The use of late preterm antenatal corticosteroids in women with gestational diabetes : a puzzle worth solving.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the association between late preterm antenatal corticosteroid treatment and outcome in late preterm neonates born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus, METHODS: All patients with gestational diabetes mellitus who had a late preterm delivery at Etlik Lady Zübeyde Hospital between 2017 and 2021 were included. Women who met the inclusion criteria and were not given antenatal corticosteroid treatment during current pregnancy before 34 0/7 weeks of gestation were divided into two groups according to whether or not they received late preterm antenatal corticosteroid treatment. The two groups were compared in terms of adverse neonatal complications. The main outcomes were composite respiratory outcome and composite neonatal outcome. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine additional potential predictors of neonatal outcome. RESULTS: This retrospective cohort study included a total of 400 participants with gestational diabetes mellitus who had a late preterm delivery within the study period. Of these women, 196 (49%) received late preterm antenatal corticosteroid treatment. Main outcomes showed no difference. Decreasing gestational age at birth was identified as an independent risk factor predicting both composite respiratory outcome and composite neonatal outcome in multivariate logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Antenatal corticosteroid treatment at or after 34 0/7 weeks of gestation in women with gestational diabetes mellitus who had a late preterm delivery was not associated with improvement in adverse neonatal outcomes. Decreasing gestational age at birth was the only independent risk factor predicting composite neonatal and composite respiratory outcomes.

Evaluation of systemic immune-inflammation index for predicting late-onset fetal growth restriction.

INTRODUCTION: To determine a cut-off value for systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) (neutrophil × platelet/lymphocyte) in the prediction of fetal growth restriction (FGR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case-control study was conducted retrospectively at the Obstetrics-Gynecology and Perinatology Clinics of Etlik Zubeyde Hanim Women's Health Education and Training Hospital. Singleton pregnant women with late-onset FGR who were followed up in outpatient clinics or hospitalized and whose pregnancy resulted at our hospital were included in the study group (group I). Healthy early and full-term singleton pregnant women with spontaneous labor who were followed up in the same hospital and whose pregnancy resulted at the same hospital were included in the control group (group II). Receiver-operating characteristic curves were used to assess the performance of SII value in predicting FGR. RESULTS: We recruited 79 cases (pregnant with late-onset fetal growth restriction) and 79 controls (healthy pregnant), matched for age, body mass index, and parity. ΔSII was statistically significantly higher in the pregnant with late-onset FGR compared with healthy pregnant (123 vs - 65; p = 0.039). The values in ROC curves with the best balance of sensitivity/specificity were > 152 109/L (49% sensitivity, 70% specificity) and > 586 109/L (27% sensitivity, 90% specificity) for late-onset FGR. DISCUSSION: Higher ΔSII levels in maternal blood indicate an inflammatory process causing FGR. The cut-off value for ΔSII (> 586 109/L) at 90% specificity can be used as a screening test. In the presence of ΔSII levels > 586 109/L (27% sensitivity and 90% specificity), the physicians should be more cautious about risk for FGR. Therefore, pregnant women at risk for FGR should be checked more frequently and monitored closely. However, further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Non-tubal ectopic pregnancy treatment experiences of a tertiary care center.

AIM: To evaluate the incidence, the risk factors, and the treatment outcomes of Non-tubal ectopic pregnancies (NTEP) treated in a tertiary care center. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 110 NTEP cases treated between 2014 and 2019 were included in the retrospective study. The study cohort was divided into 6 groups according to the pregnancy localization: 87 cesarean scar pregnancies (CSPs), 7 ovarian pregnancies, 6 interstitial pregnancies, 4 rudimentary horn pregnancies, 4 abdominal pregnancies, and 2 cervical pregnancies. One woman rejected all treatment modalities. Demographic characteristics, treatment modalities, and outcomes of each group were evaluated. RESULTS: In the study cohort, expectant management was performed in one (0.9%) woman. The methotrexate (MTX) treatment was administered in 29 (26.3%) women. Seventeen (15.4%) women underwent surgery, and 63 (57.2%) women underwent manual vacuum aspiration (MVA). A woman rejected all treatment modalities. Although 70.1% (n = 61) of CSPs were cured with MVA, 24.1% (n = 21) of them were treated with a single-dose MTX regimen in addition to MVA. The higher mean gestational sac size (33,9 ± 12,96 mm vs. 17,34 ± 9,87 mm), the higher mean gestational week (8,43 ± 1,16w vs. 6,66 ± 1,49w), the presence of fetal heartbeat (FHB) (90.5% vs. 26,2%) and the history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) (38.1% vs. 6,6%) were found in the CSPs with MVA treatment failure (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The management of NTEPs should be individualized according to the clinical and ultrasonographic findings. The size of the ectopic pregnancy mass, the gestational week, the presence of FHB, and the PID history were the predictive factors for the failure of MVA in CSP cases.

Importance of hemogram parameters for predicting uterine scar dehiscence

Objective: The pathophysiology of uterine scar dehiscence is not yet clear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether preoperative hemogram parameters can be used as predictive markers of uterine scar dehiscence, thus improving prediction and contributing to management of repeat Cesarean section. Material and Methods: Between 2015 and 2020, 36670 (47.6%) cesarean sections were delivered in our hospital and 16943 of them had a previous Cesarean section. All cases of uterine scar rupture detected during Cesarean section were identified, and a total of 40 patients were included after excluding cases with impairment of the systemic inflammatory response (SIR). Controls consisted of 40 randomly selected, age-and body mass index (BMI)-matched patients, and the groups were compared. Results: Age, BMI, and gravidity were similar (p>0.05). Although the gestational week and Apgar scores were similar between the groups (p>0.05), the birth weight amongst controls was significantly higher than the uterine dehiscence group (p=0.028). Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and other hemogram values were similar in both groups (p>0.05). Mean platelet volume (MPV) in the control group was significantly higher than in the uterine rupture group (p=0.049). Regression analysis found no significant result between hemogram parameters, birth weight, and dehiscence. Conclusion: In this study, which set out to identify predictors of the risk of uterine scar dehiscence with SIR parameters, only the MPV value was lower in the dehiscence group.

The optimal analgesic method in saline infusion sonogram: A comparison of two effective techniques with placebo.

OBJECTIVE: Operations performed with local anesthesia can sometimes be extremely painful and uncomfortable for patients. Our aim was to investigate the optimal analgesic method in saline infusion sonograms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was performed in our Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology between March and August 2011. Ninety-six patients were included. Patients were randomly divided into groups that received saline (controls, group 1), paracervical block (group 2), or paracervical block + intrauterine lidocaine (group 3). In all groups, a visual analogue scale score was performed during the tenaculum placement, while saline was administered, and 30 minutes after the procedure. RESULTS: When all the patients were evaluated, the difference in the visual analogue scale scores in premenopausal patients during tenaculum placement, during the saline infusion into the cavity, and 30 minutes following the saline infusion sonography were statistically different between the saline and paracervical block groups, and between the saline and paracervical block + intrauterine lidocaine group. However, there was no statistically significant difference between paracervical block and paracervical block + intrauterine lidocaine groups. CONCLUSION: As a result of our study, paracervical block is a safe method to use in premenopausal patients to prevent pain during saline infusion sonography. The addition of intrauterine lidocaine to the paracervical block does not increase the analgesic effect; moreover, it increases the cost and time that the patient stays in the dorsolithotomy position by 3 minutes.

Does preeclampsia have any adverse effect on fetal heart?

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether preeclampsia causes fetal cardiac cell damage by assessing umbilical artery NT-proBNP, cardiac troponin I and homocysteine. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with 73 fetuses between 26 and 40 weeks of gestation was performed. Thirty-three healthy mothers' fetuses were control group (Group I). While 12 mildly pre-eclamptic mothers' fetuses constituted Group II, 28 fetuses of severe pre-eclamptic mothers were Group III. RESULTS: Umbilical cord mean NT-proBNP levels of Group I, II and III are 520.8 ± 404.5 pg/ml; 664.2 ± 215.9 pg/ml; and 1932.8 ± 2979.5 pg/ml, respectively (p = 0.0001). The number of neonates with NT-proBNP > 500 pg/mL that indicates severe cardiac damage is higher in Group III (p = 0.001). The mean homocysteine levels are also statistically significantly higher in Group III. Cardiac troponin I levels are not different between the groups (p = 0.46). CONCLUSION: Increased NT-proBNP and homocysteine might not only indicate some degree of in-utero cardiac cell damage but also feto-placental endothelial injury in the fetuses of severe pre-eclamptic mothers. Our finding that shows no evidence of correlation between cardiac troponin I levels with cell damage and endothelial injury requires further research.

Establishing reference intervals for D-dimer to trimesters.

OBJECTIVE: When D-dimer is used to evaluate suspected venous thromboembolism in pregnant patients, the reference interval of common population may cause misinterpretation. The present study aims to determine reference intervals of D-dimer in the three trimesters. METHODS: Four-hundred sixteen pregnant women and 32 non-pregnant women were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Reference group had comprised 123 pregnant in the first trimester (5-11 week), 164 pregnant in the second trimester (13-20 week) and 126 pregnant women in the third trimester (25-35 week). D-dimer levels were analyzed via immunoturbidimetric assay. RESULTS: If the threshold of 0.50 mg/L for diagnosis of VTE is used, 4.8% of pregnant women in the second trimester and 23.8% of pregnant women in the third trimester would have D-dimer levels exceeding this cut-off value. Reference intervals of D-dimer were determined as 0.11-0.40 mg/L; 0.14-0.75 mg/L and 0.16-1.3 mg/L in first, second and third trimester, respectively. CONCLUSION: The established D-dimer reference intervals for each trimester of pregnancy are different from those used in common population. These reference intervals may assist clinicians in making accurate clinical decisions. Further studies are needed to establish new cut-off values for the D-dimer to rule out VTE in each trimester.

Comparative study of a barbed suture, poliglecaprone and stapler in Pfannenstiel incisions performed for benign gynecological procedures: a randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare a novel barbed suture, poliglecaprone-25 suture and stapler in Pfannenstiel incisions performed for benign gynecological procedures. DESIGN: A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial with randomization in a 1:1:1 ratio. SETTING: Istanbul Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Research and Training Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. POPULATION: Patients between 18 and 45 years of age without prior lower abdominal incision and undergoing Pfannenstiel incisions for benign gynecological procedures. METHODS: A total of 117 female patients randomized into barbed (n = 39), poliglecaprone-25 (n = 39) and stapler (n = 39) groups according to suture type. Skin closure techniques were compared in terms of length of incision (cm), adverse events (wound dehiscence, incisional infection, seroma and hematoma), subjective pain scores, patient satisfaction and postoperative scar cosmesis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES. The difference between three suture materials in terms of postoperative incision pain, patient satisfaction and scar cosmesis. RESULTS: Skin closure techniques were similar in terms of length of incision (cm), adverse events and pain scores and Modified Hollander Cosmesis Score. Barbed (p < 0.001) and poliglecaprone-25 (p < 0.01) sutures were significantly better than staplers in terms of patient satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The three different methods of skin closure revealed comparable outcome except for a significant superiority of sutures to the stapler method in terms of patient satisfaction scores.