ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: High thromboxane level evidence supports pivotal involvement of TxA2 in pathophysiology of pregnancy induced hypertension and provides a strong rationale for pursuing TxA2-blocking strategies in drug development. METHODS: The stable metabolites of TXA2 (Thromboxane B2) in maternal blood of 12 patients with mild preeclampsia, 4 patients with severe preeclampsia and 14 normal parturients were measured by competitive enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: TxB2 concentrations were not increased in mild preeclampsia (101 +/- 12 pg/mL, n=12) as compared with normal pregnancy (150 +/- 15 pg/mL, n=14), but they were significantly increased in severe preeclampsia (454 +/- 102 pg/mL, p<0.0001, n=4). CONCLUSION: Maternal plasma thromboxane is increased only in severe preeclampsia. Thus, increased thromboxane A2 biosynthesis correlates with disease severity and may have a pathogenetic role in pregnancy-induced hypertension. These findings provide a rationale for the use of aspirin in the treatment as well as in the prevention of this disorder.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Aspirin , Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced , Immunoenzyme Techniques , Plasma , Pre-Eclampsia , Thromboxane A2ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the most common causative agents of the sexual transmitted diseases, and the accurate diagnosis and early treatment are very important to prevent the transmission. So, we evaluated the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and QuickVue(TM) (Quidel Corp. San Diego, CA) EIA method as a routine clinical laboratory test. METHODS: The 80 cervical swab samples including pelvic inflammatory disease, cervicitis and tube-ovarian abscess were tested using PCR with plasmid specific primers T1, T2 and commercially available QuickVue(TM) EIA kit. RESULTS: The positivities of the PCR and QuickVue(TM) EIA test were 17.5% (14/80 samples) and 12.5% (10/80 samples), respectively. There were 95% (76/80 samples) of positive or negative result concordance rates and 5% (4/80 samples) of disconcordance between the two methods, in which showed PCR positive and EIA negative results. CONCLUSIONS: We assume that PCR and QuickVue(TM) method are highly confident as a routine clinical laboratory diagnostic test for C. trachomatis infection. But more careful interpretation of QuickVue(TM) EIA and the additional study for variable samples will be needed.
Subject(s)
Female , Abscess , Chlamydia trachomatis , Chlamydia , Diagnosis , Diagnostic Tests, Routine , Pelvic Inflammatory Disease , Plasmids , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Uterine CervicitisABSTRACT
Intraperitoneal foreign body is a rare but extremely troublesome condition. Such as forceps, rubber tubes, pieces of broken instruments can retained during surgery but most commonly foreign body is the surgical sponge. The retained foreign body produce intra-abdominal abscess, peritonitis, intestinal obstruction in the postoperative period or even after weeks, months or years and very uncommonly migrate into the bowel. We report a case of intracolonic surgical sponge misdiagnosed as retained intraperitoneal foreign body with brief review of literatures.
Subject(s)
Abdominal Abscess , Foreign Bodies , Intestinal Obstruction , Peritonitis , Postoperative Period , Rubber , Surgical Instruments , Surgical SpongesABSTRACT
The uterus with rudimentary horn occurs as a result of a lack of development during fetal life of the middle and lower part of one of the M llerian ducts, in which there is a failure of fusion of the two ducts. Pregnancy in the rudimentary uterine horn is very rare, its incidence is reported nearly as 1 case per 100,000 normal pregnancy. We experience a case of ruptured rudimentary uterine horn twin pregnancy at 29-gestational week and report the case with brief review of literatures.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Pregnancy , Horns , Incidence , Pregnancy, Twin , Twins , UterusABSTRACT
Actinomycosis, a rare disease entity in the upper genital tract, and caused by anaerobic bacteria, Actinomyces israelii, presents some difficulties in establishing a correct preoperative diagnosis. Pelvic actinomycosis has been reported more frequently in women with intrauterine device (IUD). Actinomycosis may be confused with malignancy and other inflammatory diseases due to its infiltrative nature and tendency to invade normal anatomic barriers. So, cervicovaginal smear is recommended for all women wearing IUDs, and actinomyosis should be suspected in such patients suffering pelvic infections. We experienced a case of pelvic and abdominal actionomycosis complicated by tuboovarian abscess in a 52 year-old woman wearing IUD and report it with a brief review of related literatures.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Abscess , Actinomyces , Actinomycosis , Bacteria, Anaerobic , Diagnosis , Intrauterine Devices , Pelvic Infection , Rare DiseasesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the relationships between maternal plasma and umbilical cord leptin concentrations and their effects on newborn birth weights, maternal body mass indices and fetal sex in term normotensive (NT) and preeclampsia (PE) women. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained at delivery from 20 NT group and another 20 from PE group of at least 36 weeks of gestation. And the umbilical cord samples were also taken from their newborns at birth. Plasma leptin levels were determined in both groups using a human recombinant leptin 125-I radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Mean maternal plasma and umbilical cord leptin concentrations were 16.16+/-2.05 ng/ml and 7.11+/-1.01 ng/ml in NT group, 17.09+/-1.67 ng/ml and 8.55+/-6.63 ng/ml in PE group, and there was no statistical significances among them. The differences of leptin concentrations in maternal plasma and umbilical cord according to baby sex were not significant in both NT and PE groups. Plasma leptin concentrations were related with maternal weight gain and BMI in NT group and with body weight in PE group. The BMI and birth weights of the neonates have significant effects on the umbilical cord leptin concentrations in both NT and PE groups. CONCLUSION: In this study, no correlation was found between maternal plasma and umbilical cord leptin concentrations in both NT and PE groups. But maternal plasma leptin concentrations had positive correlations with maternal body weight, BMI, and body weight changes during pregnancy in both NT and PE groups. There were also positive correlations among umbilical cord leptin concentrations, BMI and birth weights of the neonates of NT and PE groups term. Therefore umbilical cord leptin is considered to be the index of fetal birth weight.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Pregnancy , Birth Weight , Body Weight , Body Weight Changes , Fetal Blood , Fetal Weight , Leptin , Parturition , Plasma , Pre-Eclampsia , Radioimmunoassay , Umbilical Cord , Weight GainABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the relationships between maternal plasma and umbilical cord leptin concentrations and their effects on newborn birth weights, maternal body mass indices and fetal sex in term normotensive (NT) and preeclampsia (PE) women. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained at delivery from 20 NT group and another 20 from PE group of at least 36 weeks of gestation. And the umbilical cord samples were also taken from their newborns at birth. Plasma leptin levels were determined in both groups using a human recombinant leptin 125-I radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Mean maternal plasma and umbilical cord leptin concentrations were 16.16+/-2.05 ng/ml and 7.11+/-1.01 ng/ml in NT group, 17.09+/-1.67 ng/ml and 8.55+/-6.63 ng/ml in PE group, and there was no statistical significances among them. The differences of leptin concentrations in maternal plasma and umbilical cord according to baby sex were not significant in both NT and PE groups. Plasma leptin concentrations were related with maternal weight gain and BMI in NT group and with body weight in PE group. The BMI and birth weights of the neonates have significant effects on the umbilical cord leptin concentrations in both NT and PE groups. CONCLUSION: In this study, no correlation was found between maternal plasma and umbilical cord leptin concentrations in both NT and PE groups. But maternal plasma leptin concentrations had positive correlations with maternal body weight, BMI, and body weight changes during pregnancy in both NT and PE groups. There were also positive correlations among umbilical cord leptin concentrations, BMI and birth weights of the neonates of NT and PE groups term. Therefore umbilical cord leptin is considered to be the index of fetal birth weight.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Pregnancy , Birth Weight , Body Weight , Body Weight Changes , Fetal Blood , Fetal Weight , Leptin , Parturition , Plasma , Pre-Eclampsia , Radioimmunoassay , Umbilical Cord , Weight GainABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of epidural analgesia on the course of labor and delivery mode. METHOD: Three hundred eighteen term pregnant women with singleton fetus in vertex presentation were admitted for vaginal delivery at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, medical center Chung-ju hospital from January 1, 1998 to December 31, 1998. They were divided into two groups: epidural analgesia group and non-epidural analgesia group. Epidural analgesia group was 106 women (79 primiparas and 27 multiparas). Non-epidural analgesia group was 212 women (138 primiparas and 74 multiparas). Course of labor and delivery mode were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: 1. The duration of the first stage of labor was not significantly different between two groups (primiparas: 672+/-110 min vs 625+/-134 min, multiparas: 458+/-152 min vs 422+/-184 min), and that of the second stage of labor in the primiparas was significantly longer in epidural analgesia group than non-epidural analgesia group (62+/-25 min vs 42+/-20 min, p=0.03), but did not differ significantly in the multiparas groups (36+/-12 min vs 31+/-20 min).2. Cesarean delivery rates were not significantly different between two groups (19.8% vs 15.1%).3. Cesarean delivery rates due to failure to progress were not significantly different between two groups (85.7% vs 78.1%).4. Oxytocin augmentation rates were significantly higher in epidural analgesia group than in non-epidural analgesia group (primiparas: 42.3% vs 20.1%, p=0.008, multiparas: 38.5% vs 19.7%, p=0.01).5. The newborn birthweight, Apgar score and the incidence of meconium-stained amnionic fluid were not significantly different between two groups.6. The complication of the epidural analgesia were back pain (10.4%), shivering (7.5%), nausea and vomiting (1.3%), hypotension (0.9%), and voiding difficulty (0.9%). CONCLUSION: Though epidural analgesia prolonged second stage of labor in the primiparas and increased oxytocin augmentation rates but did not increased the cesarean delivery rates. So intrapartum epidural analgesia provided safe and effective pain control without undesirable effects on labor outcomes.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Pregnancy , Amnion , Analgesia , Analgesia, Epidural , Apgar Score , Back Pain , Cesarean Section , Fetus , Gynecology , Hypotension , Incidence , Nausea , Obstetrics , Oxytocin , Pregnant Women , Shivering , VomitingABSTRACT
Actinomycosis, rare in pelvic localization and a severe condition not well known to gynecologists, is an uncommon entity caused by anaerobic bacteria, Actinomycosis israelii. After trauma, surgery, or other infections that alter the host's mucosal barriers, these organisms advance to invade surrounding tissue and organs. The pelvic loculation of the disease generally presents as a pseudoneoplastic formation, so it is very difficult to make an accurate diagnosis initially. We experienced a pelvic and abdominal actinomycosis confirmed by pathology in a woman who had been wearing an IUD and complained fever, chill, headache for one month, and lower abdominal pain and palpable mass. This case illustrates the importance of considering the possibility of actinomycosis when we met a vague abdominal mass.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Abdominal Pain , Actinomycosis , Bacteria, Anaerobic , Diagnosis , Fever , Headache , Intrauterine Devices , PathologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study assesses the hypothesis that preeclampsia is associated with the change of oxidative system balance by measuring the lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activity in preeclampsia. METHOD: Venous blood samples were collected from twenty women with preeclampsia and twenty women with uncomplicated pregnancies. Total lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant activity, antioxidant enzyme activity and antioxidant concentration were measured using flow injection-chemiluminescent method. RESULTS: 1. Total lipid peroxidation(PCOOH) was higher in preeclampsia(717.22+/-93.08 pmol/ml) than in normal pregnant(486.86+/-43.15 pmol/ml) (P<0.05). 2. Total antioxidant activity was significantly higher in preeclampsia(46.02+/-5.95 % inhibition) than in normal pregnant(38.59+/-7.57 % inhibition) (P<0.05).3. Antioxidant enzyme, catalase activity in RBC was lower in preeclampsia(346.59+/-82.84 unit/gHb) than in normal pregnant(440.62+/-72.8 unit/gHb) (P<0.05).4. Antioxidant, alpha-tocopherol concentration in RBC was slightly lower in preeclampsia(33.21+/-7.82 ng/gHb) than in normal pregnant(36.06+/-6.86 ng/gH), but there was no statistically significant difference (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: This data seems to show that preeclampsia is associated with an imbalance between the lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant system.