The effects of pre- and post-partum depression on child behavior and psychological development from birth to pre-school age: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pre- and post-partum depression is a common mood disorder with detrimental effects on both mother and child. The aim of the proposed review is to summarize evidence related to the effects of both pre- and post-partum depression on child behavior and development from birth to preschool age. In particular, our review will address mutual relations between pre- and post-partum depression in order to determine whether pre- and post-partum depression predict child psychological outcomes independently, whether there is an effect of timing of depression on child outcomes, whether pre- and post-partum depression interact to affect child outcomes, and whether the effect of pre-partum depression is mediated by depression after child's birth. METHODS: We will include prospective longitudinal studies that report data about the effects of both pre- and post-partum depression on child psychological outcomes as published in peer-reviewed academic journals since January 1998. We will search EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and Wiley Online databases to identify original research articles written in English. Two independent reviewers will screen search results in two stages: (i) titles and abstracts and (ii) full text. The first one will extract data into tables, while the latter will verify whether the data extracted are correct. We will assess the risk of bias in the selected studies using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP), Cohort Study Checklist. The results of the review will be reported in a narrative form. If there are sufficient data available, a meta-analysis will be conducted using metaSEM package in R. DISCUSSION: The proposed review will be the first systematic review summarizing the effects of both pre- and post-partum depression on child psychological development and behavior from birth to preschool age. The results of such a review may contribute to a better understanding of mutual relations between pre- and post-partum depression in their effects on child outcomes. They may also shed light on what periods in early human development are most vulnerable to the effects of maternal depression. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42018106269.

Association between Stress Urinary Incontinence and Depressive Symptoms after Birth: the Czech ELSPAC Study.

The study objectives were to (1) identify risk factors related to stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and postnatal depression (PD) after birth, and (2) investigate both possible directions of association between SUI and PD in population-based sample of Czech mothers. 3,701 nulliparous and multiparous women completed the self-reported questionnaires at 6 weeks and 6 months after birth and were included into the analyses of this prospective cohort study. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressions examined relationship between SUI a PD accounting for range of other risk factors. During the first 6 months after birth, 650 mothers (17.6%) developed SUI and 641 (17.3%) displayed signs of PD. The mode of delivery, parity and higher BMI were associated with SUI. The rate of PD symptoms was higher in mothers with positive history of prenatal depression, and in divorced or widowed mothers. Both conditions were associated with worse self-reported health, back pain and stop-smoker status. Initially, SUI at 6 weeks was slightly, but significantly associated with onset of PD at 6 months (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.02-2.23) while PD at 6 weeks was not significantly related to new cases of SUI at 6 months (OR 1.48, 95% CI 0.91-2.39). After full adjustment these OR reduced to 1.41 and 1.38 (both non-significant), respectively. SUI and PD are common conditions in women postpartum that share some risk factors. Our study suggests that both directions of their relationship are possible although a larger study is needed to confirm our findings.

Treatment of central serous chorioretinopathy with beta-blocker metipranolol.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the systemically administered betablocker metipranolol on the course of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). METHODS: A prospective double-blind study involving 48 patients with a first attack of CSC not exceeding two weeks and who agreed to the follow-up ophthalmology examinations every week. The group was divided into a metipranolol group (n=23), receiving 10 mg of drug twice per day and a placebo group (n=25). The outcome measure was time in weeks from drug intervention (metipranolol vs. placebo) to reattachment of macula neuroepithelium. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in duration of CSC in patients who used metipranolol and those who used placebo (P=0.341). CONCLUSIONS: In a prospective double-blind study, we found no effect of the betablocker metipranolol on the duration of central serous chorioretinopathy.

Cost and effectiveness of therapy for wet age-related macular degeneration in routine clinical practice.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of the cost and effectiveness of therapy for patients with the wet form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in routine clinical practice. METHODS: A retrospective multicentre evaluation of changes in the best-corrected visual acuity in applied kinds of therapy and a comparison with the cost of individual therapeutic procedures. RESULTS: An overall total of 788 eyes of 763 patients with an average age of 73.2 ± 8.6 years was evaluated for a 1-year minimum period. In the ranibizumab and pegaptanib therapy groups, a reduction of 1.3 letters (p = 0.303) and 1.4 letters (p = 0.197) was found, respectively. In the group of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin, a reduction of 5.2 letters was achieved (p < 0.001). Under the conditions of routine practice in the Czech Republic, the annual cost is highest (EUR 5,467.63/patient) in patients with pegaptanib therapy. The annual cost in patients with ranibizumab therapy is lower by EUR 1,220.16. The cost is nearly half (EUR 2,783.65) in the group treated with PDT with verteporfin. CONCLUSION: An initiation of AMD therapy by ranibizumab is cost-effective as compared to pegaptanib. Both ranibizumab and pegaptanib are significantly more efficient as compared to PDT with verteporfin. Therapy with ranibizumab and pegaptanib, as compared to PDT with verteporfin, prevents the loss of 1 line of vision on the ETDRS chart for EUR 1,225.98 and 2,286.18, respectively.

Invasive aspergillosis in patients with hematological malignancies in the Czech and Slovak republics: Fungal InfectioN Database (FIND) analysis, 2005-2009.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate risk factors, diagnostic procedures, and treatment outcomes of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in patients with hematological malignancies. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of data from proven/probable IA cases that occurred from 2005 to 2009 at 10 hematology centers was performed. RESULTS: We identified 176 IA cases that mainly occurred in patients with acute leukemias (58.5%), mostly those on induction/re-induction treatments (39.8%). Prolonged neutropenia was the most frequent risk factor for IA (61.4%). The lungs were the most frequently affected site (93.8%) and computed tomography detected abnormalities in all episodes; however, only 53.7% of patients had findings suggestive of IA. Galactomannan (GM) detection in serum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (positive in 79.1% and 78.8% of episodes, respectively) played a crucial role in IA diagnosis. Neutrophil count and antifungal prophylaxis did not influence the GM positivity rate, but empirical therapy decreased this rate (in serum). Of the IA cases, 53.2% responded to initial antifungal therapy. The combination of voriconazole and echinocandin, even as initial or salvage therapy, did not perform better than voriconazole monotherapy (p=0.924 for initial therapy and p=0.205 for salvage therapy). Neutrophil recovery had a significant role in the response to initial (but not salvage) antifungal therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our retrospective analysis identified key diagnostic and treatment characteristics, and this understanding could improve the management of hematological malignancy patients with IA.

Effects of treatment change in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration; results from the Czech National Registry.

AIMS: To determine the effectiveness of second line treatments in patients with neovascular AMD who did not respond adequately to primary treatment. METHODS: Retrospective, multicentre assessment. The frequency of primary treatment failure and outcomes of subsequent secondary treatment were assessed according to the type of primary treatment, type of CNV and change in BCVA over a 12 month period. RESULTS: At the time of assessment 750 entries (750 treated eyes, 725 treated patients) had follow-up longer than 12 months. A treatment change required 7.7% subjects treated with ranibizumab, 20.5% with pegaptanib and 22% with PDT and verteporfin. Average BCVA of all patients at the beginning of primary treatment was 50.7 ± 3 letters and 43 ± 3.5 letters in 12(th) month (P<0.001). The mean decrease in BCVA was 7.7 ± 0.6 letters during the first 6 months of observation. During the next 6 months, no significant change occurred. The change of primary therapy was required on average after 6.5 ± 2.1 months. CONCLUSION: BCVA loss was the most significantly decelerated in patients who received ranibizumab as a secondary therapy following unsuccessful treatment with pegaptanib sodium.

Hyperinvasive approach to out-of hospital cardiac arrest using mechanical chest compression device, prehospital intraarrest cooling, extracorporeal life support and early invasive assessment compared to standard of care. A randomized parallel groups comparative study proposal. "Prague OHCA study".

BACKGROUND: Out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has a poor outcome. Recent non-randomized studies of ECLS (extracorporeal life support) in OHCA suggested further prospective multicenter studies to define population that would benefit from ECLS. We aim to perform a prospective randomized study comparing prehospital intraarrest hypothermia combined with mechanical chest compression device, intrahospital ECLS and early invasive investigation and treatment in all patients with OHCA of presumed cardiac origin compared to a standard of care. METHODS: This paper describes methodology and design of the proposed trial. Patients with witnessed OHCA without ROSC (return of spontaneous circulation) after a minimum of 5 minutes of ACLS (advanced cardiac life support) by emergency medical service (EMS) team and after performance of all initial procedures (defibrillation, airway management, intravenous access establishment) will be randomized to standard vs. hyperinvasive arm. In hyperinvasive arm, mechanical compression device together with intranasal evaporative cooling will be instituted and patients will be transferred directly to cardiac center under ongoing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). After admission, ECLS inclusion/exclusion criteria will be evaluated and if achieved, veno-arterial ECLS will be started. Invasive investigation and standard post resuscitation care will follow. Patients in standard arm will be managed on scene. When ROSC achieved, they will be transferred to cardiac center and further treated as per recent guidelines. PRIMARY OUTCOME: 6 months survival with good neurological outcome (Cerebral Performance Category 1-2). Secondary outcomes will include 30 day neurological and cardiac recovery. DISCUSSION: Authors introduce and offer a protocol of a proposed randomized study comparing a combined "hyperinvasive approach" to a standard of care in refractory OHCA. The protocol is opened for sharing by other cardiac centers with available ECLS and cathlab teams trained to admit patients with refractory cardiac arrest under ongoing CPR. A prove of concept study will be started soon. The aim of the authors is to establish a net of centers for a multicenter trial initiation in future. ETHICS AND REGISTRATION: The protocol has been approved by an Institutional Review Board, will be supported by a research grant from Internal Grant Agency of the Ministry of Health, Czech Republic NT 13225-4/2012 and has been registered under ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01511666.