M M Nieminen’s research while affiliated with Tampere University and other places

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is suggested to cause or aggravate several respiratory conditions. Studies with proton pump inhibitors have resulted in only minor improvements in pulmonary outcomes in patients with GORD. It has been speculated that operative treatment of GORD might be more efficient as it also diminishes non-acidic reflux. To compare the effects of esomeprazole 40 mg bid and fundoplication on airway responsiveness, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), exhaled nitric oxide (NO) and respiratory symptoms in patients with moderate-to-severe GORD. Sixty-nine GORD patients had methacholine inhalation challenge performed on them, and FEV1, exhaled NO and respiratory symptoms were measured at baseline, after a 3-month treatment with esomeprazole and 3 months after fundoplication. Primary outcome variable was dose-response slope (DRS), i.e. decline in FEV1 during methacholine challenge divided with the amount of methacholine administered (%/μmol). Pre-defined subgroup analysis was performed among those with concomitant asthma (n = 12). There was no improvement in DRS, FEV1 or exhaled NO after esomeprazole treatment or fundoplication. Cough and dyspnoea measured with visual analog scale improved with esomeprazole treatment (P < 0.001), and further after fundoplication (P < 0.001). Among those with concomitant asthma, significant improvements in St George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) scores could be seen after fundoplication. Neither esomeprazole treatment nor fundoplication diminishes airway responsiveness or exhaled NO, or improves FEV1 in patients with GORD. Improvements in respiratory symptoms and SGRQ scores after GORD treatments could be detected. However, as this was not a placebo-controlled study, the findings in these secondary endpoints should not be emphasised. ClinicalTrials.cov: NCT00994708.

The aims were to evaluate the profile of newly diagnosed adult asthma cases and the approach adopted to the secondary care management at the launch of the Finnish asthma programme in 1994 and seven years later, in 2001. A retrospective medical record audit was made of non-acutely referred patients with asthma in 1994 (n=165) and in 2001 (n=133). Clinical profile data, numbers of out-patient visits and periods of in-patient care before and after asthma diagnosis were gathered from referral letters and secondary care records. The newly diagnosed asthma patients in 2001 were older, more obese and had more co-morbidities. The main asthma symptoms, such as dyspnoea, wheezing and cough, occurred equally in both years but were more often periodic than daily in 2001. Wheezing during auscultation was significantly less common in 2001. The diagnostic process was associated to a history of asthma in first-degree relatives (OR 5.34, 95% CI 1.12-24.49) in 1994 and a visit to a nurse prior to that to a physician (OR 3.13, 95% CI 1.17-8.37) in 2001. Secondary care visits per new case of asthma (7.3 in 1994 vs. 5.4 in 2001) and days in hospital (3.6 in 1994 vs. 0.95 in 2001) decreased significantly. The profile of asthma diagnosed in secondary care indicates milder disease with more co-morbidities in 2001 than in 1994.Trends towards assigning a more active role on the part of primary care physicians and more rational use of secondary care resources in the management of asthma were found.

The repeatability of a rapid dosimetric method for methacholine challenge was evaluated with 11 asthmatic patients. A Spira Elektro 2 dosimeter was used for methacholine delivery and a pocket turbine spirometer (Micro Spirometer©) for FEVj measurements. Methacholine was delivered in four successive, increasing doses ranging from 80 μg up to a cumulative dose of 6900 μg. The single determination standard deviation was low (12.5%), corresponding to a 95% confidence interval of ±0.925 doubling doses. The mean difference (±SE) between measurements of log PD20 FEV1 was -0.015 (0.056), and the absolute value of the difference in log PD20 FEV1 was not significantly related to the average log PD20 FEV1 (r = -0.155, P = 0.65). The rapid dosimetric methacholine challenge test, performed with a pocket turbine spirometer, proved to be as reproducible as previous methods. Furthermore, this methacholine challenge is clearly less time consuming than conventional provocations, including bronchodilator aerosol (given to resolve post-challenge bronchoconstriction); the whole test can be performed in 20 min. This is especially valuable in epidemiologic studies, as well as in clinical practice.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often have difficulties with keeping their weight. The aim of this investigation was to study nutritional status in hospitalised Nordic COPD patients and to investigate the association between nutritional status and long-term mortality in this patient group. In a multicentre study conducted at four university hospitals (Reykjavik, Uppsala, Tampere and Copenhagen) hospitalised patients with COPD were investigated. Patient height, weight and lung function was recorded. Health status was assessed with St. George's Hospital Respiratory Questionnaire. After 2 years, mortality data was obtained from the national registers in each country. Of the 261 patients in the study 19% where underweight (BMI <20), 41% were of normal weight (BMI 20-25), 26% were overweight (BMI 25-30) and 14% were obese. FEV(1) was lowest in the underweight and highest in the overweight group (p=0.001) whereas the prevalence of diabetes and cardio-vascular co-morbidity went the opposite direction. Of the 261 patients 49 (19%) had died within 2 years. The lowest mortality was found among the overweight patients, whereas underweight was related to increased overall mortality. The association between underweight in COPD-patients, and mortality remained significant after adjusting for possible confounders such as FEV(1) (hazard risk ratio (95% CI) 2.6 (1.3-5.2)). We conclude that COPD patients that are underweight at admission to hospital have a higher risk of dying within the next 2 years. Further studies are needed in order to show whether identifying and treating weight loss and depletion of fat-free mass (FFM) is a way forward in improving the prognosis for hospitalised COPD patients.

To access Publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Link The objective of the present study was to examine differences in the characteristics and management of hospitalised patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to determine factors related to the duration of the hospital stay in the Nordic countries. The study comprised 416 patients from five University Hospitals (Bergen, Reykjavik, Uppsala, Tampere and Copenhagen). The patients were interviewed and spirometry was performed. Psychological status was assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression questionnaire and quality of life with the St. Georges' Hospital Respiratory Questionnaire. The mean age was 69 years, 51% were women. The majority of the patients (76%) had severe COPD (GOLD stage III and IV) and 24% were on long-term oxygen therapy. Forty five % of the patients had cardio-vascular disease and 11% diabetes. In Bergen, Uppsala and Tampere over half of the patients had anxiety and depression but the prevalence of psychiatric co-morbidity was lower in Reykjavik and Copenhagen. The median length of the hospitalisation was 7-8 days in four of the five centres but two times higher in Reykjavik. The independent predictors for a longer hospitalisation was living alone (+3 days), being on long-term oxygen (+8 days) and having diabetes (+5 days). In conclusion, this study revealed substantial differences in the characteristics and management of hospitalised COPD patients between departments of respiratory disease in five Nordic university hospitals. Living alone, concurrent diseases like diabetes and long-term oxygen therapy are predictors of more prolonged hospitalisation periods.

The objective of the present study was to examine differences in the characteristics and management of hospitalised patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to determine factors related to the duration of the hospital stay in the Nordic countries.The study comprised 416 patients from five University Hospitals (Bergen, Reykjavik, Uppsala, Tampere and Copenhagen). The patients were interviewed and spirometry was performed. Psychological status was assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression questionnaire and quality of life with the St. Georges’ Hospital Respiratory Questionnaire.The mean age was 69 years, 51% were women. The majority of the patients (76%) had severe COPD (GOLD stage III and IV) and 24% were on long-term oxygen therapy. Forty five % of the patients had cardio-vascular disease and 11% diabetes. In Bergen, Uppsala and Tampere over half of the patients had anxiety and depression but the prevalence of psychiatric co-morbidity was lower in Reykjavik and Copenhagen. The median length of the hospitalisation was 7–8 days in four of the five centres but two times higher in Reykjavik. The independent predictors for a longer hospitalisation was living alone (+3 days), being on long-term oxygen (+8 days) and having diabetes (+5 days).In conclusion, this study revealed substantial differences in the characteristics and management of hospitalised COPD patients between departments of respiratory disease in five Nordic university hospitals. Living alone, concurrent diseases like diabetes and long-term oxygen therapy are predictors of more prolonged hospitalisation periods.

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field About 25 million people are living in the Nordic countries, which include Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Population demography, growth and economic status of the countries as well as distribution of known risk factors for obstructive diseases are of importance for building the evidence base for a health program. Immigration, changes in lifestyle, increased mobility of the population and changes of health care services may have an effect on the frequency of the disease. However, the increase in average age, tobacco smoking and the cumulative exposure to occupational agents or indoor pollution will cause the greatest impact on the frequency of obstructive pulmonary disease. This report shows that there is a huge discrepancy in data availability and reliability and implies an urgent need to collect accurate and comprehensive vital statistics on obstructive lung diseases in the Nordic countries.

A National Asthma Programme was undertaken in Finland from 1994 to 2004 to improve asthma care and prevent an increase in costs. The main goal was to lessen the burden of asthma to individuals and society. The action programme focused on implementation of new knowledge, especially for primary care. The main premise underpinning the campaign was that asthma is an inflammatory disease and requires anti-inflammatory treatment from the outset. The key for implementation was an effective network of asthma-responsible professionals and development of a post hoc evaluation strategy. In 1997 Finnish pharmacies were included in the Pharmacy Programme and in 2002 a Childhood Asthma mini-Programme was launched. The incidence of asthma is still increasing, but the burden of asthma has decreased considerably. The number of hospital days has fallen by 54% from 110 000 in 1993 to 51 000 in 2003, 69% in relation to the number of asthmatics (n = 135 363 and 207 757, respectively), with the trend still downwards. In 1993, 7212 patients of working age (9% of 80 133 asthmatics) received a disability pension from the Social Insurance Institution compared with 1741 in 2003 (1.5% of 116 067 asthmatics). The absolute decrease was 76%, and 83% in relation to the number of asthmatics. The increase in the cost of asthma (compensation for disability, drugs, hospital care, and outpatient doctor visits) ended: in 1993 the costs were 218 million euro which had fallen to 213.5 million euro in 2003. Costs per patient per year have decreased 36% (from 1611 euro to 1031 euro). It is possible to reduce the morbidity of asthma and its impact on individuals as well as on society. Improvements would have taken place without the programme, but not of this magnitude.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often report anxiety, depression and poor health status, not least if they experience repeated hospitalisations due to acute exacerbations. The aim of this study was to analyse the interrelationships between health status, anxiety, depression and physical status in COPD patients being discharged after hospitalisation. This was a prospective study of 416 patients in five university hospitals in each of the Nordic countries. Data included demographic information, lung function and co-morbidity. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) were applied to all patients. Both anxiety and depression were common among these patients. Anxiety was more common in women than in men (47% vs. 34%, P=0.009) and current smokers had a higher prevalence of both anxiety (54% vs. 37%) and depression (43% vs. 23%) than non-smokers (P<0.01). In general, the studied COPD patients had poor health status, especially those with anxiety, depression or both. Psychological status was independently related to all dimensions of SGRQ. Higher GOLD stages were significantly associated with increasing impairment in health status. In conclusion this multicentre study showed that anxiety and depression are common in patients with COPD, and, furthermore, that patients with psychological disorders have poor health status. Screening for depression and anxiety may help to identify patients with poor quality of life and an urgent need for intervention in order to improve their health status.

The aim of this study was to analyse mortality and associated risk factors, with special emphasis on health status, medications and co-morbidity, in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that had been hospitalized for acute exacerbation. This prospective study included 416 patients from each of the five Nordic countries that were followed for 24 months. The St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was administered. Information on treatment and co-morbidity was obtained. During the follow-up 122 (29.3%) of the 416 patients died. Patients with diabetes had an increased mortality rate [HR = 2.25 (1.28-3.95)]. Other risk factors were advanced age, low FEV1 and lower health status. Patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids and/or long-acting beta-2-agonists had a lower risk of death than patients using neither of these types of treatment. Mortality was high after COPD admission, with older age, decreased lung function, lower health status and diabetes the most important risk factors. Treatment with inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting bronchodilators may be associated with lower mortality in patients with COPD.