Persistent Reverse End Diastolic Flow in Fetal Middle Cerebral Artery: A Rare Finding with Poor Outcomes.

Doppler findings of persistent reverse end-diastolic flow (PREDF) in a fetal middle cerebral artery (MCA) are a very rare sonographic finding and are a marker of poor fetal condition. This finding often leads to intrauterine fetal death or early neonatal death. Reverse end-diastolic flow in the middle cerebral artery is an advanced hemodynamic event. Fetal cerebral circulation normally has a high impedance; in the event of fetal hypoxemia, impedance decreases, resulting in the central redistribution of blood flow to vital organs, which maintains the oxygen delivery to the brain. Reverse flow in the middle cerebral arteries describes the loss of this autoregulatory process. PREDF is a sequence that occurs due to increased extracranial or intracranial pressure. Previous case reports mentioned intracranial hemorrhage, fetal growth restriction, fetal anemia, and fetal hepatic abnormalities as problems leading to PREDF. This condition presumably arises due to cerebral edema associated with severe hypoxemia. We reported Doppler findings of PREDF MCA in a 33-year-old female patient at 30 weeks gestation who was referred to the hospital with severe preeclampsia accompanied by fetal growth restriction and oligohydramnios. A cesarean section was performed due to severe preeclampsia and a low bishop score. Hypotheses on various etiologies and their association with intrauterine/neonatal death as well as the best management still require further investigation.

Assessing the Impact of the Zero Mother Mortality Preeclampsia Program on Maternal Mortality Rates at a Single Center in Bandung, West Java (2015-2022): A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND The Zero Mother Mortality Preeclampsia (ZOOM) program was adopted as an accelerated initiative to curb mortality related to hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, including preeclampsia. This single-center, retrospective study in Bandung, West Java, aims to evaluate the impact of the ZOOM program implemented from 2015 to 2022. MATERIAL AND METHODS We analyzed 19,176 childbirths and associated maternal deaths due to hypertension in pregnancy. Diagnoses were validated using blood pressure measures, lab tests including urine protein, liver function, blood profiles, platelets, X-ray, echocardiography, and COVID-19 testing. The case fatality rate (CFR) was assessed to evaluate the impact of the ZOOM program. RESULTS Hypertension in pregnancy was identified in 25.1% of cases, with 9.8% and 1.4% attributed to preeclampsia and eclampsia, respectively. Maternal deaths associated with hypertension accounted for 36.6%, with the majority linked to eclampsia. Heart failure (45.5%) and Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, and Low Platelets (HELLP) syndrome (22%) were the most common complications. The CFR decreased from 61% in 2018 to 10% in 2022. The overall CFR from 2015 to 2022 was 1.3%, with the highest fatality rate observed in eclampsia cases (9.4%). However, a declining trend was seen since 2018, reaching a low of 0.2% in 2021. CONCLUSIONS The implementation of the ZOOM program, which includes preeclampsia re-education, early detection, prompt intervention, protocol adjustments, and a refined referral system, led to a marked reduction in maternal deaths from hypertensive pregnancy disorders.

Epigenetic Regulation Interplays with Endometriosis Pathogenesis in Low-Birth-Weight Patients via the Progesterone Receptor B-VEGF-DNMT1 Axis.

BACKGROUND: Low birth weight (LBW) is a risk factor associated with endometriosis. Our study aimed to analyze the risk of endometriosis in women with a LBW history and the relationships of progesterone receptor B (PR-B) gene promoter methylation, DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT1) expression, PR-B expression, and vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) with endometriosis. METHODS: This study was conducted in two stages, a retrospective case-control design and a cross-sectional design, with 52 cases of endometriosis and 30 controls, which were further subdivided into LBW and non-LBW groups, at Hasan Sadikin General Hospital and its hospital networks from October 2017 to August 2021. Menstrual blood was taken from subjects and analyzed using pyrosequencing techniques to assess DNA methylation, while q-RT PCR was used to assess gene expression. RESULTS: There were significant differences in PR-B methylation, DNMT1 expression, PR-B expression, and VEGF expression (p < 0.001) between the case and control groups. There was a significant negative correlation between PR-B methylation and PR-B expression (r = -0.558; p = 0.047). Based on a multiple logistic analysis, the most dominant factor affecting endometriosis incidence is PR-B (OR 10.40, 95% CI 3.24-33.4, R2 = 45.8). We found that patients with a low birth weight history had a 1.41-times-higher risk of developing endometriosis (95% CI 0.57-3.49, p = 0.113), although the relationship was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Endometriosis is associated with PR-B gene promoter hypermethylation, decreased PR-B expression, and increased DNMT1 and VEGF expression. The methylation of PR-B is the most dominant factor affecting endometriosis incidence.

The use of modified glove-like abdominal flap for reconstruction of contracture following burns of dorsal hand and fingers: A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Burn contracture has been a challenge for its acquired functional disabilities and deformities. Surgical reconstruction poses a significant challenge for optimal aesthetic and functional improvement. Super thin abdominal skin pedicle flap can be used, but it has only one pedicle from one site of abdomen and needs tissue expander for a larger defect. The use of modified glove-like abdominal flap has been stated to be an option mainly for the use on acute hand burn. In this study, application of the modified glove-like abdominal flap was applied to contracture of dorsal hand and fingers. CASE PRESENTATION: A 39-year-old male patient with severe contracted hand, eight-month post-burn injury presented at outpatient clinic Santosa Central Hospital in 2017. Multiple series of surgeries were performed on this patient, consisting of released contracture, defect closure using a modified "glove-like" thin abdominal flap, and flap separation. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Abdominal flap has been the commonly used technique but has the disadvantage of being bulky. Glove-like abdominal flap, a subcutaneous layer plane flap, can be performed simply, safely, and briefly. It has been published mainly for reconstruction for acute burn hand injuries, not for burn hand contracture. CONCLUSION: The use of modified glove abdominal flap technique for reconstruction in hand burn contracture gives a satisfactory result in terms of functional and aesthetic outcome and can be an option in reconstruction in contracted dorsal hand and fingers.

INOVASIA Study: A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Pravastatin to Prevent Preeclampsia in High-Risk Patients.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine if treatment with pravastatin prevents preeclampsia in pregnant patients at risk of preeclampsia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was performed in four major tertiary hospitals in Surabaya, Bandung, and Makassar between 2017 and 2021. Pregnant women at high risk of developing preeclampsia were recruited and randomized into an intervention group and control group. The control group received low-dose aspirin (80 mg) and calcium (1 g) daily, while the intervention group received additional pravastatin (20 mg twice daily) starting from 14 to 20 weeks' gestation until delivery. The pregnancy was followed until delivery, and the clinical data were collected. The primary outcome was the occurrence of preeclampsia. RESULT: A total of 173 people participated in this study, including 86 in the control group and 87 in the pravastatin group. The pravastatin group had a significantly lower rate of preterm preeclampsia (13.8 vs. 26.7%; p = 0.034; odds ratio [OR] = 0.034, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.202-0.905) and preterm birth (16.1 vs. 36%; p = 0.003; OR = 0.340, 95% CI = 0.165-0.7), mostly indicated preterm birth. Preeclampsia occurred later in the pravastatin group than in the control group (36.39 + 2.32 vs. 34.89 + 3.38 weeks, p = 0.048). Overall, the pravastatin group showed better perinatal outcomes. Neonates with low Apgar scores (<7) at 1 minute (5.7 vs. 25.6%, p = 0.000) and 5 minutes (2.3 vs. 25.6%, p = 0.028) were significantly less common in the pravastatin group. Additionally, the rate of low birthweight babies (<2,500 g) was lower in the pravastatin group (27.6 vs. 40.7%; p = 0.069). CONCLUSION: Pravastatin (20 mg bid) significantly reduces the risk of preterm preeclampsia and preterm birth in women at a high risk of developing preeclampsia. KEY POINTS: · This is an open-label multicenter RCT to evaluate pravastatin effect to prevent preeclampsia.. · Pravastatin significantly reduces the risk of preterm preeclampsia (PE) and preterm birth in high risk PE women.. · Pravastatin had a beneficial effect on perinatal outcomes, including Apgar scores and birth weight..

Ratio of Serum Calcium to Magnesium Levels on Pregnancy with and without Preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND Preeclampsia increases maternal and perinatal mortality and is affected by calcium and magnesium levels. Reduced extracellular levels of calcium and magnesium constitute the pathogenesis of eclampsia. A reduction in the calcium-magnesium ratio may aid in the detection and prevention of preeclampsia. MATERIAL AND METHODS This was an analytical observational study with a cross-sectional design, including patients with and without preeclampsia (inpatient and outpatient). A total of 246 patients were included in this research; 138 patients had preeclampsia and 108 patients did not. All examinations of magnesium and calcium levels at the Hasan Sadikin Hospital Clinical Pathology laboratory were conducted using an ion selective electrode modified with methylthymol blue complexometric titration. RESULTS Patients with preeclampsia had significantly higher average serum magnesium and calcium levels than did patients without preeclampsia (2.85 vs 2.09, P=0.0001; 4.45 vs 4.85, P=0.025, respectively). Patients with preeclampsia demonstrated significantly lower serum calcium-magnesium ratios than did patients without preeclampsia (1.98 vs 2.60, P=0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis on the serum calcium-magnesium ratio showed an area under the curve of 68.0% (P=0.0001), with a cutoff value of 2.36 (sensitivity 64.8%, specificity 62.3%), indicating that patients with serum calcium-magnesium ratios of <2.36 were predicted to have a risk of preeclampsia. CONCLUSIONS Patients with preeclampsia had significantly lower serum calcium-magnesium ratios than did patients without preeclampsia; therefore, a low calcium-magnesium ratio could be a risk factor for preeclampsia.

Influence of antenatal magnesium sulfate application on cord blood levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in premature infants.

AIM: To investigate the influence of antenatal magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) application on cord blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels - the first-line neuroprotection for preventing cerebral palsy in prematurely born infants. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted by observing 72 pregnant women who were divided into three groups: group I (preterm pregnancy with MgSO4), group II (preterm pregnancy without MgSO4), and group III (full-term pregnancy as control group). Groups I and II were selected by block permutation randomization on subjects. Inclusion criteria consisted of preterm pregnancy at 34 weeks of gestation or less who were in labor or having planned terminations and receiving antenatal corticosteroids. Exclusion criteria consisted of previous complications caused by MgSO4, previous history of antenatal MgSO4 application in the current pregnancy infant was born before 4 h administration of MgSO4 or unborn more than 72 h after maximum course of antenatal MgSO4 of 24 h, prolonged antenatal MgSO4 treatment (>24 h), refusal to participate, and emergent adverse events during the study. Group I was given intravenous MgSO4; initial dose was 4 g, which was maintained at 1 g/h up to maximum of 24 h. Meanwhile, groups II and III were not given any special treatment. BDNF was examined by ELISA by taking 5 mL cord blood sample shortly after birth. The result was statistically measured by ANOVA. RESULTS: The cord blood BDNF levels in premature infants with antenatal MgSO4 was significantly higher than in premature infants without antenatal MgSO4 (11,568 vs. 5027 pg/mL, P=0.000). Moreover, the result was statistically comparable to full-term infants (11,568 vs. 13,300 pg/mL, P=0.085). CONCLUSION: The application of antenatal MgSO4 in preterm delivery increased cord blood BDNF levels, which could have a potential role on fetal neuroprotection. Further investigation is needed.