Perinatal management of preterm premature ruptured membranes affects neonatal prognosis.

AIM: To determine the factors affecting neonatal prognosis in preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). METHOD: We conducted a case-control study involving 92 women between the years 2000 and 2010 diagnosed with PPROM between 25 and 31 weeks' gestation, who received antenatal steroids, and delivered between 26 and 31 weeks' gestation; a retrospective cohort study was conducted based on the results. We used data from four tertiary centers and compared the frequencies of neonatal neurologic deficits and neonatal deaths. RESULTS: There was a difference between the two groups; specifically, the ND group (n=18) consisted of patients whose infants had neurologic deficits and/or neonatal deaths and the neurologically normal (NN) group (n=74) included NN neonates amongst the patients who had expectant management (94% vs. 73%, respectively). Multivariable analysis revealed that expectant management was independently associated with an increased risk for neonatal neurologic deficits and neonatal deaths (odds ratio, 16.14). All neonates with poor prognosis in the expectant-management group delivered within 14 days after PPROM. CONCLUSIONS: Expectant management within 14 days after PPROM is associated with poor neonatal outcomes. Decisions regarding an expectant strategy should be made carefully. An immediate, planned delivery after steroid administration should be considered to improve neonatal prognosis in patients who have PPROM after 26 weeks' gestation.

[A pregnant case on which EC-IC bypass was successfully performed in the acute phase of brain infarction].

A 30 year-old, 28 weeks-pregnant woman (gravida 2, para 2) suffered from a sudden onset of aphasia when she was having a chat in the upright position. Although the initial symptom soon disappeared, transient attacks of aphasia combined with weakness in the right arm occurred intermittently, particularly when she uprose. MR image disclosed a small acute infarcted focus at the genu of the left internal capsule, while MRA showed an occlusion of the intracranial portion of the left internal carotid artery. She was treated conservatively, but the transient attack continued and her consciousness was slightly lowered. Since repeated examination revealed no recanalization of the occluded artery, treatment was reinforced by using heparin and dopamine on day 1. However, her consciousness was not improved, and dopamine evoked nausea and vomiting. On day 2, superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) anastomosis was carried out. Soon after surgery, she regained alertness and the transient attack subsided. Examinations could not clarify the course of the occlusion. She was treated with heparin until she delivered a sound baby in the 37th week. Although STA-MCA anastomosis for acute ischemic stroke is still debatable, it may be a good option even for a pregnant woman when suffering from intractable progressing stroke.

Pre-Cerclage cervical length predicts long-term pregnancy sustenance: A case-control study.

Background: This study aimed to assess a predictor of long-term pregnancy sustenance post cervical cerclage in women with or without a medical history of cervical insufficiency. Materials and methods: We included pregnant women who underwent cerclage at 12-25 weeks gestation in four perinatal medical centers between January 2009 and December 2010. We classified the cerclage modality as ultrasound-indicated cervical cerclage if the pre-cerclage CL was <25 mm because the prophylactic and therapeutic cerclage definitions varied among institutions. The procedure was deemed successful if the pregnancy continued for more than 13 weeks post cerclage. We compared the outcomes of women who underwent successful and unsuccessful cerclage and investigated whether the pre-cerclage CL could predict pregnancy outcomes in women who underwent successful cerclage using receiver-operating characteristic curves. Results: We screened 114 pregnant women; 91 met the inclusion criteria. Pre-cerclage CL was a moderately accurate predictor of long-term pregnancy sustenance in the successful group (optimal cut-off value: 17 mm; area under the curve: 0.76; P = 0.0016). Approximately 87% of patients with a pre-cerclage CL ≥ 17 mm sustained their pregnancies for more than 13 weeks post cerclage; however, 64% of patients with a pre-cerclage CL < 17 mm did not. Conclusion: We speculate that the use of other treatment options in addition to cerclage in women with a pre-cerclage CL < 17 mm may result in a successful pregnancy.

Repeated injections of energy in the first 600 ms of the giant flare of SGR 1806-20.

The massive flare of 27 December 2004 from the soft gamma-ray repeater SGR 1806-20, a possible magnetar, saturated almost all gamma-ray detectors, meaning that the profile of the pulse was poorly characterized. An accurate profile is essential to determine physically what was happening at the source. Here we report the unsaturated gamma-ray profile for the first 600 ms of the flare, with a time resolution of 5.48 ms. The peak of the profile (of the order of 10(7) photons cm(-2) s(-1)) was reached approximately 50 ms after the onset of the flare, and was then followed by a gradual decrease with superposed oscillatory modulations possibly representing repeated energy injections with approximately 60-ms intervals. The implied total energy is comparable to the stored magnetic energy in a magnetar (approximately 10(47) erg) based on the dipole magnetic field intensity (approximately 10(15) G), suggesting either that the energy release mechanism was extremely efficient or that the interior magnetic field is much stronger than the external dipole field.

The first case of alloantibody against human platelet antigen-15b in Japan: possible alloimmunization by a hydatidiform mole.

BACKGROUND: The involvement of the human platelet antigen (HPA)-15 system in neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT) has been reported in various populations, but not in the Japanese population. In Japan, the mixed passive hemagglutination assay (MPHA) is used for detection of HPA alloantibodies. However, most of the reported cases of HPA-15 incompatibility are based on the monoclonal antibody immobilization of platelet antigen (MAIPA) assay or immunoprecipitation; thus there is a possibility that HPA-15 alloantibodies are not efficiently detected by the MPHA, and currently, the causative antibody is not detectable in approximately half of the suspected NAIT cases in Japan. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We examined the sera of mothers from NAIT cases, previously with undetected HPA antibodies by MPHA, using the MAIPA technique. Sera from 90 mothers of suspected NAIT were tested by MAIPA for the presence of anti-HPA-15 alloantibodies. RESULTS: Anti-HPA-15b was detected in one case. This case was a mother in the first pregnancy diagnosed as hydatid mole-coexisting fetus, and the baby was born with suspected NAIT. The familial analysis revealed compatibility of HPA-15 genotype between the mother and the baby (both HPA-15a/a), but incompatibility with the paternal one (HPA-15a/b). The hydatid mole's tissue was genotyped as HPA-15b positive. Besides anti-HPA-15b, maternal sera contain strong HLA Class I antibody CONCLUSIONS: Here we reported the first case of anti-HPA-15 in Japan. Alloimmunization against the hydatid mole seems to be responsible for the production of HPA-15b alloantibody. This antibody, however, did not apparently involve in the development of NAIT of the newborn, the coexisting anti-HLA Class I being the possible cause.

[A case of fluoropyrimidine-resistant recurrent colon cancer successfully treated with weekly administration of irinotecan].

We report a case of fluoropyrimidine-resistant recurrent colon cancer with liver and paraaortic lymph node metastases successfully treated with weekly administration of irinotecan (CPT-11). The patient was a 70-year-old man who underwent rt-colectomy for advanced colon cancer in January 2008. After the operation, adjuvant chemotherapy with uracil/tegafur and oral l-leucovorin was started and continued. However, the CEA level increased after six months, so we switched to CPT-11 at a dose of 100 mg/m2/day for 3 consecutive weeks followed by a week rest. CEA decreased to within the normal range after administration of 4 courses, and CT scan revealed metastatic lesions were reduced after 6 courses. Grade 1 general fatigue, nausea, diarrhea and grade 2 anemia and alopecia were noted, but no serious adverse reaction appeared. After that, CEA slightly increased, so the interval of administration was changed to bi-weekly in consideration of the adverse effect, restarted, and is now continuing. This was then restarted as a bi-weekly treatment, and is being continued now. It is thought this treatment may be simple, easy and promising second-line chemotherapy for uracil/tegafur and oral l-leucovorin-resistant metastatic colorectal cancer.

[A case of S-1-resistant recurrent gastric cancer successfully treated with weekly administration of paclitaxel].

We report a case of recurrent gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination and paraaortic lymph node metastases, successfully treated with weekly administration of paclitaxel. The patient was a 63-year-old man who underwent distal gastrectomy with lymph node dissection for advanced gastric cancer in February 2005. After the operation, adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 was started and continued. He complained of abdominal distention, anorexia and nausea in April 2006. Therefore, paclitaxel (PTX) was administered at a dose of 60 mg/m(2)/day for 3 weeks followed by a week rest. Clinical symptoms were relieved, and abdominal X-ray findings showing intestinal obstruction disappeared after 2 courses. CT scan revealed metastatic lymph nodes were reduced after 3 courses. Grade 1 peripheral neuropathy and grade 2 leukocytopenia were noted, but no serious adverse reaction appeared. Weekly administration of PTX may be a promising regimen as second-line chemotherapy for S-1-resistant recurrent gastric cancer.

Safety and efficacy of thromboprophylaxis using enoxaparin sodium after cesarean section: A multi-center study in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the leading cause of maternal death in developed countries, and the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a pivotal part of current obstetric care. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of enoxaparin sodium for thromboprophylaxis after cesarean section (C/S), and analyzed the risk factors associated with VTE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and forty-three women deemed to be at high risk of postoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) were enrolled between January 2011 and May 2012 in seven institutions in Japan. Subcutaneous administration of enoxaparin 4000 units/d was initiated 24-36 hours after C/S for 5 days. Adverse events, based on the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, Version 4, were recorded. The diagnoses of PE and DVT were made on clinical signs. Venous ultrasonography in the lower extremities was performed in 102 patients. The association between VTE and various risk factors was evaluated using univariate analysis. RESULTS: There were 10 (7.0%) Grade 1 adverse events: elevated aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase levels in eight patients, chest pain in one patient, and subcutaneous hematoma in one patient. No patients showed clinical signs of PE and/or DVT. Among 102 patients who underwent venous ultrasonography, thrombus was detected in unilateral soleus veins in four (3.9%) patients. A body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m(2) before pregnancy was associated with asymptomatic DVT. CONCLUSION: The current study demonstrates the safety and efficacy of enoxaparin for thromboprophylaxis after C/S. Further studies are required to determine the best method of preventing asymptomatic DVT.

[A case of advanced gastric cancer with bulky N2 lymph node metastases resected after successful treatment with TS-1].

We report a case of advanced gastric cancer with bulky N2 lymph node metastases resected after successful treatment with novel oral anticancer drug TS-1 as a neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). A 62-year-old man was admitted to our hospital complaining of epigastralgia and dysphagia. Endoscopic examination revealed type 3 advanced gastric cancer in the upper gastric body. Computed tomography (CT) showed bulky N2 lymph node metastases. He was treated with a daily dose of 120 mg of TS-1 for 4 consecutive weeks, followed by 2 weeks of rest. No serious adverse reaction was observed. After 1 course of treatment, the primary tumor and metastatic lymph nodes were reduced. Therefore, a total gastrectomy combined with splenectomy and D2 lymph node dissection was performed. Histopathologically, a few viable cancer cells remained in the resected stomach and metastatic lymph nodes were found. The histological effect of NAC was judged to be grade 2. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and he has been well for 11 months following surgery. TS-1 as NAC is considered to be effective for advanced gastric cancer.

Molecular characterization of del(8)(p23.1p23.1) in a case of congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

A 36-week-old fetus was referred to the medical center because of his cystic mass and fluid in left thoracic cavity, and was delivered by cesarean section to manage neonatal problems at 37 weeks of gestation. Emergent surgical repair of the left diaphragmatic hernia was performed, but severe hypoxia persisted, and he expired on the following day. Chromosome analysis of cultured amniotic fluid cells indicated 46,XY,del(8)(p23.1p23.1). This is the fourth case of 8p23.1 deletion associated with diaphragmatic hernia. Microarray comparative genomic hybridization analysis using DNA of cultured amniotic fluid cells showed that six clones were deleted, which were mapped to the region between two low copy repeats (LCRs) at 8p23.1 previously described. Microsatellite analysis revealed that the deletion was of paternal origin, and his parents did not carry 8p23.1 polymorphic inversion. These data strongly suggested that the 8p23.1 interstitial deletion should have arisen through a different mechanism from that of inv dup del(8p) whose structural abnormality is always of maternal origin and accompanies heterozygous 8p23.1 polymorphic inversion in mother.