Use of a screening questionnaire for systemic lupus erythematosus among pregnant women in a Mexican population.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a diagnostic assessment of pregnant women using a screening questionnaire for SLE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an analytical cross-sectional study carried out at the National Institute of Perinatology between 1 November 2019 and 28 February 2020, using a screening questionnaire for SLE. Antinuclear antibody and anti-double stranded DNA antibody tests and a clinical assessment by a rheumatologist were conducted for participants who obtained ≥4 positive responses on the questionnaire. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of the screening questionnaire for SLE were calculated. RESULTS: The questionnaire survey was conducted with 540 pregnant patients, 22 of whom (4.1%) had ≥4 positive responses. An antinuclear antibody test was conducted in all aforementioned 22 patients; 17 (77.3%) showed titres of ≥1:80. Of the 22 patients, 19 (86.4%) underwent clinical assessment by a rheumatologist. The patients were classified according to the SLE classification criteria: 7/19 (36.9%) met the revised 1997 American College Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, 8/19 (42.1%) met the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics criteria and 7/19 (36.9%) met the 2019 ACR/EULAR criteria (sensitivity=0.86, specificity=0.97, PPV=0.77 and NPV=1 for antinuclear antibody titre of ≥1:80; sensitivity=0.88, specificity=0.98, PPV=0.37 and NPV=1 for SLE according to the 2019 ACR/EULAR criteria). CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire showed high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of SLE. Given its usability and cost:benefit ratio, this strategy should be used for all patients coming in for their first visit to determine who requires antinuclear antibody testing and who needs to be referred to a rheumatologist.

Transcervical chorionic villus sampling in a low-cost simulation model: Learning curve of maternal-fetal medicine fellows in Mexico.

The implementation of a low­cost simulation model and cumulative sum analysis enables training and monitoring of individual learning curves for transcervical chorionic villus sampling.

Controversias del síndrome de anticuerpos antifosfolipídicos en obstetricia / Controversies concerning the antiphospholipid syndrome in obstetrics

El síndrome de anticuerpos antifosfolipídicos es una enfermedad autoinmune no inflamatoria, caracterizada por eventos trombóticos recurrentes y/o complicaciones obstétricas, asociados a la presencia de anticuerpos antifosfolipídicos circulantes: anticuerpos anticardiolipina, anti-β2 glucoproteína-i y/o anticoagulante lúpico. Los anticuerpos antifosfolipídicos son un grupo heterogéneo de autoanticuerpos asociados con morbilidad obstétrica, como pérdida gestacional recurrente, muerte fetal, parto pretérmino asociado a insuficiencia placentaria como enfermedad hipertensiva del embarazo y/o restricción del crecimiento intrauterino. Los procesos fisiopatológicos relacionados con la morbilidad obstétrica no se han comprendido del todo, involucrándose múltiples eventos inmunológicos, entre ellos los inflamatorios, la activación del complemento, el desbalance de los factores angiogénicos y, en alguna proporción de los casos, se ha demostrado trombosis e infarto. Debido a la controversia en los criterios clínicos y de laboratorio, así como a la repercusión en la mejora de los resultados perinatales en pacientes que inician tratamiento, decidimos llevar a cabo esta revisión sobre los conceptos de síndrome de anticuerpos antifosfolipídico relacionado con complicaciones obstétricas y síndrome de anticuerpos antifosfolipídico seronegativo, así como su manejo en obstetricia (AU)

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome is a non-inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by recurrent thrombotic events and/or obstetric complications associated with the presence of circulating antiphospholipid antibodies (anticardiolipin antibodies, anti-β2 glycoprotein-i antibodies, and/or lupus anticoagulant. Antiphospholipid antibodies are a heterogeneous group of autoantibodies associated with recurrent miscarriage, stillbirth, fetal growth restriction and premature birth. The diversity of the features of the proposed placental antiphospholipid antibodies fingerprint suggests that several disease processes may occur in the placentae of women with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome in the form of immune responses: inflammatory events, complement activation, angiogenic imbalance and, less commonly, thrombosis and infarction. Because of the disparity between clinical and laboratory criteria, and the impact on perinatal outcome in patients starting treatment, we reviewed the aspects of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome related to obstetric complications and seronegative antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, and their treatment in obstetrics (AU)

Controversies concerning the antiphospholipid syndrome in obstetrics. / Controversias del síndrome de anticuerpos antifosfolipídicos en obstetricia.

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome is a non-inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by recurrent thrombotic events and/or obstetric complications associated with the presence of circulating antiphospholipid antibodies (anticardiolipin antibodies, anti-ß2 glycoprotein-i antibodies, and/or lupus anticoagulant. Antiphospholipid antibodies are a heterogeneous group of autoantibodies associated with recurrent miscarriage, stillbirth, fetal growth restriction and premature birth. The diversity of the features of the proposed placental antiphospholipid antibodies fingerprint suggests that several disease processes may occur in the placentae of women with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome in the form of immune responses: inflammatory events, complement activation, angiogenic imbalance and, less commonly, thrombosis and infarction. Because of the disparity between clinical and laboratory criteria, and the impact on perinatal outcome in patients starting treatment, we reviewed the aspects of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome related to obstetric complications and seronegative antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, and their treatment in obstetrics.

[Infiltrating lobular carcinoma of the breast: clinical stage, radiological and histological features]. / Carcinoma lobulillar infiltrante de mama: etapa clínica, características radiológicas e histológicas.

BACKGROUND: The characteristics of the infiltrating lobular carcinoma of the breast are not clear, this is caused by special histological and biological features. OBJECTIVE: To identify the clinical stage and correlate it with the radiological and histological features of the disease to make an opportune diagnosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 1st, 2003 to July 31st, 2004 we identified 68 cases of infiltrating lobular carcinoma at the Luis Castelazo Ayala Hospital. The cases were classified by clinical, radiological and histological features. The results were expressed in media and standard deviation. The difference between the mixed and pure lobular carcinoma types were compared by chi-square test. RESULTS: From 68 patients, 31 had mixed lobular carcinoma, 20 pure, 12 were eliminated because the patient's records were not found and five because the definitive histological report was not lobular carcinoma. The median age for both groups was 50 years old. The most affected region was the upper one (> 80%). The hormonal receptor was more frequently expressed in the pure subtype (p < 0.04), this latter was associated to a delayed diagnosis (p < 0.03). Mammography was considered useful for diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The histological behavior of lobular carcinoma is related to non clear characteristics and to delayed diagnosis; however, with a careful evaluation these features can be recognized and make possible an opportune mammography.