<p>This thesis investigates health trends among very old people and the allocation of public home-help services. A further aim is to examine methodological issues in mortality analysis. Three data sources are used: (1) The Tierp study of community-dwelling persons (n=421, ages 75+), (2) the SWEOLD nationally representative samples (n=537 in 1992 and n=561 in 2002, ages 77+), and 3) SNAC-K comprised of home-help recipients in a district of Stockholm (n=1108, ages 65+).</p><p>Study I suggests that the length of the follow-up period may explain some of the differences found in predictor strength when comparing mortality studies. Predictors that can change rapidly (e.g., health) were found to be strongest for the short term, with a lower average mortality risk for longer follow-ups. Stable variables (e.g., gender) were less affected by length of follow-up.</p><p>Studies II and III present a measure of complex health problems based on serious problems in at least two of three health domains. These were diseases/symptoms, mobility, and cognition/communication. Prevalence of complex health problems increased significantly between 1992 and 2002. Older age, female gender, and lower education increased the odds of having complex problems. Complex problems strongly predicted 4-year mortality. Controlled for age, gender, health, and education, mortality decreased by 20% between 1992 and 2002. Men with complex problems accounted for this decrease. Thus, in 2002 the gender difference in mortality risk was almost eliminated among the most vulnerable adults.</p><p>Study IV revealed that physical and cognitive limitations, higher age, and living alone were significantly related to home-help allocation, with physical and cognitive limitations dominating. Psychiatric symptoms did not affect the assessment.</p><p>The increased prevalence of complex health problems and increased survival among people with complex needs have important implications concerning the need for collaboration among service providers.</p>

<p>Live donor nephrectomy (LDN) is a unique surgical challenge where surgery is performed on healthy individuals. It is of great importance to keep the morbidity of donors as low as possible, as well as harvesting a kidney in optimal condition. Lowering morbidity is the motive for introducing the endoscopic technique in LDN. Oliguria and impaired kidney function can, however, be seen during pneumoperitoneum and endoscopic LDN have been criticized for not yet being proven safe enough.</p><p>The aims of this study were to investigate the changes in renal function during elevated intraabdominal pressure (IAP) in donors and rats and to evaluate donor morbidity and safety of the new endoscopic techniques compared to the open LDN.</p><p>In two studies, a rat model was used. It was found that elevation of IAP diminished glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Cardiac output (CO) and renal blood flow decreased as well. Elevation of IAP activates the renin system and aldosterone was increased. Acute angiotensin II receptor 1 blockade (candesartan) treatment lowered blood pressure significantly and impaired renal function during elevated IAP. Volume expansion prior to, and during, pneumoperitoneum reduces the deleterious effects on renal function.</p><p>Three studies on kidney live donors show that traditional laparoscopic surgery (TLS) takes longer time to perform than open LDN. Hand-assistance facilitates the operation and increases the safety margin as well as shortens the operation by 27% compared to TLS. Evaluation of a hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopy (HARS), performed for the first time ever in Uppsala 2001, show that the operation is short and safe, the donors experience little pain and the renal function is favourable compared to open surgery, TLS and hand-assisted transperitoneal laparoscopic approaches.</p><p>In conclusion, the results indicate that elevated IAP decreases GFR due to decreased CO and activation of the RAAS, which can be avoided with adequate hydration. Endoscopy can be facilitated if hand-assistance is applied and in particular hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy shows advantages for the donor.</p>

<p>To assess the impact of congenital malformations in Down syndrome (DS) on morbidity, mortality and outcome at birth, information on all children with DS born in the northern part of Sweden in 1973-80 (n=211) and 1995-98 (n=88) was collected. Most common were congenital heart defects (CHD), dominated by atrioventricular septal defects (AVSD). Up to age 10 years, morbidity and mortality were more than 10 times higher in DS children with CHD than in healthy DS children. The DS children seemed more vulnerable at birth than Swedish children in general: they had increased frequencies of Cesarean sections, premature birth, asphyxia, and low birthweight, and higher proportions of children small for gestational age, regardless of the presence of CHD. Infant mortality decreased from 14.2% to 2.3% between the two periods.</p><p>All children with AVSD with and without DS born in Sweden 1973-1997 (n=801) were followed up retrospectively to 2001. Children with isolated AVSD without complex additional CHDs were studied more closely (n=502). A reduction in age at operation and postoperative mortality (from 28 to 1%) was observed. No significant difference in 5-year postoperative mortality between genders or between DS and non-DS children was found. The 5-year postoperative mortality in DS decreased from 35% in 1973-77 to about 10% in 1993-97. </p><p>CHD had a major influence on morbidity, infectionrate and mortality in DS, but not on DS birth variables. The formerly high mortality in CHD is now reduced. In isolated AVSD measures seem equally successful in DS and non-DS children. Mortality is still 3 times higher in DS children with isolated AVSD than in healthy DS children. </p>

<p>General and reproductive health and reproductive outcome were described in rural women of childbearing age (15-44 years) during 1992-93 in a cross-sectional study in Zimbabwe. Through a two-stage sampling procedure twelve villages were selected at random, and 79% of the women in the villages accepted to participate (n=1213). In a structured interview women¡¯s self-reported morbidity, socio-economic conditions, use of health care and fertility regulation methods, reproductive outcome and infertility problems were assessed. The prevalence rates of anaemia, malaria and syphilis were investigated. Retrospectively, HIV serology was anonymously assessed and associations with socio-economic conditions and morbidity were analysed. </p><p>The mean age was 28 years. Family planning was currently used by 37%. Primary and secondary infertility was reported by 0.9% and 4.4%, respectively. The perinatal mortality rate for all completed pregnancies (n=3601) was 23/1000. During the latest completed pregnancy 94% had attended antenatal care and 85% had delivered in hospitals or clinics. The self-reported complications during delivery seemed to have been cared for within the health care system. </p><p>Women perceived their health as being generally good. Mean haemoglobin (Hb) was 13.5 g/dl and only 3.4% were anaemic (Hb ¡Ü11.0 g/dl). Malaria prevalence was 5.4%, but a positive malaria test was not associated with anaemia. Syphilis prevalence was 2.2%, and a positive syphilis test increased the risk of being HIV positive three-fold (OR=3.0; 95% CI: 1.4-6.2). </p><p>The prevalence of HIV was high (22%). Women aged 15-19 had the lowest prevalence (7.6%), while the highest was found in married women aged 20-29 years (30%). The differences in HIV prevalence between the villages ranged between 8.4% and 33%. HIV positive women reported no more morbidity than HIV negative women. The low morbidity found at the time of the study indicates a fairly short duration of the HIV epidemic. </p>

<p>The high prevalence of diabetes mellitus among the Sudanese population is linked to obesity, poor glycaemic control and a high rate of complications. This study investigated 1/ Leptin hormone and its correlations with different biochemical characteristics in Sudanese diabetic subjects, 2/ The impact of glycaemic control on pregnancy outcome in pregnancies with diabetes, 3/ The glycaemic response to Sudanese traditional carbohydrate foods, 4/ The influence of glucose self-monitoring on the glycaemic control among this population, 5/ The health related quality of life in Sudanese subjects with diabetes-related lower limb amputation. </p><p>Leptin was significantly lower in diabetic subjects compared with controls of same BMI in both females (P =0.0001) and males (P =0.019). In diabetic subjects, serum leptin correlated positively with the homeostatic assessment (HOMA) of both beta-cell function (P =0.018) and insulin resistance (P =.038). In controls, leptin correlated only with insulin resistance. Pregnancy complications were higher among diabetic compared with control women (P<0.0001) and varied with the type of diabetes. Infants of diabetic mothers had a higher incidence of neonatal complications than those of non-diabetic women (P<0.0001). In six Sudanese traditional carbohydrate meals over all differences in incremental AUCs were significant for both plasma glucose (P = 0.0092) and insulin (P = 0.0001). Millet porridge and wheat pancakes displayed significantly lower post-prandial glucose and insulin responses, whereas maize porridge induced a higher post-prandial glucose and insulin response. In type 2 diabetic subjects SMBG or SMUG was not related to glycaemic control. In type 1 diabetic subjects, SMBG was significantly associated with better glycaemic control, as assessed by HbA1c (P=0.02) and blood glucose at clinic visits (P=<0.0001), similar associations were found for SMUG respectively. Neither glycaemic control nor glucose self-monitoring was associated with education level. Diabetic subjects with LLA had significantly poorer HRQL compared to a reference diabetic group (P=<0.0001). Duration of diabetes and amputation had negative impact on HRQL in subjects with LLA (P=<0.0001) respectively. Diabetic subjects with LLA had decreased sense of coherence and high presence of symptoms. Improving health services at the primary level is important to reduce the complications and burden of disease in the Sudanese population.</p>

General and reproductive health and reproductive outcome were described in rural women of childbearing age (15-44 years) during 1992-93 in a cross-sectional study in Zimbabwe. Through a two-stage sampling procedure twelve villages were selected at random, and 79% of the women in the villages accepted to participate (n=1213). In a structured interview women¡¯s self-reported morbidity, socio-economic conditions, use of health care and fertility regulation methods, reproductive outcome and infertility problems were assessed. The prevalence rates of anaemia, malaria and syphilis were investigated. Retrospectively, HIV serology was anonymously assessed and associations with socio-economic conditions and morbidity were analysed. The mean age was 28 years. Family planning was currently used by 37%. Primary and secondary infertility was reported by 0.9% and 4.4%, respectively. The perinatal mortality rate for all completed pregnancies (n=3601) was 23/1000. During the latest completed pregnancy 94% had attended antenatal care and 85% had delivered in hospitals or clinics. The self-reported complications during delivery seemed to have been cared for within the health care system. Women perceived their health as being generally good. Mean haemoglobin (Hb) was 13.5 g/dl and only 3.4% were anaemic (Hb ¡Ü11.0 g/dl). Malaria prevalence was 5.4%, but a positive malaria test was not associated with anaemia. Syphilis prevalence was 2.2%, and a positive syphilis test increased the risk of being HIV positive three-fold (OR=3.0; 95% CI: 1.4-6.2). The prevalence of HIV was high (22%). Women aged 15-19 had the lowest prevalence (7.6%), while the highest was found in married women aged 20-29 years (30%). The differences in HIV prevalence between the villages ranged between 8.4% and 33%. HIV positive women reported no more morbidity than HIV negative women. The low morbidity found at the time of the study indicates a fairly short duration of the HIV epidemic.

Live donor nephrectomy (LDN) is a unique surgical challenge where surgery is performed on healthy individuals. It is of great importance to keep the morbidity of donors as low as possible, as well as harvesting a kidney in optimal condition. Lowering morbidity is the motive for introducing the endoscopic technique in LDN. Oliguria and impaired kidney function can, however, be seen during pneumoperitoneum and endoscopic LDN have been criticized for not yet being proven safe enough. The aims of this study were to investigate the changes in renal function during elevated intraabdominal pressure (IAP) in donors and rats and to evaluate donor morbidity and safety of the new endoscopic techniques compared to the open LDN. In two studies, a rat model was used. It was found that elevation of IAP diminished glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Cardiac output (CO) and renal blood flow decreased as well. Elevation of IAP activates the renin system and aldosterone was increased. Acute angiotensin II receptor 1 blockade (candesartan) treatment lowered blood pressure significantly and impaired renal function during elevated IAP. Volume expansion prior to, and during, pneumoperitoneum reduces the deleterious effects on renal function. Three studies on kidney live donors show that traditional laparoscopic surgery (TLS) takes longer time to perform than open LDN. Hand-assistance facilitates the operation and increases the safety margin as well as shortens the operation by 27% compared to TLS. Evaluation of a hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopy (HARS), performed for the first time ever in Uppsala 2001, show that the operation is short and safe, the donors experience little pain and the renal function is favourable compared to open surgery, TLS and hand-assisted transperitoneal laparoscopic approaches. In conclusion, the results indicate that elevated IAP decreases GFR due to decreased CO and activation of the RAAS, which can be avoided with adequate hydration. Endoscopy can be facilitated if hand-assistance is applied and in particular hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic nephrectomy shows advantages for the donor.

To assess the impact of congenital malformations in Down syndrome (DS) on morbidity, mortality and outcome at birth, information on all children with DS born in the northern part of Sweden in 1973-80 (n=211) and 1995-98 (n=88) was collected. Most common were congenital heart defects (CHD), dominated by atrioventricular septal defects (AVSD). Up to age 10 years, morbidity and mortality were more than 10 times higher in DS children with CHD than in healthy DS children. The DS children seemed more vulnerable at birth than Swedish children in general: they had increased frequencies of Cesarean sections, premature birth, asphyxia, and low birthweight, and higher proportions of children small for gestational age, regardless of the presence of CHD. Infant mortality decreased from 14.2% to 2.3% between the two periods. All children with AVSD with and without DS born in Sweden 1973-1997 (n=801) were followed up retrospectively to 2001. Children with isolated AVSD without complex additional CHDs were studied more closely (n=502). A reduction in age at operation and postoperative mortality (from 28 to 1%) was observed. No significant difference in 5-year postoperative mortality between genders or between DS and non-DS children was found. The 5-year postoperative mortality in DS decreased from 35% in 1973-77 to about 10% in 1993-97. CHD had a major influence on morbidity, infectionrate and mortality in DS, but not on DS birth variables. The formerly high mortality in CHD is now reduced. In isolated AVSD measures seem equally successful in DS and non-DS children. Mortality is still 3 times higher in DS children with isolated AVSD than in healthy DS children.

The high prevalence of diabetes mellitus among the Sudanese population is linked to obesity, poor glycaemic control and a high rate of complications. This study investigated 1/ Leptin hormone and its correlations with different biochemical characteristics in Sudanese diabetic subjects, 2/ The impact of glycaemic control on pregnancy outcome in pregnancies with diabetes, 3/ The glycaemic response to Sudanese traditional carbohydrate foods, 4/ The influence of glucose self-monitoring on the glycaemic control among this population, 5/ The health related quality of life in Sudanese subjects with diabetes-related lower limb amputation. Leptin was significantly lower in diabetic subjects compared with controls of same BMI in both females (P =0.0001) and males (P =0.019). In diabetic subjects, serum leptin correlated positively with the homeostatic assessment (HOMA) of both beta-cell function (P =0.018) and insulin resistance (P =.038). In controls, leptin correlated only with insulin resistance. Pregnancy complications were higher among diabetic compared with control women (P&lt;0.0001) and varied with the type of diabetes. Infants of diabetic mothers had a higher incidence of neonatal complications than those of non-diabetic women (P&lt;0.0001). In six Sudanese traditional carbohydrate meals over all differences in incremental AUCs were significant for both plasma glucose (P = 0.0092) and insulin (P = 0.0001). Millet porridge and wheat pancakes displayed significantly lower post-prandial glucose and insulin responses, whereas maize porridge induced a higher post-prandial glucose and insulin response. In type 2 diabetic subjects SMBG or SMUG was not related to glycaemic control. In type 1 diabetic subjects, SMBG was significantly associated with better glycaemic control, as assessed by HbA1c (P=0.02) and blood glucose at clinic visits (P=&lt;0.0001), similar associations were found for SMUG respectively. Neither glycaemic control nor glucose self-monitoring was associated with education level. Diabetic subjects with LLA had significantly poorer HRQL compared to a reference diabetic group (P=&lt;0.0001). Duration of diabetes and amputation had negative impact on HRQL in subjects with LLA (P=&lt;0.0001) respectively. Diabetic subjects with LLA had decreased sense of coherence and high presence of symptoms. Improving health services at the primary level is important to reduce the complications and burden of disease in the Sudanese population.

This thesis investigates health trends among very old people and the allocation of public home-help services. A further aim is to examine methodological issues in mortality analysis. Three data sources are used: (1) The Tierp study of community-dwelling persons (n=421, ages 75+), (2) the SWEOLD nationally representative samples (n=537 in 1992 and n=561 in 2002, ages 77+), and 3) SNAC-K comprised of home-help recipients in a district of Stockholm (n=1108, ages 65+). Study I suggests that the length of the follow-up period may explain some of the differences found in predictor strength when comparing mortality studies. Predictors that can change rapidly (e.g., health) were found to be strongest for the short term, with a lower average mortality risk for longer follow-ups. Stable variables (e.g., gender) were less affected by length of follow-up. Studies II and III present a measure of complex health problems based on serious problems in at least two of three health domains. These were diseases/symptoms, mobility, and cognition/communication. Prevalence of complex health problems increased significantly between 1992 and 2002. Older age, female gender, and lower education increased the odds of having complex problems. Complex problems strongly predicted 4-year mortality. Controlled for age, gender, health, and education, mortality decreased by 20% between 1992 and 2002. Men with complex problems accounted for this decrease. Thus, in 2002 the gender difference in mortality risk was almost eliminated among the most vulnerable adults. Study IV revealed that physical and cognitive limitations, higher age, and living alone were significantly related to home-help allocation, with physical and cognitive limitations dominating. Psychiatric symptoms did not affect the assessment. The increased prevalence of complex health problems and increased survival among people with complex needs have important implications concerning the need for collaboration among service providers.