Biomedical features of flaxseed against different pathologic situations: A narrative review.

Flaxseed is a plant that grows and is cultivated in more than 50 countries; the main flax producer countries are Canada, China, the United States, and India. The purpose of the present study was to overview the source, chemical compounds, and mechanisms of the therapeutic effects of this valuable plant. For writing this manuscript, we made a list of relevant keywords and phrases, and then we started searching for studies in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The main constituents of flaxseed include lipids, proteins, lignans, fibers, and minerals. Flaxseed is full of antioxidants such as tocopherols, betacarotene, cysteine, and methionine which result in a decrease in blood pressure, heart disease, hepatic and neurological disorders, and increased insulin sensitivity. Flaxseed is commonly used for its antidiabetic and anticancer activities and also it is beneficial for cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hepatic, urological, and reproductive disorders, and because of these beneficial effects, it is recognized as a medical plant.

Implementation of a universal cervical length screening program: identifying factors associated with decline rates.

PURPOSE: Cervical length (CL) measurement is now accepted as a screening strategy for identifying women at risk for preterm birth (PTB). However, patient acceptability may limit its implementation. Our objective was to identify characteristics associated with women who decline this screening. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study of women offered UCL screening from January 2012 to June 2012. Women with a singleton gestation 18 0/7-23 6/7 weeks at the time of anatomy scan were included. Trained sonographers were instructed to perform UCL screening on all eligible patients using an "opt-out" approach. Chi square statistics and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to compare categorical and continuous data, where appropriate. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratio for factors associated with declining UCL screening Results: 1348 women were offered CL screening; 131 (9.7%) declined. Overall, multiparous women were more than twice as likely to decline UCL screening compared to primiparous women [OR 2.4 (1.6-3.8)]. Patient acceptance of screening was significantly dependent on the sonographer (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Multiparous women are less likely to accept this strategy of PTB prevention. A standardized counseling approach may improve patient acceptance and mitigate variability in acceptance rates observed amongst sonographers.

Prenatal care in a specialized diabetes in pregnancy program improves compliance with postpartum testing in GDM women.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether prenatal care in a specialized diabetes in pregnancy program (DMC) improves compliance with completion of the 2-h 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (2HrOGTT) in GDM women. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of GDM women delivering in a university health system between January 2011 and March 2014 was performed. Women were divided into two groups: those receiving care in prenatal clinics over an 18-month period prior to the establishment of the diabetes in pregnancy clinic (pre-DMC) and those receiving prenatal care in a specialized diabetes in pregnancy clinic (post-DMC). The primary outcome was completion of the 2HrOGTT postpartum. Clinical characteristics associated with 2HrOGTT completion were evaluated. Time trend analysis was performed to evaluate month to month variation in 2HrOGTT compliance for secular trends. RESULTS: A total of 292 women were analyzed, 147 post-DMC and 118 pre-DMC. The 2HrOGTT was ordered more frequently in the post-DMC compared to pre-DMC (90.0 versus 53.0%, p < 0.0001). Rates of completion of the 2HrOGTT were 49.2% post-DMC and 25.0% pre-DMC, p = 0.007. After adjusting for potential confounders, women who received prenatal care post-DMC were 2.98 times more likely to complete the 2HrOGTT compared to those receiving care pre-DMC (OR 2.98 [1.34, 6.62], p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Providers were 5.9 times more likely to order the recommended testing for GDM women who attended the postpartum visit in the post-DMC period. GDM women who receive prenatal care in a specialized diabetes in pregnancy program are more likely to complete the 2HrOGTT in the postpartum period.

Antipsychotics leading to neuroleptic malignant syndrome in pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is characterized by a tetrad of mental status changes, extrapyramidal symptoms, hyperpyrexia, and autonomic instability and can develop after the use of antipsychotics. CASE: A young, multiparous woman presented at 26 weeks of gestation with acute psychosis and was treated with haloperidol until she developed rigidity of her extremities and then was switched to risperidone. She subsequently developed mental status changes, rigidity, hyperthermia, and autonomic instability, leading to a diagnosis of NMS. Risperidone was discontinued and, owing to ongoing psychosis, olanzapine was initiated. Subsequently, her symptoms resolved. CONCLUSION: Neuroleptic malignant syndrome may complicate the treatment of pregnant women using antipsychotics. Clinicians should take into account the risks of untreated psychosis when discontinuing the offending agent and consider initiating alternative pharmacotherapy.

Enteric duplication cysts of the pancreas: a report of two cases and review of the literature.

Enteric duplication cysts are rare congenital malformations that are most commonly diagnosed in children. Enteric duplications associated with the pancreas are especially uncommon, and may present with specific clinical findings such as severe pancreatitis. These cysts often pose unique surgical challenges. In addition, the diagnosis of pancreatic duplication cysts is often difficult, and may be confused with pancreatic pseudocysts or neoplasms. Herein we report two cases of pancreatic duplication cysts, and present a complete tabulation of all case reports of pancreatic-associated duplication cysts reported in the English literature. We conclude that pancreatic duplication cysts are a rare entity, most commonly found to occur in infants and children. We further find that although severe complications may arise as a result of their presentation and treatment, the rate of post-operative complications in patients between 3 and 21 years of age is extremely low, with the highest complication rate occurring in a bimodal distribution (<3-years and >21-years of age). Despite complications in the youngest and older patient populations, surgical excision remains the mainstay of therapy for pancreatic duplication cysts in all age groups.