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Biomedical subjects

J Slangen

Publications and source records attributed to J Slangen.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Radiation exposure and cause specific mortality among nuclear workers in Belgium (1969-1994).

Cause specific mortality was studied in nuclear workers from five nuclear facilities in Belgium and compared to the general population. For the 1969-1994 period, mortality in male nuclear workers is significantly lower for all causes of death and for all cancer deaths. The same conclusions are reached if one assumes a latency period of 20 y between the first irradiation and cancer induction. In female workers, mortality due to all causes and all cancer deaths is not different from that of the general population. Analysis of cause specific mortality was performed for male and female workers for three endpoints: specific cancer sites, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. No significant increase in mortality was observed. In male workers, the influence of cumulative dose was also investigated using four dose levels: no significant correlation was found. Smoking habits may be a confounding factor in smoking related health conditions.

Belgium↗
PubMed2001

Dose dependent increased mortality risk in COPD patients treated with oral glucocorticoids.

Systemic corticosteroids are often administered in COPD patients. The relationship between systemic glucocorticoids and mortality in patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was retrospectively analysed. Baseline characteristics of the patients, in stable clinical condition, were collected on admission to a pulmonary rehabilitation centre. Overall mortality was asessed at the end of follow-up. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to quantify the relationship between glucocorticoid use, distinguishing administration route (oral/inhalation) and oral dose, and overall mortality, adjusted for the influence of age, sex, smoking, lung function, resting arterial blood gases and body mass index. On multivariate analysis, oral glucocorticoid use at a (prednisone equivalent) dose of 10 mg x day(-1) without inhaled glucocorticoids, was associated with an increased risk (RR=2.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24-4.44) while 15 mg x day(-1) carried a relative risk of 4.03, CI = 1.99-8.15). A significant interaction was observed between inhaled and oral glucocorticoid use. Combined with inhaled glucocorticoids, the relative risk of oral glucocorticoid use appeared to be significantly smaller. It is concluded that in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, maintenance treatment with oral glucocorticoids is associated with increased mortality in a dose-dependent manner. Since the present study design cannot exclude the possibility of bias by indication, further prospective studies are indicated using a broader patient characterization.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1998

Weight loss is a reversible factor in the prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The objective of the study was to further unravel the prognostic significance of body weight changes in patients with COPD. Two survival analyses were performed: (1) a retrospective study, including 400 patients with COPD none of whom had received nutritional therapy; (2) a post hoc analysis of a prospective study, including 203 patients with COPD who had participated in a randomized placebo-controlled trial. There was no overlap between the patient groups. Baseline characteristics of all patients were collected on admission to a pulmonary rehabilitation center in stable clinical condition. In the prospective randomized placebo-controlled trial, the physiologic effects of nutritional therapy alone (n = 71) or in combination with anabolic steroid treatment (n = 67) after 8 wk was studied in patients with COPD prestratified into a depleted group and a nondepleted group. Mortality was assessed as overall mortality. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to quantify the relationship between the baseline variables age, sex, spirometry, arterial blood gases, body mass index (BMI), smoking, and subsequent overall mortality. Additionally, the influence of treatment response on mortality was investigated in the prospective study. The retrospective study revealed that low BMI (p < 0.001), age (p < 0.0001) and low PaO2 (p < 0.05) were significant independent predictors of increased mortality. After stratification of the group into BMI quintiles a threshold value of 25 kg/m2 was identified below which the mortality risk was clearly increased. In the prospective study, weight gain (> 2 kg/8 wk) in depleted and nondepleted patients with COPD, as well as increase in maximal inspiratory mouth pressure during the 8-wk treatment, were significant predictors of survival. On Cox regression analysis weight change entered as a time-dependent covariate remained an independent predictor of mortality in addition to all variables that were entered in the retrospective study. The combined results of the two survival analyses provide evidence to support the hypothesis that body weight has an independent effect on survival in COPD. Moreover the negative effect of low body weight can be reversed by appropriate therapy in some of the patients with COPD.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Prenarcotic and neuraesthenic symptoms among Dutch workers exposed to organic solvents.

A population of 379 Dutch workers exposed to organic solvents was compared with a non-exposed population of 443 workers with regard to the prevalence of prenarcotic and neuraesthenic symptoms. Participants completed a questionnaire to collect information about their occupational history, exposure to organic solvents, and the occurrence of symptoms. The results of the study indicated that workers exposed to solvents have a higher reporting rate of prenarcotic symptoms than workers not exposed to solvents. The prevalence of chronic neurotoxic effects, however, in the form of neuraesthenic symptoms was only weakly associated with reported exposure to organic solvents. The influence of work stress in the development of these symptoms is perhaps more important than the role of exposure to organic solvents. It is concluded that the organic solvent syndrome type I, as defined by an international workshop, is not an important health hazard among Dutch painters.

Humans↗
PubMed1976

Hypothalamic chemostimulation and autonomic changes in curarized rats.

Rats previously implanted with chronic double walled cannulae aimed at the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) ate and drank reliably after minute injections of norepinephrine and carbachol respectively. Later on the rats were curarized and artificially respirated. After an habituation period during which rectal temperature, cardiac rate and peripheral vasomotor activity were continuously recorded, half of the subjects were injected with 1 mul of norepinephrine (40 x 10(-9) moles) and the other half with 1 mul of carbachol (2.4 x 10(-9)moles). Both drugs elicited hypothermia, bradycardia and vasodilatation. Bradycardia after carbachol was significantly greater than after norepinephrine and hypothermia and vasodilatation after norepinephrine were significantly greater than after carbachol. When the treatments were reversed essentially the same effects were observed.

Animals↗