Clinical Practice Patterns of Hypertensive Disease in Pregnancy among Korean Obstetricians

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical practice patterns of Korean obstetricians and gynecologists the diagnosis and management of hypertensive disease in pregnant women. @*Methods@#From April 2015 to October 2015, questionnaire was distributed via email to obstetricians who were members of the Society for Maternal and Fetal Medicine. The survey consisted of 37 questions in 6 categories. Responses to the questions on the management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, from diagnosis to treatment, were evaluated. @*Results@#A total of 93 obstetricians and gynecologists responded to the survey. High blood pressure was allocated the highest priority as an index mainly used when deciding to hospitalize patients with hypertensive disease during pregnancy, followed by pregnancy symptoms, proteinuria, and blood test results. Calcium channel blocker (CCB) for oral administration and hydralazine for injection were preferred as antihypertensive drugs mainly used to control severe hypertension. Regarding the delivery method for hypertensive disease during pregnancy, in cases of preeclampsia, 63% of the respondents chose the delivery method according to the cervical status, and in cases of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome and eclampsia, which increased in severity, 52% and 31% responded that the delivery method was determined according to the cervical status, respectively. In cases of mild preeclampsia, the 70% of respondents preferred 37–38 weeks of gestation for the delivery time. Regarding the use of aspirin in patient with hypertension during pregnancy, 52% of the respondents occasionally administered aspirin, and in patients with a history of hypertensive disease during pregnancy, only 43% were administered prophylactic aspirin. @*Conclusion@#Domestic obstetricians regarded blood pressure as the most meaningful factor when treating women with hypertension during pregnancy and considered blood pressure control as important. The preferred antihypertensive agents were oral CCB and hydralazine injections, and the choice of delivery method was determined according to the condition of the cervix and severity of the disease. Even in women with high risk factors for preeclampsia, prophylactic aspirin was administered in as low as 50%, of patients, possibly may due to the absence of domestic guidelines for aspirin use during pregnancy. Korean guidelines for prophylactic aspirin administration during pregnancy is needed based on additional research on the efficacy of aspirin for domestic women in the future.

Clinical Practice Patterns of Hypertensive Disease in Pregnancy among Korean Obstetricians

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical practice patterns of Korean obstetricians and gynecologists the diagnosis and management of hypertensive disease in pregnant women. @*Methods@#From April 2015 to October 2015, questionnaire was distributed via email to obstetricians who were members of the Society for Maternal and Fetal Medicine. The survey consisted of 37 questions in 6 categories. Responses to the questions on the management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, from diagnosis to treatment, were evaluated. @*Results@#A total of 93 obstetricians and gynecologists responded to the survey. High blood pressure was allocated the highest priority as an index mainly used when deciding to hospitalize patients with hypertensive disease during pregnancy, followed by pregnancy symptoms, proteinuria, and blood test results. Calcium channel blocker (CCB) for oral administration and hydralazine for injection were preferred as antihypertensive drugs mainly used to control severe hypertension. Regarding the delivery method for hypertensive disease during pregnancy, in cases of preeclampsia, 63% of the respondents chose the delivery method according to the cervical status, and in cases of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome and eclampsia, which increased in severity, 52% and 31% responded that the delivery method was determined according to the cervical status, respectively. In cases of mild preeclampsia, the 70% of respondents preferred 37–38 weeks of gestation for the delivery time. Regarding the use of aspirin in patient with hypertension during pregnancy, 52% of the respondents occasionally administered aspirin, and in patients with a history of hypertensive disease during pregnancy, only 43% were administered prophylactic aspirin. @*Conclusion@#Domestic obstetricians regarded blood pressure as the most meaningful factor when treating women with hypertension during pregnancy and considered blood pressure control as important. The preferred antihypertensive agents were oral CCB and hydralazine injections, and the choice of delivery method was determined according to the condition of the cervix and severity of the disease. Even in women with high risk factors for preeclampsia, prophylactic aspirin was administered in as low as 50%, of patients, possibly may due to the absence of domestic guidelines for aspirin use during pregnancy. Korean guidelines for prophylactic aspirin administration during pregnancy is needed based on additional research on the efficacy of aspirin for domestic women in the future.

Do endometrial movements affect the achievement of pregnancy during intrauterine insemination?

This study was aimed to assess the effect of endometrial movements on pregnancy achievement in intrauterine insemination [IUI] cycles. The population of this observational study was composed of unexplained infertility couples undergoing first-time IUI with clomiphene citrate between September 2010 and October 2011. Not only endometrial movements, but also thickness, volume, pattern, and echogenic change of endometrium were analyzed prospectively in prediction of pregnancy. The total number of 241 cycles of IUI with 49 intrauterine pregnancies [20.3%] was analyzed. Pregnancy was not related to endometrial thickness and endometrial volume, but significantly related to endometrial movements associated with the number of contraction, strong movement, cervicofundal direction, and hyperechoic change [p<0.05]. Pregnant group showed higher cervicofundal movement rate [89.8 vs. 75.5%]. For IUI cycles stimulated by clomiphene citrate in unexplained infertility women, endometrial movements on the day of IUI could be a predictor of pregnancy

Antenatal Magnesium Sulfate for Neuroprotective Effects In Preterm Infants / 고신대학교의과대학학술지

Fetal or neonatal brain injury can result in lifelong neurologic disability. Although survival rates for preterm infants have increased dramatically with the advent of modern perinatal and neonatal intensive care, but the rates of neurologic abnormalities in survivors, particularly motor disorders such as cerebral palsy, have not diminished. Antenatal magnesium sulfate may reduce the rates of cerebral palsy in survivors of preterm birth. There are five randomized controlled trials of magnesium sulfate administered to women at risk of preterm delivery before 34 weeks of gestation which have reported neurological outcomes for the child. From meta-analysis of these randomized trials, the rate of cerebral palsy was reduced by magnesium sulfate (RR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.54-0.87; five trials; 6,145 infants) as did the moderate/severe cerebral palsy incidence (RR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.44-0.92; three trials; 4387 infants). There was no statistically significant difference between the rates of neonatal adverse outcomes of the magnesium administration group and the control group. In most prospective randomized studies, no significant difference in the severe mother-side side effects between the magnesium sulfate administration group and the control group. Antenatal magnesium sulfate therapy is neuroprotective against motor dysfunction in offspring for the preterm infant; however the possibility of an increase in the fetal or neonatal death rate was not completely excluded.

Effects of Menopausal Hormone Therapy on Uterine Myoma in Menopausal Women

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the long term effects of estrogen-progestogen therapy (EPT) on uterine myomas volume in postmenopausal women. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis on postmenopausal women with asymptomatic uterine myoma during the period between April, 2008 and September, 2012. Postmenopause was defined as amenorrhea for longer than a year or serum follicle stimulating hormone levels higher than 40 IU/L. The volume of the myoma was assessed by transvaginal ultrasonography for every 6 months after administration of EPT. RESULTS: Thirty-eight women were included in the study, with 32 in the EPT group and 6 in the control group. Overall, uterine myoma volume (mean +/- standard deviation, cm3) in the EPT group was 19.5 +/- 24.6 at baseline, and those at 6 and 12 months were 24.7 +/- 35.1 and 28.5 +/- 56.4, respectively. Myoma volume did not change significantly with EPT, and these changes were not significantly different from the control group. Myoma volume changes were not significantly different in the subgroups according to the route of estrogen administrations and the method of progestogen administrations. Clinically significant volume increases during one year of EPT was noted in 28.1% (9/32), however, only one showed transient increases. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that treating postmenopausal woman with EPT on a long-term basis does not increase the volume of uterine myomas.

Effect on Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Invasive Cervical Cancer Patients with Radical Operation and CCRT / 대한골다공증학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the effect on bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal invasive cervical cancer patients treated with radical operation and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). METHODS: We analyzed the BMD of spinal bone and the femur in 48 invasive cervical cancer patients treated with CCRT after radical operation. All BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. For comparison with control women, 96 patients without gynecological disease whose age and body mass index are consistent with the case group were selected. The measurement interval was 1 year. All of the patients and control women had reached their menopause. RESULTS: Age, height, body weight and body mass index were not significantly different between the two groups. The serum levels of calcium and phosphate were not significantly different between the patients with cervical cancer and control women before and after treatment. On the other hands, the concentrations of total alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin of patients with invasive cervical cancer were significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of control women after treatment. BMD showed inconsistent outcomes, but there is a trend of decrease after operation and CCRT in invasive cervical cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that invasive cervical cancer patients treated with radical operation and CCRT have a lower BMD, resulting in an increased risk of osteoporosis.

The Correlation between the Endometrial Cancer and Postmenopausal Uterine Bleeding / 고신대학교의과대학학술지

OBJECTIVES: To investigate correlation between risk factors of endometrial carcinoma and histopatholgic findings of endometrium. METHODS: We reviewed medical records of 148 postmenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding, who underwent endometrial biopsy from January 2009 to April 2010. Women who had hematologic disease, or had non-uterine pelvic diseases were excluded. Hormone therapy was performed in indicated subjects. Age, body mass index (BMI), associated diseases, endometrial thickness checked by transvaginal sonography, whether hormone therapy was used were reviewed according to endometrial histopathology. RESULTS: Mean age of the subjects was 58.9 +/- 8.4years old. Among the endometrial histopathologic findings, atrophic endometrium was the most common finding (32.7%), followed by hyperplastic endometrium (17.8%), endometrial carcinoma (10.4%), and endometrial polyp (9.2%). BMI was not correlation of the prevalence of endometrial carcinoma and endometrial hyperplasia. Mean endometrial thickness was 9.8 +/- 5.56 mm, while it was 14.0 +/- 5.89 mm in endometrial hyperplasia, and 16.0 +/- 6.56 mm in endometrial carcinoma. The prevalence of endometrial cancer was high in those whose endometrial thickness was more than 10 mm (P < 0.001). The prevalence of endometrial hyperplasia in those whose postmenopausal bleeding was related to hormone therapy was higher than of women in whom hormone therapy was not performed. However, there were no statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Postmenopausal bleeding must be considered as indicative of malignant disease until proven otherwise. Endometrial biopsy should be performed to exclude endometrial carcinoma in postmenopausal women whose endometrial thickness measured by transvaginal sonography is thick.

To Investigate the Incidence of Non-responder to Hormone Therapy and the Bone Response in Postmenopausal Women / 대한골다공증학회지

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence of non-responder to hormone therapy (HT) and to evaluate the bone response to HT according to basal bone mineral density(BMD) in postmenopausal women. METHODS: A total of 167 postmenopausal women received either continuous combined estrogenprogestogen replacement (n=102) or estrogen replacement (n=65) for 1 years. BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) before and 1 year after HT. RESULTS: The incidence of non-responder (women with >3% bone loss per year) to HT was 8.3% in the lumbar spine, and 22.1% in femoral neck. non-responder group had a higher basal BMD at the lumbar spine than responder group, and showed bone loss rate of 7.7% per year. After 1 year of HT, postmenopausal women with osteoporosis showed a higher rate of increase in BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck than women with normal BMD or osteopenia. CONCLUSIONS: The non-responders to HT have a higher basal lumbar BMD, compared with responders. The higher basal BMD at the lumbar spine is, the less bone conservation effect of HT is.

Decreased Bone Mineral density of Spine in Patients with Invasive Cervical Cancer / 대한골다공증학회지

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the spinal bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with invasive cervical cancer without bone metastases. METHODS: We measured spinal bone mineral densities by dual-photon absorptiometry in 119 patients with invasive uterine cervical cancer and compared them with measurements from 135 control women. RESULTS: When adjusted for age, mean bone mineral density in patients with uterine cervical cancer was 13.9% lower (P=0.0003) and age-matched percentiles were 9.2% lower (P=0.0003) than in control women. The deficits in bone mineral density and age-matched percentiles were confined to the uterine cervical cancer patients in their fifties. CONCLUSIONS: Our study results suggest that patients with invasive cervical cancer have a lower spinal BMD, resulting in an increased risk of osteoporosis.

Expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 as prognostic factors in endometrial cancer / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: Homeostasis of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is maintained by the action of a specific system of proteolytic enzymes known as matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP). The MMP/TIMP system regulates the composition and turnover of ECM to control the site and extent of connective tissue remodeling. In pathologic conditions, MMP play a key role in degradation of basement membrane and extracellular matrix, and is responsible for cancer invasion, progression and metastasis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation between expressions of MMP/TIMP and clinicopathologic factors in endometrial cancer. METHODS: Expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 were assessed by immunohistochemistry in a total of 55 endometrial cancers and were analyzed by the correlation between expressions of MMP/TIMP and clinicopathologic factors in endometrial cancer. RESULTS: Expression rates of MMP-2,-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 were 71.7%, 54.9%, 41.2%, and 76.5% respectively. Expression of MMP-2 was correlated with the group of positive lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer (p=0.04). Specially, coexpression of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 was significantly more frequent in the group of positive lymph node metastasis (p<0.01) and the group of positive peritoneal CONCLUSION: The expressions of MMP and TIMP were not a significant difference in survival analysis, but this study was recognized that the coexpression MMP-2 and TIMP-2 is correlated with lymph node metastasis and positive peritoneal cytology.

A study of support-therapeutic effect and reducing side effect for high-dose vitamin C use of gynecological cancer patients with chemotherapy / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: The high-dose vitamin C is useful in the cancer. Consequently its use should have become how many help even from gynecological cancer patient who is in chemotherapy. METHODS: The study was performed prospective on 57 patients who is diagnosed initially the gynecological cancer during chemotherapy at Gospel Hospital of Kosin University between January 2005 and October 2006. The study was divided to its use 29 (cervix cancer: 17, ovarian cancer 12) and no high-dose vitamin C use 28 (cervix cancer: 11, ovarian cancer 17). The cervix cancer was treated by FP chemotherapy for all stage and the ovarian cancer was treated by CC chemotherapy for stage 1, CT or PT chemotherapy for advanced stage for 6 times respectively regarding a treatment in tumor marker change aspect and the side effect researched GOG classifications. RESULTS: It evaluated the nausea and vomiting significantly in ovarian cancer (p<0.05). It evaluated for liver enzyme, Hb, WBC, platelet serum creatinine, sensory, motor nervous system and tumor marker with the high-dose vitamin C group does not have the difference from the control group statistically. CONCLUSION: The high-dose vitamin C is a possibility of reducing nausea and vomiting in the ovarian cancer chemotherapy without other side effect. The regarding a tumor marker change it was not significantly but when it analyzed a recurrence a survival rate with more patient and follow up in long period, its use of should have become how many help in gynecological cancer treatment.

One Case of Solitary Metastatic Adenocarcinoma of the Uterus in Patient with Previous Gastric Cancer Treatment / 대한산부인과학회잡지

The uterus is an unusual site for metastasis from an extrapelvic neoplasm. Metastasis of gastric cancer to the uterus is rare. We experienced a patient who underwent a gastrectomy and chemotherapy due to gastric cancer and who subsequently suffered a solitary metastatic adenocarcinoma of the uterus from the primary gastric cancer. Similar to Krukenberg tumors of the ovary, lymphatic dissemination is regarded as the route of metastasis from the stomach to the uterine. We report this case with a brief review of literature.

One Case of Solitary Metastatic Adenocarcinoma of the Uterus in Patient with Previous Gastric Cancer Treatment / 대한산부인과학회잡지

The uterus is an unusual site for metastasis from an extrapelvic neoplasm. Metastasis of gastric cancer to the uterus is rare. We experienced a patient who underwent a gastrectomy and chemotherapy due to gastric cancer and who subsequently suffered a solitary metastatic adenocarcinoma of the uterus from the primary gastric cancer. Similar to Krukenberg tumors of the ovary, lymphatic dissemination is regarded as the route of metastasis from the stomach to the uterine. We report this case with a brief review of literature.