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Biomedical subjects

H Briem

Publications and source records attributed to H Briem.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Oropharyngeal colonization in the elderly.

A cross-sectional prevalence study of gram-negative bacillary oropharyngeal colonization in the geriatric population with single oropharyngeal cultures was performed on three different groups of individuals, the first consisting of healthy individuals, living independently, the second residing in a nursing facility and the third hospitalized. A longitudinal incidence study by serial weekly cultures was in addition conducted on a fourth group of hospitalized individuals. In the cross-sectional study, gram-negative bacilli were isolated from 23% of the hospitalized group, whereas only 7-10% of the other two groups were colonized (p less than 0.05). In the longitudinal study, the colonization was intermittent and transient, being most prevalent on admission, i.e. 23%, but gradually decreasing during the hospital stay to 7% after ten weeks. Only hospitalization and prior treatment with antimicrobials increased prevalence of colonization. On only one occasion was a lower respiratory infection predated by oropharyngeal colonization with the same organism, indicating that such colonization may not be a risk factor for the development of pneumonia in the elderly.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Declining prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis A virus infection in Iceland.

The prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) was investigated in 445 outpatients in Iceland in 1987. No difference in anti-HAV prevalence according to sex or residence was found. The prevalence rates were low in persons less than 50 years with a sharp increase in persons greater than or equal to 50 years. The prevalence of anti-HAV was now significantly lower in the age groups of 40-49 years and 50-59 years than in 1979 indicating a cohort effect. These findings correspond to a marked decrease in notified cases of hepatitis (epidemic jaundice) after 1950 in Iceland.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Creatine kinase isoenzyme BB in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with acute neurological diseases.

In order to predict the outcome of patients with acute neurological symptoms at discharge, the concentration of creatine kinase isoenzyme BB (CK-BB) was determined by radioimmunoassay in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 115 consecutive patients. On admission and over the next 3 days the concentration of CK-BB was significantly increased in patients with brain death and other neurological sequelae compared with those with favourable outcome. There was a variation in time in concentrations of CK-BB between diseases causing neurological sequelae. Thus, cerebrovascular haemorrhages caused highest concentrations on admission, but cerebral ischaemia due to cardiac arrest caused highest concentrations 3 days after admission. On admission the CK-BB measurements were highly specific with high predictive value of positive result when distinguishing patients with brain death and other neurological sequelae from those without complications at discharge. However, when distinguishing patients with brain death from those with other neurological sequelae, the test was most specific and had highest predictive value of a positive result 3 days after admission.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Prevalence of IgM antibodies to nine Legionella species in Icelandic children.

In order to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies to Legionella species among children in Iceland, a prospective study was conducted in 424 children aged 1 month to 12 years, 28 of whom had an acute respiratory tract infection. Antibody titers to L. pneumophila serogroup 1-6, L. bozemanii, L. dumoffii, and L. micdadei were measured by microagglutination technique. Seroreactivity to Legionella spp. was found in 30% of the children greater than 3 years of age and in 22% of all children. The majority of the children with legionella antibodies had no history of previous or present respiratory tract infection. The children with previous pneumonia or bronchial asthma did not show a higher seroreactivity to legionella than children without such a history. Our observations suggests that Icelandic children are frequently exposed to Legionella species or closely related bacteria.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

Prevalence of hepatitis B virus markers in Icelandic outpatients and hospital personnel in 1979 and in 1987.

The prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections in Iceland was investigated in 619 outpatients and 72 hospital personnel in 1979 and in 445 outpatients and 284 hospital personnel in 1987 by anti-HBc testing. The overall prevalence of anti-HBc among outpatients remained almost unchanged and was 5.7% in 1979 and 5.4% in 1987. In 1987 the prevalence rate in outpatients increased significantly from 0% in persons less than 20 years to 9.8% in persons greater than 60 years (p = 0.008). Among hospital personnel tested in 1987 the prevalence rate also increased significantly with age from 4% in those 20-29 years of age to 26% in those greater than 60 years (p = 0.024). A significant increase of the prevalence rate with years of employment was, however, not found. Laboratory technicians with frequent blood contacts had a significantly higher prevalence rate than other health care workers and outpatients tested in 1987 (p less than 0.001). Laboratory technicians had an annual attack rate of HBV infection of 1.4% from 1979 to 1987. The results indicate that the prevalence of HBV infection in 1979 and 1987 has remained unchanged in the general population and that hospital personnel exposed to blood are at increased risk of getting HBV infection.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1988

Diffusion of HIV-1 virus into non-habitual categories at risk in European countries.

The ECP Working Group on AIDS has evaluated the available data on seropositivity to HIV-1 supplied by research groups in 12 Eastern and Western European countries. The period covered is 1985 and 1986. A significantly elevated incidence of seropositives was observed in both females and males in heterosexual contact with members of high risk groups. In contrast heterosexuals with no such contact had an incidence below 1%. For male homosexuals from Italy, Denmark and Switzerland the trend was no detectable increase in prevalence from 1985 to 1986. Hungary and Poland now have a few per cent seropositive male homosexuals, but no seropositives were found in a group of Polish drug abusers.

Bisexuality↗
PubMed1983

Creatine kinase isoenzyme BB in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with meningitis and encephalitis.

High CK BB isoenzyme activity has been demonstrated in the CSF of many patients with various neurologic disorders and is considered to reflect brain tissue damage [1, 2]. Increased CK BB activity in the CSF has been described in a patient with fatal pneumonococcal meningitis [3] and also in two patients with viral encephalitis [1]. Since routine laboratory tests are of limited value for assessing the prognosis of patients with CNS infections, the present investigation was undertaken to study the possibility of early detection of brain tissue damage in such patients by determining the CK BB activity in the CSF. The CK BB activity in the control subjects was less than or equal to 10 nkat/liter, which is in accordance with a previous study based on bioluminescence assay [2]. Six of the seven patients with neurologic complications in the present study had marked increases of the CK BB activity. In the patient with brain death due to HSV infection, serial measurements of the CK BB activity in the CSF have shown a maximal fourfold increase from the value of 45 nkat/liter found on admission. In one of the patients with purulent meningitis who developed a slight hydrocephalus, the CK BB activity was normal, but no focal brain damage was found by computed tomography in this case. The results indicate that increased CK BB activity in the CSF is related to the clinical outcome of patients with infections of the CNS. Thus, the determination of the CK BB activity seems to be useful for assessing the prognosis of patients with bacterial and viral meningitis and encephalitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Comparison between cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of glucose, total protein, chloride, lactate, and total amino acids for the differential diagnosis of patients with meningitis.

The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of glucose, protein, chloride, lactate, and total amino acids, as well as CSF/blood glucose ratio to distinguish bacterial meningitis from aseptic meningitis. 56 patients with proven bacterial meningitis, 102 patients with aseptic meningitis, and 108 controls were investigated. On admission CSF lactate determination was the most sensitive and the most efficient test to distinguish bacterial meningitis from aseptic meningitis. In patients with bacterial meningitis reexamined after 24-48 h of treatment with antibiotics and compared with patients with aseptic meningitis also reexamined 24-48 h after admission determination of CSF total amino acids was the most sensitive and efficient test.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Increased total concentration of amino acids in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with purulent meningitis.

Total concentrations of amino acids, as measured by fluorometry of primary amino nitrogen with the use of fluorescamine, were determined in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 50 patients with purulent meningitis, 40 patients with aseptic meningitis, and 36 control subjects. On admission total concentrations of amino acids in the CSF were significantly higher in patients with purulent meningitis (mean +/- SEM, 2.27 +/- 0.27 mM) than in patients with aseptic meningitis (1.07 +/- 0.03 mM, P less than 0.001) or in control subjects (1.16 +/- 0.04 mM, P less than 0.001). This value was higher when the patients with purulent meningitis were reexamined one to two days later and reached a maximum after three to four days of illness. The fluorometry method proved to be simple, rapid, and precise and may be used as an additional test in diagnosing bacterial meningitis, especially in patients who are treated with antibiotics before admission. For patients with bacterial meningitis, a high concentration of amino acids in the CSF on admission may indicate a poor outcome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis A in Iceland in relation to age, sex, and number of notified cases of hepatitis.

The prevalence of antibody to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) was investigated in 623 outpatients in Iceland. No difference in anti-HAV prevalence according to sex or rural vs. urban residence was found. The prevalence rates in different age groups were found to be comparable to those in the Scandinavian countries, increasing from 1.6% (1/63) in persons below 20 years of age to 66% (51/77) in persons above 60 years of age. The numbers of notified cases of hepatitis (epidemic jaundice) in Iceland during the 20th century showed a pattern of repeated epidemics up to the early 1950s, after which low rates were noted. The incidence of hepatitis dropped 30-fold during the 20th century. Persons born after the latest epidemic in 1952 were positive for anti-HAV in only 4.7% (7/150).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Rapid diagnosis of meningitis with use of selected clinical data and gas-liquid chromatographic determination of lactate concentration in cerebrospinal fluid.

The usefulness of determination of lactate concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for differentiation between various types of meningitis was evaluated. Lactate concentration in the CSF was assayed by gas-liquid chromatography for 115 patients, 17 of whom had serous meningitis and 38 had bacterial meningitis. The mean lactate concentration in the CSF of patients with bacterial meningitis was significantly higher than in the CSF of patients with serous meningitis and in a control group. The mean concentration in patients with serous meningitis was significantly higher than in controls. The highest lactate level in serous meningitis overlapped with the lowest level in bacterial meningitis. Elevated lactate concentrations in CSF were found also in patients with noninfectious disorders of the central nervous system. Misleading results may therefore be obtained if the lactate concentration in CSF alone is used to distinguish between serous and bacterial meningitis. The study suggests, however, that measurements of lactate levels in CSF, when combined with clinical and conventional laboratory observations, can increase the reliability of rapid diagnosis of bacterial meningitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Cerebrospinal fluid content of adenylate kinase, lactate and glutathione in patients with meningitis.

Adenylate kinase activity and lactate concentration were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 5 patients with bacterial meningitis, of 4 patients with probable bacterial meningitis, and of 18 patients with serous meningitis. Furthermore, for comparison measurements were also performed in CSF of 27 patients with meningism. Concomitantly glutathione was measured in CSF in most of the patients. Significantly higher values of these 3 parameters were found in the CSF of patients with bacterial and probable bacterial meningitis compared with those having serous meningitis and meningism. Adenylate kinase activity and lactate concentration in patients with serous meningitis were significantly higher than in those with meningism. All patients with a clinical diagnosis of meningitis studied so far also displayed an adenylate kinase activity in their CSF. The determination of adenylate kinase, lactate and glutathione levels in CSF might be a useful aid for the diagnosis not only of meningitis but also for the discrimination between bacterial and serous meningitis.

Adenylate Kinase↗
PubMed1978

Long-term effect of clofibrate on albumin turnover and distribution in man.

The long-term effect of clofibrate (at least 6 months' treatment) on albumin metabolism was investigated in 7 subjects and the results were compared with those from 15 control subjects. Human albumin labelled with 131I was used as a tracer. A significant difference between the groups was found in the following parameters: The clofibrate-treated group had a prolonged rapid component (t1 1/2) of the disappearance curve (p less than 0.05), relatively increased albumin in the extravascular space (i.e. decreased distribution ratio, p less than 0.01) and increased extravascular albumin space when corrected for body size by calculating it as per cent of the extravascular bromide space (p less than 0.01). There was no significant difference between the groups in albumin synthesis, fractional catabolic rate or the slow component (t2 1/2) of the disappearance curve. The results suggest that long-term treatment with clofibrate causes changes in the intercellular matrix.

Adolescent↗