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Biomedical subjects

J P Larsen

Publications and source records attributed to J P Larsen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

[Treatment of Parkinson disease with levodopa depot preparations].

The majority of parkinsonian patients on long-term treatment with levodopa develop fluctuations in motor performance. Several of the features of long-term levodopa treatment seem to be associated with levodopa concentrations in the plasma. In order to overcome the dose-related clinical fluctuations, sustained or controlled-release oral tablets have been developed to achieve more stable plasma concentrations of the drug. This paper describes a Norwegian multi-centre study of Sinemet CR in 56 patients with mild to moderate parkinsonism. After 24 weeks on Sinemet CR the performance of 40 patients was evaluated as improved, i.e. better than when they were treated with standard levodopa. Patients with mild disease or with no motor fluctuations experienced similar clinical benefit from controlled-release levodopa as the more advanced parkinsonian patients. The authors also discuss the advantages and problems of controlled-release levodopa in parkinsonian patients in general.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Parkinson's disease as community health problem: study in Norwegian nursing homes. The Norwegian Study Group of Parkinson's Disease in the Elderly.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the extent of under-diagnosis and overdiagnosis of Parkinson's disease and to determine quality of treatment in a defined population. DESIGN: Clinical evaluation of an elderly population. SETTING: 40 Norwegian nursing homes. SUBJECTS: 3322 residents of nursing homes, of whom 500 were selected by nursing staff for evaluation on the basis of a structured information programme on Parkinson's disease and 269 were examined in detail by neurologists. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients' scores on clinical rating scales, diagnosis of parkinsonism, and effect of changing drug treatment. RESULTS: 169 (5.1%) patients were found to have clinical idiopathic Parkinson's disease, 31 of whom had not had the disease diagnosed previously. In addition, 31 patients without the disease were taking antiparkinsonian drugs unnecessarily. Eighty patients were judged to be receiving "optimal" treatment. In the remaining 58, the treatment was changed, and 36 patients showed a definite functional improvement after a 12 week observation period. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of life of many elderly patients with Parkinson's disease could be improved by increasing medical and neurological services.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1991

Incidence of multiple sclerosis in Hordaland, western Norway: a fluctuating pattern.

The incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) was studied in the county of Hordaland, western Norway. A significant increase in incidence in the period 1958-1987, a decline followed by a gradual increase in mean age at onset, geographic differences in time trends and a biphasic pattern revealed by a birth cohort analysis support the theory of real time-space fluctuations in the incidence of MS over time.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

MRI evaluation of the size and symmetry of the planum temporale in adolescents with developmental dyslexia.

MRI technique was used to examine the size and symmetry of the plana temporale in 19 dyslexic students in grade 8 and in carefully matched control subjects. The results demonstrated a high frequency of planum symmetry among the dyslexics (70%) whereas symmetry was observed in only 30% of the control subjects. It was not possible to demonstrate any clear association between symmetry/asymmetry of planum temporale and handedness. Word-reading strategies among the dyslexics and control subjects were investigated with computerized tasks where accuracy and naming latency were recorded. All subjects with pure phonological deficits in reading had symmetrical plana temporale indicating a possible neuroanatomical basis for a characteristic symptom of linguistic processing deficiency in developmental dyslexia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Magnetic resonance imaging--a method of studying the size and asymmetry of the planum temporale.

The planum temporale is a triangular region on the upper surface of the temporal lobe. This area of the brain is important for language processing and shows a left-right asymmetry of size in most brains. Particular interest has been focused on the size and asymmetry of the planum temporale in brains of individuals with developmental dyslexia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a method that produces excellent morphological details of organic structures. We have developed an MRI method of studying the size and asymmetry of the planum temporale in human brains. Because of considerable variation of anatomical landmarks in this cortical region of the brain, an evaluation of asymmetry is not possible in all brains. Furthermore, our experience with this method indicates that any indirect imaging technique of studying asymmetry of the planum temporale must be evaluated with caution. With this in mind, however, MRI may give valuable anatomical information about the planum temporale in individuals with anomalous language function.

Humans↗
PubMed1988

Prognostic factors for life expectancy in multiple sclerosis analysed by Cox-models.

To determine if such factors as first symptom, sex, age at onset and initial clinical course have any influence on life expectancy of multiple sclerosis patients, a survival analysis from date of diagnosis for 598 MS-patients in Norway was performed. To study the effect of all the variables simultaneously we used the Cox proportional hazards regression model with incomplete data. Median survival time was 27 years after diagnosis. The variable which most strongly predicted the duration of the disease was age at onset. High age at onset and a progressive course of the disease were correlated with a more unfavourable prognosis. The onset symptom, vertigo, was also correlated with a shorter life expectancy. No significant effect of sex was found. We found in this material an indication of improved survival over the study period.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1986

Granulocyte function in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Peripheral blood granulocytes and sera from patients with relapsing/remittent (group I) and chronic progressive (group II) multiple sclerosis (MS) did not differ from control cells and sera with regard to the proportion of cells bearing receptors for Fc gamma and C3b; random or directed (chemotactic) motility of granulocytes; activation as measured by chemiluminescence; opsonic activity of sera. The results of this study suggest that granulocyte function in MS is normal.

Cell Movement↗
PubMed1985

Multiple sclerosis--more than one disease?

We have previously found an increase in prevalence and incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the county of Hordaland, Western Norway. This study shows that the increase in incidence over a 30-year period is due to an increase of remittent and remittent/progressive MS. The incidence of the chronic progressive form of MS has remained stable during the same period. The two subgroups of MS also vary in symptomatology and age at onset. This suggests that MS has two different forms which behave differently when considered epidemiologically and clinically. The remitting and progressive forms may therefore each have a different etiology.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Epidemiology of the Guillain-Barré syndrome in the county of Hordaland, Western Norway.

We have examined the incidence of the Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in the county of Hordaland. We have previously reported a marked increase in the incidence of MS in the same population. 109 GBS-patients were diagnosed in the period 1957-1982 according to the criteria of NINCDS. The annual incidence rates were stable over time with an average incidence of 1.2 per 100,000 population per year. The male/female ratio was 1.7. No statistically significant difference in incidence was found between urban and rural areas. We found an increasing incidence with age, more marked among males than among females. A predilection for GBS to occur in the colder half of the year was also found. 57% of the patients reported an antecedent infection less than 4 weeks prior to the onset of neurological symptoms. The stable incidence rates for GBS over time in contrast to an increase in the incidence of MS in the same population, indicates that different pathogenetic mechanisms are important in the two demyelinating diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Multiple sclerosis and mortality statistics.

We have previously found a 3-fold increase in prevalence and a corresponding increase in incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) from 1963 to 1983 in the county of Hordaland, Norway. When studying the official mortality statistics and the deceased patients in our clinical MS-material, no increase in death rate could be observed in the same period. We also found that official mortality statistics include both over- and underestimates of MS-patients. Of definite MS-patients in the clinical material, 91.7% were registered with MS on the death certificates, either as underlying or contributory cause of death. When studying only underlying cause of death, we found that 59.5% of deceased definite MS patients were registered as MS on the death certificates. This study shows that official mortality statistics reflect a change in incidence of MS both incompletely and with a delay of several decades.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Clustering of multiple sclerosis in the county of Hordaland, Western Norway.

We studied the distribution of MS cases in the county of Hordaland, Western Norway. The total MS population comprised 426 patients. The prevalence on January 1st, 1963, and on January 1st, 1983, and the average annual incidence in the period 1963-1982 were all lower in the coastal area compared to the inland area. An increase in incidence started in the urban area and was followed some 10 years later in the rural area. The Knox method revealed no statistically significant evidence of clustering either for time/place of onset or for time/place of birth. Indications of clustering according to year of onset were, however, observed in the rural area.

Humans↗