Placentas from Women with Late-Onset Preeclampsia Exhibit Increased Expression of the NLRP3 Inflammasome Machinery.

Pre-eclampsia is a harmful and potentially lethal medical condition during pregnancy clinically diagnosed by hypertension and commonly accompanied by proteinuria and multiorgan affections. According to the time of diagnosis, it is differentiated between early-onset (EO-PE) and late-onset preeclampsia (LO-PE). Despite being less dangerous and presenting distinct pathophysiological signatures, LO-PE has a greater prevalence than EO-PE, both having significant consequences on the placenta. Previous works have evidenced that exacerbated inflammation in this organ might play a potential pathogenic role in the development of pre-eclampsia, and there is some preliminary evidence that the hyperactivation of inflammasomes can be related to the altered immunoinflammatory responses observed in the placentas of these patients. However, the precise role of inflammasomes in the placentas of women with LO-PE remains to be fully understood. In this work, we have studied the gene and protein expression of the main components related to the canonical and non-canonical pathways of the inflammasome NLRP3 (NLRP3, ASC, caspase 1, caspase 5, caspase 8, interleukin 1ß, and interleukin 18) in the placental tissue of women with LO-PE. Our results show a marked increase in all these components in the placentas of women who have undergone LO-PE, suggesting that NLRP3 inflammasome plays a potentially pathophysiological role in the development of this entity. Future works should aim to evaluate possible translational approaches to this dysregulation in these patients.

Red Blood Cell Transfusion after Postpartum Hemorrhage: Clinical Variables Associated with Lack of Postpartum Hemorrhage Etiology Identification.

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains a significant obstetric emergency worldwide and a leading cause of maternal death. However, it is commonly underreported, which can represent a major concern for maternal morbidity and mortality. This retrospective case series study analyzed patients with red blood cell transfusion (RBCt) in the postpartum period over a four-year interval at a specific center. A total of 18,674 patients delivered between January 2018 and December 2021. Patients with postpartum RBCt were classified into two groups: those with identified PPH (i-PPH) and those without (non-i-PPH). Clinical variables, delivery details, blood loss data, and treatment information were collected. Statistical analysis involved a comparison of variables between the i-PPH and non-i-PPH groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed, aiming to identify significant associations between the clinical variables and a lack of PPH identification. The incidence of RBCt was 1.26% (236 cases). Patients receiving RBCt had higher rates of cesarean delivery, twin pregnancy, labor induction, and previous cesarean section. Among patients with postpartum RBCt, 34.3% lacked an identified PPH. The rarity of postpartum RBCt contrasts with the increasing rates of PPH, highlighting the importance of diagnosing PPH and postpartum anemia. A strategy of systematic quantification of blood loss during delivery could help detect PPH and anemia before adverse consequences occur.

Workshop for Basic Gynaecological Examinations: Improving Medical Student Learning through Clinical Simulation.

INTRODUCTION: This study was designed to evaluate whether the Workshop on Basic Principles for Clinical Gynaecological Exploration, offered to medical students, improves theoretical-practical knowledge, safety, confidence, global satisfaction and the achievement of the proposed objectives in the area of gynaecological clinical examinations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a quasi-experimental pre-post-learning study carried out at the Gynaecology and Obstetrics department of Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid (Spain). The volunteer participants were 4th-year students earning a degree in Medicine during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years. The study period was divided into the following stages: pre-workshop, intra-workshop and 2 weeks post-workshop. In the pre-workshop stage, students completed a brief online course to prepare for the workshop. The effectiveness of the workshop was evaluated through multiple-choice tests and self-administered questionnaires to assess self-assurance, self-confidence, self-satisfaction and the achievement of the objectives. RESULTS: Of the 277 students invited in both academic years, 256 attended the workshop (92.4%), with a total participation in the different stages of the study greater than 70%. A total of 82.5% of the students in the 2020-2021 academic year and 80.6% of students in the 2021-2022 academic year did not have any type of experience performing gynaecological clinical examinations. Between the pre-workshop and 2 weeks post-workshop stages, there was significant improvement in theoretical-practical knowledge (improvement mean = 1.38 and 1.21 in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years, respectively). The security and confidence of the students prior to the workshop were low (average scores less than 5 points) in both academic years. However, post-workshop scores for satisfaction and the achievement of objectives were high in the two academic years; all the values approached or exceeded 8 points. CONCLUSIONS: Our students, after outstanding participation, evaluated the BPCGE, and improved their theoretical and practical knowledge, as well as their skills in a gynaecological clinical examination. Moreover, in their view, after the workshop, they felt very satisfied, far outreaching the proposed aims. In addition, excellent results were maintained over time, year after year.

Uterine Artery Embolization of Uterine Arteriovenous Malformation: A Systematic Review of Success Rate, Complications, and Posterior Pregnancy Outcomes.

Uterine Arteriovenous Malformation (UAVM) is a rare but life-threating cause of uterine bleeding. The clinical management of this condition is challenging, and there is a need to describe the most adequate approach for these patients. Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is the most widely-published treatment in the literature in recent years, although there is a need to update the evidence on this treatment and to compare it with other available therapies. Thus, the objective of this systematic review is to quantify the efficacy of UAE of UAVM. In addition, we evaluated the clinical context of the patients included, the treatment complications, and the pregnancy outcomes after UAE. With this goal in mind, we finally included 371 patients spread over all continents who were included in 95 studies. Our results show that, similar to other medical therapies, the global success rate after embolization treatment was 88.4%, presenting a low risk of adverse outcomes (1.8%), even in women with later pregnancy (77% had no complications). To date, this is the largest systematic review conducted in this field, although there are still some points to address in future studies. The results obtained in our study should be outlined in UAE protocols and guidelines to aid in clinical decision-making in patients with UAVM.

Factors Associated with Failure of Bakri Balloon Tamponade for the Management of Postpartum Haemorrhage. Case Series Study and Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is an unpredictable obstetric emergency that requires a multidisciplinary approach. Bakri balloon tamponade (BBT) is recommended when PPH does not respond to medical treatment. Nowadays few published studies have performed a multivariate analysis to determine the variables independently associated with BBT failure. METHODS: Our study purpose was to determine the variables independently associated with BBT failure: first, in a large single-centre cohort study between 2010 and 2020, and second, in a systematic literature review using Medline and the Cochrane Library. Maternal and perinatal variables, PPH characteristics, technique-related variables and complications were recorded in the case series study, comparing between successful and failed BBT patients. Study characteristic and variables significantly associated with BBT failure were recorded in the systematic review. All studies used a logistic regression test. RESULTS: The case series included 123 patients. The profile of these patients were primiparous, with vaginal delivery and a full-term new-born. BBT was successful in 81.3% of cases. Five studies were included in the systematic review, providing data from 551 patients. BBT was successful in 79.5% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal age, caesarean delivery, ≥7 red blood cells units (RBCU) transfused and curettage before BBT insertion, history of caesarean section, pre-pregnancy obesity, anteriorly placed placenta, placenta accreta, caesarean delivery, estimated blood loss before insertion of BBT, long operation duration, and coagulopathy were independent factors for BBT failure.

[Prenatal ultrasonic diagnosis and follow-up of fetal splenic cysts: report of two cases. Review of the literature]. / Diagnóstico ecográfico prenatal y seguimiento de quistes esplénicos fetales: a propósito de dos casos. Revisión de la bibliografía.

Congenital splenic cysts are rare entities wich are not frequently diagnosed in prenatal sonographies and there is only a few literature wich report these medical cases. The aim of this article is to introduce this sonographic discovery and study whether there are impacts for the newborn, association with cormosomopathy or fetal pathology. We describe two medical cases of fetal splenic cysts wich were diagnosed in our service by ultrasonography at 29 and 32 weeks of gestation, their antenatal monitoring and postnatal evolution. Besides theses, it is made a review of this entity in medical literature, examination about the: etiology, prenatal diagnosis, prenatal and postnatal following and complications. In conclusion, the congenital splenic cyst has a good prognosis with an spontaneous postnatal resolution in the majority of the cases. No association was observed between cromosopathy or fetal pathology with the examined cases.