The effect of hereditary versus acquired thrombophilia on triple test Down's syndrome screening.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the profile of mid gestation triple test serum markers between a cohort of women with history of pregnancy complications with hereditary versus acquired thrombophilia. All were treated with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) prior to 12 weeks' gestation. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of second trimester maternal serum screening results for Down syndrome was performed comparing women with inherited versus acquired thrombophilia, all treated with LMWH. The test results were calculated from the combination of triple serum markers and maternal age, and expressed as a multiple of the gestation normal medians (MoM). Results in the study groups were compared with MoM values calculated from our local population (controls). RESULTS: The median human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level was higher only in the acquired thrombophilia group (N = 47) as compared with the control group (1.3 vs. 0.99 MoM, P = 0.005), and not different between the hereditary thrombophilia group (N = 60) (1.1 MoM) and the control group. Alpha-fetoprotein and unconjugated estriol MoMs did not differ between women with inherited (0.95, 0.97), acquired thrombophilia (0.99, 0.90), and controls (1.01, 0.98), respectively. CONCLUSION: In the interpretation of second trimester maternal serum screening, consideration should be given to the higher hCG maternal serum levels that may occur in women with acquired thrombophilia, even those treated early in pregnancy with LMWH. The higher hCG serum levels may signal the possibility of placental dysfunction, rather than fetal aneuploidy.

Does low molecular weight heparin influence the triple test result in pregnant women with thrombophilia?

BACKGROUND: The triple test serum markers for Down's syndrome screening may be altered because of various conditions other than chromosomal trisomies. OBJECTIVES: To assess the profile of mid-trimester triple test serum markers in a cohort of women treated with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) for thrombophilia since the first trimester. METHODS: Women with inherited or acquired thrombophilia treated with LMWH prior to 12 weeks gestation were followed between October 2006 and September 2009 at our obstetric outpatient clinic. The second-trimester screening test for Down syndrome was calculated from the combination of triple serum markers and maternal age, and expressed as a multiple of the gestation-specific normal median (MoM). Reference MoM values were calculated from the local population. Data on pregnancy outcome were obtained from patient records. RESULTS: The median human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level of women with inherited thrombophilia was 0.87 MoM, compared to 0.99 MoM in controls (P = 0.038) and compared to 1.355 MoM in women with acquired thrombophilia (P = 0.034). In contrast, alpha-fetoprotein MoMs did not differ significantly between women with inherited and women with acquired thrombophilia (0.88 vs. 0.99 MoM, P = 0.403). CONCLUSIONS: The triple test serum markers may be altered in thrombophilia patients treated with LMWH. Clinicians should consider offering these patients the first-trimester nuchal translucency test and other sonographic markers that are probably unaffected by the underlying maternal disease and/or treatment modality.

Laparoscopically assisted uterine fibroid cryoablation.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to develop a safe and effective cryoablation technique for the treatment of uterine fibroids. STUDY DESIGN: This was a multicenter pilot case series to evaluate cryoablation of uterine fibroids using laparoscopically assisted placement of 17-gauge cryoablation needles. Patient satisfaction was documented with a validated Uterine Fibroid Symptom and Quality of Life (UFS-QOL) questionnaire. Procedural efficacy was evaluated by assessing fibroid shrinkage. Treatment was followed by assessments at 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: Median fibroid volume reduction was 43.3% (19 patients) and 66.4% (15 patients) at 6 and 12 months, respectively. Median UFS-QOL score improvement was 61.9% and 66.7% at 6 and 12 months, respectively. Additionally, patients experienced marked improvement of bleeding and fibroid bulk symptoms. The median Symptom Severity Score at baseline was 50, 25.0 (-59%) at 6 months, and 12.5 (-66.7%) at 12 months. CONCLUSION: These pilot data indicate that uterine fibroid cryoablation is a safe and effective minimally invasive alternative to treat symptomatic uterine fibroids.

Community-acquired bloodstream infections in children > one month old in southern Israel (1992-2001): epidemiological, clinical and microbiological aspects.

We studied the epidemiology, microbiology, clinical picture and outcome of community-acquired bloodstream infections (CABI) in children in southern Israel during 1992-2001. Information was collected prospectively by daily surveillance. CABI was diagnosed when a positive blood culture was reported in a patient discharged from the emergency room or during <48 h since admission if hospitalized. There were 1439 CABI episodes in 1396 children aged 1 month to 14 y. CABI incidence was 100/100,000 children with no increase during the study period. Risk of CABI was 3.8 times higher in a Bedouin than in a Jewish child. 1561 bacteria (793, 50%, gram-positive and 768, 49% gram-negative organisms, respectively) and 13 fungi were recovered. Most frequent gram-positive organisms were Streptococcus pneumoniae (509 isolates, 32% of all isolates, 64% of all gram-positive), Staphylococcus aureus (137, 9%, 17%) and Streptococcus pyogenes (46, 3%, 6%). Enterobacteriaceae spp. were the most frequent gram-negative pathogens (279, 18%, 36%), followed by Brucella (205, 13%, 27%). S. pneumoniae was the most common pathogen in children <12 months and 1-5 y age; Brucella was the most frequent pathogen in children >5 y of age. Coverage of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugated vaccine for CABI was 38.5%. 38 (2.7%) patients died; 16 cases were caused by S. pneumoniae.

Simultaneous bilateral torsion and entanglement of the adnexa.

We report the first case of bilateral adnexal torsion complicated by concomitant entanglement of both adnexas. The clinical presenting symptoms and signs were similar to those described in unilateral adnexal torsion without adnexal entanglement. The final diagnosis was established by diagnostic laparoscopy, and aspiration of one of the ovarian cysts was required to disentangle the adnexas.

Nosocomial bloodstream infections in children and adolescents in southern Israel: a 10-year prospective study (1992-2001).

We studied the epidemiology, microbiology, clinical presentation and outcome of nosocomial bloodstream infections (NBI) in children and adolescents in southern Israel during 1992-2001. Information on NBI was collected prospectively by active surveillance. NBI was diagnosed when a clinically significant positive blood culture was drawn in a patient during >48 h after admission. 469 episodes occurred in 370 children and adolescents aged 1 m-18 y. The overall incidence of NBI was 5.3/1000 patients, with no increase during the study period. A significant decrease in NBI incidence was recorded at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during 1997-2001 vs 1992-1996. The incidences of NBI at the paediatric ICU (PICU), paediatric wards and paediatric surgery departments (PSD) were 24.1, 2.8 and 2.5/1000 patients, with an increase in NBI cases at PICU and PSD during 1997-2001 vs 1992-1996. Of 661 pathogens, Gram-negative, Gram-positive and fungal organisms were isolated in 54.3%, 36.6% and 9.1% of cases, respectively. Enterobacteriaceae (34.6% of all isolates) were the most frequently isolated Gram-negative organisms. Enterococcus spp., coagulase-negative staphylococci and Staphylococcus aureus (9.5% of all isolates each) were the most frequently isolated in Gram-positive organisms. A significant increase was recorded in the incidence of NBI caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas spp. A significant decrease in the susceptibility of Enterobacteriaceae spp. to piperacillin, ceftazidime, gentamicin and ceftriaxone was recorded during the study period. 33 (8.9%) patients with NBI died.