Antenatal predictors of stem cell content for successful umbilical cord blood donation.

PURPOSE: The most important HLA-independent factor for the selection of cord blood units (CBU) for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the total nucleated cell (TNC) count over 150 × 107 as a surrogate marker for stem cell content. The purpose of this prospective study was to define prenatal clinical predictors for TNC count that would help to identify successful CBU donors before the onset of active labor. METHODS: This was a prospective analysis of 594 CBUs, collected from all eligible term singleton pregnancies at Basel University Hospital between 4/2015 and 9/2016 analyzing several maternal and fetal factors. The impact of these factors on TNC count (< 150 × 107 cells vs. ≥ 150 × 107 cells) of the CBUs was modeled in a multivariate analysis. RESULTS: A total of 114 (19.2%) CBUs had a TNC count of ≥ 150 × 107. In a ROC analysis there was no significant difference between the AUC of all prenatal factors (AUC 0.62) and estimated fetal birth weight by ultrasound alone (AUC 0.62). For women planning a trial of labor a recruitment cut-off at an estimated birth weight of 3300 g would allow 72.6% of all donors with sufficient TNC count to be recruited and 22.8% of all collected CBUs would have a sufficient TNC count for banking. For women planning for elective CS a cut-off of 3400 g would allow 71.4% of all donors with sufficient TNC count to be recruited and 22.7% of all collected CBUs would have sufficient TNC count for banking. CONCLUSION: The estimated fetal birth weight within 2 weeks of delivery by ultrasound as single parameter can be considered at the time of recruitment to estimate the chances of a successful CBU donation.

Impact of parturition on maternal cardiovascular and neuronal integrity in a high risk cohort - a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: To better understand the profound multisystem changes in maternal physiology triggered by parturition, in particular in the underexplored neuronal system, by deploying a panel of pre- vs post-delivery maternal serum biomarkers, most notably the neuronal cytoskeleton constituent neurofilament light chain (NfL). This promising fluid biomarker is not only increasingly applied to investigate disease progression in numerous brain diseases, particularly in proteopathies, but also in detection of traumatic brain injury or monitoring neuroaxonal injury after ischemic stroke. METHODS: The study was nested within a prospective cohort study of pregnant women at risk of developing preeclampsia at the University Hospital of Basel. Paired ante- and postpartum levels of progesterone, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), placental growth factor (PlGF), mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP), copeptin (CT-proAVP), and NfL were measured in 56 women with complete clinical data. RESULTS: Placental delivery significantly decreased all placental markers: progesterone 4.5-fold, PlGF 2.2-fold, and sFlt-1 1.7-fold. Copeptin and MR-proANP increased slightly (1.4- and 1.2-fold, respectively). Unexpectedly, NfL levels (median [interquartile range]) increased significantly post-partum: 49.4 (34.7-77.8) vs 27.7 (16.7-31.4) pg/ml (p < 0.0001). Antepartum NfL was the sole independent predictor of NfL peri-partum change; mode of delivery, duration of labor, clinical characteristics and other biomarkers were all unrelated. Antepartum NfL levels were themselves independently predicted only by maternal age. CONCLUSIONS: Parturition per se increases maternal serum NfL levels, suggesting a possible impact of parturition on maternal neuronal integrity.

Efficacy and safety of misoprostol vaginal insert vs. oral misoprostol for induction of labor.

Objectives To compare the oral application form of misoprostol with the misoprostol vaginal insert (MVI) in a Swiss cohort with special regards to the efficacy and safety. Methods We performed a retrospective case series including a historical group induced with oral misoprostol (MO, n=101) and an MVI group (n=101). The primary outcome was time to delivery. Secondary outcomes were mode of delivery, occurrence of tachysystole, use of analgesia and neonatal adverse outcome. Results A total of 202 women were included in the analysis (101 in the MVI as well as in the MO group). Time from start of induction to delivery was significantly shorter in the MVI group compared to the MO group (15.91 h vs. 37.68 h, P<0.001). Within the first 24 h, 78.2% of the women in the MVI group had given birth compared to 28.7% in the MO group (P<0.001). Tachysystole occurred more often in the MVI group (22.8% vs. 5.0%, P<0.001). Women in the MVI group more often needed opioid analgesia during the induction before onset of active labor (31.7% vs. 2.0%, P<0.001). There was no significant difference between neonatal outcomes in the two groups. Conclusion Time to delivery was significantly shorter in the MVI group with a higher rate of vaginal deliveries within the first 24 h. However, patients needed more opioids for pain relief during induction with MVI. There was no difference in neonatal outcomes.

Effectiveness of real-time continuous glucose monitoring to improve glycaemic control and pregnancy outcome in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rt-CGM) informs users about current interstitial glucose levels and allows early detection of glycaemic excursions and timely adaptation by behavioural change or pharmacological intervention. Randomised controlled studies adequately powered to evaluate the impact of long-term application of rt-CGM systems on the reduction of adverse obstetric outcomes in women with gestational diabetes (GDM) are missing. We aim to assess differences in the proportion of large for gestational age newborns in women using rt-CGM as compared with women with self-monitored blood glucose (primary outcome). Rates of neonatal hypoglycaemia, caesarean section and shoulder dystocia are secondary outcomes. A comparison of glucose metabolism and quality of life during and after pregnancy completes the scope of this study. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Open-label multicentre randomised controlled trial with two parallel groups including 372 female patients with a recent diagnosis of GDM (between 24+0 until 31+6 weeks of gestation): 186 with rt-CGM (Dexcom G6) and 186 with self-monitored blood glucose (SMBG). Women with GDM will be consecutively recruited and randomised to rt-CGM or control (SMBG) group after a run-in period of 6-8 days. The third visit will be scheduled 8-10 days later and then every 2 weeks. At every visit, glucose measurements will be evaluated and all patients will be treated according to the standard care. The control group will receive a blinded CGM for 10 days between the second and third visit and between week 36+0 and 38+6. Cord blood will be sampled immediately after delivery. 48 hours after delivery neonatal biometry and maternal glycosylated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) will be assessed, and between weeks 8 and 16 after delivery all patients receive a re-examination of glucose metabolism including blinded CGM for 8-10 days. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study received ethical approval from the main ethic committee in Vienna. Data will be presented at international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03981328; Pre-results.