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Biomedical subjects

Knut Waterloo

Publications and source records attributed to Knut Waterloo.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Age-related psychomotor slowing as an important component of verbal fluency: evidence from healthy individuals and Alzheimer's patients.

Generalized psychomotor slowing is a characteristic of normal aging, and there is evidence suggesting that this feature is also central in dementia. The present article aims to evaluate the importance of psychomotor slowing as a factor underlying changes in the performance of verbal fluency tasks in normal and pathological aging. In study 1 reading and handwriting speed were used to predict performance on written and oral verbal fluency tasks (VFTs) in healthy elderly subjects (n = 20) and in patients of the Alzheimer type disease (n = 20). In study 2, spectrographic techniques were used to obtain reaction times, average of voice intensity and duration of single word production in young individuals (n = 20), healthy elderly subjects (n = 20), and in patients of the Alzheimer type disease (n = 7). Additionally, duration of single word production were also obtained. The results suggest that age-related psychomotor decline in word production speed is an important determinant of VFT.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

[Impact of Scandinavian guidelines on management of mild head injuries].

BACKGROUND: A national survey in 1996 showed insufficient routines for management of patients with mild head injuries in Norwegian hospitals. Since then, the Scandinavian guidelines for management of mild head injuries have been published. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey of management practice was performed in all 59 hospitals in 2002. We compared the results with figures from 1996 and evaluated guideline compliance. RESULTS: The proportion of noncompliant hospitals was reduced (p = 0.02) from 52% to 31%. The proportion assessing patient consciousness according to the Glasgow Coma Scale increased (p = 0.001) from 49% to 80%. The proportion requiring a normal computed tomographic scan if a patient with a history of loss of consciousness was to be discharged from the emergency department increased (p < 0.001) from 2% to 19%. CONCLUSION: The Scandinavian guidelines have had a significant impact on management practice in Norwegian hospitals.

Craniocerebral Trauma↗
PubMed2006

Verbal memory performance of mildly to moderately depressed outpatient younger adults.

BACKGROUND: Memory impairment is associated with major depression. Studies on young adults are, however, rare and show inconsistent and contradictory results. The present study investigated the relationship between mild to moderate depression and verbal memory functioning in a relatively large sample of young, non-psychotic, mainly non-medicated outpatients. METHODS: Fifty-seven clinically depressed were compared to 42 previously depressed and 46 never depressed controls on the California Verbal Learning Test. RESULTS: No difference in verbal memory functioning appeared between the three groups, and no difference were obtained between first-episode depressed individuals and individuals with recurrent depression. LIMITATIONS: The study was cross-sectional and prospective studies are needed to confirm our findings. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that relatively young, non-medicated outpatients with mild to moderate depression are not affected by verbal memory impairments.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Analysis of protein S-100B in serum: a methodological study.

BACKGROUND: Dysfunction and damage of the human central nervous system can be detected with biochemical markers, and protein S-100B is the best-established such marker. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the protein is stable during long-term storage, to establish reference values for the new Elecsys S100 test and to compare this new method with the Liaison Sangtec 100 test. METHODS: We analysed blood samples from 118 blood donors and 196 patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage or head injury. The long-term stability of S-100B in frozen serum samples was evaluated with repeated analysis in 1997 and 2003 using an immunoradiometric assay. Method comparison between the Liaison Sangtec 100 and Elecsys S100 tests was performed using Bland-Altman difference plots. RESULTS: Serum concentrations increased significantly during long-term storage (mean difference 0.15 microg/L; +/-2 SD, 0.55 microg/L). Serum measurements using the Elecsys S100 method in 118 healthy blood donors showed S-100B levels between 0.02 and 0.08 microg/L (mean 0.05). The 95th percentile was 0.07 microg/L. The Liaison Sangtec 100 test usually measured higher concentrations than the Elecsys S100 method, and the difference between the two methods increased with increasing concentrations. The mean difference between the methods was 0.14 microg/L (+/-2 SD, 0.39 microg/L). CONCLUSIONS: Protein S-100B is not stable during long-term storage and the two analytical methods are not interchangeable.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed2005

Neuropsychological function in relation to serum parathyroid hormone and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. The Tromsø study.

There are receptors for parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in the brain, and there are clinical and experimental data indicating that PTH and vitamin D may affect cerebral function. In the present study 21 subjects who both in the 5th Tromsø study and at a follow-up examination fulfilled criteria for secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) without renal failure (serum calcium < 2.40 mmol/L, serum PTH > 6.4 pmol/L, and normal serum creatinine) and 63 control subjects were compared with tests for cognitive and emotional function. Those in the SHPT group had significantly impaired performance in 3 of 14 cognitive tests (Digit span forward, Stroop test part 1 and 2, and Word association test (FAS)) as compared with the controls, and also had a significantly higher depression score at the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) (items 1-13). In a multiple linear regression model, a high serum PTH level was significantly associated with low performance at the Digit span forward, Stroop test part 1 and 2, and Digit Symbol tests. A low level of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was significantly associated with a high depression score. In conclusion, a deranged calcium metabolism appears to be associated with impaired function in several tests of neuropsychological function.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Neuropsychological function and symptoms in subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism and the effect of thyroxine treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to examine the relation between neuropsychological function and subclinical hypothyroidism (SHT), defined as serum TSH of 3.5-10.0 mIU/liter and normal serum free T4 and free T3 levels, and to study the effect of T4 supplementation. SUBJECTS: A total of 89 subjects (45 males) with SHT and 154 control subjects (72 males) were recruited from a general health survey (the fifth Tromsø study). Sixty-nine of those with SHT were included in a placebo-controlled, double-blind intervention study with T4 medication for 1 yr. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We used fourteen tests of cognitive function, Beck Depression Inventory, General Health Questionnaire, and a questionnaire on hypothyroid symptoms. RESULTS: The mean +/- sd serum TSH in the SHT and control group were 5.57 +/- 1.68 and 1.79 +/- 0.69 mIU/liter, respectively. There were no significant differences in cognitive function and hypothyroid symptoms between the two groups, but those with SHT scored significantly better than the controls on the GHQ-30. At the end of the intervention study, serum TSH in the T4 group (n = 36) and the placebo group (n = 33) were 1.52 +/- 1.51 and 5.42 +/- 1.96 mIU/liter, respectively. T4 substitution had no effect on any of the parameters measured. CONCLUSION: In subjects with SHT where the serum TSH level is in the 3.5-10.0 mIU/liter range, there is no neuropsychological dysfunction, and compared with healthy controls, there is no difference in symptoms related to hypothyroidism.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Serial single-photon emission computed tomographic and transcranial doppler measurements for evaluation of vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical value of serial single photon-emission computed tomographic (SPECT) measurements after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). METHODS: Thirty-two patients were studied prospectively during the first 26 days after SAH with repeated SPECT measurements, clinical examinations, and transcranial Doppler recordings. Time trends were analyzed with a general linear model. A final SPECT measurement was performed after 1 year. RESULTS: A mean of 2.6 (range, 1-5) SPECT measurements revealed a significant (P = 0.001) quadratic curve consistent with initial hypoperfusion and then with hyperperfusion during the acute stage. SPECT findings were significantly associated with transcranial Doppler recordings (P = 0.016) and clinical assessments (P = 0.008). Patients fulfilling clinical and transcranial Doppler criteria for vasospasm demonstrated a more pronounced relative hypoperfusion-hyperperfusion time course. A multivariate logistic regression analysis identified SPECT measurements obtained during Days 7 to 14 after the SAH as the only independent predictor (beta = 0.042, P = 0.02) for impaired perfusion after 1 year. CONCLUSION: Serial SPECT measurements after aneurysmal SAH demonstrate that regional changes in cerebral perfusion follow a nonlinear time trend, and repeated measurements are necessary. This observation, as well as the low feasibility of SPECT, restricts the clinical value of such measurements.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Mild head injuries: impact of a national strategy for implementation of management guidelines.

BACKGROUND: A national survey in 1996 showed insufficient routines for management of patients with mild head injuries in Norwegian hospitals. Since then, the Scandinavian Guidelines for Management of Mild Head Injuries have been published. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey of management practice was performed in all 59 hospitals in 2002. We compared the results with figures from 1996 and evaluated guideline compliance. RESULTS: The proportion of noncompliant hospitals was reduced (p = 0.02) from 52% to 31%. The proportion assessing the patient's level of consciousness according to the Glasgow Coma Scale increased (p = 0.001) from 49% to 80%. The proportion requiring a normal computed tomographic scan if a patient with a history of loss of consciousness was to be sent home from the accident and emergency department increased (p < 0.001) from 1 (2%) to 13 (19%). CONCLUSION: The Scandinavian Guidelines for Management of Mild Head Injuries have had a significant impact on management practice in Norwegian hospitals.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2003

Symptoms and cognitive dysfunction in patients with the late whiplash syndrome.

The aim of the study was to record the severity of symptoms in patients with the late whiplash syndrome and to assess how the symptom load affected the performance on a simple psychometric test. The Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ) with an additional question on neck pain, modified RPQ (mRPQ), and the Short Test of Mental Status (STMS) were applied on 40 chronic whiplash patients. Symptoms reported by the whiplash group were compared to those of 50 normal controls. The patients scored significantly higher than the controls on all symptoms listed in the mRPQ. The most frequent symptoms reported.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Fatigue in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: the psychosocial aspects.

OBJECTIVE: Studies to prove a relationship between fatigue and immunological, inflammatory, or other disease characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have shown no consistent findings. To further elucidate the basis for fatigue in SLE, we examined the affective states, personality traits, and mental health status in an unselected group of patients with SLE. METHODS: Fifty-seven Caucasian patients with SLE were examined. Fatigue was measured by the Fatigue Severity Scale. Personality traits and psychological function were evaluated by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), the affective states by Beck Depression Inventory, and mental health status by the General Health Questionnaire version 30 (GHQ-30). RESULTS: Fatigue was closely associated with high scores on subscales Depression (D-2) and Hysteria (Hy-3) on MMPI-2 (R2 = 0.31; p = 0.0002), as well as with high scores on BDI (R2 = 0.22; p = 0.0006) and GHQ (R2 = 0.33; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Fatigue does not seem to be caused by any easily recognizable single or multiple factor(s) of an inflammatory or immunological state. Our results point to fatigue being a multifaceted phenomenon where several psychosocial factors are strongly related, and indicate that fatigue is part of a complex response to chronic disease.

Adult↗