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Biomedical subjects

M Dahl

Publications and source records attributed to M Dahl.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Gingival status during chemical plaque control with or without prior mechanical plaque removal in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of a mouthrinse regimen comprising both chemical plaque control and mechanical plaque removal. 20 adult patients with acute myeloid leukaemia were assigned to one of the following 2 regimens: (1) (group 1) mouthrinse twice daily with a 0.1% chlorhexidine solution; or (2) (group 2) the same regimen, but preceded by mechanical removal of plaque and calculus on day 1. All patients were followed for 28 days from the initiation of remission-induction therapy. In group 2, the plaque scores remained lower than those of group 1 throughout the study, although only 3 patients remained completely free of plaque after 28 days. Gingival inflammation as judged by bleeding scores remained unchanged in group 1, whereas in group 2, the degree of inflammation was reduced from 52% (median value) on day 1 to 31% (median value) on day 28. The bleeding scores were also lower in group 2 (31%) than in group 1 (60%) on day 28. No differences were found between the 2 groups with respect to the occurrence of other oral infections. It is concluded that chemical plaque control with chlorhexidine should be preceded by mechanical removal of plaque and calculus, when used in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia and thrombocytopenia.

Aclarubicin

Feeding problems in an affluent society. Follow-up at four years of age in children with early refusal to eat.

Twenty-four children, previously investigated at 3-12 months of age for refusal to eat during at least four weeks with no apparent medical cause, were followed up prospectively and reinvestigated at four years of age. Comparisons were made with 38 controls, selected from the same child health care districts. Information was obtained from parental interviews, medical records and assessments by a speech therapist. At four years of age, 17 of the 24 children with early refusal to eat (71%) were reported by the parents to still have feeding problems and 10 (42%) were reported as hyperactive. Compared to the controls, the children with early refusal to eat seemed to have an equally good prognosis with respect to health, growth and development, but were at risk of later problems with their eating patterns and behaviour.

Body Height

Ten year survival of a patient with advanced pulmonary hypertension and mixed connective tissue disease treated with immunosuppressive therapy.

Pulmonary hypertension is the most frequent cause of death in patients with mixed connective tissue disease. The pulmonary hypertension is progressive and difficult to treat effectively. These patients experience considerable morbidity secondary to diminished cardiac function. We describe a case in which sequential administration of cyclophosphamide and cyclosporine A favorably altered the clinical and hemodynamic course of this serious complication.

Adult

Cardiovascular risk in young Finns.

This report describes the general outline and progress of a multicentre study on risk factors of coronary heart disease and their determinants in children and adolescents. "Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns" comprises a cross-sectional study of 3 to 18-year old subjects in 1980, and follow-up studies in 1983 and 1986 in various parts of Finland, and in 1989 in one of the study areas (Turku). The number of participants in 1980 was 3596 (83.1%) of those invited. In 1983 and 1986 83.2% and 77.8% of them, respectively, participated. The study programme has comprised questionnaire data on, for example, general health and living conditions, physical activity, eating habits, smoking, and psychological variables. The physical examination covered height, weight, skinfold thickness, pubertal stages and blood pressure. Blood specimens were obtained to assess concentrations of serum lipids and insulin, and in 1986 also for possible genetic markers of hypercholesterolemia. A 48 hour recall on nutrient intake was obtained from some of the subjects. The follow-up studies have enabled a study of the tracking phenomenon. Other important questions under study include, for example, the possible clustering of risk factors and their determinants. The cohorts studied provide a valuable research basis for the future, with emphasis on enabling a long-term follow-up of the subjects.

Adolescent

Obesity in children, adolescents and young adults.

The prevalence of obesity in Finnish children, adolescents and young adults aged three to 24 years was estimated in three surveys performed within the multicentre project, "Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns" (1980, 1983, 1986). Obesity was defined as either body mass index (weight/height) or skinfold thickness (triceps or subscapular) or both greater than 90th percentiles of age and sex-specific reference data for white children. Its mean prevalences among 9- to 18-year old boys and girls in three surveys (95% confidence limits) were 3.6% (3.1-4.2) and 2.1% (1.7-2.6) as estimated in terms of body mass index and triceps skinfold thickness or 4.3% (3.9-4.9) and 2.6% (2.2-3.1) according to body mass index and subscapular skinfold thickness. Thus the 9- to 18-year old boys were on average more often obese than the girls, but no statistically significant changes in the prevalence of obesity were observed over the period 1980-1986. Body mass index and triceps or subscapular skinfold thicknesses vary in sensitivity as indicators of obesity.

Adolescent

Blood pressure in children, adolescents and young adults.

The question of whether blood pressure is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in childhood has been evaluated in a Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns. In the second follow-up study, carried out in 1986, blood pressure was successfully measured in 2500 individuals aged nine to 24 years using a random zero sphygmomanometer. The mean systolic blood pressure in girls rose from 102 mmHg (95th percentile 119 mmHg) at age nine to 116 mmHg (138 mmHg) at age 24 and that in boys from 102 mmHg (95th percentile 121 mmHg) to 128 mmHg (148 mmHg). Diastolic blood pressure was more often measurable using Korotkoff's 5th than the 4th phase. The values observed were similar to those reported by the Second Task Force on Blood Pressure Control in Children, but owing to differences in the methods used to measure blood pressure it cannot be reliably concluded that the blood pressures were similar in the two series. Even in childhood blood pressure measurement is important, and since it changes with the physical size of the child, observations should be compared with normal values such as those reported here. No data are yet available to suggest that children with blood pressure values in the high normal range would benefit from interventions. Thus normal blood pressure value curves should be applied with caution when assessing children.

Adolescent

Serum insulin and other cardiovascular risk indicators in children, adolescents and young adults.

We wanted to determine the levels of fasting serum insulin during growth, the tracking of serum insulin, and the correlation of serum insulin with other coronary heart disease risk indicators in children and young adults. In 1986 2433 subjects, aged nine to 24 were studied, and insulin data were available from the same population in 1980 and 1983. Serum insulin levels showed a peak during puberty in both sexes and the decline in insulin continued after the age of 21. Tracking of serum insulin was only moderate, especially in females and young boys. Serum insulin correlated positively with body mass index, concentrations of serum triglycerides, and blood pressure, and inversely with the concentration of high density lipoprotein cholesterol. High triglycerides, high systolic blood pressure, and low level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol clustered among subjects within the highest insulin quartile. Our results suggest that the insulin resistance phenomenon, caused mainly by obesity and leading to unfavourable levels of other coronary heart disease risk indicators, is already developing in children and young adults. This suggests that preventing obesity in early life is important.

Adolescent

[Rehabilitation after stroke].

Our hospital's stroke rehabilitation programme has been evaluated through a retrospective study of the record of 183 males (mean age 60 +/- 11 years) and 94 females (mean age 59 +/- 14 years) admitted in 1982/83. 87% of the patients had motoric impairments on admission; 45% had apraxia, 17% neglect, 38% aphasia and 57% other cognitive impairments. Most patients had both motoric and cognitive problems. 79% were able to ambulate freely at discharge as opposed to 55% on admission. 88% were independent in ADL when discharged; 67% on admission. The average length of stay (LOS) was shorter (p less than 0.005) for the males (57 +/- 32 days) than for the females (68 +/- 40 days). LOS was not significantly influenced by the patients' age. 81% of the patients were discharged to their homes. Significantly fewer patients with cognitive impairments were able to return to their homes after rehabilitation than in the case of those without such problems. The presence of aphasia did not significantly affect the rehabilitation outcome. It is concluded that the major obstacles for successful rehabilitation (i.e. back to the patient's home) are the cognitive impairments.

Activities of Daily Living

The b alleles of U. maydis, whose combinations program pathogenic development, code for polypeptides containing a homeodomain-related motif.

U. maydis is a fungal pathogen of corn with two forms: one is yeast-like and nonpathogenic; the other is filamentous and pathogenic. The b locus, with 25 different alleles, regulates this dimorphism: any combination of two different alleles triggers pathogenic development, whereas the presence of identical alleles results in the yeast-like form. We have cloned four b alleles (b1, b2, b3, and b4) and show that the b locus contains a single open reading frame (ORF) of 410 amino acids with a variable N-terminal region and a highly conserved C-terminal region (60% and 93% identity, respectively). Mutational analysis confirms that this ORF is responsible for b activity. The b polypeptides appear to be DNA binding proteins because they contain a motif related to the homeodomain in their constant region. We propose that combinatorial interactions between b polypeptides generate regulatory proteins that determine the developmental program of the fungus.

Alleles

A second time-study of the anaesthetist's intraoperative period.

This second time-study of the anaesthetist's intraoperative period was conducted at The Ohio State University Hospitals. The study involved a total of 30 anaesthetic procedures. The activities of the anaesthetists were videotaped and analysed independently by three reviewers. Unlike our previous study, the present study was performed at a time when automatic noninvasive arterial pressure monitors, automatic ventilators and patient breathing circuit disconnect alarms were in use. The greatest amount of intraoperative time of the anaesthetist (59.1%) was spent monitoring the patient directly (44.8%) or indirectly (14.3%) via patient monitors. This represented an increase from our previous study attributable to the increased use of technology in the operating room. The anaesthetist still spent about 10-12% of his/her time completing patient records.

Anesthesia

[Arthroscopy and arthroscopic surgery of the temporomandibular joint].

Diagnostic arthroscopy and arthroscopic surgery of the TMJ has during the recent years been introduced in the treatment of internal derangements, preauricular pain and osteoarthrosis of the TMJ. In closed lock cases and in cases with preauricular pain a satisfactory result of treatment has been described in 80-90% of cases, where there was lacking effect of conservative treatment with splints and physiotherapy. The refinement in the technique has made it possible to use rotating instruments, cauterisation and to perform suturing through the arthroscopic cannula and in this way reduce the need for open joint surgery. Due to the technique only few complications have been reported. In the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in the University Hospital of Aarhus arthroscopy of the TMJ was introduced 1 1/2 year ago and 22 patients with the clinical diagnosis closed lock or preauricular pain or a combination of these has been treated during this period. The results are satisfactory in most cases and are comparable with previously published results.

Arthroscopy

High Doppler-derived cardiac output in the cerebral arteriovenous fistula measured by pulsed Doppler ultrasound.

Cerebral arteriovenous fistula may cause a significant increase in cardiac output. So far, the right ventricular output measurement with conventional cardiac output methods has been difficult in newborn infants because of the shunts through the foramen ovale and patent ductus arteriosus. This difficulty can be avoided by measuring left ventricular output with the pulsed Doppler ultrasound method. In our case, the patient was a newborn infant with large patent ductus arteriosus and an arteriovenous malformation of the great cerebral vein of Galen. The malformation was found by noticing a loud murmur from the infant's head. The diagnosis was later confirmed by ultrasound scanning and a computer tomography. Left ventricular output was enormous with values from 740 to 830 ml/min/kg, when the normal value for the newborn infant at this age is 260 ml/min/kg. Because of constant cardiac failure, the malformation was operated on. The infant died of cardiac failure during this operation. An enormous left ventricle output in an infant with arteriovenous fistula and patent ductus arteriosus predisposes to cardiac failure. The Doppler ultrasound method in newborn infants seems to be a useful tool to determine cardiac function.

Blood Flow Velocity

Blood pressure and excretion of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium in 8- and 9-year old boys from 19 European centres.

We have measured systolic and diastolic blood pressure and excretions of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium in groups of about 50 8- and 9-year-old boys from 19 European centres using standardized methods for the measurement of blood pressure and collection of urine, and by carrying out all analyses in one laboratory. Weight, height, pulse rate and environmental temperature were also studied. Mean systolic blood pressure ranged from 91 to 105 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure from 51 to 66 mm Hg. Mean 24-h excretion of sodium was between 91 and 146 mmol/d, that of potassium between 29 and 60 mmol/d, that of calcium between 1.5 and 2.6 mmol/d and that of magnesium between 2.7 and 4.2 mmol/d. Mean sodium excretion tended to be lower and potassium excretion tended to be higher in the boys from the north-western parts of Europe. Relations between either systolic or diastolic blood pressure and electrolyte excretions were generally weak or absent. Most remarkable is that only the association between mean diastolic blood pressure and 24-h magnesium excretion (partial regression coefficient (b +/- s.e., -5.04 +/- 2.08 mm Hg/mmol/d) was statistically significant after adjusting for differences in creatinine excretion and environmental temperature. Mean systolic blood pressure was not significantly related with any of the variables measured. The partial regression coefficient (b +/- s.e.) for diastolic blood pressure on weight was 0.186 +/- 0.062 mm Hg/kg, on height 0.165 +/- 0.056 mm Hg/cm, on pulse rate 0.364 +/- 0.100 mm Hg/beats per min and on outside temperature -0.25 +/- 0.07 mm Hg/degrees C.

Blood Pressure

Recommendation for collection of skin puncture blood from children, with special reference to production of reference values.

Reliable reference values need to be collected under standardized conditions. In order to enable comparison of values observed on patients with reference values, it is also desirable to use the same standardized conditions on patients. The present recommendation was produced as a joint effort of representatives of the clinical chemists and paediatricians of Scandinavia and describes the following details. Preparation of the child before specimen collection (food intake, time of day, physical activity, posture, environment), preparation of skin puncture site (warming, disinfection, ointment), instruments for blood collection (lancet, blood collection vessel), site of puncture (plantar surface of foot, finger, ear lobe), collection of emerging blood and handling and storage of the specimen.

Adolescent

Early feeding problems in an affluent society. III. Follow-up at two years: natural course, health, behaviour and development.

The aim of this study was to investigate the natural course of later problems and their prevalence in children with early feeding difficulties. Forty-two children with feeding problems without any obvious medical reason during the first year of life were followed up prospectively to the age of two years. Comparisons were made with 42 age- and sex-matched controls. Information was obtained from parental interviews, medical records and assessments of psychomotor development. In 21 (50%) of the children with feeding problems the problems persisted at the age of two years. There were significantly higher frequencies of infections and behavioural problems among the children with early feeding problems than among the controls. No differences in psychomotor development were found. Recurrent infections, behaviour problems and psycho-social problems were significantly correlated with severe persistent feeding problems at the age of two years.

Child Behavior Disorders