| 1. |
- Knudsen, Kati
(författare)
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Airway management in anaesthesia care : – professional and patient perspectives
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: Careful airway management, including tracheal intubation, is important when performing anaesthesia in order to achieve safe tracheal intubation. Aim: To study airway management in anaesthesia care from both the professional and patient perspectives. Methods: 11 RNAs performed three airway tests in 87 patients, monitored in a study-specific questionnaire. The tests usefulness for predicting an easy intubation was analysed (Study I). 68 of 74 anaesthesia departments in Sweden answered a self-reported questionnaire about the presence of airway guidelines (Study II). 20 anaesthesiologists were interviewed; a phenomenographic analysis was performed to describe how anaesthesiologists' understand algorithms for management of the difficult airway (Study III). 13 patients were interviewed; content analysis was performed to describe patients' experiences of being awake fiberoptic intubated (Study IV). Results: The Mallampati classification is a good screening test for predicting easy intubation and intubation can be safely performed by RNAs (Study I). The presence of airway guidelines in Swedish anaesthesia departments is poorly implemented (Study II). Algorithms can be understood as law-like rules, a succinct plan to follow in difficult airway situations, an action plan kept in the back of one's mind while creating flexible and versatile personal algorithms, or as consensus guidelines based on expert opinion in order to be followed in clinical practice (Study III). One theme emerged describing experiences of being awake intubated; feelings of being in a vulnerable situation but cared for in safe hands, described in five categories: a need for tailored information, distress and fear of the intubation, acceptance and trust of the staff's competence, professional caring and support, and no hesitation about new awake intubation (Study IV). Conclusions: The Mallampati classification is a good screening test for predicting easy intubation, when the airway assessment is performed in a structured manner by RNAs. The presence of airway guidelines in Swedish anaesthesia departments was poorly implemented and should receive higher priority. Algorithms need to be simple and easy to follow and based on the best available scientific evidence. Tailored information about what to expect, ensuring eye contact, and giving breathing instructions during the procedure may reduce patients' feeling distress.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Almgren, Birgitta, 1958-
(författare)
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Endotracheal Suction a Reopened Problem
- 2005
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- During mechanical ventilation, patients are connected to the ventilator by an endotracheal tube. The tube needs to be cleaned from mucus by suction, which can cause negative effects such as lung collapse, hypoxemia and desaturation. These can be avoided by preoxygenation, change of ventilator settings, use of closed suction systems and recruitment manoeuvres. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of endotracheal suction during different ventilator settings and by different suction methods. A method to reverse side effects was investigated.In anaesthetized pigs, the effect of suction during volume and pressure-controlled ventilation was investigated, and the effect of different suction systems and catheter sizes were compared. Suction efficacy was investigated in a bench study. The effect of recruitment manoeuvre added after suction, i.e. post-suction recruitment manoeuvre was evaluated.Endotracheal suction causes lung volume loss leading to impaired gas exchange, an effect that is more severe in pressure-controlled ventilation than in volume-controlled ventilation. When 14 French suction catheters were used more side effects were found compared to 12 French catheters, but no difference was found between open and closed suction system in pressure-controlled ventilation. Open suction system was more effective to remove mucus compared to closed system. Post-suction recruitment manoeuvre restored the side effects after the first recruitment when it was applied directly after suction.In conclusion, open endotracheal suction causes impairment in gas exchange and lung mechanics, and more so in pressure-controlled than in volume-controlled mode. These changes can be minimized if smaller suction catheters are used. A post-suction recruitment manoeuvre applied directly after suction restores lung function. It is obvious that the recruitment manoeuvre should be added directly after suction, because if the manoeuvre is delayed and the lung is collapsed and left collapsed, it will be more difficult to recruit the lung.
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| 4. |
- Arvidson, Nils Gunnar
(författare)
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Disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis : Studies in interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor alpha, monocyte activity, acute phase markers, glucocorticoids, and disability
- 2003
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In the present studies, aspects of some disease activity measures in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been investigated, including the effect of glucocorticoids on this activity. In RA, serum interleukin(IL)-6 levels were elevated and were shown to have a circadian rhythm, with peak levels in the morning, declining towards low or normal levels in the afternoon and evening. In contrast, serum levels of tumour necrosis factor(TNF) alpha were low and stable. In other connective tissue diseases, serum TNF alpha levels were elevated but without circadian variation, while IL-6 levels were low and stable. Nocturnal administration (at 2:00 a.m.) of low-dose prednisolone a few hours before the early morning peak of IL-6 was shown to be significantly more effective in reducing clinical symptoms of disease activity and serum IL-6 levels than the traditional morning administration (at 7:30 a.m.) of the same dose of prednisolone. Circulating monocytes are activated in RA, expressing receptors related to adhesion and phagocytosis. Treatment with glucocorticoids suppressed the expression of these receptors on monocytes, and this may be one mechanism of the beneficial effect of glucocorticoids in RA. Endogenous levels of cortisol seem to play a minor role in expression of monocyte receptors. The different acute phase markers used to assess disease activity in RA showed good corrrelations with each other and with serum IL-6 levels. There were especially strong corrrelations between C-reactive protein (CRP) and Serum amyloid protein A (SAA), and between fibrinogen and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Fibrinogen and CRP showed stronger correlation than ESR with the Modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (MHAQ) score and with the neutrophil count. Four simple objective function tests were each compared with the HAQ score a with a radiological joint damage score (Larsen score). The objective function tests correlated with the MHAQ score, and each of these two methods of assessing physical disability correlated with pain, CRP and ESR. In addition, most of the objective function tests correlated significantly with radiological joint damage, while the MHAQ score did not.
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| 5. |
- Befekadu Wodajo, Rahel, 1968-
(författare)
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Analysis of new biomarkers and their kinetics in connection with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and percutaneous coronary intervention
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis studies different biomarkers in a cohort of patients suffering from ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who underwent Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Örebro in 2011-2012. Blood samples were collected at three time points, at the arrival at the hospital, 1-3 days after PCI and for a smaller group of patients also 3 months after PCI. The study is a sub-study of the TASTE study, so half of the patients were also randomized to thrombus aspiration in conjunction with their PCI. For all patients, it was also recorded whether the culprit coronary vessel was totally occluded or partially patent. In total, there are samples from 165 patients, but not all markers have been measured in all patients, and 3-month samples are only available from those who had their follow-up in Örebro. The plasma levels of the biomarkers have also been measured in plasma from blood donors for comparison. In March 2019, a follow-up was made of the patients' survival, and the time of death was noted in cases where this had occurred.The markers studied are the lysosome protein Cathepsin S (Cat-S), the platelet granule protein thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1), the pentraxins C-reactive protein (CRP) and pentraxin 3 (PTX3), the endopeptidase neprilysin, the soluble forms of TNF-receptor 1 and 2 (sTNFR1 and sTNFR2), markers showing activation of the lectin pathway for complement activation (MASP-1/AT, MASP-1/C1-INH, MASP-2/C1-INH, MASP-2/AT) and common activation markers for complement activation (C3a and sC5b-9).In summary, the thesis shows that the plasma levels of all markers, except neprilysin and sC5b-9, are elevated at the time of arrival compared to healthy blood donors. Neprilysin is at the same level, and sC5b-9 is lower compared to blood donors. 1-3 days after PCI, the levels for CRP, sTNFR1 and sC5b-9 have risen strongly (>50%) compared to the levels at arrival. MASP-1/AT and MASP-2/AT have fallen moderately (about 50%), Cat-S and TSP-1 have decreased strongly, while the remaining markers are relatively similar to the levels at arrival (± 25%). The levels for CRP, PTX3, sTNFR1, sTNFR2 and neprilysin decreased even further between 1-3 days and 3 months, sC5b-9 rises slightly while the other markers remain at roughly the same levels. At 3 months, most markers still show higher levels compared to corresponding levels in blood donors, only MASP-2/C1-INH has the same level, while neprilysin is slightly lower and TSP-1 much lower compared to blood donors (the latter presumably an effect of ongoing medication with platelet inhibitors in the patients). No relevant differences were observed between patients with and without thrombus aspiration, and few differences were seen between patients with occluded or partially patent vessels. This may indicate that these factors were of minor importance for the levels of the analyzed markers. In contrast, analysis of survival showed that individuals with plasma levels above the median value for PTX3, sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 at admission and/or at 1-3 days had a significantly increased mortality compared to those with levels below the median value, which indicates that these markers could be interesting for further studies in a material where also analysis of possible interfering factors can be implemented.
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| 6. |
- Bergmann, Astrid, 1972-
(författare)
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Remote Ischemic Preconditioning and its Effects on the Respiratory System
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Mechanical ventilation in itself can lead to pulmonary damage, and one-lung ventilation (OLV), necessary for thoracic surgery, accentuates this injury. Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIP) is a potential tool to reduce lung injury after mechanical ventilation, including OLV. However, current data on pulmonary RIP-effects are contradictory. Therefore, the overall purpose of this Ph.D. project was to assess the effects of RIP on the respiratory system. In Study I, in healthy spontaneously breathing volunteers, oxygenation was impaired early after RIP, which was possibly induced by transient ventilation-perfusion inequality. Studies II, III, and IV were performed in a porcine OLV model. In Study II, we found that RIP possibly enhances alveolar injury, but attenuates the immune response. In Study III, we confirmed that an immune response to RIP takes place, which shows a different time pattern in each cytokine, depending on the site of measurement as well. In Study IV, we studied the porcine model for eight hours and found that RIP improved oxygenation after two hours of OLV and impeded the decline of exhaled nitric oxide (NO) during and after OLV. These findings indicate that RIP mitigates hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV).In summary, RIP has a complex effect on the respiratory system, which partly explains the previous contradictory findings.
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| 7. |
- Bolander, Åsa, 1977-
(författare)
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Prognostic Factors in Malignant Melanoma
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Because of the failure so far to find effective treatment for patients with advanced stages of melanoma, increasing efforts have been made to find prognostic factors identifying patients in the risk zone for development of metastasis.This thesis investigates the prognostic powers of a few selected serological and immunohistochemical biomarkers.In the first and second study, patients operated on for localized malignant melanoma were investigated regarding the prognostic impact of angiogenic serological markers and circulating levels of S100. We concluded that the S100 assays, especially S100BB, are potential biomarkers in patients with malignant melanoma, correlated to both survival and disease free survival. However, no such conclusion could be drawn from the first study, where we found no correlation to survival and investigated angiogenic markers.In the third and fourth study four new potential immunohistochemical biomarkers where investigated in collaboration with the Swedish Human Protein Atlas Program, and those where TRP-1, galectin-1, DLG5 and syntaxin-7.We found that TRP-1 correlated inversely with tumor stage and galectin-1 correlated to Ki-67.DLG5 showed a significant inverse correlation to Ki67 and the expression of STX7 was inversely correlated to tumor stage, suggesting that decreased expression is associated with more aggressive tumors.None of the investigated markers in study III and IV correlated with disease free survival or overall survival.In the fifth and last study, we examined the expression of SOX10, a transcription factor, in different melanocytic lesions. Also, a proliferation assay was carried out in a human melanoma cell line. The results reveal the presence of SOX10 in different melanocytic lesions, with a weak inverse correlation to survival and a significant inverse correlation to T-stage. A significant decrease in proliferation rate for SOX10 silenced cells was found and our data also suggests an increased migratory response in SOX10 silenced cells.
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| 8. |
- Borges, João Batista, 1966-
(författare)
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Regional Lung Kinetics of Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury and Protective-Ventilation Strategies Studied by Dynamic Positron Emission Tomography
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Mechanical ventilation in itself can harm the lung and cause ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), which can induce or aggravate acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Much debate remains over pivotal concepts regarding the pathophysiology of VILI, especially about the precise contribution, kinetics, and primary role of potential VILI mechanisms. Consequently, it remains largely unknown how best to design a well-timed and full-bodied mechanical ventilation strategy. Little is known also about small airways dysfunction in ARDS. Dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) can be used to image cellular metabolism, which during lung inflammation mainly reflects neutrophil activity, allowing the study of regional lung inflammation in vivo. We studied the regional evolution of inflammation using dynamic PET/CT imaging of 18F-FDG in VILI and during different lung-protective mechanical ventilation strategies. By dynamic CT we investigated also the location and magnitude of peripheral airway closure and alveolar collapse under high and low distending pressures and high and low inspiratory oxygen fraction. Piglets were submitted to an experimental model of early ARDS combining repeated lung lavages and injurious mechanical ventilation. The animals were subsequently studied during sustained VILI, or submitted to distinct approaches of lung-protective mechanical ventilation: the one recommended by the ARDS Network (ARDSNet), or to one defined as open lung approach (OLA). The normally and poorly aerated regions - corresponding to intermediate gravitational zones - were the primary targets of the inflammatory process accompanying early VILI, which may be attributed to the small volume of the aerated lung that receives most of ventilation. The ARDSNet strategy did not attenuate global pulmonary inflammation during 27h and led to a concentration of inflammatory activity in the upper and poorly aerated lung regions. The OLA, in comparison with the ARDSNet approach, resulted in sustained and better gas exchange and lung mechanics. Moreover, the OLA strategy resulted in less global and regional inflammation. Dynamic CT data suggested that a significant amount of airway closure and related reabsorption atelectasis occurs in acute lung injury. Whether potential distal bronchioles injury (“bronchiolotrauma”) is a critical and decisive element in ventilator-associated lung injury is a matter for future studies.
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| 9. |
- Dreilich, Martin, 1970-
(författare)
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Predictive Factors in Esophageal Carcinoma
- 2006
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Esophageal carcinoma is a malignancy with a poor prognosis and is the sixth cause of cancer related death worldwide. In Sweden approximately 400 new cases are diagnosed every year. The aim of this present thesis was to investigate predictive factors for esophageal carcinoma patients.126 esophageal carcinoma patients admitted to the department of Oncology at the University Hospital in Uppsala between 1990-2000 were investigated with focus on known and potential prognostic factors. Performance status and stage of the disease were the only independent prognostic factors (p-values <0.001). Angiogenic factors VEGF and bFGF were correlated to platelet and leukocyte counts and VEGF was correlated to tumor volume (p=0.04) whereas bFGF was not (p=0.08) in pre-treatment serum samples from 42 esophageal carcinoma patients. The use of the angiogenic factors as prognostic factors, prior to therapy in patients with esophageal carcinoma, according to the results from the present study, seems limited. HER-2 overexpression was seen in 17% of 97 investigated esophageal tumor samples. In squamous cell carcinoma patients, HER-2 overexpression correlated with poorer survival (p=0.035), whereas in adenocarcinoma patients, HER-2 status did not. HER-2 overexpression seems to be associated with poorer survival in esophageal carcinomas, especially in patients with squamous cell esophageal carcinoma. Telomerase activity was detected in all esophageal cell lines, with a broad range of activity levels. No correlation was found between telomerase activity levels and sensitivity to investigated cytotoxic drugs. We therefore conclude that basal telomerase activity level is not a key determinant of sensitivity to standard cytotoxic drugs in esophageal carcinoma cell lines. The virus HPV-16 was detected in 16 % of the patients; no other type HPV was detected. HPV-16 infection had no significant effect on survival (p=0.72). Our results did not show that HPV-16 increases survival or improve therapy response in patients with esophageal carcinoma.
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| 10. |
- Dubois, Louise
(författare)
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Prostasomes as Diagnostic, Prognostic and Therapeutic Vesicles
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis explores prostasomes and their ability to be used as a new diagnostic tool for prostate cancer. Alongside diagnosis, this thesis also suggests prostasomes as a tool for prognosis and therapeutic treatment in patients with prostate cancer. By further characterizing prostasomes we can identify a biomarker and also a method of visualizing and interpreting the information provided in order to conduct a correct and fast diagnosis for prostate cancer.In Paper I, we show that the prostasomal bilayered membrane consists of lipid rafts, clusters that holds cholesterol, sphingolipids and gives receptors a rigid platform upon which to work. We compare the proteomic content of prostasome lipid rafts with the entire prostasome membrane in the search for a specific biomarker. In Paper II, we show that purified lipid rafts from the prostasome membrane can re-vesiculate and create new bioengineered vesicles. These new vesicles can carry different agents inside them and we find that the method is also applicable to blood cells. This suggests a new method for cell-specific delivery of drugs and cancer therapy. In Paper III, we further characterize the prostasome membrane, this time mapping purinergic receptors. This could be used in the development of prostate cancer treatment and to gain better understanding of how prostasomes interact with surrounding cells in their ambient environment.In Paper IV, we investigate the difference in thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) enzyme activity between prostasomes and malignant exosomes. TK1 is considered to be a biomarker of cell proliferation and could therefore be used as a biomarker for prostate cancer diagnosis and progression.In summary, this thesis contributes to the puzzle of how to better diagnose, prognose and treat prostate cancer. Although it is mainly pre-clinical research it opens up new possibilities for the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
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