[The Finnish Sauna and its physiological effects].
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Plasma Na, K, Cl, Ca, P didn't or moderately be altered by exposure to acute heat in sauna bath (20 mn, 80 degrees C, relative humidity 15-20%). However, CO2T decreased, ARP, aldosterone, ACTH, PRL increased, and PTH wasn't modified.
We studied changes in ECG in 81 children and 20 adolescents and young adults when they were exposed to heat stress in a climatic chamber, which resembled an ordinary Finnish sauna. Changes were similar to those caused by increased sympathetic activity in 57% of the subjects during the bath and in 23% during the recovery period. Three children had extrasystoles during and four after sauna. One previously healthy 5-year-old girl with wandering pacemaker suffered a 3.3 sec sinus arrest and had reversible junctional rhythm during the heat exposure. We conclude that, although these changes were transient and benign, the sinus arrest suggest that heat stress in sauna is considerable and may be risky for those children who have disorders of the sinoatrial node.
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The aim of the study was to compare and evaluate the usefulness of Finnish versions of two functional indices used in spondylarthropathies. Seventy consecutive inpatients with different kinds of spondylarthropathies filled in self-administered questionnaires: the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) and the Dougados Functional Index for spondylarthropathies (DFI). Cronbach's alpha as a coefficient of internal consistency was analysed for BASFI and DFI. Test-retest reliability was evaluated in 30 patients. For validity the functional indices were compared with the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), spinal movement measures of chest expansion (CE), Schober S1 test and occiput-to-wall distance (OWD), and radiological changes in the lumbar spine (RTGLS) and sacroiliac joints (RTGSI). The reproducibility of the indices BASFI and DFI was good; the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for reliability was 0.99 and 0.98, and the coefficient of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was 0.94 for both BASFI and DFI. The functional indices correlated well with each other, r = 0.85 (95% CI 0.78-0.90). Validity in terms of correlation coefficients between disease activity index BASDAI and functional indices BASFI and DFI was 0.74 (95% CI 0.60-0.84) and 0.69 (95% CI 0.53-0.80), respectively. BASFI and DFI correlated with spinal mobility measurements and RTGLS, but DFI did not correlate with RTGSI. Neither BASFI nor DFI correlated with ESR and disease duration, and only DFI correlated with age. In conclusion, BASFI and DFI are reliable and valid for Finnish inpatients with spondylarthropathies. It is important to know that cultural differences do not reduce the usefulness of these indices.
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To study possible causes of the high lung cancer incidence among Finnish males, the Finnish Cancer Registry and the Cancer Registry of Norway in 1962 performed a population survey covering smoking habits, occupational and residential history and, in Finland, sauna habits. The cohort of 4,475 Finnish men has now been followed up for incidence of lung cancer in 1964-1979. The relative importance of 3 factors--sauna baths, occupational exposure to dust, and migration to urban areas--was studied in different smoking categories. Among smokers of greater than or equal to 25 g/day, takers of frequent saunas (more than once a week) displayed some excess risk (RR 1.7). In smokers an increased risk was also found among those exposed to dust (RR 1.3), and those who had migrated to urban areas (RR 1.8, when compared to native urban population). Dust exposure and migration factors act synergistically with smoking. Migration was the only factor apart from smoking to show a substantial population-attributable risk, which amounted to 10%.
To assess the possible risk of microbial keratitis associated with swimming or bathing in public pools, the microbiological quality as well as the presence of free living amoebae in 16 halogenated swimming pools and whirlpools, located in Helsinki, Finland, was determined. Five additional whirlpools situated in the ferries cruising from Finland to Sweden were included in the study. Other parameters investigated were the total bacterial count, identification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, measurement of free residual and combined chlorine, potassium permanganate index, urine, pH, and turbidity. Amoebae were detected in 41% of the pool water samples studied. Seven of 11 whirlpools and four of 10 swimming pools were shown to contain amoebae. An Acanthamoeba species was isolated from only one outdoor swimming pool; the other amoebae belonged to the genera Vexillifera, Flabellula, Hartmannella, and Rugipes. Although not a single verified case of Acanthamoeba keratitis has been found in Finland, the findings show that there is a theoretical risk of amoebic and bacterial keratitis associated with swimming or bathing in properly cleaned public pools. Consequently, we do not recommend swimming or bathing with contact lenses.
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Sauna and sports go well together. Top Finnish athletes have discovered this, taking a sauna almost twice a week. Why do they do this? In the sauna, an athlete cleanses his body, refreshes his mind, recovers more rapidly, and relaxes. Sauna bathing is not a way of adapting before competitions in a hot climate, or of losing weight rapidly, although one might expect the sauna to be ideal for these purposes. An athlete does not look to the sauna to help his performance, the sauna itself is reward enough.
BACKGROUND: Data on the incidence rates (IR) of occupational dermatoses are scarce. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We calculated the IR of occupational allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) caused by chromium, nickel and cobalt by occupation, during a 7-year period (1991-1997) from the data of the Finnish Register of Occupational Diseases and from the statistics on the working population in different occupations. RESULTS: A total of 2543 cases of occupational ACD were reported during 1991-1997. Cr caused 143 (5.6%) cases of ACD, Ni 176 cases (6.9%) and Co 41 cases (1.6%) of ACD. Women had greater number of occupational ACD from nickel, whereas occupational ACD from chromate and cobalt was more frequent in men. The ranking list of the IR of occupational ACD caused by Cr per 10,000 working years was (incidence rate in parenthesis) (1) tanners, fellmongers, and pelt dressers (12.20); (2) cast concrete product workers (6.94); (3) leather goods workers (4.71), (4) metal plating and coating workers (3.66); (5) bricklayers (3.44); (6) reinforcement concreters (2.79); and (7) building workers (1.32). The corresponding ranking list for Ni was (1) footwear workers (2.55); (2) machine and metal product assemblers (2.40); (3) electrical and teletechnical equipment assemblers (2.03); (4) precision instrument mechanics (1.73); (5) postal officials (1.48); (6) hairdressers, beauticians, and bath attendants (1.24); (7) industrial tailors and seamstresses (1.08); and (8) waiters in cafes and snack bars (1.04). The corresponding ranking list for Co was (1) printers (0.80); (2) turners, machinists, and toolmakers (0.36); and (3) machine and engine mechanics (0.17). CONCLUSION: The Finnish Register of Occupational Diseases forms a good basis for calculating IR. As IR illustrates the risk to become sensitized, preventive measures should be directed at occupations with the highest IR.