Acupuncture combined with Chinese herbs for the treatment in hemivertebral French bulldogs with emergent paraparesis.

This study follows the treatment of six French bulldogs with paraparesis caused by congenital hemivertebra which were structurally mild but clinically severe. A standardized acupuncture ( zhen jiǔ) treatment using Hua-Tuo-Jiaji (HTJJ) as local points and other distant points combined with Chinese herbs improved the clinical signs. Few, if any, published papers mention Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) for treatment of hemivertebral paraparesis in French bulldogs. Based on the rapid treatment outcome, we encourage practitioners to integrate this form of conservative management into emergency treatment.

Retrospective study of the clinical effects of acupuncture on cervical neurological diseases in dogs.

This study was conducted to evaluate new acupuncture protocols for the clinical treatment of cervical spinal cord diseases in 19 dogs. Three treatment options containing Jing-jiaji (cervical jiaji) were developed to treat neck pain, hemiparesis, and tetraparesis depending on the severity. The interval between the neurological disease onset and treatment (duration of signs), time to improvement after treatment, and recovery time were compared in dogs by body weight, age, and dry needle acupuncture (AP) with or without electro-AP (EAP). The duration of signs was longer in dogs weighing greater than 10 kg than in those weighing less than 10 kg (p＜ 0.05). Improvement and recovery times did not vary by body weight. Additionally, improvement and recovery times did not vary by age. The improvement and recovery times were longer in the AP+EAP group than the AP group (p＜ 0.05). Acupuncture with Jing-jiaji was effective in cervical spinal cord diseases in different sized dogs and in middle-aged and senior dogs. This report standardized AP treatment containing Jing-jiaji for canine cervical problems and evaluated its effects. The newly standardized AP methodology offers clinical practitioners an effective way to improve the outcomes of cervical neurological diseases in dogs.

Impact of health policy based on the self-management program on Cesarean section rate at a tertiary hospital in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: In 2005, a self-management program, based on the global budget system that met the criteria for reducing Cesarean delivery rates, was introduced to obstetric practices in Taiwan. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of different national health policies on the Cesarean delivery rate at a tertiary hospital. METHODS: We constructed a Poisson regression model and conducted an interrupted time series analysis to detect the effects of the implementation of each health policy on Cesarean deliveries. We used data collected at two points before the implementation of the global budget system (GBS) policy (in 2001 and 2002), and at two points after the implementation of the hospital-based self-management (HBSM) policy (in 2005 and 2010). All monthly data were collected at these time points. RESULTS: Between June 2001 and August 2010, the rate of improvement of vaginal birth after Cesarean section (VBAC) during Period 1 revealed that VBAC may have long-term effects (p < 0.001). While there may have been a remarkable immediate improvement in the VBAC rate (p = 0.0276) in Period 3, the long-term effect of VBAC seemed to have decreased during the same period (p = 0.0003). Following the synergistic impacts of health policy implementation during Period 3, the immediate improved total Cesarean section (C/S) rate seemed to be maintained at an average value (p = 0.0183). CONCLUSION: Over the long term, the C/S rate seemed to reach a plateau; the immediate effect on the VBAC rate was a significant increase consistent with that of the initial health policy implementation.

Relationship between prenatal care and maternal complications in women with preeclampsia: implications for continuity and discontinuity of prenatal care.

OBJECTIVE: Prenatal care is associated with better pregnancy outcome and may be a patient safety issue. However, no studies have investigated the types and quality of prenatal care provided in northern Taiwan. This retrospective study assessed whether the hospital-based continuous prenatal care model at tertiary hospitals reduced the risk of perinatal morbidity and maternal complications in pre-eclampsia patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 385 pre-eclampsia patients recruited from among 23,665 deliveries, 198 were classified as patients with little or no prenatal care who received traditional, individualized, and physician-based discontinuous prenatal care (community-based model), and 187 were classified as control patients who received tertiary hospital-based continuous prenatal care. RESULTS: The effects on perinatal outcome were significantly different between the two groups. The cases in the hospital-based care group were less likely to be associated with preterm delivery, low birth weight, very low birth weight, and intrauterine growth restriction. After adjustment of confounding factors, the factors associated with pregnant women who received little or no prenatal care by individualized physician groups were diastolic blood pressure ≥ 105 mmHg, serum aspartate transaminase level ≥ 150 IU/L, and low-birth-weight deliveries. This study also demonstrated the dose-response effect of inadequate, intermediate, adequate, and intensive prenatal care status on fetal birth weight and gestational periods (weeks to delivery). CONCLUSION: The types of prenatal care may be associated with different pregnancy outcomes and neonatal morbidity. Factors associated with inadequate prenatal care may be predictors of pregnancy outcome in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia.

Prediction of fetal birthweight in Taiwanese women with pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension using an equation based on maternal characteristics.

AIM: The purpose of the present study was to develop a method for predicting the birthweight of newborns in women with pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension based on maternal characteristics and pregnancy-related factors. METHODS: A total of 661 consecutive pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension who delivered at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from 1994 to 2003 were included in the analysis. Multivariate regression formulas (Models I and II) were derived from maternal characteristics to predict low infant birthweight. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were calculated and tested for these formulas. RESULTS: The Model I formula was as follows: Using a cut-off value of 2210 g, the equation predicts the occurrence of a low birthweight baby with 90.9% sensitivity. If higher specificity is required, increasing the cut-off value to 2488 g yields a specificity of 95.2%. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed an area under the curve of 93.7 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88 to 0.99) for low birthweight baby prediction in Model I. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that these regression formulas based on maternal characteristics may accurately predict low birthweight babies in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension. The cut-off values were determined and cross-validated by ROC curve analysis.

Risk factors for recurrence of group B streptococcus colonization in a subsequent pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To document rates of recurrent group B streptococci (GBS) colonization in women with previous GBS colonization in an initial pregnancy and to assess maternal risk factors associated with recurrence. METHODS: A retrospective, longitudinal study was performed in a teaching hospital on women with GBS colonization who were pregnant between 2002 and 2006 and had at least one subsequent pregnancy during the same time period. When only the index and first subsequent pregnancy were analyzed, the cohort included 251 women. The rate of recurrence was estimated for GBS colonization in the pregnancy after the index pregnancy for GBS colonization. Multivariable regression models were constructed to model recurrence of GBS colonization in a subsequent pregnancy as functions of potential predictors to estimate relative risks and confidence intervals. RESULTS: The rate of recurrence of GBS colonization in the pregnancy subsequent to the index pregnancy was 38.2% (95% confidence interval 33.5-42.9%). Multivariable regression models showed that the time interval between the two pregnancies and the intensity of GBS colonization from the index pregnancy were predictive of recurrent GBS colonization. CONCLUSION: More than one third of women had recurrent GBS colonization in a subsequent pregnancy. These findings should assist clinicians in counseling women with GBS colonization about their risk for recurrence, the importance of appropriate prenatal GBS screening in a subsequent pregnancy, and intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis for unknown GBS status.

Maternal complications and perinatal outcomes associated with gestational hypertension and severe preeclampsia in Taiwanese women.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The role of proteinuria in disease severity of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension has not been determined. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of disease severity on maternal complications and pregnancy outcome between women with severe preeclampsia and women with gestational hypertension. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study using daily records from the birth registry for the years 1994 to 2003 was conducted. Cases (n = 364) were defined as women with severe preeclampsia. Controls (n = 249) were selected from women with gestational hypertension. The outcome measures were maternal complications and perinatal-related factors. RESULTS: Women with severe preeclampsia had an increased risk of intrauterine growth restriction (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-4.24; p = 0.026). Risk factors associated with severe preeclampsia patients were lack of prenatal care (aOR, 2.95; 95% CI, 1.45-5.99), systolic blood pressure >or= 180 mmHg (aOR, 14.3; 95% CI, 1.69-121.0), and diastolic blood pressure >or= 105mmHg (aOR, 21.2; 95% CI, 6.99-64.3) compared with women with gestational hypertension in Model I. When we added proteinuria as a variable, two significant risk factors, diastolic blood pressure >or= 105mmHg (aOR, 18.2; 95% CI, 4.85-68.3) and significant proteinuria (aOR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.006-1.014), were associated with severe preeclampsia patients in Model II. A subgroup of women with gestational hypertension and proteinuria had an increased risk of placental abruption (unadjusted OR, 4.36; 95% CI, 1.05-18.1) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (unadjusted OR, 6.46; 95% CI, 1.05-39.8). Finally, maternal complications (aOR, 2.59; 95% CI, 1.34-5.04) became the single significant factor associated with gestational hypertension and proteinuria. CONCLUSION: Proteinuria may play a role in the progression of gestational hypertension to severe forms of preeclampsia associated with subsequent maternal complications and extremely-low-birth-weight babies.

Comparisons of maternal and perinatal outcomes in Taiwanese women with complete and partial HELLP syndrome and women with severe pre-eclampsia without HELLP.

AIM: To analyze the variations between maternal complications and perinatal outcome among women with complete hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme levels, and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome, partial HELLP syndrome, and women with severe pre-eclampsia and normal laboratory tests. We also examine the effect of corticosteroid therapy for treatment of HELLP. METHODS: In this retrospective study, six patients with complete HELLP syndrome and 46 with partial HELLP syndrome, were compared and contrasted with 212 patients with severe pre-eclampsia but without HELLP syndrome. RESULTS: In Protocol 1, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) was the strongest morbidity factor associated with patients among complete HELLP, partial HELLP, and severe pre-eclampsia. After post-hoc analysis, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) was the significant outcome variable between complete and partial HELLP. In Protocol 2, after adjustment, we found that MODS (adjusted OR, 15.2, 95% CI, 6.18-35.53; P < 0.001); Apgar score less than 5 at 1 minute (adjusted OR, 2.17, 95% CI, 0.94-5.01; P = 0.069) and DIC (adjusted OR, 9.51, 95% CI, 1.68-53.7, P = 0.011) remained significantly associated with HELLP syndrome. There was a favorable outcome found in the complete HELLP group. Neither the dexamethasone group nor the aggressive therapy group could benefit from the treatment protocol. CONCLUSION: The different categories of HELLP syndrome, the protocol 1 and protocol 2 have been noted as differential effects on pregnancy outcome. MODS and DIC would be two significant outcome variables and corticosteroid therapy may not benefit HELLP patients.

Comparison of referral and non-referral hypertensive disorders during pregnancy: an analysis of 271 consecutive cases at a tertiary hospital.

BACKGROUND: This retrospective cohort study analyzed the clinical manifestations in patients with preeclampsia and eclampsia, assessed the risk factors compared to the severity of hypertensive disorders on maternal and perinatal morbidity, and mortality between the referral and non-referral patients. METHODS: 271 pregnant women with preeclampsia and eclampsia were assessed (1993 to 1997). Chi-square analysis was used for the comparison of categorical variables, and the comparison of the two independent variables of proportions in estimation of confidence intervals and calculated odds ratio of the referral and non-referral groups. Multivariate logistic regression was used for adjusting potential confounding risk factors. RESULTS: Of the 271 patients included in this study, 71 (26.2%) patients were referrals from other hospitals. Most of the 62 (87.3%) referral patients were transferred during the period 21 and 37 weeks of gestation. Univariate analysis revealed that referral patients with hypertensive disorder were significantly associated with SBP > or =180, DBP > or =105, severe preclampsia, haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets (HELLP), emergency C/S, maternal complications, and low birth weight babies, as well as poor Apgar score. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the risk factors identified to be significantly associated with increased risk of referral patients included: diastolic blood pressure above 105 mmHg (adjusted odds ratio, 2.09; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.06 to 4.13; P = 0.034), severe preeclampsia (adjusted odds ratio, 3.46; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.76 to 6.81; P < 0.001), eclampsia (adjusted odds ratio, 2.77; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.92 to 8.35; P = 0.071), HELLP syndrome (adjusted odds ratio, 18.81; 95 percent confidence interval, 2.14 to 164.99; P = 0.008). CONCLUSION: The significant factors associated with the referral patients with hypertensive disorders were severe preeclampsia, HELLP, and eclampsia. Lack of prenatal care was the major avoidable factor found in referral and high risk patients. Time constraints relating to referral patients and the appropriateness of patient-centered care for patient safety and better quality of health care need further investigation on national and multi-center clinical trials.

Diagnosis of chromosomal anomalies due to adjacent-1 malsegregation resulting from translocation heterozygotes.

Patients who are carriers of reciprocal translocations may have pregnancies with unbalanced karyotypes that result in miscarriage or congenital anomalies of offspring. We report 3 cases of unbalanced karyotype resulting from adjacent-1 malsegregation in the conceptuses of heterozygous carriers of balanced translocations. The combined use of genetic markers in ultrasound, chromosomal analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization to make accurate prenatal diagnosis is described.

First-trimester nuchal translucency measurement and echocardiography at 16 to 18 weeks of gestation in prenatal detection for trisomy 18.

BACKGROUND: Trisomy 18, the second most common autosomal trisomy, has the highest incidence of congenital heart disease of all chromosomal abnormalities. This study assessed the use of nuchal translucency (NT) measurement and fetal echocardiography at 16 to 18 weeks of gestation in prenatal detection for trisomy 18. METHODS: Screening for chromosomal aneuploidy using fetal NT measurement was performed at 10 to 14 weeks of gestation. Detailed fetal echocardiography was performed at 16 to 18 weeks of gestation immediately before genetic amniocentesis for fetal karyotyping in singleton pregnancies with increased fetal NT thickness. RESULTS: Of the 3151 singleton pregnancies included in our study, 171 cases (5.4%) of increased (> or =3.0 mm) NT were noted. Fetal chromosomal abnormalities were identified in 22 (12.9%) of these pregnancies, including 9 with trisomy 21, 5 with trisomy 18, 4 with 45,X and 4 with unbalanced structural abnormalities. Major defects of the heart and the great arteries were identified in 13 (7.6%) of these pregnancies with increased NT. These included eight pregnancies that also had the diagnosis of chromosomal aneuploidy. Among the 22 fetuses with confirmed aneuploidy, all 5 fetuses with trisomy 18, 1 of the 4 fetuses with 45,X and 2 of the 9 fetuses with trisomy 21 had increased fetal NT thickness associated with abnormal fetal echocardiography findings. CONCLUSIONS: Screening for Down syndrome and cardiac defects using first-trimester fetal NT measurement in combination with fetal echocardiography at 16 to 18 weeks of gestation is a feasible and sensitive procedure for the prenatal detection of trisomy 18.