Interaction between Shift Work and Established Coronary Risk Factors.

Background: Shift work is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but the causes have not yet been fully established. It has been proposed that the coronary risk factors are more hazardous for shift workers, resulting in a potential interaction effect with shift work.

Objective: To analyse interaction effects of work schedule and established risk factors for coronary artery disease on the risk of myocardial infarction.

Cancer incidence in female laboratory employees: extended follow-up of a Swedish cohort study.

Objectives: Work in chemical laboratories is associated with exposure to chemicals, of which some are known or suspected carcinogens. A cohort study of laboratory workers in Stockholm followed until 1992 showed an excess of hematolymphatic malignancies in chemical laboratories and an excess of breast cancer among women working for more than 10 years in such laboratories. The follow-up of this cohort has now been extended by 20 years.

Daily text messages used as a method for assessing low back pain among workers.

Objectives: To evaluate a method for collecting data concerning low back pain (LBP) using daily text messages and to characterize the reported LBP in terms of intensity, variability, and episodes.

Study Design And Setting: We conducted a cohort study of LBP among workers used by a mining company. The participants were asked to answer the question "How much pain have you had in your lower back in the last 24 hours on a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 = no pain and 10 = the worst pain imaginable" once a day for 5 weeks, with this process being repeated 6 months later.

Work situation and self-perceived economic situation as predictors of change in burnout--a prospective general population-based cohort study.

Background: Sick leave rates due to mental and behavioural disorders have increased in Sweden during the last decades. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate changes in the level of burnout in a working subset of the general population and to identify how such changes relate to changes in work situation and self-perceived economic situation.

Methods: A cohort of 1000 persons from a subset of the 2004 northern Sweden MONICA (Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease) general population survey was followed over a five-year period (2004-2009).

[Exercise reduced the need for operation in lumbar spinal stenosis. Circulatory load in the form of cycling gave good effect].

Conservative treatment is being reported to relieve walk related leg pain or improve life quality in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Such treatment often combines various interventions, making it difficult to identify single effective measures. At our clinic, specialized in spine surgery, the care of the patients with lumbar spinal stenosis starts with a 4 months training program when the patient typically uses a stationary bike at a circulatory load of about 70% of maximal capacity.

Case fatality of myocardial infarction among shift workers.

Purpose: Shift work has been associated with an excess risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and more specifically myocardial infarction (MI). The majority of the studies that found a positive association between shift work and CVD have been based on incidence data. The results from studies on cardiovascular-related mortality among shift workers have shown little or no elevated mortality associated with shift work.

Large outbreak of Cryptosporidium hominis infection transmitted through the public water supply, Sweden.

In November 2010, ≈27,000 (≈45%) inhabitants of Östersund, Sweden, were affected by a waterborne outbreak of cryptosporidiosis. The outbreak was characterized by a rapid onset and high attack rate, especially among young and middle-aged persons. Young age, number of infected family members, amount of water consumed daily, and gluten intolerance were identified as risk factors for acquiring cryptosporidiosis.

Mortality attributable to occupational exposure in Sweden.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the mortality from cancer, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases attributable to occupational exposure in Sweden.

Methods: Estimates were calculated for men and women separately, and we considered only deaths between 25-74 years of age. We considered cancer exposures/sites classified as I or 2a according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

External review and validation of the Swedish national inpatient register.

Background: The Swedish National Inpatient Register (IPR), also called the Hospital Discharge Register, is a principal source of data for numerous research projects. The IPR is part of the National Patient Register. The Swedish IPR was launched in 1964 (psychiatric diagnoses from 1973) but complete coverage did not begin until 1987.

Work related factors and sick leave after rehabilitation in burnout patients: experiences from the REST-project.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of psychosocial working conditions and coping strategies at work on change in sick leave level for patients on long-term sick leave due to burnout.

Methods: A cohort sample of patients (n = 117) on long-term sick leave due to burnout was analyzed. The patients answered a questionnaire at baseline and sick leave information was collected from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency at baseline and at follow-up 2 years later.

Burnout, working conditions and gender--results from the northern Sweden MONICA Study.

Background: Sick-leave because of mental and behavioural disorders has increased considerably in Sweden since the late nineties, and especially in women. The aim of this study was to assess the level of burnout in the general working population in northern Sweden and analyse it's relation to working conditions and gender.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study the survey from the MONICA-study (Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease) in northern Sweden 2004 was used.

Empirical evidence of underutilization of referrals for epilepsy surgery evaluation.

Background: Epilepsy surgery is a treatment that can cure patients with intractable epilepsy. This study investigates whether referrals for epilepsy surgery evaluation are underutilized.

Methods: Patients with epilepsy aged 18-60 years were identified in a computerized registry held by public health care providers in a Swedish county using ICD codes.

The effect of leisure-time physical activity on the risk of acute myocardial infarction depending on body mass index: a population-based case-control study.

Background: High body mass index (BMI) and lack of physical activity have been recognized as important risk factors for coronary heart disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether leisure-time physical activity compensates for the increased risk of acute myocardial infarction associated with overweight and obesity.

Methods: Data from the SHEEP (Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program) study were used.

Vibration exposure and myocardial infarction incidence: the VHEEP case-control study.

Objectives: The main objectives of this study were to assess the risk of contracting first episode of myocardial infarction (MI) subsequent to vibration exposure and to assess a possible exposure-response relationship.

Methods: The Västernorrland heart epidemiology programme (VHEEP, a part of the Stockholm heart epidemiology programme study) was the source of the data. VHEEP is a population-based case-control study of risk factors for acute MI.

The risk of acute myocardial infarction: interactions of types of physical activity.

Background: Leisure time physical activity has previously been shown to be protective against cardiovascular disease. We estimated the influence of exercise, occupational physical activity, and household work with regard to risk of acute myocardial infarction (MI). Special interest was focused on potential interaction among these aspects of physical activity.

Myocardial infarction among professional drivers.

Background: Professional drivers are at an increased risk of myocardial infarction but the underlying causes for this increased risk are uncertain.

Methods: We identified all first events of myocardial infarction among men age 45-70 years in Stockholm County for 1992 and 1993. We selected controls randomly from the population.

Association of boiled and filtered coffee with incidence of first nonfatal myocardial infarction: the SHEEP and the VHEEP study.

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of consumption of filtered and boiled coffee, on the incidence of first nonfatal myocardial infarction.

Design: Population-based case-control study.

Setting And Subjects: The study base consisted of the population 45-65/70 years-old in two Swedish counties, Stockholm and Västernorrland, 1992/93-94.

The risk of myocardial infarction is enhanced by a synergistic interaction between serum insulin and smoking.

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between levels of serum insulin, the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) and IGF-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) as factors related to myocardial infarction (MI) risk, and their interaction with lifestyle-related risk factors.

Design: The Stockholm epidemiology programme (SHEEP), a case-control study, consisting of 749 first-time MI cases (510 men, 239 women) and 1101 healthy controls (705 men, 396 women) was used.

Methods: The risk of developing MI was assessed by calculating odds ratios (OR) and synergistic interactions (SI) between serum insulin, IGFBP-1, HOMA and other variables related to MI risk (including smoking) in men and women.

Psychosocial work environment and myocardial infarction: improving risk estimation by combining two complementary job stress models in the SHEEP Study.

Objectives: Associations between two alternative formulations of job stress derived from the effort-reward imbalance and the job strain model and first non-fatal acute myocardial infarction were studied. Whereas the job strain model concentrates on situational (extrinsic) characteristics the effort-reward imbalance model analyses distinct person (intrinsic) characteristics in addition to situational ones. In view of these conceptual differences the hypothesis was tested that combining information from the two models improves the risk estimation of acute myocardial infarction.

Socioeconomic context in area of living and risk of myocardial infarction: results from Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program (SHEEP).

Study Objective: To analyse if socioeconomic characteristics in area of living affect the risk of myocardial infarction in a Swedish urban population, and to evaluate to what extent the contextual effect is confounded by the individual exposures.

Design: A population based case-referent study (SHEEP).

Setting: Cases (n=1631) were all incident first events of myocardial infarction during 1992-1994.

Sexual activity as a trigger of myocardial infarction. A case-crossover analysis in the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Programme (SHEEP).

Objective: To investigate sexual activity as a trigger of myocardial infarction and the potential effect modification of physical fitness.

Design: A case-crossover study nested in the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Programme (SHEEP).

Setting: Stockholm County from April 1993 to December 1994.

Environmental tobacco smoke and myocardial infarction among never-smokers in the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program (SHEEP).

An increased risk for myocardial infarction (MI) related to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure has previously been reported, but several aspects of the association are still uncertain. We studied the MI risk associated with ETS exposure among 334 nonfatal never-smoking MI cases and 677 population controls, 45-70 years of age, in Stockholm County. A postal questionnaire with a telephone follow-up provided information on ETS exposure and other potential risk factors for MI.

Geographical differences in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction in Sweden. Analyses of possible causes using two parallel case-control studies.

Objectives: To analyse differences in myocardial infarction incidence between two Swedish counties and to evaluate the importance of major risk factors for the observed differences.

Design: The incidence of first myocardial infarction was studied using information from registers. For a number of risk factors of myocardial infarction, the prevalence as well as the relative risk was estimated from population controls of case-control studies in the two areas.

A population-based case-referent study of myocardial infarction and occupational exposure to motor exhaust, other combustion products, organic solvents, lead, and dynamite. Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program (SHEEP) Study Group.

This case-referent study investigated the risk of myocardial infarction from occupational exposure to motor exhaust, other combustion products, organic solvents, lead, and dynamite. We identified first-time, nonfatal myocardial infarctions among men and women 45-70 years of age in Stockholm County from 1992 through 1994. We selected referent subjects from the population to match the demographic characteristics of the cases.