Admitted with a hip fracture: patient perceptions of rehabilitation.

Aims And Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the hip fracture patients' own perceptions of their situation and views of their responsibility in the rehabilitation process.

Background: Although much research has been conducted on various aspects of the rehabilitation process in patients with a hip fracture, no attention has been given to the patients' own views of their situation at the start of this transitional process.

Method: Thirteen informants with a hip fracture, aged 71-93 years, were interviewed postoperatively at a Swedish hospital.

Availability of percutaneous closure for an adult population with interatrial shunts.

Objectives: To report the availability of percutaneous closure for an adult population with interatrial septal defects.

Methods: Observational study with 66 consecutive patients referred to a tertiary center for evaluation of the possibility of percutaneous closure. The patients were selected initially after review of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and finally after heart catheterization.

Effects of losartan and atenolol on left ventricular mass and neurohormonal profile in patients with essential hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy.

Objective: To compare the effects of the angiotensin II antagonist, losartan, with those of atenolol on left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), blood pressure and neurohormone concentrations in hypertensive patients with LVH.

Design: A multinational, randomized, double-blind trial.

Setting: Hospital.

Natural history of myocardial infarction and angina pectoris in a general population sample of middle-aged men: a 16-year follow-up of the Primary Prevention Study, Göteborg, Sweden.

Objectives: Although many studies have described prognosis in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), few have compared outcome in men with clinical evidence of CHD with healthy men from the general population over an extended follow-up. This study aimed to compare long-term prognosis in men with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) and in men with angina pectoris (AP) without MI, with men without clinical signs of CHD.

Design: Longitudinal general population study.

Improved long-term prognosis after myocardial infarction 1984-1991.

Aims: We set out to examine whether long term prognosis in terms of 2-year mortality after myocardial infarction has improved after the introduction of intravenous beta-blockers, nitroglycerin infusion, aspirin and thrombolytics, in an unselected population of patients hospitalized with a myocardial infarction.

Methods And Results: We investigated retrospectively 3791 acute myocardial infarctions in 3187 Göteborg women and men (1039 women and 2148 men), who were consecutively admitted to the coronary care unit at the Ostra hospital during 1984-1991. Throughout this period, data were entered continuously into the coronary care unit database.

Fluconazole versus nystatin in the treatment of oral candidosis.

The efficacy of oral fluconazole versus nystatin was evaluated as a treatment modality for oral candidosis. Of the included patients (n = 60), two-thirds presented with an erythematous candidosis, and the others showed clinical signs compatible with a pseudomembranous candidosis. Predisposing factors were xerostomia (n = 18), HIV (n = 5), immunosuppression in conjunction with organ transplantation (n = 10), and wearing of dentures (n = 14).

Subtalar instability of the foot. A review and results after surgical treatment.

Most subtalar ligamentous injuries occur in combination with ankle ligament injuries, but the exact aetiology and the true incidence remain unknown. The aim of this study was to review the problem, propose a definition and to analyze the results of an anatomic reconstructive surgical technique in the treatment of subtalar instability. Twenty-two patients suffering from chronic subtalar instability of the foot were operated with anatomical reconstruction.

N-terminal proANF in acute atrial fibrillation: a biochemical marker of atrial pressures but not a predictor for conversion to sinus rhythm. Digitalis in Acute Atrial Fibrillation (DAAF) Trial group.

Background: Atrial filling pressures are increased in acute atrial fibrillation, which stimulates the release of atrial natriuretic factor pro-hormone, proANF.

Methods: In a randomized trial comparing digoxin with placebo in 216 patients, we investigated whether the baseline plasma level of N-terminal proANF is a predictor for conversion to sinus rhythm and the relation among N-terminal proANF, conversion to sinus rhythm, and changes in heart rate.

Results: N-terminal proANF was increased at baseline and decreased significantly in patients converting to sinus rhythm, whereas it was mainly unchanged in nonconverters.

Closing patellar tendon defects after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: absence of any benefit.

The most common graft in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery involves using the central one-third of the patellar tendon. Knowledge concerning the postoperative disability after harvesting the patellar tendon is, however, limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact patellar tendon suture and bone grafting of the patellar bone defect might have in terms of functional outcome and patellofemoral pain after harvesting the bone-tendon-bone graft, compared with leaving the harvested site non-sutured and non-grafted.

Heparin is more effective than inogatran, a low-molecular weight thrombin inhibitor in suppressing ischemia and recurrent angina in unstable coronary disease. Thrombin Inhibition in Myocardial Ischemia (TRIM) Study Group.

Thrombin has been suggested as one of the main pharmacologic targets in unstable coronary syndromes. Electrocardiographic signs of ischemia during continuous monitoring convey prognostic information in these patients. This study assessed the anti-ischemic and clinical effects of the novel low-molecular weight thrombin inhibitor inogatran in patients with unstable angina and non-Q-wave infarction without persistent ST-segment elevation on hospital admission.

Myocardial turnover of endogenous opioids and calcitonin-gene-related peptide in the human heart and the effects of spinal cord stimulation on pacing-induced angina pectoris.

Earlier studies have shown that spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has antianginal and anti-ischemic effects in severe coronary artery disease. In the present study, 14 patients were subjected to right-sided atrial catheterization and atrial pacing. The patients were paced to angina during a control session and during spinal cord stimulation.

Analgesic effects of intra-articular morphine during and after knee arthroscopy: a comparison of two methods.

The objective of this study was to compare the analgesic effects of intra-articularly administered bupivacaine with bupivacaine/morphine during and after therapeutic knee arthroscopy. In a prospective, randomized study, 50 patients with clinical signs of medial meniscal injury were allocated to two groups, A and B. The patients in group A received 40 mL of 0.

Surgical treatment of concomitant chronic ankle instability and longitudinal rupture of the peroneus brevis tendon.

Chronic lateral ankle instability can be associated with a longitudinal rupture of the peroneus brevis tendon. Patients with these problems have atypical posterolateral or retromalleolar pain, as well as clinical signs of ligamentous instability. This injury is frequently concomitant with lateral ligament injuries and the injury mechanism is similar; however, the tendon rupture is often missed.

The importance of cofactors in the histologic progression of minimal and mild chronic hepatitis C.

A follow-up liver biopsy was done 9-16 years (mean 12 years) after initial biopsy in 20 untreated Swedish patients infected with hepatitis C (8 men, 12 women; mean age 30 years at initial biopsy) in whom first biopsy had been classified as chronic persistent hepatitis. A significant progression of liver damage was found when using Histology Activity Index (HAI) scoring according to Knodell (p=0.006 for total HAI score; p=0.

Subtalar ankle instability. A review.

The aetiology of chronic functional lateral ankle instability is fairly well understood. Pathophysiological factors such as mechanical instability, proprioceptive deficit and peroneal muscle weakness have been demonstrated. Subtalar instability has been in focus during the last years as one of the possible factors behind chronic functional instability of the foot.

A comparison of recombinant hirudin with a low-molecular-weight heparin to prevent thromboembolic complications after total hip replacement.

Background: Patients who undergo total hip replacement have a high risk of thromboembolic complications. Recombinant hirudin (desirudin), a specific inhibitor of thrombin, represents a new development in antithrombotic therapy. We compared the efficacy and safety of desirudin with those of a low-molecular-weight heparin (enoxaparin) for the prevention of thromboembolic complications in patients undergoing primary total hip replacement.

The decline in the incidence of SIDS in Scandinavia and its relation to risk-intervention campaigns. Nordic Epidemiological SIDS Study.

A prospective case-control study of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in Norway, Denmark and Sweden between September 1, 1992 and August 31, 1995 comprised 244 cases and 869 matched controls. After the introduction of risk-intervention campaigns, the SIDS incidence decreased from 2.3/1000 live births in Norway, 1.

Long-term results after surgical management of partial Achilles tendon ruptures.

Although Achilles tendon injuries are common overuse injuries in sports, the exact incidence is unknown, primarily as a result of varying definitions and diagnoses of the underlying pathological changes. Despite numerous studies of treatment of the Achilles tendon injuries, the long-term results are not well known. The results after surgical treatment of chronic partial Achilles tendon ruptures in 64 patients with a follow-up of 6 (1.

Key factors in the identification of the high-risk patient with unstable coronary artery disease: clinical findings, resting 12-lead electrocardiogram, and continuous electrocardiographic monitoring.

This article reviews a range of methods for identifying high-risk patients with unstable coronary artery disease, including clinical evaluation, the resting 12-lead electrocardiogram, continuous vectorcardiography, and a combined risk evaluation using continuous vectorcardiography and measurement of troponin-T. Clinical evaluation is not very accurate for identifying high-risk patients and modern techniques have not been fully validated in clinical trials. The combination of continuous vectorcardiography and biochemical monitoring is a very powerful method of identifying both very high- and very low-risk patients and may be increasingly used in the future.

Vectorcardiographic monitoring of patients with acute myocardial infarction and chronic bundle branch block.

Aims: This study was set up to describe vectorcardiographic patterns in patients with bundle-branch block and acute myocardial infarction.

Methods And Results: Sixty-five patients admitted to the coronary care unit with bundle-branch block and suspected acute myocardial infarction were monitored by dynamic vectorcardiography with trend analysis. In 28 patients, a clinical diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction was made.

ESC Population Studies Lecture 1996. Cardiovascular monitoring of a city over 30 years.

This lecture on population studies was given in memory and honour of the late Professor Frederick Epstein. It relates to studies performed in Göteborg, Sweden. The main topics discussed in the presentation are: Coronary heart disease and stroke incidence according to the MONICA Project.

Bullous pyoderma gangrenosum in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome during granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapy.

An unusual case of bullous pyoderma gangrenosum in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome during treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is reported. The possible relationship between G-CSF therapy and pyoderma gangrenosum, as well as the beneficial effect of cyclosporin A therapy, is discussed.

The significance of coronary death for the excess mortality in alcohol-dependent men.

General and validated cause-specific mortality, especially regarding coronary disease, was studied in a population-based cohort of 1049 alcohol-dependent (DSM-III-R) men, who were discharged from a detoxification ward. The observed and expected numbers of deaths were 140 and 23.2, respectively (P < 0.