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Biomedical subjects

P Weckström

Publications and source records attributed to P Weckström.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Survey of Guillain-Barré syndrome in southern Finland.

All acute Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) cases identified in the county of Uusimaa in southern Finland from 1981-1985 were analyzed. The incidence varied from 0.5 to 2.1 per 100,000 population. An antecedent event of possible etiologic significance was reported in 10% of the cases. Plasma exchange therapy was introduced during these years. Less children than expected fell ill, perhaps because of vaccinations, but a rise in the incidence of GBS in 1985 occurred during a nation-wide oral poliovirus vaccination campaign. A total of 19.4% of the patients needed respirator treatment, and plasma exchange therapy was given to 27.4% of these patients, among whom the time in respirator was shortened compared to equally affected individuals not given plasma exchange. The mortality was lower in the recent compared to the earlier period. This may be due to plasma exchange therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome during a nationwide oral poliovirus vaccine campaign.

Concomitant with a nationwide oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) campaign in Finland in 1985, an unexpected rise in the number of patients hospitalized with the Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) occurred. An analysis based on hospital records covering a population of 1.17 million and 6 years revealed a significantly increased incidence of GBS coinciding with the OPV campaign. We carefully examined 10 cases with onset of GBS within 10 weeks after immunization. Only 4 patients could recall recent symptomatic infection, and we found no specific agent in these cases. Our study suggests that live-attenuated polioviruses may, like other infectious viruses, sometimes trigger the GBS.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

The effect of chemoprophylactic use of rifampin and minocycline on rates of carriage of Neisseria meningitidis in army recruits in Finland.

During an epidemic caused by sulfonamide-resistant group A Neisseria meningitidis (A SuR strain), rifampin (600 mg per day for four days) or minocycline (100 mg every 12 hr for five days) was administered as chemoprophylaxis to 1,540 unvaccinated recruits in the Finnish Armed Forces. Rates of carriage of all strains of N. meningitidis were initially reduced by 78% (from 60% to 13%) in the 389 men receiving rifampin and by 62% (from 70% to 26%) in the 1,151 men receiving minocycline but rose to approximately 30% in both groups four weeks after prophylaxis. The carriage of A SuR strains was similarly reduced. An individual follow-up of 636 trainees demonstrated a high rate of new infections. It is suggested that the long-term inefficiency of rifampin and minocycline is due to their inability to reduce the carriage rates enough to prevent further spread of infection after prophylaxis is descontinued. However, no new cases appeared among the men receiving the prophylaxis. Five strains highly resistant to rifampin were found after the use of rifampin (minimal inhibitory concentration, greater than or equal to 100 microgram/ml), but no minocycline-resistant strains were encountered. No unpleasant side effects were seen in subjects receiving either drug.

Finland↗
PubMed1978

Myocardial complications of immunisations.

Immunisation may induce myocardial complications. In this pilot study clinical, electrocardiographic, chemical and immunological findings have been studied during a six weeks' follow-up after routine immunisation (mumps, polio, tetanus, smallpox, diphtheria and type A meningococcal disease) among 234 Finnish conscripts at the beginning of their military service. Serial pattern of ECG changes suggestive of myocarditis was recorded in eight of the 234 conscripts one to two weeks after vaccination against smallpox and diphtheria. Changes were mainly minor ST segment elevations and T wave inversions and usually they disappeared in a few weeks. The ECG positives more often had a history of atopy, and their mean body temperatures and heart rates after the vaccinations were higher than among the other subjects (p less than 0.01). However, clinical myocarditis was never noted, nor were immunological or enzymological changes different among the ECG positives. Thus in 3% of the study population, evidence of postvaccinal myocarditis was noted, based on serial ECG patterns, but without any other evidence of cardiac disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Effect of group-A meningococcal vaccine in army recruits in Finland.

During an epidemic caused by group-A, sulphonamide-resistant meningococci in Finland, group-A polysaccharide vaccine was administered in 1974 to 16 458 recruits of the Armed Forces, leaving 20 748 as controls. Specific antibody response was good, and after vaccination only 1% of the men were without anti-meningococcal group-A antibodies. Pharyngeal carriage of the epidemic strain was low, about 1-5%, in the men when entering service. Group-A meningococcal disease occurred during the nine months' mean observation period in 1 of the vaccinated men (an annual incidence of 11 per 100 000) and in 8 of those not vaccinated (71 per 100 000), indicating 89% protective effect of the vaccine. Furthermore, the total number of cases of group-A meningococcal disease was reduced to non-epidemic levels at a time when 36% of the men in service were vaccinated, and has remained low for the next twelve months even though the epidemic in the general population continued.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗