Neurocutaneous Disorders in Pregnancy.

Importance: Neurocutaneous disorders have significant implications for care of the pregnant patient. As neurocutaneous disorders are uncommon, obstetricians may be unfamiliar with these disorders and with recommendations for appropriate care of this population. Objective: This review aims to summarize existing literature on the interaction between neurocutaneous disorders and pregnancy and to provide a guide for physicians caring for an affected patient. Evidence Acquisition: A PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar search was carried out with a broad range of combinations of the medical subject headings (MeSH) terms "pregnancy," "Sturge -Weber," "Neurofibromatosis Type 1," "neurofibromatosis type 2," "von Hippel Lindau," "Tuberous Sclerosis," "neurocutaneous disorder," "treatment," "congenital malformations," "neurodevelopmental defects," "miscarriage," "breastfeeding," "autoimmune," "pathophysiology," and "management." References of included articles were searched to identify any articles that may have been missed after the above method was used. Results: Neurocutaneous disorders are associated with increased pregnancy-associated maternal and fetal/neonatal morbidity, largely surrounding hypertensive disorders, epilepsy, and medication exposure. Some features of neurocutaneous disorders may be worsened or accelerated by pregnancy. Neurocutaneous disorders can often be diagnosed prenatally. Therefore, directed assessment should be offered to affected individuals with a personal or family history of a neurocutaneous disorder. Conclusion and Relevance: Patients affected by neurocutaneous disorders who are pregnant or planning for future pregnancy should be carefully followed by a multidisciplinary team, which could include maternal-fetal medicine, neurology, and anesthesia, as well as other relevant subspecialists. Additional research is required regarding optimal counseling and management of these patients.

Urine metabolomic biomarkers for prediction of isolated fetal congenital heart defect.

OBJECTIVE: To identify maternal second and third trimester urine metabolomic biomarkers for the detection of fetal congenital heart defects (CHDs). STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective study. Metabolomic analysis of randomly collected maternal urine was performed, comparing pregnancies with isolated, non-syndromic CHDs versus unaffected controls. Mass spectrometry (liquid chromatography and direct injection and tandem mass spectrometry, LC-MS-MS) as well as nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, 1H NMR, were used to perform the analyses between 14 0/7 and 37 0/7 weeks gestation. A total of 36 CHD cases and 41 controls were compared. Predictive algorithms using urine markers alone or combined with, clinical and ultrasound (US) (four-chamber view) predictors were developed and compared. RESULTS: A total of 222 metabolites were identified, of which 16 were overlapping between the two platforms. Twenty-three metabolite concentrations were found in significantly altered in CHD gestations on univariate analysis. The concentration of methionine was most significantly altered. A predictive algorithm combining metabolites (histamine, choline, glucose, formate, methionine, and carnitine) plus US four-chamber view achieved an AUC = 0.894; 95% CI, 0814-0.973 with a sensitivity of 83.8% and specificity of 87.8%. Enrichment pathway analysis identified several lipid related pathways that are dysregulated in CHD, including phospholipid biosynthesis, phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis, phosphatidylethanolamine biosynthesis, and fatty acid metabolism. This could be consistent with the increased risk of CHD in diabetic pregnancies. CONCLUSIONS: We report a novel, noninvasive approach, based on the analysis of maternal urine for isolated CHD detection. Further, the dysregulation of lipid- and folate metabolism appears to support prior data on the mechanism of CHD.

Prenatal identification of two discontinuous maternally inherited chromosome 7q36.3 microduplications totaling 507 kb including the sonic hedgehog gene in a fetus with multiple congenital anomalies.

Duplications of the SHH gene, an important developmental gene, are rare. Disruption of this gene produces a variable phenotype in humans from major anomalies to isolated facial defects. This is the first reported case of a maternally inherited 507 kb discontinuous chromosome 7q36.3 microduplication resulting in duplication of SHH and nearby enhancer sequences.

The use of angiogenic biomarkers in maternal blood to identify which SGA fetuses will require a preterm delivery and mothers who will develop pre-eclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine (1) whether maternal plasma concentrations of angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors can predict which mothers diagnosed with "suspected small for gestational age fetuses (sSGA)" will develop pre-eclampsia (PE) or require an indicated early preterm delivery (≤ 34 weeks of gestation); and (2) whether risk assessment performance is improved using these proteins in addition to clinical factors and Doppler parameters. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included women with singleton pregnancies diagnosed with sSGA (estimated fetal weight <10th percentile) between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation (n = 314). Plasma concentrations of soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (sVEGFR-1), soluble endoglin (sEng) and placental growth factor (PlGF) were determined in maternal blood obtained at the time of diagnosis. Doppler velocimetry of the umbilical (Umb) and uterine (UT) arteries was performed. The outcomes were (1) subsequent development of PE; and (2) indicated preterm delivery at ≤ 34 weeks of gestation (excluding deliveries as a result of spontaneous preterm labor, preterm pre-labor rupture of membranes or chorioamnionitis). RESULTS: (1) The prevalence of PE and indicated preterm delivery was 9.2% (n = 29/314) and 7.3% (n = 23/314), respectively; (2) the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the identification of patients who developed PE and/or required indicated preterm delivery was greater than 80% for the UT artery pulsatility index (PI) z-score and each biochemical marker (including their ratios) except sVEGFR-1 MoM; (3) using cutoffs at a false positive rate of 15%, women with abnormal plasma concentrations of angiogenic/anti-angiogenic factors were 7-13 times more likely to develop PE, and 12-22 times more likely to require preterm delivery than those with normal plasma MoM concentrations of these factors; (4) sEng, PlGF, PIGF/sEng and PIGF/sVEGFR-1 ratios MoM, each contributed significant information about the risk of PE beyond that provided by clinical factors and/or Doppler parameters: women who had low MoM values for these biomarkers were at 5-9 times greater risk of developing PE than women who had normal values, adjusting for clinical factors and Doppler parameters (adjusted odds ratio for PlGF: 9.1, PlGF/sEng: 5.6); (5) the concentrations of sVEGFR-1 and PlGF/sVEGFR-1 ratio MoM, each contributed significant information about the risk of indicated preterm delivery beyond that provided by clinical factors and/or Doppler parameters: women who had abnormal values were at 8-9 times greater risk for indicated preterm delivery, adjusting for clinical factors and Doppler parameters; and (6) for a two-stage risk assessment (Umb artery Doppler followed by Ut artery Doppler plus biochemical markers), among women who had normal Umb artery Doppler velocimetry (n = 279), 21 (7.5%) developed PE and 11 (52%) of these women were identified by an abnormal UT artery Doppler mean PI z-score (>2SD): a combination of PlGF/sEng ratio MoM concentration and abnormal UT artery Doppler velocimetry increased the sensitivity of abnormal UT artery Doppler velocimetry to 76% (16/21) at a fixed false-positive rate of 10% (p = 0.06). CONCLUSION: Angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors measured in maternal blood between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation can identify the majority of mothers diagnosed with "suspected SGA" who subsequently developed PE or those who later required preterm delivery ≤ 34 weeks of gestation. Moreover, incorporation of these biochemical markers significantly improves risk assessment performance for these outcomes beyond that of clinical factors and uterine and umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry.

Maternal floor infarction/massive perivillous fibrin deposition: a manifestation of maternal antifetal rejection?

OBJECTIVE: Massive perivillous fibrin deposition (MPFD) and maternal floor infarction (MFI) are related placental lesions often associated with fetal death and fetal growth restriction. A tendency to recur in subsequent pregnancies has been reported. This study was conducted to determine whether this complication of pregnancy could reflect maternal antifetal rejection. METHODS: Pregnancies with MPFD were identified (n = 10). Controls consisted of women with uncomplicated pregnancies who delivered at term without MPFD (n = 175). Second-trimester maternal plasma was analyzed for panel-reactive anti-HLA class I and class II antibodies. The prevalence of chronic chorioamnionitis, villitis of unknown etiology, and plasma cell deciduitis was compared between cases and controls. Immunohistochemistry was performed on available umbilical vein segments from cases with MPFD (n = 4) to determine whether there was evidence of complement activation (C4d deposition). Specific maternal HLA-antibody and fetal HLA-antigen status were also determined in paired specimens (n = 6). Plasma CXCL-10 concentrations were measured in longitudinal samples of cases (n = 28 specimens) and controls (n = 749 specimens) by ELISA. Linear mixed-effects models were used to test for differences in plasma CXCL-10 concentration. RESULTS: (i) The prevalence of plasma cell deciduitis in the placenta was significantly higher in cases with MPFD than in those with uncomplicated term deliveries (40% versus 8.6%, P = 0.01), (ii) patients with MPFD had a significantly higher frequency of maternal anti-HLA class I positivity during the second trimester than those with uncomplicated term deliveries (80% versus 36%, P = 0.01); (iii) strongly positive C4d deposition was observed on umbilical vein endothelium in cases of MPFD, (iv) a specific maternal antibody against fetal HLA antigen class I or II was identified in all cases of MPFD; and 5) the mean maternal plasma concentration of CXCL-10 was higher in patients with evidence of MPFD than in those without evidence of MFPD (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A subset of patients with MPFD has evidence of maternal antifetal rejection.

Vasa previa: clinical presentations, outcomes, and implications for management.

OBJECTIVE: To review experience with diagnosis, clinical associations, and outcomes of vasa previa in a single institution. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of all identified vasa previa cases from January 1 1990, to June 30, 2010. RESULTS: Sixty cases of vasa previa were identified (53 singletons, seven twins); 56 cases were diagnosed before delivery. An abnormal cord insertion or abnormal placental location was present in 55 cases. Missed diagnoses were attributed to technical and observer factors. Preterm bleeding was encountered in 25 (42%) case group participants. Seven case group participants required an emergent delivery, with significant neonatal morbidity and mortality. Twin pregnancies had a significantly earlier median age at delivery of 32 weeks of gestation compared with 35 weeks of gestations in singletons (P=.01). The seven twin pregnancies had a 28.6% emergent preterm delivery rate, whereas singletons had a 4.1% rate (P=.07). In 14 case group participants, the membranous fetal vessel was located in the lower uterus and not directly over the cervix. The vessel location was not related to the risk of emergent delivery. CONCLUSION: Transvaginal ultrasound scans of at-risk patients can identify most cases of vasa previa. Preterm bleeding does not usually require immediate delivery. The rate of emergent preterm delivery was low in singleton pregnancies. Twins were delivered, on average, 3 weeks earlier than singletons. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Differences and similarities in the transcriptional profile of peripheral whole blood in early and late-onset preeclampsia: insights into the molecular basis of the phenotype of preeclampsiaa.

OBJECTIVE: Preeclampsia (PE) can be sub-divided into early- and late-onset phenotypes. The pathogenesis of these two phenotypes has not been elucidated. To gain insight into the mechanisms of disease, the transcriptional profiles of whole blood from women with early- and late-onset PE were examined. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to include women with: i) early-onset PE (diagnosed prior to 34 weeks, n=25); ii) late-onset PE (after 34 weeks, n=47); and iii) uncomplicated pregnancy (n=61). Microarray analysis of mRNA expression in peripheral whole blood was undertaken using Affymetrix microarrays. Differential gene expression was evaluated using a moderated t-test (false discovery rate <0.1 and fold change >1.5), adjusting for maternal white blood cell count and gestational age. Validation by real-time qRT-PCR was performed in a larger sample size [early PE (n=31), late PE (n=72) and controls (n=99)] in all differentially expressed genes. Gene ontology analysis and pathway analysis were performed. RESULTS: i) 43 and 28 genes were differentially expressed in early- and late-onset PE compared to the control group, respectively; ii) qRT-PCR confirmed the microarray results for early and late-onset PE in 77% (33/43) and 71% (20/28) of genes, respectively; iii) 20 genes that are involved in coagulation (SERPINI2), immune regulation (VSIG4, CD24), developmental process (H19) and inflammation (S100A10) were differentially expressed in early-onset PE alone. In contrast, only seven genes that encoded proteins involved in innate immunity (LTF, ELANE) and cell-to-cell recognition in the nervous system (CNTNAP3) were differentially expressed in late-onset PE alone. Thirteen genes that encode proteins involved in host defense (DEFA4, BPI, CTSG, LCN2), tight junctions in blood-brain barrier (EMP1) and liver regeneration (ECT2) were differentially expressed in both early- and late-onset PE. CONCLUSION: Early- and late-onset PE are characterized by a common signature in the transcriptional profile of whole blood. A small set of genes were differentially regulated in early- and late-onset PE. Future studies of the biological function, expression timetable and protein expression of these genes may provide insight into the pathophysiology of PE.

Evidence of an imbalance of angiogenic/antiangiogenic factors in massive perivillous fibrin deposition (maternal floor infarction): a placental lesion associated with recurrent miscarriage and fetal death.

OBJECTIVE: Massive perivillous fibrin deposition (MPFD) is associated with serious complications of pregnancy including recurrent spontaneous abortion, fetal growth restriction, and fetal demise. The aim of this study was to determine whether maternal plasma concentrations of angiogenic/antiangiogenic factors in MPFD differ from those of uncomplicated pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective longitudinal case-control study included MPFD cases (n = 10) and control patients (n = 175) with uncomplicated pregnancies who were enrolled in a longitudinal study and delivered at term. Serial plasma concentrations of placental growth factor (PlGF), soluble endoglin (sEng), and soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (sVEGFR)-1 and -2 were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cases, n = 28 samples; controls, n = 723 samples). Individual analyte concentrations were averaged across gestational age at specimen collection intervals. Linear mixed models were used to test for differences in log-transformed mean analyte concentrations both overall and as a function of time. RESULTS: The following results were found: (1) patients with MPFD had a lower mean plasma PlGF concentration (P = .03) and higher mean plasma concentrations of sVEGFR-1 and sEng (both P < .01) than controls, adjusted for potential confounders; (2) the mean plasma concentration of PlGF differed further among cases and controls as a function of gestational age interval (P < .0001); however, mean sVEGFR-1 and sEng group differences as a function of gestational age interval approached but did not reach significance (P = .09 and P = .11, respectively); (3) patients with MPFD had lower mean plasma concentrations of PlGF/sVEGFR-1 (P < .0001) and PlGF/sEng (P < .001): both of these relationships differed further as a function of gestational age interval (both P < .0001); and (4) differences in mean sVEGFR-1, sEng, and the ratios of PlGF to sVEGFR-1 and PlGF to sEng were observed before 20 weeks of gestation. CONCLUSION: An imbalance of angiogenic/antiangiogenic factors is present in patients with MPFD prior to the diagnosis. We propose that these changes participate in the mechanisms responsible for adverse pregnancy outcomes in patients with MPFD.

Hyperlipidemia-associated pancreatitis in pregnancy managed with fenofibrate.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatitis is a concerning clinical event during pregnancy, with high morbidity and mortality rates for mother and fetus. Hypertriglyceridemia is considered a rare cause of pancreatitis in pregnancy, with the majority of reported cases being associated with the lipid metabolism disorders. CASE: We report on a case of hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis in a woman presenting at 32 weeks of gestational age. Her dyslipidemia was not controlled with diet alone, necessitating medical intervention. Fenofibrate was used successfully. Recurrence of pancreatitis during the pregnancy was avoided, and a healthy neonate was delivered at 35 weeks of gestation. CONCLUSION: Fenofibrate was used safely and successfully during pregnancy in this case of hypertriglyceridemia-associated pancreatitis refractory to conservative measures.

Paradoxical motion: a useful tool in the prenatal diagnosis of congenital diaphragmatic hernias and eventrations.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this series was to determine whether paradoxical motion of the diaphragm reliably identifies congenital diaphragmatic hernias (CDHs). METHODS: Sonographic evaluation of diaphragmatic motion was attempted in all fetuses undergoing a targeted examination for findings suggestive of a possible CDH. During any respiratory motion or hiccupping, the posterior chest and abdomen were visualized in a coronal plane at the level of the descending aorta to evaluate ascent and descent of the hemidiaphragms. Normal motion was defined as descent of both during inspiration. Paradoxical motion was defined as descent of one hemidiaphragm and ascent of the opposite one during inspiration. If no breathing motion was observed during the examination, the results were termed "poor visualization." If there was poor visualization, the diaphragm was reevaluated at any return visits. In the second part of this study, diaphragmatic motion in 120 fetuses of at least 15 weeks' gestational age without abnormalities was evaluated. The diagnosis of a CDH needed to be confirmed by pathologic examination or surgery. RESULTS: No fetus without abnormalities showed paradoxical breathing. There were 15 fetuses who had a confirmed CDH and showed breathing during an examination. Fourteen of 15 had paradoxical motion; the fetus who did not had a very small defect containing a single loop of bowel. Thirteen fetuses had CDHs, and 2 had eventrations. CONCLUSIONS: Paradoxical motion is specific for CDHs and eventrations and can be seen as early as 17 weeks' gestation.