Ragnar Rylander - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Ragnar Rylander
American journal of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, Jan 7, 2015
The interest in poor magnesium (Mg) status as risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is inc... more The interest in poor magnesium (Mg) status as risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasing due to its antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. A systematic PubMed literature search of studies investigating Mg status was undertaken comparing AD to healthy controls (HCs) or patients with medical illness (medical controls [MCs]). Standardized mean differences (SMDs) ± 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for all outcomes. Of 192 potentially eligible studies, 13 were included (559 patients with AD, 381 HCs, and 126 MCs). Compared to HCs, patients with AD had significantly lower Mg in cerebrospinal fluid (2 studies; SMD = -0.35; P = .02) and in hair (2 studies; SMD = -0.75; P = .0001). No differences between AD and controls were evident for serum Mg. In conclusion, AD seems to be associated with a lower Mg status when compared to HCs, while the scarcity of studies limited the findings about MCs.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 1981
The prevalence of byssinosis and of chronic bronchitis was studied in a questionnaire investigati... more The prevalence of byssinosis and of chronic bronchitis was studied in a questionnaire investigation among workers in bale opening areas, carding rooms, and spinning rooms in five Swedish cotton mills. Airborne dust and Gram-negative bacteria was measured. Nineteen per cent of the interviewed workers reported symptoms of light byssinosis (grade 1/2). The prevalence of symptoms was not related to the
American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal, 1983
Various factors that control the contamination of the cotton plant by Gram-negative Bacteria (GNB... more Various factors that control the contamination of the cotton plant by Gram-negative Bacteria (GNB) were studied. The following cotton plant parts were contaminated with decreasing numbers of GNB: senescent bracts, pericarps, green bracts, seed cotton and leaves. Freezing of green cotton capsules (fruit) caused a significant increase in numbers of GNB on both bracts and seed cotton. Raw cotton derived
Cancer causes & control : CCC, 2000
There are indications that a diet rich in vegetables and/or fruit has a protective effect against... more There are indications that a diet rich in vegetables and/or fruit has a protective effect against several types of diseases, including cancer. Data from experimental and epidemiological studies suggest that antioxidant constituents may provide protection against environmental carcinogens. This study investigated the effect of additional vegetables in the diet on the expression of the endogenous antioxidant enzyme GSTP1 in human lymphocytes. Six subjects were given an addition of mixed vegetables to their normal diet for a period of three weeks. The expression of GSTP1 protein and mRNA in lymphocytes was measured by Western blot and RT competitive PCR. After the intervention all six subjects had lower levels of GSTP1 mRNA, and five of the six subjects had lower GSTP1 protein levels. This suggests that increased vegetable intake decreases GSTP1 expression, possibly through the supply of additional antioxidants.
Environmental Health, 2011
Background: There is increasing evidence that exposure to moulds (fungi) may influence the develo... more Background: There is increasing evidence that exposure to moulds (fungi) may influence the development of sarcoidosis. To assess the influence of the environmental exposure, a study was undertaken to determine the exposure to fungi in homes of subjects with sarcoidosis. Methods: Subjects were patients with clinically established sarcoidosis recruited during the period September 2007 till June 2010. Of these 55 were newly diagnosed and currently under treatment for less than one year, 25 had been treated and had no recurrence and 27 had been treated but had recurrence of the disease. Controls were healthy subjects without any respiratory symptoms (n = 30). Samples of air (about 2.5 m 3 ) were taken in the bedroom of the subjects using a portable pump and cellulose ester filters. The filters were analysed for the content of the enzyme N-acetylhexosaminidase (NAHA) as a marker of fungal cell biomass, using a specific substrate and a fluorescent technique and expressed as NAHA units (U)/m 3 . Results: Compared to controls, subjects undergoing treatment of the disease (newly diagnosed or with recurrence) had significantly higher activities of NAHA in their homes than controls (33.6 and 39.9 vs 10.0 U/m 3 , p < 0.001 and <0.001). Among controls only 5 out of 30 subjects had levels of NAHA above the second quartile value (14 U/m 3 ). In homes of subjects with newly diagnosed disease with treatment less than one year, values above 14 NAHA U/m 3 were found among 35 out of 55 and among those with recurrent disease among 18 out of 27. Conclusions: The higher activities of NAHA enzyme found in homes of subjects with active and recurrent sarcoidosis suggest that exposure to fungi is related to the risk of sarcoidosis. Further environmental studies to assess the importance of this exposure for subjects with sarcoidosis are warranted. The results suggest that remedial actions in homes with high levels of fungi may be justified.
Pulmonary Medicine, 2014
Introduction. The aim of the study was to compare treatment of sarcoidosis with antifungal or cor... more Introduction. The aim of the study was to compare treatment of sarcoidosis with antifungal or corticosteroid medication. Methods. In patients with sarcoidosis antifungal medication ( = 29), corticosteroids ( = 21) or a combination ( = 27) was given. Nine patients allotted to antifungal medication were later given corticosteroids because of the lack of regression of the disease. Xray scores for the severity of granuloma infiltration were determined. Chitotriosidase and angiotensin converting enzyme were determined. The time in months till remission was observed as well as the number of recurrences.
Lung Cancer, 1996
In a prospective case-control lung cancer study in the west of Sweden, the relationship between l... more In a prospective case-control lung cancer study in the west of Sweden, the relationship between lung cancer, smoking and dietary factors was investigated. Suspected cases were collected from pulmonary units at two central hospitals in the area investigated and population controls of the same age and sex were selected from registers. The majority of cases and controls were interviewed by specially trained nurses, using a food frequency questionnaire. The lung cancer diagnosis (ICD 7, 162.1) was made using data from the local cancer register. In an analysis based on 308 cases and 504 controls, a dose-related increase in lung cancer risk for smokers was found, although no significant risk was found for males smoking 1-10 cigarettes/day for less than 20 years. A lower consumption of vegetables was related to a higher risk, both for smokers and nonsmokers. A higher consumption of milk was related to an increased risk.
Pulmonary Medicine, 2014
Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease with increased levels of inflammatory cytokines. Previous ... more Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease with increased levels of inflammatory cytokines. Previous studies have shown a relation between the degree of granuloma infiltration and serum cytokine levels, except for interleukin- (IL-) 10. The aim of the study was to further investigate the serum levels of IL-10 in patients with sarcoidosis and relate them to fungal exposure in terms of the amount of fungi in the air of their homes and β-glucan in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. Patients with sarcoidosis (n = 71) and healthy controls (n = 27) were enrolled. IL-10 was determined in serum. BAL was performed and the amount of β-glucan was measured. Domestic exposure to fungi was determined by measuring airborne β-N-acetylhexosaminidase (NAHA) in the bedrooms. At high levels of fungal exposure (domestic fungal exposure and β-glucan in BAL), serum IL-10 values were lower than at low and intermediate exposure levels. The low serum IL-10 values at high fungal exposure suggest that fungal cell wall agents play a role in granuloma formation in sarcoidosis by inhibiting the secretion of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10.
Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A, 2000
The effect of oral intake of endotoxin (ET) combined with inhalation of ET-contaminated feed-dust... more The effect of oral intake of endotoxin (ET) combined with inhalation of ET-contaminated feed-dust was studied in 6 prepubertal gilts. The animals were given 100 mg of ET each in their ordinary feed ration and meanwhile stayed for 4 h in a continuous flow exposure chamber where the endotoxin concentration was approximately 9 pg/m'. Blood samples were collected during the exposure and for 8 h afterwards. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed 24-26 h after the exposure. Six additional animals received ordinary feed and were exposed to feed-dust without added ET. Blood samples were analysed for total white blood cell count (B-WBC) and differential count: polymorphonuclear (PMN) and mononuclear (MN); total red blood cell count (B-RBC); platelets (B-PLT); total serum bile acids (S-BA); glutamate dehydrogenase (S-GLDH); and a blood plasma prostaglandin F,, metabolite ( 15-ketodihydro-PGF2,; P-PG). The major findings were decreased numbers of MN, PMN and B-RBC 3 to 6 h after the start of the ET exposure and increased numbers of neutrophilic granulocytes in the BAL fluid of the ET-exposed animals. It is concluded that a combined oral and airborne ET challenge induces hematological and cytological changes that may contribute to the development of respiratory disorders.
Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A, 2000
The effect of oral intake of endotoxins was studied in 12 prepubertal gilts. The animals were giv... more The effect of oral intake of endotoxins was studied in 12 prepubertal gilts. The animals were given 30 or 100 mg of ET each in their regular morning feed ration. Blood samples were collected periodically during 24 h and the clinical status, including rectal temperature, was recorded at the same time. Hematological and clinical chemical analyses that included serum bile acids, glutamate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, iron, zinc and a blood plasma metabolite of prostaglandin F2 alpha, were done. The animals showed no obvious clinical symptoms following endotoxin feeding. The major findings were increased bile acid and glutamate dehydrogenase values with the most prominent rises being recorded 10-12 h after endotoxin intake. In a later experiment, 6 animals were injected i.v. with endotoxin in doses in the range 0.1-0.5 micrograms/kg b.w. Blood samples were taken and analysed as in the endotoxin-feeding experiment. Within 1 h of injection, all animals showed symptoms such as vomiting, fever and dyspnea. The clinical signs disappeared within 2-5 h. The injections were followed by increases in bile acids, glutamate dehydrogenase and prostaglandin F2 alpha metabolite. To conclude, this study indicates that clinically healthy prepubertal gilts react to ingested endotoxin in feed but that no apparent clinical disturbances ensue.
Toxicology, 1979
Guinea pigs were acutely exposed to different airborne dusts and freshly generated cigarette smok... more Guinea pigs were acutely exposed to different airborne dusts and freshly generated cigarette smoke. The effect was evaluated by counting the number of free lung cells using a lavage method. An exposure to MnO2 and smoke on the same day caused an increase in the number of leukocytes 24 h thereafter. By increasing the time interval between the MnO2 and smoke exposure, the effect gradually disappeared. Al2O2 or SiO2 also caused an increase in the number of leukocytes, whereas TiO2 had no effect. The pathogenesis behind the reaction and the epidemiological implications are discussed.
Social Science & Medicine, 1997
From epidemiologic studies in several countries, passive smoking has been associated with increas... more From epidemiologic studies in several countries, passive smoking has been associated with increased risk for lung cancer, respiratory diseases, and coronary heart disease. Since the relative risks derived from those studies are weak, i.e. relative risk less than two, we investigated whether poorer diets and less healthy lifestyles might act as confounders and be correlated with having a smoking husband on a cross-cultural basis. Characteristics of never-smoked wives with or without smoking husbands were compared between 530 women from Hong Kong, 13,047 from Japan, 87 from Sweden, and 144 from the U.S. In all four sites, wives with smoking husbands generally ate less healthy diets. They had a tendency to eat more fried food but less fruit than wives with nonsmoking husbands. Other healthy traits, e.g. avoiding obesity, dietary cholesterol and alcohol, or taking vitamins and participating in preventive screening were also less prevalent among wives with smoking husbands. These patterns suggest that never-smoked wives with smoking husbands tend to share the same less healthy dietary traits characteristic of smokers, and to have dietary habits associated with increased risk for lung cancer and heart disease in their societies. These results emphasize the need to take into account the potential confounding effects of diet and lifestyle in studies evaluating the health effects of passive smoking, especially since it is known that the current prevalence rates of smoking among men is indirectly associated with social class and education in affluent urban societies. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd
Social Science & Medicine, 1988
Studies to evaluate the effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS, passive smoking) often use n... more Studies to evaluate the effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS, passive smoking) often use nonsmoking wives with smoking discordant husbands. To see whether there were differences in exposures and behavior patterns among never-smoked wives with never-smoked vs ever-smoked husbands, the life-history profiles of 136 ever-married women with mean age of 59 were analyzed on 97 quantifiable variables. Overall, the results demonstrated that wives with never-smoked husbands had 'healthier' lifestyles than wives with smoking husbands. The former were better off in terms of socio-economic status, more conscientious housewives, ate better diets, and had better indices of family cohesiveness. They also fared better in variables that reflected health status with lower frequencies of the following: miscarriages/abortions, inhaling through the mouth, chronic cough, and chest X-rays. The differences were usually largest when comparing wives of never-smoked vs heavily smoking (greater than 20 cigarettes/day) husbands. The results indicate some correlates of passive smoking that can act as important confounders when evaluating health risks among families with smoking husbands.
Scandinavian Journal of Clinical & Laboratory Investigation, 2009
Patients with sarcoidosis have elevated levels of several markers of inflammation. Particularly h... more Patients with sarcoidosis have elevated levels of several markers of inflammation. Particularly high levels have been reported for chitotriosidase. In this study, we evaluate whether determining chitotriosidase in serum would be useful in the diagnosis and clinical management of patients with sarcoidosis. Patients with newly diagnosed sarcoidosis and patients with asthma, fibrosis, asbestosis, lung cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n=190) were recruited from an outpatient department. Individuals with no disease (n=26) served as controls. An X-ray was taken, diffusion capacity was measured and blood samples were taken for analysis of chitotriosidase, soluble receptor for interleukin-2, tumour necrosis factor alpha and angiotensin converting enzyme. In most patients with sarcoidosis, the analyses were done before and after regular treatment with corticosteroids over 6 months. Some patients with sarcoidosis had markedly high activities of chitotriosidase, but activities above controls were also found among patients with asbestos, fibrosis and lung cancer. There were significant relationships between chitotriosidase and interleukin-2 receptor and angiotensin-converting enzyme. After treatment, chitotriosidase activity decreased in 52 of 69 patients. The results confirm that chitotriosidase activity is markedly increased in some cases of sarcoidosis. As increased activities are also found in other diseases, chitotriosidase cannot be considered a specific marker of sarcoidosis. In cases of sarcoidosis where high CTO activities are found, this enzyme could serve as a useful marker supporting the diagnosis of sarcoidosis when following the effects of treatment and in surveillance for recurrence of the disease.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 1995
To follow up a group of newly employed workers in a cotton mill, and to report changes in symptom... more To follow up a group of newly employed workers in a cotton mill, and to report changes in symptoms over time. A group of 110 mill workers at a cotton mill in Shijiazhuang, China, was investigated by questionnaire, skin testing, and spirometric measurements of airway responsiveness through forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). The workers were examined before starting work, at 10 weeks, and at one year. Decreases in FEV1 over shifts were small at 10 weeks and one year, and slightly higher among people with skin reactions to cotton dust extracts. Airway responsiveness, defined as the average decrease in FEV1 after 1.25 mg methacholine was increased at 10 weeks. It remained about the same after one year, except in the workers positive for the skin test, in whom it was further increased. Subjective symptoms of chest tightness and cough with phlegm increased progressively at 10 weeks and one year; nasal irritation remained unchanged and dry cough decreased between 10 weeks and one year. The results suggest that the airway inflammation caused by cotton dust increases with increasing exposure time and that the changes are more notable in workers with reactivity to cotton dust extract.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 1987
All the 303 full time day workers in a carpet weaving factory were submitted to a physical examin... more All the 303 full time day workers in a carpet weaving factory were submitted to a physical examination, chest radiography, and vitalograph test, and answered a respiratory questionnaire. Fifty four healthy non-exposed subjects served as controls. Dust concentrations and concentrations of bacterial endotoxin were measured. Of the 303 workers, 259 (85.5%) had airway symptoms and 62 (20.5%) had maximum mid-expiratory flow (MMF) values of less than 60% compared with 9.2% of the controls. The symptoms in 68 workers (22%) were compatible with byssinosis and 36 of these workers underwent vitalography before starting work and after four hours work on Mondays when significant reductions of their FEV1 and MMF were found. Twenty one of these 36 workers were tested on Tuesday and no differences in these measurements were found between measurements before work started and four hours later. The airborne dust concentrations in the factory were high and bacterial endotoxin was found. These findings suggest that a large number of workers in this carpet weaving factory suffer from a disease indistinguishable from byssinosis even though wool is used almost exclusively, the only cotton being the warp. The finding of endotoxin together with the absence of cotton confirms the theory that "byssinosis" is due to bacterial endotoxin rather than to cotton per se.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 1989
The relation between the health of workers and the environment in swine confinement buildings was... more The relation between the health of workers and the environment in swine confinement buildings was investigated in a study of 57 workers on 30 swine farms in southern Sweden and 55 matched controls. Swine workers reported significantly higher frequencies of respiratory symptoms, more frequent colds and absence due to chest illness, and a history of pneumonia. The increased frequency of symptoms of respiratory disease was related to the number of years and percent of the day spent working with swine. Symptoms were also associated with respirable dust, total dust, endotoxin in total dust, and number of microbes in the air of the work environment. In a multiple regression analysis of the relation between 16 different environmental parameters to work period shifts of five pulmonary function parameters, endotoxin was found to be significantly related to the FEV1 in a dose dependent way.
Nutrition and Cancer, 2002
A case-control study was undertaken to study lung cancer in relation to dietary habits, occupatio... more A case-control study was undertaken to study lung cancer in relation to dietary habits, occupational exposure, and living in urban or country areas. Suspect lung cancer cases in West Sweden and population controls were interviewed using a food frequency questionnaire. The study comprised 177 female and 359 male cases and 916 controls. The cases mainly comprised former and current smokers (82% female, 95% male). For the analysis, cases were divided into the histological diagnoses adenocarcinoma and squamous cell, small cell, and adenosquamous cell carcinomas, as well as into smoking categories. A high frequency of consumption of vegetables was significantly related to a lower risk for adenocarcinoma and squamous cell and adenosquamous cell carcinoma among men and adenocarcinoma among women. A low odds ratio in the highest quartile of vegetable consumption in men was seen in all smoking categories. There were no significant protective effects from fruit in the different lung cancer subgroups, although a significant trend was found for heavy-smoking females. A high consumption of milk was related to an increased risk for lung cancer, especially adenosquamous cell carcinoma. The results suggest that the protective effect or risk due to dietary factors may affect different forms of lung cancer. The results from this as well as previous studies suggest a complex interaction between diet and lung cancer risk, involving the types of lung cancer as well as consumption patterns in the population.
Medical Hypotheses, 2008
Increasing evidence suggests that the risk for sarcoidosis is related to exposure to microbes, pa... more Increasing evidence suggests that the risk for sarcoidosis is related to exposure to microbes, particularly molds. Microbial cell wall agents, even in the absence of clinical infection, could cause a late hypersensitivity reaction leading to the formation of granulomas. A few interventions studies using antimicrobial treatment demonstrate improvement in sarcoidosis. It is suggested that diagnostic tools for the presence of microbes are used in patients with sarcoidosis and that antimicrobial treatment is considered in cases resistant to corticosteroids.
American journal of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, Jan 7, 2015
The interest in poor magnesium (Mg) status as risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is inc... more The interest in poor magnesium (Mg) status as risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasing due to its antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. A systematic PubMed literature search of studies investigating Mg status was undertaken comparing AD to healthy controls (HCs) or patients with medical illness (medical controls [MCs]). Standardized mean differences (SMDs) ± 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for all outcomes. Of 192 potentially eligible studies, 13 were included (559 patients with AD, 381 HCs, and 126 MCs). Compared to HCs, patients with AD had significantly lower Mg in cerebrospinal fluid (2 studies; SMD = -0.35; P = .02) and in hair (2 studies; SMD = -0.75; P = .0001). No differences between AD and controls were evident for serum Mg. In conclusion, AD seems to be associated with a lower Mg status when compared to HCs, while the scarcity of studies limited the findings about MCs.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 1981
The prevalence of byssinosis and of chronic bronchitis was studied in a questionnaire investigati... more The prevalence of byssinosis and of chronic bronchitis was studied in a questionnaire investigation among workers in bale opening areas, carding rooms, and spinning rooms in five Swedish cotton mills. Airborne dust and Gram-negative bacteria was measured. Nineteen per cent of the interviewed workers reported symptoms of light byssinosis (grade 1/2). The prevalence of symptoms was not related to the
American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal, 1983
Various factors that control the contamination of the cotton plant by Gram-negative Bacteria (GNB... more Various factors that control the contamination of the cotton plant by Gram-negative Bacteria (GNB) were studied. The following cotton plant parts were contaminated with decreasing numbers of GNB: senescent bracts, pericarps, green bracts, seed cotton and leaves. Freezing of green cotton capsules (fruit) caused a significant increase in numbers of GNB on both bracts and seed cotton. Raw cotton derived
Cancer causes & control : CCC, 2000
There are indications that a diet rich in vegetables and/or fruit has a protective effect against... more There are indications that a diet rich in vegetables and/or fruit has a protective effect against several types of diseases, including cancer. Data from experimental and epidemiological studies suggest that antioxidant constituents may provide protection against environmental carcinogens. This study investigated the effect of additional vegetables in the diet on the expression of the endogenous antioxidant enzyme GSTP1 in human lymphocytes. Six subjects were given an addition of mixed vegetables to their normal diet for a period of three weeks. The expression of GSTP1 protein and mRNA in lymphocytes was measured by Western blot and RT competitive PCR. After the intervention all six subjects had lower levels of GSTP1 mRNA, and five of the six subjects had lower GSTP1 protein levels. This suggests that increased vegetable intake decreases GSTP1 expression, possibly through the supply of additional antioxidants.
Environmental Health, 2011
Background: There is increasing evidence that exposure to moulds (fungi) may influence the develo... more Background: There is increasing evidence that exposure to moulds (fungi) may influence the development of sarcoidosis. To assess the influence of the environmental exposure, a study was undertaken to determine the exposure to fungi in homes of subjects with sarcoidosis. Methods: Subjects were patients with clinically established sarcoidosis recruited during the period September 2007 till June 2010. Of these 55 were newly diagnosed and currently under treatment for less than one year, 25 had been treated and had no recurrence and 27 had been treated but had recurrence of the disease. Controls were healthy subjects without any respiratory symptoms (n = 30). Samples of air (about 2.5 m 3 ) were taken in the bedroom of the subjects using a portable pump and cellulose ester filters. The filters were analysed for the content of the enzyme N-acetylhexosaminidase (NAHA) as a marker of fungal cell biomass, using a specific substrate and a fluorescent technique and expressed as NAHA units (U)/m 3 . Results: Compared to controls, subjects undergoing treatment of the disease (newly diagnosed or with recurrence) had significantly higher activities of NAHA in their homes than controls (33.6 and 39.9 vs 10.0 U/m 3 , p < 0.001 and <0.001). Among controls only 5 out of 30 subjects had levels of NAHA above the second quartile value (14 U/m 3 ). In homes of subjects with newly diagnosed disease with treatment less than one year, values above 14 NAHA U/m 3 were found among 35 out of 55 and among those with recurrent disease among 18 out of 27. Conclusions: The higher activities of NAHA enzyme found in homes of subjects with active and recurrent sarcoidosis suggest that exposure to fungi is related to the risk of sarcoidosis. Further environmental studies to assess the importance of this exposure for subjects with sarcoidosis are warranted. The results suggest that remedial actions in homes with high levels of fungi may be justified.
Pulmonary Medicine, 2014
Introduction. The aim of the study was to compare treatment of sarcoidosis with antifungal or cor... more Introduction. The aim of the study was to compare treatment of sarcoidosis with antifungal or corticosteroid medication. Methods. In patients with sarcoidosis antifungal medication ( = 29), corticosteroids ( = 21) or a combination ( = 27) was given. Nine patients allotted to antifungal medication were later given corticosteroids because of the lack of regression of the disease. Xray scores for the severity of granuloma infiltration were determined. Chitotriosidase and angiotensin converting enzyme were determined. The time in months till remission was observed as well as the number of recurrences.
Lung Cancer, 1996
In a prospective case-control lung cancer study in the west of Sweden, the relationship between l... more In a prospective case-control lung cancer study in the west of Sweden, the relationship between lung cancer, smoking and dietary factors was investigated. Suspected cases were collected from pulmonary units at two central hospitals in the area investigated and population controls of the same age and sex were selected from registers. The majority of cases and controls were interviewed by specially trained nurses, using a food frequency questionnaire. The lung cancer diagnosis (ICD 7, 162.1) was made using data from the local cancer register. In an analysis based on 308 cases and 504 controls, a dose-related increase in lung cancer risk for smokers was found, although no significant risk was found for males smoking 1-10 cigarettes/day for less than 20 years. A lower consumption of vegetables was related to a higher risk, both for smokers and nonsmokers. A higher consumption of milk was related to an increased risk.
Pulmonary Medicine, 2014
Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease with increased levels of inflammatory cytokines. Previous ... more Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease with increased levels of inflammatory cytokines. Previous studies have shown a relation between the degree of granuloma infiltration and serum cytokine levels, except for interleukin- (IL-) 10. The aim of the study was to further investigate the serum levels of IL-10 in patients with sarcoidosis and relate them to fungal exposure in terms of the amount of fungi in the air of their homes and β-glucan in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. Patients with sarcoidosis (n = 71) and healthy controls (n = 27) were enrolled. IL-10 was determined in serum. BAL was performed and the amount of β-glucan was measured. Domestic exposure to fungi was determined by measuring airborne β-N-acetylhexosaminidase (NAHA) in the bedrooms. At high levels of fungal exposure (domestic fungal exposure and β-glucan in BAL), serum IL-10 values were lower than at low and intermediate exposure levels. The low serum IL-10 values at high fungal exposure suggest that fungal cell wall agents play a role in granuloma formation in sarcoidosis by inhibiting the secretion of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10.
Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A, 2000
The effect of oral intake of endotoxin (ET) combined with inhalation of ET-contaminated feed-dust... more The effect of oral intake of endotoxin (ET) combined with inhalation of ET-contaminated feed-dust was studied in 6 prepubertal gilts. The animals were given 100 mg of ET each in their ordinary feed ration and meanwhile stayed for 4 h in a continuous flow exposure chamber where the endotoxin concentration was approximately 9 pg/m'. Blood samples were collected during the exposure and for 8 h afterwards. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed 24-26 h after the exposure. Six additional animals received ordinary feed and were exposed to feed-dust without added ET. Blood samples were analysed for total white blood cell count (B-WBC) and differential count: polymorphonuclear (PMN) and mononuclear (MN); total red blood cell count (B-RBC); platelets (B-PLT); total serum bile acids (S-BA); glutamate dehydrogenase (S-GLDH); and a blood plasma prostaglandin F,, metabolite ( 15-ketodihydro-PGF2,; P-PG). The major findings were decreased numbers of MN, PMN and B-RBC 3 to 6 h after the start of the ET exposure and increased numbers of neutrophilic granulocytes in the BAL fluid of the ET-exposed animals. It is concluded that a combined oral and airborne ET challenge induces hematological and cytological changes that may contribute to the development of respiratory disorders.
Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A, 2000
The effect of oral intake of endotoxins was studied in 12 prepubertal gilts. The animals were giv... more The effect of oral intake of endotoxins was studied in 12 prepubertal gilts. The animals were given 30 or 100 mg of ET each in their regular morning feed ration. Blood samples were collected periodically during 24 h and the clinical status, including rectal temperature, was recorded at the same time. Hematological and clinical chemical analyses that included serum bile acids, glutamate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, iron, zinc and a blood plasma metabolite of prostaglandin F2 alpha, were done. The animals showed no obvious clinical symptoms following endotoxin feeding. The major findings were increased bile acid and glutamate dehydrogenase values with the most prominent rises being recorded 10-12 h after endotoxin intake. In a later experiment, 6 animals were injected i.v. with endotoxin in doses in the range 0.1-0.5 micrograms/kg b.w. Blood samples were taken and analysed as in the endotoxin-feeding experiment. Within 1 h of injection, all animals showed symptoms such as vomiting, fever and dyspnea. The clinical signs disappeared within 2-5 h. The injections were followed by increases in bile acids, glutamate dehydrogenase and prostaglandin F2 alpha metabolite. To conclude, this study indicates that clinically healthy prepubertal gilts react to ingested endotoxin in feed but that no apparent clinical disturbances ensue.
Toxicology, 1979
Guinea pigs were acutely exposed to different airborne dusts and freshly generated cigarette smok... more Guinea pigs were acutely exposed to different airborne dusts and freshly generated cigarette smoke. The effect was evaluated by counting the number of free lung cells using a lavage method. An exposure to MnO2 and smoke on the same day caused an increase in the number of leukocytes 24 h thereafter. By increasing the time interval between the MnO2 and smoke exposure, the effect gradually disappeared. Al2O2 or SiO2 also caused an increase in the number of leukocytes, whereas TiO2 had no effect. The pathogenesis behind the reaction and the epidemiological implications are discussed.
Social Science & Medicine, 1997
From epidemiologic studies in several countries, passive smoking has been associated with increas... more From epidemiologic studies in several countries, passive smoking has been associated with increased risk for lung cancer, respiratory diseases, and coronary heart disease. Since the relative risks derived from those studies are weak, i.e. relative risk less than two, we investigated whether poorer diets and less healthy lifestyles might act as confounders and be correlated with having a smoking husband on a cross-cultural basis. Characteristics of never-smoked wives with or without smoking husbands were compared between 530 women from Hong Kong, 13,047 from Japan, 87 from Sweden, and 144 from the U.S. In all four sites, wives with smoking husbands generally ate less healthy diets. They had a tendency to eat more fried food but less fruit than wives with nonsmoking husbands. Other healthy traits, e.g. avoiding obesity, dietary cholesterol and alcohol, or taking vitamins and participating in preventive screening were also less prevalent among wives with smoking husbands. These patterns suggest that never-smoked wives with smoking husbands tend to share the same less healthy dietary traits characteristic of smokers, and to have dietary habits associated with increased risk for lung cancer and heart disease in their societies. These results emphasize the need to take into account the potential confounding effects of diet and lifestyle in studies evaluating the health effects of passive smoking, especially since it is known that the current prevalence rates of smoking among men is indirectly associated with social class and education in affluent urban societies. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd
Social Science & Medicine, 1988
Studies to evaluate the effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS, passive smoking) often use n... more Studies to evaluate the effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS, passive smoking) often use nonsmoking wives with smoking discordant husbands. To see whether there were differences in exposures and behavior patterns among never-smoked wives with never-smoked vs ever-smoked husbands, the life-history profiles of 136 ever-married women with mean age of 59 were analyzed on 97 quantifiable variables. Overall, the results demonstrated that wives with never-smoked husbands had 'healthier' lifestyles than wives with smoking husbands. The former were better off in terms of socio-economic status, more conscientious housewives, ate better diets, and had better indices of family cohesiveness. They also fared better in variables that reflected health status with lower frequencies of the following: miscarriages/abortions, inhaling through the mouth, chronic cough, and chest X-rays. The differences were usually largest when comparing wives of never-smoked vs heavily smoking (greater than 20 cigarettes/day) husbands. The results indicate some correlates of passive smoking that can act as important confounders when evaluating health risks among families with smoking husbands.
Scandinavian Journal of Clinical & Laboratory Investigation, 2009
Patients with sarcoidosis have elevated levels of several markers of inflammation. Particularly h... more Patients with sarcoidosis have elevated levels of several markers of inflammation. Particularly high levels have been reported for chitotriosidase. In this study, we evaluate whether determining chitotriosidase in serum would be useful in the diagnosis and clinical management of patients with sarcoidosis. Patients with newly diagnosed sarcoidosis and patients with asthma, fibrosis, asbestosis, lung cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n=190) were recruited from an outpatient department. Individuals with no disease (n=26) served as controls. An X-ray was taken, diffusion capacity was measured and blood samples were taken for analysis of chitotriosidase, soluble receptor for interleukin-2, tumour necrosis factor alpha and angiotensin converting enzyme. In most patients with sarcoidosis, the analyses were done before and after regular treatment with corticosteroids over 6 months. Some patients with sarcoidosis had markedly high activities of chitotriosidase, but activities above controls were also found among patients with asbestos, fibrosis and lung cancer. There were significant relationships between chitotriosidase and interleukin-2 receptor and angiotensin-converting enzyme. After treatment, chitotriosidase activity decreased in 52 of 69 patients. The results confirm that chitotriosidase activity is markedly increased in some cases of sarcoidosis. As increased activities are also found in other diseases, chitotriosidase cannot be considered a specific marker of sarcoidosis. In cases of sarcoidosis where high CTO activities are found, this enzyme could serve as a useful marker supporting the diagnosis of sarcoidosis when following the effects of treatment and in surveillance for recurrence of the disease.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 1995
To follow up a group of newly employed workers in a cotton mill, and to report changes in symptom... more To follow up a group of newly employed workers in a cotton mill, and to report changes in symptoms over time. A group of 110 mill workers at a cotton mill in Shijiazhuang, China, was investigated by questionnaire, skin testing, and spirometric measurements of airway responsiveness through forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). The workers were examined before starting work, at 10 weeks, and at one year. Decreases in FEV1 over shifts were small at 10 weeks and one year, and slightly higher among people with skin reactions to cotton dust extracts. Airway responsiveness, defined as the average decrease in FEV1 after 1.25 mg methacholine was increased at 10 weeks. It remained about the same after one year, except in the workers positive for the skin test, in whom it was further increased. Subjective symptoms of chest tightness and cough with phlegm increased progressively at 10 weeks and one year; nasal irritation remained unchanged and dry cough decreased between 10 weeks and one year. The results suggest that the airway inflammation caused by cotton dust increases with increasing exposure time and that the changes are more notable in workers with reactivity to cotton dust extract.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 1987
All the 303 full time day workers in a carpet weaving factory were submitted to a physical examin... more All the 303 full time day workers in a carpet weaving factory were submitted to a physical examination, chest radiography, and vitalograph test, and answered a respiratory questionnaire. Fifty four healthy non-exposed subjects served as controls. Dust concentrations and concentrations of bacterial endotoxin were measured. Of the 303 workers, 259 (85.5%) had airway symptoms and 62 (20.5%) had maximum mid-expiratory flow (MMF) values of less than 60% compared with 9.2% of the controls. The symptoms in 68 workers (22%) were compatible with byssinosis and 36 of these workers underwent vitalography before starting work and after four hours work on Mondays when significant reductions of their FEV1 and MMF were found. Twenty one of these 36 workers were tested on Tuesday and no differences in these measurements were found between measurements before work started and four hours later. The airborne dust concentrations in the factory were high and bacterial endotoxin was found. These findings suggest that a large number of workers in this carpet weaving factory suffer from a disease indistinguishable from byssinosis even though wool is used almost exclusively, the only cotton being the warp. The finding of endotoxin together with the absence of cotton confirms the theory that "byssinosis" is due to bacterial endotoxin rather than to cotton per se.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 1989
The relation between the health of workers and the environment in swine confinement buildings was... more The relation between the health of workers and the environment in swine confinement buildings was investigated in a study of 57 workers on 30 swine farms in southern Sweden and 55 matched controls. Swine workers reported significantly higher frequencies of respiratory symptoms, more frequent colds and absence due to chest illness, and a history of pneumonia. The increased frequency of symptoms of respiratory disease was related to the number of years and percent of the day spent working with swine. Symptoms were also associated with respirable dust, total dust, endotoxin in total dust, and number of microbes in the air of the work environment. In a multiple regression analysis of the relation between 16 different environmental parameters to work period shifts of five pulmonary function parameters, endotoxin was found to be significantly related to the FEV1 in a dose dependent way.
Nutrition and Cancer, 2002
A case-control study was undertaken to study lung cancer in relation to dietary habits, occupatio... more A case-control study was undertaken to study lung cancer in relation to dietary habits, occupational exposure, and living in urban or country areas. Suspect lung cancer cases in West Sweden and population controls were interviewed using a food frequency questionnaire. The study comprised 177 female and 359 male cases and 916 controls. The cases mainly comprised former and current smokers (82% female, 95% male). For the analysis, cases were divided into the histological diagnoses adenocarcinoma and squamous cell, small cell, and adenosquamous cell carcinomas, as well as into smoking categories. A high frequency of consumption of vegetables was significantly related to a lower risk for adenocarcinoma and squamous cell and adenosquamous cell carcinoma among men and adenocarcinoma among women. A low odds ratio in the highest quartile of vegetable consumption in men was seen in all smoking categories. There were no significant protective effects from fruit in the different lung cancer subgroups, although a significant trend was found for heavy-smoking females. A high consumption of milk was related to an increased risk for lung cancer, especially adenosquamous cell carcinoma. The results suggest that the protective effect or risk due to dietary factors may affect different forms of lung cancer. The results from this as well as previous studies suggest a complex interaction between diet and lung cancer risk, involving the types of lung cancer as well as consumption patterns in the population.
Medical Hypotheses, 2008
Increasing evidence suggests that the risk for sarcoidosis is related to exposure to microbes, pa... more Increasing evidence suggests that the risk for sarcoidosis is related to exposure to microbes, particularly molds. Microbial cell wall agents, even in the absence of clinical infection, could cause a late hypersensitivity reaction leading to the formation of granulomas. A few interventions studies using antimicrobial treatment demonstrate improvement in sarcoidosis. It is suggested that diagnostic tools for the presence of microbes are used in patients with sarcoidosis and that antimicrobial treatment is considered in cases resistant to corticosteroids.