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Inflammatory cell infiltrates in the heart of patients with coronary artery disease with and without inflammatory rheumatic disease: A biopsy study
Get PDFBackground The cause of premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) in inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs) has not been fully elucidated. As inflammation may play a role, we wanted to compare the occurrence and extent of inflammatory cell infiltrates (ICIs), small vessel vasculitis, and the amount of adipose tissue and collagen in cardiac biopsies taken from patients with coronary artery disease with and without IRDs. Methods From among the Feiring Heart Biopsy Study subjects, we selected patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting from whom paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed specimens from the right atrium were available. The sample comprised 48 patients with IRD and 40 non-IRD patients. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to examine the presence and location of ICIs and vasculitis, and Lendrum (Martius yellow, scarlet, and blue) staining was carried out for collagen and adipose tissue. Results Epicardial ICIs were found in 27 (56 %) patients with IRD and 24 (60 %) non-IRD patients. There were no significant differences between patients with IRD and non-IRD patients in the amount of cardiac ICIs and adipose tissue, but patients with IRD had more collagen in the myocardium than non-IRD patients. Small vessel vasculitis was not observed in any cardiac specimen. Patients with epicardial ICIs were, on average, 7 years younger than those without. Conclusions Our results do not support the notion that inflammation in cardiac peri-, epi-, and myocardium plays a more important role in CVD of patients with IRD than non-IRD patients. The increased amount of collagen in the myocardium of patients with IRD suggests differences in extracellular matrix composition and/or mass, which might play a role in cardiac remodeling, and represent targets for novel therapies against heart failure.publishedVersio
Vitamin status among breastfed infants in Bhaktapur, Nepal
Get PDFVitamin deficiencies are known to be common among infants residing in low- and middle-income countries but relatively few studies have assessed several biochemical parameters simultaneously. The objective of the study was to describe the status of vitamins (A, D, E, B6, B12 and folate) in breastfed infants. We measured the plasma concentrations of trans retinol, 25 hydroxy vitamin D, α-tocopherol, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate, cobalamin, folate, methylmalonic acid, homocysteine, hemoglobin and C-reactive protein from 467 randomly selected infants. One in five (22%) was deficient in at least one vitamin. Mean (SD) plasma folate concentration was 73 (35) nmol/L, and no infant in the sample was folate deficient. Vitamin B6 deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency was found in 22% and 17% of the infants, respectively. Elevated plasma methylmalonic acid or total homocysteine concentration was found in 82% and 62% of infants, respectively. Fifteen percent of infants were vitamin A deficient and 65% were marginally deficient in vitamin A. Fewer than 5% of infants had low plasma vitamin D concentration or vitamin E concentration (α-tocopherol <9.3 µmol/L). Our results illustrate the importance of continued supplementation campaigns and support the expansion of food fortification and dietary diversification programs that target children and women in Nepal
Level of education and multiple sclerosis risk over a 50-year period: Registry-based sibling study
Get PDFBackground:
The conflicting results from studies on socioeconomic status (SES) and multiple sclerosis (MS) risk might be due to a change in the distribution of environmental exposures over time or to methodological limitations in previous research.
Objective:
To examine the association between SES and MS risk during 50 years.
Methods:
We included patients registered in Norwegian MS registries and prevalence studies born between 1930 and 1979, and identified their siblings and parents using the Norwegian Population Registry. Information on education was retrieved from the National Education Registry, categorized into four levels (primary, secondary, undergraduate and graduate) and compared in patients and siblings using conditional logistic regression.
Results:
A total of 4494 MS patients and 9193 of their siblings were included in the analyses. Level of education was inversely associated with MS risk (p trend < 0.001) with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.73 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.59–0.90) when comparing the highest and lowest levels. The effect estimates did not vary markedly between participants born before or after the median year of birth (1958), but we observed a significant effect modification by parental education (p = 0.047).
Conclusion:
Level of education was inversely associated with MS risk, and the estimates were similar in the earliest and latest birth cohorts.publishedVersio
Risk assessment of "other substances" - L-glutamine and L-glutamic acid. Opinion of the Panel on Nutrition, Dietetic Products, Novel Food and Allergy of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety
Get PDFThe Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet, VKM) has,at the request of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet; NFSA), assessed the risk of "other substances" in food supplements and energy drinks sold in Norway. VKM has assessed the risk of doses given by the NFSA. These risk assessments will provide the NFSA with the scientific basis for regulating the addition of “other substances” tofood supplements and other foods.
"Other substances" are described in the food supplement directive 2002/46/EC as substances other than vitamins or minerals that have a nutritional or physiological effect. They areadded mainly to food supplements, but also to energy drinks and other foods. VKM has not in this series of risk assessments of "other substances" evaluated any claimed beneficial effects from these substances, only possible adverse effects.
The present report is limited to the use of L-glutamine and L-glutamic acid in food supplements. Risks related to glutamine and glutamic acid added to food and drinks, protein hydrolysates or high dietary protein intake are outside the scope of the opinion. The report is based on previous risk assessments of glutamine and glutamic acid and scientific papers retrieved from a comprehensive literature search.publishedVersio
Er det så ille å bli spurt om traumer? : barns opplevelser av traumekartlegging i BUP
Get PDFResearchers recommend trauma screening for retrieving information about trauma exposure. However, little is known about clients’ reactions to screening. This article describes reactions to screening for trauma exposure and questions about trauma symptoms among 99 youths (10–18 years) referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Norway. All had been exposed to one or more traumatic experiences and reported having significant posttraumatic stress symptoms. Results indicate that only 5 % reported high levels of distress, 14 % reported that the screening procedure was very boring, 4 % found the questions difficult and 32 % thought it was exciting to answer the questions. High levels of PTS-symptoms predicted distress. The youth who found the questionnaire most boring were reluctant to repeat the screening procedure. The results do not support the assumed risk associated with trauma screening.publishedVersio
No association of tobacco use and disease activity in multiple sclerosis
Get PDFObjective: To study whether tobacco use is associated with MRI and clinical disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Methods: Prospective cohort study of 87 patients with relapsing-remitting MS originally included in a randomized placebo-controlled trial of omega-3 fatty acids in MS (the OFAMS Study). Serum levels of cotinine (biomarker of tobacco use) were analyzed at baseline and every 6 months for 2 years. MRI activity was assessed at baseline and monthly for 9 months and after 12 and 24 months.
Results: Fifty-three patients (61%) had serum cotinine levels ≥85 nmol/L on ≥60% of the measurements and were considered tobacco users and 34 (39%) had cotinine levels <85 nmol/L, consistent with non–tobacco use. There was no association between tobacco use and the occurrence of new gadolinium-enhancing T1 lesions, new or enlarging T2 lesions, or their aggregate (combined unique activity). Furthermore, there was no association between cotinine levels and MRI activity for the tobacco users, and tobacco users did not have more relapses or Expanded Disability Status Scale progression.
Conclusion: Our results indicate that tobacco use does not directly influence MRI activity or relapse rate in MS. This may implicate that the reported association between smoking and MS disease progression could be mediated through other mechanisms
Risk assessment of "other substances" – L-methionine. Statement of the Panel on Nutrition, Dietetic Products, Novel Food and Allergy of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety. VKM report 2016:57
No full textpublishedVersio
Assessment of dietary intake of vitamin C and calcium in the Norwegian population. Opinion of the Panel on Nutrition, Dietetic Products, Novel Food and Allergy of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety
Get PDFThe Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet, VKM) has, at the request of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet; NFSA), evaluated the intake of vitamin C and calcium in the Norwegian population. VKM has also conducted scenario estimations to illustrate the consequences of amending maximum limits for vitamin C (to 100, 300, 500, 600, 800 or 1000 mg/day) and calcium (to 800, 1200 or 2000 mg/day) in food supplements.publishedVersio
Altered neuroendocrine control and association to clinical symptoms in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome: a cross-sectional study
Get PDFBackground
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a common and disabling disorder, and a major threat against adolescent health. The pathophysiology is unknown, but alteration of neuroendocrine control systems might be a central element, resulting in attenuation of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenalin (HPA) axis and enhancement of the sympathetic/adrenal medulla (SAM) system. This study explored differences in neuroendocrine control mechanisms between adolescent CFS patients and healthy controls, and whether characteristics of the control mechanisms are associated with important clinical variables within the CFS group.
Methods
CFS patients 12–18 years of age were recruited nation-wide to a single referral center as part of the NorCAPITAL project. A broad case definition of CFS was applied. A comparable group of healthy controls were recruited from local schools. A total of nine hormones were assayed and subjected to network analyses using the ARACNE algorithm. Symptoms were charted by a questionnaire, and daily physical activity was recorded by an accelerometer.
Results
A total of 120 CFS patients and 68 healthy controls were included. CFS patients had significantly higher levels of plasma norepinephrine, plasma epinephrine and plasma FT4, and significantly lower levels of urine cortisol/creatinine ratio. Subgrouping according to other case definitions as well as adjusting for confounding factors did not alter the results. Multivariate linear regression models as well as network analyses revealed different interrelations between hormones of the HPA axis, the SAM system, and the thyroid system in CFS patients and healthy controls. Also, single hormone degree centrality was associated with clinical markers within the CFS group.
Conclusion
This study reveals different interrelation between hormones of the HPA axis, the SAM system, and the thyroid system in CFS patients and healthy controls, and an association between hormone control characteristics and important clinical variables in the CFS group. These results add to the growing insight of CFS disease mechanisms.publishedVersio
Risk assessment of "other substances" – L-lysine. Opinion of the Panel on Nutrition, Dietetic Products, Novel Food and Allergy of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety. VKM report 2016:62
Get PDFShort summary
At the request of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (VKM) has characterised the risk of specified doses of L-lysine in food supplements. VKM concludes that:
• In adults (≥18 years), the specified doses 1000, 2000, 2500, 2750 and 3000 mg/day L-lysine in food supplements are unlikely to cause adverse health effects.
• In adolescents (14 to <18 years), the specified doses 1000, 2000, 2500, 2750 and 3000 mg/day L-lysine in food supplements are unlikely to cause adverse health effects.
• In children (10 to <14 years), the specified doses 1000, 2000, 2500, 2750 and 3000 mg/day L-lysine in food supplements are unlikely to cause adverse health effects.publishedVersio