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Biomedical subjects

P Allhoff

Publications and source records attributed to P Allhoff.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

Health effects during a smog episode in West Germany in 1985.

In January 1985 a smog period occurred for 5 days in parts of West Germany, including the Rhur District. Mortality (24,000 death certificates), morbidity in hospitals (13,000 hospital admissions, 5400 outpatients, 1500 ambulance transports) and consultations in doctors' offices (1,250,000 contacts) were studied for a 6-week period including the smog episode and a time interval before and thereafter. The study region was the State of North Rhine-Westfalia (16 million inhabitants), but the analysis is restricted to the comparison of the polluted area and a control area (6 million inhabitants each). During the smog period, mortality and morbidity in hospitals increased in the polluted area, but there was no substantial increase in the control area. The increases were for the total number of deaths 8 vs. 2% (polluted area vs. control area), for hospital admissions 15 vs. 3%, for outpatients 12 vs. 5% and for deliveries by ambulance to hospitals 28% in the polluted area (not investigated in the control area). The effects were more pronounced for cardiovascular diseases than for respiratory diseases. The consultations in doctors' offices show a slight decrease (-2 vs. -4%). Regression analysis shows a moderate influence of temperature, but a strong influence of ambient air pollution. The maxima of the ambient concentrations are more important on the same day, whereas the influence of the daily averages is more pronounced after a delay of 2 days. The results are discussed considering other possible confounders such as indoor pollution and psychogenic influences of the alarm situation. In total, the study suggests moderate health effects due to increased air pollution during the smog episode.

Acid Rain↗
PubMed1986

[Growth curves as a screening instrument--possibilities and limits].

The application of growth charts as screening tools for children is a commonplace. Growth charts published during the past 15 years in Germany are now under debate with respect to their validity. An analysis of the problems related to growth curves gave the following results: A clear, sharp boundary between normal and non-normal permitting reliable grouping of children does not exist. Due to the heterogeneity of the population of children coming for screening, the call for an allround optimal and representative growth-curve remains wishful thinking. The growth charts so far published, show marked differences in the course of the percentile lines. The discrepancies can be explained by different sample sizes and algorithms of calculation. In the example of the longitudinal Zurich growth study on normal children it can be demonstrated, that the change between percentile ranges during the initial 4 years of life often considered to be pathological occurs in almost 50% of the probands. By conservative interpretation all growth charts can be used, because only with rare exceptions the diagnosis of growth disorders will be solely based on the measurement of tallness and its comparison to percentile values. As a rule: The grouping of a child as having non-normal growth is the result of multiparametric medical considerations.

Body Height↗
PubMed1985

[First examination of neonates. Results of early diagnostic documentation].

There is an annual statistical evaluation of documentation, done since 1971, of an early disease diagnosis programme for children. At first examination of neonates in the years 1977-1981, sex-specific difference was low as regards data on pregnancies at risk, but definite and constant differences were recorded as regards psychic and social stress during pregnancy. Pregnancies at risk without any special features at birth were registered in 12.5%. In 58.4% of newborns no special features with regard to pregnancy or birth were recorded. In contrast to all other markers, final pelvic position was more frequent for girls than boys. The proportion of operative obstetric procedures has slowly fallen from 1977 to 1981. Cesarean section has recently been practised in 12.4%. With regard to birth weight of children, the documentation revealed a difference from the Federal Statistical Office, which showed a higher number of low-birth weight new-borns. Comparing the results with those of other German or foreign statistics, there is a strikingly high frequency of cesarean section in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Cesarean Section↗
PubMed1985

Haemorheology in adolescent hypertensives.

Fifty-three untreated borderline hypertensives and 73 normotensives were randomly selected from 1342 adolescents (age range 23-27 years) who were examined in 1975, 1976 and 1980 in an epidemiological study. Blood pressure was 127.2 +/- 1.0/79.0 +/- 0.8 mmHg in normotensives and 147.2 +/- 1.6/93.7 +/- 1.1 mmHg in hypertensives (P < 0.001). Erythrocyte deformability was measured with a positive pressure filter system (pore diameter 5 microns) at 37 degrees C. Erythrocyte deformability was significantly increased in hypertensives with a value of 1.77 +/- 0.05, compared with 1.64 +/- 0.04 in normotensives (P < 0.05). No difference in apparent whole blood viscosity, haematocrit and plasma fibrinogen was measurable between the groups. Although plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline concentration at rest and after 3 min standing were not different, excretion of urinary catecholamines was significantly elevated in hypertensives with 155.0 +/- 3.3 micrograms/24 h (normotensives: 100.7 +/- 5.3 micrograms/24 h; P < 0.001).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

[Problems with developmental diagnostic procedures].

After mentioning historical origins of developmental diagnostics, the present article focuses on some of the problems attached to procedures used in developmental diagnostics, as for example the Denver Scales well known and widely distributed in the Federal Republic of Germany, the Münchener Funktionelle Entwicklungsdiagnostik (Munich Functional Developmental Diagnostics), and the Federal Early Diagnostic Program for early discovery of developmental disorders. From this, criteria for the construction and evaluation of developmental tests are derived.

Child Development↗
PubMed1982

[Prevention during adolescence: cardiovascular risk profile in juveniles of Cologne].

6302 adolescents were examined in 1975 for a cardiovascular risk profile ("Cologne Study"). Defined subpopulations could be followed-up prospectively in 1976 and 1980 (participation rates: 76.2%, 81.4%, 66.5%). Both sexes showed a correlation of cigarette smoking and intake of alcoholic beverages. Girls taking contraceptive smoked, drank more and their total cholesterol was significantly higher, and HDL-cholesterol significantly lower as compared to girls without hormonal contraception. A quarter to a third of the total variance for blood pressure, heart rate, total cholesterol, cigarette smoking and body-mass-index can be explained by measurements one resp. four or five years ago. Elevated values in the highest quintile show a clear tendency towards stability of risk status. Considering multifactorial constellations by cluster analysis, three groups with low, medium, and high risk status can be distinguished: 48% of all adolescents maintain their category over 5 years. For children with long-term and manifest elevation of blood pressure a more detailed determination of the risk status is recommended.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Cost-effectiveness of conservative therapy of knee joint osteoarthritis].

UNLABELLED: Hyaluronic acid (HYA) recently in several clinical studies has been shown to reduce gonarthrotic pain and to improve mobility. As an outcome measure usually the medical judgement and/or patient satisfaction as well as the Lequesne-index or the Euroquol index were used. The objective of this study was to investigate the cost-effectiveness (CEA) of HYA in a German ambulatory setting. METHODS: In 5 orthopedic specialist's practices a total of 179 patients with gonarthrosis have been evaluated, 90 under treatment with HYA, 89 with standard treatment (SDT). After 6 months the effects of HYA as measured by the Lequesne- and Euroquol-indices have been compared to SDT and analysed for cost of treatment. RESULTS: All index values for pain and mobility show--mostly significant--differences in favour of HYA, e.g. 92.4% of all patients under HYA achieved optimum values of Euroquol for general satisfaction vs. 42.9% in the reference group. The direct medical costs of 796, 11 DM are higher for HYA by 286, 85 DM (incl. 649 for HYA alone): the cost of medical services are lower by 108 DM, for lost days of work they are lower by 98 DM as compared to SDT. The average cost-effectiveness of HYA was superior for the effects on pain and mobility (e.g. differences of 978 and 328 DM resp. in direct costs), how-ever, indifferent for the complete indices. also marginal cost-effectiveness shows mainly favourable results for the various outcome-dimensions of quality of life used, the values being partly lower than the average cost-effectiveness. DISCUSSION: HYA shows mainly superior effects on quality of life as compared so SDT. Savings occur mainly with the regard to additive therapies and loss of work days. Overall HYA therapy is not more expensive but more beneficial than SDT.

Aged↗