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M Dramaix

Publications and source records attributed to M Dramaix.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Does non-invasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring disturb sleep?

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of non-invasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring upon sleep in healthy men. METHODS: Spontaneous variations in the quality of sleep were assessed by taking polygraph recordings in 44 healthy men aged 17-69 years. Subjects were allowed one night to become accustomed to the laboratory environment, and then their sleep was recorded for 4 consecutive nights. On day 4 blood pressure was measured every 10 min for 24 h. RESULTS: The blood pressure recording procedure caused a small but significant decrease in the amount of slow-wave sleep and an increase in the duration of nocturnal awakenings. As a result, sleep efficiency was decreased. The number of nocturnal awakenings was not affected by the blood pressure measurements. The effects of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were qualitatively similar in young and older volunteers. CONCLUSION: Non-invasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring induces modest sleep disturbances which are unlikely to artifactually distort the physiological 24-h blood pressure profile.

Adult

[Community health workers are capable of determining reliably the target population for health programs].

The target population is a key concept for the planning and evaluation of health services. However, in developing countries, health professionals in the field are often uneasy with the determination of the population denominator. In Zaire, where reliable demographic data are hardly available, we make use of two different methods aimed to the determination of the size of the target population: (1) an exhaustive population based survey performed by trained interviewers, and (2) a rapid census of the target population performed by community health workers. This paper presents both the results of a demographic survey organized in 1984, and two consecutive census performed by community health workers in 1986 an 1988, in the same area (Northern-Kivu, Zaire). Our results suggest that community health workers under close supervision are able to perform rapidly and at low cost a reliable collection of the demographic data needed for the implementation and monitoring of health programmes at the local level.

Adolescent

Regional differences in risk factor distributions, food habits and coronary heart disease mortality and morbidity in Belgium.

Belgium can be divided in 4 major geographical areas: two Dutch speaking areas in the north (Campine and Flanders), a French speaking area in the south (Wallonia) and the Brussels area in between. Significant differences in mean serum cholesterol levels were observed with the lowest level in Campine, intermediate in Flanders and Brussels, and the highest level in Wallonia. Similar differences were observed in the prevalence of CHD and mortality from CHD is also higher in the French speaking part of the country. A survey of food habits since 1959 shows a higher butter and lower soft margarine consumption in the south. However, differences in smoking habits and personality traits also exist.

Adult

[Evaluation of technics used to define type 'A' pattern, in the Belgian Prevention Project of cardiovascular diseases (author's transl)].

In order to define the Rosenman and Friedman type A pattern three technics where used: the Bortner scale, the Jenkins Acitivity Survey (J.A.S.) and the interview. These are part of the base-line data recorded during the screening of a belgian male population aged 40 to 59 at entry of a controlled trial for the multifactorial prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The J.A.S. and the Bortner scale are evaluated in relation to the interview. Extremes of type A and B are less prevalent in our study compared to the Western Collaborative Group Study. Both the J.A.S. and the Bortner scale are very satisfactory in predicting type A and B pattern. The Bortner scale predicts the pattern in 78% of the subjects, by the method of weighted scores. The validation of this classification method, on a second sample, gives an accurate classification in 75% of the subjects. The J.A.S. predicts, the pattern in relation to the interview in 78% of the subjects; again the validation of the classification method, on a second sample, gives a correct classification in 70% of the subjects.

Behavior