Publications (23) View all
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Article: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is common among patients' first degree relatives.
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ABSTRACT: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy has been shown to have a genetic predisposition. We studied whether Finnish women who had suffered from the disorder reported their first degree relatives to have had liver dysfunction during their pregnancies. Questionnaires were sent in autumn 2010 to a total of 544 former intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy patients and 1235 controls, all having delivered during 1969-1988. The response rate was 66.2%. The incidence of intrahepatic cholestasis is 0.5-1.5% of pregnancies in Finland. In our survey, altogether 12.8% of mothers (odds ratio 9.2), 15.9% of sisters (odds ratio 5.3) and 10.3% of daughters (odds ratio 4.8) of women who had suffered from intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy had had liver dysfunction during pregnancy. Our findings strengthen the earlier knowledge of the genetic component in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. We suggest that all pregnant women are inquired about their family history regarding liver dysfunction during pregnancy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.Acta Obstetricia Et Gynecologica Scandinavica 05/2013; · 1.77 Impact Factor -
Article: Unnecessary confusion about family planning after intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: As conceptions have changed regarding the suitability of oral contraceptives for women with a history of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), we studied whether the contraindications formerly in force had affected family planning decisions and mode of contraception among women with such a history. STUDY DESIGN: ICP women and their controls who gave birth in 1969-1988 in Tampere University Hospital, Finland, were sent a questionnaire in 2010. The inquiry covered items concerning contraception, deliveries, menstruation and sex life. RESULTS: ICP women had limited their number of children for health reasons more often than the controls. They also more often had a single child compared to the controls. The use of oral contraceptives was less common among ICP women. Deliveries were equally successful in both groups. CONCLUSION: Physicians should provide sufficient and accurate information on ICP to the patients. Proper introduction of suitable contraception methods and successful communication with the patients would also reduce unnecessary problems and confusion regarding future family planning practices.Contraception 07/2012; · 2.72 Impact Factor -
Article: Cancer in working-age is not associated with childhood adversities.
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ABSTRACT: Early life events are studied as potential causes of cancer. The objective here was to study childhood adversities in the etiology of cancer. The material comprised a population based random sample of 25 898 individuals among the Finnish working-aged population. In 1998 they were requested through six questions in a postal questionnaire to recall their childhood adversities. The cases consisted of people with cancer diagnosed 2000-2006 and registered in the Finnish Cancer Registry (n = 384). The rest of the sample consisted of cancer-free controls. The most common adversities were prolonged financial difficulties, serious conflicts in the family and someone in the family having been seriously or chronically ill. The cancer patients reported more prolonged financial difficulties and someone seriously or chronically ill in the family. They reported less parental divorce than the controls. The associations were not statistically significant after adjusting for age, sex, education, and health behaviour. Nor was there a significant difference in the total number of childhood adversities between the study group and the controls. On the whole, these cancer patients had not experienced more childhood adversities than the controls. According to our findings, there is no cause to attribute development of cancer in working age to childhood adversities. This information may also give relief to other family members.Acta oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden) 05/2010; 49(4):436-40. · 2.27 Impact Factor -
Article: Non-response in a nationwide follow-up postal survey in Finland: a register-based mortality analysis of respondents and non-respondents of the Health and Social Support (HeSSup) Study.
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ABSTRACT: To examine difference in mortality between postal survey non-respondents and respondents. A prospective cohort study with baseline survey in 1998 and comprehensive linkage to national mortality registers until 2005, the Health and Social Support study. A population-based postal survey of the working-aged population in Finland in 1998. The original random sample comprised 64 797 working-aged individuals in Finland (20-24, 30-34, 40-44, 50-54 years of age; 32 059 women and 32 716 men), yielding 25 898 (40.0%) responses in the baseline postal survey in 1998. Registry-based primary causes of death encoded with the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). In women, HR for total mortality was 1.75 (95% CI 1.40 to 2.19) times higher among the non-respondents compared with the respondents. In men, non-response was associated with a 1.41-fold (1.21-1.65) excess risk of total mortality. Non-response associated in certain age groups with deaths due to diseases in women and with deaths due to external causes in men. The most prominent excess mortality was seen for total mortality for both genders and for mortality due to external causes among men. Postal surveys result in slight underestimation of illness prevalence.BMJ open. 01/2012; 2(2):e000657. -
Article: Prescription patterns in preventive and abortive migraine medication.
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ABSTRACT: Migraine is considered a common but under-diagnosed and untreated condition. Treatment patterns have pointed at frequent over-the-counter medication use and low use of preventive therapies. Studies exploring migraine prescription practice among doctors are few. A population-based study was carried out to examine the prescription practice in the use of acute and preventive migraine medications. The data covered 4864 working-age people reporting they have been diagnosed with migraine. Data on reimbursed prescription medicines from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 2006 were drawn from the registers of the Social Insurance Institute of Finland and compared with age- and sex-matched controls. Anti-inflammatory analgesics were prescribed for 71% of female and 62% of male migraine patients vs. 56% and 50% of controls. Triptans were prescribed for 21% of female and 10% of male patients. Combinations of analgesics and muscle relaxants were offered to 37% of female and 29% of male patients vs. 26% and 21% of controls, and antidepressants to 19% of women and 14% of men vs. 13% and 9% of controls. Although use of preventive medication among migraineurs was high, the prescription patterns in acute treatments showed that NSAIDS were used more often than triptans. Assimilation of national guidelines to treat migraine published in 2002 in Finland was not reflected in the prescription patterns up to 2006.Cephalalgia 11/2011; 31(16):1659-63. · 3.43 Impact Factor
