as measured by M-mode, was compared with WMI, calculated as the mean value of wall motion scoring in 9 LV segments. LVEF, as measured by the biplane disc summation method was used as reference. The limits of agreement (mean difference +/- 1.96 SD) between LVEF and corresponding MAM values were -18 to +13 LVEF%, and between LVEF and corresponding WMI values were -12 to +13 LVEF%. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for MAM and WMI to predict a LVEF < 50% were 0.892 and 0.998, respectively (95% confidence interval of the difference 0.062-0.149). The corresponding areas for MAM and WMI to predict a LVEF < 40% were 0.955 and 0.998, respectively (95% confidence interval of the difference 0.017-0.069). In conclusion, the ability of WMI to estimate LVEF was more favorable than MAM in this population-based sample of 75-year-old participants. The findings suggest that the WMI is preferable to MAM in estimating LVEF.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Diabetes, insulin resistance, and the metabolic syndrome in patients with acute myocardial infarction without previously known diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Individuals with diabetes have an increased morbidity from acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Based on an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), 40-45% of patients with AMI have diabetes. The objective of this study was to characterize the glucometabolic profile of patients with AMI without known diabetes and to see if sustained glucometabolic perturbations are predictable during the hospital phase of the disease. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 145 patients with AMI and no previous diagnosis of diabetes were subjected to an OGTT at hospital discharge and 3 months thereafter. Based on the OGTT after 3 months, they were defined as having normal glucose tolerance (NGT; n = 50), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT; n = 59), or diabetes (n = 36). Components of the metabolic syndrome, including insulin resistance assessed by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR), were recorded. RESULTS: Patients with AMI had no changes in insulin resistance from hospital discharge to follow-up. An OGTT and/or a single blood glucose taken 60 min (BG-60) after ingestion of 75 g glucose at hospital discharge were predictors of the outcome of the OGTT at follow-up. With a cutoff value for BG-60 of 8.6 mmol/l, 70% of the patients were correctly predicted as either belonging to the NGT group or the IGT/diabetes group after 3 months. Age, BMI, antihypertensive treatment, HbA(1c), fasting blood glucose, blood lipids, insulin, proinsulin, HOMA-IR, and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 did not add predictive power. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AMI and no previous diagnosis of diabetes have no changes in insulin resistance from hospital discharge to a 3-month follow-up. An OGTT or a single BG-60 performed at hospital discharge predicts the diagnosis of IGT or diabetes 3 months thereafter.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2002

Glucose metabolism in patients with acute myocardial infarction and no previous diagnosis of diabetes mellitus: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Glycometabolic state at hospital admission is an important risk marker for long-term mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction, whether or not they have known diabetes mellitus. Our aim was to ascertain the prevalence of impaired glucose metabolism in patients without diagnosed diabetes but with myocardial infarction, and to assess whether such abnormalities can be identified in the early course of a myocardial infarction. METHODS: We did a prospective study, in which we enrolled 181 consecutive patients admitted to the coronary care units of two hospitals in Sweden with acute myocardial infarction, no diagnosis of diabetes, and a blood glucose concentration of less than 11.1 mmol/L. We recorded glucose concentrations during the hospital stay, and did standardised oral glucose tolerance tests with 75 g of glucose at discharge and again 3 months later. FINDINGS: The mean age of our cohort was 63.5 years (SD 9) and the mean blood glucose concentration at admission was 6.5 mmol/L (1.4). The mean 2-h postload blood glucose concentration was 9.2 mmol/L (2.9) at hospital discharge, and 9.0 mmol/L (3.0) 3 months later. 58 of 164 (35%, 95% CI 28-43) and 58 of 144 (40%, 32-48) individuals had impaired glucose tolerance at discharge and after 3 months, respectively, and 51 of 164 (31%, 24-38) and 36 of 144 (25%, 18-32) had previously undiagnosed diabetes mellitus. Independent predictors of abnormal glucose tolerance at 3 months were concentrations of HbA(1c) at admission (p=0.024) and fasting blood glucose concentrations on day 4 (p=0.044). INTERPRETATION: Previously undiagnosed diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance are common in patients with an acute myocardial infarction. These abnormalities can be detected early in the postinfarction period. Our results suggest that fasting and postchallenge hyperglycaemia in the early phase of an acute myocardial infarction could be used as early markers of high-risk individuals.

Body Mass Index↗
PubMed2002

Oral cladribine for B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: report of a phase II trial with a 3-d, 3-weekly schedule in untreated and pretreated patients, and a long-term follow-up of 126 previously untreated patients.

A phase II study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of a new schedule of cladribine administration (10 mg/m2 orally daily for 3 d every 3 weeks) in 107 patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). To minimize toxicity, treatment withdrawal criteria were defined. The results of the 63 previously untreated patients were retrospectively compared with 63 from an earlier study using a 5-d monthly schedule. The compiled data were analysed for prognostic factors for survival. No significant difference regarding response were seen in the two cohorts of the 126 previously untreated patients. The complete response (CR), nodular partial response (nPR) and partial response (PR) rates were 15%, 21% and 41%. Quality of response had no impact on survival. The 3- and 5-year overall survival for previously untreated patients was 73% and 58%, respectively, with a median follow-up of 54 months. Pretreatment haemoglobin <11.0 g/dl and elevated beta-2-microglobulin had a negative influence on survival. Major infections occurred in 21% of patients in the 3-d study compared with 35% in the 5-d study. The overall response (OR) and CR rates in the 40 previously treated patients were 34% and 5% respectively. Median overall survival was 24 months and median progression-free survival for responding patients was 14 months. Cladribine used as a single agent is an effective treatment with an acceptable safety profile for pretreated and untreated B-CLL. The achievement of complete remission was not a prerequisite for long-term survival.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2002

Patient-specific differences between blood pressure estimated from 24 h ambulatory measurements and serial office self-recordings.

The long-term true blood pressure, estimated in terms of the repeatable 24 h ambulatory mean (24 hAmb) pressure, is probably best related to progressive cardiovascular deterioration and is vital for clinical decision-making. Serial self-measurements (SELF) under quiet conditions may reflect this level, but with an annoying uncertainty in individual patients. This uncertainty is characterized by analyzing differences between the SELF readings of seated/supine patients on their own and the reference 24 hAmb values based on 72 recordings. From at-random replicated sessions of 59 subjects, the sources of uncertainty can be separated into three components: a systematic (non-random) variable difference in level from person to person, a mean systematic difference in level between methods, and random variability determining repeatability between sessions. An unstable alerting reaction distorts about six initial self-recordings and increases the random variability. The following 7-12 or 13-24 'steady-state' values show a comparable random variability but reflect the 24 hAmb level only when compared as the average of all patients. The standard deviation for repeatability is about 50-100% higher for SELF than for 24 hAmb. The patient-specific difference between methods contributes more than +/-10 mmHg to the uncertainty interval of the SELF results. These patient-specific differences recur at repeat sessions and thus cannot be reduced by averaging the results of sequential SELF sessions. In contrast, two 24 hAmb results provide a 95% uncertainty interval of +/-5 mm Hg. Thus, the averaged results of multiple SELF sessions can be used to detect major changes in blood pressure but are, as a result of patient-specific differences, too unreliable when the value to be estimated (the true value) is the expected long-term value of 24 hAmb results.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Localization of substance P-like immunoreactivity in nerves in the tooth pulp.

The occurrence of substance P (SP)-like immunoreactivity was studied in dental pulps of the cat. In untreated animals SP-positive fibres were found in all areas of the pulp. Most fibres were seen in central parts of the pulp but they were also observed in relation to the odontoblasts. Single, possibly unmyelinated, or fine caliber fibres or small bundles of them were seen running close to large non-fluorescent myelinated nerves, to blood vessels or without any obvious association with either of these structures. Fourteen days after transection of the inferior alveolar nerve no SP-positive fibres were observed in pulps on the denervated side. Transection of the cervical sympathetic ganglion did not change the occurrence of SP-positive fibres. The results indicate the existence of at least two types of afferent fibres in the dental pulp of the cat. Since the tooth pulp has been demonstrated to give rise only to pain sensation when stimulated, the results give morphological support for a role of SP neurones in pain transmission.

Alveolar Process↗