Pre-eclampsia Educational Tool Impact on Knowledge, Anxiety, and Satisfaction in Pregnant Women: A Randomized Trial.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of educational tools concerning pre-eclampsia on knowledge, anxiety, and women's satisfaction. METHODS: The investigators conducted a randomized controlled trial from March to July 2014 at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke (Sherbrooke, QC) by comparing ambulatory pregnant women (20-32 weeks of gestation) who were receiving educational tools on pre-eclampsia with control patients who received routine care. Tools consisted of an informative pamphlet, a video, and a pictographic magnet, all validated by a multidisciplinary team. The primary outcome was global knowledge (number of correct answers on 35 items) about the disease after 1 month, as assessed by questionnaire. Secondary outcomes included anxiety regarding pre-eclampsia and satisfaction concerning the different tools (a 1-6 Likert scale was used). RESULTS: Among 362 pregnant women approached for the research, 269 were randomized. After 1 month, 247 questionnaires (92%) were filled and analyzed: 122 from the control group and 125 from the intervention group. Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. Patients who received the tools scored significantly higher on global knowledge (70.1% ± 19.2% compared with 51.1% ± 23.4%; mean difference of 19.0%; P < 0.001). Anxiety scores regarding pre-eclampsia were similar between the groups, with a mean of 2.40 out of 6 for the control group and 2.53 out of 6 for the intervention group (equivalence test, P < 0.001). High score levels of satisfaction for the pamphlet and video were found: 5.1 out of 6 and 5.2 out of 6, respectively. CONCLUSION: These well-received educational tools for pregnant women increased their knowledge about pre-eclampsia without increasing their anxiety about it. Women reported the highest satisfaction for the tools.

Coronal CT scan measurements and hearing evolution in enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the correlation between the enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA) diameter and (1) the hearing loss level (mild, moderate, severe and profound and (2) the hearing evolution. The secondary objective was to obtain measurement limits on the coronal plane of the temporal bone CT scan for the diagnosis of EVA. METHODS: Retrospective study in a tertiary pediatric center. Mastoid CT scans were reviewed to measure the VA diameter at its midpoint and operculum on axial and coronal planes in a pathologic and normal population. We used their serial audiograms to assess the evolution of hearing. RESULTS: 101 EVA was identified out of 1812 temporal bones CT scan from our radiologic database in 8 years. Bone conduction was stable after a mean follow-up of 40.9 ± 32.9 months. PTA has been the most affected in time by the EVA (p=0.006). No correlation was identified between impedancemetry and the diameter of the EVA. On the diagnostic audiogram, 61% of hearing loss were in the mild and moderate hearing levels; at the end of the follow-up 64% of hearing loss are still in the mild and moderate hearing levels. The cut-off values for the coronal midpoint and operculum planes on the CT scan to diagnose an EVA are 2.4 mm and 4.34 mm respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Conductive or mixed hearing loss might be the first manifestation of EVA. Coronal CT scan cuts can provide additional information to evaluate EVA especially when axial cuts are not conclusive.