Prediction of Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis in Early Breast Cancer Using Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Diffusion-Weighted Imaging

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate dynamic contrast-enhanced breast magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI), and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) variables, for axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis in the early stage of breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: January 2011–April 2015, 787 patients with early stage of breast cancer were retrospectively reviewed. Only cases of invasive ductal carcinoma, were included in the patient population. Among them, 240 patients who underwent 3.0-T DCE-MRI, including DWI with b value 0 and 800 s/mm² were enrolled. MRI variables (adjacent vessel sign, whole-breast vascularity, initial enhancement pattern, quantitative kinetic parameters, signal enhancement ratio (SER), tumor apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), peritumoral ADC, and peritumor-tumor ADC ratio) clinico-pathologic variables (age, T stage, multifocality, extensive intraductal carcinoma component (EIC), estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER-2 status, Ki-67, molecular subtype, histologic grade, and nuclear grade) were compared between patients with axillary lymph node metastasis and those with no lymph node metastasis. Multivariate regression analysis was performed, to determine independent variables associated with ALN metastasis, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), for predicting ALN metastasis was analyzed, for those variables. RESULTS: On breast MRI, moderate or prominent ipsilateral whole-breast vascularity (moderate, odds ratio [OR] 3.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28–9.51 vs. prominent, OR = 15.59, 95% CI 2.52–96.46), SER (OR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.09–2.59), and peritumor-tumor ADC ratio (OR = 6.77, 95% CI 2.41–18.99), were independently associated with ALN metastasis. Among clinico-pathologic variables, HER-2 positivity was independently associated, with ALN metastasis (OR = 23.71, 95% CI 10.50–53.54). The AUC for combining selected MRI variables and clinico-pathologic variables, was higher than that of clinico-pathologic variables (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: SER, moderate or prominent increased whole breast vascularity, and peritumor-tumor ADC ratio on breast MRI, are valuable in predicting ALN metastasis, in patients with early stage of breast cancer.

Weight loss effects of Bariatric Surgery after nutrition education in extremely obese patients* / 한국영양학회지

PURPOSE: This study was planned to determine the characteristics of extremely obese patients during Bariatric surgery and to evaluate how the difference in the number of postsurgical personal nutritional educations they received affected the weight loss. METHODS: This is a retrospective study on the basis of the medical records of extremely obese patients for 15 months after receiving gastric banding. A total of 60 people were selected as the study subjects and they were divided into the Less Educated Group and the More Educated Group according to the average number of personal nutritional educations they received. We investigated both groups to determine the general characteristic, health related lifestyle habits, obesity related complications and symptoms in possession, and eating habits before their surgery, the body composition measurement result, obesity determination indices at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 months before and after their surgery, and the biochemical parameters at 6 months before and after their surgery. RESULTS: Body fat and weight showed rapid reduction until 6 months after the surgery, but thereafter reduced slowly depending on the result of body composition measurement. Regarding body fat and weight, the More Educated Group, who received nutrition education more often, showed significantly lower levels than the Less Educated Group at 15 months after surgery. Regarding BMI and degree of obesity, the More Educated Group showed significantly lower levels than the Less Educated Group at 15 months after surgery. Here, we were assured that BMI is reversely proportional to the number of personal nutritional educations at 15 months, which is more outstanding after surgery than before surgery. CONCLUSION: Long-term nutritional education is a key factor for the extremely obese patient in maintaining the effects of Bariatric surgery on weight and body fat reduction onwards. In the next stage, considering the characteristics of the study subjects, adoption of individual nutrition education is recommended for postsurgical prospective arbitration of obesity in order to monitor blood pressure, obesity related complications, symptoms in possession, and how eating habits and health related life habits change, and to judge the actual effect of the nutritional education method at the same time.

Intra-Amniotic Infection/Inflammation as a Risk Factor for Subsequent Ruptured Membranes after Clinically Indicated Amniocentesis in Preterm Labor

The aim of this study was to determine whether intra-amniotic infection/inflammation (IAI) was associated with subsequent ruptured membranes in women with preterm labor and intact membranes who had a clinically indicated amniocentesis. This retrospective cohort study included 237 consecutive women with preterm labor (20-34.6 weeks) who underwent amniocentesis. The clinical and laboratory parameters evaluated included demographic variables, gestational age, C-reactive protein (CRP) and amniotic fluid (AF) white blood cell, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and culture results. IAI was defined as a positive AF culture and/or an elevated AF IL-6 level (>2.6 ng/mL). The primary outcome was ruptured membranes in the absence of active labor occurring within 48 hours of amniocentesis. Preterm premature rupture of membranes subsequently developed in 10 (4.2%) women within 48 hr of amniocentesis. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that only IAI was independently associated with the ruptured membranes occurring within 48 hr of amniocentesis. In the predictive model based on variables assessed before amniocentesis, only CRP level was retained. IAI is an independent risk factor for subsequent ruptured membranes after clinically indicated amniocentesis in preterm labor. Prior to amniocentesis, measurement of serum CRP level can provide a risk assessment for the subsequent development of ruptured membranes after the procedure.

Relationship between Maternal Serum C-Reactive Protein, Funisitis and Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis

The aim of this study was to determine whether maternal serum C-reactive protein (CRP) is of value in predicting funisitis and early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS) in women with preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes (PROM). This retrospective cohort study included 306 consecutive women with preterm labor or preterm PROM who delivered preterm singleton neonates (23-35 weeks gestation) within 72 hr of CRP measurement. The CRP level was measured with a highly sensitive immunoassay. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of an elevated serum CRP level (> or = 8 mg/L) were 74.1%, 67.5%, 32.8%, and 92.4% for funisitis, and 67.7%, 63.3%, 17.2%, and 94.6% for EONS, respectively. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that elevated levels of serum CRP were significantly associated with funisitis and EONS, even after adjusting gestational age. The maternal serum CRP level obtained up to 72 hr before delivery is an independent predictor of funisitis and EONS in women with preterm labor or preterm PROM. A low serum CRP level (< 8 mg/L) has good negative predictive value in excluding funisitis and EONS, and may therefore be used as a non-invasive adjunct to clinical judgment to identify low-risk patients.

Non-invasive prediction of clinical infection in women with preterm labor / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: To develop a model based on non-invasive variables to predict the probability of subsequent maternal and/or neonatal clinical infection in women admitted to hospital for preterm labor with intact membranes. METHODS: Transvaginal ultrasound for measurement of cervical length was performed and maternal blood was collected for the determination of white blood cell (WBC) count at admission in 165 consecutive women with preterm labor (between 20.0 and 35.0 weeks). Clinical infection was defined as the presence of clinical chorioamnionitis at delivery or early onset neonatal sepsis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and logistic regression analysis were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of clinical infection was 5% (8/165). Women who developed clinical infection had a significantly lower median gestational age at admission, a lower shorter median cervical length, and a higher median WBC count as compared to those who did not develop clinical infection. Logistic regression analysis was performed and a final model was chosen, which included maternal blood WBC, cervical length, and gestational age as the best predictors of clinical infection. A risk score was calculated containing these 3 variables for each patient. The model was shown to have an adequate goodness of fit (P=0.202), and the area under the ROC curve was 0.822, indicating reasonably good discrimination. CONCLUSION: In women admitted to hospital for preterm labor with intact membranes, the risk for the subsequent maternal and/or neonatal clinical infection can be predicted non-invasively with a risk score based on cervical length at admission, maternal blood WBC, and gestational age.

Clinical study on obstetric variables affecting perinatal mortality in placental abruption / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate obstetric variables in the placental abruption that affect on perinatal mortality. METHODS: We reviewed clinical data of all singleton deliveries complicated with placental abruption between January 2000 and December 2007, in Department of Ob. & Gyn., Sanggye Paik Hospital. RESULTS: Placental abruption complicated 54 cases (0.55%) of all deliveries (n=9,903) from January 2000 to December 2007. The peak age was 26-30 years (42.1%). The most common symptom was vaginal bleeding (57.4%) and intrauterine fetal death had already occurred in 9.3%. Perinatal mortality rate was 13.0% and there was no maternal death. 38.9% of placental abruption occurred between 33 to 36weeks of gestational age. 38.9% of placental abruption was diagnosed before delivery with ultrasonography and 9.3% was chronic placental abruption. 33.3% of placental abruption was associated with preeclampsia, and then associated with PPROM (24.1%), uterine myoma (3.7%), chronic hypertension (1.9%) and smoking (1.9%). When the hypertensive disorders were associated, fetal distress rate was higher than normotensive pregnancy (63.2% vs 20.0%, P-value: 0.005). Mean gestational age (days) (194+/-32.8 vs 248.12+/-28.0, P-value<0.001) and the severity of placental abruption (P-value: 0.005) affect perinatal mortality in placental abruption. The most common complication of placental abruption was DIC (16 cases, 29.6%), followed by Couvelaire uterus (4 cases, 7.4%) and uterine rupture (1 case, 1.9%). CONCLUSION: Obstetric variables that affect perinatal mortality were gestational age at the diagnosis and the severity of placental abruption.