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S Friis

Publications and source records attributed to S Friis.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

A suggested revision of the Ward Atmosphere Scale.

OBJECTIVE: In a previous study, we have suggested a revision of the Anger/Aggression and the Spontaneity subscales. The main aim of this study was to re-evaluate the psychometric properties of the other eight subscales of the Ward Atmosphere Scale. METHOD: A total of 550 patients and 822 staff members on 54 psychiatric wards for psychotic patients completed the WAS and the Good Milieu Index (GMI). We calculated Cronbach's alpha, the Corrected Item Total subscale Correlation, subscale intercorrelations and the correlation between subscales and GMI. RESULTS: By removing a total of 16 items, the psychometric properties improved. The revised subscales had acceptable psychometrics and gave a clearer picture of the relationship between the perceived level of patient satisfaction and the WAS subscale scores. CONCLUSION: The revision suggested in this study 'modernized' several of the subscales. We suggest that this revision is implemented in the future use of the WAS.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Do the Spontaneity and Anger and Aggression subscales of the Ward Atmosphere Scale form homogeneous dimensions? A cross-sectional study of 54 wards for psychotic patients.

OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the two subscales of the Ward Atmosphere Scale (WAS), Spontaneity and Anger and Aggression, which measure the level of expressed emotion. We wanted to examine if the items measuring attitude and behavior form different dimensions. METHOD: A total of 550 patients in 54 different psychiatric wards for psychotic patients completed the WAS and the Good Milieu Index. RESULTS: Removing, respectively, four items from the Spontaneity subscale, three items from the Anger and Aggression subscale the psychometric properties improved. The two revised subscales were named Spontaneous Behavior (SB) and Angry, Aggressive Behavior (AAB). A new 'attitude' subscale, comprising three items, was named Staff Attitude to Expressed Feelings (SAEF). CONCLUSION: For patients the attitude and behavior items seem to form separate dimensions. The three subscales examined are probably of central importance for patient satisfaction.

Aggression↗
PubMed2003

Methodological pitfalls in early detection studies - the NAPE Lecture 2002. Nordic Association for Psychiatric Epidemiology.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and discuss methodological pitfalls that may help explain why many questions around early detection (ED) and duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) are still unsolved. METHOD: This paper concentrates on pitfalls in the following areas: sampling, measurement and data analyses. RESULTS: The main problems seem to be: SAMPLING: Referral bias, exclusion of patients, patient refusal, and patients lost to follow-up. MEASUREMENT: Reliability, which is particularly cogent for multisite investigations, and validity, which includes: Start of illness, start of psychosis, diagnoses, start of treatment, the relationship between ED and DUP and choice of outcome measures. Data Analyses: Overlooking threshold effects of DUP, improper control for baseline scores, and lack of control for confounders. CONCLUSION: Methodological pitfalls may bias ED studies. Several pitfalls are unavoidable, but proper design and quality assurance can reduce their impact. Researchers ought to identify the pitfalls, and to estimate and discuss their influence.

Humans↗
PubMed2002

Effect of the putative Ca2+-receptor agonist Gd3+ on the active transepithelial Na+ transport in frog skin.

In this communication we show that Gd3+ acts as an activator of the apical sodium channel (ENaC) in frog skin epithelia. Application of Gd3+ to the apical solution of frog skin epithelia increased the Na+ absorption measured as the amiloride-inhibitable short-circuit current (Isc). The stimulation was dose dependent with a concentration for half-maximal stimulation (EC50) of 0.023 mM. The change in Isc was found to correlate with the net Na+ flux, confirming that Gd3+ enhances Na+ absorption. By monitoring the cellular potential (Vsc) with microelectrodes during addition of Gd3+, it was found that Vsc depolarized as Isc rose, indicating that Gd3+ affects apical Na+ permeability (PNa). This was confirmed by measuring the I/V relations of the apical membrane. In the presence of benzimidazolylguanidin (BIG), a drug known to abolish the Na+ self-inhibition, Gd3+ had no effect on Isc. The Na+ self-inhibition was investigated using fast changes of the apical Na+ concentration on K+-depolarized epithelia. BIG was found to abolish the Na+ self-inhibition and to activate the basal Na+ transport, whereas Gd3+ only activated the basal Na+ transport but had no effect on the self-inhibition. These results indicate the existence of an alternative nonhormonal mechanism to Na+ self-inhibition, via which both Gd3+ and BIG act, possibly components of the Na+ feedback inhibition system.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Self-reported symptoms among Danish women following cosmetic breast implant surgery.

The aim of this study was to examine self-reported symptomatology and to identify distinctive characteristics among women with silicone breast implants (SBI). Using the Danish hospital and population registers we identified three groups of women with a hospital diagnosis of muscular rheumatism (a nonspecific soft-tissue diagnostic code) who had previously undergone SBI surgery (n = 28), breast reduction surgery (n = 29) or no breast surgery (n = 27); and three groups of women without a diagnosis of muscular rheumatism who had undergone SBI surgery (n = 21), breast reduction surgery (n = 27) or no breast surgery (n = 56). All study subjects completed a self-administered questionnaire focusing on sociodemographic factors, lifestyle habits, somatic symptoms and psychological symptoms. Women with SBI and women with breast reduction with no previous diagnosis of muscular rheumatism had similar patterns of reporting for most symptoms and characteristics. They reported significantly more somatic symptoms and psychological distress, including somatisation, obsessive-compulsiveness and depression, than women with no breast surgery. No significant differences in self-reported symptomatology and characteristics were observed among the three groups of women with a previous diagnosis of muscular rheumatism. Overall, women with prior muscular rheumatism reported more symptoms than those without. We concluded that self-reported somatic symptoms among women with SBI were similar to those of controls. Women with cosmetic breast surgery appear to have distinctive psychological characteristics. Our study emphasises the importance of taking the psychological profile and previous history of rheumatic diseases into account when examining women with SBI.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Octreotide in patients with active ulcerative colitis treated with high dose corticosteroids (OPUS 1).

BACKGROUND: In ulcerative colitis the intestinal somatostatin content is reduced. Somatostatin has several immune-inhibitory effects. In vitro it diminishes activity of intestinal lymphocytes and peripheral blood monocytes. Its long-acting analogue octreotide has beneficial effects on mucosal damage in acute experimental acetic acid colitis in rats. AIMS: To determine the potential benefits of octreotide as a treatment for patients with severe ulcerative colitis treated with high dose corticosteroids. PATIENTS: Forty-two patients with severe ulcerative colitis (more than 10 points on the Powell-Tuck scoring system and mucosal disease Heatly grade III or IV). METHODS: In a multi-centre, double blind, placebo-controlled trial all patients were treated with oral 5-ASA (1.6-2.4 g daily) and high dose corticosteroids (tapering off from 60 to 80 mg daily). They were randomly assigned to receive subcutaneous placebo (n = 22) or octreotide 500 microg (n = 20) thrice daily during 21 days. Clinical and endoscopic disease activity, histology and laboratory parameters were obtained during the study period. RESULTS: Clinical disease activity for both octreotide and placebo were not significantly different at baseline and after 21 days of treatment. Endoscopic disease activities (mean +/- SD) changed from 12.5 +/- 4.7 to 7.2 +/- 5.3 for octreotide, and from 11.5 +/- 5.0 to 5.0 +/- 3.4 for placebo (NS). Seven patients from both groups received additional treatment (colectomy (n = 6), cyclosporin (n = 1)). Adverse events occurred equally in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Subcutaneous administration of octreotide 500 microg thrice daily is not of additional benefit as adjuvant therapy to high dose corticosteroids in severe ulcerative colitis.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Neurocognitive dimensions characterising patients with first-episode psychosis.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of neurocognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia is hampered by the multitude of tests used in the literature. AIMS: We aimed to identify the main dimensions of an assessment battery for patients with first-episode psychosis and to estimate the relationship between dimension scores and gender, age, education, diagnosis and symptoms. METHOD: Eight frequently used neuropsychological tests were used. We tested 219 patients 3 months after start of therapy or at remission, whichever occurred first. RESULTS: We identified five dimensions: working memory (WM); verbal learning (VL); executive function (EF); impulsivity (im); and motor speed (MS). Significant findings were that the MS score was higher for men, and the WM and VL scores were correlated with years of education. CONCLUSIONS: Neurocognitive function in first-episode psychosis is described by at least five independent dimensions.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and the risk of cancer: a population-based cohort study in Denmark.

BACKGROUND: A recent observational study suggested that the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors protects against cancer in general and against breast and female reproductive tract cancers in particular. To explore these hypotheses, the authors examined cancer risk among users of ACE inhibitors in North Jutland County, Denmark. METHODS: Using data from the population-based Prescription Database of North Jutland County and the Danish Cancer Registry, cancer incidence among 17,897 individuals prescribed ACE inhibitors was compared with expected incidence based on county specific cancer rates during an 8-year study period with a mean follow-up of 3.7 years. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated for cancers overall and at selected sites. In addition, the authors performed a direct comparison of users of ACE inhibitors with users of beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers (n = 47,579 individuals) by means of a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Overall, 909 cancer cases were observed among users of ACE inhibitors, with 846 expected based on general population rates, yielding an SIR of 1.07 (95% CI, 1.01-1.15). No risk reductions were observed for cancers of the breast and female reproductive tract, whereas nonsignificantly decreased SIRs were observed for cancers of the esophagus, stomach, and liver. Cancer of the kidney was found in significant excess (SIR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.2). Stratification by duration of follow-up or number of prescriptions revealed no apparent trends, except for a tendency toward decreasing risk with increasing length of follow-up for smoking-related cancers. The direct comparison of users of ACE inhibitors with users of beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers yielded results comparable to those derived from the comparison with the general population, with a hazard ratio for cancer overall of 1.01 (95% CI, 0.93-1.09). CONCLUSIONS: This large, population-based cohort study did not confirm a protective effect of ACE inhibitors on the development of cancer. The excess of kidney cancer observed likely reflects a correlation between hypertension and kidney cancer. Further investigation is needed to evaluate the long-term effects of ACE inhibitors beyond the observation period of this and previous studies. Also, the suggestive evidence of decreased risks for upper digestive system cancers and for smoking-related cancers over time may warrant additional investigation.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Morbidity among patients with clinically localized prostatic cancer. A registry-based case-control study].

INTRODUCTION: Until recently, expectant management of localised prostate cancer was the routine strategy in Denmark. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a historical, prospective, case-control study, morbidity in 4744 patients, aged 74 years or younger, with newly diagnosed clinically localised prostate cancer, was compared to that in an age-matched background population. RESULTS: Patients with clinically localised prostate cancer were found to have significant excess morbidity compared to the background population. Patients were admitted 6.7 times more often than the controls in the year prostate cancer was diagnosed and 2.7 times more often in the nine years following the diagnosis. When adjusted for prostate cancer-related admissions, morbidity approximates unity. Costs associated with the hospital care of patients with prostate cancer significantly exceeded the costs in the control group. DISCUSSION: The study demonstrates that patients with newly diagnosed, clinically localised prostate cancer have a significant morbidity associated to their primary malignancy. Further, these patients were found to have a significant excess morbidity compared to age-matched controls. The possibility of reducing morbidity and associated costs is discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Early detection strategies for untreated first-episode psychosis.

Some studies in first-episode schizophrenia correlate shorter duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) with better prognosis, suggesting that timing of treatment may be important. A three-site prospective clinical trial in Norway and Denmark is underway to investigate the effect of the timing of treatment in first-episode psychosis. One health care sector (Rogaland, Norway) is experimental and has developed an early detection (ED) system to reduce DUP. Two other sectors (Ullevål, Norway, and Roskilde, Denmark) are comparison sectors and rely on existing detection and referral systems for first-episode cases. The study ultimately will compare early detected with usual detected patients. This paper describes the study's major independent intervention variable, i.e. a comprehensive education and detection system to change DUP in first onset psychosis. System variables and first results from the four-year inclusion period (1997-2000) are described. It includes targeted information towards the general public, health professionals and schools, and ED teams to recruit appropriate patients into treatment as soon as possible. This plus easy access to psychiatric services via ED teams systematically changed referral patterns of first-episode schizophrenia. DUP was reduced by 1.5 years (mean) from before the time the ED system was instituted (to 0.5 years). The ED strategies appear to be effective and to influence directly the community's help-seeking behaviour.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Connective tissue disease and other rheumatic conditions following cosmetic breast implantation in Denmark.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the occurrence of connective tissue diseases (CTDs) as well as ill-defined and other rheumatic conditions among Danish women with cosmetic silicone breast implants. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 2761 women with breast implants and 8807 control subjects were identified from plastic surgery private clinics and from public hospital plastic surgery departments. Women operated on at plastic surgery private clinics were identified through the files of each clinic, while women operated on at public hospitals were identified using the nationwide Danish National Registry of Patients. The control group consisted of women who underwent cosmetic surgery other than breast implantation or who only had a consultation. All women were followed up from January 1, 1977, through December 31, 1996, through the Danish National Registry of Patients for the occurrence of CTD as well as ill-defined and other rheumatic conditions. For the study period January 1, 1977, through December 31, 1994, the Danish National Registry of Patients contains information on hospitalization only, whereas data on outpatient visits are included from 1995 on, thus improving the sensitivity of the data. The implant and control groups were compared with the Danish population rates for CTD and ill-defined and other rheumatic conditions, and a direct comparison between the implant and control groups was also performed. RESULTS: When compared with rates from the general population, no excess of definite CTD was observed in the implant cohorts. For ill-defined and other rheumatic conditions, statistically significant excesses of unspecified rheumatism were observed in both the implant and control cohorts when compared with national rates. A direct comparison between the implant and control cohorts found no material differences between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study support previous investigations and independent review panel conclusions that an association between silicone breast implants and definite CTDs is unlikely. The observation of an excess of unspecified rheumatism among women with implants and among control women suggests that women undergoing cosmetic plastic surgery have hospitalization rates for this condition in excess of those from the general population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Rheumatic manifestations in danish women with silicone breast implants.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether women with silicone breast implants (SBI) present with a unique rheumatic symptomatology. We assessed the profile of rheumatic disease in six groups of women identified through Danish hospital and population registers, three groups of women with a prior hospital diagnosis of muscular rheumatism (a non-specific diagnostic code) who had previously undergone SBI surgery (n = 28), breast reduction surgery (n = 29) or no breast surgery (n = 27); and three groups of women without a diagnosis of muscular rheumatism who had undergone SBI surgery (n = 21), breast reduction surgery (n = 27) or no breast sugery (n = 56). All women in the study population (n = 188) underwent a thorough clinical examination, blood tests and a personal interview. In all study groups soft-tissue rheumatism and degenerative diseases were the most frequent diagnoses. Women with a prior diagnosis of muscular rheumatism but no prior breast surgery had a significantly higher prevalence of soft-tissue rheumatism than those with breast implant or reduction surgery. No significant differences in the frequencies of rheumatic diseases were observed among the three groups of women without previous muscular rheumatism. No specific pattern of inflammatory rheumatic disorders or soft-tissue complaints was identified among the women with SBI, and blood tests for autoimmunity revealed no unique pattern. Overall, women with earlier rheumatism had significantly increased frequencies of rheumatic conditions than did those without. We found no evidence of a rheumatic symptomatology unique to women with silicone breast implants. Our study emphasises the need for consideration of prior rheumatic disease when evaluating rheumatic manifestations in women with SBI.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Tracheal cancer in Denmark: a nationwide study.

OBJECTIVE: Most published series on tracheal cancer reflect single institution experiences. We used the nationwide Danish Cancer Registry to report on characteristics and treatment of tracheal cancers in Denmark. METHODS: One hundred and nine cases of primary tracheal cancers were extracted from the registry in the period 1978-1995. The clinical data, histological distribution and treatment modalities were analyzed. The cancers were staged in four groups (stage I-IV) according to size, location and spread. RESULTS: Seventeen cases were diagnosed at autopsy. Ninety-two cases were diagnosed in vivo and 84% of these within 3 months after the first consultation. Sixty-three percent of the cancers were squamous cell carcinomas and only 7% were adenoid cystic carcinomas. The disease was at stage I in 21%, stage II in 23%, stage III in 6% and stage IV in 50%. The majority of the patients received radiotherapy as single treatment. Only nine patients were offered surgery (six were resected and three were found inoperable). The overall survival rates for cases diagnosed in vivo were 1-year 32%, 2-year 20% and 5-year 13%. For the resected patients the 5- and 15-year survival rates were 50%. CONCLUSIONS: Tracheal cancers were rare and adenoid cystic carcinomas not as frequent as generally believed. Surgery was rarely offered. A resectability rate of only 10% is not adequately explained by selection bias and indicates a nihilistic attitude based on ignorance about surgical treatment of tracheal cancers. A more dedicated and aggressive approach with centralized workup and radical treatment is strongly recommended.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Neurological disease among women with silicone breast implants in Denmark.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the risk of neurological disease among women with cosmetic breast implants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We identified 1,653 women who had undergone breast implant surgery at private clinics in Denmark and a comparison cohort of 1,736 women who underwent other types of cosmetic surgery at the same clinics. Ratios of observed-to-expected numbers of hospitalizations for neurological disease in the private implant and comparison cohorts were calculated, separately and combined with data from updated public hospital cohorts. RESULTS: The occurrence of neurological disease in the private clinic implant cohort was comparable to that in the general population. A similar risk pattern was observed in the private clinic comparison cohort. When data for these private clinic cohorts were combined with updated data for public hospital cohorts, excess risks for neurological disorders were seen in both implant and comparison cohorts, reaching statistical significance only in the comparison cohort. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate no causal association between silicone breast implants and neurological disease.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Early detection and intervention in first-episode schizophrenia: a critical review.

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature on early intervention in psychosis and to evaluate relevant studies. METHOD: Early intervention was defined as intervention in the prodromal phase (primary prevention) and intervention after the onset of psychosis, i.e. shortening of duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) (secondary prevention). RESULTS: We found few studies aimed at early intervention, but many papers discussing the idea at a more general level. We identified no studies that prove that intervention in the prodromal phase is possible without a high risk for treating false positives. We identified some studies aimed at reducing DUP, but the results are ambiguous and, until now, no follow-up data showing a positive effect on prognosis have been presented. CONCLUSION: Early intervention in psychosis is a difficult and important challenge for the psychiatric health services. At the time being reduction of DUP seems to be the most promising strategy. Intervention in the prodromal phase is more ethically and conceptually problematic.

Humans↗
PubMed2001

Connective tissue disease after hip and knee implant surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To increase the knowledge of the long-term effects of artificial hip and knee joint implants. METHODS: The study groups consisted of 24,636 patients with osteoarthritis who underwent hip implant surgery and 5,221 who received knee implants during 1977-89. The post-implant rate of hospitalization for connective tissue disease (CTD) was compared with the rate in the general population of Denmark and with that among osteoarthritis patients without implant surgery. RESULTS: The rates of hospitalization for CTD were higher than the background level among both hip and knee implant patients with osteoarthritis, whereas the comparison with non-implanted osteoarthritis patients revealed that the hospitalization rate for CTD was reduced after hip implant surgery, but increased after knee implant surgery. CONCLUSION: Since the materials used in hip and knee implants in Denmark are not substantially different, these results are unlikely to reflect an implant effect but rather the selection criteria of referral for implant surgery.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

What are the basic dimensions of movements? A psychometric evaluation of the Comprehensive Body Examination III.

The movements were examined in accordance with the Comprehensive Body Examination. The study objects were 99 persons: 17 pain syndrome patients (PSP group), 27 psychotic patients (PP group), 4 non-psychotic patients (NPP group), and a comparison group consisting of 51 students and staff members (SS group). On the basis of factor analysis three subscales were made: 1) Resistance to Passive Movements (RPM), with nine items, 2) Assistance to Passive Movements (APM), with six items, and 3) Motor Disturbances (MD), with three items. The internal consistency of the subscales was high (Chronbach's alpha, 0.81-0.96), and the intercorrelation low to moderate. The RPM subscale distinguished significantly between the SS group and both patient groups; the APM and MD subscales distinguished between the SS group and the PP group. The MD subscale also distinguished between patients taking drugs and those who did not, but there was no difference between patients without medication and the SS group.

Adult↗