Prolonged partial upper airway obstruction during sleep - an underdiagnosed phenotype of sleep-disordered breathing.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a well-recognized disorder conventionally diagnosed with an elevated apnea-hypopnea index. Prolonged partial upper airway obstruction is a common phenotype of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), which however is still largely underreported. The major reasons for this are that cyclic breathing pattern coupled with arousals and arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation are easy to detect and considered more important than prolonged episodes of increased respiratory effort with increased levels of carbon dioxide in the absence of cycling breathing pattern and repetitive arousals.

Short stature in men is associated with subclinical peripheral arterial disease.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) affects approximately 202 million individuals around the world and is associated with a high risk of myocardial infarction, stroke and death. Although there is a clear inverse association between adult height and the risk of cardiovascular disease, little is known about the relationship between height and PAD. The aim of our study was to assess the relationship between subclinical PAD and height.

Biomarkers of kidney function and prediction of death from cardiovascular and other causes in the elderly: A 9-year follow-up study.

Background: Cystatin C is claimed to be superior to creatinine-based estimates of glomerular filtration rate (eGFRcr). The purpose of the study is to analyze whether cystatin C, creatinine, and/or estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) predicted cardiovascular and/or non-cardiovascular deaths among Finnish elderly.

Methods: Hazard ratios (HR) of cystatin C, creatinine and eGFRs for cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular deaths.

Alcohol risk drinking, quality of life and health state among patients treated at the Sobering Unit in the emergency department - One year follow-up study.

Objectives: To evaluate impacts of brief intervention on patients' alcohol risk drinking, quality of life and health state after treatment at the Sobering Unit in the emergency department at three months, six months, and one year follow-up.

Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study without control group (one-year follow-up). Alcohol use of patients in emergency department (Sobering Unit) in specialized care in Finland (AUDIT-test), quality of life (EQ-5D-3L) and health state (EQ VAS) at baseline, three months, six months and one year following the brief intervention were analyzed with Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test.

What Facilitates the Use of Telehealth Applications Among Nurses?

This presentation describes the preliminary results of the facilitators of the use of telehealth applications from nurses' point of view based on a qualitative systematic literature review synthetizing 25 previously published papers. The study brought out two main categories that facilitate the use of telehealth among nurses: 1) Nurses' skills and attitudes, and 3) Changes in nurses' work and operations.

Development Needs of Electronic Nursing Discharge Summaries in Finland.

In this study the development needs of Electronic Nursing Discharge summaries (ENDS) mentioned by nursing professionals are classified and addressed using the FITT model ("Fit between Individuals, Task and Technology") framework.

Transitional object use in adolescence: a developmental phenomenon or a sign of problems?

Background: Transitional object (TO) use is suggested to be related with various health problems. Prolonged TO use in adolescence is quite common, and research on its associations with health and psychosocial wellbeing is relevant because it does not necessarily represent pathologies in this age group.

Aims: To investigate the role of transitional phenomena and attachment to an inanimate object in adolescence, possible explanatory variables were studied, including sociodemographic and psychosocial factors and self-image.

Physical Activity Improves Borderline Ankle-Brachial Index Values in a Cardiovascular Risk Population.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an underdiagnosed and undertreated disease because it remains asymptomatic for so long. The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a valid method for detecting PAD in lower extremities. ABI ≤0.

Is alexithymia associated with metabolic syndrome? A study in a healthy adult population.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a constellation of risk factors for, in particular, cardiovascular diseases and increased mortality, and it constitutes a major clinical challenge affecting millions of lives. Alexithymia is a condition that has been linked with several mental diseases and symptoms, as well as somatic illnesses, including essential hypertension and diabetes mellitus. However, there is limited research on the association of alexithymia and MetS.

Feedback on SMS reminders to encourage adherence among patients taking antipsychotic medication: a cross-sectional survey nested within a randomised trial.

Objectives: To explore feedback on tailored SMS reminders to encourage medication adherence and outpatient treatment among patients taking antipsychotic medication, and associations related to the feedback.

Design: A cross-sectional survey nested within a nationwide randomised clinical trial ("Mobile.Net" ISRCTN27704027).

Professionalism Mini-Evaluation Exercise in Finland: A preliminary investigation introducing the Finnish version of the P-MEX instrument.

Introduction: Teaching medical professionalism is increasingly acknowledged as an important aspect of medical education. The Professionalism Mini-Evaluation Exercise (P-MEX) is an assessment tool for evaluating medical professionalism, but no studies using it as a self-assessment instrument have been reported. This paper reports on a preliminary investigation of the Finnish version of the P-MEX instrument as an assessment and self-assessment measure.

Alexithymia and postpartum anxiety and depression symptoms: a follow-up study in a pregnancy cohort.

Introduction: There is a lack of longitudinal studies assessing the significance of alexithymia on the emergence of mental illnesses. We aimed to evaluate the potential effect of alexithymia on postpartum anxiety and depression symptoms in a sample of parents to be.

Methods: In a pregnancy cohort, longitudinal data were available from three time points (gestational weeks 18-20, and 3 and 12 months postpartum) for 100 mothers and 65 fathers.

Mobile phone text message reminders: Measuring preferences of people with antipsychotic medication.

Unlabelled: Mobile technology use, including Short Messaging Service (SMS) text messaging, has increased in health care services. Preferences regarding the type or timing of text messages sent by healthcare providers to people with antipsychotic medication have not yet been fully investigated. This study examines the relationship between patients' demographic characteristics and the tailored messages they select.

Maternal alexithymic traits, prenatal stress, and infant temperament.

We aimed at investigating, whether maternal alexithymia or prenatal anxiety influences infant temperament (Infant Temperament Questionnaire, IBQ) at six months. Maternal alexithymic trait of "Difficulty in Identifying Feelings" predicted higher infant "Duration of Orienting". "Fear of Bearing a Handicapped Child" predicted lower infant "Activity Level".

Feasibility of a practical nurse administered risk assessment tool for drug-related problems in home care.

Aim: To evaluate feasibility of a practical nurse-administered Drug-related Problem Risk Assessment Tool among home care clients ⩾65 years.

Methods: Altogether, 36 practical nurses participated in the study. They were trained about the purpose and use of the tool.

Alexithymia and Early Maladaptive Schemas in chronic pain patients.

Psychological factors have an impact on subjective pain experience. The aim of this study was to explore the occurrence of alexithymia and Early Maladaptive Schemas in a sample of 271 first visit chronic pain patients of six pain clinics. The patients completed the study questionnaire consisting of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, the Finnish version of the Young Schema Questionnaire short form-extended, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, and pain variables.

Ethical problems in nursing management: The views of nurse managers.

Background: Nurse managers have responsibilities relating to the quality of care, the welfare of the staff and running of the organization. Ethics plays significant role in these responsibilities. Ethical problems are part of daily management, but research in this area is limited.

Length of prostate biopsies is not necessarily compromised by pooling multiple cores in one paraffin block: an observational study.

Background: Individually submitted prostatic needle biopsies are recommended by most guidelines because of their potential advantage in terms of core quality. However, unspecified bilateral biopsies are commonly submitted in many centers. The length of the core is the key quality indicator of prostate biopsies.

Development of alexithymic personality features.

The purpose of this paper is to review the current literature regarding the development of alexithymic personality features. Modern brain imaging technologies provide interesting data on the associations of alexithymia with different aberrations in brain function related to emotion regulation; however, the development of these deviations is poorly understood. A notable amount of research covers the relation of alexithymia to different environmental factors.

How to assess kidney function in outpatient clinics.

Background: In 2002, a new definition and classification of chronic kidney disease was published, and glomerular filtration rate < 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) for 3 months or more was adapted to define chronic kidney disease irrespective of other signs of kidney damage.

Aims: To discuss different ways to assess kidney function in outpatient clinics and especially in primary care.

Mental Health Promotion in School: Schoolchildren's and Families' Viewpoint.

While developing mental health work in schools, it is very important to consider the viewpoint of pupils. Parents can also give remarkable information on their children's viewpoint. The purpose of this study was to produce a description of the concepts used by schoolchildren aged 12-16 years and their families associated with promoting mental health in schools.

Lifestyle of metabolically healthy obese individuals.

Aims: The aim of this study is to find factors associated with metabolic syndrome in obese individuals and thus offer guidance to stay metabolically healthy if obese.

Methods: A cardiovascular screening programme performed in Finland during the years 2005-2007, identified 901 obese white individuals. Of them, 269 (30%) were metabolically healthy according to the Harmonization criteria of metabolic syndrome.

Does alexithymia expose to mental disorder symptoms in late adolescence? A 4-year follow-up study.

Objective: To investigate the possible causal link between alexithymia and the emergence of anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as alcohol consumption in a sample of late adolescents.

Method: The nonclinical sample comprised late adolescents (n = 315), including both females (n = 256) and males (n = 59). The follow-up period was 4 years, and at baseline, the mean age of the subjects was 19 years (range 17-21 years).

Association study of the HTR2C, leptin and adiponectin genes and serum marker analyses in clozapine treated long-term patients with schizophrenia.

Clozapine treatment is associated with weight gain and cardio-metabolic consequences among patients with schizophrenia. Polymorphisms of leptin, serotonin receptor HTR2C and adiponectin genes have been associated with antipsychotic-induced weight gain and metabolic comorbidity. However, the results of the studies so far are inconclusive.

Screening for cardiovascular risk factors and self-rated health in a community setting: a cross-sectional study in Finland.

Background: Self-rated health is an independent predictor of mortality. However, general health checks in populations unselected for disease or risk factors have not been shown to reduce mortality or morbidity.

Aim: To describe new comorbidities and cardiovascular risk factors in apparently healthy people and to relate this to their self-rated health.