Results for “Denmark” — Page 4

PubMed2005

Trends in the incidence and mortality of ovarian cancer in Denmark 1978-2002. Comparison with other Nordic countries.

BACKGROUND: The Nordic countries are well-known high-incidence areas of ovarian cancer, but even within the Nordic countries, differences exist. METHODS: Focus in this descriptive epidemiological study is to assess developments in incidence and mortality of ovarian cancer in Denmark 1978-2002 and to make a comparison with the development in the other Nordic countries. The results are based on data from the nationwide Danish Cancer Registry as well as the other Nordic Cancer Registries. RESULTS: A total of 14,325 cases of ovarian cancer were registered from 1978 to 2002 in Denmark. In this period, the age-standardized incidence decreased slightly from 14.3 (1978-1982) to 13.3 per 100,000 woman-years (1998-2002). The histology-specific time trends showed a tendency towards more specified histological diagnoses. Iceland had the highest age-adjusted ovarian cancer incidence in the Nordic countries, whereas Denmark had the highest mortality rate. In the entire period, the Danish mortality rate declined from 10.8 (1978-1982) to 9.0 per 100,000 woman-years (1998-1999). Only 19% of ovarian cancers in Denmark from 1978 to 2002 were localized at the time of diagnosis, while 30% had distant metastases. Older women were more likely to have advanced disease at diagnosis. The Danish distribution of stage at diagnosis seems less favorable compared to results from other countries. CONCLUSIONS: The Danish incidence of ovarian cancer seemed to decrease slightly from 1978 to 2002. Even though the mortality rate of ovarian cancer also declined, Denmark had the highest mortality rate of ovarian cancer in the world. Part of it may be explained by a less-favorable distribution of stage at diagnosis.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1976

Multiple sclerosis and Hodgkin's disease in Denmark.

There has been a hypothesis that Hodgkin's disease in young adults and multiple sclerosis may have related causes because the age of clinical onset and the geographic distribution of both are similar. This hypothesis was tested for data in Denmark. Detweeen 1943-62, the average annual incidence rate for Hoadgkin's disease in Denmark was 2.25 per 100,000 population (2.68 male and 1.83 female). Between 1951-69, the average annual death rate for Hodgkin's disease was 2.15 per 100,000 (2.66 male and 1.64 female). The average annual incidence rate for multiple sclerosis in Denmark was calculated from age at onset for 2,481 prevalent cases of 1949, the 1940 population, and an average annual incidence of 128.86 cases for 1939-45: the average annual incidence rate per 100,000 was then 3.35 (3.00 male and 3.69 female). Age specific incidence and death rate for Hodgkin's disease in Denmark each showed a bimodal curve, with one peak at age 25-29 and the other at age 70-74; this was found for each sex, with male rates consistently higher than female. The age specific incidence rates for multiple sclerosis were clearly unimodal with a peak at age 25-29 more definite in females than males. Rates for MS were notably higher for young females than males but about equal by sex for those over the age of 30. The geographic distribution of multiple sclerosis within the counties (amter) of Denmark was markedly non-random, with the major concentration of high prevalence areas middle Jutland and on to Fyn. Geographic distribution of Hodgkin's disease, whether for the young or the old, and whether from incident or death cases, showed no significant variation from a homogeneous distribution. In formal testing there was no correlation of any Hodgkin's distribution with that of MS. A review of the Hodgkin's data for distribution in the United States, on which the original hypothesis was based, suggests the variation there may be little more than reporting artifact. Accordingly, we conclude that there is no relation between distributions of these two disorders, and the factors they do appear to have in common are either quite non-specific or of questionable validity. Thus there is no reason to believe that multiple sclerosis and Hodgkin's disease, even in the young, share a common etiology.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Changing life expectancy in the 1980s: why was Denmark different from Sweden?

OBJECTIVE: To identify the contribution from specific causes of death to the changes in life expectancy at birth in Denmark relative to Sweden in different age groups during the 1980s and to compare the difference in life expectancy between the two countries in 1990. DESIGN: Mortality data from WHO mortality tapes grouped in smaller series of clinically meaningful categories were used to calculate the contribution of each of these categories at each 10 year age group to the difference in life expectancy at birth in each country between 1979 and 1990 and between the two countries. SETTING: Denmark and Sweden. RESULTS: Between 1979 and 1990 life expectancy increased in both Denmark and Sweden. However, the increase in Sweden was more than two years while that in Denmark was less than one year. In both countries a decrease in cardiovascular disease mortality contributed most to the increase in life expectancy in males as well as females. In both sexes the smaller increase in life expectancy in Denmark was a result of differences in mortality trends in cardiovascular diseases and respiratory and non-respiratory cancers. CONCLUSION: Over a short time two Nordic countries experienced remarkable but different changes in mortality. These findings suggest that mortality rates are sensitive to even minor differences in social and cultural factors across countries and over short time periods.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Geographic variation in long-term oxygen therapy in Denmark : factors related to adherence to guidelines for long-term oxygen therapy.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To evaluate regional differences in adherence to guidelines for long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) in Denmark and to determine factors related to compliance with these guidelines. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study and analysis of a nationwide database (Danish Oxygen Register). SETTING: Denmark. PATIENTS: In November 1994, 1,354 COPD patients were receiving LTOT in Denmark. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Among 16 counties, the prevalence of LTOT for COPD varied from 14 to 53 per 100,000. The prevalence was highest in counties where general practitioners (GPs) were prescribing LTOT. Adherence to national guidelines for LTOT was found in 34.4% of the patients for the whole of Denmark and varied regionally from 14 to 63%. Mean compliance with guidelines was 5.3 (range, 2.9 to 9.1) times as likely if the oxygen was prescribed by a pulmonary department compared to LTOT initiated by a GP. CONCLUSIONS: Marked geographic variations in compliance with LTOT guidelines are present even in a small country as Denmark. In general, the adherence to the guidelines is poor, especially when non-chest physicians prescribe LTOT. We therefore recommend that local and national thoracic societies together with health organizations responsible for treatment should play a more forceful role in implementing the guidelines. This could be done by enhanced educational efforts, by monitoring of adherence, or even by centralizing the prescription right to departments with pulmonary physicians.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Changing lifestyles and oral clefts occurrence in Denmark.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this project was to assess whether any changes in the birth prevalence of cleft lip with/without cleft palate (CL[P]) occurred in Denmark during the period 1988 through 2001. In this period an official recommendation of a supplementation of folic acid to pregnant women was introduced; furthermore, smoking among pregnant women decreased considerably. DESIGN AND SETTINGS: There are few places in which ecological studies of oral clefts are possible. Denmark provides a particularly good setting for this kind of study because of a high ascertainment and a centralized registration of subjects with cleft over the last 65 years. PARTICIPANTS: Cleft occurrence in Denmark from 1936 to 1987 has previously been reported. Here we extend the study to include all live-born children with oral clefts born in Denmark in 1988 through 2001. Among a total of 992,727 live births, 1332 children with CL(P) were born during this period. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The birth prevalence of CL(P) in Denmark has previously been found to be constant in the period 1962 through 1987, with a frequency of 1.4 to 1.5 per 1000 live births. This study showed a similar occurrence in 1988 through 2001 (birth prevalence = 1.44 per 1000 live births, 95% confidence interval = 1.37 to 1.52). The introduction of folic acid and the decrease in smoking prevalence among pregnant women do not seem to have reduced the birth prevalence. This may be due to noncompliance with the folic acid recommendation and/or only a weak causal association between folic acid and smoking and occurrence of CL(P).

Cleft Lip↗

PubMed2004

Correlations among body condition scores from various sources, dairy form, and cow health from the United States and Denmark.

The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic correlations among body condition scores (BCS) from various sources, dairy form, and measures of cow health. Body condition score and dairy form evaluated during routine type appraisal was obtained from the Holstein Association USA, Inc. A second set of BCS was obtained from Dairy Records Managements Systems (DRMS) and was recorded by producers that use PCDART dairy management software. Disease observations were obtained from recorded veterinarian treatments in several dairy herds in the United States. Estimated breeding values for diseases in Denmark were also obtained. Genetic correlations among BCS, dairy form, and cow health traits in the United States were generated with sire models. Models included fixed effects for age, DIM, and contemporary group. Random effects included sire, permanent environment, herd-year season for health traits, and error. Predicted transmitting abilities (PTA) for BCS and dairy form were correlated with estimated breeding values for disease in Denmark. The genetic correlation estimate between BCS from DRMS and BCS from the Holstein Association USA, Inc., was 0.85. The genetic correlation estimate between BCS and a composite of all diseases in the United States was -0.79, and PTA for BCS was favorably correlated with an index of resistance to disease other than mastitis in Denmark (0.27). Dairy form was positively correlated with a composite of all diseases in the United States (0.85) and was unfavorably correlated with an index for resistance to disease other than mastitis in Denmark (-0.29). Adjustment for protein yield PTA had a minimal affect on correlations between PTA for BCS or dairy form and disease in Denmark. Selection for higher body condition or lower dairy form with continued selection for yield may slow deterioration in cow health as a correlated response to selection for increased yield.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Genetic correlations among somatic cell scores, productive life, and type traits from the United States and udder health measures from Denmark and Sweden.

Sire genetic evaluations for protein yield, somatic cell score (SCS), productive life, and udder type traits from the US were correlated with sire evaluations for udder health from Denmark and Sweden and then the correlations were adjusted for accuracies to approximate genetic correlations. Traits from Denmark and Sweden included somatic cell count (SCC) and clinical mastitis from single-trait analyses. In addition, evaluations for clinical mastitis from Denmark and Sweden were regressed on US traits to test for quadratic relationships. Information from 85 bulls with US and Danish evaluations (77 with US type) and from 80 bulls with US and Swedish evaluations (79 with US type) was used to calculate correlations. Genetic correlations of US protein yield with Danish and Swedish SCC and clinical mastitis were all unfavorable (-0.09 to -0.32). Genetic correlations of US productive life with Danish and Swedish SCC and clinical mastitis were all favorable (0.06 to 0.59). Genetic correlations between US SCS and Danish SCC and between US SCS and Swedish SCC were -0.87 and -0.99, respectively (favorable). Genetic correlations between US SCS and Danish clinical mastitis and between US SCS and Swedish clinical mastitis were -0.66 and -0.49, respectively (favorable). The US type traits that had the largest correlations with clinical mastitis from Denmark and Sweden, respectively, were udder composite (0.26, 0.47), udder depth (0.45, 0.52), and fore udder attachment (0.31, 0.34). In general, quadratic regressions indicated little nonlinearity between clinical mastitis and the US traits. Specifically, the US bulls with the lowest predicted transmitting abilities for SCS had the most favorable rates of daughter clinical mastitis in Denmark and Sweden. Selection for increased productive life, lower SCS, and more shallow udders should improve mastitis resistance.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Comparison of antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from bulk tank milk in organic and conventional dairy herds in the midwestern United States and Denmark.

An observational study was conducted to compare the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from bulk tank milk in organic and conventional dairy farms in Wisconsin, United States, and southern Jutland, Denmark. Bulk tank milk samples and data regarding management and production were collected from 30 organic and 30 conventional dairy farms in Wisconsin and 20 organic and 20 conventional dairy farms in Denmark. S. aureus isolates were tested for resistance against 15 antimicrobial agents by semiautomatic microbroth dilution methods in each country. Of the 118 bulk tank milk samples in Wisconsin, 71 samples (60%) yielded at least one S. aureus isolate, and a total of 331 isolates were collected. Of the 40 bulk tank milk samples from Denmark, 27 samples (55%) yielded at least one S. aureus isolate, and a total of 152 isolates were collected. Significant differences between organic and conventional dairies were detected only to ciprofloxacin in Wisconsin and avilamycin in Denmark. Significant differences (P < 0.05) between the two countries were detected in nine antimicrobials. Denmark had a higher probability of having reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and streptomycin (P = 0.015 and 0.003, respectively). Wisconsin isolates had a higher probability of having reduced susceptibility to seven other antimicrobial agents (bacitracin, gentamicin, kanamycin, penicillin, sulphamethoxazole, tetracycline, and trimethoprim). We found small differences between organic and conventional farm types in each country and larger differences between the two national agricultural systems.

Animal Husbandry↗

PubMed2000

["Sound, unsound around the Sound". A congress report on health differences between Denmark and Sweden].

During the past 10 years, researchers on both sides of The Sound in the so-called Oresund region have worked together to analyze the causes of the observed differences in life expectancy between Denmark and Sweden. The region includes Copenhagen and North Zealand and the county of Scania in southern Sweden, with Malmö as its largest city. Both Denmark and Sweden held top rankings among OECD-countries in 1970 regarding life expectancy at birth. In 1990 Denmark had fallen to a bottom ranking, while Sweden was still at the top. At a scientific meeting in Malmö on January 26-27, 2000, some 60 presentations were made concerning differences and similarities in health measures on the two sides of the sound which divides the two countries. On the Swedish side, life expectancy is 3-4 years longer than on the Danish side. Paramount among explanations are higher mortality figures due to smoking and alcohol-related diseases on the Danish side, both in men and women (most pronounced). Minor contributions to the differences are suicides and traffic accidents. Historically, Denmark and Sweden have much in common. Until 1658, Scania, the Swedish county to the east of The Sound was part of Denmark. During the past 150 years rather impressive cultural differences have developed. Smoking prevalence and alcohol consumption are more than twice as high on the Danish side of the sound. In coming years, researchers, representatives for the health service systems and others will work together in order to prevent disease and promote health in the Oresund region. The conference was arranged by the Medicon Valley Academy, an EU-supported enterprise seeking to stimulate research and development within the health sector in the Oresund region (also known as Medicon Valley).

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed2000

["Sound and unsound around the Sound". A congress report on health differences between Denmark and Sweden].

During the past 10 years, researchers on both sides of The Sound in the so-called Oresund region have worked together to analyze the causes of the observed differences in life expectancy between Denmark and Sweden. The region includes Copenhagen and North Zealand and the county of Scania in southern Sweden, with Malmö as its largest city. Both Denmark and Sweden held top rankings among OECD-countries in 1970 regarding life expectancy at birth. In 1990 Denmark had fallen to a bottom ranking, while Sweden was still at the top. At a scientific meeting in Malmö on January 26-27, 2000, some 60 presentations were made concerning differences and similarities in health measures on the two sides of the sound which divides the two countries. On the Swedish side, life expectancy is 3-4 years longer than on the Danish side. Paramount among explanations are higher mortality figures due to smoking and alcohol-related diseases on the Danish side, both in men and women (most pronounced). Minor contributions to the differences are suicides and traffic accidents. Historically, Denmark and Sweden have much in common. Until 1658, Scania, the Swedish county to the east of The Sound was part of Denmark. During the past 150 years rather impressive cultural differences have developed. Smoking prevalence and alcohol consumption are more than twice as high on the Danish side of the sound. In coming years, researchers, representatives for the health service systems and others will work together in order to prevent disease and promote health in the Oresund region. The conference was arranged by the Medicon Valley Academy, an EU-supported enterprise seeking to stimulate research and development within the health sector in the Oresund region (also known as Medicon Valley).

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed2000

[Sound and unsound around the Sound. A congress report on health differences between Denmark and Sweden].

During the past 10 years, researchers on both sides of The Sound in the so-called Oresund region have worked together to analyze the causes of the observed differences in life expectancy between Denmark and Sweden. The region includes Copenhagen and North Zealand and the county of Scania in southern Sweden, with Malmö as its largest city. Both Denmark and Sweden held top rankings among OECD-countries in 1970 regarding life expectancy at birth. In 1990 Denmark had fallen to a bottom ranking, while Sweden was still at the top. At a scientific meeting in Malmö on January 26-27, 2000, some 60 presentations were made concerning differences and similarities in health measures on the two sides of the sound which divides the two countries. On the Swedish side, life expectancy is 3-4 years longer than on the Danish side. Paramount among explanations are higher mortality figures due to smoking and alcohol-related diseases on the Danish side, both in men and women (most pronounced). Minor contributions to the differences are suicides and traffic accidents. Historically, Denmark and Sweden have much in common. Until 1658, Scania, the Swedish county to the east of The Sound was part of Denmark. During the past 150 years rather impressive cultural differences have developed. Smoking prevalence and alcohol consumption are more than twice as high on the Danish side of the sound. In coming years, researchers, representatives for the health service systems and others will work together in order to prevent disease and promote health in the Oresund region. The conference was arranged by the Medicon Valley Academy, an EU-supported enterprise seeking to stimulate research and development within the health sector in the Oresund region (also known as Medicon Valley).

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed2002

A three year population based survey of paediatric mechanical ventilation in east Denmark.

BACKGROUND: East Denmark has a population of 396,000 children 0-14 years and a yearly birth rate of 30,000, but at present no paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). OBJECTIVE: To perform a population based survey of paediatric mechanical ventilation with the purpose of providing the background for discussions for or against centralization of paediatric intensive care. METHODS: Case records of children 0-14 years treated with mechanical ventilation from January 1996 to December 1998 were retrospectively reviewed and the following data were obtained: Whether or not the child was settled in East Denmark, date of admission, gender, age, underlying chronic condition(s), acute condition(s) leading to mechanical ventilation, duration of positive pressure ventilation, duration of endotracheal intubation, length of stay in ICU, and outcome. Children undergoing mechanical ventilation because of neonatal problems, cardiac surgery or neurosurgery were excluded. RESULTS: Data were obtained from 197 children of which 123 were boys (p < 0.001 for boys vs girls). Median age at admission to ICU was 30 months. Boys were younger than girls (median age 22 vs 41 months, p = 0.01), but as determined by mortality, duration of positive pressure ventilation, intubation and stay in ICU there were no differences between boys and girls with respect to disease course (p > 0.28). Totally, 86 (44%) had at least one underlying chronic condition. The incidence of disease leading to mechanical ventilation in children in East Denmark was estimated to 1.6/10,000/year. An average of 1.1 child was intubated each day. Taking into account the seasonal variation two beds would be required to give coverage for 85% of ICU days needed for paediatric mechanical ventilation while three beds would cover 98%. Children admitted to referral hospital RH more often had underlying chronic conditions and had more severe courses of disease than children admitted to other hospitals (p < 0.001). Mortality did not differ (p = 0.66). CONCLUSION: The number of children requiring mechanical ventilation in East Denmark is too low to provide the background for establishing an independent PICU. However, since paediatric intensive care is a rare and complicated event further centralization of children undergoing mechanical ventilation in East Denmark should be considered.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

A dominant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain emerging in Denmark.

SETTING: Denmark, a high-income country with a low prevalence of tuberculosis. OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: Molecular epidemiological studies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains are conducted worldwide, and distinct strains have been associated with large outbreaks of tuberculosis. This is the first systematic population-based search for distinct strains of M. tuberculosis in Denmark among 4102 strains DNA fingerprinted nationwide from 1992 to 2001. RESULTS: A specific strain of M. tuberculosis has emerged rapidly in Denmark: in 1992, the Danish Cluster 2 strain accounted for 5.8% of all culture-positive Danish-born cases, increasing to 29.0% in 2001. The Cluster 2 cases were on average younger (41.8 vs. 51.4 years), more likely to be male (81.4% vs. 64.1%), and more likely to have pulmonary involvement only (90.3% vs. 64.6%) than other Danish-born cases. During the first 4 observation years, they were mainly found in the capital city, Copenhagen, but were later increasingly observed in the provinces. CONCLUSION: The reasons for the increasing dominance and change in geographical distribution of Cluster 2 strains in Denmark is unknown, but may be partly explained by the fact that Cluster 2 is associated with younger males with pulmonary disease manifestation. We consider it as an outbreak and believe the situation requires increased focus on early tuberculosis diagnosis and control of transmission in Denmark.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Intraoperative clinical practice and risk of early complications after cataract extraction in the United States, Canada, Denmark, and Spain.

OBJECTIVE: To examine variation in intraoperative clinical practice and rates of adverse events after cataract surgery across four different healthcare systems. DESIGN: Multicenter cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients were recruited from ophthalmic clinics in the United States (n = 75); in the Province of Manitoba, Canada (n = 12); in Denmark (n = 17); and the City of Barcelona, Spain (n = 10). In all, 1420 patients undergoing first eye cataract surgery were enrolled, with preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative clinical data collected on 1344 patients (95%). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Occurrence of 23 specified intraoperative and early postoperative adverse events was measured. Four-month postoperative visual acuity outcome also was measured. RESULTS: Phacoemulsification was performed in two thirds of the extractions in the United States and Manitoba, in one third in Denmark, and in 3% in Barcelona (P < 0.001). More than 96% of extractions in North America and Denmark were performed with the patient under local anesthesia, whereas general anesthesia was used for 38% of extractions in Barcelona (P < 0.001). Rates of intraoperative adverse events were 11% to 12.8% in Manitoba, Denmark, and Barcelona and significantly lower in the United States (6%), mainly because of a lower rate of capsular rupture (P < 0.01). Significantly higher rates of early postoperative events were seen in the United States (18.8%) and Manitoba (20.4%) compared to Denmark (7.9%) and Barcelona (5%) (P < 0.001). The differences among sites in rates of events could not be explained by differences in recorded patient characteristics or surgical techniques. The occurrence of perioperative events was significantly associated with a worse 4-month visual outcome. CONCLUSION: The observed variation in clinical practice might represent a general trend of a slower diffusion of new medical technology in Europe compared with that of North America. Rates of intraoperative and early postoperative events varied significantly across sites.

Aged↗

PubMed1994

Prevalence of fra(X) in the county of Funen in Denmark is lower than expected.

Population based cytogenetic fra(X) surveys have not previously been reported from Denmark. In the present study we present an estimate of fra(X) based on 1) information from the Danish Central Cytogenetic Registry of diagnosed fra(X) males of all age groups in all Denmark in the period 1980-1992 and 2) a systematic cytogenetic fra(X) survey of 175 of 8-10-year-old children with special educational needs resident in a defined, demographically representative area of Denmark (the county of Funen). The study was performed in 1988-90 before the cloning of the FMR-1 gene. In the county of Funen there were 7,837 male children in the age group of 8-10 years. In the cytogenetic survey of learning disabled children, no fra(X) positive was diagnosed. There were 99 registered males with fra(X) in all Denmark, equivalent to a prevalence of 0.04 per 1,000 males (confidence interval 0.032:1,000-0.048:1,000). Molecular fra(X) surveys of different, large populations are needed in order to estimate the frequency of fra(X) and clarify whether significant differences in prevalence exist in different populations.

Child↗

PubMed2004

Drug use among fathers around time of conception: two register based surveys from Denmark and The Netherlands.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Despite the increasing attention for the role of paternal exposures around the period of conception, there is no factual information about drug utilisation of fathers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the drugs dispensed to fathers around conception, using pharmacy dispensing data of community pharmacies in Denmark and The Netherlands. DESIGN AND SETTING: Using pharmacy dispensing data from the Pharmaco-epidemiological Prescription Database of North Jutland in Denmark and the InterAction database in The Netherlands, we examined the prescriptions reimbursed in the half year before conception of 56,735 Danish fathers from 1991 to 2000, and 5859 Dutch fathers from 1995 to 2000. MAIN RESULTS: One third of all fathers had taken up prescriptions for at least one drug in the half year before conception, both in Denmark and in The Netherlands. In the majority of fathers only one type of drug was dispensed, but in both countries at least 5% of all fathers had redeemed three or more types of drugs. The main drugs purchased by fathers in Denmark and The Netherlands were antibiotics (14.3 and 6.3% of all fathers, respectively), analgesics (6.1 and 7.6%), antihistamines (2.0 and 2.0%) and anti-ulcer drugs (1.6 and 2.5%). CONCLUSION: A large proportion of fathers used drugs around the time of conception. This finding emphasises the importance of safety information on therapeutic drugs with respect to potential paternal teratogenicity.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗

PubMed2005

Suicide by carbon monoxide from car exhaust-gas in Denmark 1995-1999.

In the period 1995-1999 there were 388 car exhaust-gas suicides in Denmark. Of these 343 (88.4%) were men and 45 (11.6%) were women, the average age being 47 years. The car exhaust-gas suicides made up 9.3% of all suicides in Denmark in the period. The corresponding rate was 11.7% for men and 3.7% for women. In rural areas a larger part of all suicides were committed with car exhaust-gas compared to the more densely populated areas. Mental disease was diagnosed in 124 (32.0%) cases. A suicide note was found in 165 (42.5%) cases. A hose was fitted to the exhaust pipe in 334 (86.1%) cases. Of these the 234 (60.3%) occurred outside, typically in a forest area, while 76 (19.6%) occurred in a closed garage. All the 54 (13.9%) cases with no hose fitted to the exhaust pipe occurred in a garage. Seven (1.8%) victims were found in a burning or burnt-out car, where the following investigation revealed that it was actually a car exhaust-gas suicide. Carboxyhemoglobin was measured in 26 (6.7%) victims. In two of these victims no carboxyhemoglobin was found, as they had survived for some time after the poisoning. The average saturation of the remaining victims was 67%, the lowest saturation being 20% and the highest being 84%. In the period 1969-1987 the number of car exhaust-gas suicides in Denmark increased from 50 to approximately 190 per year and the rate of car exhaust-gas suicides compared to all suicides increased from approximately 5% to approximately 13%. In 1987-1999 these figures decreased from approximately 190 to 63 per year and from 13% to approximately 8%. During these 30 years the number of passenger cars in Denmark doubled, which explains the increase in car exhaust-gas suicides during 1969-1987. A possible explanation for the decrease in 1987-1999 is the introduction of the catalytic converter, which was made mandatory in 1990. We anticipate that car exhaust-gas suicides will continue to decrease in numbers, as more cars are equipped with catalytic converters.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Saaremaa hantavirus in Denmark.

Most human hantavirus infections in Denmark have been registered on the Fyn island with Puumala hantavirus hosted by Clethrionomys glareolus as the causative agent. To search for other known European hantaviruses in Denmark, we analyzed 101 Apodemus spp. mice trapped on the Lolland island. Genome sequences of Saaremaa hantavirus (SAAV) were recovered from one of the A. agrarius, thus suggesting SAAV presence in Denmark. We also analyzed serum samples from a patient from Lolland with a history of hantavirus-like infection, probably caused by SAAV. Thus, in addition to Puumala virus, SAAV can impose a threat for the human health in Denmark.

Animals↗