The Interactions between Maternal Iron Supplementation and Iron Metabolism-Related Genetic Polymorphisms on Birth Outcomes: A Prospective Study in Chinese.

BACKGROUND: The effect of iron supplementation during pregnancy on birth outcomes may vary with maternal genetic background and needs more investigation. OBJECTIVES: This prospective study aimed to evaluate the interactions between maternal iron supplementation and iron metabolism-related genetic polymorphisms on birth outcomes. METHODS: This was a substudy from a community-based randomized control trial conducted in Northwest China, which included 860 women from the 2 micronutrient supplementation groups (folic acid [FA] and FA + iron group). Maternal peripheral blood, sociodemographic and health-related information, and neonatal birth outcomes were collected. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms in iron metabolism-related genes were genotyped. The alleles associated with decreased iron/hemoglobin status were used as the effect alleles. The genetic risk score (GRS) that reflected the genetic risk of low iron/hemoglobin status was estimated using the unweighted and weighted methods. Generalized estimating equations with small-sample corrections were applied to evaluate the interactions between iron supplementation and SNPs/GRS on birth outcomes. RESULTS: There were significant interactions between maternal iron supplementation and rs7385804 (P = 0.009), rs149411 (P = 0.035), rs4820268 (P = 0.031), the unweighted GRS (P = 0.018), and the weighted GRS (P = 0.009) on birth weight. Compared with FA supplementation only, FA + iron supplementation significantly increased birth weight among women with more effect alleles in rs7385804 (ß: 88.8 g, 95% CI: 9.2, 168.3) and the GRSs (the highest unweighted GRS, ß: 135.5 g, 95% CI: 7.7, 263.4; the highest weighted GRS, ß: 145.9 g, 95% CI: 43.4, 248.5); it had a trend of decreasing birth weight and increasing low birth weight risk among women with fewer effect alleles. CONCLUSIONS: In our population, maternal genetic background related to iron metabolism plays a significant role in determining the efficacy of iron supplementation. Routine iron supplementation could be more beneficial to fetal weight growth among mothers with higher genetic risk for low iron/hemoglobin status.

Maternal exposure to housing renovation during the periconceptional period and the risk of offspring with isolated congenital heart disease: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most prevalent birth defect in recent decades. The aim of this research was to examine the association between maternal housing renovation exposure during the periconceptional period and isolated congenital heart disease (CHD) in their offspring. METHODS: A multi-hospitals case-control study was conducted from six tertiary A hospitals in Xi'an, Shaanxi, Northwest China based on questionnaires and interviews to address this question. The cases included fetuses or newborns diagnosed with CHD. Controls consisted of healthy newborns without birth defects. In total, 587 cases and 1180 controls were enrolled in this study. The association between maternal periconceptional housing renovation exposure and isolated CHD for offspring was assessed by estimating odds ratios (OR) with multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounding variables, it was found that maternal exposure to home improvement projects was associated with a higher probability of isolated CHD in offspring (adjusted OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.34, 2.33). Additionally, the risk of the ventricular septal defect (VSD) and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) for CHD types was significantly associated with maternal exposure to housing renovations (VSD: adjusted OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.41; PDA: adjusted OR = 2.50, 95% CI: 1.41, 4.45). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that maternal exposure to housing renovation during the periconceptional period was associated with an increased risk of isolated CHD in offspring. Consequently, it would be beneficial to avoid living in a renovated home from 12 months before pregnancy through the first trimester to lower isolated CHD in infants.

Association between Maternal Blood Glucose Levels during Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes: A Birth Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between maternal blood glucose levels during pregnancy and neonatal birth outcomes in Northwest China. METHODS: This population-based cohort study included 10,010 first-trimester pregnant women who joined the birth cohort of the Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital from July 2018 to July 2020. Basic demographic characteristics, lifestyle and behavior patterns were collected. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results during the second trimester and pregnancy outcomes after childbirth were also collected. A generalized linear model was constructed to analyze the effects of blood glucose levels on neonatal birth outcomes. RESULTS: We found that every 1 mmol/L increase in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was associated with an increase in birth weight (ß = 100.22 g, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 81.91, 118.52), birth weight Z score (ß = 0.23, 95%CI: 0.19, 0.27) and birth weight Z centile (ß = 6.72%, 95%CI: 5.51, 7.94). Moreover, the risk of macrosomia, premature birth and being born large for gestational age (LGA) increased by 2.01 (95%CI: 1.67, 2.43), 1.35 (95%CI: 1.09, 1.66) and 1.80 (95%CI: 1.57, 2.07) times, respectively. Additionally, for every 1 mmol/L increase in FPG associated with a decrease in gestational age (ß = -0.12 weeks, 95%CI: -0.19, -0.06), the risk of SGA decreased by 0.70 (OR = 0.70, 95%CI: 0.55, 0.89) times. Every 1 mmol/L increase in 1/2-h PG had similar outcomes as FPG, besides premature birth and SGA. CONCLUSIONS: Higher blood glucose in pregnant women may increase neonatal birth weight, decrease gestational age and lead to a higher risk of macrosomia, premature birth and LGA. Mothers should actively prevent and control hyperglycemia to promote maternal and infant health.

The Association of Folic Acid, Iron Nutrition during Pregnancy and Congenital Heart Disease in Northwestern China: A Matched Case-Control Study.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between folic acid and iron nutrition during pregnancy and congenital heart disease (CHD) in the offspring. Methods: Conditional logistic regression models and nonlinear mixed-effects models were used to analyze the effects of folic acid and iron nutrition during pregnancy on CHD in offspring. Results: After adjusting for confounders, folic acid or iron supplementation during pregnancy reduced the risk for fetal CHD (OR = 0.60 (0.45, 0.82) or 0.36 (0.27, 0.48)). Similarly, dietary iron intake during pregnancy (≥29 mg/d) was associated with a reduced risk of fetal CHD (OR = 0.64 (0.46, 0.88)). Additionally, compared with women who only supplemented folic acid (OR = 0.59 (0.41, 0.84)) or iron (OR = 0.32 (0.16, 0.60)), women who supplemented both folic acid and iron had lower risk for newborns with CHD (OR = 0.22 (0.15, 0.34)). Similarly, compared with women who only supplemented folic acid (OR = 0.59 (0.41, 0.84)) or higher dietary iron intake (≥29 mg/d) (OR = 0.60 (0.33, 1.09)), women who supplemented both folic acid and higher dietary iron intake (≥29 mg/d) had lower risk for the newborn with CHD (OR = 0.41 (0.28, 0.62)). The combined effects were significant in the multiplication model (OR = 0.35 (0.26, 0.48) or 0.66 (0.50, 0.85)) but not in the additive model. Conclusions: Our study found that folic acid and iron nutrition during pregnancy were associated with a reduced risk of CHD in the offspring and confirmed a statistically significant multiplicative interaction between folic acid and iron nutrition on the reduced risk of CHD in offspring.

Comparison of endometrial preparation protocols (natural cycle versus hormone replacement cycle) for frozen embryo transfer (COMPETE): a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Natural cycle (NC) and hormone replacement treatment (HT) are frequently used endometrial preparation protocols prior to frozen-thawed embryo transfer in ovulatory women. It is not clear which protocol results in a higher live birth rate. It has been suggested that there is an increased risk in maternal and perinatal morbidity following HT protocol due to the lack of corpus luteum. The objective of this trial is to compare the clinical outcomes of NC and HT protocols in frozen embryo transfer. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: COMPETE is an open-label, single-centre, randomised controlled trial targeting to recruit 888 women, with 444 women each in two arms (1:1 treatment ratio). Women undergoing in vitro fertilisation scheduled for a frozen embryo transfer and have a regular menstrual cycle are eligible. Exclusion criteria include ovulation disorders and intrauterine adhesions. The primary outcome is live birth resulting from the first frozen embryo transfer after randomisation. Secondary outcomes include biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, multiple pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, miscarriage, endometrial thickness, cycle cancellation, gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, antepartum haemorrhage, preterm birth, birth weight, large for gestational age, congenital anomaly and perinatal mortality. The data analysis will be following the intention-to-treat principle. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of Northwest women's and children's hospital (2020008). Written informed consent will be obtained from each participant before randomisation. The results of the trial will be presented via publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2000040640.

Nomogram for the cumulative live birth in women undergoing the first IVF cycle: Base on 26, 689 patients in China.

Objective: Predictive models of the cumulative live birth (CLB) in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment are limited. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a nomogram for the CLB in women undergoing the first IVF cycle. Methods: Based on a cross-sectional study in assisted reproduction center of Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, 26,689 Chinese patients who underwent IVF treatment was used to develop and validate a prediction model for the CLB. Among those participants, 70% were randomly assigned to the training set (18,601 patients), while the remaining 30% were assigned to the validation set (8,088 patients). A nomogram was constructed based on the results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis. The model performance was evaluated using the C statistic and the calibration performance was assessed by Hosmer-Lemeshow (HL) χ2 statistics and calibration plots. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that female age, female body mass index (BMI), tubal factor infertility, male infertility, uterine factor infertility, unexplained infertility, antral follicle count (AFC) and basal serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) were significant factors for CLB in women undergoing the first IVF cycle. An area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) in the prediction model was 0.676 (95% CI 0.668 to 0.684) in the training group. The validation set showed possibly helpful discrimination with an AUC of 0.672 (95% CI 0.660 to 0.684). Additionally, the prediction model had a good calibration (HL χ2 = 8.240, P=0.410). Conclusions: We developed and validated a nomogram to predict CLB in women undergoing the first IVF cycle using a single center database in China. The validated nomogram to predict CLB could be a potential tool for IVF counselling.

Case report: Meningitis and intracranial aneurysm caused by mixed infection of oral microflora dominated by anaerobes.

Introduction: Meningitis caused by oral anaerobic bacteria is rare, especially when complicated with an infected intracranial aneurysm. This paper has described an extremely rare case of bacterial meningitis caused by a mixed infection of oral microflora dominated by anaerobes, which developed cerebral infarcts, brain abscess, intracranial aneurysm, and severe hydrocephalus during treatment. Case report: We describe a 65-year-old male patient who was presented with fever and headache as the initial symptoms and then developed left ophthalmoplegia, right hemiplegia, and disturbance of consciousness. Brain imaging showed that intracranial lesions were increased progressively, and cerebral infarcts, brain abscesses, intracranial aneurysm, and severe hydrocephalus were appeared gradually. Eventually, we diagnosed it as anaerobic meningitis by making deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing from the brain abscess pus. After using an anti-microbial regimen that can sufficiently cover anaerobes, the patient's condition was effectively controlled. Conclusion: Anaerobic meningitis can cause a series of intracranial complications. Among them, the intracranial aneurysm is extremely rare. When evidence shows that the infection originates from oral flora, physicians should consider the possibility of this type of encephalitis. An early diagnosis and timely treatment are crucial to improving the prognosis.

Risk Assessment for Birth Defects in Offspring of Chinese Pregnant Women.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a nomogram for the risk assessment of any type of birth defect in offspring using a large birth-defect database in Northwest China. METHODS: This study was based on a birth-defect survey, which included 29,204 eligible women who were pregnant between 2010 and 2013 in the Shaanxi province of Northwest China. The participants from central Shaanxi province were assigned to the training group, while the subjects from the south and north of Shaanxi province were assigned to the external validation group. The primary outcome was the occurrence of any type of birth defect in the offspring. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to establish a prediction nomogram, while the discrimination and calibration were evaluated by external validation. RESULTS: The multivariate analyses revealed that household registration, history of miscarriages, family history of birth defects, infection, taking medicine, pesticide exposure, folic acid supplementation, and single/twin pregnancy were significant factors in the occurrence of birth defects. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) in the prediction model was 0.682 (95% CI 0.653 to 0.710) in the training set. The validation set showed moderate discrimination, with an AUC of 0.651 (95% CI 0.614 to 0.689). Additionally, the prediction model had a good calibration (HL χ2 = 8.106, p= 0.323). CONCLUSIONS: We developed a nomogram risk model for any type of birth defect in a Chinese population based on important modifying factors in pregnant women. This risk-prediction model could be a tool for clinicians to assess the risk of birth defects and promote health education.

Clinical Study on Anesthesia with Remifentanil and Propofol in Patients with High Hemodynamics.

Objective: To study the effect of remifentanil and propofol as an anesthesia regimen in patients with high hemodynamics. Methods: From January 2019 to October 2020, 200 patients with high hemodynamics undergoing surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University in China were selected as study participants, including 100 patients anesthetized with remifentanil and propofol (research group), and 100 patients anesthetized with fentanyl and propofol (control group). Vital signs, hemodynamic changes and recovery time after anesthesia were compared in the 2 groups and any adverse events while under anesthesia were recorded. Results: Both groups had significant fluctuations in vital signs and hemodynamics during anesthesia (P > .05), but the research group showed smaller changes with more stable vital signs and hemodynamics (P < .05). In addition, postoperative recovery time from anesthesia was shorter and the incidence of adverse events was lower in the research group than in the control group (P < .05). Conclusion: Remifentanil-propofol anesthesia is simple, convenient, safe and reliable in patients with high hemodynamics, and can integrate narcotic drugs with blood pressure control.

Maternal Hemoglobin Concentrations and Birth Weight, Low Birth Weight (LBW), and Small for Gestational Age (SGA): Findings from a Prospective Study in Northwest China.

Birth weight and related outcomes have profound influences on life cycle health, but the effect of maternal hemoglobin concentration during pregnancy on birth weight is still unclear. This study aims to reveal the associations between maternal hemoglobin concentrations in different trimesters of pregnancy and neonatal birth weight, LBW, and SGA. This was a prospective study based on a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted from July 2015 to December 2019 in rural areas of Northwest China. Information on maternal socio-demographic status, health-related factors, antenatal visits, and neonatal birth outcomes were collected. A total of 3748 women and their babies were included in the final analysis. A total of 65.1% and 46.3% of the participants had anemia or hemoglobin ≥ 130 g/L during pregnancy. In the third trimester, maternal hemoglobin concentration was associated with birth weight in an inverted U-shaped curve and with the risks of LBW and SGA in extended U-shaped curves. The relatively higher birth weight and lower risks for LBW and SGA were observed when hemoglobin concentration was 100-110 g/L. When maternal hemoglobin was <70 g/L or >130 g/L, the neonatal birth weight was more than 100 g lower than that when the maternal hemoglobin was 100 g/L. In conclusion, both low and high hemoglobin concentrations in the third trimester could be adverse to fetal weight growth and increase the risks of LBW and SGA, respectively. In addition to severe anemia, maternal hemoglobin >130 g/L in the third trimester should be paid great attention to in the practice of maternal and child health care.

Cooking stoves and risk of congenital heart disease in Northwest China: A case-control study.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) has become the most common birth defect in recent decades. The aim of our study was to examine the association between stove cooking by women during pregnancy and congenital heart disease in their offspring. To address this question, we conducted a case-control study from 2014 to 2016 in Xi'an, Shaanxi, Northwest China, investigating 326 cases and 1071 controls. The cases included fetuses or newborns diagnosed with CHD based on the International Classification of Disease (ICD)-10. Controls consisted of healthy newborns without birth defects. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression was applied to analyze the effects of stove cooking before and during pregnancy on CHD in offspring. After adjusting for confounding factors, we found that, compared to cooking with gas stoves, electromagnetic, coal, and firewood stoves during pregnancy was associated with increased risk of CHD in offspring [electromagnetic stove (odds ratio (OR): 2.89, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.02, 4.12); coal stove (OR: 3.94, 95% CI: 2.33, 6.65); firewood stove (OR: 6.74, 95% CI: 3.03, 15.00)]. Additionally, higher cooking frequency was associated with increased risk of CHD [total stoves (OR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.57, 3.28); gas stove (OR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.43, 3.95); electromagnetic stove (OR: 2.46, 95% CI: 1.32, 4.58); coal and firewood stoves (OR: 3.09, 95% CI: 1.01, 9.46)]. Our study suggests that using electromagnetic, coal, and firewood stoves for cooking during pregnancy and greater cooking frequency increased the risk of CHD in offspring. More attention to the choice of fuels in cooking by pregnant women would help to reduce the incidence of CHD in children.

Association Between Pre-Pregnancy Body Mass Index and Miscarriage in an Assisted Reproductive Technology Population: A 10-Year Cohort Study.

Objective: To investigate the association between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and miscarriages in women who required assisted reproductive technology (ART) for conception. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using a 10-year (2006-2015) sample of 14,994 pregnancy cycles with ART treatment in Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, China. The effects of women's BMI before pregnancy on early miscarriage and miscarriage were assessed using generalized estimating equation models. Results: The risks of early miscarriage and miscarriage were higher in the obese group than in the normal weight group [early miscarriage: relative risk (RR) = 1.36, confidence interval (CI): 1.12-1.65; miscarriage: RR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.17-1.68]. Pre-pregnancy underweight was not associated with an increased risk of early miscarriage or miscarriage. We observed interactions between pre-pregnancy BMI and singleton or twin pregnancy in early miscarriage and miscarriage (P = 0.017 and P = 0.003, respectively). Twin pregnancy increased the effects of pre-pregnancy BMI on early miscarriage and miscarriage (early miscarriage: a. singleton pregnancy: RR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.04; b. twin pregnancy: RR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.03-1.13; miscarriage: a. singleton pregnancy: RR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.04; b. twin pregnancy: RR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.05-1.13). Conclusions: Pre-pregnancy obesity was associated with higher risks of early miscarriage and miscarriage in the ART population, and twin pregnancy increased the effects of pre-pregnancy BMI on early miscarriage and miscarriage. Women should maintain a normal BMI before ART initiation to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Changes in Mental Health of Women Undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology Treatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak in Xi'an, China.

Objective: To investigate the mental health of women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment during the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak in Xi'an, China. Methods: A repeated cross-sectional study was administered to women undergoing ART treatment during the outbreak period (599 women in February 2020) and the control period (892 women in May 2020) at the Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, China. Results: Both the ART-treated women surveyed during the outbreak period and those surveyed during the control period had high scores on the fear dimension (0.88, 0.51). The total scores for mental health among the participants during the control period were lower than those during the outbreak period (difference = -0.22; 95% CI = -0.25, -0.18). Lower scores were also seen during the control period, compared to those in the outbreak period, for depression (difference = -0.18; 95% CI = -0.23, -0.13), neurasthenia (difference = -0.31; 95% CI = -0.36, -0.25), fear (difference = -0.37; 95% CI = -0.43, -0.31), compulsion anxiety (difference = -0.13; 95% CI = -0.16, -0.09), and hypochondriasis (difference = -0.09; 95% CI = -0.12, -0.06). Conclusions: During the COVID-19 global pandemic, the mental health of women undergoing ART treatment in Xi'an, China, was primarily manifested as fear. As the pandemic was brought under control, the mental health of ART-treated women improved. As evidenced by these results, the COVID-19 pandemic influences the mental health of women undergoing ART treatment, and clinicians should be aware of this for similar future situations.

Case Report: Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis With Bilateral Hearing Loss as the Initial Symptom.

Introduction: Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis is an autoimmune disease associated with the NMDA receptor. This paper describes a patient who presented with bilateral hearing loss as the initial symptom of anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Case Report: We describe a 31-year-old young female with anti-NMDAR encephalitis who presented with bilateral severe hearing loss after brief loss of consciousness and then accompanied by other symptoms, such as generalized tonic-clonic seizures, manic episodes, excessive salivation, severe cognitive impairment, and complex non-convulsive status epilepticus. Great improvement was achieved by a combined treatment of steroid, IVIG, and plasmapheresis, especially after surgical removal of the ovarian teratoma. When she was discharged on hospital day 43, her hearing loss obtained a significant improvement. Conclusion: This case study and literature review investigated the impairment of hearing loss and its subsequent treatment in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

Association between pre-pregnancy BMI and neonatal weight outcomes in twin pregnancies resulting from assisted reproductive technology: a 10-year cohort study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of pre-pregnancy maternal body mass index (BMI) on neonatal weight outcomes of twin infants who were conceived by assisted reproductive technology (ART). SUBJECTS/METHODS: A 10-year (2006-2015) Chinese sample of 3431 mothers and their twin infants conceived by ART from a retrospective cohort were included. The effects of pre-pregnancy maternal BMI on gestational age and birth weight were assessed by generalized linear model and generalized estimating equation model. RESULTS: Compared with a normal weight group, pre-pregnancy maternal underweight was associated with lower birth weight and increased risk of small for gestational age (SGA) in twins conceived by ART (birth weight: difference -59.22 g, 95% CI -93.16 to -25.27 g; SGA: RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.43). Pre-pregnancy maternal obesity was associated with higher birth weight and increased risk of preterm birth (birth weight: difference 65.82 g, 95% CI 10.66 to 120.99 g; preterm birth: RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.03-1.37). A nonlinear relationship between pre-pregnancy maternal BMI and SGA was observed. The risk of SGA decreased with the pre-pregnancy maternal BMI up to the turning point (BMI = 21) (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.86-0.95). CONCLUSIONS: Among mothers undergoing ART, pre-pregnancy maternal obesity is associated with higher birth weight and higher risk of preterm birth for twin pregnancy, and pre-pregnancy maternal underweight is associated with lower birth weight and higher risk of SGA. Women preparing for ART should maintain a normal BMI to lower the chances of adverse neonatal outcomes.

Risk of congenital heart disease due to exposure to common electrical appliances during early pregnancy: a case-control study.

To examine the association between exposure to common electrical appliances in early pregnancy and congenital heart disease (CHD). A case-control study of 2339 participants was conducted in six hospitals in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, Northwest China from 2014 to 2016. All infants with CHD were diagnosed according to ICD-10 classification. Selected controls consisted of newborns from the same hospital, without any birth defects, and 1:3 matched by birthdate. We conducted personal interviews with the mothers to gather information on any exposure to electrical appliances during pregnancy. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the effects of exposure to common electrical appliances on CHD. We observed that the mothers exposed to computers (OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.71), induction cookers (OR: 2.79, 95% CI: 2.19, 3.55), and microwave ovens (OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.31) during early pregnancy were more likely to give birth to infants with CHD. Mothers who wore radiation protection suits (OR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.87) during early pregnancy decreased the risk of CHD in their neonate. There was an interaction for induction cooker exposure with wore radiation protection suits on CHD (RERI: - 1.44, 95% CI: - 2.48, - 0.39; S: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.84; AP: - 0.79, 95% CI: - 1.53, - 0.05). Our study confirmed that exposure to some electrical appliances was associated with a higher risk of CHD, and wearing a radiation protection suit was associated with a lower risk of CHD. Women should therefore reduce the usage of electrical appliances before and during pregnancy.

Maternal B-vitamin intake and B-vitamin supplementation during pregnancy in relation to neonatal congenital heart defects: a case-control study with propensity score matching.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The effect of dietary folate intake or folic acid (FA) supplementation during pregnancy on neonatal congenital heart defects (CHDs) remains inconclusive. There are limited data about non-folate-B-vitamin intake and the risk of CHDs. Furthermore, few studies have investigated dietary B-vitamin intake and B-vitamin supplement use simultaneously in relation to the risk of CHDs. This study aimed to explore the associations between maternal folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 intake (dietary intake, total intake from diet and supplements); B-vitamin supplement use during pregnancy; and the risk of CHDs using the propensity score matching (PSM) method. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study and included 760 cases and 1600 controls in Shaanxi Province, China. Diet, supplement use and other information were collected through a questionnaire interview. By using the 1:2 ratio PSM method, 396 cases were matched with 792 controls. Conditional logistic regression was used to investigate the associations between maternal B-vitamin intake and supplement use during pregnancy and CHDs. RESULTS: Higher maternal dietary and total intake of folate and vitamin B12 were associated with reduced risk of CHDs, and the tests for linear trend were significant. Compared with non-users, maternal FA + VB6 + VB12 containing supplement use during pregnancy (OR 0.61, 95%CI 0.40-0.94), FA supplement use during pregnancy (OR 0.70, 95%CI 0.50-0.98) and in the first trimester (OR 0.62, 95%CI 0.46-0.85) were associated with a lower risk of CHDs. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that a higher intake of folate and vitamin B12 during pregnancy reduces the risk of CHDs.

Effect of the Interaction Between Pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index and Fresh/Frozen Embryo Transfer on Perinatal Outcomes of Assisted Reproductive Technology-Conceived Singletons: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: To demonstrate the association between pre-pregnancy maternal overweight, obesity, and perinatal outcomes of singletons conceived by assisted reproductive technology (ART). Design: Retrospective cohort study from 2006 to 2015 data from a single ART center. Setting: Assisted Reproduction Center, Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Northwestern China. Patients: We included 7,818 women undergoing ART and their singleton infants. Interventions: None. Main Outcome Measure: The primary outcome measures were preterm birth (PTB), macrosomia, low birth weight, small for gestational age, and large for gestational age (LGA). Results: We experienced an increase in the risk of PTB, macrosomia, and LGA in overweight and obese groups compared with that in normal-weight groups [PTB: overweight vs. normal weight: odds ratio [OR] = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.18-1.75; obesity vs. normal weight: OR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.04-2.25; macrosomia: overweight vs. normal weight: OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.48-2.14; obesity vs. normal weight: OR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.52-3.06; LGA: overweight vs. normal weight: OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.39-1.90; obesity vs. normal weight: OR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.57-2.83]. We observed a significant interaction between maternal BMI and fresh/frozen embryo transfer on PTB and LGA (P = 0.030; P = 0.030). Fresh embryo transfer significantly increased the effect of maternal BMI on LGA (fresh: OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.10-1.18; frozen: OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04-1.13), and frozen embryo transfer increased the effect of maternal BMI on PTB (fresh: OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.99-1.08; frozen: OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04-1.15). Conclusions: Pre-pregnancy maternal overweight and obesity were associated with higher risks of PTB, macrosomia, and LGA in ART-conceived singletons. These associations were affected by the timing of embryo transfer (fresh/frozen embryo transfer). Therefore, we recommend women before ART to maintain a normal BMI for the prevention of adverse perinatal outcomes.

Retraction Note to: Ambient air pollution and adverse birth outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Retraction Note to: J Zhejiang Univ-Sci B (Biomed & Biotechnol) 2019 20(3):238-252. https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B1800122. The authors have retracted this article (Guo et al., 2019) because some data from the original literature had not been converted to appropriate units in the paper, which resulted in deviation of the meta-analysis results. For example, for the forest plot used to examine associations between PM10 exposure and the risk of adverse birth outcomes, the estimates from Brauer et al. (2008), Pedersen et al. (2013), Zhao et al. (2015), and Hansen et al. (2006) were on the originally reported scales of 1 µg/m3, 10 µg/m3, 10 µg/m3, and Inter Quartile Range, respectively. None of these estimates had been converted to 20 µg/m3 increase scale that was stated in the article. Similar problem exists in the analysis on associations between NO2 exposure and risk of adverse birth outcomes. Therefore, the results of the meta-analysis are misleading. All authors have agreed to this retraction and express their deepest apologies to the original authors, publishers, and readers.

IL-6 and INF-γ levels in patients with brucellosis in severe epidemic region, Xinjiang, China.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of brucellosis, which is caused by the Brucella species of bacteria, is rapidly rising worldwide; however, few studies have investigated the immune response to this pathogen and clinical biochemical features. In this paper, we examined the levels of various cytokines and inflammatory factors as well as clinical course characteristics in patients with brucellosis, in order to provide evidence for the diagnosis, assessment, and prognosis of this infectious disease. METHODS: A total of 191 brucellosis inpatients (50 acute cases and 141 chronic cases), as well as 60 healthy control subjects, were included in the analysis. We investigated changes in the levels of six cytokines (IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-α, INF-γ) and related clinical biochemical markers in patients with acute and chronic brucellosis in Xinjiang, China. Possible factors were statistically analyzed using the t test, χ2 test, z test and a multivariate logistic stepwise regression test. RESULTS: We found that IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, IFN-γ, and TNF-α levels were higher in those with brucellosis than in controls (P <  0.05). With regard to disease progression, procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were significantly higher in those with an acute infection compared to chronic cases (P <  0.05). We found that the expression of all six cytokines tested was closely related to the degree of brucellosis using univariate logistic regression; however, only IL-6 and INF-γ levels were independent factors associated with the severity of brucellosis. CONCLUSIONS: Assessing cytokine levels in patients with acute and chronic brucellosis is not only useful for detecting the immune response, but can also be indicative of the severity of brucellosis. In particular, we propose IL-6 and INF-γ levels may be useful independent predictive factors in the clinical evaluation and diagnosis of brucellosis.