| 1. |
- Albin, Bjorn, et al.
(författare)
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Higher mortality and different pattern of causes of death among foreign-born compared to native Swedes 1970-1999
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1557-1912 .- 1557-1920. ; 8:2, s. 101-113
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In a previous Swedish longitudinal study of mortality among 723,948 foreign born and native-born Swedes, 1970-1999, increased mortality was found among foreign-born persons. This study describes and analyses the differences in mortality between 361,974 foreign-born persons and 361,974 native Swedes during the period 1970-1999, based on data from Statistics Sweden and the National Board of Health and Welfare. The mortality pattern showed dissimilarities; with a significantly higher number of deaths among foreign-born persons in six diagnose groups and a significantly lower mean age at time of death. A high number of deaths were found for migrants from Denmark in Neoplasm, for migrants from Finland and Poland in Diseases of the circulatory system and for migrants from Yugoslavia in Symptoms, signs and ill-defined conditions. There is a tendency to a more similar pattern between foreign- and Swedish-born persons over time. Migration may be a risk factor for health, and therefore seems to be an important factor to consider when studying morbidity and health and when planning preventive work.
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| 4. |
- Bari, Muhammad Rizuanul, et al.
(författare)
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Abdominal obesity and insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes in a Swedish community - Skaraborg Hypertension and Diabetes Project
- 2006
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0281-3432 .- 1502-7724. ; 24:4, s. 211-217
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective. To explore the association between abdominal obesity and insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes. Design. A cross-sectional observational study. Setting. Primary care in Skara, Sweden. Subjects. A total of 198 men and 186 women with type 2 diabetes who consecutively completed an annual check-up in 1992-1993. Main outcome measures. Abdominal obesity was defined according to criteria for the metabolic syndrome using the waist circumference (WC): > 102 cm for men and > 88 cm for women. Insulin resistance was estimated using the Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA), and was dichotomized by the 75th percentile (IR). Results. Abdominal obesity was found in 66 men (33%), and in 106 women (57%). Pearson's correlation coefficients between components of the metabolic syndrome and IR were statistically significant for WC, waist-hip ratio, serum triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol, and were higher for WC (0.40) than for waist-hip ratio (0.23) in both genders (p < 0.001). The association between WC and IR was challenged by successively entering other components of the metabolic syndrome into the model in a logistic regression. In the final model, adjusting for differences in age, systolic blood pressure, HbA1c, serum triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and microalbuminuria, the association remained statistically significant both in men (OR 8.6, 95% CI 3.0-25.2, p < 0.001), and in women (OR 5.6, 95% CI 1.7-18.1, p = 0.004). Conclusions. WC provides a feasible measure for insulin resistance in the vast majority of subjects with type 2 diabetes. It is convenient and less expensive than direct means and could be used as a proxy for insulin resistance in population studies.
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| 5. |
- Benigni, F, et al.
(författare)
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Oral treatment with a vitamin D3 analogue (BXL628) has anti-inflammatory effects in rodent model of interstitial cystitis
- 2006
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Ingår i: BJU International. - : Blackwell Publishing Ltd. - 1464-4096 .- 1464-410X. ; 97:3, s. 617-624
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To investigate the effects of a vitamin D3 analogue (BXL628) in a model of chronic cystitis, as calcitriol analogues might be an interesting new therapeutic option for interstitial cystitis, for although the cause of the disease remains unclear, the increase in mast cells in the mucosa and detrusor muscle are significant. We devised a mouse model of allergen-induced allergic cystitis that is associated with the up-regulation of genes for interleukin-13, Fc epsilon RI alpha and mast cells-derived proteases, a massive inflammatory reaction in the bladder tissue, and augmented levels of mast cell-derived protease 1 (MMCP1) detected in mouse sera. Oral administration of BXL628 significantly reduced the expression of interleukin-13, Fc epsilon RI alpha and MMCP1 in the bladder. Furthermore, histological analysis showed a decrease in oedema and leukocyte infiltration in the bladder wall. BXL628 treatment reduced serum MMCP1 levels, indicating an effect on mast cell degranulation in vivo. Vitamin D3 analogues may successfully be used as anti-inflammatory agents in allergen-mediated inflammatory reactions. Moreover, the modulatory effect shown on mast cell activation by the BXL628 analogue strongly supports its potential therapeutic use in a possibly mast cell-dependent disease such as human interstitial cystitis.
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| 6. |
- Benson, Mikael, 1954, et al.
(författare)
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A network-based analysis of the late-phase reaction of the skin.
- 2006
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Ingår i: The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0091-6749 .- 1097-6825. ; 118:1, s. 220-5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The late-phase reaction (LPR) of the skin is an in vivo model of allergic inflammation. OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify disease-associated pathways in the LPR using a network-based analysis. METHODS: The LPR was examined by means of DNA microarray analysis of skin biopsy specimens from 10 patients with allergic rhinitis and 10 healthy control subjects. The results were further analyzed in 2 different materials consisting of nasal fluids and allergen-challenged CD4(+) T cells from patients with allergic rhinitis. RESULTS: The DNA microarray analysis revealed several genes of known relevance to allergy. The eosinophil marker Charcot-Leyden crystal protein (CLC) that encodes Charcot-Leyden crystal protein differed most in expression. A network-based analysis showed upregulation of IL-4- and CCL4-dependent pathways and downregulation of a TGF-beta-induced pathway. CCL4 is expressed by CD4(+) T cells and chemotactic for eosinophils. We hypothesized that allergen induces release of CCL4 from T(H)2 cells and that this contributes to influx of eosinophils. Further analysis showed increase of CCL4 protein in nasal fluids from allergic patients during the season. Allergen challenge of PBMCs resulted in proliferation of T(H)2 cells and increased production of CCL4 in CD4(+) T cells from allergic patients. An analysis of the DNA microarray data revealed a significant correlation between CCL4 and the eosinophil marker CLC. CONCLUSION: A network-based analysis of the LPR showed increased activity of IL-4- and CCL4- dependent pathways and downregulation of the TGF-beta-induced pathway. Allergen-induced release of CCL4 from T(H)2 cells might contribute to influx of eosinophils during the LPR. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Involvement of multiple interacting pathways indicates that it might be difficult to identify one single mediator as a biomarker or drug target in allergic inflammation.
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| 8. |
- Bjarnegård, Niclas, et al.
(författare)
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Increased aortic pulse wave velocity in middle-aged women with systemic lupus erythematosus
- 2006
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Ingår i: Lupus. - : SAGE Publications. - 0961-2033 .- 1477-0962. ; 15:10, s. 644-650
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a connective tissue disease where inflammatory activity affects several organ systems. An increased risk of cardiovascular disease has been identified in these patients, even after correction for traditional risk factors. The aim of the present study was to evaluate arterial stiffness and central hemodynamics in women with SLE in comparison to controls. Arterial tonometry was used to measure aortic (carotid-femoral) and arm (carotid-radial) pulse wave velocity (PWV), reflected pressure waves, and aortic augmentation index (AIx) in 27 women with SLE (52 to 68 years) and 27 controls. Aortic PWV was higher in women with SLE than controls, 9.8 m/s versus 8.2 m/s (P 0.01), after correction for mean arterial pressure and body mass index, 9.5 m/s versus 8.5 m/s (P 0.05). Other parameters were similar, arm PWV, 8.4 versus 8.5 m/s, AIx 34 versus 33% and calculated central aortic pulse pressure 48 versus 43 mmHg, in SLE and controls, respectively (NS). Aortic PWV was positively associated to C-reactive protein (CRP) and complement factor 3 (C3). Women with SLE have increased stiffness of their elastic central arteries. This may be one factor contributing to the increased cardiovascular risk seen in this cohort.
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| 9. |
- Bülow, Birgitta, et al.
(författare)
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Adrenal incidentaloma - follow-up results from a Swedish prospective study
- 2006
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Ingår i: European journal of endocrinology / European Federation of Endocrine Societies. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0804-4643 .- 1479-683X. ; 154:3, s. 419-23
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To examine the risk of developing adrenal carcinomas and clinically overt hypersecreting tumours during short-term follow-up in patients with adrenal incidentalomas. DESIGN: 229 (98 males and 131 females) patients with adrenal incidentalomas were investigated in a prospective follow-up study (median time 25 months; range 3-108 months). The patients were registered between January 1996 and July 2001 and followed until December 2004. Twenty-seven Swedish hospitals contributed with follow-up results. METHODS: Diagnostic procedures were undertaken according to a protocol including reinvestigation with computed tomography scans after 3-6 months, 15-18 months and 27-30 months, as well as hormonal evaluation at baseline and after 27-30 months of follow-up. Operation was recommended when the incidentaloma size increased or if there was a suspicion of a hypersecreting tumour. RESULTS: The median age at diagnosis of the 229 patients included in the follow-up study was 64 years (range 28-84 years) and the median size of the adrenal incidentalomas when discovered was 2.5 cm (range 1-8 cm). During the follow-up period, an increase in incidentaloma size of > or =0.5 cm was reported in 17 (7.4%) and of > or =1.0 cm was reported in 12 (5.2%) of the 229 patients. A decrease in size was seen in 12 patients (5.2%). A hypersecreting tumour was found in 2% of the hormonally investigated patients: Cushing's syndrome (n = 2) and phaeochromocytoma (n = 1). Eleven patients underwent adrenalectomy, but no cases of primary adrenal malignancy were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with adrenal incidentaloma had a low risk of developing malignancy or hormonal hypersecretion during a short-term follow-up period.
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| 10. |
- Carlsson, Annelie, et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence of celiac disease : Before and after a national change in feeding recommendations
- 2006
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0036-5521 .- 1502-7708. ; 41:5, s. 553-558
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective. A national change in infant feeding recommendations was proposed in 1996 in Sweden: a slow introduction to gluten during weaning was stressed, the recommendation being introduction at 4 instead of 6 months of age. The aim of the present study was to compare the prevalence of celiac disease in healthy young children born before and after the new feeding recommendations in 1996. Material and methods. Sera from 679 children at a median age of 2.9 years (range 2.5-4.2 years) born between January 1996 and November 1997 were investigated with IgA-antigliadin antibodies (AGA) and IgA-endomysial autoantibodies (EMA) and compared with 690 age-matched children born between July 1992 and June 1993. Children with a positive test for EMA and AGA or EMA only were re-tested, and if positive at follow up, investigated with intestinal biopsy. Results. At baseline, 2.2% (15/679) children were positive for EMA and another 0.6% (4/679) for both EMA and AGA. One child refused to be re-tested and eight children were still EMA positive at follow-up. Intestinal biopsy was performed in seven children (one declined biopsy), of whom three showed total villous atrophy. Two children with EMA titers 1:640, respectively, refused further participation in the study, but were strongly suspected to have celiac disease. In total, 0.7% (5/679) (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.1-1.4%) were considered to have celiac disease compared with 1.3% (9/690) (95% CI = 0.4-2.2%) in the control group (p = 0.4217). In addition, 0.3% of the children were diagnosed with symptomatic celiac disease compared with 0.7% in controls (p = 0.0134). Conclusions. The prevalence of symptomatic celiac disease declined after the infant dietary recommendations were introduced in 1996, but we could not find any difference in undiagnosed celiac disease between the screened children born before and those born after 1996. © 2006 Taylor & Francis.
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