Biomedical subjects

Josef Haas

Publications and source records attributed to Josef Haas.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

A common 936 C/T gene polymorphism of vascular endothelial growth factor is associated with decreased breast cancer risk.

A common 936 C/T polymorphism in the gene for the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been associated with VEGF plasma levels. In our case-control study, we investigated the role of this polymorphism for breast cancer risk. VEGF genotype was determined in 500 women with breast cancer and 500 sex- and age-matched healthy control subjects. Carriers of a 936T-allele were more frequent among controls (29.4%) than among patients (17.6%; p = 0.000014). The odds ratio for carriers of a 936T-allele for breast cancer was 0.51 (95% confidence interval 0.38-0.70). Additionally, VEGF plasma levels were determined in 21 nonsmoking post-menopausal controls; carriers of a 936T allele had significantly lower levels (median 23 pg/ml; range 6-50 pg/ml) than noncarriers (37; 21-387; p = 0.034). We conclude that carriers of a VEGF 936T-allele are at decreased risk for breast cancer, this, however, requiring further confirmation in a larger study.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

The impact of body mass index and weight gain during pregnancy on puerperal complications after spontaneous vaginal delivery.

BACKGROUND: We studied the effect of the prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and weight gain during pregnancy on the rate of puerperal complications after spontaneous vaginal delivery. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study of 11,114 women delivered spontaneously between 36 and 43 week's gestation at a university hospital, between January 1996 and December 2000. Postpartum complications were analyzed according to prepregnancy BMI category (low < 19.8; normal 19.8-26; high 26.1-29; obese > 29) and weight gain during pregnancy. Weight gain was defined as low, normal or high according to the National Academy of Science recommendations for BMI. RESULTS: Overall, 7.3% women had complications. Anemia and readmission were significantly more common in lean women than in women with normal BMI (3.5% versus 2.6%; P = .021 and 1.0% versus 0.3%; P < .001, respectively). Obese women had significantly more infectious complications (especially urinary tract infection) than women with normal BMI (6.3% versus 3.8%; P = .005). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that obese women should be screened for puerperal urinary tract infection. Weight gain during pregnancy has no influence on puerperal complications.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Outcome of pregnancies after non-amniocentesis-induced premature rupture of membranes at 14 to 23 weeks' gestation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcome of singleton pregnancies after non-amniocentesis-induced premature rupture of membranes (PROM) at 14 to 23 weeks' gestation. STUDY DESIGN: We reviewed the hospital records of 53 consecutive pregnant women with PROM at 14 to 23 weeks' gestation at our institution from 1991 to 1996; the pregnancies were not associated with amniocentesis or multiple gestation. RESULTS: The median interval between PROM and delivery was 1 day (range 0-90; mean 5.2 days). Fifty-two (98%) of the 53 neonates were stillborn or died within 4 days. One neonate (2%), a 720-gram male delivered vaginally at 23 weeks' gestation, survived. The infant had Apgar scores of 6 at 1 minute and 2 at 5 minutes, and showed normal physical and neurological development at age 5 months. CONCLUSION: The outcome of pregnancies with non-amniocentesis-induced PROM at 14 to 23 weeks' gestation is almost uniformly poor.

Amniocentesis↗

PubMed2002

Fibrin application for preventing lymphocysts after retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy in patients with gynecologic malignancies.

OBJECTIVE: We performed a randomized, prospective trial to assess the impact of fibrin glue on the incidence of lymphocysts after systematic pelvic or pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy in patients with gynecologic malignancies. METHODS: Ninety-three consecutive patients with gynecologic pelvic malignancies who underwent surgery including pelvic or pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy were randomized during surgery to be treated with fibrin glue or not. Serial computed tomography (CT) scans were performed during follow-up. CT findings of a smooth and thin-walled cavity filled with a water-equivalent fluid, sharply demarcated from its surroundings and without signs of infiltration were interpreted as lymphocysts. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients (51%) were treated with fibrin glue and 46 (49%) were not. All 93 patients underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy; 15 patients (32%) of the fibrin group and 12 (26%) of the controls also underwent paraaortic lymphadenectomy. We found no significant differences between patients who received fibrin glue and those who did not. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative application of fibrin glue did not reduce the rate of postoperative lymphocysts after lymphadenectomy and had no impact on any follow-up parameter. Its use seems not to be indicated in systematic gynecologic pelvic or pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Parametrial spread of cervical cancer in patients with negative pelvic lymph nodes.

OBJECTIVE: We studied the incidence and prognostic implications of parametrial involvement according to tumor volume in a series of cervical cancer patients with negative pelvic lymph nodes. METHODS: We reviewed a series of 351 node-negative patients with stage IB, IIA, or IIB cervical cancer treated with class III radical hysterectomy. The surgical specimens were processed as step-serial giant sections and tumor volume was calculated. Overall, 180 patients had tumors <5 mL, 120 had tumors of 5-20 mL, and 51 had tumors >20 mL. Parametrial involvement was classified as continuous, discontinuous, or involvement of blood vessels or lymph nodes and according to location as medial or lateral. A total of 302 patients had squamous cell tumors and 49 had adenocarcinomas. The mean duration of follow-up was 9.3 years. RESULTS: Overall, 44 of 351 patients (12.5%) had parametrial involvement. The rate of parametrial involvement in patients with tumors <5, 5-20, and >20 mL was 6.7, 12.5, and 33%, respectively. Isolated involvement of the medial parametrium increased with tumor size (3.8, 8.3, and 27.5%, respectively), whereas isolated involvement of the lateral parametrium was seen in 2.2, 1.6, and 0% of the cases. Involvement of both the medial and the lateral portions of the parametrium was seen in 0.5, 2.5, and 5.9% of the specimens, respectively. There were no differences in the rate of parametrial involvement between squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. The 5-year disease-free survival rates in patients without or with parametrial involvement were 90.2% vs 90%, 91.7% vs 92.9%, and 84.7% vs 67%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The lateral portion of the parametrium can be involved in patients with cervical cancer and negative pelvic lymph nodes, but this is uncommon. In this series of patients treated with type III radical hysterectomy, parametrial involvement had no influence on disease-free survival.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2002

Hepatitis B virus activity in patients with anti-hepatitis C virus antibody positivity and hepatitis B antigen positivity.

BACKGROUND: Co-infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV seems to be relatively frequent. There might be a mutual influence on replication activity of HBV and HCV. OBJECTIVES: To determine the HBV activity in patients with serum HCV RNA and HBsAg positivity and in those with confirmed anti-HCV antibody and HBsAg positivity but serum HCV RNA negativity. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 1,200 anti-HCV antibody positive samples were investigated. Samples of HCV RNA and HBsAg positive patients were compared with those of confirmed anti-HCV and HBsAg positive but serum HCV RNA negative patients. HBV activity was tested with the quantitative Cobas Amplicor HBV Monitor Test (Roche Diagnostic Systems, Pleasanton, CA). RESULTS: Of all studied patients with chronic hepatitis C (serum HCV RNA positivity) only 1.0% were found to be HBsAg positive. In contrast, of all patients with confirmed anti-HCV positivity but serum HCV RNA negativity, 11.9% tested HBsAg positive. The median of HBV DNA levels of patients with serum HCV RNA positivity and HBeAg seroconversion (4.0 x 10(2) HBV DNA copies per ml) was found to be slightly lower than that of patients with serum HCV RNA negativity and HBeAg seroconversion (2.5 x 10(3) HBV DNA copies per ml; P>0.05). The median of HBV DNA levels of patients with serum HCV RNA positivity but without HBeAg seroconversion (1.1 x 10(4) HBV DNA copies per ml) was found to be significantly lower than that of patients with serum HCV RNA negativity but without HBeAg seroconversion (2.6 x 10(7) HBV DNA copies per ml; P<0.05). CONCLUSION: A mutual effect on HBV and HCV replication could be observed. The molecular assay for quantification of serum HBV DNA was found to be useful for the routine diagnostic laboratory.

Hepatitis B↗

PubMed2002

The impact of cigarette smoking on human semen parameters and hormones.

BACKGROUND: In this prospective study, semen parameters and hormone concentrations of infertile smokers were compared with infertile non- and ex-smokers. We also determined how many men with idiopathic infertility would stop smoking in an attempt to improve their fertility. METHODS: 1104 men (517 non-smokers, 109 ex-smokers and 478 smokers) with infertility for at least 1 year were evaluated. Evaluation included medical history, physical examination, hormone analysis and two semen analyses. Prior to the second semen analysis, smokers were urged to quit smoking. RESULTS: Smokers were significantly younger (P < 0.001), had significantly more round cells in their ejaculates (P = 0.003), and the percentage of ejaculates with > 1 x 10(6)/ml leukocytes was higher in smokers (P < 0.001). Increased free and total serum testosterone (P < 0.001) and decreased prolactin levels (P < 0.001) were found in smokers. No differences were found between non-smokers and ex-smokers. Only 23.1% of the smokers versus 46% non-smokers (P < 0.001) returned for a second semen analysis, 14 of whom reduced and 15 of whom quit smoking completely. Testosterone levels were significantly lower in those who were able to stop or reduce smoking (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Smoking does not affect conventional semen parameters, but significantly increases round cells and leukocytes. Only a few idiopathic infertile smokers were able to quit smoking.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Evaluation of an automated sample preparation protocol for quantitative detection of hepatitis C virus RNA.

The COBAS AMPLIPREP instrument for automated sample preparation has recently been introduced. In this study, the COBAS AMPLIPREP/COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR test, which includes this new molecular device, was evaluated and compared to the COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR test, which includes a manual extraction protocol. Interassay and intra-assay variation, precision, and linearity were determined, and a total of 130 clinical specimens were investigated. For determination of interassay variation, coefficients of variation were found to be between 9 and 59% for the COBAS AMPLIPREP/COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR test and between 13 and 69% for the COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR test. For determination of intra-assay variation, coefficients of variation were found to be between 7 and 13% for the COBAS AMPLIPREP/COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR test and between 8 and 16% for the COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR test. When precision of the COBAS AMPLIPREP/COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR test was tested, all results were found to be within +/-0.5 log of the expected results. Determination of linearity resulted in a quasilinear curve over 3 logs. When clinical samples were tested with the COBAS AMPLIPREP/COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR test and compared with the COBAS AMPLICOR HCV MONITOR test, all results were found within +/-0.5 log. In conclusion, the assay, which included the new molecular device, proved to be suitable for the routine molecular laboratory. It was found to be laborsaving and easy to handle.

Hepacivirus↗