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Biomedical subjects

M Kataja

Publications and source records attributed to M Kataja.

85 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

The gastric secretion profile of patients with chronic renal failure.

The secretion of gastric juice, HCI, and sialic acid was investigated in 45 patients with chronic renal failure, 13 patients with gastric ulcers, 52 with duodenal ulcers, and 27 control patients during the dose-response pentagastrin test. The renal patients had low gastric juice and HCI secretion both in the basal condition and during pentagastrin stimulation. It was almost of the same magnitude as in patients with gastric ulcers. The basal sialic acid secretion in renal patients did not differ from that of the controls, but in patients with peptic ulcers it was significantly higher. During pentagastrin stimulation the differences decreased. Stimulated maximal HCI output values in relation to sialic acid output were also similar in the gastric ulcer and renal patients. Thus the gastric secretion profiles, excluding the basal sialic acid secretion, were quite alike in patients with chronic renal failure and those with gastric ulcers.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Self-poisoning patients in an intensive care unit.

The purpose of the present study was to analyze 147 self-poisoning cases, admitted within one year to an intensive care unit (ICU). About half the patients had taken only one substance. The most important poisons were alcohol (52% of the cases), neuroleptics (37%), anxiolytics (28%), hypnotics (27%), antidepressants (16%) and analgesics (13%). On admission, 25% of patients were hypotensive, 25% of patients had cardiac arrhythmias or conduction disturbances. Retention of carbon dioxide was found in 28% of cases. In 60% of the patients emptying of the stomach contents was performed. Four patients, all of whom survived, were treated with haemodialysis. Most of the patients were treated in the ICU for less than two days. Three patients died, all of whom had taken large amounts of poisons and/or were in a critical condition on admission. Among men the most common psychiatric disorder preceding the poisoning was alcoholism: among women it was depression. A very serious attempt at suicide was considered to be the reason with 38% of the cases. About two thirds of the patients were sent for psychiatric aftercare. To reduce further suicide attempts, large general hospitals should have psychiatric outpatient clinics or consultation facilities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

[Documentation of central venous catheterization using a computer laboratory system (author's transl)].

Full documentation of every case of central venous catheterization is a prerequisite for reducing the incidence of failures and complications. A laboratory computer program already in use was modified for this purpose: the start of the operation is put in in "real time", abandoned or failed procedures or incomplete data are detected, and can be queried on the day of patient is discharged from hospital. Adverse effects are shown up at an early stage by the quarterly print-out. The program involves less work than a conventional system without computer. The experiences gained with this modified system in the course of one year (including the run-in period) are reviewed.

Catheterization↗
PubMed1981

The prevention of headache following spinal anaesthesia.

The efficacy of various methods in preventing headache following spinal anaesthesia was compared in 797 patients. The postspinal headache occurred in 17.8% of the patients in whom the lumbar puncture was done with a 22-gauge needle. The use of a 26-gauge needle reduced the occurrence of the headache to 7.8% (p less than 0.0125) and the administration of 100 mg of indomethacin six hours after the blockade to 10.3% (p less than 0.05) of the patients. The hydration, an infusion of 3000 ml of fluids during the operation day as compared to that of 1500 ml, did not prevent the headache, nor did the recumbency of 24 hours as compared to that of 8-16 hours, nor the prophylactic epidural blood patching. The headache occurred more often in young patients and in patients who had a history of repeating headache or migraine. In the patients with postspinal headache indomethacin relieved pain as effectively as a stronger analgesic-mixture. Other complaints occurring after the blockade were: pain in the lower back in 9.7% and pain in the lower extremities in 7.2% of the patients. The lithotomy position during the blockade predisposed the patients to these complications.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Injuries of the thoracolumbar junction. Clinical and radiological results in 149 patients.

In a series of 149 fractures of the thoracolumbar junction (Th12-L1), treated at the Central Hospital of Tampere from 1968 to 1975, 101 patients were seen after an average interval of 5 years. Over half of the fractures were sustained at home or in leisure hours. Over 90% were anterior wedge fractures. One patient died in the hospital of other injuries. The injury caused peraplegia in three cases and other neurological lesions in six. The treatment was conservative except in the patients with paraplegia, who were surgically treated. The patients were mobilized after an average of 15 days. The neurological condition did not deteriorate. Noteworthy changes of the radiological findings occurred during follow-up. The clinical result was considered good in two thirds of the patients, and 91% were able to return to work. The frequency of neurological findings was significant in patients showing radiological deformities. The force responsible for the fracture correlated with the radiological findings and the occurrence of neurological lesions. Narrowing of the vertebral canal and degenerative changes observed on admission had a significant and unfavorable effect on the clinical result.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Fractures of the lumbar spine. Clinical and radiological results in 94 patients.

Sixty-six (70 per cent) of 94 patients with fracture of the lumbar spine (L2-L5), treated at the Central Hospital of Tampere in 1968--1975, were seen after an average interval of 5 years and 4 months. The mean age of the patients at the time of injury was 40.4 years. Somewhat less than half the fractures were sustained at home or in leisure hours and one third were due to traffic accidents. Two thirds were anterior wedge fractures. One patient died in the hospital of other injuries sustained in the same accident. Paraplegia was caused in one case, other neurological lesions in six cases. The treatment was mainly conservative and based on the principle of early functional exercises. Surgery was used in 2 cases of fracture-dislocation. The patients were mobilized after an average of 19 days. The mean duration of hospital treatment was 26 days. Seventy-nine per cent were able to return to work after an average of 3.6 months. No noteworthy changes in the neurological state occurred during follow-up. Half the followed-up patients considered the state of their back at least good. Poor end-results were more frequent in patients over 40 years old than in those under 40. Radiological deformities were more often observed in patients showing neurological symptoms. Increased interspinous distance and flexion or compression deformities had an unfavourable effect on the clinical result.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Injuries of the cervical spine. Clinical and radiological results in 119 patients.

Seventy-one patients of 119 with injury of the cervical spine were re-examined an average of 5 years and 5 months after the accident. The mean age of the patients was 39 years. There were 91 male and 28 female patients. The majority of injuries (51) were sustained by car drivers and passengers involved in traffic accidents. More than one cervical vertebra was damaged in 36 patients. Neurological lesions were observed in 59 patients; tetraplegia was present in 19 of these. The average duration of hospital treatment was 37 days. Twenty-four patients were treated at the intensive care unit. Skull traction was used in 69 cases for an average of 38 days to bring about reduction and immobilization. Reduction and anterior spondylodesis by Cloward's technique was performed on 13 patients. Of the operated patients, 11 showed root symptoms or incomplete cord lesions. The 19 tetraplegics were all conservatively treated. Fourteen patients died of their cervical spine injuries and 7 remained permanently disabled. Half the patients recovered to a pain-free state and one third became asymptomatic. Of the radiological deformities observed on admission, lowering of the disc space increased during follow-up, and forward sliding, increase in interspinous distance and narrowing of the vertebral canal decreased. The clinical result was poorer if flexion deformity, compression, forward sliding, narrowing of the vertebral canal or lowering of the disc space were observed at the last radiological examination.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Posterior fusion of the lumbosacral spine. Evaluation of the operative results and the factors influencing them.

The operative results of 79 patients subjected to posterior fusion of the lumbosacral spine were evaluated on the basis of a follow-up examination performed on average 5.4 years after operation. A method of evaluation was developed which measured the patients' subjective improvement and working capacity. The method proved appropriate for clinical use and gave a more correct picture of the operative result than methods relying on the patients' own opinion or the radiographic assessment as the only criterion. Sixty per cent of the patients were subjectively improved, 40 per cent had returned to their previous or a corresponding occupation and 24 per cent had a good operative result, assessed by the method applied. A statistical analysis was performed in order to find the factors influencing the operative results. Age over 40 years, heavy or moderately heavy preoperative work and over 6 months' preoperative disability had a statistically significant, unfavourable effect on the results. In the case of labourers in heavy occupations, working capacity was seldom restored to a degree sufficient for return to their previous work. The operative technique proved reliable with 91 per cent successful fusions, assessed from functional radiographs. Successful fusion did not imply a good operative result, although it did so more often than non-fusion. On the basis of this study, operative fusion of the lumbosacral spine seems to be of relatively little value in the treatment of patients suffering from low back pain, and factors other than purely medical or surgical have a considerable influence on the operative results.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prevalence of handicapping hearing loss in an aging population.

The mean hearing thresholds of 369 Finnish inhabitants, 65 years, and born in 3 consecutive years on two elected days each year, were studied in high standard measurement conditions. Eighty-nine of these subjects were reexamined 3 years later. They represented a typical partly industrialized white population with a high standard of living. With the criteria for hearing rehabilitation for presbycusis set at a mean hearing threshold of 30 dB or worse at 500 to 1,000 to 2,000 Hz, and/or 50-dB hearing loss at 2,000 Hz, the prevalence of rehabilitation need was 3.2%. Conductive hearing losses were found in 6% of the subjects.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The Bayesian approach to the evaluation of risk factors in acute and recurrent acute otitis media.

A multivariant modelling method was used to analyse the risk, associated with 22 different factors, of contracting acute otitis media (AOM) in a prospective cohort of 1294 urban children followed up to the age of 17-32 (mean 25) months. By far the most important risk factor was the caring of the child at a day-care centre. The importance of this factor further increased with increasing recurrence of the attacks. Next in order came the existence of sibling(s) with AOM attacks during the follow-up. Prolongation of breastfeeding increased the protection against AOM during the first year of life. The frequency of AOM attacks was lowest around midsummer and highest in early winter.

Acute Disease↗