[Predictive value of Doppler fluxometry of umbilical and middle cerebral arteries with the perinatal outcomes in fetus with intrauterine growth restriction]. / Valor predictivo de la flujometría Doppler de las arterias umbilical y cerebral media con los resultados perinatales en fetos con restricción del crecimiento intrauterino.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the predictive value of the Doppler fluxometry of the umbilical artery and middle cerebral artery with the perinatal outcome in fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We carried out a cross-sectional study. There were included 220 pregnant women with diagnosis of intrauterine growth restriction. We carried out in these women Doppler fluxometry of umbilical artery and middle cerebral artery. It was followed the perinatal outcome of the newborns. We used student's t test for comparing the fluxometry indexes; and logistic regression analysis to determine its association with the perinatal outcome. An alpha value was set at 0.05. RESULTS: The fluxometry indexes of the umbilical artery were abnormal in all the cases of intrauterine growth restriction. The fluxometry indexes of the middle cerebral artery were abnormal in a small number of fetuses with perinatal complications. In the logistic regression analysis the fluxometry index of the umbilical artery was significant in order to predict bad perinatal outcome, in the other hand, the middle cerebral artery was not significant. The perinatal complications diagnosed were: distress respiratory syndrome (37.2%) necrotizing enterocolitis (6.2%) and sepsis (6.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The Doppler fluxometry of the umbilical artery have better predictive value than the middle cerebral artery for predicting bad perinatal outcome. We recommend the assessment of umbilical artery as first choice in order to determine the well-being in fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction.

[Correlation between Doppler fluxometry of middle cerebral artery/umbilical and non stress test as methods of antepartum fetal surveillance]. / Correlación entre la flujometría Doppler de la arteria cerebral media/umbilical y la prueba sin estrés como métodos de vigilancia fetal antes del parto.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the correlation between Doppler fluxometry of middle/umbilical cerebral artery and the non-stress test as methods of antepartum fetal surveillance. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We made a cross-sectional study. There were included 161 patients with high risk pregnancies. We carried out the non-stress test and the middle/umbilical cerebral artery resistance index in these women. Apgar score and perinatal outcome of the newborns were registered. Correlation coefficient as well as the sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of the tests were calculated. RESULTS: For the non-stress test in perinatal death, a sensitivity of 0% and a specificity of 84% were obtained; for Apgar at five minutes, sensitivity was 50% and specificity was 85%. In relation to perinatal death, the middlelumbilical cerebral artery resistance index has a sensitivity and specificity of 100 and 91%, respectively; for Apgar score at five minutes, the values were 100 and 92%, respectively. Correlation coefficient for the middle/umbilical cerebral artery resistance index and the non-stress test was -0.257 (p = 0.0009). CONCLUSION: We found a correlation between the middle/umbilical cerebral artery resistance index and the non-stress test. This index had more sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing perinatal death and Apgar score, for this reason we recommend it as a first choice method of antepartum fetal surveillance.

[Risk factors associated to ovarian cancer]. / Factores de riesgo asociados con cáncer de ovario.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk factors associated to ovarian cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A case-control study was carried out including 31 women with ovarian cancer and 69 patients with benign ovarian tumors corroborated with a histopathological study. We analyzed 26 independent variables, which classification was clinic, sociodemographic and ultrasonographic. The dependent variable was ovarian cancer, and it was assigned a value of 1 if it was present and 0 if it was absent. The statistical analysis was done using a logistic regression analysis, with an alpha value of 0.05. RESULTS: The malignant tumor of epithelial cells was the most common histological variety and was seen in 22 cases (71%). There were 24 cases (77.4%) in clinical stage I at the time of the diagnosis. Out of the 26 studied variables late menarche (p = 0.02), multiparity (p = 0.02), loss of weight (p = 0.04), solid tumor (p = 0.02), mixed tumor (p = 0.02) and irregularities of the tumor (p = 0.03) were significant in the applied model. CONCLUSIONS: The sociodemographic variables associated to ovarian cancer were: late menarche and multiparity; the clinical significant variable was loss of weight; and the ultrasonographic variables were solid tumor, mixed tumor and irregularities of the tumor. A population screening program is recommended in women who are in reproductive age, and it should include a gynecological ultrasonographic scanning in order to make an opportune diagnosis of this pathology.

Homeostatic model assessment and risk for hypertension during pregnancy: a longitudinal prospective study.

The purpose of this study was to determine the association between insulin resistance and hypertension during pregnancy with the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR). A longitudinal prospective study was carried out. One hundred sixty normotensive pregnant women were followed from the first trimester until delivery. HOMA-IR levels were determined each trimester. Statistical analysis included one-way analysis of variance and multivariate logistic regression. At follow-up, 134 women (83.8%) remained normotensive, 18 (11.2%) developed gestational hypertension, and 8 (5%) developed preeclampsia. At first trimester, HOMA-IR levels were higher in women who developed gestational hypertension (2.1 +/- 0.2) than in women who developed preeclampsia (1.2 +/- 0.0), or remained normotensive (1.2 +/- 0.3); p < 0.01. In the logistic regression analysis, HOMA-IR levels at first trimester were statistically significant ( p = 0.03) to predict development of gestational hypertension. Our results support the use of the HOMA-IR as an alternative index for the assessment of the risk for hypertension during pregnancy.