Intramuscular fetal corticosteroid therapy: short-term effects on the fetus.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the short-term effects of direct intramuscular (i.m.) corticosteroid therapy on fetal biophysical profile, baseline fetal heart rate and the nonstress test, which indicate the degree of fetal hypoxia. METHOD: We evaluated the effect of direct i.m. fetal single-dose dexamethasone (4 mg/kg) on the fetal biophysical profile 2 h before and 2-4 h after corticosteroid therapy in 41 fetuses in the 32nd week of gestation at risk of preterm delivery. Risk factors for preterm delivery included pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia. RESULT: There was a statistically significant difference between fetal breathing movements before and after corticosteroid therapy (p = 0.019; 95% confidence interval for difference -11.75, -1.12). No significant changes were observed between baseline fetal heart rate before and after corticosteroid therapy (p = 0.99; 95% confidence interval for difference -4.81, +4.81), biophysical profile before and after fetal corticosteroid therapy, p = 0.235 as well as the nonstress test before and after therapy (p = 0.564). CONCLUSION: Direct corticosteroid i.m. fetal therapy results in increasing profound short-term fetal breathing movements. There are no changes in baseline fetal heart rate, biophysical profile score, and nonstress test.

Intramuscular fetal corticosteroid therapy short-term effect on maternal-fetal Doppler velocimetry.

AIM: The aim of the study was to assess the short-term effects of intramuscular (IM) corticosteroid therapy (CST) on fetoplacental and fetal circulation in high-risk pregnancies of preterm labor. METHOD: We evaluated the effect of IM fetal single-dose dexamethasone (4 mg/kg) on fetoplacental and fetal circulation two hours before and 0-4 hours after CST in 38 fetuses after the 32nd week of gestation. RESULT: Changes in the umbilical artery (UA) resistance index (RI) after fetal CST (AU RI1) were significantly correlated with gestational age after the 32nd week at recording r = 0.354; p < 0.05. There was a statistically significant difference of RI in the descending aorta (DAo) before and after therapy; p < 0.001 (-0.04-0.01), 95% confidence interval (CI) for differences. CONCLUSION: Short-time effects after fetal IM CST include an increased index resistance in DAO as well as decreased RI in UA after the 32nd week.

[Primary tumors of the fallopian tubes: retrospective analysis of results in 7 patients]. / Primarni tumori jajovoda: retrospektivna analiza resultata kod sedam bolesnica.

Primary malignant tumours of the Fallopian tube are among the rarest of gynaecological malignancies. Seven patients with primary malignant tumour of the Fallopian tube, treated between 1991 and 1996, were studied. The average age was 60 years, with nulliparity rate of 29 percent and a mean parity of 2.2. The most common symptoms were atypical vaginal bleeding (29 percent), abdominal pain and distention (29 percent), whereas 43 percent of patients had no symptoms. No patient had a correct preoperative diagnosis. Primary surgical treatment was in all patients hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorotomy with or without omentectomy. Staging was done according to the FIGO classification for Fallopian tube carcinomas. In Stage I 29 percent of patients were classified, 43 percent in Stage II and 29 percent in Stage III. Six patients (86 percent) had adenocarcinoma (1 in G1, 2 in G2, 3 in G3) and 1 had MMMT (malignant mixed tumour-heterology type). All patients received additional postoperative therapy including: chemotherapy (58 percent), radiotherapy (14 percent), hormonotherapy (14 percent) or combination of chemotherapy and hormone therapy (14 percent). Our results are comparable to those of other authors. The time is too short to predict a 5-year survival, but this will be reported in our next paper.