Seasonal variation of the onset of preeclampsia and eclampsia

Preeclampsia is one of the three leading causes of maternal mortality. Studies have suggested that the incidence of preeclampsia may be partially dependent on the month or season of delivery. This study was conducted to evaluate whether seasonal variation has any effect on the incidence of eclampsia or preeclampsia. From 1999 to 2001, a cross-sectional study in Alzahra Hospital was performed using all deliveries with gestational age more than 20 weeks. Variables of maternal age, parity, occurrence of preeclampsia and eclampsia, and season were evaluated and analyzed by chi-square test in SPSS 10. During the period of the study, there were 12,142 deliveries at Alzahra Hospital in Rasht. There were 2,579 [21.3%] deliveries in spring, 2,696 [22.2%] in summer, 3,645 [30%] in autumn, and 3,222 [26.5%] in winter. There was no statistically significant relationship between the age, parity and season. Hypertensive disorder was reported in 609 pregnancies [5%], with 11,533 [95%] having no hypertensive disorder. Data showed that 397 patients [3.3%] had preeclampsia and eclampsia. The highest rate of preeclampsia was in spring [3.6%], and the lowest rate was in summer [3%], but it revealed no statistical difference in the incidence of preeclampsia with season. We found no correlation between preeclampsia or eclampsia and season. It may be due to relative similarities between seasons in North of Iran. For example, there are relative similarities between spring and summer, and between autumn and winter

comparison between suppository diclofenac and pethidine in post-cesarean section pain relief: a randomized controlled clinical trial

Narcotic drugs are usually used for postoperative pain control which could cause several complications such as respiratory depression and apnea. Therefore, replacement of these drugs with safer analgesics is recommended. The aim of this study was to compare the analgesic effects of suppository diclofenac and pethidine in post-cesarean section [C/S] patients. In this clinical trial, pregnant women who were admitted to Alzahrah Hospital, Isfahan, Iran, between August and February 2004 and met the inclusion criteria were recruited. After obtaining informed consent, the patients were randomly assigned [block randomization] to two groups. In group A, 100 mg rectal suppository diclofenac was used after operation at four time points: at the end of operation and 8, 16 and 24 hours after the operation. Group B received pethidine 1 mg/kg intramuscularly at similar time points. The pain scores were assessed at 2, 10, 18 and 26 hours after C/S using the Visual Analogue Scale [VAS]. Age, gestational age, parity, history of previous abortion, C/S and abdominal surgery, level of education, pain score, side effects and satisfaction level were assessed. Analysis was carried out with ANCOVA model and X[2] Mantel Haenszel tests by SPSS.10 software. P<0.05 was considered significant. Two hundred forty patients met inclusion criteria. Age, parity, history of previous abortion, history of previous C/S and abdominal surgery, level of education and satisfaction level were similar in the two groups [P>0.05]. There was no significant difference between side effects in the two groups except for dizziness in 11 cases in group B. There were significant statistical difference between pain intensity in 10, 18 and 26 hours after C/S in group A and group B [2.05 +/- 2.07, 1.4 +/- 1.6 and 0.5 +/- 1.1 vs. 2.6 +/- 2.2, 2.3 +/- 2.2 and 1.3 +/- 1.9] respectively. The results of the present study showed that the use of suppository diclofenac is an appropriate replacement therapy for pain relief after C/S