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Biomedical subjects

Therese Ovesen

Publications and source records attributed to Therese Ovesen.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Severe acute middle ear infections: microbiology and treatment.

OBJECTIVE: The database at the ENT-Department, Aarhus University Hospital describing the specific local flora of acute otitis media (AOM) and acute mastoiditis (AM) in Aarhus County has become the key element in securing a rational and specific antibiotic treatment. We present our data concerning AOM, mastoidismus and AM. Our purpose is to determine (I) clinical presentation, (II) causative pathogens, (III) resistance patterns, (IV) type of antibiotic treatment, and (V) accuracy of the antibiotic treatment. METHODS: Patients under the age of 18 years, treated for AOM with extensive affected well-being and AM, at the ENT-Department, Aarhus University Hospital during 3 years from January 2001 to December 2003. RESULTS: A total of 106 patients were identified. Sixty-seven patients with AOM and 39 patients with AM. The overall bacterial flora found is dominated by S. pneumococci all 100% susceptible to penicillin. However, Staphylococcus aureus is the primary bacterial pathogens cultured from patients treated with preadmission antibiotics. CONCLUSION: If a specimen from an AOM patient is obtained after the initiation of antibiotic treatment one should consider the possibility of the culture found being a result of the initial led treatment and not the causative AOM pathogen. Our data suggest that a restricted use of antibiotics in children with AOM may be associated with a higher incidence of acute mastoiditis. Significant higher leucocytes count and CRP are found in the acute mastoiditis group compared to the AOM group.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2006

[Post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage: incidence and risk factors].

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to quantify the incidence and evaluate the risk factors of post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage (PTH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed of all patients with PTH at the three hospital departments in Aarhus County, Denmark (650,000 inhabitants), and a random sample of one-third of all tonsillectomised patients at Aarhus University Hospital (AS) in the period 1 December 2002 to 30 November 2003, during which period 918 patients were tonsillectomised. RESULTS: Post-operative haemorrhage occured in a total of 48 patients (5.2%). Twenty-six patients (2.8%) needed re-operation: 12 (3.4%) at AS, 7 (3.7%) at Randers Centralsygehus (RCS) and 7 (1.8%) at Silkeborg Centralsygehus (SCS). The following factors correlated significantly with PTH: high age (p = 0.0093), greater perioperative blood loss (p = 0.026) and high perioperative blood pressure (p = 0.0007). In addition, we found a three times higher but insignificant (p = 0.26) risk during abscess tonsillectomy as compared to cold tonsillectomy. CONCLUSION: The three ENT departments of Aarhus County fulfil international standards, but the operation has a high complication rate, which emphasizes the importance of solid indications for operation. In light of the increased risk of PTH with higher age, the instructions at AS have been altered so that all patients over 20 years of age with peritonsillar abscess who can cooperate are treated with aspiration and incision.

Adenoidectomy↗
PubMed2005

Long-term follow-up evaluation of mastoidectomy in children with non-cholesteatomatous chronic suppurative otitis media.

OBJECTIVE: In spite of declining prevalence chronic suppurative otitis media without cholesteatoma (CSOM) still poses a significant health problem. Randomized clinical trials comparing medical and surgical intervention are not available. Hence, the treatment of CSOM is almost exclusively based on empirical experience. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the long-term effects of mastoidectomy combined with myringotomy and exploration of the middle ear in children with CSOM. METHODS: 47 children with CSOM underwent surgery including mastoidectomy. Ear status was investigated peri-operatively and at a long-term follow-up (5-21 years post-operatively). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Final success rate, FS (dry ears for several years) and the optimal final success rate, OFS (dry ears for several years without re-operations and without retractions/perforations) were estimated. RESULTS: No serious surgical complications occurred. Post-operatively re-mastoidectomy was performed in 13% and re-myringoplasty/tympanoplasty in 21%. At the long-term follow-up the FS rate was 94% and the OFS rate was 61%. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery alone did not entirely cure CSOM which may justify randomized studies comparing conservative treatment and myringoplasty with/without mastoidectomy. Finally, mastoidectomy in these patients must be considered as a last resort when intense conservative treatment fails.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

The occurrence of Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and herpesviruses in otitis media with effusion.

In a previous report we found Chlamydia (C.) pneumoniae to be present in middle ear fluids (MEE) from older children with otitis media with effusion (OME). However, OME is a disease of younger children the present study was conducted in toddlers. MEEs (n = 150) and nasopharynx samples (n = 83) from children with OME was analyzed by PCR for the presence of C. pneumoniae and Mycoplasma (M.) pneumoniae. C. pneumoniae was not present in any and M. pneumoniae only in one of the MEEs, and these pathogens could be demonstrated in one and two nasopharynx samples, respectively. Further, 133 MEEs were analyzed by PCR for the presence of the 8 human herpesviruses, and all samples were found to be negative. We conclude that neither C. pneumoniae or M. pneumoniae, or any of the 8 human herpesviruses seems to play a major role in the pathogenesis of OME in early childhood OME.

Child↗
PubMed2003

Nuclear factor-kappaB in middle ear epithelial cells: a methodological study using an ELISA.

OBJECTIVE: To contribute to the elucidation of the intracellular mechanisms relating to otitis media with effusion (OME) by detecting and quantifying nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB in middle ear epithelial cells by means of an ELISA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using an ELISA technique, NF-kappaB was identified and quantified in the cytoplasm of cultured epithelial cells from the rabbit middle ear exposed to a well-known inflammatory stimulus: lipopolysaccharide (LPS). RESULTS: NF-kappaB was measurable with the ELISA in a concentration range of 16-32 ng/microg total cell protein. LPS caused significant enhancement of NF-kappaB. Furthermore, the NF-kappaB concentration increased with the duration of LPS exposure. Western blot analysis confirmed the results obtained by ELISA. CONCLUSION: Further studies are required to determine the role of NF-kappaB in initiating and regulating the inflammatory response in the middle ear, including the significance of hyperoxia.

Animals↗