Attitude changes toward prenatal testing among women with twin pregnancies after the introduction of noninvasive prenatal testing: A single-center study in Japan.

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate changes in prenatal testing among women with twin pregnancies before and after the introduction of noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT). To date, no consensus on prenatal testing for twin pregnancies has been reached in Japan. METHODS: Women pregnant with twins who requested prenatal testing at Kyushu Medical Center from 2005 to 2018 were included in this study. Genetic counseling was provided to all participants. Their chosen methods of testing were collected and classified as invasive diagnosis (ID), noninvasive screening (NIS), and no test requested (NR). Parity, chorionicity, and methods of conception were assessed as attributes. The study period was divided into three terms according to testing availability in our center. RESULTS: After NIPT was introduced in our center, the use of ID methods decreased and eventually disappeared while NIS came to the forefront. NR was also the preferred choice of women with twin pregnancies before the introduction of NIPT and decreased but did not disappear after introducing NIPT. Women with twin pregnancies who underwent assisted reproduction initially showed hesitation to undergo testing but showed a strong preference for NIS after the introduction of NIPT. Differences in choice according to parity, chorionicity, and methods of conception were found before the introduction of NIPT but disappeared after introducing NIPT. CONCLUSION: Increasing information about NIPT has apparently influenced the attitudes of women with twin pregnancies to prenatal testing in Japan. In particular, those who conceive through assisted reproductive technologies exhibited a strong preference for NIPT.

Evaluation of the clinical performance of noninvasive prenatal testing at a Japanese laboratory.

AIM: We aimed to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in high-risk pregnant women. METHODS: Pregnant women who underwent GeneTech NIPT, the most commonly used NIPT in Japan, between January 2015 and March 2019, at Japan NIPT Consortium medical sites were recruited for this study. The exclusion criteria were as follows: pregnant women with missing survey items, multiple pregnancy/vanishing twins, chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus other than the NIPT target disease, and nonreportable NIPT results. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated from the obtained data, and maternal age-specific PPV and NPV were estimated. RESULTS: Of the 45 504 cases, 44 263 cases fulfilling the study criteria were included. The mean maternal age and gestational weeks at the time of procedure were 38.5 years and 13.1 weeks, respectively. Sensitivities were 99.78% (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 98.78-99.96), 99.12% (95% CI: 96.83-99.76), and 100% (95% CI: 88.30-100) for trisomies 21, 18, and 13, respectively. Specificities were more than 99.9% for trisomies 21, 18, and 13, respectively. Maternal age-specific PPVs were more than 93%, 77%, and 43% at the age of 35 years for trisomies 21, 18, and 13, respectively. CONCLUSION: The GeneTech NIPT data showed high sensitivity and specificity in the detection of fetal trisomies 21, 18, and 13 in high-risk pregnant women, and maternal age-specific PPVs were obtained. These results could provide more accurate and improved information regarding NIPT for genetic counseling in Japan.

Salt Intake, Home Blood Pressure, and Perinatal Outcome in Pregnant Women.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between salt (sodium chloride) intake and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) remains unclear. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the current status of salt intake during pregnancy and identify effective predictors for PIH. METHODS AND RESULTS: Participants were 184 pregnant women who collected 24-h home urine as well as early morning urine samples. We investigated urinary salt excretion, home blood pressure (HBP) measurements for 7 consecutive days before the 20th and after the 30th gestational week, and the development of PIH. Urinary salt excretion according to early morning urine before the 20th gestational week was 8.6±1.7 g/day, and was significantly correlated with that measured from 24-h collected urine. Early morning urine estimated urinary salt excretion was slightly but significantly increased during pregnancy. HBP was 102±10/63±8 mmHg before the 20th gestational week and 104±12/64±10 mmHg after the 30th gestational week. On multiple regression analysis, serum uric acid and body mass index, but not urinary salt excretion, contributed to HBP both before the 20th and after the 30th gestational week. Fourteen participants (7.6%) developed PIH. On multivariate analysis, higher HBP and older age, but not urinary salt excretion, were significantly associated with PIH. CONCLUSIONS: Higher HBP and older age, but not urinary salt excretion, are predictors of PIH. (Circ J 2016; 80: 2165-2172).

Efficacy of aprepitant for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting with a moderately emetogenic chemotherapy regimen: a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized study in patients with gynecologic cancer receiving paclitaxel and carboplatin.

BACKGROUND: Substance P contributes to the hypersensitivity reaction (HSR) to paclitaxel in a rat model. Aprepitant acts as an inhibitor of the binding of substance P to the neurokinin-1 receptor and, consequently, may reduce the frequency of paclitaxel-induced HSR. While aprepitant has a prophylactic effect against vomiting caused by high-dose cisplatin, the benefits of aprepitant have not been clearly demonstrated in patients receiving paclitaxel and carboplatin (TC) combination chemotherapy. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized study in Japanese patients with gynecologic cancer who received TC combination chemotherapy. Patients received aprepitant or placebo together with both a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and dexamethasone prior to chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with HSR, and the secondary endpoints were the proportion of patients with "no vomiting", "no significant nausea", and complete response, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 324 randomized patients, 297 (151 in the aprepitant group; 146 in the placebo group) were evaluated. The percentage of patients with HSR (9.2 vs. 7.5 %, respectively; P = 0.339) was not significantly different between the groups. The percentage of "no vomiting" patients (78.2 vs. 54.8 %; P < 0.0001), "no significant nausea" patients (85.4 vs. 74.7 %; P = 0.014), and patients showing complete response (61.6 vs. 47.3 %, P = 0.0073) was significantly higher in the aprepitant group than in the placebo group. CONCLUSION: The administration of aprepitant did not have a prophylactic effect on the HSR but was effective in reducing nausea and vomiting in gynecologic cancer patients receiving TC combination chemotherapy.

[Efficacy and safety of transdermal fentanyl patches for opioid initiation in patients with gastrointestinal obstruction].

The transdermal fentanyl patch (TDF) can be used when switching from other opioids; therefore, little is known about the efficacy and safety of TDF patches applied for opioid initiation. However, TDF patches have been applied for opioid initiation in gastrointestinal cancer patients with gastrointestinal obstruction. In this study, we retrospectively investigated 12 gastrointestinal cancer patients to evaluate the efficacy and frequency of adverse effects of TDF patches compared to oral oxycodone (OXY) for opioid initiation. The frequency of adverse effects such as nausea, somnolence, and constipation in the TDF patch group was 25%, 41.7%, and 8.3%, respectively. No severe adverse effects were observed, and there was no significant difference between the TDF patch and OXY groups. Moreover, according to the numerical pain rating scale(ranging from 0 [no pain] to 10 [worst possible pain]), the pain intensity in the TDF patch group decreased from 5.42 on the first day to 3.33 after 3 days (p=0.0377), and 2.67 after 7 days (p=0.0089), with no significant difference between groups. Our study results suggest that TDF patches applied for opioid initiation may be useful for gastrointestinal cancer patients with gastrointestinal obstruction.

Gaucher disease carrier with gestational thrombocytopenia and anemia: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Gaucher disease is an autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism that causes disorders of blood, bone, and central nervous system as well as hepatosplenomegaly. We present the case of a carrier of Gaucher disease with gestational thrombocytopenia and anemia that required blood transfusion therapy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 24-year-old Nepalese primipara was diagnosed with idiopathic thrombocytopenia at 12 weeks of gestation. Her platelet count had reduced to 30,000/µL at 21 weeks of gestation, and the hemoglobin content reduced to 7.6 g/dL at 27 weeks of gestation. As she did not respond to any medication, blood transfusion was performed. A female infant weighing 2677 g was delivered vaginally at 39 weeks of gestation. On the 78th day of puerperium, the platelet count of the mother recovered to 101,000/µL, and the hemoglobin content recovered to 12.5 g/dL. The infant had convulsions, respiratory depression, wheezing, systemic purpura, and exfoliation of the epidermis at birth. The infant was diagnosed with Gaucher disease at 37 days of age and passed away at 82 days of age. Subsequently, the parents were diagnosed as carriers of Gaucher disease. CONCLUSION: As carriers of this disease do not usually show symptoms, it is imperative to provide information regarding disease management for future pregnancies.

Retrospective details of false-positive and false-negative results in non-invasive prenatal testing for fetal trisomies 21, 18 and 13.

OBJECTIVE: Maternal characteristics and neonatal outcomes associated with cell-free DNA (cfDNA) results were analysed retrospectively to assess the details of false-positive and false-negative results after initial blood sampling in non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). STUDY DESIGN: A multicentre retrospective study was performed for women undergoing NIPT who received discordant cfDNA results between April 2013 and March 2018. The NIPT data obtained using massive parallel sequencing were studied in terms of maternal background, fetal fraction, z-scores, invasive procedure results and neonatal outcomes after birth. RESULTS: Of the 56,545 women who participated in this study, 54 false-positive (0.095 %) and three false-negative (0.006 %) cases were found. Seven of the 54 false-positive cases (13.0 %) had vanishing twin on ultrasonography. Among the 18 false-positive cases of trisomy 18, confined placental mosaicism (CPM) was confirmed in three cases (16.7 %), while CPM was present in one of the three false-negative cases of trisomy 21. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the incidence of women with false-positive or false-negative results is relatively low, that such false results can often be explained, and that vanishing twin and CPM are potential causes of NIPT failure. Genetic counselling with regard to false results is important for clients prior to undergoing NIPT.

[HIV infected pregnant women in Japan and prevention of mother-to-child transmission].

By the investigation of our study group 595 HIV infected pregnant women have been confirmed in Japan since 1984. In recent years, around 40 pregnant women a year were diagnosed as HIV positive. These HIV infected pregnant women were not concerned with a value of CD4 and received antiretroviral therapy such as zidovudine (AZT) monotherapy or highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) starting from the second trimester of pregnancy. According to recommendations and current data, cesarean delivery before the onset of labor is performed around 37 weeks of pregnancy and prophylactic AZT syrups are given to infants starting 8-12 hrs after birth for 6 weeks. These preventive managements such as antiretroviral therapy, elective cesarean delivery and formula feeding significantly reduced mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. The transmission rate of HIV fell to 0.5% in Japan, but the problem of the teratogenicity of antiretroviral drugs remain unclear. Further studies are needed.