PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H E Jørgensen

Publications and source records attributed to H E Jørgensen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

City air pollution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other mutagens: occurrence, sources and health effects.

The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), mutagens and other air pollutants was investigated in a busy street in central Copenhagen and in a park area adjacent to the street. The winter concentration of benzo(a)pyrene was 4.4 +/- 1.2 ng/m3 in the street air and 1.4 +/- 0.6 ng/m3 in the city park. The atmospheric concentrations of PAH decreased in the order of: street > city background air approximately suburbs > village > open land. The traffic contribution of PAH to street air was estimated to be 90% on working days and 60% during weekends and its contribution to city background air was estimated to be 40%. Four different approaches to evaluate the health effects are discussed. The direct effect of PAH air pollution, and other mutagens, is considered to be a maximum of five lung cancer cases each year out of one million people.

Air Pollution↗
PubMed1996

Responses of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to ozone produced by either electric discharge and dry air or by UV-lamps and ambient air.

The aim of the present study was to examine if ozone produced similar effects on spring wheat growth with and without small amounts of nitrogen oxides. Two methods were used to produce ozone: the first method consisted of dry pressurized air fed to an electric discharge generator generating the byproducts, N2O5 and N2O, the second method consisted of ambient air fed to UV-lamps. Two spring wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L. cvs Minaret and Eridano) were exposed in small open-top chambers to charcoal-filtered air, non-filtered ambient air, and non-filtered ambient air with the addition of ozone for 8 h (0900 to 1700 h) daily, for five weeks. Plants were harvested every week. The growth of Minaret was shown to be more sensitive to O3 than that of Eridano. Leaf senescence increased with increasing ozone level in both cultivars. The total above-ground biomass dry weight decreased with increasing ozone concentration in Minaret, but not in Eridano. The Minaret plants reacted with more damaged leaf dry weight and inhibition of growth when O3 was produced by UV-lamps than when O3 was produced by air fed to an electric discharge generator. This could be explained by more nitrogen content per plant but not by increased nitrogen concentration in plant tissue in plants exposed to increased O3 and small amounts of incidental nitrogen oxides.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1992

Prevalence and causes of albuminuria in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients.

A prospective study of the prevalence and causes of persistent albuminuria (greater than 300 mg/24 hr) was conducted in non-insulin-dependent diabetic (NIDDM) patients, age less than 66 years, attending a diabetic clinic during 1987. All eligible patients (N = 370) were asked to collect at least one 24-hour urine sample for albumin analysis. Urine collection was obtained in 224 males and 139 females (98%). Fifty patients (7 women) suffered from persistent albuminuria (13.8%). The prevalence of albuminuria was significantly higher in males (19%) than in females (5%). A kidney biopsy was performed in 35 patients (70%). The kidney biopsies revealed diffuse and/or nodular diabetic glomerulosclerosis in 27 patients (77%), while the remaining eight patients (23%) had a variety of non-diabetic glomerulopathies, such as minimal lesion and mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis. Diabetic retinopathy was present in 15 of 27 patients (56%) with diabetic glomerulosclerosis, while none of the eight patients with a non-diabetic glomerulopathy had retinopathy. Our cross sectional study has revealed a high prevalence of albuminuria and of non-diabetic glomerulopathy as a cause of this complication in NIDDM patients. Presence of diabetic retinopathy strongly suggests that a diabetic glomerulopathy is the cause of albuminuria. Albuminuric non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients without retinopathy require further evaluation, that is, kidney biopsy.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Prognosis in glomerulonephritis. III. A longitudinal analysis of changes in serum creatinine and proteinuria during the course of disease: effect of immunosuppressive treatment. Report from Copenhagen Study Group of Renal Diseases.

A total of 395 consecutive patients with biopsy-proven glomerulonephritis were followed up for 14 years. At the time of entry to the study the patients were classified as having one of nine states of kidney disease according to serum creatinine levels and proteinuria. The transitions of the patients between the nine states were analysed. The influence of 14 independent variables including treatment with cytostatic drugs and prednisolone was estimated by the Cox proportional hazard model. Treatment with immunosuppressive drugs had an influence that emerged within the first month and continued for the next 2 months. Subsequent treatment with cytostatic drugs in combination with prednisolone delayed further improvement. Treatment with prednisolone or cytostatic drugs as single therapy for up to 6 months increased the risk of improvement of the disease, and had no significant effect on deterioration. The beneficial effect of the treatment persisted after withdrawal of the immunosuppressive drugs. The analysis revealed only a slight influence of the histological character of the glomerular changes. Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis carried an increased tendency for improvement. Arterial hypertension affected the process in several states of kidney disease. Heavy proteinuria increased the risk of increasing serum creatinine levels.

Azathioprine↗
PubMed1990

Glomerular structure and function in diabetic nephropathy. Early to advanced stages.

Kidney biopsies from 14 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients with persistent albuminuria were studied by light and electron microscopy. In terms of kidney function, the patients spanned stages from early to advanced nephropathy. The clinical parameters were (ranges, with medians in parentheses) urinary albumin excretion (UAE) 158-5494 micrograms/min (1153 micrograms/min), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) 30-128 ml.min-1 x 1.73 m-2 (90 ml.min-1 x 1.73 m-2) and mean arterial blood pressure (BP) 87-122 mmHg (109 mmHg). The severity of clinical nephropathy (UAE, GFR, and BP together) correlated with an index of the structural lesions (basement membrane [BM] thickness, mesangial expansion, and glomerular occlusion together; r = 0.62, 2P less than 0.05). GFR compared with remnant surface of glomerular capillaries (filtration surface; FS) gave values of r = 0.72 and 2P = 0.004, and UAE compared with the percentage of the peripheral BM surface carrying fluffy loose intrinsic fine structure gave r = 0.62 and 2P = 0.02. BP per se did not correlate with structural parameters. The area of FS per open glomerulus did not decrease with increasing mesangial volume fraction, which indicates compensatory changes of the capillaries in early and advanced stages of glomerulopathy. In 7 patients with less than 10% occluded glomeruli, correlations between glomerular volume and the parameters of diabetic glomerulopathy (i.e., BM thickness and volume fractions of mesangium and mesangial matrix) failed to reach statistical significance. The actual glomerular volume, however, is a product of the individual's original glomerular volume, probably the early diabetic hypertrophy and modifying changes consequent to the development of glomerulopathy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Primary hyperoxaluria].

Primary hyperoxaluria is a recessive hereditary disturbance of glyoxylate metabolism caused by deficiency of the liver enzyme, alanine glyoxylate transaminase. The main symptoms are recurrent renal stones, nephrocalcinosis and renal failure. In the advanced state, the disease is frequently complicated by osseous disease, vascular insufficiency and cardiac arrhytmias caused by deposits of calcium oxalate in the tissue. The prognosis is poor. No specific medical treatment exists. Dialysis is not effective and the results of renal transplantation is poor. Combined liver and renal transplantation correct the metabolic defect and the excretion of oxalate is normalised. Combined transplantation must be regarded as the optimal treatment of renal failure caused by PHO. The transplantation should be undertaken preferably before the creatinine clearance falls below 10-20 ml/min in order to avoid tissue deposits of calcium oxalate and excessive urinary excretion of oxalate during immediate post-transplantation period.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

A strong correlation between glomerular filtration rate and filtration surface in diabetic nephropathy.

Quantitative structural studies were performed in kidney biopsy specimens from 24 long-term Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients with persistent albuminuria due to diabetic glomerulopathy. Ten patients were receiving antihypertensive treatment, and among the remaining patients the mean blood pressure was 142/91 mm Hg (SD = 11/9). The urinary albumin excretion rate showed a range from 100 to 5494 micrograms/min (geometric mean 688 micrograms/min.) Glomerular filtration rate also showed a wide range, from supranormal to markedly decreased values (128 to 28 ml.min-1. (1.73 m2)-1, mean 75). The filtration surface (interface between capillary and urinary space) per total number of nephrons (open + occluded) was estimated by combined light-and electron microscopy. The percentage occluded glomeruli as well as structural quantities in the open glomeruli were taken into account in this estimate. A highly significant correlation was seen between glomerular filtration rate and filtration surface per nephron (r = 0.77, p less than 10(-4). The percentage occluded glomeruli contributed significantly to the variation in glomerular filtration rate (for this relationship tested separately r = -0.78, p less than 10(-5). The volume of open glomeruli was even larger than that seen in early diabetic glomerular hypertrophy and tended to increase with the percentage of glomerular closure, indicating that a compensatory hypertrophy might have taken place. In the open glomeruli the filtration surface constituted a smaller percent of total capillary surface (the remaining part facing the mesangial regions) than in early diabetic patients and control subjects. Our study has demonstrated that reduced glomerular filtration surface is closely associated with reduced glomerular filtration rate in Type 1 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Cytostatic treatment of glomerular diseases. V. Treatment of glomerulonephritis with cyclophosphamide plus prednisone, azathioprine plus prednisone and cyclophosphamide as monotherapy. A comparative study. A report from a Copenhagen Study Group of Renal Diseases.

Thirty-two patients suffering from biopsy-proven glomerulonephritis with proteinuria greater than or equal to 1.2 g/24 hours and/or creatinine clearance less than 50% of normal value were treated for 6 weeks with prednisone plus cyclophosphamide (C+P), azathioprine (A+P) or cyclophosphamide as a monotherapy (C). The effect of the treatment was evaluated after 6 and 16 weeks. The results were entered consecutively in a sequential analysis. The three treatment regimes were compared mutually as well as with the results of 16 weeks' treatment with C and placebo, published previously. Six weeks' treatment with C+P or A+P was superior to C and at least as efficient as 16 weeks' C treatment. C treatment for 6 weeks was less efficient than 16 weeks' C treatment. The side-effects of the 6 weeks' A+P or C+P treatment were fewer and less serious than those reported from the long-term C treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Prognosis in glomerulonephritis. II. Regression analyses of prognostic factors affecting the course of renal function and the mortality in 395 patients. Calculation of a prognostic model. Report from a Copenhagen study group of renal diseases.

The course of the renal function and mortality were analysed in 395 patients with biopsy-proven glomerulonephritis (GN), using Cox's proportional hazards model. Seventeen clinical, biochemical and histopathological parameters were analysed for prognostic information. The patients were grouped according to their serum creatinine levels. Increase in serum creatinine, decrease in serum creatinine, cure and death were used as endpoints for the analysis. Caplan Meyer curves were made for 7 transitions between different groups and the variables were reduced by a step-wise procedure to a final model. Thirteen of the variables considered offered significant prognostic information (p less than 0.05) for at least one of the transitions. Short duration of disease, young age, non-nephritic urinary sediment and preceding streptococcal infection were predictors of cure. Extracapillary, membranoproliferative and unclassifiable GN, old age and arterial hypertension predicted increase in serum creatinine in patients with low serum creatinine, while male sex, short duration of disease and pathological electrocardiogram favoured a further increase in patients with high serum creatinine. A later decrease in serum creatinine was signified by a preceding streptococcal infection, short duration of disease, absence of arterial hypertension and low urinary protein excretion. Death without uremia was predicted by high age, connective tissue disease and extracapillary GN. Using these parameters and the models, it is possible to make a prognostic forecast for the individual GN patient. Examples of such a forecast are described.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Renal function in 153 manic-depressive patients treated with lithium for more than five years.

Renal function was examined in 153 manic-depressive patients treated with lithium for more than 5 years, mean 10 years. No significant change was detectable in plasma creatinine. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decreased slightly, but significantly, and not until after 17 years of treatment did the regression line reach the lower confidence limit in the reference material. GFR was generally only moderately decreased. Renal concentrating capacity was significantly reduced during the whole investigation period and did not change with time. GFR was independent of the dosage pattern. The diuresis did not differ markedly in patients given one or three daily doses. In a two-dose group predominantly treated with slow-release tablets, the diuresis was somewhat higher in 75% of the patients but much higher for the rest of the group. Since the prophylactic effect of lithium was the same in the one-dose group (mean dosage 21 mmol/day) as in the two-dose and three-dose groups (mean dosage 27-28 mmol/day), our data indicate that generally employed lithium doses may be reduced somewhat without loss of prophylactic efficacy.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Prognosis in glomerulonephritis. A follow-up study of 395 consecutive, biopsy-verified cases. I. Classification, renal histology and outcome. Report from a Copenhagen study group of renal diseases.

Between 1967 and 1977, 395 consecutive cases of glomerulonephritis (GN) were collected by a Copenhagen study group. The diagnosis was established by histological and biochemical criteria. Light microscopy investigations of thin silver-stained sections were applied. In a follow-up in 1980 all cases were categorized by one of the following end points: death without uremia, uremia, recovery, or censored cases. The course is presented in figures showing the cumulated distribution of outcomes in relation to observation time. Each histological subgroup of GN had its own characteristic course with respect to initial rates of changes in the renal state, as well as to frequency of recovery, uremia and death. The prognosis was good in minimal changes GN and proliferative GN, bad in unclassified GN and worst in extracapillary GN. When part of a connective tissue disease, GN carried a poor prognosis. We conclude that histological classification of GN based on light microscopy offers a reliable means of predicting the long-term prognosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

The impact of HLA-DR compatibility on cadaver kidney graft survival in a prospective study with special emphasis on the quality of typing.

The survival data of 151 consecutive cadaver kidneys transplanted by the two transplantation centres of Copenhagen from September 1, 1980 to September 30, 1982 with an observation period of at least 3 months have been analyzed. The HLA-DR types could not be established in 4 out of 130 donors. In most of the analyses only the well-defined antigens DR1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and w8 were included. Inclusions of the DRw6, w9, and w10 antigens in the matching did not change the results. The one-year graft survival (GS) was 72.1% for 97 HLA-DR compatible kidneys as compared to 41.4% for 49 incompatible kidneys (p = .0007); this difference remained highly significant when stratified for the recipient status of pretransfusion, risk, and age. Non-transfused recipients had a fairly good GS but had received significantly better matched kidneys than the remaining recipients. The transfusion "effect" became barely significant (p = .054) when stratified for DR. There was no significant influence of donor or recipient DRw6-type as defined in this study. The GS was not significantly influenced by HLA-A, B matching, recipient antibody status, B cell cross-matches, transplant, or donor centre. Special efforts were made to assign the HLA-DR phenotypes of the recipients and donors as accurately as possible. In 39 cases, there was a discrepancy between the result of the acute DR-typing of the donor and the final result based on subsequent typings. The acute DR match had no influence on GS in these recipients whereas the final match had a significant influence in the same group, which in a way comprise a randomized trial. In the total material, the acute DR match still showed an influence on GS, but the significance decreased by a factor 20. This illustrates how the quality of DR typing may influence the results of the analyses. The overall GS (62.5%) was significantly (p = .05) better in this series than that (48.2%) in our preceding series, but it is uncertain whether this is due to better matching alone.

Cadaver↗
PubMed1984

Quantitative studies of glomerular ultrastructure in human and experimental diabetes.

A brief review is given of glomerular structural changes in diabetes mellitus and in rats with induced diabetes. The stereological methods for obtaining quantitative structural data are mentioned, and references are given to the underlying theories as well as to more detailed descriptions of the practical performance. In short-term diabetes a glomerular hypertrophy is found with increase in the surface area of the capillaries, in parallel with an increase in glomerular filtration. In long-term diabetes mellitus the picture is dominated by accumulations of basement membrane: thickening of the peripheral basement membrane and expansion of the mesangial regions which hold large amounts of basement membrane material. Rats with a moderate diabetes show the early hypertrophy as well as long-term basement membrane thickening. Severely diabetic rats develop basement membrane thickening but do not show the early hypertrophy, which is therefore not a necessary condition for basement membrane thickening to occur.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Renovascular hypertension after kidney transplantation.

The development of hypertension after kidney transplantation was examined in a consecutive series of 83 transplantations (79 patients) with a graft survival of more than 30 days. After transplantation, 50% of the normotensive recipients developed mild or severe hypertension, while 74% of the hypertensive recipients remained hypertensive. Stenosis of the graft artery with a narrowing of the diameter of more than 50% was found in 13 patients and in 3 patients a minor or peripheral stenosis was found. Significantly more stenoses were seen in the presence of two donor arteries, whereas no other etiological factors could be shown. In arterial stenosis, severe hypertension was established within a few months after transplantation, but in spite of satisfactory controlled blood pressure and good graft function, hypertensive crises could arise. It is therefore concluded that arteriography and renin analysis should be considered in all cases of severe hypertension, and surgical correction should be considered when arterial stenosis is present.

Adolescent↗