Positive pivot shift after ACL reconstruction predicts later osteoarthrosis: 63 patients followed 5-9 years after surgery.

Background: Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) may cause osteoarthrosis (OA) and functional impairment. We wanted to find out whether the degree of knee stability obtained after ACL reconstruction correlates with radiographic and clinical outcome.

Patients And Methods: We examined 63 patients 2 and 5-9 years after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

Is frequent attendance a persistent characteristic of a patient? Repeat studies of attendance pattern at the family practitioner.

Objective: To assess the extent of frequent attendance as a persistent characteristic of patients by repeat studies of attendance at a health centre.

Design: A follow-up of frequent attenders and compared patients in 1991 among frequent attenders in 1996.

Setting: Mariehem health centre in Umeå in northern Sweden providing care for 10,500 and 12,000 inhabitants in 1991 and 1996, respectively.

Dermal exposure to monoterpenes during wood work.

The dermal exposure to the suspected allergenic monoterpenes [small alpha]-pinene, [small beta]-pinene and [capital Delta](3)-carene was assessed with a patch sampling technique. The patch used was made of activated charcoal sandwiched between two layers of cotton cloth. Patches were fastened at 12 different spots on a sampling overall and at the front of a cap to estimate the potential exposure of the body.

Dermal exposure to terpenic resin acids in Swedish carpentry workshops and sawmills.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate dermal exposure to the resin acids abietic acid, dehydroabietic acid and 7-oxodehydroabietic acid during collecting in sawmills and during sawing in carpentry workshops, respectively.

Methods: Sampling was performed by fastening patches at 12 different areas on a sampling overall, one patch on the front of a cap, one patch on the chest inside the clothing and one patch on the inner lower right leg. Exposure of the hands was assessed by fastening patches on cotton gloves representing the dorsal sides and the palms of the left and right hands.

Dermal exposure to styrene in the fibreglass reinforced plastics industry.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the potential dermal exposure to styrene in the fibreglass reinforced plastics industry.

Methods: Assessment was performed during spraying and rolling using a patch sampling technique. The patch was made of charcoal sandwiched between two layers of cotton fabric.

Pneumoperitoneum impairs blood flow and augments tumor growth in the abdominal wall.

Background: Despite several clinical and experimental studies, the mechanisms behind the development of port site metastases in laparoscopic surgery have remained largely unknown. The current study was designed to investigate the effect of pneumoperitoneum on blood flow in the abdominal wall and its possible effects on tumor growth at this site.

Methods: A total of 40 Wistar Fu rats had a laser Doppler probe placed on their left rectus muscle and a suspension of 50,000 adenocarcinoma cells was injected into their right rectus muscle.

Quantification of melatonin in human saliva by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry using stable isotope dilution.

A method for the determination of melatonin in human saliva has been developed using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS-MS). Saliva was collected in plastic tubes. 7-D-Melatonin was added as internal standard and the samples were cleaned and concentrated by solid-phase extraction.

Determination of dextropropoxyphene and nordextropropoxyphene in urine by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Dextropropoxyphene and nordextropropoxyphene were extracted from urine samples with mixed mode solid-phase extraction cartridges. After elution and evaporation to dryness, the eluate was dissolved in mobile phase and each sample was injected in a LC-ESI-MS system. Quantification was carried out in the selected ion monitoring mode.

Gender differences in disability and health-related quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease treated with stereotactic surgery.

Objectives: To investigate eventual differences between women and men with Parkinson's disease (PD) before and after surgery, with respect to clinical status, disability and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Material And Methods: Twenty-four men and 14 women with PD received a total of 46 surgical procedures (pallidotomy, thalamotomy and deep brain stimulation of the thalamus, pallidum or subthalamic nucleus). The impact of PD on disability and other aspects of HRQoL was analysed separately in men and women before and at a mean of 11 months after surgery, using the following assessment tools: The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the ADL Taxonomy, the Nottingham Health Profile, the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire and a Visual Analogue Scale.

Does the ADL part of the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale measure ADL? An evaluation in patients after pallidotomy and thalamic deep brain stimulation.

We evaluated the impact of pallidotomy and thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) on disability of patients with advanced Parkinson's disease and investigated whether the activities of daily living (ADL) section of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) measures disability in everyday life. Nineteen patients who had pallidotomy and 14 patients who had thalamic DBS were followed for a mean of 11 months. Evaluation tools included the UPDRS as well as a generic ADL scale, called ADL taxonomy.

Exposure to benzene, toluene, xylenes and total hydrocarbons among snowmobile drivers in Sweden.

The exposure to benzene, toluene, xylenes and total hydrocarbons among 25 individuals exposed to exhaust from a snowmobile equipped with a two-stroke engine has been evaluated. Sampling was performed by pumped and diffusive sampling in parallel. There was a relatively bad agreement between the two air-sampling methods.

Medium-term survival and quality of life of Swedish octogenarians after open-heart surgery.

Objective: Operative mortality after open-heart interventions in the octogenarian population is relatively well known. Less has been reported on the medium term survival and quality of life of this growing subgroup of patients.

Methods: One hundred and eighty-three consecutive patients aged between 80 and 84 years when they underwent open-heart surgery between January 1995 and June 2000 were retrospectively analysed.

Myringotomy delays the tympanic membrane recovery in acute otitis media: a study in the rat model.

Background/hypothesis: Acute otitis media is a major cause of visits to pediatric health care providers. Myringotomy in uncomplicated acute otitis media is debatable today. The study addressed this problem through the otomicroscopic and histopathological observations of the events occurring in the tympanic membrane during the first week after myringotomy.

Acute and postoperative pain in children: a Swedish nationwide survey.

Unlabelled: Many studies demonstrate inadequate pain treatment in children. The aim of this nationwide survey was to evaluate the prevalence of acute and postoperative pain in children; extent of, and reasons for, inadequate pain therapy; therapy methods; pain-management structure; and the need for education of healthcare professionals. Questionnaires concerning these points were sent to all departments in Sweden involved in the treatment of children.

Open versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gallbladder carcinoma.

Laparoscopic surgery has replaced conventional open cholecystectomy for benign gallbladder disease. A major concern is how to handle gallbladder cancer in the laparoscopic era, since there are numerous case reports of port site metastases from gallbladder cancer after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. There are also many experimental studies favoring the opinion that the laparoscopic technique implies a higher risk of spreading malignant disease.

Bone cement with reduced proportion of monomer in total hip arthroplasty: preclinical evaluation and randomized study of 47 cases with 5 years' follow-up.

Bone cement with reduced amount of monomer and low curing temperature may improve implant fixation due to reduced toxicity. We analyzed the mechanical, chemical and thermal properties of such a cement (Cemex Rx) using Palacos R as control. The in vivo performance of the 2 cements was also evaluated in a prospective randomized study of 47 hips, where either of the cement types was used to fixate Lubinus SP2 prostheses with the stem made of titanium alloy.

Impact of thalamic deep brain stimulation on disability and health-related quality of life in patients with essential tremor.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) on disability and health-related quality of life in patients with essential tremor.

Methods: Twenty seven consecutive patients were evaluated prospectively, before surgery and at a mean of 12 months (range 6-26) after thalamic DBS. Assessment tools included the Fahn-Tolosa-Marìn tremor rating scale (TRS), activities of daily living (ADL) taxonomy, Nottingham health profile (NHP) and the visual analogue scale (VAS) for measuring impact of disease on life.

Prospective study of trigeminal sensibility after whiplash trauma.

Trigeminal sensory impairment is frequent in whiplash cases. The pathophysiology is unknown. The purpose of the present investigation was to prospectively study the trigeminal sensibility for temperature and vibration and to evaluate their relationship with the clinical symptoms.

Degranulation of mast cells provokes a massive inflammatory reaction in the tympanic membrane.

Objective: The pars flaccida is extremely rich in mast cells. On stimulation the mast cells release preformed and de novo synthesized inflammatory substances. The purpose of this study was to examine how these mast cell substances provoke inflammatory changes in the tympanic membrane.

Early interdisciplinary rehabilitation programme for whiplash associated disorders.

Purpose: To assess the clinical outcomes of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme for early intervention of chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD). The primary aim of the programme was to increase levels of activity and independence in patients suffering WAD.

Methods: Ninety subjects with purported chronic symptoms associated with whiplash associated disorder (WAD) were referred to a multi-centre multi-modal 5- and 8-week rehabilitation programme in 1997-1998, during which prospective and retrospective functional and psychological evaluations were conducted, the follow-up was to 6 months.

A 10-year follow-up review of patients who underwent Leksell's posteroventral pallidotomy for Parkinson disease.

Object: The clinical condition of patients with Parkinson disease (PD) who had undergone posteroventral pallidotomy (PVP) between 1985 and 1990 was evaluated at a mean of 10 years postsurgery. These patients were part of a larger series described in the first paper on Leksell's PVP that was published in 1992.

Methods: Thirteen consecutive patients who had undergone pallidotomy at the University Hospital of Northern Sweden were tracked.

Mumps virus neutralizing antibodies do not protect against reinfection with a heterologous mumps virus genotype.

In April 1999, a previously healthy 22-year-old woman was taken ill with fever and bilateral swelling of the parotid glands. A chronic course of disease extending from April to December was found with swelling of the parotid glands, fatigue, low grade fever, episodes of tachycardia and nightswetting. Mumps virus RNA of genotype A character based on the SH (small hydrophobic) protein gene classification was demonstrated in three serum samples collected during the course of clinical disease.

Smoking, diet, pregnancy and oral contraceptive use as risk factors for cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia in relation to human papillomavirus infection.

Smoking, nutrition, parity and oral contraceptive use have been reported as major environmental risk factors for cervical cancer. After the discovery of the very strong link between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer, it is unclear whether the association of these environmental factors with cervical cancer reflect secondary associations attributable to confounding by HPV, if they are independent risk factors or whether they may act as cofactors to HPV infection in cervical carcinogenesis. To investigate this issue, we performed a population-based case-control study in the Vasterbotten county of Northern Sweden of 137 women with high-grade cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN 2-3) and 253 healthy age-matched women.

Estimation of surface electromyogram spectral alteration using reduced-order autoregressive model.

A new method is proposed, based on the pole phase angle (PPA) of a second-order autoregressive (AR) model, to track spectral alteration during localised muscle fatigue when analysing surface myo-electric (ME) signals. Both stationary and non-stationary, simulated and real ME signals are used to investigate different methods to track spectral changes. The real ME signals are obtained from three muscles (the right vastus lateralis, rectus femoris and vastus medialis) of six healthy male volunteers, and the simulated signals are generated by passing Gaussian white-noise sequences through digital filters with spectral properties that mimic the real ME signals.

Port site metastases after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

The true incidence of abdominal wall metastases after open or laparoscopic operations is unknown. The large number of reports of patients with port site metastases may represent publication bias, but there is a suspicion that recurrence of the tumour in the abdominal incision is more common after laparoscopic operations. The aetiology of port site metastases is not known but in cases of gallbladder cancer the laparoscopic handling of the tumour, perforation of the gallbladder, and extraction of the malignant specimen may be risk factors for the spread of malignant cells.