Sense of Coherence and Past and/or Present Mental Health Problems Among Conscripts at Military Call-up in Northern Finland.

Introduction: Sense of coherence (SOC) refers to the psychosocial aspects and origins of health. Sense of coherence is related to physical and psychological health and quality of life. Military studies on SOC are commonly related to military deployment or operations, military training, and military fitness.

Imprecise Coding in Allergic Contact Dermatitis: A Register-Study From Northern Finland Between Years 1999 and 2022.

Background: Registry-based data are increasingly used in dermatological research. A recent epidemiological study has shown that the use of non-specific diagnostic codes is common among dermatologists.

Objectives: To study closely the use of the diagnostic codes L23.

Association of hemoglobin levels with metabolic traits in women with PCOS.

Introduction: Within normal variation, higher hemoglobin (Hb) levels are associated with poorer metabolic profile in population cohorts, underlying the link between oxygen delivery and cell metabolism. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder among women and is commonly accompanied by metabolic derangements. In this study we sought to investigate Hb levels, and their metabolic associations, in women with PCOS.

Genome-wide association study of anterior uveitis.

Background/aims: The purpose of this study is to define genetic factors associated with anterior uveitis through genome-wide association study (GWAS).

Methods: In this GWAS meta-analysis, we combined data from the FinnGen, Estonian Biobank and UK Biobank with a total of 12 205 anterior uveitis cases and 917 145 controls. We performed a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) to investigate associations across phenotypes and traits.

MARC1 downregulation reduces hepatocyte lipid content by increasing beta-oxidation.

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a global epidemic. MASLD has a strong genetic component, and a common missense variant (rs2642438) in the mitochondrial amidoxime-reducing component 1 (MARC1) gene confers protection against its onset and severity. However, there are contrasting results regarding the mechanisms entangling this protection.

Partitioned polygenic risk scores identify distinct types of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is characterized by an excess of lipids, mainly triglycerides, in the liver and components of the metabolic syndrome, which can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. While there is solid epidemiological evidence that MASLD clusters with cardiometabolic disease, several leading genetic risk factors for MASLD do not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, suggesting no causal relationship between MASLD and cardiometabolic derangement. In this work, we leveraged measurements of visceral adiposity identifying 27 previously unknown genetic loci associated with MASLD (n = 36,394), six replicated in four independent cohorts (n = 3,903).

Data-driven cluster analysis identifies distinct types of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) exhibits considerable variability in clinical outcomes. Identifying specific phenotypic profiles within MASLD is essential for developing targeted therapeutic strategies. Here we investigated the heterogeneity of MASLD using partitioning around medoids clustering based on six simple clinical variables in a cohort of 1,389 individuals living with obesity.

Residential Area Characteristics Are Associated With Asthma Burden in Children.

Background: Wheezing illnesses, especially those triggered by rhinovirus infection, cause a major disease burden, and they often precede asthma. Environmental exposures are known to affect recurrence of wheezing. We investigated the relations of population density, greenness (forested areas), and socioeconomic factors of the living surroundings to the burden of asthma in children with prior bronchiolitis.

Perspectives of Clients and Health Care Professionals on the Opportunities for Digital Health Interventions in Cerebrovascular Disease Care: Qualitative Descriptive Study.

Background: Cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) are a major and potentially increasing burden to public health. Digital health interventions (DHIs) could support access to and provision of high-quality health care (eg, outcomes, safety, and satisfaction), but the design and development of digital solutions and technologies lack the assessment of user needs. Research is needed to identify opportunities to address health system challenges and improve CVD care with primary users of services as the key informants of everyday requirements.

An increase in paediatric arthroscopy in Europe: Experience of the EPOS Sport Study Group.

Purpose: Paediatric musculoskeletal injuries in association with increased participation in sports activities continue to increase. Arthroscopy is recognized as a safe and effective procedure in children. This study aims to identify trends in European paediatric sports centres over 20 years.

miR-193b-5p and miR-374b-5p Are Aberrantly Expressed in Endometriosis and Suppress Endometrial Cell Migration In Vitro.

(1) Background: Endometriosis is a highly prevalent gynecological disease affecting 10% of women of reproductive age worldwide. miRNAs may play a role in endometriosis, though their exact function remains unclear. This study aimed to identify differentially expressed miRNAs in endometriosis and study their functions in the disease.

Computerized decision support to optimally funnel patients through the diagnostic pathway for dementia.

Background: The increasing prevalence of dementia and the introduction of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) highlight the need for efficient diagnostic pathways in memory clinics. We present a data-driven approach to efficiently guide stepwise diagnostic testing for three clinical scenarios: 1) syndrome diagnosis, 2) etiological diagnosis, and 3) eligibility for DMT.

Methods: We used data from two memory clinic cohorts (ADC, PredictND), including 504 patients with dementia (302 Alzheimer's disease, 107 frontotemporal dementia, 35 vascular dementia, 60 dementia with Lewy bodies), 191 patients with mild cognitive impairment, and 188 cognitively normal controls (CN).

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.

Characteristics of Type 1 Diabetes Among Patients Carrying the Protective HLA-DQB1*06:02 Allele.

We set out to examine in an observational study characteristics of type 1 diabetes at the time of diagnosis among paediatric patients carrying the protective HLA class II DQB1*06:02 allele. We compared characteristics of type 1 diabetes among 5530 Finnish children aged 0-14 years diagnosed between 2003 and 2018. Seventy-five children with type 1 diabetes carried the DQB1*06:02 allele.

Progress of rehabilitation in assisted living for mentally ill according to STAX-SA taxonomy.

Objective: The transition from institutional psychiatric care to community-based mental health services has resulted in the rapid development of assisted living services (AL) for mentally ill. Focus of the current study is to add internationally comparable evidence-based knowledge on the rehabilitation of AL residents by examining progression and mortality in relation to the level of service provided in AL units.

Methods: This study utilized data gathered from a longitudinal study conducted in Finland during the years 2020 to 2022.

Psychiatric Comorbidities of Childhood-onset Atopic Dermatitis in Relation to Eczema Severity: A Register-based Study among 28,000 Subjects in Finland.

Data on the severity of childhood-onset atopic dermatitis (AD) in relation to psychiatric comorbidities is scarce, even though AD predisposes to psychiatric comorbidities and the commonness of childhood-onset AD and its significance in disease progression are recognized. The purpose of this nationwide, register-based study of child patients diagnosed with AD in Finland between 1987 and 2017 was to determine how psychiatric comorbidities of AD patients differ depending on the disease severity of childhood-onset AD. AD severity was assessed by purchased AD treatment and risk of comorbidities was analyzed by the age of 18 and 30 years.

Epilepsy care pathway: The Finnish model.

Objective: Integrated care pathways are essential for consistent, effective epilepsy care, offering equal access and quality regardless of socioeconomic status. They must align with the WHO Global Action Plan on Epilepsy, ensuring best practices and cost-effective management. We describe the Finnish national epilepsy care pathway, which includes multiple levels of care, from initial diagnosis to long-term care for all types of epilepsy, with a specific focus on rare and complex cases integrated with the European Reference Network (ERN) for Rare and Complex Epilepsies EpiCARE.