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Biomedical subjects

M Kundi

Publications and source records attributed to M Kundi.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

[Prevalence of a type A behavior pattern (coronary prone behavior pattern) in the Vienna population].

The prevalence of the coronary-prone behavior pattern and its interaction with psychosocial and primary coronary risk factors was studied in a Viennese population sample consisting of 1459 people (634 men, 825 women). The sample was representative with respect to sex, age greater than 16 years, socio-economic status and local distribution. A questionnaire-based short rating scale developed by Bortner was used. The distribution of the study population on the A-B axis was unimodal (means = 174.95 +/- 40.76). The upper and the lower third of the A-B dimension was designated to represent type A1 and type B4, respectively. The mean Bortner score and rate of type A1 persons clearly decreased at lower (16 to 20 years) and higher ages (greater than 60 years). Within the group of employed subjects aged 21 to 60 years the mean type A score and the rate of A1 subjects for men (177 +/- 39; 6%) differed significantly from that of their female counterparts (188 +/- 39; 13%). Housewives had a mean score of 178 +/- 41 and 10% of them were scored A1, thus indicating significantly lower mean scores than employed females but the same rate of A1. Subjects with higher educational level showed only a tendency to increased type A. The socio-economic status was positively correlated to the global Bortner score, especially in men, but no relation was found to the rate of Type A1 persons. There was no significant correlation between type A score and systolic or diastolic blood pressure, body mass index or smoking behavior, but a significant correlation between type A score and the subjective feeling of overload. Type A subjects scored themselves significantly more often as continuously overload.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Somatosensory evoked potentials in cerebral palsy after partial dorsal root rhizotomy.

Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were studied in 20 children with cerebral palsy and severe lower extremity spasticity before and after selective partial dorsal root rhizotomy of the lumbosacral cord. The potentials from stimulating nerves in the lower extremity were abnormal in two thirds of the children before the operation, whereas the potentials were generally normal from upper extremity nerves. Dorsal root rhizotomies caused an attenuation of nerve root entry volleys recorded over the lumbar cord but did not change SEPs recorded over the cortex. The exception to this was that the incidence of abnormal sural nerve SEPs decreased postoperatively. Lumbar cord functions measured by H-reflexes or by tendon jerks were depressed following the operation. These results indicate a significant degree of abnormality of somatosensory transmission from the lower extremity in a group of cerebral palsied children with severe spasticity. Moreover, selective sectioning of approximately 50% of the dorsal root fibers in the lumbosacral cord had little influence on cortical evoked potentials.

Cerebral Palsy↗
PubMed1989

A modification of the single radial immunodiffusion potency test (SRD) for rabies vaccines.

In 1983 a WHO collaborative study showed that the single radial immunodiffusion test provided a reliable system for the assay of the glycoprotein content of inactivated rabies vaccines. We have modified the method used in the collaborative study by using round plastic plates with wells arranged in a circle. Potency estimates were made by the multiple slope ratio method and not by single slope estimation procedures adjusted for a common intercept. We carried out a statistical evaluation of the accuracy and reliability of the precipitation area calculation. We confirmed that for the purpose of the potency estimation the area calculations were sufficiently precise in most instances. By analysing the sources of variation for round and for glass plates and by testing the variability of these methods we found that the round plates were as good as the glass plates. The advantage of the round plates was mainly in the ease of their handling: the agarose solution was poured in the plates without the need for a separate mould; an integral moist chamber with these plates was readily available; the precipitation zones were measured easily using a viewer which gave fourfold enlargements and the method required less antiglycoprotein.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1989

Clinical manifestations of respiratory tract infections due to respiratory syncytial virus and rhinoviruses in hospitalized children.

From September 1984 to May 1986, nasopharyngeal secretions were obtained from 519 children with some form of respiratory tract infection. The nasal secretions were screened for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, parainfluenza virus types 1, 2, 3, influenza virus types A and B, and enteroviruses by tissue culture virus isolation technique and/or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A uniform questionnaire gave information about age, sex, individual signs and symptoms, findings of the physical examination and clinical diagnosis of the patients. RSV was detected in 119 (23%) specimens and was thus the most frequent causative agent of respiratory infections. After RSV, rhinoviruses were the most frequently recovered pathogens accounting for 60 (12%) cases of acute respiratory disease. A comparison of the individual signs and symptoms, the findings of the physical examination and the clinical diagnosis of RSV and rhinovirus infected children revealed that there was no characteristic clinical pattern associated with either of the two viral respiratory pathogens. According to our results, rhinovirus infections were a major cause of lower respiratory tract infections in hospitalized children less than or equal to 3 years old.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1989

A destabilization theory on health impairments by night- and shift work--some tests about its predictive value.

270 blue collar workers (181 shift and 89 day workers) of an Austrian oil refinery were investigated in 1976/77. 125 of them (60% of those still employed) were reinvestigated in 1981/82 (91 shift and 34 day workers). Subjects were interviewed about family situation, working conditions, sleep quality, risk factors and health problems. These informations were used for a partial test of our destabilization hypothesis, which states that a dynamic equilibrium between the degree of adaptation to the working sphere, the social sphere and the recreation sphere is a necessary condition for the preservation of health and that shift work, by its direct impact on all these activity spheres, tends to disturb the equilibrium, thus leading either directly or by increasing risk factors to diminished wellbeing and health impairment. It could be demonstrated that the causal structures of the formation of health problems differ considerably between shift and day workers in the predicted way. Furthermore, it was shown that shift and day workers differ with respect to the amount of destabilization and that within shift workers the degree of destabilization is a useful predictor of health impairment.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1988

Contribution of rhinoviruses to respiratory viral infections in childhood: a prospective study in a mainly hospitalized infant population.

A prospective study was carried out to investigate the contribution of rhinoviruses to respiratory viral infections in children and to investigate the influence of age, passive smoking, and educational level of the head of the family on the clinical course of viral respiratory disease. Nasopharyngeal aspirates from 519 infants (90.8% inpatients, 9.2% outpatients) were screened for the presence of rhinoviruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenoviruses, parainfluenza virus types 1, 2, 3, influenza virus types A and B, and enteroviruses by tissue culture isolation procedure, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and/or indirect immunofluorescence method. The total detection rate was 42.4%. The rate decreased with increasing age. Higher detection rates were observed in specimens from children suffering from a more severe respiratory disease, and the highest rate of virus-positive specimens was found in those aged 0-6 months. Second to RSV (23.1%), rhinoviruses were the most frequently recovered pathogens found in 11.8% of children with acute respiratory tract infections (RTI). In the age group 0-6 months the majority of severe respiratory illnesses was due to RSV. In infants aged 6 months to 1 year a decrease in the number of severe illnesses caused by RSV and an increase in the number of children suffering from a more severe RTI caused by rhinoviruses was found. With the possible exception of one group of children infected with rhinoviruses, a negative effect of passive smoking on the incidence and severity of viral RTI could not be established. A beneficial effect of breast feeding on the severity of viral RTI could not be definitely demonstrated.

Austria↗
PubMed1987

Incidence of inhibitors in patients with severe and moderate hemophilia A treated with factor VIII concentrates.

Recent data published on the prevalence of inhibitors to factor VIII in hemophiliacs on treatment show great variations, with prevalence rates ranging from 3.6 to 14.2%. We have studied the cumulative risk of inhibitor development in a cohort of 62 patients with hemophilia A. All patients were born after 1960, were natives of the Vienna area, had a factor VIII activity of less than 5%, and were treated at least once. Using the method of Cutler and Ederer, the cumulative risk of inhibitor development was found to be 24% at the age of 25 years. Most inhibitors developed between the ages of 3 and 7 years. The current prevalence of F VIII inhibitors in the group of patients studied is 17.5%. It is concluded that prevalence data underestimate the true risk of inhibitor development.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

[Auditory adaptation and auditory fatigue].

Twenty subjects without otological disease were examined for auditory thresholds by Békésy audiometry and by the Feldmann Test (Adaptogramm), before and after noise exposure to one ear of 90 db SPL at 3 kHz for 15 minutes. The exposed ear was also tested for hearing fatigue (TTS). There was no significant correlation between Békésy audiometry and Feldmann test curves or between these adaptation tests and the hearing fatigue test (TTS) after noise exposure. Our results suggest that these methods of measuring adaptation do not correspond, and that adaptation measurements, prior to noise exposure, have no predictive value for hearing fatigue test results following noise exposure. After noise exposure changes were found in the non-exposed ear which were manifested as variability of the Békésy audiometry curves and flattened Feldmann curves. We thought that these results might indicate a central adaptation following noise exposure. There was interference of this so called "central adaptation" with peripheral fatigue in the exposed ear.

Audiometry, Pure-Tone↗
PubMed1986

A controlled trial for evaluating two live attenuated mumps-measles vaccines (Urabe Am 9-Schwarz and Jeryl Lynn-Moraten) in young children.

A prospective, randomised clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of two live attenuated mumps-measles vaccines, the Urabe Am 9-Schwarz and the Jeryl Lynn-Moraten vaccine, in 400 young children aged 9 months-4.5 years (median 13.4 months). Antibody responses to both vaccine components were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); 96.9% of the seronegative children who received the Urabe Am 9-Schwarz vaccine showed satisfactory mumps antibody responses compared to 90% of the Jeryl Lynn-Moraten vaccine recipients (P less than .01). Similar proportions of both groups, 98.5% and 96.8%, respectively, developed measles virus specific antibodies. Both vaccines were equally well tolerated and clinically acceptable.

Antibody Formation↗
PubMed1986

Detection of respiratory syncytial virus in nasopharyngeal secretions by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indirect immunofluorescence, and virus isolation: a comparative study.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) antigens in nasopharyngeal secretions (NPS) from children with acute respiratory disease. Antisera against RSV nucleocapsids were used as immunoreagents for this test system. The results obtained by RSV antigen ELISA were compared to those of indirect immunofluorescence (IF) and tissue culture virus isolation (TC). Of the 404 NPS obtained, 278 were tested in parallel by ELISA and IF and 205 by ELISA and TC, and 89 were screened in parallel by all three methods. The sensitivity of ELISA in relation to IF was 86.7%, the specificity 95.7%. Sensitivity and specificity obtained by ELISA were 89.9% and 94.4%, respectively, compared to TC. False-negative results were obtained with all three test systems used.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

[Data display and reduction in computer-assisted EEG analysis in the time domain].

Analysis of EEG frequency spectra leads in two fields to problems demanding optimal data reduction methods: especially if topological aspects have to be considered, it is likely that the rather limited memory capacity of laboratory computer systems will be exceeded; furthermore severe methodological problems arise in statistical analysis of combined data sets, including frequency spectra, other physiological, and non-physiological data. Three data reduction methods are discussed: the classification with respect to frequency bands, the search for prominent frequencies, and the computation of quartiles of the frequency spectra. There is some evidence in favour of the method of prominent frequencies. This method seems to preserve much of the differential information of the frequency spectra.

Computers↗
PubMed1986

[Demonstration of an interpolation method for determining approximate maximum and minimum points as a prerequisite for EEG analysis in the time domain using computers with limited memory capacity].

The EEG analysis in the time domain provides several advantages compared to the power spectra analysis, based on a FFT. There is the possibility to differentiate frequency, amplitude and other elementary characteristics of the wave form. This technique of EEG analysis is based on the definition of distinct characteristics of the wave form. Problems for calculating the frequency distribution arise--according to Harner, 1977--due to the fact, that the digitalization rate has to be very fast to reach an adequate resolution. On the other hand a high digitalization rate of 5 ms or below produces problems concerning the limited memory capacity of laboratory computers, especially if more than one derivation should be analysed simultaneously, to make further topological analyses possible. Three procedures of EEG analysis to calculate frequency distributions are shown, two of them are based on an interpolation technique to calculate adjusted minima-maxima. The results of these procedures using two different digitalization rates, were compared and discussed to respect similarity of resulting frequency distributions.

Computers↗
PubMed1985

[Presentation of a new tachistoscopic test procedure for measuring functional hemisphere asymmetries of the optic field].

A newly developed tachistoscopic test using visual half-field-stimulation was tried on a clinical population of 178 primary school children. Words and geometric figures were presented. The results showed inconsistent effects of increased tiredness on the one hand and training effects on the other hand, while doing the test. The amount of asymmetry in the performance was not effected. The construction of the test was based on results of a previous study with similar items on a normal population of the same age. Therefore the items within a pair of simultaneously presented words or geometric figures in the two visual half-fields are generally of equal difficulty as perception is regarded. Therefore asymmetries in the perception are due to functional hemispheric asymmetry. Vertical oriented four-letterwords show no significant difference between reproduction from the right or left visual half-field. This discrepant finding regarding to the literature is discussed in respect of different methodology, different age distribution of the population, and different state of skills in reading and writing. Geometric figures showed marked asymmetries on the level of reproduction. Such items were much better recognized, if they were presented in the left visual half-field.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Health risks due to long-term stress--night work as an example].

Multiple matched cases of shiftworkers, dayworkers and drop-outs, (N = 301) were split into four groups corresponding in age and years at work. Data concerning different parameters of health and wellbeing were collected by means of medical case histories, check-ups, questionnaires and interviews. Time contingent effects of health deterioriation were analysed. In terms of an overall score ("Health Score") in shiftworkers health was found to decrease with age markedly; the difference to dayworkers got significant from the 12th year of work exposure onwards. This finding can be ascribed to a high rate of sleep disturbances and a pronounced reduction of wellbeing (already present in younger workers) as well as to a significant increase in morbidity concerning gastrointestinal and cardiovascular ailments. Corresponding rates of doctor's consultations and drug intake increased with age and work exposure. Subjective ratings of work conditions suggest marked mental and emotional stress components. In dayworkers a destabilization of health was found which was marked for the middle age; the health score, however, was still significantly better than that of shiftworkers in all age classes. There was evidence of an excess rate for respiratory illnesses. In drop-outs less adverse conditions of health and wellbeing than in shiftworkers were found. But health was more deteriorated than in dayworkers. Having dropped out of shiftwork means an improvement of gastrointestinal and nervous symptoms; the cardiovascular disorders, however, remain high.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1985

[Prevention of occupational cancer in the asbestos cement industry (preliminary report)].

In a cohort study on 324 asbestos cement workers an increased risk of lung cancer was observed in comparison to cement workers (O/E = 1.7, p less than 0.05). 10 out of 17 deaths from lung cancer occurred after age 65, stressing the need for screening after retirement. In a pilot study on 198 asbestos cement workers we tried to adjust the screening intensity to individual risk (esp. for respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases) by use of history (exposure, smoking, etc.) and results of earlier examination. We found relations between smoking and respiratory symptoms, smoking and parameters of flow-volume-curves, smoking and radiological signs of early pneumoconiosis. Possibilities for early detection and intervention are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Impaired fibrinolytic capacity predisposes for recurrence of venous thrombosis.

The fibrinolytic capacity of 121 patients with a history of venous thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism was studied by venous occlusion technique, at earliest 3 months after the last thromboembolic episode. After discontinuation of oral anticoagulation treatment the clinical course of the patients was followed and new thromboembolic episodes were noted. During the observation period of 56 +/- 18.8 months 45 of 121 patients experienced recurrence of thrombosis. The recurrence-rate was significantly lower in patients with a post-occlusion ELT shorter than 60 min (4.8%/year) than in patients with an ELT longer than 60 min (10.3%/year). It is concluded that the fibrinolytic capacity is a useful parameter for determining the risk of recurrence in patients with venous thrombosis.

Anticoagulants↗
PubMed1984

Risks and benefits of vaccinations.

Any medical intervention is expected to prevent sickness and complications of a disease rather than to induce them. This is true for therapy as well as prophylaxis. Special formulas have been developed to calculate the risks and benefits of vaccinations simply but with sufficient accuracy. The risk ratio (Q) tells how many times the risk of contracting certain complications or even death from a disease is greater in unvaccinated than in vaccinated individuals. The risk difference (D) directly expresses the number of complications or deaths that may be prevented by a certain vaccination. It is even possible to evaluate the epidemiologic trend of a disease and to calculate or estimate the point of time when the risks of disease and vaccination are just balanced, ie, when a vaccination has lost its beneficial effect. Vaccinations against measles, poliomyelitis and tick borne encephalitis in Austria are highly beneficial. BCG vaccination is still beneficial on a low level in Austria as far as protection against tuberculosis is concerned. This effect will persist for the rest of this century. The benefit of pertussis vaccination depends on the local epidemiologic situation. It has expired for non-risk groups in Austria since 1976 but continues to persist in the US.

Austria↗