Eltrombopag treatment for severe immune thrombocytopenia during pregnancy: a case report.

Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by isolated thrombocytopenia (platelet count <100 × 109/l) in the absence of other causes or disorders associated. The incidence of ITP in pregnancy is one to two cases per 1000 gestations. ITP could be diagnosed before or during pregnancy; sometimes a relapse of a previously diagnosed ITP can occur. Intravenous immune globulins (IVIg) and corticosteroids are the standard frontline therapy because of their well known safety profile either for the mother or for the neonate. Treatments for refractory patients are limited by potential fetal risk. We report the case of a patient with ITP along pregnancy, refractory to corticosteroids and IVIg, successfully treated with, the thrombopoietin receptor agonist (TPO-RA) eltrombopag. Patient received this compound for almost the whole pregnancy and in particular for the whole first trimester, without any complication for the mother and the neonate. Although transient administration of TPO-RAs in pregnancy seems to be well tolerated, their use during the whole gestation is still controversial; this is the reason of the description of this case, which did not show any complications, and thus it could add useful information on this field.

The three-vessel and trachea view (3VTV) in the first trimester of pregnancy: an additional tool in screening for congenital heart defects (CHD) in an unselected population.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of obtaining the three-vessel and trachea view (3VTV) in an unselected population undergoing first trimester screening for aneuploidy, and to investigate its role in the early detection of congenital heart defects (CHD). METHODS: Cardiac examination was performed by expert sonographers. Abnormal findings of 3VTV were classified in three different subgroups: number, size and spatial relationship of the vessels. RESULTS: We enrolled 6350 consecutive singleton pregnancies and included 5343 cases. Examination of 3VTV was feasible in 94% of cases. Fifty-seven (1%) CHD were present in the study period; 24 cases were excluded because parents opted for termination of pregnancy. Of the remaining 33 cases, 25 were suspected at the first trimester and eight were detected only at the mid-trimester. An abnormal 3VTV was suspected in 22 cases, and it was confirmed in 21. Five cases that were erroneously classified in the subgroup of abnormal vessel number were actually characterized by a diminutive size of one of the great arteries. The detection rate for CHD, including 4-CV and 3VTV, was 75.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that 3VTV is an easy plane to obtain by expert sonographers in an unselected population during first trimester. Typical suspicions include detection of abnormal number, size or spatial relationship of the vessels. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Second-trimester uterine artery Doppler in the prediction of stillbirths.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the role of second-trimester uterine artery Doppler in the prediction of stillbirths. METHODS: Uterine artery pulsatility index (PI) was measured at 20-24 weeks' gestation in 65,819 singleton pregnancies. The PI was converted to multiples of median (MoM) and compared in live births and stillbirths. Regression analysis was used to determine the significance of association between log(10) uterine artery PI MoM and gestational age (GA) at delivery in cases of stillbirths. RESULTS: There were 306 (0.46%) stillbirths and in 159 (52.0%) of these there was pre-eclampsia (PE), placental abruption and/or birthweight below the 10th percentile (small for gestational age, SGA). In the stillbirths, the uterine artery PI MoM was significantly higher than in live births and was inversely associated with GA at delivery. The uterine artery PI MoM was above the 90th percentile in 80.6% of stillbirths with PE, abruption and/or SGA delivering at <32 weeks' gestation, in 41.9% at 33-36 weeks and in 34.3% at ≥37 weeks, and the respective percentages for stillbirths without PE, abruption or SGA were 15.8, 25.0 and 12.4%. CONCLUSION: Second-trimester uterine artery PI is effective in identifying early stillbirths in association with PE, abruption or SGA but not late deaths in the absence of PE, abruption or SGA.

Birthweight with gestation and maternal characteristics in live births and stillbirths.

OBJECTIVE: To establish a normal range of birthweight with gestational age (GA) at delivery and examine the contribution of maternal characteristics in defining growth restriction in stillbirths. METHODS: In 69,895 normal singleton pregnancies, regression analysis was used to determine the association of birthweight with GA and maternal characteristics. The proportion of 290 stillbirths classified as small for GA depending on inclusion or exclusion of maternal characteristics was determined. RESULTS: In normal pregnancies, there was a polynomial association between birthweight and GA. Birthweight increased with maternal weight, height and parity and was lower in Africans and South Asians than in Caucasians. Birthweight for GA was reduced in antepartum stillbirths (n = 243; p < 0.0001) but not in intrapartum stillbirths (n = 47; p = 0.334). There was no significant difference in the proportion of antepartum stillbirths with birthweight below the 10th percentile when birthweight was corrected for GA only compared to correction for GA and maternal characteristics (53.1 vs. 54.3%). The birthweight was below the 10th percentile in 71.8% of antepartum stillbirths at <32 weeks' gestation, in 47.2% at 33-36 weeks and in 31.5% at ≥37 weeks. CONCLUSION: Correction of birthweight for maternal characteristics does not alter the proportion of stillbirths that are small for GA.

Four phases of checks for exclusion of umbilical cord blood donors.

AIM: The aim of this study was to analyse umbilical cord blood (UCB) collection over 1 year between October 2008 and September 2009, seeking ways to improve the number of suitable banked UCB units. Four phases of the process were investigated, from the consent form to the banking procedure, paying attention to the discarded UCB units. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We recruited couples at 35 weeks of gestation and took an accurate history, focusing on genetic, immunological and infectious diseases. We collected UCB from pregnant women who delivered vaginally or by Caesarean section between the 37-41(+6) weeks of gestation. Some units were discarded on the basis of the patients' history, obstetric events or biological criteria. In utero collection was the preferred method of collection. RESULTS: During the study period, between October 2008 and September 2009, there were 1,477 deliveries in our unit. The number of couples interested in UCB donation was 595 (40.2%-595/1,477). We collected 393 UBC units. We excluded 122 patients at the phase of the history taking, counselling and informed consent (first phase check). Of the 393 units collected, 162 (41.3%) were banked whereas 231 (58.7%) were discarded because they did not fulfil biological criteria (third phase check). The volume of UCB units collected after Caesarean section was greater than the volume of units collected after vaginal delivery (95.4 mL versus 85.0 mL, respectively; p <0.01). The UCB units collected after vaginal delivery contained a higher number of total nucleated cells compared to the units collected after Caesarean section (970x10(6) cells versus 874x10(6) cells, respectively; p=0.037). None of the banked UCB units was discarded at the clinical check 6 months after delivery (fourth phase check). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that strict observance of each of the checks and the collection strategy is important to guarantee the safety of the UCB units and to maximise the cost-benefit ratio. After the appropriate checks we banked UCB units from only 27.2% (162/595) of the couples who gave consent to the procedure and from only 11% (162/1,477) of all the deliveries in the 12 month study period, as 59.8% of couples were not properly informed about UCB donation.

Reverse end-diastolic flow in a fetus with a rare liver malformation: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: We describe a case of early and persistent reverse end-diastolic flow in the middle cerebral artery in a fetus with severe ascites. These features are associated with a rare liver malformation known as ductal plate malformation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 28-year-old Caucasian woman was referred to our high-risk obstetric unit at 24 weeks' gestation for fetal ascites detected during a routine ultrasound examination. During her hospitalization we performed medical investigations, including a fetal paracentesis, to detect the etiology of fetal ascites. The cause of fetal ascites (then considered non-immune or idiopathic) was not evident, but a subsequent ultrasound examination at 27 weeks' gestation showed a reverse end-diastolic flow in the middle cerebral artery without any other Doppler abnormalities. A cesarean section was performed at 28 weeks' gestation because of the compromised fetal condition. An autopsy revealed a rare malformation of intrahepatic bile ducts known as ductal plate malformation. CONCLUSION: Persistent reverse flow in the middle cerebral artery should be considered a marker of adverse pregnancy outcome. We recommend careful ultrasound monitoring in the presence of this ultrasonographic sign to exclude any other cause of increased intracranial pressure. To better understand the nature of these ultrasonographic signs, additional reports are deemed necessary. In fact in our case, as confirmed by histopathological examination, the fetal condition was extremely compromised due to failure of the fetal liver. Ductal plate malformation altered the liver structures causing hypoproteinemia and probably portal hypertension. These two conditions therefore explain the severe hydrops that compromised the fetal situation.