Adverse obstetric outcomes among female childhood and adolescent cancer survivors in Sweden: A population-based matched cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Cancer treatment during childhood may lead to late adverse effects, such as reduced musculoskeletal development or vascular, endocrine and pulmonary dysfunction, which in turn may have an adverse effect on later pregnancy and childbirth. The aim of the present study was to investigate pregnancy and obstetric outcomes as well as the offspring's health among childhood and adolescent female cancer survivors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This register-based study included all women born between 1973 and 1977 diagnosed with cancer in childhood or adolescence (age <21), as well as an age-matched comparison group. A total of 278 female cancer survivors with their first childbirth were included in the study, together with 829 age-matched individuals from the general population. Logistic regression and analysis of variance were used to investigate associations between having been treated for cancer and the outcome variables, adjusting for maternal age, nicotine use and comorbidity. RESULTS: Survivors were more likely to have preeclampsia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.58 to 7.56), undergo induction of labor (aOR 1.66, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.62), suffer labor dystocia (primary labor dystocia aOR 3.54, 95% CI 1.51 to 8.34 and secondary labor dystocia aOR 2.43, 95% CI 1.37 to 4.31), malpresentation of fetus (aOR 2.02, 95% CI 1.12 to 3.65) and imminent fetal asphyxia (aOR 2.55, 95% CI 1.49 to 4.39). In addition, deliveries among survivors were more likely to end with vacuum extraction (aOR 2.53, 95% CI 1.44 to 4.47), with higher risk of clitoral lacerations (aOR 2.18, 95% CI 1.47 to 3.23) and anal sphincter injury (aOR 2.76, 95% CI 1.14 to 6.70) and emergency cesarean section (aOR 2.34 95% CI 1.39 to 3.95). Survivors used pain-reliving methods to a higher extent compared with the comparison group. There was no increased risk of neonate diagnoses and malformations. The results showed that survivors who had been diagnosed with cancer when they were younger than 14 had an increased risk of adverse obstetric outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates increased risk of pregnancy and childbirth complications among childhood and adolescent cancer survivors. There is a need to optimize perinatal care, especially among survivors who were younger than 14 at time of diagnosis.

HRG C633T polymorphism and risk of gestational hypertensive disorders: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia and gestational hypertensive disorders are thought to occur due to endothelial cell dysfunction and abnormal placentation, triggered by angiogenesis-related factors yet undetermined. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a genetic polymorphism (SNP) of Histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG), HRG C633T SNP, is associated with gestational hypertensive disorders. METHODS: It was performed a nested case-control study from the BASIC Cohort of Uppsala University Hospital comprising 92 women diagnosed with gestational hypertensive disorders without other comorbidities and 200 women with full term uncomplicated pregnancies, all genotyped regarding HRG C633T SNP. RESULTS: The genetic analysis of the study sample showed that C/C genotype was more prevalent among controls. The presence of the T-allele showed a tendency towards an increased risk of gestational hypertensive disorders. After clustering the study participants based on their genotype, it was observed that the odds for gestational hypertensive disorders among heterozygous C/T or homozygous T/T carriers were higher compared to homozygous C/C carriers [OR 1.72, 95% CI (1.04-2.84)]. The association remained significant even after adjustment for maternal age, BMI and parity. CONCLUSIONS: The HRG C633T genotype seems to be associated with gestational hypertensive disorders, and as part of a greater algorithm, might contribute in the future to the prediction of the individual susceptibility to the condition.

Can noninvasive hemoglobin measurement reduce the need for preoperative venipuncture in pediatric outpatient surgery?

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive measurements of hemoglobin in the pediatric perioperative setting could be helpful to avoid venipunctures in children. The present study aims to evaluate this by using a noninvasive device for hemoglobin determination. We compared noninvasively obtained hemoglobin with laboratory hemoglobin concentrations in children during their preoperative assessment. METHODS: In an observational study, 122 nonanemic children (age 4.2 ± 1.6 years) who were scheduled to undergo different surgical procedures under general anesthesia were included. In their preoperative preparations, single invasive blood samples for laboratory hemoglobin concentrations were routinely taken following hospital policy and compared to simultaneous noninvasive determinations of hemoglobin. A preoperative invasive value ≤9 g/dL would have caused cancelation of surgery and implied further investigations. RESULTS: A Bland-Altman plot showed that the average difference between noninvasively obtained hemoglobin and laboratory hemoglobin concentration was -0.44 g/dL (bias) with a standard deviation of the mean bias of 1.04 g/dL. A hemoglobin error grid showed that the noninvasive device could identify almost all invasive hemoglobin values >9 g/dL. In total, there were 4 false-positive values where noninvasively obtained hemoglobin observations were below while the paired invasive values were above 9 g/dL. CONCLUSION: The data in this pediatric setting suggest that the device may eliminate the need for venipuncture in nonanemic children.

Reproductive Patterns Among Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Survivors in Sweden: A Population-Based Matched-Cohort Study.

Purpose To compare the probability of a first live birth, age at time of birth, and time between diagnosis/referent date and birth between childhood and adolescent cancer survivors and an age-matched comparison group. Materials and Methods A total of 1,206 survivors was included in the study, together with 2,412 age-matched individuals from the general population. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to investigate first live birth after diagnosis/referent date. Data were stratified by sex, age at diagnosis, and diagnostic era (ie, diagnosis before 1988 v in 1988 or later). Results Overall, the probability of having a first live birth (hazard ratio [HR]) was significantly lower; men had lower HRs than women (HR, 0.65 v 0.79). There were no significant differences in the probability of having a first live birth among women diagnosed during adolescence (HR, 0.89), but the HR was lower among women with childhood cancers (HR, 0.47). Among male survivors, the situation was the opposite; men diagnosed during adolescence had lower HRs than survivors of childhood cancer (HR, 0.56 v 0.70). Examination of the data from the two diagnostic eras (before 1988 and 1988 or later) shows that the HR increased among female survivors after 1988 (HR, 0.71 v 0.90) and decreased among male survivors (HR, 0.72 v 0.59). A shorter time had elapsed between diagnosis/referent date and the birth of a first child among both male and female survivors compared with controls. In addition, female survivors were younger at time of birth. Conclusion The study demonstrates reduced probability of having a first live birth among cancer survivors diagnosed during childhood or adolescence; men were particularly vulnerable.