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Biomedical subjects

W Pedersen

Publications and source records attributed to W Pedersen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Spinal cord injury due to suicide attempts.

During 1965 to 1987 45 patients were admitted to the Rehabilitation Hospital in Hornbaek, Denmark because of spinal cord injury (SCI) due to suicide attempts. The proportion of traumatic SCI due to this cause increased significantly during the period: 1965-74: 3.5%, 1975-84: 8%, 1985-87: 13%. The median age at injury was 31 years, and the female to male ratio 1.6. In 38 instances (84%), SCI was caused by jumps from buildings. The neurological level of the lesion was: 7 cervical, 8 thoracic, 22 lumbar; the remaining 8 had minor spinal cord/cauda equina lesions. At the time of the SCI 62% were unemployed or receiving an early pension; 60% were living without a partner; 62% had previously been admitted to psychiatric hospitals, and 31% had previously attempted suicide. A follow up study was conducted in 1988-89. At follow up 11 patients had died, 3 from suicide. Of the 34 alive at follow up, 7 had attempted suicide, and 2 reported suicidal thoughts; 71% were living without a partner; 9% were employed; 18% abused alcohol; 44% had had a psychiatric admission since the SCI; and 56% were taking psychiatric medication.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

The effects of high (sodium meglumine diatrizoate, Renografin-76) and low osmolar (sodium meglumine ioxaglate, Hexabrix) radiographic contrast media on diastolic function during left ventriculography in patients.

Although a majority of studies indicate superior hemodynamic and clinical profiles of low osmolar compared with high osmolar contrast media, the effect of these agents on diastolic left ventricular function has not been examined. We prospectively examined hemodynamic, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic indices of left ventricular function in patients undergoing contrast ventriculography with a high osmolar, ionic, monomeric contrast, diatrizoate (Renografin-76) compared with a low osmolar, ionic, dimeric contrast, ioxaglate (Hexabrix). Thirty patients were randomized to each group. There were no clinical differences between the two groups. The decrease in systemic pressures was significantly greater with diatrizoate after left ventriculography (-38.5 +/- 3.5 versus -18.2 +/- 2.3, p less than 0.001) and selective left coronary angiography (-29.5 +/- 2.4 versus -17.4 +/- 2.6, p less than 0.001). In addition, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure increased significantly more with diatrizoate (7.3 +/- 0.9 versus 2.7 +/- 0.8 mm Hg for ioxaglate, p less than 0.001). QT interval prolongation occurred in both patient groups. Diatrizoate decreased systemic vascular resistance, and increased cardiac output and left ventricular ejection fraction more than ioxaglate, while simultaneously increasing left ventricular end-diastolic volume and altering the peak atrial filling velocity. Negative dp/dt (p less than 0.05), but not Tau, computed by the logarithmic or derivative methods, was reduced by diatrizoate. These data indicate that significant alteration of diastolic filling patterns occurs with high osmolar compared with low osmolar contrast agents. Although the clinical significance of this observation is currently unknown, these data further support the reported hemodynamic superiority of the low osmolar, dimeric contrast agent ioxaglate during contrast angiography.

Contrast Media↗
PubMed1991

Mental health, sensation seeking and drug use patterns: a longitudinal study.

To examine the longitudinal stability of mental health and sensation seeking, a sample of 553 adolescents aged 16-18 years, was followed over a period of 20 months. Further, the predictive power of the two constructs with regard to future drug use was investigated. The stability of reported mental health was relatively low. Accordingly, the variable was a poor predictor of future drug use. Sensation seeking, however, had a relatively high degree of stability. In addition, the different subdimensions of the trait were strong predictors of future drug use: 'Disinhibition' (DIS) was a general drug use factor in both sexes. 'Thrill and adventure seeking' (TAS) predicted moderate alcohol consumption in boys. 'Experience seeking' (ES) predicted cannabis use in boys. A separate analysis of those who seek a milieu highly exposed to cannabis, without themselves using the substance, revealed interesting sex differences: the boys in this situation had sensation seeking scores and mental health which were not different from other adolescents. However, the girls had high DIS and ES scores and also poor mental health. Possible interpretations of this finding are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1991

Adolescents and benzodiazepines: prescribed use, self-medication and intoxication.

In a longitudinal study of 1230 people aged 13-18 years from the Greater Oslo Area, the past-year prevalence of anxiolytic or hypnotic use was 10%, which is higher than previously reported. The majority gave therapeutic reasons as a motive for using these drugs. However, most of the use was unprescribed. The parents, and especially the mother, were the most important suppliers. A minority gave intoxication as a motive for using these drugs. In this group, the suppliers were mainly peers and the illegal market. Neither the unprescribed nor the prescribed therapeutic use show any association with use of drugs such as alcohol and cannabis. There is, however, a strong association between the unprescribed use of benzodiazepines by young people and by their parents. This suggests a pattern of learning and role modelling, which must be regarded as problematic for public health policy. Those who use the drugs to become intoxicated have particularly poor mental health, and they use many other drugs as well. This group probably runs a special risk of developing more serious drug abuse.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Eating behaviour, drug use, psychopathology and parental bonding in adolescents in Norway.

A 12-item version of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-12) was constructed and applied at 1-year intervals in a non-referred cohort of 1193 adolescents in Norway aged 13-18 years. Eight percent of the girls scored beyond the chosen cut-off point of 9/10 the first time and 9% the second time. Factor analysis demonstrated 3 factors--dieting, bulimia and food preoccupation and oral control. Both the total scores on the EAT-12 and the 3 different factor scores showed a significant relationship between eating behaviour and smoking, level of alcohol consumption, alcohol intoxication, psychopathology and parental bonding.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Role modelling and cigarette smoking: vulnerable working class girls? A longitudinal study.

Risk factors for the onset of cigarette smoking were examined by means of a prospective longitudinal study in 1230 Norwegian adolescents aged 12-18. In particular the importance of role modelling was focused. The findings revealed that the age period between 12 and 15 is most important when it comes to the initiation of smoking. Among those who initiate smoking, the incidence rates of quitting is low, indicating that most of the initiators quickly seem to develop a relatively stable smoking habit. Smoking initiation can be divided into two stages. The first, experimental one, is predicted by peer modelling and low socioeconomic status (SES). The second, establishing a regular pattern of use, is predicted by modelling of parental smoking and the interaction between female sex and low SES. Studying the characteristics of the regular smokers cross-sectionally, peer modeling showed the strongest correlates. Studying the predictors of the transitions longitudinally, the more complex picture described above was uncovered. This indicates that the complexity of the role modelling process can only be simulated adequately by means of prospective research methods and by paying attention to such parameters as gender, age, SES and stage in the smoking acquisition process.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Parents as alcohol pushers?].

In a study of 834 adolescents, age 14-17, in the Oslo area, the relationship between parental 'alcohol pushing' and the adolescents' own drinking behaviour, was investigated. 'Alcohol pushing' defined as parents who give alcohol to children under the age of 18, was quite common. This was the case in particular in the age group 16 to 17. There were big differences, however, as regards the kind of situations when this occurred. This kind of parental behaviour was most prevalent on 'special occasions' like New Years Eve, but also occurred relatively often in situations such as 'Sunday dinner'. The alcohol consumption of the adolescents, measured in liters per year, was strongly correlated with the degree to which their parents gave them alcohol. Similar relationships existed as regards the frequency of drinking episodes which resulted in intoxication. A multivariate analysis was conducted. It revealed that parental 'alcohol pushing' was the most important factor relative to the adolescents' role modelling of their parents' own alcohol consumption. The conclusion seem to be that adolescents who get alcohol from their parents also drink most heavily with their peers outside the home.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Starting to smoke--vulnerability of girls].

Smoking habits were highlighted in a longitudinal study of 1,230 secondary school students from the Oslo area. In the age group 16-19, 31% of the adolescents were daily smokers, rather more girls than boys. Most seem to start smoking between the ages of 12 and 15. These cohorts were selected for a closer analysis of the importance of modeling the roles of parents and peers. Both boys and girls copy their fathers' smoking habits, but girls also copy their mothers habits. For both sexes, parents' serving alcohol to their children strongly correlated with the childrens smoking habits. Reduced subjective well-being also seems to be important in the case of girls. The conclusion is that modeling roles on parents and peers is important for the development of smoking habits. Girls seem to be more vulnerable than boys to the influence of parents and peers, and there is also some evidence that girls often start smoking as a response to reduced subjective well-being.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Adolescents initiating cannabis use: cultural opposition or poor mental health?

In Norway, the use of cannabis was introduced by a resourceful group of oppositional middle-class adolescents in the late 1960s. At the beginning of the 1970s there were, however, signs of a change in the recruitment of the users: youths in trouble from lower social levels gradually started to use the drug. In a prospective longitudinal study of 1311 Norwegian pupils aged 13-19, the possible links between normative and political opposition, mental health and the use of cannabis were investigated. The findings indicate that the group that experiments with cannabis, and use the drugs a few times, is still mainly characterized by a political and normative "oppositional" engagement. Heavy users of cannabis, however, also have family problems and suffer from poor mental health. Thus, the study draws attention to the importance of distinguishing between two different clusters of longitudinal predictors for adolescent cannabis use: the first consists of subcultural opposition and certain personality traits, and seems to predict the earlier stages of use. The second consists of psychosocial problems and poor mental health. From this study one may not conclude that this second cluster predicts heavy cannabis involvement. We have, however, shown that it correlates with heavy involvement, cross-sectionally.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Thermodilution cardiac output values obtained by using a centrally placed introducer sheath and right atrial port of a pulmonary artery catheter.

Thermodilution cardiac output measurements obtained using a centrally placed introducer sheath were compared with thermodilution cardiac outputs obtained using the right atrial port of a balloon-tip, flow-directed pulmonary artery catheter in 15 patients with cardiac failure. Cardiac output values were obtained by manually injecting 10 ml of iced, D5W alternately through the introducer sheath and the right atrial port of the flow-directed catheter. Thirty cardiac output readings were obtained in the 15 patients. Cardiac outputs obtained using the right atrial port (CORA) did not differ significantly from cardiac outputs obtained using the introducer sheath (COSP) (5.3 +/- 0.2 vs. 5.2 +/- 0.2 L/min). The correlation between CORA and COSP was significant (r = .94, p less than .0001) and could be described by the formula CORA = 0.33 + 0.96 COSP. We conclude that when the right atrial port of a flow-directed catheter is nonfunctional, a thermodilution cardiac output obtained using a centrally placed introducer sheath offers a reliable alternative.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Drinking games adolescents play.

In a study of 1230 Norwegian adolescents aged 14-19, the prevalence of participation in 'drinking games' and the consequences thereof were investigated. The findings indicate that drinking games are very common among Norwegian youth. Further, there is a substantially higher alcohol consumption among those who participate in these games than among other youth, even when we 'control' for other indicators of network 'wetness'. In particular, a high consumption of beer among the boys seems to be connected with these games. It seems reasonable to assume that the drinking games are of importance for many young people, in particular as a means of being accepted by social groups of the same age. The games provide an organized, yet exciting frame around the interaction. It seems reasonable to assume that the participants usually take part in the games as a result of an intention to drink. Even so, it might be argued that the games are probably often more than 'neutral tools' to fulfil this intention: first of all, the games involve intense contact precisely in connection with alcohol consumption. Secondly, we know from previous studies that match rates and role modelling in connection with consumption increase with an increase in the intensity of group member contact. Finally, the individual member loses control and steering of his/her own consumption to a large extent: consumption becomes to a large degree a function of other people's actions and the rules of the game in question.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Reliability of drug use responses in a longitudinal study.

In a prospective longitudinal study of adolescents' drug use, the trustfulness of the self-reports about drug use was investigated by means of a test for logical consistency. A sample of 1936 high school students completed a written survey in the fall of 1987 and again in spring 1988, seven to eight months later. The findings indicate that the information obtained is logically consistent at one particular point in time. Analyses show, however, that the consistency drops somewhat over time. The legal drug use responses show the highest consistency, the answers regarding hard drugs like amphetamine and heroin show the least favourable consistency, with cannabis and inhalants somewhere in the middle. There seem to be two main reasons for the inconsistent answers: some respondents wilfully underreport their drug consumption. This seems partly to be a function of the level of illegality of the drug. However, poor memory and episodic uses of such drugs seem also to be important. Generally this study agrees with other studies and indicates an overall relatively high level of longitudinal consistency regarding drug use responses. This kind of survey must therefore be regarded as a relatively reliable instrument in collecting information regarding drug use.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Intravenous amiodarone for the rapid treatment of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias in critically ill patients with coronary artery disease.

This study examined the effectiveness of intravenous amiodarone for rapid control and prevention of recurrent life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias associated with cardiovascular collapse. In 22 critically ill patients with coronary artery disease (mean ejection fraction 27 +/- 13%), recurrent ventricular tachyarrhythmias proved refractory to 3.7 +/- 1.1 (mean +/- standard deviation) conventional antiarrhythmic drugs. In the 24-hour period before intravenous amiodarone treatment, patients experienced 2.4 +/- 2.3 (range 1 to 9) episodes of life-threatening ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation or both, requiring 4.0 +/- 3.9 direct current cardioversions. Within the 24 hours after initiation of intravenous amiodarone therapy (900 to 1,600 mg/day), 20 of 22 patients remained alive and had 1.1 +/- 1.6 episodes of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, requiring 1.9 +/- 3.1 direct current cardioversions. In the second 24-hour period, there were 19 survivors and life-threatening arrhythmias were reduced to 0.4 +/- 0.7 episode/patient requiring 0.4 +/- 0.9 direct current cardioversion. Overall, arrhythmias were controlled in 11 of 22 (50%) patients within the first 24 hours, and in 14 of 22 (64%) in the second 24 hours. Intravenous amiodarone therapy was well tolerated. Twelve patients were discharged from the hospital and 8 remained alive at a mean follow-up of 22 +/- 14 months. Thus, in critically ill patients, intravenous amiodarone may be useful for rapid control of spontaneous, refractory, life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias.

Amiodarone↗
PubMed1989

[Young people's use of psychopharmaceuticals--self medication and intoxication].

In a study of 1968 young people aged 12-19, from the greater Oslo area, we found that 12% had used tranquillizers or hypnotics last year. This is more than reported earlier. The majority give as a motive that they use the substances as medication against insomnia, worry or depression, but a minority say that they use them for intoxication. In the first group, the mother was the most main supplier. In the second group, the suppliers were peers and the illegal market. Analyses show that both groups of users report a lower level of well-being, but also a higher consumption of legal and illegal drugs than other young people. The use is clearly more frequent among youth whose parents and friends also use much psychopharmacological drugs and intoxicants.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Patterns of drug use and sensation-seeking among adolescents in Norway.

The relationship between personality and drug use was investigated by studying patterns of sensation-seeking behaviour and drug use among adolescents. A questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 1027 Norwegian senior high school students aged 16 to 19 in the greater Oslo area. The response rate was 97%. The sensation-seeking subscores showed moderate to strong association with the use of the different drugs. A canonical correlation analysis yielded 3 significant variates: in the drug use domain the first dimension correlated with the use of legal drugs and inhalants, the second with cannabis and tranquillizers and the third with tobacco. In the sensation-seeking domain the first dimension was almost synonymous with the disinhibition scale, the second with experience-seeking, and the third correlated highly negatively with thrill-, adventure- and experience-seeking. The results support the assumption that a strong link exists between sensation seeking and drug use. They further show the importance of taking different subdimensions of the sensation-seeking trait into account for prevention and treatment of drug use and abuse.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Jet-nebulized beclomethasone dipropionate in the management of bronchial asthma. Topical steroids for asthmatic children younger than 4 years.

The efficacy of jet nebulized beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) in the management of asthma was evaluated in 18 children, 2-26 months old (mean 10 months). The children were selected on the basis of the severity of their symptoms and the lack of effect of conventional treatment. The effect of BDP was evaluated by comparing clinical data before and after the initiation of treatment. Fifteen of the 18 patients experienced a significant clinical improvement during treatment with BDP. BDP "nebulizer solution" is a valuable contribution to the management of severe asthma in young asthmatics.

Administration, Inhalation↗