Eva Johansson

• Linnaeus University

Venepuncture and the insertion of peripheral venous catheters are common tasks in health care, and training in these procedures is included in nursing programmes. Evidence of nursing students' knowledge and skills in these procedures is limited. The main aim of this study was to assess nursing students' knowledge and skills when performing venepunc...

Background: Children undergoing cancer therapy are at risk for infectious complications that require hospitalization and antimicrobial therapy. Host factors such as age and underlying disease may predict the risk of severe infections in these children. To describe the increased morbidity due to infections in children with cancer, we characterized...

Background: Nursing competence is of significant importance for patient care. Newly graduated nursing students rate their competence as high. However, the impact of different designs of nursing curricula on nursing students' self-reported nursing competence areas is seldom reported. Objectives: To compare newly graduated nursing students' self-r...

The World Health Organization and the International Council of Nurses recognises the importance of nurses' involvement in disaster preparedness and response. The aim of this study was to describe and compare self-reported disaster nursing competence (DNC) among nursing students (NSs) and among registered nurses (RNs) with professional experience. F...

Background: International organisations, e.g. WHO, stress the importance of competent registered nurses (RN) for the safety and quality of healthcare systems. Low competence among RNs has been shown to increase the morbidity and mortality of inpatients. Objectives: To investigate self-reported competence among nursing students on the point of gr...

The aim was to investigate how childhood cancer survivors perceive school and whether their perceptions differ from corresponding descriptions of peers. Survivors (n = 48) currently attending educational institutions (median 5 years post diagnosis; now aged 12-21 years) from a national cohort of school-age children were compared with matched peers...

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) constitute a heterogeneous group of clonal bone marrow disorders characterized by chronic refractory anemia. Many patients with MDS are dependent on regular blood transfusions. The study aimed to investigate symptoms of anemia and fatigue in patients with MDS immediately before and after blood transfusion and to capt...

Purpose: Earlier studies have shown that home care during the neutropenic phase after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is medically safe, with positive outcomes. However, there have been few results on long-term outcomes after home care. The aims of this study were to compare general health, symptom occurrence, and se...

The aim was to compare self-rated independence in childhood cancer survivors 5 years after diagnosis with corresponding ratings during initial cancer treatment and those in a comparison group. A further aim was to determine whether and how certain clinical and demographic variables affected self-rated independence. Self-rated independence, a dimens...

Being in work or the equivalent is an important goal after allo-SCT and is used as an indicator of recovery. The aim was to elucidate occupational status and factors associated with work among SCT survivors. Adults in working age with a haematological disease (n=177) were followed up within a median of 8 (range 28) years post allo-SCT. Predictors o...

Background: There is a need to establish clinically relevant thresholds (anchors) for identification of differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and thereby provide stronger evidence regarding the HRQoL of childhood cancer survivors. Aim: To investigate HRQoL in childhood cancer survivors with a standardised instrument and to establ...

Purpose Nursing students should be given opportunities to participate in clinical audits during their education. However, audit tools are seldom tested for reliability among nursing students. The aim of this study was to present reliability among nursing students using the instrument PVC assess to assess management of peripheral venous catheters (P...

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between school attendance and infection requiring antimicrobial treatment in children undergoing treatment for cancer. Procedure: A national cohort of children aged 7-16 years undergoing cancer treatment was assessed during two observation periods of 19 days each, 1 month (n = 8...

To develop and validate a new tool intended for measuring self-reported professional competence among both nurse students prior to graduation and among practicing nurses. The new tool is based on formal competence requirements from the Swedish Board of Health and Welfare, which in turn are based on WHO guidelines. A methodological study including c...

Purpose Performing venepuncture is one of the most routinely performed invasive procedures in nursing care. The aim of this study was to develop instruments for the assessment of nursing students' knowledge and skills when performing venepuncture and inserting a peripheral venous catheter. Methods Two instruments were developed using the following...

Background: The use of central venous lines carries a significant risk for serious complications and high economic costs. Lately, the peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICC) has gained in popularity due to presumed advantages over other central venous lines. The aim of this systematic literature review was to identify scientific evide...

To assess pain and anxiety during bone marrow aspiration/biopsy (BMA) among patients versus health-care professionals (HCPs). 235 adult hematologic patients undergoing BMA were included. BMA was performed by 16 physicians aided by nine registered nurses (RNs). Questionnaires were used to obtain patients and HCPs ratings of patients' pain and anxiet...

Patient participation in goal setting and decision making is a core component of the rehabilitation process, but there is little information on what patients want to achieve after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT). The aim of this study was to describe adult patients' perceptions of goals related to health and function, as well as sel...

The aim was to evaluate data quality and psychometric properties of an instrument for measurement of health-related quality of life: DISABKIDS Chronic Generic Module (DCGM-37) used in school-aged children with cancer. All school-children diagnosed with cancer in Sweden during a two-and-a-half year period were invited to participate in the study. An...

To evaluate the extensive use of peripheral venous catheters (PVCs), including catheter-related complications, a reliable tool for PVC assessment is needed. The aim of this study was to develop such a tool to evaluate PVCs in relation to management, documentation and signs and symptoms of thrombophlebitis (TH), as well as to determine its inter-rat...

The aim was to explore the extent of postinsertion documentation of peripheral venous catheters (PVCs) in patients' medical records, including the descriptions used to explain the PVC insertion site and determinants of PVC documentation. Documentation in medical records is an important precondition for the safe handling of patients PVC. However, fa...

Cancer patients undergo numerous invasive diagnostic procedures. However, there are only sparse data on the characteristics and determinants for procedure-related pain among adult cancer patients. In this prospective study, we evaluated the characteristics and determinants of procedure-related pain in 235 consecutive hematologic patients (M/F:126/1...

The aims of this study are to follow health-related quality of life (HRQOL), school attendance, and social interaction with friends in children with cancer and to explore potential relationships between HRQOL and school attendance. The study also describes self-reported reasons for not attending school and not meeting friends. During a 2-year perio...

The selection process of type of central venous access device (CVAD) in patients with acute leukaemia (AL) is generally based on appropriate catheter capacity/function and risk of complications in relation to the planned length of therapy. Advantages and disadvantages of the CVAD from the patient's perspective should also be important parts in the...

Leukemia is one of the leading journals in hematology and oncology. It is published monthly and covers all aspects of the research and treatment of leukemia and allied diseases. Studies of normal hemopoiesis are covered because of their comparative relevance.

Without Abstract

The objectives of this study were to evaluate registered nurses' (RN) compliance with a local clinical central venous access device (CVAD) protocol after completing an educational program and to determine RNs' perception of the program. Seventy-five RNs working in hematology participated in the educational part of the program. Sixty-eight RNs were...

Splenectomy may lead to a good response in 60-80% of adult patients with corticosteroid refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) but, the long-term response to splenectomy still remains less well defined. We assessed the long-term efficacy and safety of splenectomy in adult patients with chronic ITP. A cohort of 59 splenectomised ITP pa...

It is now evident that patients experiencing febrile neutropenia induced by chemotherapy do not constitute a homogeneous group. With increasing accuracy it is now possible to identify low-risk patients for whom less intensive and more convenient treatment may be appropriate. In a cohort of such patients with hematologic malignancies, we prospective...

Background. Splenectomy is the recommended treatment in adult patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) who fail to respond to corticosteroid treatment or who require unacceptably high doses to maintain a safe platelet level. For these patients splenectomy may produce a good response in 60–80% of patients. However, the observation time af...

Predatory mites are used as biological pesticides worldwide for control of spider mites and other pests in greenhouses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of occupational exposure to Phytoseiulus persimilis and Hypoaspis miles on IgE sensitization among a large group of Swedish greenhouse workers and to examine the relationship betwee...

The aim was to explore ambulatory self-administration of Pamidronate (Self-A-Pam) from a patient perspective in patients with multiple myeloma. Pamidronate is normally administered once a month as an intravenous infusion over 2 to 4 hours. Twenty-one patients were included, of whom 13 (6 women, 7 men) with a median age of 56 years (range 37-70) com...

A group of 43 adult patients with acute leukaemia (AL) were randomized to receive a double-lumen totally implantable subcutaneous port system (PORT, n=19) or a double-lumen central venous catheter (CVC, n=24) before induction chemotherapy. Six patients were excluded due to protocol violation ( n=4, CVC) and technical difficulties ( n=2, PORT). A st...

Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) is in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification considered to be a clinical syndrome rather than a specific pathologic diagnosis. The clinical manifestations associated with WM relate to direct tumor infiltration, hyperviscosity, and deposition of IgM in various tissues. The indications for and choice o...

Predatory mites are used as biological pesticides worldwide for control of spider mites and other pests in greenhouses. The aim of this study was to investigate if predatory and spider mites give rise to sensitization among greenhouse workers who use biological pesticides. Blood samples were collected from 31 greenhouse workers from Stockholm area...

We have previously cloned, expressed and characterized two variants of the major allergen Lep d 2 from cultured Lepidoglyphus destructor mites. These variants, Lep d 2.0101 and Lep d 2.0201, differ at 13 amino acid positions. In this study we investigated Lep d 2 sequence diversity between wild and cultured mites. PCR, Southern blot and DNA sequenc...

Genetic engineering of the major birch pollen allergen (Bet v 1) has led to the generation of recombinant Bet v 1 derivatives with markedly reduced IgE-binding capacity, but with retained T cell activating ability. To compare the mucosal reactivity to rBet v 1 derivatives with rBet v 1 wild-type as basis for new therapeutic strategies for birch pol...

Polymorphisms within the beta subunit of the high-affinity receptor for IgE (Fc epsilon R1-beta ) on chromosome 11q13 have been related to atopy and asthma and the lymphotoxin alpha (LT alpha) gene on chromosome 6 is implicated in asthma. To elucidate the association of polymorphisms in the Fc epsilon R1-beta and LT alpha genes to IgE responses and...

Background Polymorphisms within the β subunit of the high-affinity receptor for IgE (FcεR1-β) on chromosome 11q13 have been related to atopy and asthma and the lymphotoxin α (LTα) gene on chromosome 6 is implicated in asthma. Objective To elucidate the association of polymorphisms in the FcεR1-β and LTα genes to IgE responses and asthma in a family...

Exposure to indoor allergens, such as dust mites, has been recognized as a risk factor for sensitization and symptoms. To develop a two-site ELISA for the determination of Lep d 2 in the reservoir, to measure dust mite allergen exposure (Lep d 2, Der p 1, Der f 1 and Der 2) in farm households, and to investigate whether exposure to these allergens...

The objectives of this study were to estimate the feasibility of a self-administration outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) model, to record the complication rate and to estimate patient acceptance during the OPAT period in patients with acute leukaemia (AL) or aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Patients were trained to administer th...

The major allergen of the dust mite Lepidoglyphus destructor, Lep d 2, has been produced as a recombinant allergen (rLep d 2) with IgE reactivity both in vivo and in vitro. A modified form of rLep d 2 (rLep d 2.6Cys) obtained by site-directed mutagenesis has been shown to have a reduced IgE reactivity in vitro. In this study we have compared the ab...

The nematode Anisakis simplex is a common parasite on fish and other seafood. It is considered to be a food allergen and to induce IgE-mediated reactions. Allergenic cross-reactivity between A. simplex and other nematodes has been reported, as has cross-reactivity with arthropods: red mosquito larvae and German cockroach. We have here studied the a...

Dust mites are important inducers of allergic disease. Group 2 allergens are recognized as major allergens in several mite species, including Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Lepidoglyphus destructor, and Tyrophagus putrescentiae. No allergens have thus far been characterized on the molecular level from the dust mite Glycyphagus domesticus. We sough...

Nearly 60% of birch pollen-allergic patients react exclusively to Bet v 1. With use of the skin blister model, previously only established for installation of crude allergens, we have for the first time characterized the inflammatory response in vivo to recombinant birch pollen allergen, rBet v 1, molecules (rBet v 1 wild type, fragments and trimer...

The dust mites Lepidoglyphus destructor and Tyrophagus putrescentiae are important sources of allergen in farming environments. The major allergens of the dust mites L. destructor and T. putrescentiae have been cloned and expressed as recombinant proteins. To evaluate the use of recombinant group 2 allergens of L. destructor (rLep d 2) and T. putre...

We investigated the potential relationship between subsets of CD34 cells (CD33, CD38, CD45RA, CD61, CD90w, CD117 and HLA-DR), the ability to form colonies and hematopoietic recovery after autologous blood stem cell transplantation ( ABSCT). 43 patients (pts) (MM n=17, NHL n=16, solid turn. n=6, HD n=2, plasmocytoma n=l and CLL n=l) undergoing ABSCT...

Earlier studies have shown a high prevalence of respiratory symptoms in farming communities and that storage mites constitute important allergens. We examined risk factors associated with asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis among Swedish farmers. A population of 1015 small-scale dairy farmers was part of an epidemiologic survey. After selection based on...

More than 95% of birch pollen-allergic subjects react with the major birch pollen allergen, Bet v 1, and almost 60% of them are sensitized exclusively to this allergen. The aim of this study was to compare the in vivo biologic activity of genetically engineered hypoallergenic derivatives of Bet v 1 (an equimolar mixture of 2 recombinant [r] Bet v 1...

PBSC harvesting requires good quality venous access. The efficacy and complication rate of the venous access devices used during stem cell harvest in 101 consecutive patients were examined. Four different categories of venous access were used: (1) long-term dialysis central venous catheter (dCVC), (2) short-term dCVC, (3) peripheral venous cannulae...

Several recombinant allergens have been shown to be potentially useful for diagnosis of IgE-mediated allergy, but only a few recombinant allergens are at present commercially available in serological assays for detection of specific IgE. The aim of this study was to evaluate the IgE binding to the recombinant major dust mite allergens rLep d 2 and...

Dust mites are a major cause of allergic disease worldwide. The dust mite Acarus siro is an inducer of occupational allergy among farmers, but sensitisation has also been found in non-farming populations. A degenerate primer was designed to the N-terminal amino acid sequence of a 15-kD IgE-binding protein in A. siro extract. The cDNA sequence was o...

Earlier studies have shown that farmers are to a low degree sensitized to animal allergens. We have measured the amount of cat (Fel d 1) and dog (Can f 1) in farm households and examined the relationship between exposure and sensitization to cat and dog allergens. Dust samples from the homes of 403 farmers who had participated in an epidemiologic f...

Earlier studies from several countries have shown that IgE-mediated allergy in rural populations is of considerable importance and that storage mites are dominant allergens. In an epidemiological follow-up study among farmers on the island of Gotland, Sweden in 1996 we wished to investigate the prevalence of respiratory allergy and to find out whet...

The dust mite Lepidoglyphus destructor is a major cause of allergic diseases among farmers. We have previously cloned and sequenced two isoforms of the major allergen Lep d 2 (formerly designated Lep d 1) and found significant homology to group 2 allergens of the house dust mite species Dermatophagoides. We now report on the production and characte...

The complete cDNA encoding a major allergen from the dust mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Tyr p 2, has been sequenced and expressed. A degenerate primer was designed to the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 16-kDa protein. The complete cDNA sequence was achieved by using reverse transcriptase PCR, PCR+1, standard cloning and sequencing technique...

In general, the non-pyroglyphid mites Lepidoglyphus destructor and Blomia tropicalis show a different geographical distribution. Allergic sensitization to both species have been demonstrated in several investigations. However, whether this reflects cross-reactivity or dual sensitization is so far not known. The aim of the study was to investigate t...

The mite fauna in barn dust from 30 farms on the Swedish island of Gotland was analysed. All samples contained mites, but densities varied from 660 to 200,500 specimens/g dust. Twelve species of astigmatic mites were identified and among them was Lepidoglyphus destructor from all the farms and abundant in most samples. Tyrophagus spp., Acarus siro...

ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) inhibition with a monoclonal antibody (mAb) (42B6) to Lepidoglyphus destructor was used to detect and quantify the storage-mite allergens in 30 dust samples collected from barns. Regarding the mite fauna, microscopic inspection of the barn dust and mite counts showed that L. destructor infested all 30 barns...

The natural humoral immune response to the dust mite Lepidoglyphus destructor was assessed by comparing the IgG1 and IgG4 responses elicited in allergic (n = 44) and healthy (n = 16) individuals in a farming population chronically exposed to this allergen. With the aid of an immunoblotting technique and ELISA, the sera were analyzed for anti-L. des...

Allergenic components in extracts of Acarus siro and Tyrophagus putrescentiae were identified by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting. Five and four allergenic components, respectively, were visualized with sera from farmers sensitized to storage mites. The highest frequency of IgE-binding was to a 15 kDa component o...

We have developed monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to the storage mite Lepidoglyphus destructor (Ld). Employing these anti-Ld MoAbs Ld-MoAbs) in ELISA and ELISA inhibition techniques we have analysed the reaction pattern of Ld-MoAbs to both non-pyroglyphid and pyroglyphid mites. The storage mite Glycyphagus domesticus (Gd) exhibited most efficient inh...

The allergenic similarity of the pyroglyphid mite D. pteronyssinus and the glycyphagid mite L. destructor was investigated with a new immunoblotting inhibition technique allowing simultaneous comparison of several allergens. Extracts of D. pteronyssinus and L. destructor were separated by SDS-PAGE and electroblotted to nitrocellulose (NC). A serum...

The mite fauna in hay dust of 16 farms located on the island of Gotland was analysed to establish whether there is a clear relationship between environmental exposure to storage mites and development of allergic symptoms. Eight of these farms belonged to farmers with respiratory symptoms related to barn dust (RS) and eight to healthy farmers (H). A...

The allergen composition of a non-denatured extract of the storage mite Lepidoglyphus destructor was studied by a combination of hybridoma technology, sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and a sandwich radio-allergosorbent test (four-step RAST). Using hybridoma technology, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were generated...

When allergists in the beginning of the 1960s started to question that house dust was one defined allergen some of them initiated microscopic investigations of house dust samples. They noticed that house dust samples often contained a great variety of mite species, and that in many cases non-pyroglyphid mites were dominating. These mites are now of...

The allergen composition of crude extracts of the storage mite Lepidoglyphus destructor were investigated by sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. The allergen components were detected by sera from allergic farmers with a positive radioallergosorbent test to L. destructor. The allergen-antibody complexes were...

The allergenic cross-reactivity between storage mites (Lepidoglyphus destructor, Glycyphagus domesticus, Tyrophagus putrescentiae and Acarus siro) and the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was studied with the radio-allergo-sorbent test (RAST) and the RAST inhibition technique. RAST-positive sera were obtained from fifty-three farmers...