| 1. |
- Alhamdow, Ayman, et al.
(författare)
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Low-level exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is associated with reduced lung function among Swedish young adults
- 2021
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Ingår i: Environmental Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0013-9351 .- 1096-0953. ; 197
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been linked to adverse pulmonary effects. However, the impact of low-level environmental PAH exposure on lung function in early adulthood remains uncertain. Objectives: To evaluate the associations between urinary PAH metabolites and lung function parameters in young adults. Methods: Urinary metabolites of pyrene, phenanthrene, and fluorene were analysed in 1000 young adults from Sweden (age 22–25 years) using LC-MS/MS. Lung function and eosinophilic airway inflammation were measured by spirometry and exhaled nitric oxide fraction (FeNO), respectively. Linear regression analysis was used to evaluate associations between PAH metabolites and the outcomes. Results: Median urinary concentrations of 1-OH-pyrene, ∑OH-phenanthrene, and ∑OH-fluorene were 0.066, 0.36, 0.22 μg/L, respectively. We found inverse associations of ∑OH-phenanthrene and ∑OH-fluorene with FEV1 and FVC, as well as between 1-OH-pyrene and FEV1/FVC ratio (adjusted P < 0.05; all participants). An increase of 1% in ∑OH-fluorene was associated with a decrease of 73 mL in FEV1 and 59 mL in FVC. In addition, ∑OH-phenanthrene concentrations were, in a dose-response manner, inversely associated with FEV1 (B from −109 to −48 compared with the lowest quartile of ∑OH-phenanthrene; p trend 0.004) and FVC (B from −159 to −102 compared with lowest quartile; p-trend <0.001). Similar dose-response associations were also observed between ∑OH-fluorene and FEV1 and FVC, as well as between 1-OH-pyrene and FEV1/FVC (p-trend <0.05). There was no association between PAH exposure and FeNO, nor was there an interaction with smoking, sex, or asthma. Conclusion: Low-level PAH exposure was, in a dose-response manner, associated with reduced lung function in young adults. Our findings have public health implications due to i) the widespread occurrence of PAHs in the environment and ii) the clinical relevance of lung function in predicting all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality.
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| 2. |
- Bengtsson, Ulrika, et al.
(författare)
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Aspects of hypertension - a multi-perspective approach on the way towards adherence and self-management
- 2012
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Ingår i: Fifth Geneva conference on person-centerd medicine.
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Hypertension is a long lasting condition for which a poor adherence to therapy becomes a substantial threat to the individual and public health. Major efforts have been made to explore reasons for poor adherence but few successful interventions have been designed. There is a need for effective strategies tailored for the unique needs of persons with hypertension. We set out to explore and describe relevant aspects of hypertension and hypertension treatment, from the perspective of persons with hypertension and health care providers. Focus group interviews were performed with 12 persons with hypertension and 15 health care providers and analysed according to thematic analysis. Persons with hypertension perceived trust, relationship to providers, well-being and prevention of complications as important aspects of hypertension care. Further they sought to understand the interplay between symptoms and variation of blood pressure. The providers emphasised accessibility, clear and consistent counselling, prevention of complications and educational efforts but doubted patients’ ability to be participating partners in care. The study presents aspects that persons with hypertension and health care providers deem important in hypertension self-management. Our findings provide input for future outcome measures and may increase the understanding of hypertension and treatment from a person-centred perspective.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Bengtsson, Ulrika, et al.
(författare)
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Development of a mobile phone self-report system for persons with hypertension: focus group interviews with patients and providers
- 2013
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Ingår i: Kardiovaskulära Vårmötet 2013.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ulrika Bengtsson, Lena Ring, Inger Hallberg, Karin Kjellgren Background: Hypertension is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease for which poor adherence to therapy becomes a substantial threat to health. Major efforts have been made to explore reasons for poor adherence but few successful interventions have been designed. There is a need for effective strategies tailored for the unique needs of persons with hypertension. We set out to explore and describe relevant aspects of hypertension and hypertension treatment, from the perspective of persons with hypertension and health care providers. Methods: Focus group interviews were performed with 15 persons with hypertension and 12 health care providers and analysed according to thematic analysis. Results: Persons with hypertension perceived trust, relationship to providers, well-being and prevention of complications as important aspects of hypertension care. Further they sought to understand the interplay between symptoms and variation of blood pressure. The providers emphasised accessibility, clear and consistent counselling, prevention of complications and educational efforts but doubted patients’ ability to be participating partners in care. Conclusion: The study presents aspects that persons with hypertension and health care providers deem important in hypertension self-management. Our finding provides input for future outcome measures, such as self-reports, and may serve as a foundation for the development of a self-report system for persons with hypertension. It may further increase the understanding of hypertension and treatment, from a person-centred perspective.
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| 5. |
- Bengtsson, Ulrika, et al.
(författare)
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Development of a mobile phone self-report system for persons with hypertension: focus group interviews with patients and providers
- 2013
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Ingår i: HPH 21 st International Conference on Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Services.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Hypertension is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease for which poor adherence to therapy becomes a substantial threat to health. Major efforts have been made to explore reasons for poor adherence but few successful interventions have been designed. There is a need for effective strategies designed to facilitate an increased understanding for the complexity of hypertension and treatment by strengthening of patient participation as well as patient empowerment. Purpose / Methods: The aim of this study was to explore and describe relevant aspects of hypertension and hypertension treatment, from the perspective of persons with hypertension and health care providers. Focus group interviews were performed with 15 persons with hypertension and 12 health care providers and analysed according to thematic analysis. Results: Persons with hypertension perceived trust, relationship to providers, well-being and prevention of complications as important aspects of hypertension care. Further they sought to understand the interplay between symptoms and variation of blood pressure. The providers emphasised accessibility, clear and consistent counselling, prevention of complications and educational efforts but doubted patients’ ability to be participating partners in care. Conclusion: The study presents aspects that persons with hypertension and health care providers deem important in hypertension management. Our finding provides input for future outcome measures, such as self-reports and may serve as a foundation for the development of a self-report system for persons with hypertension. They may further facilitate patient empowerment by increasing the understanding of hypertension and its’ treatment, from a person-centred perspective.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Bengtsson, Ulrika, et al.
(författare)
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Improved Blood Pressure Control Using an Interactive Mobile Phone Support System
- 2016
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Ingår i: The Journal of Clinical Hypertension. - : Wiley. - 1524-6175 .- 1751-7176. ; 18:2, s. 101-108
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This explorative, longitudinal study evaluated the effect of the daily use of a mobile phone-based self-management support system for hypertension in reducing blood pressure (BP) among 50 primary care patients with hypertension over 8 weeks. The self-management system comprises modules for (1) self-reports of BP, pulse, lifestyle, symptoms, and well-being; (2) delivery of reminders and encouragements; and (3) graphical feedback of self-reports. Daily use of the support system significantly reduced BP (systolic BP 7 mm Hg, diastolic BP 4.9 mm Hg) between baseline and week 8, with daily improvements leveling off as the study progressed. Three homogenous subsets of patients were identified who, despite different initial BP levels, showed similar decreases in BP during the study, indicating that patients benefited irrespective of baseline BP. In showing significant reductions in BP, our results suggest that the self-management support system may be a useful tool in clinical practice to help patients self-manage their hypertension.
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| 8. |
- Bengtsson, Ulrika, et al.
(författare)
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Links between blood pressure and life-style factors reported via a mobile phone-based self-management support system
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Hypertension. - : Wolters Kluwer. - 0263-6352.
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Objective: To explore relationships between patients’ self-monitoring of blood pressure and their concurrent self-reports of medication intake, wellbeing stress, physical activity and symptoms.Design and method: This was a prospective study exploring the eight-week effectiveness of a mobile phone based self-management support system for patients with hypertension. 50 patients undergoing treatment for hypertension, from four primary health care centers situated in urban and suburban communities in Sweden, self-reported through the system once daily during eight weeks.Scientific data: Associations between systolic and diastolic blood pressure and 10 self-report lifestyle-related variables.Results: The single strongest association was found between medication intake and systolic blood pressure, where failure to take medications was associated with an estimated 7.44 mmHg higher systolic blood pressure. To a lesser degree, medication intake was also associated with diastolic blood pressure. Wellbeing and stress were consistently associated with systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, whereas physical activity was associated with only systolic blood pressure. None of the symptoms dizziness, headache, restlessness, fatigue or palpitations were significantly associated with blood pressure.Conclusions: Blood pressure was associated with patients’ blood pressure management behaviors, eg drug intake and experiences of wellbeing and stress. No association was found between blood pressure and side effects. Enabling persons with hypertension to monitor and track their BP in relation to medication intake, symptoms and life-style variables may be a fruitful way to help them gain first-hand understanding of the importance of adherence and persistence to treatment recommendations.
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| 9. |
- Bengtsson, Ulrika, et al.
(författare)
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Patient contributions during primary care consultations for hypertension after self-reporting via a mobile phone self-management support system.
- 2018
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0281-3432 .- 1502-7724. ; 36:1, s. 70-79
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper reports on how the clinical consultation in primary care is performed under the new premises of patients’ daily self-reporting and self-generation of data. The aim was to explore and describe the structure, topic initiation and patients’ contributions in follow-up consultations after eight weeks of self-reporting through a mobile phone-based hypertension self-management support system. A qualitative, explorative study design was used, examining 20 audio- (n=10) and video-recorded (n=10) follow-up consultations in primary care hypertension management, through interaction analysis. Clinical trials registry: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01510301. The consultations comprised three phases: opening, examination and closing. The most common topic was blood pressure (BP) put in relation to self-reported variables, for example, physical activity and stress. Topic initiation was distributed symmetrically between parties and BP talk was lifestyle-centered. The patients’ contributed to the interpretation of BP values by connecting them to specific occasions, providing insights to the link between BP measurements and everyday life activities. Patients’ contribution through interpretations of BP values to specific situations in their own lives brought on consultations where the patient as a person in context became salient. Further, the patients’ and health care professionals’ equal contribution during the consultations showed actively involved patients. The mobile phone-based self-management support system can thus be used to support patient involvement in consultations with a person-centered approach in primary care hypertension management
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| 10. |
- Ekström, Sandra, et al.
(författare)
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Dietary intake and plasma concentrations of PUFAs in childhood and adolescence in relation to asthma and lung function up to adulthood
- 2022
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Ingår i: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0002-9165 .- 1938-3207. ; 115:3, s. 886-896
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: PUFAs may influence the risk of asthma; however, long-term prospective studies including objective biomarkers of PUFA intake are lacking.Objectives The objective was to investigate the role of dietary intake and plasma concentrations of n–3 and n–6 (ω-3 and ω-6) PUFAs in childhood and adolescence for the development of asthma and lung function up to young adulthood.Methods: The study included participants from the Swedish prospective birth cohort BAMSE. Dietary intake of PUFAs was calculated from FFQs (n = 1992) and plasma proportions of PUFAs were measured in phospholipids (n = 831). We analyzed the n–3 PUFA α-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3n–3); the sum of very-long-chain (VLC) n–3 PUFAs: EPA (20:5n–3), DHA (22:6n–3), and docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n–3); and the n–6 PUFAs linoleic acid (LA; 18:2n–6) and arachidonic acid (AA; 20:4n–6). Asthma was assessed by questionnaires at 8, 16, and 24 y and lung function was measured by spirometry at 24 y.Results: A high (≥median) self-reported dietary intake of LA at 8 y and AA at 16 y was associated with increased risk of prevalent asthma at 24 y (OR: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.82 and OR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.70, respectively). In contrast, plasma proportions of ALA, ∑VLC n–3 PUFAs, and AA at 8 y, as well as LA at 16 y, were inversely associated with prevalent asthma at 24 y (e.g., OR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.38, 0.81 for ∑VLC n–3 PUFAs). No consistent associations were observed with lung function.Conclusions: High dietary intake of certain n–6 PUFAs in childhood or adolescence may be associated with increased risk of asthma up to young adulthood, whereas dietary biomarkers of certain n–3 and n–6 PUFAs in plasma may be associated with decreased risk. Thus, the role of diet compared with altered metabolism of PUFAs needs further investigation to improve dietary preventive strategies for asthma.
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