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Kirsi Malmberg-Ceder,1 Tiina Vuorio,2 Päivi E Korhonen,2 Hannu Kautiainen,3 Seppo Soinila,4 Maija Haanpää5 1Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; 2Department of General Practice, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; 3Unit of Primary Health Care, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland; 4Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; 5Mutual Insurance Company Ilmarinen, Helsinki, FinlandCorrespondence: Kirsi Malmberg-Ceder Email kirmal@utu.fiPurpose: The aim of this cross-sectional, observational study was to determine the impact of self-reported headache on absenteeism and presenteeism in a female working-age population.Subjects and Methods: The study population consisted of 594 Finnish female municipal employees, who answered self-administered questionnaires including sociodemographic, lifestyle, health, and work-related data. Sickness absence days were obtained from the official records of the employer. Headache recurrence was defined by asking whether headache was occasional or recurrent. Headache impact was measured by the HIT-6.Results: In our study, 456 (77%) females had headache, and headache was recurrent in 178 (39%). The self-reported recurrence of headache was related to age, AUDIT-C, health-rated quality-of-life, self-rated work ability, depressive symptoms, and work stress (P for linearity < 0.001). They also had more depressive symptoms and work stress (P for linearity < 0.001). Mental work load was highest in those with recurrent headache (P=0.042), and work engagement was highest in those without headache (P=0.038). There was no statistically significant difference in absenteeism days between the headache groups when adjusted with confounding variables. Presenteeism was associated with the recurrence of headache (P for linearity < 0.001). Presenteeism and the HIT-6 score were significantly associated in the recurrent headache group (P=0.009).Conclusion: Headache was not related to absenteeism, but the self-reported recurrence of headache was clearly associated with presenteeism in this female working-age population.Keywords: work ability, sick leave, Headache Impact Test 6, HIT-6, lost productivity

Kirsi Malmberg-Ceder,1,2 Maija Haanpää,3,4 Päivi E Korhonen,5 Hannu Kautiainen,6,7 Veera Veromaa,5,8 Seppo Soinila2,91Department of Neurology, Satakunta Central Hospital, Pori, Finland; 2Department of Neurology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; 3Mutual Insurance Company Ilmarinen, Helsinki, Finland; 4Department of Neurosurgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; 5Department of General Practice, Turku University Hospital, Turku University, Turku, Finland; 6Unit of Primary Health Care, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland; 7Folkhälsan Research Centre, Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; 8Central Satakunta Heath Federation of Municipalities, Harjavalta, Finland; 9Division of Clinical Neurosciences/General Neurology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, FinlandPurpose: Psychosocial risk factors are common in headache patients and affect the impact of headache in multiple ways. The aim of our study was to assess how psychosocial risk factors correlate with the headache impact test-6 (HIT-6). To our knowledge this is the first study to evaluate the impact of several psychosocial factors on the HIT-6 score.Patients and methods: Our study population consisted of 469 Finnish female employees reporting headache during the past year. Psychosocial risk factors were assessed using validated, self-administered questionnaires: the generalized anxiety disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7) for anxiety, the major depression inventory (MDI) for depressive symptoms, the ENRICHD short social support instrument (ESSI) for social isolation, the cynical distrust scale for hostility and the Bergen burnout indicator (BBI-15) for work stress.Results: Exploratory factor analysis of the HIT-6 scores revealed two factors, one describing psychological and quality of life aspects affected by headache and the other describing severity of pain and functional decline. Internal consistency of the HIT-6 was 0.87 (95%CI: 0.85–0.89). Correlations between the total HIT-6 score and all measured psychosocial risk factors except for hostility were weak, but statistically significant.Conclusion: The HIT-6 questionnaire has good construct validity and it describes reliably and independently the impact of headache without interference of psychosocial factors in general working-aged female population.Keywords: headache, psychosocial, factor analysis, female employee

Kristiina Rönö,1 Beata Stach-Lempinen,2 Johan Gunnar Eriksson,3,4 Maritta Pöyhönen-Alho,1 Miira Marjuska Klemetti,1,2,5 Risto Paavo Roine,6,7 Emilia Huvinen,1 Sture Andersson,8 Hannele Laivuori,6,9–11 Anita Valkama,3,4 Jelena Meinilä,3,4 Hannu Kautiainen,3,12 Aila Tiitinen,1 Saila Birgitta Koivusalo1 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Women’s Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, South Karelia Central Hospital, Lappeenranta, Finland; 3Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; 4Public Health Research Program, Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland; 5Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; 6Department of Health and Social Management, Research Centre for Comparative Effectiveness and Patient Safety, University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland; 7Group Administration, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; 8University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Children’s Hospital, Pediatric Research Center, Helsinki, Finland; 9Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; 10Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland; 11Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland; 12Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland Purpose: Lifestyle intervention studies performed during pregnancy have shown inconsistent results in relation to prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of an intervention initiated already before pregnancy in prevention of GDM in high-risk women.Patients and methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in four Finnish maternity hospitals between the years 2008 and 2014. Altogether 228 high-risk women planning pregnancy were randomized to an intervention (n=116) or a control group (n=112). The risk factors were body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 (n=46), prior GDM (n=120), or both (n=62), without manifest diabetes at study inclusion. Trained study nurses provided individualized lifestyle counseling every 3 months in addition to a group session with a dietician. The control group received standard antenatal care. GDM was defined as one or more pathological glucose values in a 75 g 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test, performed between 12 and 16 weeks of gestation and if normal repeated between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation.Results: Within 12 months, 67% of the women (n=72) in the intervention group and 63% of the women (n=71) in the control group (p=0.84) became pregnant. The cumulative incidence of GDM among the women available for the final analyses was 60% (n=39/65) in the intervention group and 54% (n=34/63) in the control group (p=0.49). GDM was diagnosed already before 20 weeks of gestation in 60% (n=44/73) of the cases.Conclusion: The preconceptional lifestyle intervention applied in the present study did not reduce the incidence of GDM. Keywords: preconception, pregnancy, obesity, nutrition, physical activity

Merja Vakkala,1 Voitto Järvimäki,1 Hannu Kautiainen,2,3 Maija Haanpää,4,5 Seppo Alahuhta1 1Department of Anaesthesiology, Medical Research Center Oulu (MRC Oulu), Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, 2Primary Health Care Unit, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, 3Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, 4Department of Neurosurgery, Helsinki University Hospital, 5Mutual Insurance Company Etera, Helsinki, Finland Introduction: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is recommended for the treatment of postsurgical chronic back and leg pain refractory to other treatments. We wanted to estimate the incidence and predictive factors of SCS treatment in our lumbar surgery cohort.Patients and methods: Three questionnaires (a self-made questionnaire, the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire, and the Beck Depression Inventory) were sent to patients aged 18–65 years with no contraindications for the use of SCS, and who had undergone non-traumatic lumbar spine surgery in the Oulu University Hospital between June 2005 and May 2008. Patients who had a daily pain intensity of ≥5/10 with predominant radicular component were interviewed by telephone.Results: After exclusions, 814 patients remained in this cohort. Of those, 21 patients had received SCS by the end of June 2015. Fifteen (71%) of these received benefit and continued with the treatment. Complications were rare. The number of patients who replied to the postal survey were 537 (66%). Eleven of them had undergone SCS treatment after their reply. Features predicting SCS implantation were daily or continuous pain, higher intensities of pain with predominant radicular pain, more severe pain-related functional disability, a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms, and reduced benefit from pain medication. The mean waiting time was 65 months (26–93 months). One hundred patients were interviewed by telephone. Fourteen seemed to be potential SCS candidates. From the eleven patients who underwent SCS after responding to the survey, two were classified as potential candidates in the phone interview, while nine were other patients. Twelve patients are still waiting for treatment to commence. Conclusion: In our region, the SCS treatment is used only for very serious pain conditions. Waiting time is too long and it may be the reason why this treatment option is not offered to all candidates. Keywords: disc surgery, spinal fusion, decompression surgery, chronic back and leg pain, Beck Depression Inventory, Oswestry Disability Index

Our aim was to investigate how energy intake modifies the association of the stage of dementia with health related quality of life (HRQoL) among institutionalized older people. A cross-sectional sample of 538 older long-term care residents with dementia in Helsinki, Finland were assessed with HRQoL (15D), energy intake (from one to two days), and the stage of dementia by the clinical dementia rating (CDR) scale. The energy intakes were standardized by z-scores to include both men and women in the same analyses. Severity of dementia was associated with HRQoL (15D index in CDR 0.5−1: 0.65 (0.11), CDR 2: 0.60 (0.10), CDR 3: 0.52 (0.10)). When the three groups of dementia severity were divided according to their energy intake quartiles, there was an association between the HRQoL and the stage of dementia (p < 0.001) and energy intake (p = 0.013); however, no interaction was observed (p = 0.30). While partial correlation analysis showed that energy intake correlated with HRQoL among residents with very mild/mild or moderate dementia, this was not observed among those with severe dementia. In moderate dementia, the dimensions of mobility and usual activities correlated significantly with higher energy intake. Both energy intake and severity of dementia are associated with HRQoL.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing worldwide. GDM may be prevented by improving the diets of pregnant women. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary counselling on the diets of pregnant women at GDM risk. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study was a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial the Finnish gestational diabetes prevention study (RADIEL) in which pre-pregnant and pregnant women with previous GDM or BMI [greater than or equal to] 30 kg/[m.sup.2] were allocated into two groups, namely the control and the intervention groups. The control group received standard antenatal dietary counselling according to the Finnish Nutrition Recommendations. The intervention group participated in one individual dietary counselling session and one group dietary counselling session in addition to the standard counselling. This study included women who were recruited during pregnancy. To assess changes in food intake, food-intake questionnaires were collected during the first and the second trimester of pregnancy. Bootstrap type analysis of covariance was used, and 242 participants were included in the final analysis to study changes in food intake. RESULTS: The intakes of low-fat cheese (baseline adjusted mean 0.09 times/day; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07, 0.24; P = 0.040) and fish (baseline adjusted mean 0.28 times per week; 95% CI 0.08, 0.49; P = 0.011) showed a significant increase in the intervention group compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that dietary counselling in early pregnancy can lead to modest dietary improvements in pregnant women at GDM risk. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2016) 70, 912-917; doi:10.1038/ejcn.2015.205; published online 16 December 2015, INTRODUCTION Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as glucose intolerance with its first detection during pregnancy. (1) Factors associated with GDM risk are pre-pregnancy overweight, previous GDM and a family [...]