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Biomedical subjects

K L Rasmussen

Publications and source records attributed to K L Rasmussen.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Placebo-controlled trial of treatment of unexplained secondary recurrent spontaneous abortions and recurrent late spontaneous abortions with i.v. immunoglobulin.

The aim of this trial was to investigate whether infusions of i.v. immunoglobulins (Ig) to women with secondary recurrent spontaneous abortions and recurrent second trimester spontaneous abortions can increase the rate of successful pregnancy. In a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, infusions of i.v. Ig (Nordimmun) or placebo were given during pregnancy to 34 women with a history of either unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion subsequent to a birth or including at least one second trimester miscarriage. The success rate was 52.9% in the i.v. Ig group compared with 29.4% in the placebo group (not significantly different, therapeutic gain 23.5%, 95% confidence interval -8.6 to 55.7%). No changes in autoantibody concentrations or major lymphocyte subsets were induced by i.v. Ig treatment. In conclusion, an expected 55% therapeutic gain of i.v. Ig in recurrent spontaneous abortion could not be confirmed using the treatment regimen tested. However, to determine whether the trend of therapeutic gain of i.v. Ig in these women may be statistically significant, a larger trial is in progress.

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed1995

A comparison of survival and side effects in two periods with a different approach to radical hysterectomy as treatment of cervical cancer stages Ib and IIa.

The study compares survival and complications during two periods with a different approach to radical hysterectomy as treatment of cervical cancer stages Ib and IIa. Group A included 128 patients operated during the years 1983-87. In that period 5 of the patients who were offered radical hysterectomy had cervical cancer stage IIa. Group B included 135 patients operated during the years 1988-91. In that period 7 of the patients who were offered radical hysterectomy had cervical cancer stage IIa. Considering stage 1b separately, the frequency of operation was raised from 52 (123/237) to 87% (128/148). A 5-years crude survival rate of 85% and 88% was observed in the two groups. The mortality rate was zero in both periods and no fistulae occurred. There were no significant increase in morbidity or length of hospitalization. In the elderly patients over sixty years a significant increase in minor postoperative complications and hospitalization more than 2 weeks were seen. The conclusion is that the frequency of radical hysterectomy as treatment of cervical cancer stage Ib can be raised from 52% to 87% without any noticeable influence on survival or complication rate.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1995

Coecal volvulus following caesarean section.

A case of coecal volvulus following caesarean section is reported. The importance of knowing the possibility of intestinal obstruction during pregnancy and puerperium is underlined.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Effect of uterine fibromas on pregnancy].

The recent published journal reports concerning the influence of uterine myomas on pregnancy are reviewed. The prevalence of uterine myomas in pregnancy is 0.1-5%, and less than half of the cases can be diagnosed by clinical investigation alone. The previous belief that continuous growth of myomas occurs during pregnancy seems incorrect. Most myomas grow during the first trimester, whereafter only few continue to enlarge. The most often recognized complication during pregnancies with uterine myomas is abdominal pain. About ten percent will suffer from this. Treatment is with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are extremely effective. In resistant cases epidural blockade may be used. Placental abruption is possibly more common among women with myomas that have direct contact to the placenta, and there is a trend towards shorter pregnancies in women with myomas. Further investigation on these subjects is required. No other complications are consistently reported more frequently among women with myomas than among those without. Myomectomy during pregnancy should only be performed in extreme cases. The value of myomectomy before conception to avoid pregnancy complications is doubtful, if no other pathology is present.

Female↗
PubMed1994

[School children's knowledge of, need for and use of contraception before and after the AIDS campaigns. Knowledge and sources of information].

The purpose of the present paper was to investigate the influence of the AIDS-campaigns on adolescents' knowledge of contraception and pregnancy and their sources of information. All pupils in their ninth school year in the municipality of Viborg answered an identical questionnaire in 1986 and 1993, dealing with the mentioned subjects. In 1986, 539 questionnaires were included, in 1993, 391. In 1986, sexually inexperienced boys had lesser knowledge than the rest. This could not be shown in 1993. Although their knowledge was not optimal, the pupils in 1993 answered better than the 1986-pupils. They had the same informational sources, but in 1993, the school was mentioned as an important source by nearly all. The mother, on the contrary, had decreasing importance as a source of information. Two thirds were generally satisfied by the sexual information given by the school. Experienced boys were significantly more often unsatisfied. It is concluded that the condom-orientated AIDS-campaigns have not in general decreased the knowledge of contraception and pregnancy among adolescents. Their knowledge is, however, not optimal. The school is extremely important as an informational source, especially if the importance of the parents decreases. This implies that fewer of those adolescents, who have left school, have adult support in dealing with sexual problems.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1994

[School children's knowledge of, need for and use of contraception before and after the AIDS campaigns. Sexual activity and contraception habits].

The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate changes in contraceptional habits or sexual activity among adolescents as a consequence of the AIDS-campaigns. In 1986 and 1993 all pupils in their ninth school year in the municipality of Viborg answered an identical questionnaire concerning the mentioned subjects. Both in 1986 and 1993 one third had had sexual intercourse, and one seventh had had their sexual debut before the age of 15. There were significantly more condom users at the first coitus in 1993 and fewer pill users. The proportion of unprotected intercourse did not differ. More pupils had had experience using condoms in 1993, but, as in 1986, nearly half of the girls had used coitus interruptus or safe periods. The proportion of girls who had had intercourse within a week of answering the questionnaire increased from 26% to 42%, indicating a more sexually active population of girls. It is concluded that the increased sexual activity, the fewer pill users and the persisting large proportion of un- or low-protected intercourse may result in more unintended pregnancies. The coincident use of pill and condom should be encouraged.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1994

HLA class II alleles confer susceptibility to recurrent fetal losses in Danish women.

HLA-DR and -DQ typings were performed by a combination of RFLP and PCR-SSP techniques in 234 Danish women with at least three consecutive unexplained fetal losses (recurrent fetal losses) and 360 controls and the DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1 alleles were deduced. In the total group of patients, the frequency of no DRB1-DQA1-DQB1 haplotype was significantly increased compared with controls. In the subgroup of 97 women with four or more fetal losses (multiple fetal loss group), the frequency of women carrying the DRB1*0101, DQA1*0101, DQB1*0501; DRB1*0102, DQA1*0101, DQB1*0501 and DRB1*0103, DQA1*0101, DQB1*0501 haplotypes or the DRB1*0301, DQA1*0501, DQB1*0201 haplotype were significantly increased compared with controls (RR = 2.1; pc < 0.05 with regard to former three haplotypes combined and RR = 2.2; pc < 0.05 for the latter). The frequency of women with at least one of the four haplotypes was significantly (p < 0.002) increased with the number of previous fetal losses in the women's history. Analysis of the DQA1 and DQB1 phenotypes in women with at least four fetal losses showed that DQA1*0501 and DQB1*0501 were increased compared with controls (RR = 1.9; pc < 0.05 and RR = 2.2; pc < 0.025, respectively). Analysis of DRB1-DQA1-DQB1/DRB1-DQA1-DQB1 genotypes suggested that genotypes comprising both DQA1*0501 and DQB1*0501 alleles (in trans) exhibited a higher RR for experiencing at least four fetal losses (RR = 3.4, p = 0.002) than each of the alleles did alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed1994

Responses of free-ranging rhesus monkeys to a natural form of social separation. I. Parallels with mother-infant separation in captivity.

Observations of 23 free-ranging rhesus monkey infants on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, indicated that mothers' first postpartum estrous periods were marked by large increases in the amount of time infants were separated from their mothers, by disturbances in mother-infant relationships, and by increases in infant distress behavior. When their mothers resumed mating, most infants showed signs of agitation; a few briefly showed indications of depression. Male infants responded to their mothers' resumption of mating by playing more, whereas females engaged in less play and more allogrooming. The results suggest (a) that basic parallels exist between the behavioral responses of rhesus infants to their mothers' resumption of mating in the field and to forcible separation from their mothers in captivity and (b) that early separation experiences may play a role in the normal development or manifestation of sex differences in behavior.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

[Vaginal bleeding in the first trimester].

Significant changes in attitudes towards patients with vaginal bleeding during the first trimester of pregnancy are taking place at the moment, and it is with this in mind that the relevant literature dealing with these patients is reviewed. The rate of miscarriage in an asymptomatic population of pregnant women is 2-4%. If vaginal bleeding occurs, about half the fetuses will have no detectable heartbeat by the time symptoms appear and miscarriage is taking place. Of the remainder, where heartbeat is demonstrated, only ten percent will miscarry despite the bleeding. The presence of an intrauterine haematoma will at most have marginal significance for the prognosis. There is no treatment that has a documented effect amongst these patients, which is why hospitalization can no longer be recommended. A possible investigational program is suggested.

Abortion, Threatened↗
PubMed1993

[Long-term prognosis for women with chronic pelvic pain without laparoscopically demonstrable cause].

With the object of assessing the long-term prognosis and the frequencies of recurrence and remission in women chronic low abdominal pain without laparoscopically visible cause, questionnaire were sent in 1985 and 1991 to 55 women who had been submitted to laparoscopy in 1982-1984 for this reason. These women had been told that there was no demonstrable explanation of the pain experienced and were then discharged. 65% and 55% respectively had experienced and unfavourable course with considerable and continued symptoms. Only 22% stated in both investigations that they had experienced a favourable course and that they were, by and large, free from pain. 36% changed from an unfavourable to a favourable course or the reverse. The assessment made by the women was confirmed by a series of subordinate questions and this demonstrated a marked difference between the favourable and unfavourable courses of the condition. It is concluded that laparoscopy with exclusion of significant pathology is not, in itself, satisfactory as treatment of this patient group and that no improvement occurs in the course of time. The condition varies greatly with many recurrences and remissions and, for this reason, uncontrolled reports of the therapeutic effects are of no significance. When compared with the literature, it is suggested that this patient group should be referred early in the course of the condition to a therapist with specialist psychological/sexological insight and/or to a physiotherapist with interest in this patient group.

Abdominal Pain↗
PubMed1993

Specific antibody levels in free-ranging rhesus monkeys: relationships to plasma hormones, cardiac parameters, and early behavior.

Levels of tetanus-specific antibodies were assessed in free-ranging, yearling rhesus monkeys following prophylactic immunization with tetanus toxoid. Each subject's behavior had been observed between 11 and 25 weeks of age and approximately 2 months later during its mother's first concentrated mating period as a part of another study. Prior to immunization, at approximately 1 year of age, cardiovascular parameters, and several plasma parameters [cortisol, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), growth hormone (GH), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and total plasma immunoglobulin G (IgG)] were measured during a brief period of captivity. Antibody titers noted approximately 2 weeks after immunization were related to cardiovascular parameters. Thus, yearlings with high heart rates and low heart rate variability during captivity had the highest tetanus-specific serum IgG. Levels of plasma cortisol, ACTH, total IgG, and IL-2 noted at the time of capture were unrelated to subsequent antibody levels. Antibody titers were, however, positively correlated with GH noted immediately following capture on the day prior to immunization. Antibody titers were also related to the infants' behavior observed during their mother's first concentrated mating period. Infants who were most distressed (high levels of distress vocalization) when their mother resumed mating (a time particularly stressful for free-ranging rhesus infants) showed lower antibody titers to tetanus immunization as a yearling. The present observations add support to the existence of a relationship between behavior during exposure to an early stressor and later immune regulation and that certain cardiovascular parameters may be related to certain indicators of immunoregulation.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1992

[Complications in patients who underwent appendectomy for mistakenly diagnosed acute appendicitis].

A retrospective investigation was undertaken concerning 552 patients who were submitted to appendectomy on account of suspected acute appendicitis during the period January 1 1983-December 31 1987. The diagnostic certainty was found to be 69%. A total of 14.3% (79/552) developed postoperative complications, including 20 patients in whom normal appendices were removed. Some of the complications were possibly attributable to the cause of the symptoms of acute appendicitis but this was not possible to determine by review of the case records. No differences were found in the frequencies of complications in whom normal appendices were removed as compared with those in whom inflamed appendices were removed. The frequency of perforation was 17.2% (95/552) which is in agreement with the findings in previous investigations. It may thus be concluded that the incidence of complications associated with removal of a normal appendix is no greater than after removal of an inflamed appendix. Removal of a normal appendix is, however, not a harmless procedure. The incidence of "negative appendectomy" must be reduced by meticulous observation and repeated reassessment of the patient and employment of other diagnostic aids e.g. ultrasonic scanning or laparoscopy in order to confirm or refute the diagnosis prior to possible operation.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

Prepregnancy low body mass index is not a predictor of labor complications.

The course of delivery and fetal outcome in 149 women with forecoming normal pregnancy and a prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) less than 20.0 were compared to a similar group of women with BMI between 20.0 and 24.9 after matching for age and parity. None of the women was undernourished. Suspected intrauterine asphyxia was significantly more common in primipara with BMI below 18.0 than in their controls (6/12 vs. 1/12), and there was a trend towards fewer babies weighing at least 4,000 g in the women with low BMI. No other significant differences related to BMI were found. It is concluded, that constitutional low weight for height is not a predictor of complications during delivery, and no special observation of this group is recommended.

Apgar Score↗