Validation of a modified obstetric comorbidity index for prediction of postpartum adverse events including fetal morbidity - a retrospective cohort study from Qatar.

BACKGROUND: The Obstetric Comorbidity Index (OBCMI) is an internationally validated scoring system for maternal risk factors intended to reliably predict the occurrence of severe maternal morbidity (SMM). This retrospective cohort study applied the OBCMI to pregnant women in Qatar to validate its performance in predicting SMM and cumulative fetal morbidity. METHODS: Data from 1000 women who delivered in July 2021 in a large tertiary centre was extracted from medical records. The OBCMI index included maternal demographics, pre-existing comorbidities, and various current pregnancy risk factors such as hypertension, including preeclampsia, intrauterine fetal death, prolonged rupture of membranes and unbooked pregnancies. SMM was based on the ACOG consensus definition, and the cumulative fetal morbidity (CFM) included fetal distress in labour, low APGAR and umbilical artery (UA) pH, admission to neonatal intensive care (NICU), and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). A c-statistic or area under curve (AUC) was calculated to determine the ability of OBCMI to predict SMM and CFM. RESULTS: The median OBCMI score for the cohort was 1 (interquartile range- 0 to 2); 50% of women scored 0, while 85% (n = 842) had a score ranging from 0 to 2. Ten women (1%) scored ≥ 7; the highest score was 10. The incidence of SMM was 13%. According to the modified scoring system, the mean OBCMI score in those who developed SMM was 2.18 (± 2.20) compared to a mean of 1.04 (± 1.40) in those who did not (median 1, IQR:1-3 versus median 0, IQR: 0-2; p < 0.001). The incidence of CFM was 11.3%. The incidence of low APGAR score, HIE and NICU admission was nearly 1 in 1000. Around 5% of the babies had fetal distress in labour and low UA pH. For every 1 unit increase in OBCMI score, the odds of SMM increased by 44% (OR 1.44 95% CI 1.30-1.59; p < 0.001; AUC 0.66), and CFM increased by 28% (OR 1.28 95% CI 1.15-1.42; p < 0.001; AUC 0.61). A cut-off score of 4 had a high specificity (> 90%); 1 in 4 and 1 in 6 women with OBCMI score ≥ 4 developed SMM and CFM, respectively. CONCLUSION: The OBCMI performed moderately well in predicting SMM in pregnant women of Qatar and can be effectively used as a risk assessment tool to red-flag high-risk cases so that appropriate and timely multidisciplinary care can be initiated to reduce SMM and maternal mortality. The index is also helpful in predicting fetal morbidity; however, further prospective studies are required to validate OBCMI for CFM.

Knowing What We Know - Reflections on the Development of Technical Guidance for Loss Data for the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

INTRODUCTION: To report on activities aligned with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, national governments will use the Sendai Monitor platform to track progress using a series of indicators that inform seven Global Targets originally agreed in 2015. In February 2017, the UN General Assembly adopted a set of 38 agreed indicators based on work led by an open-ended intergovernmental expert working group (OIEWG) on indicators and terminology relating to disaster risk reduction. In January 2018 the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction released technical guidance documents in advance of the launch of the Sendai Monitor in March 2018. METHODS: This paper discusses several challenges to recording and reporting on loss data under the Sendai Framework. Additional insights to elaborate on discussion build upon commentary and examples raised during a workshop held on developing loss data that was hosted by the United Nations Office of Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) programme, and Public Health England (PHE) from February 15-17 2017 at the Royal Society in London, United Kingdom. The meeting's purpose was to refine technical guidance notes concerning Global Targets A, B, C, and D, which had been drafted in coordination with the work of the OIEWG. The workshop was attended by representatives from UN Agencies, UN Member States, international scientific bodies, academic bodies, the government of the United Kingdom and the private sector. RESULTS: Global Targets A, B, C and D of the Sendai Framework have common and specific complexities which require acknowledgement and support in recording, reporting and using disaster loss data. Discussions during the February 2017 loss data workshop highlighted a number of complexities and the need for common standards and principles for loss data. Individual target complexities include attribution of health impacts, assessing impacts, consistently calculating economic losses and measuring disruption to critical infrastructure. DISCUSSION: Transparent monitoring is critical to ensure political will, financial efforts and effective evidence support the global shift towards more sustainable development. Data involves common challenges which can undermine accuracy and understanding of reporting across the frameworks that outline the United Nations' 2030 Agenda. Disaster loss data adds further challenges which require support and innovation to ensure stakeholders across sectors in all sectors have appropriate technical guidance that can support useful loss data management processes. The February 2017 workshop highlighted systemic challenges with working with loss data and highlighted several pertinent pathways to progress on the breadth and reliability of disaster loss data across different settings.

Rare primary fallopian tube carcinoma; a gynaecologist's dilemma.

Primary fallopian tube carcinoma is rare and accounts for 0.14-1.8% of all malignancies of the female genital tract. It has been found to be associated with nulliparity and subfertility, as well as with pelvic inflammatory disease. High parity has been reported to be protective but not in our 3 cases. History of pregnancy and the use of oral contraceptives decrease the PFTC risk significantly in literature. PFTC has been described in high-risk breast-ovarian cancer families with germ-line BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 mutations. Symptoms are nonspecific and include abdominal pelvic pain, vaginal bleeding and watery discharge. However, diagnosis is rarely achieved pre-operative because of misleading imaging. In many cases, the diagnosis is made incidentally on histopathology after surgery for an un-related condition commonly being an ovarian carcinoma.

Aortoesophageal fistula after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair of a mycotic thoracic aneurysm.

Mycotic aneurysms constitute a small proportion of aortic aneurysms. Endovascular repair of mycotic aneurysms has been applied with good short-term and midterm results. However, the uncommon aortoenteric fistula formation remains a potentially fatal complication when repairing such infective aneurysms. We present the case of an 80-year-old woman with thoracic and abdominal aortic mycotic aneurysms, which were successfully treated with endografting. However, the patient presented 3 months later with upper gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to erosion of the thoracic graft into the oesophagus. The patient was treated conservatively due to the high risk of surgical repair. There is currently little exposure to the management of mycotic aortic aneurysms. If suspected, imaging of the entire vasculature will aid initial diagnosis and highlight the extent of the disease process, allowing for efficient management. Aortic endografting for mycotic thoracic aneurysms is a high-risk procedure yet is still an appropriate intervention. Aortoenteric fistulae pose a rare but severe complication of aortic endografting in this setting.

Effect of Kohl-Chikni Dawa - a compound ophthalmic formulation of Unani medicine on naphthalene-induced cataracts in rats.

BACKGROUND: Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide, accounting for 13-27% of cases. Kohl-Chikni Dawa (KCD) is reputed for its beneficial effects in the treatment of premature cataracts. However, its efficacy is yet to be tested. To investigate the rationality of the therapeutic use of Kohl-Chikni Dawa (KCD) in Unani medicine. METHODS: The effect of Kohl-Chikni Dawa eye drops on naphthalene-induced cataracts in rats was investigated by slit-lamp biomicroscopic analysis. The normal group of experimental animals was administered with mineral oil (orally), while other groups were given naphthalene (orally) along with local application of KCD eye drops (once and twice daily), placebo and distilled water (twice daily). Initial morphological changes of the lenses were observed twice a week for two weeks, and thereafter once a week for four weeks. RESULTS: Local application of KCD (twice daily) caused significant reduction in the lens opacification after 2 to 4 weeks of naphthalene administration. CONCLUSION: KCD eye drops may have the potential to delay progression of naphthalene-induced cataracts in rats.