| 11. |
- Sjöberg, Klas, et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence of hepatitis C in Swedish diabetics is low and comparable to that in health care workers.
- 2008
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Ingår i: European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepathology. - 1473-5687. ; 20:2, s. 135-138
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: An association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and diabetes has been reported, in particular from countries with a high prevalence of HCV. To assess if this association could be found in a region with low prevalence of HCV (0.33%), we determined the prevalence of anti-HCV in a large cohort of patients with diabetes. METHODS: The prevalence of anti-HCV was determined with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 874 patients with diabetes representing 72.5% of a total research cohort of 1205 patients who were invited to participate. The results were confirmed with immunoblot. Samples from confirmed patients were tested for HCV RNA and genotyped. RESULTS: In 499 patients with type 1 diabetes and 375 patients with type 2 diabetes six patients were anti-HCV positive (four with type 1 diabetes and two with type 2 diabetes corresponding to a prevalence of 0.80 and 0.53%, respectively, in accordance with the prevalence among health care workers in Sweden; 0.68%). Liver biopsies in three of the patients showed only mild inflammation without fibrosis and in two of the other three the albumin and/or PT-INR level was normal contradicting any substantial impairment of the liver function. CONCLUSIONS: The low anti-HCV prevalence that we found contradicts an etiologic role of HCV in the development of diabetes in Sweden. The risk of being infected with HCV when attending the health care system seems to be rather small in a low-prevalence area.
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| 12. |
- Stenberg, Pål, et al.
(författare)
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Transglutaminase and the pathogenesis of coeliac disease.
- 2008
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Ingår i: European Journal of Internal Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-0828 .- 0953-6205. ; 19:2, s. 83-91
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In 1997, a German group demonstrated that the antigen of the biomarker EMA (endomysial antibodies) in coeliac disease is a calcium-dependent thiol enzyme, transglutaminase type 2 (TG2). This most important discovery opened up an exciting field of research aimed at a better understanding of the pathogenesis of coeliac disease, a T-cell-driven autoimmune disorder with a prevalence of about 1%. The accidental activation of TG2, possibly caused by a stress-induced local deficiency of zinc in the intestinal wall, might play a key role where the enzyme catalyzes an atypical deamidation of specific glutamine residues of food gliadins. The genetic contribution is HLA DQ2 or DQ8, which can form a complex with the TG2-modified gliadin residues, resulting in an immune response with the formation of antibodies against both gliadin and the enzyme. Indeed, the immunopathogenesis of coeliac disease can now be recognized partly at the molecular level. Progress has already improved the opportunities for laboratory diagnostics and, hopefully, new ways of treating and preventing coeliac disease will become available. These exciting developments might stimulate research within other fields of autoimmune disorders. With its focus on TG2, this review highlights some of the intriguing mechanisms of the pathogenesis of coeliac disease, such as the structure of the neo-antigen, the involvement of calcium and zinc, and the effects of coeliac antibodies on TG2 activity. Moreover, the many pitfalls due to dubious laboratory practice are addressed, as is the potential when a fundamental biological mechanism is understood at the molecular level.
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| 13. |
- Svederberg, Eva, 1946-, et al.
(författare)
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Kunskap, mat och hälsa
- 2005
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Ingår i: Mat, hälsa och oregelbundna arbetstider. - Lund : Department of Sociology, Lund University. - 9172671874 ; , s. 129-153
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Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 14. |
- Svederberg, Eva, et al.
(författare)
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Kunskap, mat och hälsa
- 2005
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Ingår i: Mat, hälsa och oregelbundna arbetstider. - Lund : Department of Sociology, Lund University. ; , s. 129-153
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Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 15. |
- Wallerstedt, Sven, 1944, et al.
(författare)
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Abdominal tenderness in ascites patients indicates spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
- 2007
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Ingår i: European journal of internal medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 0953-6205 .- 1879-0828. ; 18:1, s. 44-47
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), which has been reported to be present in 10-30% of patients with cirrhotic ascites, may easily be overlooked. An important aim of our study was to determine whether there are any clinical signs which, in clinical practice, may predict or exclude SBP. Methods: We studied 133 patients with cirrhotic ascites from medical units at nine Swedish university hospitals where there had been at least one diagnostic ascites tap with analysis of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the ascites fluid. The patients had initially been questioned about background factors and physically examined according to a standardized case record form. Samples of blood, urine, and ascites were then drawn for analysis according to a structured schedule. Results: SBP could be excluded in 80% of all the cases and was confirmed in 8% of the 133 patients in the final analysis. Abdominal pain and abdominal tenderness were more common in patients with SBP (p < 0.01), but no other physical sign or laboratory test could separate SBP cases from the others. Conclusions: SBP was present in about one-tenth of the hospitalized patients with cirrhotic ascites in this cohort. Performing repeated physical examinations and paying particular attention to abdominal tenderness may be the best way to become aware of the possible development of this complication.
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