Risk of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Home Dialysis Compared With In-Center Hemodialysis.

Key Points: We observed a comparable cumulative incidence of major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) in in-center hemodialysis (IC-HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, which was higher than in automated PD and home hemodialysis patients. After adjustment for confounders, there was no difference in risk of MACE between patients on home dialysis modalities and IC-HD. Compared with IC-HD, PD was associated with lower risk of MACE among female patients and higher risk among male patients.

Periodontitis, Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes: Identifying Patients at Risk for Three Common Diseases Using the aMMP-8 Rapid Test at the Dentist's Office.

This narrative review paper highlights the multifaceted influence of dysbiotic biofilm, genetic background, host response, and environmental factors on periodontitis. It explores the roles of type I and II diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes, and metabolic syndrome in the progression of periodontitis, drawing insights from various empirical studies and theoretical perspectives. : Relevant articles were sourced using keywords in databases like PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar.

Carotid endarterectomy and the risk of perioperative stroke: The importance of chronic ischaemic lesions and small vessel disease.

Background And Purpose: Perioperative stroke is a well-recognized complication of carotid endarterectomy (CEA), but well-performing prediction models do not exist for it. Our aim was to identify novel predictors for perioperative ischaemic cerebrovascular events (iCVEs), emphasizing cerebrovascular imaging and potential biomarkers for stroke in carotid stenosis (CS) patients in a well-characterized prospective CS cohort.

Methods: Helsinki Carotid Endarterectomy Study 2 is an observational prospective and consecutive cohort study of CS patients subjected to CEA during 2012-2015.

General medical comorbidities in psychotic disorders in the Finnish SUPER study.

Schizophrenia (SZ), schizoaffective disorder (SZA), bipolar disorder (BD), and psychotic depression (PD) are associated with premature death due to preventable general medical comorbidities (GMCs). The interaction between psychosis, risk factors, and GMCs is complex and should be elucidated. More research particularly among those with SZA or PD is warranted.

Metagenome-validated combined amplicon sequencing and text mining-based annotations for simultaneous profiling of bacteria and fungi: vaginal microbiota and mycobiota in healthy women.

Background: Amplicon sequencing of kingdom-specific tags such as 16S rRNA gene for bacteria and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region for fungi are widely used for investigating microbial communities. So far most human studies have focused on bacteria while studies on host-associated fungi in health and disease have only recently started to accumulate. To enable cost-effective parallel analysis of bacterial and fungal communities in human and environmental samples, we developed a method where 16S rRNA gene and ITS1 amplicons were pooled together for a single Illumina MiSeq or HiSeq run and analysed after primer-based segregation.

Effects of vaginal estrogen on serum estradiol during aromatase inhibitor therapy in breast cancer patients with vulvovaginal atrophy: a prospective trial.

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze changes in serum estradiol (E2) levels during concurrent vaginal estradiol therapy and adjuvant letrozole in postmenopausal breast cancer (BC) patients with vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA). Secondary objectives included assessing the effects of therapy on vaginal atrophy, quality of life (QoL) and menopause-related symptoms.

Methods: 20 postmenopausal patients undergoing adjuvant letrozole therapy and experiencing VVA symptoms were treated with vaginal estradiol for 12 weeks.

Temporal Trends of Ischemic Stroke Risk in Patients With Incident Atrial Fibrillation Before Anticoagulation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke (IS), but whether the magnitude of this risk has changed over time is unknown.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate temporal trends in IS rates in patients with incident AF before oral anticoagulant agent (OAC) therapy.

Methods: The nationwide FinACAF (Finnish Anticoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation) study covers patients with AF at all levels of care in Finland from 2007 to 2018.

Vitamin and trace element status and growth in children with short bowel syndrome being weaned off parenteral nutrition.

Objectives: Children with short bowel syndrome (SBS) are at increased risk of micronutrient deficiencies. We aimed to study weaning off parenteral nutrition (PN) as a risk factor for vitamin and trace element deficiencies and growth deficit.

Methods: Children born between 2010 and 2019, treated for SBS in Helsinki University Hospital, were followed for their nutrition, growth, and vitamin and trace element biochemical status.

Long-term outcome of photodynamic therapy with hexyl aminolevulinate, 5-aminolevulinic acid nanoemulsion and methyl aminolevulinate for low-risk Basal Cell Carcinomas.

Background: Non-surgical treatments are cost-effective options for low-risk basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) i.e. superficial or small nodular BCCs located outside the high-risk locations.

The influence of the multifactorial falls prevention programme on mortality.

Aims: Multifactorial falls prevention programmes (MFFPs) can prevent falls and fall-related injuries. We aimed to study MFFP patients' mortality compared with their sex-, age- and residence-matched population-based controls.

Methods: This study is a Finnish single-centre retrospective register-based controlled cohort study of a total of 527 home-dwelling MFFP patients and their 3:1 age-, sex- and residence-matched population-based controls ( = 1581), who had not attended the MFFP.

Prognostic effect of immunohistochemically determined molecular subtypes in gastric cancer.

Introduction: Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death. Two molecular subtyping classifications were recently introduced: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Asian Cancer Research Group (ACRG) classifications.

Methods: We classified a cohort of 283 gastric cancer patients undergoing surgery at Helsinki University Hospital between 2000 and 2009.

Urinary metabolomics provide insights into coronary artery disease in individuals with type 1 diabetes.

Background: Type 1 diabetes increases the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). High-throughput metabolomics may be utilized to identify metabolites associated with disease, thus, providing insight into disease pathophysiology, and serving as predictive markers in clinical practice. Urine is less tightly regulated than blood, and therefore, may enable earlier discovery of disease-associated markers.

A digitally supported multimodal lifestyle program to promote brain health among older adults (the LETHE randomized controlled feasibility trial): study design, progress, and first results.

Background: The Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER) multimodal lifestyle intervention yielded cognitive and other health benefits in older adults at risk of cognitive decline. The two-year multinational randomized controlled LETHE trial evaluates the feasibility of a digitally supported, adapted FINGER intervention among at-risk older adults. Technology is used to complement in-person activities, streamline the intervention delivery, personalize recommendations, and collect digital biomarkers.

Integrating dermatologists in primary care: impact on delays, patient and professional experiences.

Background: Primary healthcare centres are burdened by the management of patients with skin conditions, while general practitioners might lack the expertise to assess skin changes accurately. The traditional care chain for skin findings is a multistage process that can cause delayed diagnosis and treatment, distressing the patient. This study aimed to determine whether adding a dermatologist to the primary care team would streamline the care pathway of patients with skin conditions, while examining levels of satisfaction among patients and healthcare professionals.

Associations of multiple lifestyle behaviors with allergic disease symptoms and sensitization in 9-11-year-old Finnish children.

Background: The increase in allergic diseases in children has coincided with the westernization of lifestyles. Although clustering of modifiable lifestyles has been frequently reported in children, there is limited research on how lifestyle factors collectively contribute to allergic conditions. Our aim was to identify lifestyle clusters among Finnish school-aged children and explore their associations with the prevalence of allergic disease symptoms and sensitization.

Executive functions and processing speed in covert cerebral small vessel disease.

Background And Purpose: Executive dysfunction and slowed processing speed are central cognitive impairments in cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD). It is unclear whether the subcomponents of executive functions become equally affected and whether computerized tests are more sensitive in detecting early cognitive changes over traditional tests. The associations of specific executive abilities (cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, working memory) and processing speed with white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) were examined.

Intensive care due to myasthenia gravis: Risk factors and prognosis.

Background And Purpose: Exacerbation of myasthenia gravis (MG) with respiratory failure requires intensive care. We aimed to study the risk factors for intensive care unit admission for MG exacerbation and myasthenic crisis (MC) and the prognosis of people with MG (pwMG) thereafter.

Methods: This retrospective study investigated patients in the Helsinki and Uusimaa hospital district during the years 2008-2021.

Increased purchases of prescription medicines in offspring of women with type 1 diabetes: a Finnish register-based cohort study between 1995 and 2018.

Objective: This study aimed to assess whether exposure to hyperglycemia influences prescription medicine purchases in the offspring of women with type 1 diabetes (exposed offspring).

Patients/materials And Methods: We identified all singleton exposed offspring born in the hospital district of Helsinki and Uusimaa, Finland, between 1988 and 2011 from the Finnish Medical Birth Register, maintained by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. For each exposed offspring, we obtained five age- and province-matched offspring of women without diabetes (reference offspring), from the Finnish Medical Birth Register.

Vascular disease and ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation: Temporal trends and age-related differences.

Background And Aims: We examined temporal trends and age-related differences in the prevalence of vascular diseases and in their association with ischemic stroke (IS) risk in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: The registry-based FinACAF study covered all patients with AF in Finland during 2007-2018. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of IS were computed with Poisson regression, and the interaction of vascular diseases with age and calendar year period was assessed.

Temporal trends in mortality and causes of death in patients with incident atrial fibrillation: a nationwide register study from 2010 to 2018.

Objectives: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with increased mortality. Previous studies have reported conflicting results in temporal trends of mortality after AF diagnosis. We aim to address this disparity by investigating the 1-year mortality and causes of death in Finnish patients diagnosed with AF between 2010 and 2017.

aMMP-8 POCT vs. Other Potential Biomarkers in Chair-Side Diagnostics and Treatment Monitoring of Severe Periodontitis.

This study aimed to compare several potential mouthrinse biomarkers for periodontitis including active matrix-metalloproteinase-8 (aMMP-8), total MMP-8, and other inflammatory biomarkers in diagnosing and monitoring the effects of nonsurgical periodontal therapy. Thirteen patients with stage III/IV periodontitis were recruited, along with thirteen periodontally and systemically healthy controls. These 13 patients were representative of the number of outpatients visiting any dentist in a single day.

Prevention of Initial Periodontitis Is an Investment in the Future.

Background: Periodontal tissue damage is mainly caused by the active form of collagenolytic matrix metalloproteinase-8, aMMP-8, the concentration of which in the mouth rinse can be measured with a mouth rinse chairside-test. The mouth rinse chair side test can be used to identify adolescents with a risk of periodontitis.

Methods: The data were collected at the Kotka Health Centre (2004-2005, N = 501 and 2014-2015, N = 47) and at the Hämeenlinna Health Centre (2017-2018, N = 125) consisting of adolescents aged 14-17.