Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Brazilian Pregnant Women at the Beginning of the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: Analyze the presence of PTSD symptoms and their risk among the pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of pregnant women that received receiving prenatal care at two university hospitals in São Paulo, Brazil, during the COVID-19 pandemic, from April to June 2020. The sociodemographic and health data of the participants and their exposure to individuals suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 were evaluated. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were used to assess PTSD and anxiety symptoms, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 149 pregnant women were included in this study. The risk of PTSD among the participants was 55.1%. The independent risk factors for PTSD were state anxiety (ORadj = 2.6), trait anxiety (ORadj = 10.7), changes in routine due to the pandemic (ORadj = 4.7) and contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 person (ORadj = 7.1). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant negative impact on the mental health of pregnant women, more than half of the participants of the present study showed a risk of PTSD, exacerbated by anxiety symptoms and exposure to individuals with a confirmed case of COVID-19.

Bacterial profile and prevalence of urinary tract infections in pregnant women in Latin America: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Given the physiological changes during pregnancy, pregnant women are likely to develop recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) and pyelonephritis, which may result in adverse obstetric outcomes, including prematurity and low birth weight preeclampsia. However, data on UTI prevalence and bacterial profile in Latin American pregnant women remain scarce, necessitating the present systematic review to address this issue. METHODS: To identify eligible observational studies published up to September 2022, keywords were systematically searched in Medline/PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and Bireme/Lilacs electronic databases and Google Scholar. The systematic review with meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, and the quality of studies was classified according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. The meta-analysis employed a random-effects method with double-arcsine transformation in the R software. RESULTS: Database and manual searches identified 253,550 citations published until September 2022. Among the identified citations, 67 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review, corresponding to a sample of 111,249 pregnant women from nine Latin American countries. Among Latin American pregnant women, the prevalence rates of asymptomatic bacteriuria, lower UTI, and pyelonephritis were estimated at 18.45% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.45-21.53), 7.54% (95% CI: 4.76-10.87), and 2.34% (95% CI: 0.68-4.85), respectively. Some regional differences were also detected. Among the included studies, Escherichia coli (70%) was identified as the most frequently isolated bacterial species, followed by Klebsiella sp. (6.8%). CONCLUSION: Pregnant women in Latin America exhibit a higher prevalence of bacteriuria, UTI, and pyelonephritis than pregnant women globally. This scenario reinforces the importance of universal screening with urine culture during early prenatal care to ensure improved outcomes. Future investigations should assess the microbial susceptibility profiles of uropathogens isolated from pregnant women in Latin America. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This research was registered at PROSPERO (No. CRD42020212601).

Venous thromboembolism risk score during hospitalization in pregnancy: results of 10694 prospective evaluations in a clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: Hospitalization during pregnancy and childbirth increases the risk of Venous Thromboembolism Risk (VTE). This study applied a VTE risk score to all hospitalized pregnant women to ascertain its effectiveness in preventing maternal death from VTE until 3 months after discharge. METHODS: In this interventional study, patients were classified as low- or high-risk according to the VTE risk score (Clinics Hospital risk score). High-risk patients (score ≥ 3) were scheduled for pharmacological Thromboprophylaxis (TPX). Interaction analysis of the main risk factors was performed using Odds Ratio (OR) and Poisson regression with robust variance. RESULTS: The data of 10694 cases (7212 patients) were analyzed; 1626 (15.2%, 1000 patients) and 9068 (84.8%, 6212 patients) cases were classified as high-risk (score ≥ 3) and low-risk (score < 3), respectively. The main risk factors (Odds Ratio, 95% Confidence Interval) for VTE were age ≥ 35 and < 40 years (1.6, 1.4-1.8), parity ≥ 3 (3.5, 3.0-4.0), age ≥ 40 years (4.8, 4.1-5.6), multiple pregnancies (2.1, 1.7-2.5), BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 (5.1, 4.3-6.0), severe infection (4.1, 3.3-5.1), and cancer (12.3, 8.8-17.2). There were 10 cases of VTE: 7/1636 (0.4%) and 3/9068 (0.03%) in the high- and low-risk groups, respectively. No patient died of VTE. The intervention reduced the VTE risk by 87%; the number needed to treat was 3. CONCLUSIONS: This VTE risk score was effective in preventing maternal deaths from VTE, with a low indication for TPX. Maternal age, multiparity, obesity, severe infections, multiple pregnancies, and cancer were the main risk factors for VTE.

Three-Dimensional Ultrasound Evaluation of Lung Volume in Fetuses with Abdominal Wall Defect.

INTRODUCTION: Abdominal wall defects (AWDs) interfere with postnatal respiratory parameters. We aimed to evaluate lung volume (LV) in fetuses with AWD using three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound (US) and to correlate AWD with the type (omphalocele and gastroschisis) and size of the defect and neonatal morbidity and mortality. METHODS: This prospective observational study included 72 pregnant women with fetuses with AWD and a gestational age <25 weeks. The data on abdominal volume, 3D US LV, and herniated volume were acquired every 4 weeks up to 33 weeks. LV was compared with normal reference curves and correlated with abdominal and herniated volumes. RESULTS: Omphalocele (p < 0.001) and gastroschisis (p < 0.001) fetuses had smaller LV than normal fetuses. LV was positively correlated with abdominal volume (omphalocele, r = 0.86; gastroschisis, r = 0.88), whereas LV was negatively correlated with omphalocele-herniated volume/abdominal volume (p < 0.001, r = -0.51). LV was smaller in omphalocele fetuses that died (p = 0.002), were intubated (p = 0.02), or had secondary closure (p < 0.001). In gastroschisis, a smaller LV was observed in fetuses discharged using oxygen (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Fetuses with AWD had smaller 3D LV than normal fetuses. Fetal abdominal volume was inversely correlated with LV. In omphalocele fetuses, a smaller LV was associated with neonatal mortality and morbidity.

Molecular subtypes as a prognostic breast cancer factor in women users of the São Paulo public health system, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the prognosis of women with breast cancer by molecular subtypes, sociodemographic variables, and clinical and treatment characteristics. METHODS: This hospital-based retrospective cohort study analyzed 1,654 women over 18 years of age diagnosed with invasive breast cancer from 2000 to 2018. Data were extracted from Brazil's Oncocenter Foundation of São Paulo. The variables analyzed were age, histology, molecular subtypes, clinical staging, treatment type, and diagnosis-to-treatment time. Cox regression analysis was applied to estimate death risk. RESULTS: Women with HER-2-positive (nonluminal) and triple-negative molecular subtypes were more than twice more likely to be at risk of death, with adjusted hazard ratio - HRadj=2.30 (95% confidence interval - 95%CI 1.34-3.94) and HRadj=2.51 (95%CI 1.61-3.92), respectively. A delayed treatment associated with an advanced clinical stage at diagnosis increased fourfold the risk of death (HRadj=4.20 (95%CI 2.36-7.49). CONCLUSION: In summary, besides that interaction between advanced clinical stage and longer time between diagnosis and treatment, HER-2-positive (nonluminal) and triple-negative phenotypes were associated with a worse prognosis. Therefore, actions to reduce barriers in diagnosis and treatment can provide better outcome, even in aggressive phenotypes.

Adverse Perinatal Outcomes among Adolescent Pregnant Women Living with HIV: A Propensity-Score-Matched Study.

HIV infection and adolescent pregnancy are known to increase the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes. However, data are limited concerning the outcomes of pregnancies among adolescent girls living with HIV. This retrospective propensity-score matched study aimed to compare adverse perinatal outcomes in adolescent pregnant women living with HIV (APW-HIV-positive) with HIV-negative adolescent pregnant women (APW-HIV-negative) and adult pregnant women with HIV (PW-HIV). APW-HIV-positive were propensity-score matched with APW-HIV-negative and PW-HIV. The primary endpoint was a composite endpoint of adverse perinatal outcomes, comprising preterm birth and low birth weight. There were 15 APW-HIV-positive and 45 women in each control group. The APW-HIV-positive were aged 16 (13-17) years and had had HIV for 15.5 (4-17) years, with 86.7% having perinatally acquired HIV. The APW-HIV-positive had higher rates of perinatally acquired HIV infection (86.7 vs. 24.4%, p < 0.001), a longer HIV infection time (p = 0.021), and longer exposure to antiretroviral therapy (p = 0.034) compared with the PW-HIV controls. The APW-HIV-positive had an almost five-fold increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes compared with healthy controls (42.9% vs. 13.3%, p = 0.026; OR 4.9, 95% CI 1.2-19.1). The APW-HIV-positive and APW-HIV-negative groups had similar perinatal outcomes.

Clinical characteristics, complications, and predictive model of histological chorioamnionitis in women with preterm premature rupture of membranes.

We aimed to analyze the impact of histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) in the presence of preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM) on obstetric and neonatal outcomes, and its possible predictability. A retrospective cohort analysis of PPROM cases (20-37 weeks) was conducted comparing the patients with and without HCA, seeking a predictive model of HCA using logistic regression. A total of 295 cases of PPROM were selected, of which 72 (24.4%) had HCA. The group with HCA had a shorter latency period and a greater number of clinical and laboratory criteria in the evolution. The group with HCA had a worse comparative result and presented: lower gestational age at delivery, lower average birth weight, lower Apgar scores, longer neonatal hospitalization, worse maternal clinical conditions and, higher rates of stillbirth, low birth weight (LBW), very low birth weight (VLBW), complications in pregnancy and childbirth, and cesarean delivery due to fetal distress or chorioamnionitis. A predictive model for HCA was developed, with the following independent variables: abdominal pain (odds ratio [OR] = 11.61), uterine activity (noticeable contractions on physical exam) (OR = 5.97), fever (OR = 5.77), latency > 3 days (OR = 2.13), and C-reactive protein (OR = 1.01). With this model, an adequate receiver operating characteristic curve was found, with an area under the curve of 0.726, and some HCA probability curves were constructed for different clinical situations. In this novel study, we present a non-invasive predictive model, with clinical and laboratory variables, which may help in decision-making in a patient with PPROM.

Risk factors for shunting at 12 months following open fetal repair of spina bifida by mini-hysterotomy.

OBJECTIVES: Open spina bifida (OSB) is the most common neural tube defect. Prenatal repair reduces the need for ventriculoperitoneal shunting (VPS) due to hydrocephalus from 80-90% to 40-50%. We aimed to determine which variables work as risk factors for VPS at 12 months of age in our population. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients underwent prenatal repair of OSB by mini-hysterotomy. The main outcome was occurrence of VPS in the first 12 months of life. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) between prenatal variables and the need for shunting. RESULTS: VPS at 12 months occurred in 34.2% of the children. Larger ventricle size before surgery (62.5% ≥15 mm; 46.2% between 12 and 15 mm; 11.8% <12 mm; p=0.008), higher lesion level (80% >L2, vs. 17.9% ≤L3; p=0.002; OR, 18.4 [2.96-114.30]), and later gestational age at surgery (25.25 ± 1.18 vs. 24.37 ± 1.06 weeks; p=0.036; OR, 2.23 [1.05-4.74]) were related to increased need for shunting. In the multivariate analysis, larger ventricle size before surgery (≥15 mm vs. <12 mm; p=0.046; OR, 1.35 [1.01-1.82]) and higher lesion level (>L2 vs. ≤L3; p=0.004; OR, 39.52 [3.25-480.69]) were risk factors for shunting. CONCLUSIONS: Larger ventricle size before surgery (≥15 mm) and higher lesion level (>L2) are independent risk factors for VPS at 12 months of age in fetuses undergoing prenatal repair of OSB by mini-hysterotomy in the studied population.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cervical Cancer Screening in São Paulo State, Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: The early identification of precursor lesions followed by appropriate treatment prevents development of cervical cancer and its consequences. OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluated the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on cervical cancer screening by comparing the quantity of tests to detect cervical cellular changes performed in São Paulo state in 2019, prior to the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Brazil, to the first (2020) and second (2021) years following its appearance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from Fundação Oncocentro de São Paulo (FOSP), the agency that analyses approximately 220,000 Papanicolaou (Pap) tests annually, were reviewed. RESULTS: A median of 1,835 Pap tests were performed in 55 municipalities in 2019. This was reduced to 815 tests in 2020, a 56% decrease (p = 0.0026). In 2021, the median number was 1,745, a 53% increase over 2020 levels (p = 0.0233). The 26 municipalities with >1,000 tests in 2020 had a median reduction from 4,433 in 2019 to 2,580 in 2020 (p = 0. 0046). The 29 municipalities with <1,000 tests had a median reduction from 951 in 2019 to 554 in 2020 (p < 0.0001). There was a 44% reduction in the number of follow-up cytological evaluations from 2019 to 2020, followed by a 30% increase in the following year. However, the percentage of women with a normal finding or with any abnormality remained unchanged. The findings from a histological evaluation of women in São Paulo city indicated that the percent of cases positive for CIN-1 (p < 0.0410) and CIN-3 (p < 0.0012) increased in 2020 and 2021 as compared to 2019 levels. CONCLUSION: A reduction in testing for cervical cancer in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, accompanied by an elevated incidence of precancerous lesions in each of the first 2 years following its initiation, may portend a subsequent increased occurrence of cervical cancer in Brazil.

Changes in Body Mass Index Are Associated with Squamous Cell Carcinomas of Oral Cavity, Oropharynx and Larynx: A Case-Control Study in Brazil.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) significantly impacts nutritional status because the tumor limits swallowing function. In this sense, it is important to monitor the nutritional status throughout the life of any individual. A multicenter case-control study was carried out to analyze the BMI at 30 years of age, two years before diagnosis and at the time of diagnosis of individuals with oral cavity, oropharynx, and larynx cancers. It was observed that a 5% reduction in BMI during the two years before enrollment was associated with an increased risk of the oral cavity (OR = 3.73), oropharyngeal OR = 5.25), and laryngeal (OR = 5.22). Reduced BMI of more than 5% over two years before diagnosis was associated with HNC. Weight loss remained significant at diagnosis, but it is not possible to exclude reverse causality since most cases are at an advanced stage. BMI monitoring of individuals at potential risk for HNC can promote early diagnosis and nutritional interventions for HNC.

Molecular subtypes as a prognostic breast cancer factor in women users of the São Paulo public health system, Brazil / Subtipos moleculares como fator prognóstico do câncer de mama em mulheres usuárias do sistema público de saúde de São Paulo, Brasil

ABSTRACT Objective: This study aimed to analyze the prognosis of women with breast cancer by molecular subtypes, sociodemographic variables, and clinical and treatment characteristics. Methods: This hospital-based retrospective cohort study analyzed 1,654 women over 18 years of age diagnosed with invasive breast cancer from 2000 to 2018. Data were extracted from Brazil's Oncocenter Foundation of São Paulo. The variables analyzed were age, histology, molecular subtypes, clinical staging, treatment type, and diagnosis-to-treatment time. Cox regression analysis was applied to estimate death risk. Results: Women with HER-2-positive (nonluminal) and triple-negative molecular subtypes were more than twice more likely to be at risk of death, with adjusted hazard ratio — HRadj=2.30 (95% confidence interval — 95%CI 1.34-3.94) and HRadj=2.51 (95%CI 1.61-3.92), respectively. A delayed treatment associated with an advanced clinical stage at diagnosis increased fourfold the risk of death (HRadj=4.20 (95%CI 2.36-7.49). Conclusion: In summary, besides that interaction between advanced clinical stage and longer time between diagnosis and treatment, HER-2-positive (nonluminal) and triple-negative phenotypes were associated with a worse prognosis. Therefore, actions to reduce barriers in diagnosis and treatment can provide better outcome, even in aggressive phenotypes.

RESUMO Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar o prognóstico de mulheres com câncer de mama de acordo com os subtipos moleculares, variáveis sociodemográficas, características clínicas e de tratamento. Métodos: Este foi um estudo de coorte retrospectivo de base hospitalar. Foram analisadas 1.654 mulheres maiores de 18 anos diagnosticadas com câncer de mama invasivo entre 2000 a 2018. Os dados foram extraídos da Fundação Oncocentro de São Paulo, Brasil. As variáveis analisadas foram idade, histologia, subtipo moleculares, estadiamento clínico, tipo de tratamento e tempo entre o diagnóstico e tratamento. A análise de regressão de Cox foi aplicada para estimar o risco de morte. Resultados: As mulheres que apresentaram os subtipos moleculares HER-2-positivo (não luminal) e triplo negativo tiveram risco de morte quase duas vezes maior respectivamente, com razão de risco ajustada — HRaj=2,30 (intervalo de confiança de 95% — 95%IC 1,34-3,94) e HRaj=2,51 (95%IC 1,61-3,92). O atraso no tratamento associado ao avanço do estadiamento clínico ao diagnóstico aumentou em quatro vezes o risco de morte (HRaj=4,20 (IC95% 2,36-7,49). Conclusão: Os fenótipos HER-2-positivo (não luminal) e triplo negativo, além da interação entre estágio clínico avançado e maior tempo entre o diagnóstico e o tratamento, associaram-se a pior prognóstico. Assim, ações para reduzir as barreiras no diagnóstico e tratamento podem proporcionar melhores resultados, mesmo em fenótipos agressivos.

Venous thromboembolism risk score during hospitalization in pregnancy: results of 10694 prospective evaluations in a clinical trial

Abstract Objectives Hospitalization during pregnancy and childbirth increases the risk of Venous Thromboembolism Risk (VTE). This study applied a VTE risk score to all hospitalized pregnant women to ascertain its effectiveness in preventing maternal death from VTE until 3 months after discharge. Methods In this interventional study, patients were classified as low- or high-risk according to the VTE risk score (Clinics Hospital risk score). High-risk patients (score ≥ 3) were scheduled for pharmacological Thromboprophylaxis (TPX). Interaction analysis of the main risk factors was performed using Odds Ratio (OR) and Poisson regression with robust variance. Results The data of 10694 cases (7212 patients) were analyzed; 1626 (15.2%, 1000 patients) and 9068 (84.8%, 6212 patients) cases were classified as high-risk (score ≥ 3) and low-risk (score < 3), respectively. The main risk factors (Odds Ratio, 95% Confidence Interval) for VTE were age ≥ 35 and < 40 years (1.6, 1.4-1.8), parity ≥ 3 (3.5, 3.0-4.0), age ≥ 40 years (4.8, 4.1-5.6), multiple pregnancies (2.1, 1.7-2.5), BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 (5.1, 4.3-6.0), severe infection (4.1, 3.3-5.1), and cancer (12.3, 8.8-17.2). There were 10 cases of VTE: 7/1636 (0.4%) and 3/9068 (0.03%) in the high- and low-risk groups, respectively. No patient died of VTE. The intervention reduced the VTE risk by 87%; the number needed to treat was 3. Conclusions This VTE risk score was effective in preventing maternal deaths from VTE, with a low indication for TPX. Maternal age, multiparity, obesity, severe infections, multiple pregnancies, and cancer were the main risk factors for VTE.

Post-Viral Fatigue Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection during Pregnancy: A Longitudinal Comparative Study.

Studies reported post-COVID-19 fatigue in the general population, but not among pregnant women. Our objectives were to determine prevalence, duration, and risk factors of post-viral fatigue among pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2. This study involved 588 pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy or delivery in Brazil. Three groups were investigated: G1 (n = 259, symptomatic infection during pregnancy); G2 (n = 131, positive serology at delivery); G3 (n = 198, negative serology at delivery). We applied questionnaires investigating fatigue at determined timepoints after infection for G1, and after delivery for all groups; fatigue prevalence was then determined. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI of the risk of remaining with fatigue in G1. Overall fatigue prevalence in G1 at six weeks, three months and six months were 40.6%, 33.6%, and 27.8%, respectively. Cumulative risk of remaining with fatigue increased over time, with HR of 1.69 (95% CI: 0.89-3.20) and 2.43 (95% CI: 1.49-3.95) for women with moderate and severe symptoms, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed cough and myalgia as independent risk factors in G1. Fatigue prevalence was significantly higher in G1 compared to G2 and G3. Post-viral fatigue prevalence is higher in women infected during pregnancy; fatigue's risk and duration increased with the severity of infection.

Prevalence of oncogenic human papillomavirus in pregnant adolescents, association with colpocytological changes, risk factors and obstetric outcomes.

PURPOSE: The authors aim to carry out an investigation on the impact of cervical oncogenic Human Papillomavirus (HPV) detection in pregnant adolescents, to clarify the prevalence and risk factors, considering the importance and lack of data on this topic in Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with adolescents receiving prenatal care in a tertiary hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, with routine Pap smear and oncogenic HPV detection test in the uterine cervix. The authors sought to associate the results of these tests with demographic and obstetric variables. RESULTS: A total of 303 pregnant adolescents whose mean age was 15.30 ± 1.22 years comprised the study subjects. The frequency of high-risk HPV cervical detection was 50.50%. Multivariate analysis revealed that a large number of partners in their lifetime (OR = 1.27) and having a religion (OR = 2.05) were risk factors for cervical detection of oncogenic HPV, while schooling appeared as a protective factor (OR = 0.85). There was an association between this detection and colpocytological alterations, reaching almost 30% of patients, but without association with obstetric and neonatal outcomes. CONCLUSION: The prevalence found is one of the highest in Brazil and worldwide. A greater number of partners during their lifetime and having religion were detected as possible factors associated with cervical HPV detection. Detection of cervical HPV-DNA did not influence obstetric and neonatal outcomes. The findings of this study reinforce the need to implement educational measures capable of modifying the incidence of sexually transmitted infections in this population and capable of promoting adherence to HPV vaccination programs.

Dietary Pattern Influences Gestational Weight Gain: Results from the ProcriAr Cohort Study-São Paulo, Brazil.

The maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) influence maternal and infant outcomes. This study identified patterns of habitual dietary intake in 385 pregnant women in São Paulo and explored their associations with excessive weight gain (EGWG). Weight at the first visit (<14 weeks) was used as a proxy for pre-pregnancy weight. Food consumption was assessed using the 24HR method, administered twice at each gestational trimester, and dietary patterns were identified by principal component analysis. Three dietary patterns were identified: "Vegetables and Fruits," "Western," and "Brazilian Traditional." Descriptive data analysis was performed using absolute and relative frequencies for each independent variable and multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression was used to analyze excessive gestational gain weight (EGWG) and dietary patterns (DP). The Brazilian Traditional dietary pattern showed a protective effect on EGWG (p = 0.04) and age > 35 years (p = 0.03), while subjects overweight at baseline had a higher probability of EGWG (p = 0.02), suggesting that the identification of dietary and weight inadequacies should be observed from the beginning of pregnancy, accompanied by nutritional intervention and weight monitoring throughout the gestational period to reduce risks to the mother and child's health.

Placental pathological findings in coronavirus disease 2019: Perinatal outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Placental alterations caused by severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection have already been described, but most studies used small sample groups and the difference according to the severity of the disease has not been verified. Our objective was to describe placental alterations in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and analyze the association of pathological placental findings with the clinical parameters of COVID-19 and perinatal results. METHODS: This was a nested study within a prospective cohort study involving 109 symptomatic pregnant women with COVID-19. The prevalence of observed placental alterations was described, and the associations of pathological findings with the clinical parameters of COVID-19 severity and with perinatal outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: The frequency of types of placental features was poor maternal vascular perfusion in 45% of cases, poor fetal vascular perfusion in 33.9%, hematogenous origin infection in 32.1%, and morphological changes corresponding to ascending infection in 21.1%. Hematogenous infection differed significantly according to COVID-19 severity (p = 0.008), with a prevalence ratio (PR) of 1.74 (95% confidence interval, 1.02-2.98) in the moderate COVID-19 group compared to the mild COVID-19 group. Among the perinatal outcomes, there was an unexpected inverse association between prematurity and placental infection of hematogenous origin, with lower rates of prematurity among cases with inflammation of hematogenous origin (p = 0.029). DISCUSSION: Moderate SARS-Cov-2 infection presented a higher prevalence of placental pathological findings. There was no association of placental findings with adverse perinatal outcomes.

Overall survival and prognostic factors in Stage I lung adenocarcinoma treated with curative intent: A real-life 19-year cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Important differences in Stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are related to the delay in the diagnosis to the treatment, hospitals' specialised status, comorbidities, tumour stage and histological type. METHODS: A 19-year retrospective cohort study was conducted, including 681 patients with NSCLC in clinical-stage IA-IB. The variables analysed were gender, age, schooling, type of health care provider, type of treatment, period of 5-year treatment, the time between first attendance to diagnosis and the time between diagnosis and treatment, and hospital's specialised status. RESULTS: Patients who underwent radiotherapy alone had three times more risk of death than those who underwent surgery alone (adjusted hazard ratio [adjHR] = 3.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.45-4.82; p <0.001). The independent risk of death factors was being treated in nonhigh complexity centres in oncology hospitals and having started the treatment more than 2 months after diagnosis (adjHR = 1.80; 95% CI: 1.26-2.56; p <0.001) and (adjHR = 2.00; 95% CI: 1.33-3.00; p <0.001), respectively. In addition, the patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2015 had a 40% lower risk of death when compared to those diagnosed between 2000 and 2005 (95% CI: 0.38-0.94; p = 0.027). CONCLUSION: The overall survival in curative intent Stage-I lung cancer patients' treatment was associated with the 5-year diagnosis group, the delayed time between diagnosis and treatment and the hospital qualification.

Risk factors for oxygen requirement in hospitalized pregnant and postpartum women with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for Oxygen (O2) needs in pregnant and postpartum women with COVID-19. METHODS: Prospective cohort involving pregnant women hospitalized with COVID-19 from April to October 2020. The oxygen need was analyzed regarding risk factors: demographic characteristics, clinical and laboratory parameters at hospital admission, and chest Computer Tomography (CT) findings. Poisson univariate analysis was used to estimate the Relative Risk (RR) and 95% Confidence Intervals. RESULTS: 145 patients, 80 who used and 65 who did not use O2, were included. Body mass index ≥ 30, smoking, and chronic hypertension increased the risk of O2 need by 1.86 (95% CI 1.10-3.21), 1.57 (95% CI 1.16‒2.12), and 1.46 (95% CI 1.09‒1.95), respectively. Patients who were hospitalized for COVID-19 and for obstetric reasons had 8.24 (95% CI 2.8‒24.29) and 3.44 (95% CI 1.05‒11.31) times more use of O2 than those admitted for childbirth and abortion. Respiratory rate ≥ 24 breaths/min and O2 saturation < 95% presented RR for O2 requirements of 2.55 (1.82‒3.56) and 1.68 (95% CI 1.27-2.20), respectively. Ground Glass (GG) < 50% and with GG ≥ 50%, the risk of O2 use were respectively 3.41-fold and 5.33-fold higher than in patients who haven't viral pneumonia on CT. The combination of C-reactive protein ≥ 21 mg/L, hemoglobin < 11.0 g/dL, and lymphopenia < 1500 mm3 on hospital admission increased the risk of O2 use by 4.97-times. CONCLUSIONS: In obstetric patients, clinical history, laboratory, clinical and radiological parameters at admission were identified as a risk for O2 need, selecting the population with the greatest chance of worsening.

Sonographic evaluation of umbilical cord thickness in monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a nomogram of the thickness of the umbilical cord (UC) and its components in monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancies. METHODS: This prospective longitudinal study involved 47 MCDA twin pregnancies (94 fetuses) between 18 and 33 weeks of gestation. Ultrasound assessments of UC cross-sections and measurements of the umbilical cord area (UCA), the umbilical vein area (UVA), the umbilical artery area (UAA), and the Wharton jelly area (WJA) were made. The UC measurements were correlated with gestational ages. Reference values for the gestational ages of MCDA pregnancies were determined and compared with those of dichorionic twins and singletons. The cases which developed selective intrauterine growth restriction were contrasted with normal cases. RESULTS: A positive correlation was found between all UC components and gestational age and fetal weight. The UCA of MCDA fetuses was significantly larger than that of DC fetuses (p < 0.001) at the expense of a larger WJA (p < 0.001) and similar to that of singleton pregnancies. The MCDA fetuses with an estimated fetal weight below the 10th percentile had a smaller UCA than fetuses with a normal estimated weight (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The MCDA twins exhibited a thicker UC than that of dichorionic twins.

Magnetic resonance imaging and previous cesarean section in placenta accrete spectrum disorder: Predictor model.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate objective criteria of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of Placenta Accreta Spectrum disorder (PAS) analyzing interobserver agreement and to derive a model including imaging and clinical variables to predict PAS. METHODS: A retrospective review including patients submitted to MRI with suspicious findings of PAS on ultrasound. Exclusion criteria were lack of pathology or surgical information and missing or poor-quality MRI. Two radiologists analyzed six MRI features, and significant clinical data were also recorded. PAS confirmed on pathology or during intraoperative findings were considered positive for the primary outcome. Variables were tested through logistic regression models. RESULTS: Final study included 96 patients with a mean age of 33 years and 73.0% of previous C-sections. All MRI features were significantly associated with PAS for both readers. After logistic regression fit, including MRI signs with a moderate or higher interobserver agreement, intraplacental T2 dark band was the most significant radiologic criteria, and ROC analysis resulted in an AUC = 0.782. After including the most relevant clinical data (previous C-section) to the model, the ROC analysis improved to an AUC = 0.893. CONCLUSION: Simplified objective criteria on MRI, including intraplacental T2 dark band associated with clinical information of previous C-sections, had the highest accuracy and was used for a predictive model of PAS.