Systematic review and network meta-analysis of hydrosalpinx treatment before in vitro fertilization.

OBJECTIVES: To compare different methods to treat hydrosalpinx, based on both ablative and non-ablative approaches, in infertile patients before undergoing IVF-ET. METHODS: Systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) of comparisons between different treatments of hydrosalpinx in infertile patients undergoing IVF. DATA SOURCES: structured searches in common citation databases. Study inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed randomized trials (RCT) or cohort studies comparing effects of salpingectomy, laparoscopic proximal tubal occlusion (LTO), insertion of intratubal device (ITD), sclerotherapy, ultrasound-guided aspiration and no treatment, on live birth, ongoing pregnancy, clinical pregnancy as main outcomes, considering also miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and complications as secondary outcomes. Principal NMA included RCT, and aggregated NMA of RCT and observational studies was carried out. Pooled effects have been estimated by Odds Ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) for direct and indirect-mixed comparisons, derived from random-effects models. Imprecision and heterogeneity of NMA estimations was assessed by comparison of its 95% CI with predefined intervals for clinically relevant size of effect (OR <0.9 or >1.1). Surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) were used to predict treatment rankings for each outcome. RESULTS: Nine RCT were included in main analysis, plus 17 additional observational studies in additional analysis. NMA of RCT did not identify significant differences in the effect of compared treatments on live birth rate, and LTO was the option with the highest value of SUCRA (0.92, mean rank: 1.2). Salpingectomy and US-aspiration associated to a significant increase of ongoing pregnancy rate compared to no treatment, according to NMA results (NMA OR: 4.35; 95% CI: 1.7, 11.14 and 2.8; 95% CI: 1.03, 7.58 respectively). Salpingectomy had the highest SUCRA value (0.88, mean rank: 1.4). NMA estimated significant increase of clinical pregnancy rate for salpingectomy compared with no treatment (NMA OR: 2.24; 95% CI: 1.3, 3.86) as well as for LTO versus no treatment (NMA OR: 2.55; 95% CI: 1.2, 5.41). Both comparisons were affected by a high grade of heterogeneity. For clinical pregnancy, LTO was the intervention with highest SUCRA (0.85; mean rank: 1.6). Regarding secondary outcomes, feasible NMA estimates did not support significant differences between treatments effects. According to aggregated NMA including randomized and observational studies, sclerotherapy showed significant beneficial effects on live birth rate compared to no treatment (NMA (OR: 4.6; 95% CI: 1.21, 17.46). Compared with untreated patients, the aggregated NMA estimates a higher ongoing pregnancy rate in patients treated with salpingectomy (NMA OR: 3.35; 95% CI: 2.12, 5.12), US-aspiration (NMA OR: 2.16; 95% CI: 1.28, 3.65) and LTO (NMA OR: 2.46; 95% CI: 1.11, 5.43). Salpingectomy and LTO produced a higher beneficial effect compared to ITD, based on both direct and indirect comparisons. Salpingectomy obtained the highest SUCRA value in rank of effects on ongoing pregnancy (0.94; mean rank: 1.2). NMA found significant effects on clinical pregnancy for comparisons between the different active management procedures compared with no treatments, with the exception of ITD insertion. LTO had more increasing effect on clinical pregnancy rate compared with US-aspiration (NMA OR: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.05, 3.97), while for the rest of the comparisons between procedures no significant differences were identified. NMA ranked LTO as the treatment with a highest SUCRA value (0.91; mean rank: 1.5). NMA prediction models identified LTO as best intervention to reduce miscarriage (SUCRA value: 0.84; mean rank: 1.8), as sclerotherapy as safer option in terms of ovarian response to IVF stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: The present NMA fails to support the effectiveness of any option to treat hydrosalpinx before IVF in order to improve live birth rates, although the beneficial effect of salpingectomy and US aspirations on ongoing pregnancy rates and of both salpingectomy and LTO on clinical pregnancy rates emerges from our analysis, which reinforces current recommendations. Based on the aggregated analyses, sclerotherapy could be a promising alternative to conventional laparoscopic techniques, combined with a favorable safety profile. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Impact of congenital uterine anomalies on obstetric and perinatal outcomes: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Congenital uterine anomalies (CUA) can be associated with impairments of early and late pregnancy events. Objective: To assess the impact of CUA on reproductive outcomes in pregnancies conceived spontaneously or after assisted reproduction. Materials and Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies comparing patients with CUA versus women with normal uterus. A structured literature search was performed in leading scientific databases to identify prospective and retrospective studies. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale, adapted to AHRQ standards, was used to assess the risk of bias. Pooled odds ratios (OR) were calculated. Publication bias and statistical heterogeneity were assessed, and meta-regression was used to analyse the heterogeneity. Main outcome measures: Miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, placental abruption, term, and premature rupture of membranes (PROM), malpresentation at delivery, preterm delivery prior to 37, 34 and 32 weeks, caesarean delivery, intrauterine growth restriction/small for gestational age, foetal mortality and perinatal mortality. Results: 32 studies were included. CUAs increased significantly the risk of first/second trimester miscarriage (OR:1.54;95%CI:1.14-2.07), placental abruption (OR:5.04;3.60-7.04), PROM (OR:1.71;1.34-2.18), foetal malpresentation at delivery (OR:21.04;10.95-40.44), preterm birth (adjusted OR:4.34;3.59-5.21), a caesarean delivery (adjusted OR:7.69;4.17-14.29), intrauterine growth restriction/small for gestational age (adjusted OR:50;6.11-424), foetal mortality (OR:2.07;1.56-2.73) and perinatal mortality (OR:3.28;2.01-5.36). Conclusions: CUA increases the risk of complications during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. Complications most frequent in CUA patients were preterm delivery, foetal malpresentation, and caesarean delivery. What is new?: Bicornuate uterus was associated with the highest number of adverse outcomes, followed by didelphys, subseptate and septate uterus.

[Confidence assessment among medical students trained with an obstetric simulator]. / Confianza de los estudiantes de medicina en el aprendizaje de la exploración obstétrica con simuladores.

BACKGROUND: To determine the degree of confidence of students regarding obstetric examination before and after training with simulators, and assess their satisfaction with the use of simulation as a tool for acquiring skills. METHODS: Training groups involved 10 students per lecturer. Students learned how to perform Leopold's manoeuvres and measure uterine height with a simulator. The instructor supervised each physical exam. Surveys by those students who had previously done an internship at the Department of Obstetric & Gynecology were not taken into account. RESULTS: Students' confidence in performing the procedures improved significantly (p≤0.001) after the intervention.

Confianza de los estudiantes de medicina en el aprendizaje de la exploración obstétrica con simuladores / Confidence assessment among medical students trained with an obstetric simulator

Fundamento. Conocer el grado de confianza de los alumnos respecto a la exploración obstétrica antes y después del entrenamiento con simuladores, y valorar su satisfacción respecto a la utilización de la simulación como herramienta facilitadora de adquisición de habilidades. Material y métodos. Los grupos de prácticas estaban formados por un profesor y 10 alumnos. Los estudiantes aprendieron sobre un simulador de embarazo a realizarlas maniobras de Leopold y medición de la altura uterina. Cada exploración obstétrica era supervisada por el docente. No se tuvieron en cuenta las encuestas de confianza y satisfacción de los alumnos que habían realizado previamente la pasantía por el Departamento de Obstetricia y Ginecología. Resultados. Se observó una mejora de confianza para ambas habilidades después del taller con el simulador de embarazo (p≤0,001). Conclusiones. El entrenamiento con el simulador mejora la confianza de los alumnos respecto a la adquisición de habilidades en obstetricia (AU)

Background. To determine the degree of confidence of students regarding obstetric examination before and after training with simulators, and assess their satisfaction with the use of simulation as a tool for acquiring skills. Methods. Training groups involved 10 students per lecturer. Students learned how to perform Leopold’s manoeuvres and measure uterine height with a simulator. The instructor supervised each physical exam. Surveys by those students who had previously done an internship at the Department of Obstetric & Gynecology were not taken into account. Results. Students’ confidence in performing the procedures improved significantly (p≤0.001) after the intervention. Conclusions. Simulator training improved the medical students’ confidence in performing obstetric exam (AU)

[Proposal for a new microsurgical model for the study of induced endometriosis in Wistar rats. Preliminary results]. / Propuesta de un nuevo modelo microquirúrgico para el estudio de la endometriosis inducida en rata Wistar. Resultados preliminares.

The current knowledge status on the patogenesis of endometriosis as well as devastating consequences of disease evolution in women's reproductive health, have promoted researchers advances in a great manner during last years. The immunologic and neangiogenesis systems implication have opened new ways of knowledge over classic theories from the beginning of the xx century. The experimental resesearch, using animal induction models. Below we explain the first steps a new induction model ("PGR1-HotDog"), based on Wistar rats using a new disease autogeneration system, created for te study of the early stages of the endometriosis.

[Primary cervical non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Case report and review of the literature]. / Lymphome malin non-hodgkinien cervical primaire. Un cas et revue de la littérature.

The authors report a case of a primary cervical non-Hodgkin malignant lymphoma. The consultation was the result of post-coital metrorrhagia and leukorrhea. Treatment involved a combination of multiple drug therapy and radiotherapy. Three years later, the patient is in good general health and complete clinical and histological remission.