Prenatal Detection and Conservative Management of Uterine Scar Dehiscence in Patient with Previous Uterine Rupture and Multiple Surgeries-A Case Report.

Uterine rupture is a rare and life-threatening condition. It usually occurs in patients with uterine scars (most commonly for a previous myomectomy or caesarean section), but it can also affect an unharmed uterus. This complication is more frequent in the third trimester and during delivery. There is not yet a recognised method of prediction of uterine rupture and the ultrasound features still need a consensus. In this article, we have reported a case of uterine dehiscence diagnosed by a pelvic ultrasound and magnetic resonance (MRI) at 24 weeks of gestation. The finding was confirmed intraoperatively at the caesarean section at 29 weeks of gestation. The 40-year-old patient has had a previous pregnancy complicated by uterine rupture at 22 weeks of gestation, following six previous abdominal surgeries for stage IV endometriosis, diffuse and nodular adenomyosis, and pelvic adhesion syndrome. The early detection of uterine dehiscence allowed us to prolong the pregnancy and perform a subsequent fertility-sparing surgery, reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Our case report proves that women with severe endometriosis/adenomyosis are at a high risk of uterine rupture and scar dehiscence. The antenatal ultrasound can describe a uterine dehiscence (even in asymptomatic patients) and prevent complications.

How BRCA and homologous recombination deficiency change therapeutic strategies in ovarian cancer: a review of literature.

About 50% of High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer exhibit a high degree of genomic instability due to mutation of genes involved in Homologous Recombination (HRD) and such defect accounts for synthetic lethality mechanism of PARP inhibitors (PARP-i). Several clinical trials have shown how BRCA and HRD mutational status profoundly affect first line chemotherapy as well as response to maintenance therapy with PARP-i, hence Progression Free Survival and Overall Survival. Consequently, there is urgent need for the development of increasingly reliable HRD tests, overcoming present limitations, as they play a key role in the diagnostic and therapeutic process as well as have a prognostic and predictive value. In this review we offer an overview of the state of the art regarding the actual knowledge about BRCA and HRD mutational status, the rationale of PARPi use and HRD testing (current and in development assays) and their implications in clinical practice and in the treatment decision process, in order to optimize and choose the best tailored therapy in patients with ovarian cancer.

Comparison of clinical and ultrasound examinations in assessing the parametria in patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis: a multicentre prospective study.

RESEARCH QUESTION: How do clinical rectovaginal examination and transvaginal ultrasound examination perform in the diagnosis of parametrial infiltration in patients with endometriosis? DESIGN: This was a multicentre prospective observational study. Patients with suspected deep endometriosis at clinical examination and/or at ultrasound evaluation and scheduled for surgery were included. Following multicentre multidisciplinary meetings, consensus was obtained on terms and methodology to define the parametrium at pelvic anatomy, ultrasound and surgery. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative likelihood ratios were calculated for clinical and ultrasound examinations with respect to surgery. RESULTS: In total, 195 women were selected for the present study and 164 were included in the analysis. Ultrasound examination had good to high specificity (>80%) for all parameters, except the left lateral parametrium (78.8%). The sensitivity of ultrasound examination was good to high for fixity of the right and left ovaries, uterosacral ligaments, retrocervix and rectovaginal space; and low for the anterior and lateral parametria, vagina, bladder and bowel. Clinical examination had good to high specificity for fixity of the left ovary, anterior parametrium, right uterosacral ligament, retrocervix and vagina; and low specificity for fixity of the right ovary, lateral parametrium, left uterosacral ligament and rectovaginal space. The sensitivity of clinical examination was good for the uterosacral ligaments and rectovaginal space, and low for the remaining parameters. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound examination provided good specificity for all the parameters, but sensitivity was low for the anterior and lateral parametria. Clinical examination provided good specificity for the anterior and posterior parametria, but sensitivity was low for the anterior and lateral parametria. Further prospective studies are needed to validate this methodology and confirm the results.

Innovative Ultrasound Criteria for the Diagnosis of Adenomyosis and Correlation with Symptoms: A Retrospective Re-Evaluation.

The 2022 Delphi revision of the MUSA (Morphological Uterus Sonographic Assessment) criteria for the ultrasound diagnosis of adenomyosis divides the ultrasound signs for diagnosis into direct and indirect ones, considering the presence of at least one direct sign as a mandatory criterion. This study aimed to reclassify the patients referred to the Pelvic Pain specialist outpatient clinic of the Gynecological Clinic of Udine according to the new criteria, evaluating the number of overdiagnoses and the possible correlation between the direct and indirect signs and the patients' symptoms. 62 patients affected by adenomyosis were retrospectively recruited. The patients were then re-evaluated by ultrasound and clinically. At least one direct sign of adenomyosis was found in 52 patients, while 16% of the population examined did not present any. There was no statistically significant difference between patients presenting direct signs and those presenting none for the symptoms considered. According to the new criteria, 16% of the patients examined were not affected by adenomyosis; applying the new consensus to symptomatic patients could increase false negatives. In a population of symptomatic patients, the diagnosis of adenomyosis is still highly probable even without direct ultrasound signs, given the clinical symptoms and having ruled out other causes of such symptoms.

"Water or not water: That is the question." Analysis of costs and consumption of the operating theaters in a greener perspective.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the amounts of water and plastic used in surgical hand washing with medicated soaps and with alcohol-based products and to compare costs and consumption in a year, based on scheduled surgical activity. METHOD: This retrospective study was carried out at Udine's Gynecology Operating Block from October to November 2022. We estimated the average amount of water with a graduated cylinder and the total cost of water usage based on euros/m3 indicated by the supplier; for each antiseptic agent we collected the data relevant to wash time, amount of water and product used per scrub, number of handscrubs made with every 500 mL bottle and cost of a single bottle. We put data into two hypothetical contexts, namely WHO guidelines and manufacturers' recommendations. Data were subjected to statistical analysis. RESULTS: The daily amount of water using povidone-iodine, chlorhexidine-gluconate and alcohol-based antiseptic agents was 187.6, 140.7 and 0 L/day (P value = 0.001), respectively; A total of 69 000 L/year of water would be saved if alcohol-based products were routinely used. A single unit of an alcohol-based product allows three times as many handscrubs as any other product (P value = 0.001) with consequent reduction in plastic packaging. CONCLUSION: Despite the cost saving being negligible, choosing alcohol-based handrub over medicated soap handrub - on equal antiseptic efficacy grounds - could lead to a significant saving of water and plastic, thus making our operating theaters more environmentally friendly.

Does Sexual Function and Quality of Life Improve after Medical Therapy in Women with Endometriosis? A Single-Institution Retrospective Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a gynecological condition affecting up to 10% of women of reproductive age and characterized by chronic pain. Pain is the major cause of the impairment of quality of life in all aspects of these patients. Previous studies have shown that endometriosis treatment, hormonal or surgical, has proven effective not only in controlling the disease but also in improving symptoms, and we can assume also effective in improving quality of life. METHODS: This study evaluates quality of life and sexual function in patients with endometriosis at the time of diagnosis and after 6 months of medical therapy, to assess the impact of treatment on these aspects. We evaluated retrospectively patients with a diagnosis of endometriosis between 2018 and 2020. All patients underwent gynecological examination and transvaginal ultrasound and filled in three questionnaires. The same evaluation was provided after taking medical hormonal therapy. RESULTS: The improvement of dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, and dyspareunia after medical treatment were statistically significant. Instead, items concerning arousal, lubrication, and sexual satisfaction showed a statistically significant worsening after therapy. CONCLUSIONS: We can state that hormone therapy alone is not sufficient to achieve an improvement in the patient's quality of life and sexual function. Emerging evidence suggests that most of these patients showed a central sensibilization phenomenon characterized by an amplification of the response to a peripheral and/or neuropathic nociceptive trigger, which is expressed by hyperalgesia and allodynia. For this reason, in these patients, it is better to adopt a multimodal and multidisciplinary approach, including other professional figures, that acts on pain and also intervenes in all those conditions that contribute to worsening quality of life.

A Rare Case of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence in Ovarian Site after 12 Years Mimicking a Hepatoid Adenocarcinoma: Case Report.

Hepatoid carcinoma of the ovary (HCO) is a tumor that resembles, both histologically and cytologically, hepatocarcinoma (HCC) in a patient with a non-cirrhotic liver not involved by the disease. Hepatoid carcinoma is an extremely rare histologic subtype of ovarian cancer and should be distinguished from metastatic HCC. Here, we report the rare case of a 67-year-old woman with ovarian recurrence of HCC 12 years after first diagnosis. The patient was being followed by oncologists because she had been diagnosed with HCV-related HCC (Edmonson and Stainer grade 2, pT2 N0 M0, G2, V1) in 2009. She had undergone surgery for enlarged left hepatectomy to the 4th hepatic segment with cholecystectomy and subsequent placement of a Kehr drain. The preoperative alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level was 8600 ng/mL, while the postoperative value was only 2.7 ng/mL. At the first diagnosis, no other localizations of the disease, including the genital tract, were found. At the time of recurrence, however, the patient was completely asymptomatic: her liver function was within normal limits with negative blood indices, except for an increased blood dosage of AFP (467 ng/mL), and CA125, which became borderline (37.4 IU/mL). The oncologist placed an indication for a thoracic abdominal CT scan, which showed that the residual liver was free of disease, and the presence of a formation with a solid-cystic appearance and some calcifications at the left adnexal site. The radiological findings were confirmed on level II gynecological ultrasound. The patient then underwent a radical surgery of hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, pelvic peritonectomy, and omentectomy by a laparotomic approach, with the sending of intraoperative extemporaneous histological examination on the annexus site of the tumor mass, obtaining RT = 0. Currently, the patient continues her gyneco-oncology follow-up simultaneously clinically, in laboratory, and instrumentally every 4 months. Our study currently represents the longest elapsed time interval between first diagnosis and disease recurrence, as evidenced by current data in the literature. This was a rather unique and difficult clinical case because of the rarity of the disease, the lack of scientific evidence, and the difficulty in differentiating the primary hepatoid phenotype of the ovary from an ovarian metastasis of HCC. Several multidisciplinary meetings for proper interpretation of clinical and anamnestic data, with the aid of immunohistochemistry (IHC) on histological slides were essential for case management.

Management of Patients Diagnosed with Endometrial Cancer: Comparison of Guidelines.

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy in Europe and its management involves a variety of health professionals. In recent years, big discoveries were made concerning the management of patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer, particularly in the field of molecular biology and minimally invasive surgery. This requires the continuous updating of guidelines and protocols over the years. In this paper, we aim to summarize and compare common points and disparities among protocols for management of patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer by leading international gynecological oncological societies. We therefore systematically report the parallel among the guidelines based on the various steps patients with endometrial cancer usually undergo. The comparison between American and European protocols revealed some relevant disparities, in particular regarding surgical staging, molecular biology application as a prognostic tool and follow up regimens. This could possibly cause differences in interpreting and applying protocols in clinical practice in small centers, leading to a lack of adherence to guidelines or even prompting a confusing mix of them.

Systemic Oxidative Stress in Women with Ovarian and Pelvic Endometriosis: Role of Hormonal Therapy.

This study was performed to evaluate the systemic oxidative stress balance in women with either ovarian or deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) and any alterations of the same during hormone therapy. Free oxygen radicals (FORT) and free oxidant radical defense (FORD) were measured in the capillary blood of 24 women without endometriosis, 26 women with endometrioma, and 26 women with DIE with or without endometrioma. Endometriosis was diagnosed by clinical and ultrasound assessment. Dietary factors, lifestyle habits, and intake of any substances interfering with the oxidative status were recorded. Women were prescribed contraceptive hormones, and the baseline assessments were repeated at the 3rd month of use, revealing a higher oxidative stress balance (FORT/FORD) in women with endometriosis than in controls (4.75 ± 4.4 vs. 2.79 ± 2.2; p = 0.05). The highest values were found in women with DIE (5.34 ± 4.6; p = 0.028 vs. controls). Regression analysis revealed an independent link between FORT/FORD and endometrioma (b 2.874, 95% CI 0.345, 5.403; p = 0.027) and DIE (b 4.419, 95% CI 1.775, 7.064; p = 0.001) but a negative correlation with HDL-cholesterol (b -0.063, 95% CI -0.125, -0.002; p = 0.043). In controls, the hormone therapy increased FORT (p = 0.003), but also FORD (p = 0.012), with the FORT/FORD balance remaining stable (2.72 ± 2.2 vs. 2.73 ± 1.8; p = 0.810). In women with endometriosis, FORT remained unchanged, but FORD increased (p = 0.004), and the FORT/FORD ratio significantly decreased (4.75 ± 4.4 vs. 2.57 ± 1.76; p = 0.002) to values similar to the control levels. These data indicate that systemic oxidative stress balance increased in women with endometriosis, particularly in those with DIE. The hormonal therapy did not change the oxidative stress balance in control women but significantly improved it in women with endometriosis, particularly those suffering from DIE.

Mesonephric-Like Adenocarcinomas a Rare Tumor: The Importance of Diagnosis.

Mesonephric-like adenocarcinomas (MLA) are rare neoplasms that arise in the uterine body and ovary and have been added to the World Health Organisation's recent 2020 classification of female genital cancers. The pathogenesis of MLA is unknown and it remains debated whether they represent mesonephric carcinomas (Wolffian) arising in the endometrium/ovary or endometrioid carcinomas (Müllerian) closely mimicking mesonephric carcinomas. Here we report the case of a 57-year-old woman with an initial misdiagnosis of endometrioid adenocarcinoma on diagnostic biopsy. The patient came to our clinical evaluation for the appearance of menometrorrhagia complicated by anemia for several months. Therefore, she underwent pelvic echo-flowmetry, with indication for diagnostic hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy, which yielded a positive result for endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma. Following staging CT scan and targeted examinations on pulmonary findings, the patient underwent surgery with surprise of definitive diagnosis deponent for endometrial MLA. Our intention is to establish a brief review of the scientific evidence in the literature and the tools available for a correct histological diagnosis, in the light of the scant anatomopathological evidence. Our question gives rise to the motive for the publication: is immunohistochemistry the right way to resolve the diagnostic error at histology, which is usually the only source of diagnostic certainty? This case is intended to alert of diagnostic error that risked having the patient treated as a neoplasm with a favorable prognosis and low degree of aggressiveness instead of for a very aggressive and poor prognosis tumor such as MLA.

CUP-syndrome: Inguinal high grade serous ovarian carcinoma lymph node metastases with unknown primary origin - a case report and literature review.

Objective: High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC) often presents lymph node involvement. According to the paths of lymphatic drainage, the most common site of nodal metastasis is in the aortic area. However, pelvic lymph nodes are also involved and inguinal metastases are less frequent. Methods: Our report concerns the case of a 78-year-old woman with an inguinal lymph node relapse of HGSC, with the prior positivity of a right inguinal lymph node, after the primary surgery. Ovaries and tubes were negative on histological examination. A comprehensive search of the literature published from January 2000 to October 2021 was conducted on PubMed and Scopus. The papers were selected following the PRISMA guidelines. Nine retrospective studies were evaluated. Results: Overall, 67 studies were included in the initial search. Applying the screening criteria, 36 articles were considered eligible for full-text reading of which, after applying the exclusion criteria, 9 studies were selected for the final analysis and included in the systematic review. No studies were included for a quantitative analysis. We divided the results according to the relapse location: loco-regional, abdominal, and extra-abdominal recurrence. Conclusions: Inguinal node metastasis is a rare but not unusual occurrence in HGSC. A reasonable level of suspicion should be maintained in patients with inguinal adenopathy and high CA125 values, especially in women with a history of gynecologic surgery, even in the absence of negative imaging for an ovarian origin.

A Case of Advanced Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy after Emergency Contraception.

Ectopic pregnancy is a relatively common condition and an important cause of morbidity in women of childbearing age. The most frequent implantation site is the fallopian tube. Most cases are diagnosed in an early gestational period. Patients come to the attention of clinicians for pelvic pain and vaginal blood loss, and consequent diagnosis is made through clinical presentation, laboratory tests, and ultrasound. Other rarer implantation sites such as the abdominal cavity give space for ectopic pregnancy to grow until later gestational ages, delaying diagnosis. This is a rare case of a healthy 41-year-old woman with an advanced ectopic pregnancy after emergency contraception with Ulipristal Acetate. The patient went to visit for amenorrhea after taking a contraceptive. Evaluation with ultrasound demonstrated a 10 + 4 weeks' unruptured tubal pregnancy with fetal heart rate. The patient underwent laparoscopic salpingectomy without complication. This is the first case of such an advanced ectopic pregnancy in a woman who performed emergency contraception with Ulipristal Acetate.

Scar-Free Laparoscopy in BRCA-Mutated Women.

Background and Objectives: BRCA 1 and 2 mutations have a cumulative risk of developing ovarian cancer at 70 years of 41% and 15%, respectively, while a cumulative risk of breast cancer by 80 years of age was 72% for BRCA1 mutation carriers and 69% for BRCA2 mutation carriers. The NCCN recommends risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO), typically between 35 and 40 years, and upon completion of childbearing in BRCA1 mutation, while it is reasonable to delay RRSO for management of ovarian cancer risk until age 40-45 years in patients with BRCA2. In recent years there have been two main lines of evolution in laparoscopy. The former concerning the development of a single-site laparoscopic and the latter concerning the miniaturisation of laparoscopic instruments (mini/micro-laparoscopy). Materials and Methods: In this case report, we show our experience in prophylactic adnexectomy, on a mutated-BRCA patient, using the MiniLap® percutaneous surgical system. Results: This type of technique is safe and effective and does not require a particular learning curve compared to single-port laparoscopy. Conclusions: The considerable aesthetic advantage of the scars, we believe, albeit to a lesser extent, is useful to find in these patients burdened by an important stress load.

Atypical polypoid adenomyoma follow-up and management: Systematic review of case reports and series and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Atypical polypoid adenomyoma (APA) is a rare uterine tumor typically found in fertile age and associated with infertility. Among young nullipara women, conservative treatment is proposed despite the high recurrence rate and the association with endometrial cancer.Our aim was to assess the risk of recurrence with different conservative treatments in fertile ages and the prevalence of malignant or pre-malignant associated lesions to better address an adequate patient counselling when treatment modalities are discussed. METHODS: This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of case reports and case series about APA management and follow-up. A literature search was carried from Medline and Scopus for studies published from January 1, 1980 to December 31, 2018. RESULTS: We included 46 observational studies and 296 cases in fertile women. The prevalence of APA relapse was 44% (CI.95 33-57%) and was lower in cases treated with operative hysteroscopy (22%; CI.95 11-39%) than in cases treated with blind curettage and polypectomy (38%; CI.95 15-67%). The prevalence of the concomitant or during the follow-up diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma was 16% (CI.95 9-29%). The risk of cancer development during follow-up was significantly less in cases treated with histeroscopy (10.56% new cumulative diagnosis at 5 years follow up; CI.95 0-23.7%) than blind curettage and polypectomy (35.5% new cumulative diagnosis at 5 years; CI.95 11.65-52.92%; P < .05). Medical treatment with medroxyprogesterone acetate after surgery does not reduce APA recurrence. Pregnancy was observed in 79% cases in which the desire was expressed. CONCLUSION: This review suggests that conservative treatment performed by operative hysteroscopy is the optimal choice because it lowers the risk of recurrence, improves the accuracy of concomitant carcinoma or hyperplasia diagnosis, and leaves the possibility of future pregnancies.

Role of a natural integrator based on lipoic acid, palmitoiletanolamide and myrrh in the treatment of chronic pelvic pain and endometriosis.

BACKGROUND: Dysmenorrhea and chronic pelvic pain occur in a significantly higher percentage in women with endometriosis; this benign condition has an incidence ranging from 5% to 10% in the general population, while 35% to 50% of infertile women are affected. Treatment of the symptoms demands integrated approaches with the use of anti-inflammatory substances or drugs and lifestyle changes, including attention to diet. The use of traditional anti-inflammatory drugs over the long term is not very successful because of the fear of side effects so they are almost always used with a short-term formula of 7-10 days when the woman's general condition becomes difficult to bear. In recent years, particular attention has been paid to natural substances with recognized anti-inflammatory activities that, associated with one another, are able to synergize individual actions. A nutraceutical containing substances capable of fighting chronic pelvic pain has recently been put on the market. The possible action mechanism derives from a synergy of action between alpha-lipoic acid, palmitoiletanolamide (PEA) and myrrh (Pelvinox, Laborest Italia srl, Nerviano, Milan, Italy), whose action is so effective that it is able to replace the use of anti-inflammatory drugs. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of these active ingredients in women with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain. METHODS: This multicenter study saw the recruitment of 60 women (divided between the three centers participating in the study, Siena, Bologna and Udine) aged between 20 and 39 suffering from endometriosis (ovarian) and chronic pelvic pain. All the women took one nutraceutical (Pelvinox) at a dose of two tablets per day for 6 months. RESULTS: The results showed a significant reduction in pain symptoms as regards dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea and chronic pelvic pain, while there was no change in the mean diameter of the endometriosis cysts. CONCLUSIONS: In light of the above, it is believed that substances such as alpha-lipoic acid, PEA and myrrh may play a very important role in this type of patient in the treatment of individual symptoms.

New and old predictive factors for breech presentation: our experience in 14 433 singleton pregnancies and a literature review.

OBJECTIVE: Breech presentation represents a common indication for primary cesarean section in women presenting for parturition. This study aims to investigate the presence of new and old risk factors for breech presentation and to provide a literature review. METHOD: In this population-based retrospective cohort study, we collected data from 14,433 consecutive singleton deliveries occurred in a 3rd level hospital setting of northeast Italy between January 2001 and July 2009. Related risk factors and trends in breech presentation prevalence were also considered. RESULTS: Mean maternal age was 31.78 years (±5.17) and mean gestational age at delivery 38.67 weeks (±2.54). Breech presentation prevalence in nullipara and pluripara was respectively 5.36% (415/7743) and 3.53% (236/6689; p<0.05), and was significantly lower among Sub-Saharan-African women 2.62% (14/535) versus 4.51% (651/14432; p<0.05). Also advanced maternal age, early gestational age at delivery, neonatal female gender and low weight at delivery resulted associated with a higher prevalence of breech presentation. By multivariate logistic regression, the breech presentation resulted independently predicted by maternal age, ethnicity, parity, gestational age and neonatal weight MoMs at delivery, and neonatal gender. CONCLUSIONS: Advanced maternal age, early gestational age, low neonatal weight MoMs at delivery and female gender resulted to be risk factors for fetal breech presentation at delivery, while multiparity and Sub-Saharan-African ethnicity resulted to be protective.

First trimester PAPP-A MoM values predictive for breech presentation at term of pregnancy.

INTRODUCTION: Our aim was to state the role of first trimester pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A)-multiple of the median (MoM) value as a predictor for breech presentation at term of pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, we present data for 1100 singleton full-term deliveries that took place in a third-level hospital setting in northeast Italy between January 2004 and July 2007. For each case, PAPP-A, free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin and nuchal translucency were measured during prenatal trisomies screening (between 11 weeks and 13 weeks and 6 d). A wide range of predictive factors for breech presentation at term of pregnancy and other confounding elements were considered. RESULTS: Of the 1100 singleton deliveries at term considered in our study, 40 babies were in breech presentation. Using bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression, a lower PAPP-A MoM than 0.63 (first quartile of our distribution) in the first trimester (OR 2.41, CI.95 1.25-4.67), and placental index at term higher than the median value (OR 2.04, CI.95 1.00-4.17) were proven to be associated with breech presentation at term. CONCLUSIONS: A low PAPP-A during the first trimester was a predictive factor for breech presentation at term of pregnancy. Acknowledging and acting on this predictor could enable improved management of breech foetuses in the future.

Retinol binding protein as early marker of fetal growth restriction in first trimester maternal serum.

BACKGROUND: Serum retinol binding protein (RBP4) is the binding protein for retinol, being delivered into the circulation through the carrier protein transthyretin (TTR) together with thyroxin (T4). RBP4 has also been recently indicated as a new adipokine implicated in insulin resistance and metabolism regulation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of RBP4 as early markers of fetal growth restriction (FGR) and preeclampsia (PE) in maternal serum during the first trimester of pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective case control study in patients between the 12th and the 14th week of gestation. RBP4, TTR and T4 concentration was assessed in maternal serum of three groups of women: 15 and 14 patients later developing respectively FGR and PE were compared with 11 patients having a normal pregnancy. RESULTS: All women were Caucasian and the mean maternal age was 33.62 years (±5.50). RBP4 resulted lower in the FGR than in the control group (11.00 versus 16.00 µg/ml, p < 0.05) and than in the PE group (15.00 µg/ml, p = 0.075), both in bivariate and multivariate analysis. No difference was observed in TTR and T4 concentration. CONCLUSIONS: RBP4 seems to play a role as early marker of FGR but not PE in first trimester maternal serum.

Menstrual abnormalities and predisposition to pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders (PRHDs) are a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in developed countries. This study investigated a possible association of PRHDs with menstrual abnormalities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We contacted all women with PRHDs who delivered in our clinic between 2004 and 2007 as well as a random control cohort without pregnancy complications and asked them about their menstrual cycle characteristics. Statistical analyses were performed using R, with significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: We collected data for 237 women with normal pregnancies and 255 women with PRHDs, among whom 143 had gestational hypertension and 70 had mild and 41 severe preeclampsia. By monovariate analysis, PRHDs correlated with dysmenorrhoea, hypermenorrhoea and menstrual irregularity (p < 0.05). By multivariate analysis, the occurrence of PRHDs was influenced by dysmenorrhoea and menstrual irregularity (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PRHDs usually affect women with painful or irregular menstrual cycles, perhaps due to metabolic syndrome or molecular pathways involving vasoactive substances, with clear vascular implications.

Bone ultrasonometry measurements during pregnancy.

PURPOSE: During pregnancy we can have changes of the calcium metabolism that can determine a loss of bone mass. Some studies used single-photon absorptiometry (SPA) or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, but these exams are inadvisable in pregnancy for the teratogenic effects on the fetus. We used quantitative ultrasonometry (QUS). The aim of this study is to determine prospective changes of bone density with an ultrasonometry measurement during pregnancy in healthy Italian women. METHODS: The study population was represented by 59 pregnant women. Quantitative ultrasonometry measurements were performed at the phalanges during the first, second and third trimester. RESULTS: We found a progressive decrease of bone time transmission (BTT) from the first to the third trimester, while amplitude dependent speed of sound (AD-SoS) remained stable between the first and the second trimester and decreased at the term of pregnancy. The z- and t-scores decreased more during the second and third trimester. CONCLUSIONS: These results show an important reduction in the third trimester of pregnancy, of all ultrasonometry variables and then an increase of remodelling with bone demineralisation in the mother. These results show that there is a different bone metabolism in pregnancy in pluriparous and nulliparous women.