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- Cardell, Kristina, 1964-, et al.
(författare)
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Nosocomial hepatitis C in a thoracic surgery unit; retrospective findings generating a prospective study
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Hospital Infection. - : Elsevier BV. - 0195-6701 .- 1532-2939. ; 68:4, s. 322-328
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We describe the transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) to two patients from a thoracic surgeon who was unaware of his hepatitis C infection. By partial sequencing of the non-structural 5B gene and phylogenetic analysis, the viruses from both patients were found to be closely related to genotype la strain from the surgeon. Two further hepatitis C cases were found in relation to the thoracic clinic. Their HCV sequences were related to each other but were of genotype 2b and the source of infection was never revealed. To elucidate the magnitude of the problem, we conducted a prospective study for a period of 17 months in which patients who were about to undergo thoracic surgery were asked to participate. Blood samples were drawn prior to surgery and at least four months later. The postoperative samples were then screened for anti-HCV and, if positive, the initial sample was also analysed. The only two patients (0.4%) identified were confirmed anti-HCV positive before surgery, and none out of 456 evaluable cases seroconverted to anti-HCV during the observation period. Despite the retrospectively identified cases, nosocomial hepatitis C is rare in our thoracic unit. The study points out the risk of transmission of hepatitis C from infected personnel and reiterates the need for universal precautions.
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| 5. |
- Kuoppala, Monica, et al.
(författare)
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Long-term prognostic factors after thrombolysis for lower limb ischemia.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Vascular Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1097-6809 .- 0741-5214. ; 47:6, s. 1243-1250
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: This study assessed prognostic factors regarding long-term outcome for amputation and death among patients who underwent intra-arterial thrombolysis due to lower limb ischemia. METHODS: Consecutive patients with intra-arterial thrombolysis due to lower limb ischemia treated at the Department of Vascular Diseases, University Hospital of Malmö, between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2005, were retrospectively reviewed. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to determine independent predictors for amputation and death. RESULTS: A total of 220 intra-arterial thrombolysis procedures were performed in 195 patients (46% women). Median age was 73 years. Complete and partial thrombolysis was obtained in 41% and 38%, respectively. Hemorrhagic complications were documented in 33%, but only 6% (13 of 220) were interrupted. The amputation rate was 26% and mortality was 35% during a median follow-up of 32 months. Degree of lysis (hazard ratio [HR], 4.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.4-9.7; P < .001), motor deficit at admission (HR, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.8-8.7; P = .001), foot ulcers (HR, 7.2; 95% CI, 2.2-23.4; P = .001), and ischemic heart disease (HR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.1-4.8; P = .024) remained as independent factors associated with amputation. Renal insufficiency (HR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.4-4.2; P = .003), ischemic heart disease (HR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.2-3.7; P = .007), cerebrovascular disease (HR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.2-4.0; P = .009), foot ulcers (HR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.2-8.6; P = .019), and acute lower limb ischemia (HR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.1-10.1; P = .028) remained as independent factors associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Thrombolysis is successful, with few major complications in most patients with lower limb ischemia. Patients with ischemic heart disease and foot ulcers are at higher long-term risk for both amputation and death. A lesser degree of lysis and motor deficit were associated with higher amputation rates. The presence of such negative prognostic factors may help clinicians to deny further invasive vascular treatment. Renal insufficiency, cerebrovascular disease, and acute lower limb ischemia were associated with increased mortality.
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| 6. |
- Strander, Björn, 1952, et al.
(författare)
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The performance of a new scoring system for colposcopy in detecting high-grade dysplasia in the uterine cervix
- 2005
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Ingår i: Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. - : Wiley. - 0001-6349. ; 84:10, s. 1013-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To construct a simple scoring system for colposcopic examination that can facilitate education of colposcopists and increase the accuracy of evaluation. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. SETTING AND POPULATION: Two hundred ninety-seven examinations of women referred for colposcopy in western Sweden. METHODS: Five variables were scored: acetowhiteness, margins and surface, vessels, lesion size, and iodine staining. Each variable could be assigned one of three ordered values. Multiple logistic regression was used in order to assess the ability of each single score to predict high-grade lesions (HGL) in histology (cone or biopsy). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Histopathology. RESULTS: All five variables independently predicted for HGL. The analysis resulted in an 'ideal' weighted scoring system, which showed good sensitivity and specificity. Rounding off of each weight gave a more useful and simpler scoring system with values of 0, 1, or 2 without any significant change in performance. The possible total score was then 0-10. A score of > or =5 points identified all HGL and > or =8 points had a specificity of 90%. CONCLUSIONS: The scoring system safely identified a group of patients with low-grade lesions or normal findings, thus allowing 17% to be followed only by colposcopy or cytology. Furthermore, it could select women for see-and-treat with only 10% of cases having less than HGL. With this strategy, only approximately 50% of the cases would have needed biopsy in the evaluation.
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| 7. |
- Tamás, Éva, et al.
(författare)
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Exercise radionuclide ventriculography for predicting postoperative left ventricular function in chronic aortic regurgitation
- 2009
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Ingår i: JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging. - : Elsevier. - 1936-878X. ; 2:1, s. 48-55
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: Ejection fraction (EF) reaction upon exercise by radionuclide ventriculography and standard echocardiographic parameters was evaluated as predictors for post-operative left ventricular (LV) function in chronic aortic regurgitation (AR). Background: The optimal timing of surgery for chronic AR is when the left ventricle is still compensating for the volume and pressure overload without irreversible dysfunction. For asymptomatic patients when EF is normal and LV diameters are borderline, exercise testing is recommended by present guidelines. However, only a limited number of studies have been performed, and data are scarce on this subject. Methods: Radionuclide ventriculography with multiple gated acquisition at rest and during exercise was performed in 29 consecutive patients with severe chronic aortic regurgitation pre-operatively and 6 months post-operatively. Patient subgroups were formed based on pre-operative EF exercise response (ΔEF) and were categorized as decreasing (ΔEF <−5%), unaltered (−5% ≤ ΔEF ≤ 5%), and increasing (ΔEF > 5%). A 5% or higher increase was considered normal. The LV diameters and mass were measured by echocardiography. Results: Pre-operative LV diameters were markedly elevated before surgery and diminished significantly after surgery. Left ventricular diameters, LV mass, EF at rest (EFrest), and EF change from rest to exercise (ΔEF) were independent of New York Heart Association functional class. Pre-operative end-diastolic diameter proved to be a predictor for pre- and post-operative ΔEF (p = 0.003; p = 0.04) but not for the nature of the exercise response post-operatively. Patients with decreasing and unaltered EF pre-operatively presented a significantly higher but still abnormal ΔEF post-operatively. Those with increasing EF pre-operatively had a similar response and a normal ΔEF post-operatively. Pre-operative ΔEF was not only a predictor for post-operative ΔEF (p = 0.02) but also classified patients into post-operative subgroups (EF decreasing, p = 0.03; unaltered, p = 0.02; increasing, p = 0.0008). Conclusions: An abnormal EF response to exercise may also occur in patients who do not fulfill criteria for surgery based on LV dimensions or EF. A follow-up of exercise LV function and adjusting the timing of surgery according to the nature of exercise response could, therefore, be beneficial.
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