| 1. |
- Karlsson, Lars, et al.
(författare)
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A clinical decision support tool for improving adherence to guidelines on anticoagulant therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke : A cluster-randomized trial in a Swedish primary care setting (the CDS-AF study)
- 2018
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Ingår i: PLoS Medicine. - San Francisco, United States : Public Library of Science. - 1549-1277 .- 1549-1676. ; 15:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundAtrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with substantial morbidity, in particular stroke. Despite good evidence for the reduction of stroke risk with anticoagulant therapy, there remains significant undertreatment. The main aim of the current study was to investigate whether a clinical decision support tool (CDS) for stroke prevention integrated in the electronic health record could improve adherence to guidelines for stroke prevention in patients with AF.Methods and findingsWe conducted a cluster-randomized trial where all 43 primary care clinics in the county of Östergötland, Sweden (population 444,347), were randomized to be part of the CDS intervention or to serve as controls. The CDS produced an alert for physicians responsible for patients with AF and at increased risk for thromboembolism (according to the CHA2DS2-VASc algorithm) without anticoagulant therapy. The primary endpoint was adherence to guidelines after 1 year. After randomization, there were 22 and 21 primary care clinics in the CDS and control groups, respectively. There were no significant differences in baseline adherence to guidelines regarding anticoagulant therapy between the 2 groups (CDS group 70.3% [5,186/7,370; 95% CI 62.9%–77.7%], control group 70.0% [4,187/6,009; 95% CI 60.4%–79.6%], p = 0.83). After 12 months, analysis with linear regression with adjustment for primary care clinic size and adherence to guidelines at baseline revealed a significant increase in guideline adherence in the CDS (73.0%, 95% CI 64.6%–81.4%) versus the control group (71.2%, 95% CI 60.8%–81.6%, p = 0.013, with a treatment effect estimate of 0.016 [95% CI 0.003–0.028]; number of patients with AF included in the final analysis 8,292 and 6,508 in the CDS and control group, respectively). Over the study period, there was no difference in the incidence of stroke, transient ischemic attack, or systemic thromboembolism in the CDS group versus the control group (49 [95% CI 43–55] per 1,000 patients with AF in the CDS group compared to 47 [95% CI 39–55] per 1,000 patients with AF in the control group, p = 0.64). Regarding safety, the CDS group had a lower incidence of significant bleeding, with events in 12 (95% CI 9–15) per 1,000 patients with AF compared to 16 (95% CI 12–20) per 1,000 patients with AF in the control group (p = 0.04). Limitations of the study design include that the analysis was carried out in a catchment area with a high baseline adherence rate, and issues regarding reproducibility to other regions.ConclusionsThe present study demonstrates that a CDS can increase guideline adherence for anticoagulant therapy in patients with AF. Even though the observed difference was small, this is the first randomized study to our knowledge indicating beneficial effects with a CDS in patients with AF.
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| 2. |
- Nowrouzian, Forough, 1957, et al.
(författare)
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Bacterial Carriage of Genes Encoding Fibronectin-Binding Proteins Is Associated with Long-Term Persistence of Staphylococcus aureus in the Nasal and Gut Microbiota of Infants
- 2021
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Ingår i: Applied and Environmental Microbiology. - : American Society for Microbiology. - 0099-2240 .- 1098-5336. ; 87:15
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Staphylococcus aureus can colonize both the anterior nares and the gastrointestinal tract. However, colonization at these sites in the same individuals has not been studied, and the traits that facilitate colonization and persistence at these sites have not been compared. Samples from the nostrils and feces collected on 9 occasions from 3 days to 3 years of age in 65 infants were cultured; 54 samples yielded S. aureus. The numbers of nasal and fecal S. aureus strains increased rapidly during the first weeks and were similar at 1 month of age (>40% of infants colonized). Thereafter, nasal carriage declined, while fecal carriage remained high during the first year of life. Individual strains were identified, and their colonization patterns were related to their carriage of genes encoding adhesins and superantigenic toxins. Strains retrieved from both the nose and gut (n =44) of an infant were 4.5 times more likely to colonize long term (>= 3 weeks at both sites) than strains found only in the rectum/feces (n = 56) or only in the nose (n = 32) (P <= 0.001). Gut colonization was significantly associated with carriage of the fnbA gene, and long-term colonization at either site was associated with carriage of fnbA and fnbB. In summary, gut colonization by S. aureus was more common than nasal carnage by S. aureus in the studied infants. Gut strains may provide a reservoir for invasive disease in vulnerable individuals. Fibronectin-binding adhesins and other virulence factors may facilitate commensal colonization and confer pathogenic potential. IMPORTANCE S. aureus may cause severe infections and frequently colonizes the nose. Nasal carriage of S. aureus increases 3-fold the risk of invasive S. aureus infection. S. aureus is also commonly found in the gut microbiota of infants and young children. However, the relationships between the adhesins and other virulence factors of S. aureus strains and its abilities to colonize the nostrils and gut of infants are not well understood. Our study explores the simultaneous colonization by S. aureus of the nasal and intestinal tracts of newborn infants through 3 years of follow-up. We identify bacterial virulence traits that appear to facilitate persistent colonization of the nose and gut by S. aureus. This expands our current knowledge of the interplay between bacterial commensalism and pathogenicity. Moreover, it may contribute to the development of targeted strategies for combating S. aureus infection.
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| 3. |
- Nowrouzian, Forough, 1957, et al.
(författare)
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Neonatal gut colonization by Staphylococcus aureus strains with certain adhesins and superantigens is negatively associated with subsequent development of atopic eczema
- 2019
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Ingår i: British Journal of Dermatology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0007-0963 .- 1365-2133. ; 180:6, s. 1481-1488
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Insufficient early immune stimulation may predispose to atopic disease. Staphylococcus aureus, a skin and gut colonizer, produces the B-cell mitogen protein A and T-cell-activating superantigens. Early gut colonization by S. aureus strains that possess the superantigens encoded by the enterotoxin gene (egc) cluster and elastin-binding protein is negatively associated with development of atopic eczema. Objectives To investigate (i) whether these findings could be replicated in a second birth cohort, FARMFLORA, and (ii) whether nasal colonization by S. aureus also relates to subsequent atopic eczema development. Methods Faecal samples and nasal swabs from infants in the FARMFLORA birth cohort (n = 65) were cultured for S. aureus. Individual strains were distinguished by random amplified polymorphic DNA and assessed for adhesin and superantigen gene carriage by polymerase chain reaction. Atopic eczema at 18 months of age was related to nasal and gut S. aureus colonization patterns during the first 2 months of life (well before onset of eczema). Results Staphylococcus aureus colonization per se was unrelated to subsequent eczema development. However, gut S. aureus strains from the infants who subsequently developed atopic eczema less frequently carried the ebp gene, encoding elastin-binding protein, and superantigen genes encoded by egc, compared with strains from children who remained healthy. Nasal colonization by S. aureus was less clearly related to subsequent eczema development. Conclusions The results precisely replicate our previous observations and may suggest that mucosal colonization by certain S. aureus strains provides immune stimulation that strengthens the epithelial barrier and counteracts the development of atopic eczema.
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| 4. |
- Andersson, Per, et al.
(författare)
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Characteristics of patients with acute myocardial infarction contacting primary healthcare before hospitalisation: a cross-sectional study
- 2018
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Ingår i: BMC Family Practice. - : BMC. - 1471-2296. ; 19
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The characteristics of patients with on-going myocardial infarction (MI) contacting the primary healthcare (PHC) centre before hospitalisation are not well known. Prompt diagnosis is crucial in patients with MI, but many patients delay seeking medical care. The aims of this study was to 1) describe background characteristics, symptoms, actions and delay times in patients contacting the PHC before hospitalisation when falling ill with an acute MI, 2) compare those patients with acute MI patients not contacting the PHC, and 3) explore factors associated with a PHC contact in acute MI patients. Methods: This was a cross-sectional multicentre study, enrolling consecutive patients with MI within 24 hours of admission to hospital from Nov 2012 until Feb 2014. Results: A total of 688 patients with MI, 519 men and 169 women, were included; the mean age was 66 +/- 11 years. One in five people contacted PHC instead of the recommended emergency medical services (EMS), and 94% of these patients experienced cardinal symptoms of an acute MI; i.e., chest pain, and/or radiating pain in the arms, and/or cold sweat. Median delay time from symptom-onset-to-decision-to-seek-care was 2:15 hours in PHC patients and 0:40 hours in non-PHC patients (pamp;lt;0.01). The probability of utilising the PHC before hospitalisation was associated with fluctuating symptoms (OR 1.74), pain intensity (OR 0.90) symptoms during off-hours (OR 0.42), study hospital (OR 3.49 and 2.52, respectively, for two of the county hospitals) and a final STEMI diagnosis (OR 0.58). Conclusions: Ambulance services are still underutilized in acute MI patients. A substantial part of the patients contacts their primary healthcare centre before they are diagnosed with MI, although experiencing cardinal symptoms such as chest pain. There is need for better knowledge in the population about symptoms of MI and adequate pathways to qualified care. Knowledge and awareness amongst primary healthcare professionals on the occurrence of MI patients is imperative.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Aspholm-Hurtig, Marina, et al.
(författare)
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Functional adaptation of BabA, the H. pylori ABO blood group antigen binding adhesin.
- 2004
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Ingår i: Science (New York, N.Y.). - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 1095-9203 .- 0036-8075. ; 305:5683, s. 519-22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Adherence by Helicobacter pylori increases the risk of gastric disease. Here, we report that more than 95% of strains that bind fucosylated blood group antigen bind A, B, and O antigens (generalists), whereas 60% of adherent South American Amerindian strains bind blood group O antigens best (specialists). This specialization coincides with the unique predominance of blood group O in these Amerindians. Strains differed about 1500-fold in binding affinities, and diversifying selection was evident in babA sequences. We propose that cycles of selection for increased and decreased bacterial adherence contribute to babA diversity and that these cycles have led to gradual replacement of generalist binding by specialist binding in blood group O-dominant human populations.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Barman, Malin, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the FADS Gene Cluster but not the ELOVL2 Gene are Associated with Serum Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Composition and Development of Allergy (in a Swedish Birth Cohort).
- 2015
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Ingår i: Nutrients. - : MDPI AG. - 2072-6643. ; 7:12, s. 10100-10115
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Exposure to polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) influences immune function and may affect the risk of allergy development. Long chain PUFAs are produced from dietary precursors catalyzed by desaturases and elongases encoded by FADS and ELOVL genes. In 211 subjects, we investigated whether polymorphisms in the FADS gene cluster and the ELOVL2 gene were associated with allergy or PUFA composition in serum phospholipids in a Swedish birth-cohort sampled at birth and at 13 years of age; allergy was diagnosed at 13 years of age. Minor allele carriers of rs102275 and rs174448 (FADS gene cluster) had decreased proportions of 20:4 n-6 in cord and adolescent serum and increased proportions of 20:3 n-6 in cord serum as well as a nominally reduced risk of developing atopic eczema, but not respiratory allergy, at 13 years of age. Minor allele carriers of rs17606561 in the ELOVL2 gene had nominally decreased proportions of 20:4 n-6 in cord serum but ELOVL polymorphisms (rs2236212 and rs17606561) were not associated with allergy development. Thus, reduced capacity to desaturase n-6 PUFAs due to FADS polymorphisms was nominally associated with reduced risk for eczema development, which could indicate a pathogenic role for long-chain PUFAs in allergy development.
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| 9. |
- Englund-Ögge, Linda, et al.
(författare)
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Maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes in the NICE birth cohort: an assessment of self-selection bias
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1476-7058 .- 1476-4954. ; 35:25, s. 9014-9022
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Prospective birth cohorts are essential for identifying associations between exposures and outcomes. However, voluntary participation introduces a potential bias due to self selection since the persons that chose to participate may differ in background characteristics and behaviors. Objectives: To investigate potential bias due to self-selection in the Nutritional impact onImmunological maturation duringChildhood in relation to theEnvironment (NICE) birth cohort in northern Sweden. Methods: Women in the NICE birth cohort (N = 621) were compared to nonparticipating pregnant women in Norrbotten County in northern Sweden who were eligible for participation (N = 4976) regarding maternal characteristics and lifestyle. Maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes were compared between the groups and associations between exposures (smoking, folic acid, BMI, parity, education) and pregnancy outcomes (birth weight and gestational age) were analyzed by linear regression analyses, examining any interaction with the group. Results: NICE participants were more highly educated, older and more likely to cohabit than the non-participants. They more often took folic acid and multivitamin supplements and less often smoked during early pregnancy. Pregnancy outcomes (mode of delivery, gestational age at delivery, birth weight and APGAR score) did, however, not differ significantly between participants and non-participants. Smoking, BMI, education and parity affected gestational age and birth weight, but the associations were of similar magnitude in participants and non-participants, with no significant effect on the group. Conclusion: Self-selection to the NICE study was evident in some factors related to lifestyle and socioeconomic characteristics but did not appear to skew pregnancy outcomes or alter well-known effects of certain lifestyle parameters on pregnancy outcomes.
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
- Grönlund, V., et al.
(författare)
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The desire for a good life - patients beliefs of self-care after a coronary event
- 2013
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Ingår i: European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. - : Sage Publications. - 1873-1953.
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Introduction: After a first coronary event there is an increased risk for a recurrent event. Despite that risk, 1/5 of the patients continue to smoke, 1/3 is obese and more than half of the patients have elevated blood pressure and total cholesterol. Secondary preventive self-care activities are needed to improve outcomes and the belief of patients plays a vital role in changing behavior. Aim: To examine patients’ beliefs of self-care 6-12 months after a coronary event. Method: The study design was qualitative. Twenty-five patients, including 10 women, mean age 65 years with stable coronary artery disease participated in four focus group interviews. Data were taped, transcribed and analyzed according to the conventional content analysis. Findings: Patients’ belief of self-care is influenced by their desire of a good life even though life seems fragile. Patients try to live up to the standard of health care prescription and advices. However, these achievements require behavior change and conscious boundaries, which are challenged by various obstacles such as fear of, overstrain and stress. Physical activity is considered as both a source to well-being and a necessity, but patients are uncertain and afraid for overstraining. A healthy diet is seen as important but the advices given are sometimes contradictory and create confusion. Medication is found important but not at the cost of all the side-effects. Patients also report that in order to believe in their ability and to be responsible for self-care, support from health care providers is expected. But at the same time the invaluable support and information is often not provided, creating uncertainty. Discussion: The study highlights the patients’ perspective of self-care and what they view as important in self-care after an event of coronary artery disease. The patients’ expectations on health services comprise information, support and continuous follow-up. This is necessary to facilitate the patient’s responsibility for their own care. Conclusion: Patients’ beliefs about the concept of self-care after an event of coronary artery disease are multifaceted and voluminous compared to the health care definition. The findings of the study challenge health care policies approach to self-care. There is a need to reconsider and assess what and how secondary preventive patient education should be performed after an event of coronary artery disease.
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| 12. |
- Henningsson, Susanne, 1977, et al.
(författare)
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Sex steroid-related genes and male-to-female transsexualism
- 2005
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Ingår i: Psychoneuroendocrinology. - Oxford : Pergamon Press. - 0306-4530 .- 1873-3360. ; 59:5, s. 412-412
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Transsexualism is characterised by Lifelong discomfort with the assigned sex and a strong identification with the opposite sex. The cause of transsexualism is unknown, but it has been suggested that an aberration in the early sexual differentiation of various brain structures may be involved. Animal experiments have revealed that the sexual differentiation of the brain is mainly due to an influence of testosterone, acting both via androgen receptors (ARs) and-after aromatase-catalyzed conversion to estradiol-via estrogen receptors (ERs). The present study examined the possible importance of three polymorphisms and their pairwise interactions for the development of male-to-female transsexualism: a CAG repeat sequence in the first exon of the AR gene, a tetra nucleotide repeat polymorphism in intron 4 of the aromatase gene, and a CA repeat polymorphism in intron 5 of the ER beta gene. Subjects were 29 Caucasian male-to-female transsexuals and 229 healthy mate controls. Transsexuals differed from controls with respect to the mean Length of the ER repeat polymorphism, but not with respect to the length of the other two studied polymorphisms. However, binary logistic regression analysis revealed significant partial effects for all three polymorphisms, as well as for the interaction between the AR and aromatase gene polymorphisms, on the risk of developing transsexualism. Given the small number of transsexuals in the study, the results should be interpreted with the utmost caution. Further study of the putative role of these and other sex steroid-related genes for the development of transsexualism may, however, be worthwhile.
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| 13. |
- Koppner, Jenny, 1973-
(författare)
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Stress and mental health in populations of societies exposed to extraordinary circumstances : with focus on perceived and biological stress, perceived health, psychosocial factors, and sense of coherence
- 2024
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- As our societies have grown larger, and communications have become global and fast-paced, our bodies and minds have been subjected to a mental stress different from the "fight or flight" situations we have adapted to through evolution. Furthermore, mental health issues are now seen to be on the rise all over the world. Globalisation has enabled social crises of different origins, e.g. financial or biological, to influence nations worldwide and spread faster than ever before. This thesis aims to investigate how populations are affected in regard to stress and mental health by the extraordinary circumstances of the global financial crisis of 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-2023.The first two studies in this thesis focus on the effects of the financial crisis on young adults (Paper I) and adults in working ages (Paper II). Greece was severely affected by the global financial crisis of 2008 and went into a decade long recession, whereas Scandinavian countries were less affected. University students were recruited from the psychology and medicine programs in Athens, Greece and Linköping, Sweden. Primary care visitors were recruited consecutively at primary health care centres (PHCC) in Greece, Sweden, and Norway. Data was collected in connection to recruitment. All participants filled out the same short questionnaire and gave hair samples that were analysed for cortisol concentrations (HCC) as a biological measure of stress.Papers III and IV are based on the Healthy OLD-study and investigate mental health, stress, and coping in older adults (70-80 years) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This age group was particularly vulnerable to the virus and therefore subjected to protective restrictions like social isolation. Participants were randomly recruited from five PHCC in south-east Sweden. Data was collected during one visit at the participant’s own PHCC and consisted of a comprehensive questionnaire, biometrics, and samples of blood, hair, and saliva. In Paper III only the questionnaire was used, and in Paper IV both the questionnaire and hair samples (analysed for HCC) were used.In Papers I and II the Greek participants reported a significantly higher occurrence of self-reported stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms than their Swedish/Scandinavian peers. They also experienced more serious life events, and less hope for the future. In Paper I, cortisol levels were significantly lower for the Greek participants than the Swedish, which could indicate a fatigued Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis due to longterm stress exposure, and/or genetic differences, and/or cultural differences. However, there was no significant difference in cortisol values between adults in working ages for Greeks and Scandinavians in Paper II, although significantly poorer overall health was reported in the Greek population compared to the Scandinavian population in Paper II. The strongest predictors explaining self-reported poor health were being Greek and feeling hopeless about the future. The strongest predictors for high perceived stress were moderate and high anxiety, and moderate depression.In Paper III social distancing was the factor most participants found had affected them the most during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants who stated they had suffered a decline in mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic reported more anxiety, depression, and stress than the participants who stated they had not been affected mentally. Risk factors for experiencing deteriorating mental health due to the pandemic were found to be a negative change in social life, experiencing a bad family situation, a change in physical activity, anxiety, and being a woman.In Paper IV, a low sense of coherence was significantly associated with anxiety, self-reported poor financial status, little belief in the future, and perceived negative mental effect from the COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety was found to be a possible mediator between being mentally affected and sense of coherence. No association was found between sense of coherence and hair cortisol levels in this study. In general, women reported poorer mental health and quality of life than men, but there was no significant difference in hair cortisol levels.To conclude, the findings of this thesis show a high occurrence of stress, anxiety, and depression in adults living in societies exposed to financial crisis or the COVID-19 pandemic. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were shown to be predictors of high levels of perceived stress in young adults. Anxiety was especially prominent in older adults during the pandemic and is suggested to be a mediator in the association between sense of coherence (SoC) and participants who reported a decline in mental health due to the pandemic. A multitude of psychosocial factors were strongly correlated with SoC, respectively those mentally affected by the pandemic. Young Greek adults presented with lower HCC than their Swedish peers, which could be caused by fatigue of the HPA axis due to long-term stress exposure.The aim of this thesis does not have a direct clinical application, but the high occurrence of mental health issues, especially anxiety, found among adults living in societies exposed to extreme events emphasizes the importance of actively asking a patient how he/she is affected by a difficult life event, not least older women.
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
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| 16. |
- Kärner Köhler, Anita, 1961-, et al.
(författare)
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Health beliefs about lifestyle habits differ between patients and spouses 1 year after a cardiac event – a qualitative analysis based on the Health Belief Model
- 2017
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0283-9318 .- 1471-6712. ; 31:2, s. 332-341
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND:Spousal concordance on risk factors and lifestyle habits exists and can partly be explained by patients' and spouses' health beliefs and underuse of cardiac rehabilitation. However, there have been very few qualitative comparisons of health beliefs between patients and spouses after a cardiac event.AIM:To examine and qualitatively compare the health beliefs of patients with coronary heart disease and their spouses about lifestyle habits, 1 year after the cardiac event.DESIGN:Explorative and descriptive.METHOD:Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with patients (n = 14) 1 year after a cardiac event, as well as individual interviews with spouses (n = 8). The transcriptions underwent a deductive qualitative content analysis, within the framework of the Health Belief Model.FINDINGS:Patients' and spouses' health beliefs about lifestyle habits qualitatively differed in most predetermined main analytical categories of the Health Belief Model. The patients relied more on their own capacity and the healthcare system than on collaboration with their spouses who instead emphasised the importance of mutual activities to establish lifestyle habits. The spouses therefore experienced problems with different family preferences compared to the patients' wishes. Moreover, only patients believed supervised exercise was beneficial for risk reduction of coronary heart disease and they related barriers for medication to a self-healing body and a meaningless life without relatives and old habits. Patients and spouses agreed that despite the severity of illness, life was captured and that normalisation to a life as usual was possible.CONCLUSION:The patients' and spouses' qualitatively different health beliefs regarding health-related behaviours imply a new approach. Nurses and associated professionals need to follow-up patients' and spouses' in primary health care to support them in a tailored way, for example in problem-based sessions. Recognition and understanding of their different views and otherness could lead to compromises and goals to work with.
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| 17. |
- Kärner Köhler, Anita, 1961-, et al.
(författare)
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Patient empowerment and general self-efficacy in patients with coronary heart disease: a cross-sectional study
- 2018
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Ingår i: BMC Family Practice. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2296. ; 19
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundIn managing a life with coronary heart disease and the possibility of planning and following a rehabilitation plan, patients’ empowerment and self-efficacy are considered important. However, currently there is limited data on levels of empowerment among patients with coronary heart disease, and demographic and clinical characteristics associated with patient empowerment are not known.The purpose of this study was to assess the level of patient empowerment and general self-efficacy in patients six to 12 months after the cardiac event. We also aimed to explore the relationship between patient empowerment, general self-efficacy and other related factors such as quality of life and demographic variables.MethodsA sample of 157 cardiac patients (78% male; age 68 ± 8.5 years) was recruited from a Swedish hospital. Patient empowerment was assessed using the SWE-CES-10. Additional data was collected on general self-efficacy and well-being (EQ5D and Ladder of Life). Demographic and clinical variables were collected from medical records and interviews.ResultsThe mean levels of patient empowerment and general self-efficacy on a 0–4 scale were 3.69 (±0.54) and 3.13 (±0.52) respectively, and the relationship between patient empowerment and general self-efficacy was weak (r = 0.38). In a simple linear regression, patient empowerment and general self-efficacy were significantly correlated with marital status, current self-rated health and future well-being. Multiple linear regressions on patient empowerment (Model 1) and general self-efficacy (Model 2) showed an independent significant association between patient empowerment and current self-rated health. General self-efficacy was not independently associated with any of the variables.ConclusionsPatients with a diagnosis of coronary heart disease reported high levels of empowerment and general self-efficacy at six to 12 months after the event. Clinical and demographic variables were not independently associated with empowerment or low general self-efficacy. Patient empowerment and general self-efficacy were not mutually interchangeable, and therefore both need to be measured when planning for secondary prevention in primary health care.
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| 18. |
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| 19. |
- Nilsson, Staffan, 1955-
(författare)
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Chest pain and ischemic heart disease : Diagnosis and management in primary health care
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background and aims. In patients consulting for chest pain, it is of great importance to evaluate the possibility of ischemic heart disease (IHD). The aims in this thesis were to investigate the accuracy of the general practitioners’ clinical assessments and the applicability of exercise testing and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) in patients consulting for chest pain in primary care.Statins are known to prevent IHD. A further aim was therefore to investigate if a relation could be detected on a population basis between the use of statins and the morbidity of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Methods. All patients from 20 to 79 years, consulting for a new episode of chest pain in three primary health care centres, were included during almost two years from 1998 to 2000. The patients were managed according to the clinical evaluation. The presence of IHD was excluded either by clinical examination only, or if stable IHD was in question, by exercise testing and if the exercise test was inconclusive by an additional MPS. If unstable IHD or myocardial infarction was suspected, referral for emergency hospital examination was made.Correlations between statin sales and the morbidity of AMI in Sweden’s municipalities were analysed in an ecological, register based study. Adjustment was made for sales of antidiabetics, socio-economic deprivation indexes and geographic coordinates.Results. Consultations for chest pain represented 1.5% of all consultations in the ages 20 to 79 and were made by 554 patients. In 281 patients IHD was excluded by clinical examination only. In 208 patients stable IHD and in 65 unstable IHD was in question. Four patients (1.4%) evaluated as not having IHD, were diagnosed with angina pectoris or AMI within three months. Exercise testing was performed in 191 patients and revealed no IHD in 134 and IHD in 14 patients. In 43 patients the exercise test results were equivocal. Thirty-nine of these patients underwent MPS, which showed no IHD in 20 and IHD in 19 of the patients.In a follow up almost six years later, neither mortality rate nor prevalence of IHD differed significantly between the 384 study patients evaluated not to have IHD and the population controls.Statin sales and AMI-incidence or mortality showed no strong associations from 1998 to 2002.Conclusions.·Primary care is an appropriate level of care for ruling out IHD as the cause of chest pain, with sufficient safety and for diagnostics of stable IHD.·Exercise testing and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy are useful procedures when investigating chest pain patients in primary care.·The results indicate that preventive measures other than increased statin treatment should be considered to further decrease AMI-morbidity.
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| 20. |
- Norlund, Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Patientnära analyser används inte enhetligt i primärvården
- 2014
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Ingår i: Läkartidningen. - : Läkartidningen Förlag AB. - 0023-7205 .- 1652-7518. ; 111:24, s. 1054-1056
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- I en enkätstudie har omfattningen av den patientnära laboratorieverksamheten i dagens svenska primärvård kartlagts. De fem vanligaste analyserna var urintestremsa, P-glukos, P-CRP och snabbtest för grupp A-streptokocker samt B-hemoglobin.Jämfört med data som publicerades för 20 år sedan har volymen av patientnära analyser ökat, framför allt på grund av den nya analysen CRP.Även graden av ackreditering och kvalitetssäkring i dagens patientnära laborerande studerades; det framgick att ackrediteringsgraden varierar mellan 0 och 100 procent i olika regioner.
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| 21. |
- Odin, Elisabeth, 1955, et al.
(författare)
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Altered gene expression of folate enzymes in adjacent mucosa is associated with outcome of colorectal cancer patients.
- 2003
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Ingår i: Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. - 1078-0432 .- 1557-3265. ; 9:16 Pt 1, s. 6012-9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze whether gene expression levels of folate enzymes in adjacent mucosa were associated with outcome of colorectal cancer patients. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Real-time PCR was used to quantify expression levels of folate-associated genes including the reduced folate carrier (RFC-1), folylpolyglutamate synthase (FPGS), gamma-glutamyl hydrolase (GGH),and thymidylate synthase (TS) in tumor tissue and adjacent mucosa of patients with primary colorectal cancer (n=102). Furthermore, reduced folates in the tissues were measured with a binding-assay method. RESULTS: Mean gene expression levels of RFC-1, FPGS, GGH, and TS were significantly higher in tumor biopsies compared with mucosa. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the FPGS gene expression level in mucosa, but not in tumor, was a prognostic parameter independent of the clinicopathological factors with regard to survival. Patients with high FPGS levels (>0.92) in mucosa also showed significantly higher total folate concentrations (P=0.03) and gene expression levels of RFC-1 (P<0.01), GGH (P<0.01), and TS (P=0.04) compared with patients with low FPGS levels. The total reduced folate concentration correlated with the gene expression levels of RFC-1 and FPGS but not with TS or GGH. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that normal-appearing colonic mucosa adjacent to primary colon cancer can show altered gene expression levels of FPGS that may have bearing on the development of aggressive metastatic behavior of the tumor and on tumor-specific survival.
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| 22. |
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| 23. |
- Pedersen, Annie, 1981, et al.
(författare)
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Fibrinogen concentrations predict long-term cognitive outcome in young ischemic stroke patients
- 2018
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Ingår i: Research and Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis. - : Elsevier BV. - 2475-0379. ; 2:2, s. 339-346
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Cognitive impairment is frequent after stroke, and young patients may live with this consequence for a long time. Predictors of cognitive outcomes after stroke represent a current gap of knowledge. Objectives: To investigate levels of three hemostatic biomarkers as predictors of long-term cognitive function after stroke. Methods: This longitudinal study included consecutively recruited patients with ischemic stroke at 18-69 years (n = 268). Blood was collected 3 months after index stroke and analyzed for plasma concentrations of fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor (VWF) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen. Cognitive function 7 years after index stroke was assessed by the Barrow Neurological Institute Screen for Higher Cerebral Functions (BNIS). Participants with stroke <50 years of age were also examined by the Trail Making Test A and B (n = 41). Associations between biomarker concentrations and cognitive scales were assessed in the whole group and in participants with stroke <50 years of age. Results: The hemostatic biomarkers fibrinogen, VWF and t-PA, were all correlated to total BNIS score, but these associations did not withstand adjustment for confounding factors in the whole group. However, in patients <50 years, we found an independent association between fibrinogen concentrations and total BNIS score (beta(std) = -.27, 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.47 to -0.07) and to performance on the Trail Making Test A (beta(std) = 31, 95% CI, 0.03-0.58). No such association was seen for the Trail Making Test B. Conclusion: High convalescent fibrinogen concentrations were associated with worse long-term cognitive outcomes in ischemic stroke <50 years of age. We propose further investigations of fibrinogen in relation to cognitive function in stroke in the young.
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| 24. |
- Skovbjerg, Susann, 1973, et al.
(författare)
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Inflammatory Mediator Profiles in Secretory Otitis Media in Relationship to Viable Bacterial Pathogens and Bacterial and Viral Nucleic Acids
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Interferon and Cytokine Research. - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 1557-7465 .- 1079-9907. ; 40:12, s. 555-569
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Secretory otitis media (SOM) is characterized by persistence of fluid in the middle ear, often following an episode of acute otitis media. Our hypothesis is that failure to eliminate bacterial or viral pathogens may result in persistent low-grade inflammation. In this study, we analyzed inflammatory mediators in middle ear fluids from 67 children with SOM. This was combined with determinations of viable bacteria by culture along with detection of bacterial and viral genetic material by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The inflammatory mediators found at the highest concentrations (>30 ng/mL) were stem cell growth factor-β (median 110 ng/mL), CXCL1, IL-16, IL-8, migration inhibitory factor, CXCL10, and CXCL9. Among bacterial pathogens, Moraxella catarrhalis and Haemophilus influenzae dominated, regardless of detection methods, while rhinovirus dominated among viral pathogens. Middle ear fluid levels of interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-17, IL-1β, fibroblast growth factor basic, and tumor necrosis factor correlated strongly with presence of bacteria detected either by culture or PCR, while IL-1RA, IL-3, IL-6, IL-8, CCL3, CCL4, and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor correlated significantly with real-time PCR values. CXCL10, CXCL9, CCL2, and TRAIL correlated significantly with viral nucleic acid levels. To conclude, persistence of viral and bacterial pathogens may fuel persistent inflammation in SOM. Bacteria caused a broad inflammatory response, while viruses chiefly elicited the interferon-induced chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10.
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| 25. |
- Söder, Lennart, 1956-, et al.
(författare)
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Är kärnkraften nödvändig för en fossilfri, svensk, elproduktion?
- 2020
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Rapport (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- Efter flera år av stöd har sol- och vind-el blivit ekonomiskt konkurrenskraftiga och börjat konkurrera ut stora termiska anläggningar för elproduktion. Det stängs nu kol- och kärnkraftverk i flera länder i världen och förespråkare för dessa teknologier hävdar, på olika sätt, att marknaden styr fel och att dessa kraftverk ”behövs” av olika skäl.I denna rapport har vi undersökt om det finns någon grund för ett sådant ”behov” av kärnkraftverk i Sverige som motiverar att det sker nyinvesteringar trots att konkurrensen på marknaden håller på att slå ut dem.Syftet med denna rapport är inte att fastslå om man bör ha ett framtida elsystem med eller utan kärnkraft, utan att analysera grunderna, dvs kunskapsläget, för påståendet att det är nödvändigt att ha kärnkraft. Alla diskussioner om framtiden är osäkra, så vi gör heller inte anspråk på att förutse hur framtiden kommer se ut. Upplägget är att gå igenom olika frågeställningar, och koppla dessa till frågan om huruvida kärnkraften är nödvändig för framtiden, så som framförts med exempelvis följande argument:a) Kärnkraft behövs av ekonomiska skälb) Kärnkraft behövs för att vi inte ska vara importberoendec) Kärnkraft behövs eftersom det finns kapacitetsbrist i t ex Malmö och Stockholmd) Kärnkraft behövs för att klara elektrifieringen av transporterna och industrine) Kärnkraft behövs för att klara klimatmåletf) Kärnkraft behövs för att vi ska få el alla timmar, dvs klara leveranssäkerheteng) Kärnkraften behövs för att klara frekvensstabilitetenh) Kärnkraft behövs för stödtjänster till elsystemetI avsnitt 2-7 finns en genomgång av dagsläget. I avsnitt 8 finns en mer detaljerad genomgång av listan a)-h) ovan. Mer tekniska detaljer om systembalansering och effektbalansberäkningar finns i Bilaga A-C.Den slutsats vi drar är att kärnkraften inte är nödvändig för att vi ska kunna få ett stabilt, säkert och fossilfritt elsystem i Sverige i framtiden. Ett elsystem med stor mängd sol- och vindkraft ser dock annorlunda ut än ett med stor mängd kärnkraft. Frågan är då om detta system blir dyrare. Ingen vet vad olika kraftslag kommer att kosta år 2045, men under senare år har det skett en kraftig minskning av kostnaderna för sol- och vindkraft. Samtidigt har kärnkraftens kostnader istället ökat kraftigt. Den är nu betydligt dyrare än ny vindkraft.
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| 26. |
- Wennerholm, Carina, 1964-, et al.
(författare)
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Two tales of cardiovascular risks-middle-aged women living in Sweden and Scotland : a cross-sectional comparative study
- 2017
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Ingår i: BMJ Open. - London : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 2044-6055. ; 7:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To compare cardiovascular risk factors as well as rates of cardiovascular diseases in middle-aged women from urban areas in Scotland and Sweden.DESIGN: Comparative cross-sectional study.SETTING: Data from the general population in urban areas of Scotland and the general population in two major Swedish cities in southeast Sweden, south of Stockholm.PARTICIPANTS: Comparable data of middle-aged women (40-65 years) from the Scottish Health Survey (n=6250) and the Swedish QWIN study (n=741) were merged together into a new dataset (n=6991 participants).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: We compared middle-aged women in urban areas in Sweden and Scotland regarding risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), CVD diagnosis, anthropometrics, psychological distress and lifestyle.RESULTS: In almost all measurements, there were significant differences between the countries, favouring the Swedish women. Scottish women demonstrated a higher frequency of alcohol consumption, smoking, obesity, low vegetable consumption, a sedentary lifestyle and also more psychological distress. For doctor-diagnosed coronary heart disease, there were also significant differences, with a higher prevalence among the Scottish women.CONCLUSIONS: This is one of the first studies that clearly shows that Scottish middle-aged women are particularly affected by a worse profile of CVD risks. The profound differences in CVD risk and outcome frequency in the two populations are likely to have arisen from differences in the two groups of women's social, cultural, political and economic environments.
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| 27. |
- Wettergren, Yvonne, 1957, et al.
(författare)
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Low expression of reduced folate carrier-1 and folylpolyglutamate synthase correlates with lack of a deleted in colorectal carcinoma mRNA splice variant in normal-appearing mucosa of colorectal carcinoma patients
- 2005
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Ingår i: Cancer Detect Prev. - : Elsevier BV. - 0361-090X .- 1525-1500. ; 29:4, s. 348-55
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Cellular folate deficiency leads to DNA strand breaks, mutations, and aberrant methylation and might be a risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). The putative tumor suppressor gene deleted in colorectal carcinoma (DCC) is one of several genes the expression of which seems to be affected by the folate concentration at the tissue level. Decreased expression of DCC may be caused by LOH or hypermethylation, i.e. by events that might be linked to folate deficiency. The purpose of this study was to analyze if the folate level and the gene expression levels of reduced folate carrier (RFC-1) and folylpolyglutamate synthase (FPGS) had impact on the expression of DCC splice variants. METHODS: Quantification of RFC-1 and FPGS expression in mucosa of 53 CRC patients was performed using real-time PCR whereas DCC splicing variants were detected by automated capillary gel electrophoresis. Total reduced folate concentration was measured with the FdUMP-binding assay (n = 22). RESULTS: Significantly higher expression levels of RFC-1 (p = 0.026) and FPGS (p = 0.05) were found in mucosa expressing the splice variant DCC342 compared to mucosa that did not. Furthermore, multivariate analysis showed that RFC-1 and FPGS (r = 0.49, p = 0.01) as well as folate and RFC-1 (r = 0.56, p = 0.023) were correlated only in mucosa expressing DCC342. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the present study points to a potential influence of folates in regulating DCC expression at multiple levels involving post-transcriptional pathways. The results may provide a basis for a detailed investigation of molecular mechanisms involved in folate regulation of DCC expression.
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| 28. |
- Wettergren, Yvonne, 1957, et al.
(författare)
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p16(INK4a) Gene Promoter Hypermethylation in Mucosa as a Prognostic Factor for Patients with Colorectal Cancer.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Molecular medicine. - 1076-1551 .- 1528-3658. ; 14:7-8, s. 412-421
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Low gene expression of folylpolyglutamate synthase (FPGS) in colorectal mucosa correlates with low folate levels and poor survival of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Because gene-specific hypermethylation is affected by the folate level, the hypermethylation status in mucosa may also be linked to clinical outcome of CRC patients. The tumor suppressor gene p16INK4a (p16) regulates the cell cycle and angiogenic switch. In human neoplastic tissues, the main mechanism of p16 inactivation is promoter methylation. The aim of the study was to determine whether hypermethylation of the p16 promoter could be detected in mucosa of CRC patients (n = 181) and to analyze if hypermethylation was related to survival. The relation between p16 hypermethylation and expression of FPGS and two other folate-associated genes, reduced folate carrier 1 (RFC-1), and thymidylate synthase (TS), was analyzed (n = 63). The results showed that p16 was hypermethylated in 65 (36%) of the mucosa samples and that hypermethylation was age-related (P = 0.029). After adjustment for known risk factors, Cox regression analysis showed that Dukes' A-C patients with p16 hypermethylation in mucosa had an increased risk of cancer-related death (hazard ratio = 2.9, P= 0.007) and shorter disease-free survival (hazard ratio = 2.5, P = 0.015) compared with patients with no p16 hypermethylation. RFC-1 and FPGS gene expression levels were significantly correlated in patients lacking p16 hypermethylation in mucosa (P = 0.0003), but not at all correlated in patients having hypermethylation in mucosa (P = 1.0). In conclusion, p16 hypermethylation in mucosa of CRC patients was identified as an independent prognostic parameter for cancer-specific survival as well as an independent predictor of DFS. The results suggest that there might be a connection between folate-associated gene expression and p16 methylation status.
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