| 1. |
- Albrecht, Eva, et al.
(författare)
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Telomere length in circulating leukocytes is associated with lung function and disease
- 2014
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Ingår i: European Respiratory Journal. - : European Respiratory Society (ERS). - 0903-1936 .- 1399-3003. ; 43:4, s. 983-992
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Several clinical studies suggest the involvement of premature ageing processes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Using an epidemiological approach, we studied whether accelerated ageing indicated by telomere length, a marker of biological age, is associated with COPD and asthma, and whether intrinsic age-related processes contribute to the interindividual variability of lung function. Our meta-analysis of 14 studies included 934 COPD cases with 15 846 controls defined according to the Global Lungs Initiative (GLI) criteria (or 1189 COPD cases according to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria), 2834 asthma cases with 28 195 controls, and spirometric parameters (forced expiratory volume in is (FEV1), forced vital capacity (PVC) and FEV1/FVC) of 12 595 individuals. Associations with telomere length were tested by linear regression, adjusting for age, sex and smoking status. We observed negative associations between telomere length and asthma (beta= -0.0452, p= 0.024) as well as COPD (beta= -0.0982, p=0.001), with associations being stronger and more significant when using GLI criteria than those of GOLD. In both diseases, effects were stronger in females than males. The investigation of spirometric indices showed positive associations between telomere length and FEV1 (p=1.07 x 10(-7)), FVC (p=2.07 x 10(-5)), and FEV1/FVC (p =5.27 x 10(-3)). The effect was somewhat weaker in apparently healthy subjects than in COPD or asthma patients. Our results provide indirect evidence for the hypothesis that cellular senescence may contribute to the pathogenesis of COPD and asthma, and that lung function may reflect biological ageing primarily due to intrinsic processes, which are likely to be aggravated in lung diseases.
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| 2. |
- Feodoroff, Benjamin, et al.
(författare)
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Campylobacter jejuni isolates in Finnish patients differ according to the origin of infection
- 2010
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Ingår i: Gut Pathogens. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1757-4749. ; 2:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Campylobacter jejuni is a significant cause of bacterial enteritis worldwide. Very little is known about the pathogenicity mechanisms and virulence factors of this important enteropathogen. C. jejuni isolates from 166 Finnish patients, collected from July to December in 2006, were studied for the presence of putative virulence factors and susceptibility to antimicrobials. Isolates were tested for production of gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) as well as the presence of genes ceuE, cgtB, ciaB, cj0486, pldA, virB11, wlaN, and the gene cluster cdtABC. Bacterial characteristics were compared to information on foreign travel history as well as information on the course and the symptoms of disease obtained from questionnaires returned by patients. RESULTS: Except for one domestic isolate, antimicrobial resistance was only detected in isolates of foreign origin. Univariate analyses showed association between bloody stools and both GGT production (p=0.025) and the presence of cgtB (p=0.034). Multivariate analysis verified that GGT production was more prevalent in domestic isolates (p<0.0001), while the genes cj0486 (p<0.0001) and ceuE (p<0.0001) were associated with C. jejuni isolates of foreign origin. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that imported and domestic C. jejuni isolates differ significantly in several aspects from each other.
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| 3. |
- Feodoroff, Benjamin, et al.
(författare)
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Clonal Distribution and Virulence of Campylobacter jejuni Isolates in Blood
- 2013
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Ingår i: Emerging Infectious Diseases. - : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). - 1080-6040 .- 1080-6059. ; 19:10, s. 1653-1655
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Campylobacter jejuni bacteria are highly diverse enteropathogens. Seventy-three C. jejuni isolates from blood collected in Finland were analyzed by multilocus sequence typing and serum resistance. Approximately half of the isolates belonged to the otherwise uncommon sequence type 677 clonal complex. Isolates of this clonal complex were more resistant than other isolates to human serum.
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| 4. |
- Juusela, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Bronchial hyperresponsiveness in an adult population in Helsinki: decreased FEV(1) , the main determinant.
- 2013
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Ingår i: The clinical respiratory journal. - 1752-699X. ; 7:1, s. 34-44
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) elevates the risk for development of respiratory symptoms and accelerates the decline in forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV(1) ). We thus aimed to assess the prevalence, determinants and quantity of BHR in Helsinki. Objectives: This study involved 292 randomly selected subjects age 26-66years, women comprising 58%. Methods: Following a structured interview, a spirometry, a bronchodilation test, and a skin-prick test, we assessed a bronchial challenge test with inhaled histamine using a dosimetric tidal breathing method. Results included the provocative dose inducing a decrease in FEV(1) by 15% (PD(15) FEV(1) ) and the dose-response slope. For statistical risk factor-analyses, the severity of BHR was considered; PD(15) values ≤1.6mg (BHR) and ≤0.4mg [moderate or severe BHR (BHR(ms) )] served as cut-off levels. Results: BHR presented in 21.2% and BHR(ms) in 6.2% of the subjects. FEV(1) <80% of predicted [odds ratio (OR) 4.09], airway obstruction (FEV(1) /forced vital capacity<88% of predicted) (OR 4.33) and history of respiratory infection at age <5 (OR 2.65) yielded an increased risk for BHR as ORs in multivariate analysis. For BHR(ms) , the determinants were decreased FEV(1) below 80% of predicted (OR 27.18) and airway obstruction (OR 6.16). Respiratory symptoms and asthma medication showed a significant association with BHR. Conclusions: Of the adult population of Helsinki, 21% showed BHR to inhaled histamine. The main determinants were decreased FEV(1) and airway obstruction. Quantitative assessment of BHR by different cut-off levels provides a tool for characterization of phenotypes of airway disorders in epidemiologic and clinical studies. Please cite this paper as: Juusela M, Pallasaho P, Sarna S, Piirilä P, Lundbäck B and Sovijärvi A. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness in an adult population in Helsinki: decreased FEV(1) , the main determinant. Clin Respir J 2012; DOI:10.1111/j.1752-699X.2011.00279.x.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Kostamo, Pirkko, et al.
(författare)
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Recent trends in primary antimicrobial resistance of Helicobacter pylori in Finland
- 2011
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Ingår i: International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. - : Elsevier BV. - 0924-8579 .- 1872-7913. ; 37:1, s. 22-25
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The antimicrobial susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori is an important predictor of the success of eradication therapy. To evaluate recent changes in primary antimicrobial resistance of H. pylori isolated from Finnish patients, the clinical records of H. pylori-positive patients referred for endoscopy to Herttoniemi Hospital (Helsinki, Finland) during 2000-2008 were investigated retrospectively. Stored H. pylori strains from 505 patients without previous eradication therapy were tested for clarithromycin, metronidazole, levofloxacin, tetracycline and amoxicillin susceptibility by Etest. Data on local consumption of antimicrobials were collected and correlations between consumption and resistance were calculated. During the 9-year study period, metronidazole resistance was high (range 29-59%, overall 41%). After an initial increase in clarithromycin resistance (0% in 2000 to 16% in 2003), resistance to clarithromycin decreased to 4% in 2008. No significant correlation was detected between consumption of macrolides and resistance of clarithromycin. Resistance to levofloxacin varied between 0% and 12%. Primary metronidazole resistance in H. pylori is at a high level, however levofloxacin and clarithromycin resistances are still at a reasonable level. Thus, primary clarithromycin resistance in H. pylori in Finland has not become such a problem as in many other countries. Primary resistance to the antimicrobials studied varied considerably from year to year.
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| 7. |
- Kosunen, Timo U., et al.
(författare)
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Gastric cancers in finnish patients after cure of helicobacter pylori infection : a cohort study.
- 2011
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Ingår i: International Journal of Cancer. - : Wiley. - 0020-7136 .- 1097-0215. ; 128:2, s. 433-439
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with gastric cancer. A total of 97% of the infected subjects have elevated levels of H. pylori antibodies. The antibody titers have been shown to decline rapidly (40-60% within 4-12 months) only after successful eradication therapy. We allocated 26,700 consecutive patients tested during 1986-1998 for H. pylori antibodies to three subcohorts: seropositive patients with rapidly falling antibody titers (Hp+CURED, n=3,650), seropositive patients where no serological information indicating cure was obtained (Hp+NoInfo, n=11,638) and seronegative patients (Hp-, n=11,422). In the subcohorts, the standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were defined for subsequent cancers of stomach, pancreas, colon, rectum, breast and prostate separately and for all cancers except stomach combined. The mean follow-up time was 10.1 years and the number of gastric cancers 72. For the Hp+CURED, the SIR for gastric cancers for the first five follow-up years was 1.62 but decreased from the sixth follow-up year thereon to 0.14 (CI: 0.00-0.75). Likewise, the risk ratio (RR), defined in a Poisson regression analysis using the Hp+NoInfo group as the reference, decreased from 1.60 to 0.13 (CI: 0.02-1.00, p = 0.049). The SIR for Hp- was not significantly higher than that for Hp+NoInfo for any of the cancers analysed. To conclude, cured H. pylori infection led to a significantly decreased incidence of gastric cancers from the sixth follow-up year. Advanced atrophic gastritis would be a plausible contributor to the elevated SIR in elderly Hp- patients.
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| 8. |
- Pussinen, Pirkko J., et al.
(författare)
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The balance of serum matrix metalloproteinase-8 and its tissue inhibitor in acute coronary syndrome and its recurrence
- 2013
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Ingår i: International Journal of Cardiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-5273 .- 1874-1754. ; 167:2, s. 362-368
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) is involved in the breakdown of the extracellular matrix increasing the vulnerability of atherosclerotic lesions. We analysed the diagnostic value of serum MMP-8 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) concentrations in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and their prognostic value in ACS recurrence. Methods: The population comprised 343 patients with ACS [including 108 unstable angina pectoris and 235 acute myocardial infarctions (AMI)] and 326 healthy controls. Additionally, 157 (45.8%) patients were resampled during the recovery. The ACS patients were followed up for 6 years. Results: MMP-8, TIMP-1, and their molar ratio distinguished the cases from the controls; C-statistic of the multivariate model (95% CI, p-value) including the MMP-8/TIMP-1 ratio regarding its discriminating ability for AMI was 0.922 (0.893-0.950, p < 0.001). After the acute phase of ACS, median MMP-8 and TIMP-1 concentrations decreased (p < 0.001) by 34.5 and 28.7%, respectively, but ended up on a different level than those found in the controls. In the follow-up, acute phase and recovery period TIMP-1 concentrations associated with cardiovascular death with hazard ratios 4.31 (2.00-9.26, p < 0.001) and 4.69 (1.10-20.01, p = 0.037), respectively. Conclusions: The increase of serum MMP-8 and TIMP-1 concentrations may reflect plaque instability and tissue damage. TIMP-1 concentrations are associated with poor outcome in patients with ACS. The findings may have practical implications in both diagnostics and therapeutics. (c) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 9. |
- Salomaa-Räsänen, Anniina, et al.
(författare)
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A "screen-and-treat" approach for Helicobacter pylori infection : a population-based study in Vammala, Finland
- 2010
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Ingår i: Helicobacter. - : Wiley. - 1083-4389 .- 1523-5378. ; 15:1, s. 28-37
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: To accelerate the decline of Helicobacter pylori infection, and to study the significance of the possible risk factors for H. pylori infection in Finland, we started a voluntary H. pylori"screen-treat-retest-and-retreat" program for all young adults at primary health care in Vammala, Finland after a pilot study in 1994 including 504 subjects aged 15-75. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 3326 aged 15-40 in 1996, and 716 aged 15 and 584 aged 45 in 1997-2000 were screened for H. pylori using serology. Helicobacter pylori positive were treated, cure was verified by serology. RESULTS: The eradication rates were 93.8%, 82.2%, and 77.6% per protocol in pilot study in 1994, in subjects invited in 1996 and 1997-2000, respectively. Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence rates were calculated to have decreased from 36% to 14% in pilot study, from 12% to 4% among subjects invited in 1996, from 3% to 2% among subjects aged 15 and from 27% to 12% among subjects aged 45 in 1997-2000. An epidemiologic questionnaire in 1996 revealed that crowding in the childhood household, low education of the mother, current smoking and alcohol consumption, unfavorable housing conditions, and sick leaves due to dyspepsia were independently associated with H. pylori infection. CONCLUSIONS: This intervention with high participation rates resulted in a significant decline in calculated H. pylori seroprevalence rates. Although the low prevalence of H. pylori infection may limit the cost efficiency of the program, the intervention is expected to reduce the burden of H. pylori-associated diseases.
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