Prognosis associated with initial care of increased fasting glucose in early pregnancy: A retrospective study.

AIM: To evaluate whether the initial care of women with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels at 5.1-6.9mmol/L before 22 weeks of gestation (WG), termed 'early fasting hyperglycaemia', is associated with fewer adverse outcomes than no initial care. METHODS: A total of 523 women with early fasting hyperglycaemia were retrospectively selected in our department (2012-2016) and separated into two groups: (i) those who received immediate care (n=255); and (ii) those who did not (n=268), but had an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at or after 22 WG, with subsequent standard care if hyperglycaemia (by WHO criteria) was present. The number of cases of large-for-gestational age (LGA) infants, shoulder dystocia and preeclampsia with initial care of early fasting hyperglycaemia were compared after propensity score modelling and accounting for covariates. RESULTS: Of the 268 women with no initial care, 134 had hyperglycaemia after 22 WG and then received care. Women who received initial care vs those who did not were more likely to be insulin-treated during pregnancy (58.0% vs 20.9%, respectively; P<0.00001), gained less gestational weight (8.6±5.4kg vs 10.8±6.1kg, respectively; P<0.00001), had a lower rate of preeclampsia [1.2% vs 2.6%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.247 (0.082-0.759), P=0.01], and similar rates of LGA infants (12.2% vs 11.9%, respectively) and shoulder dystocia (1.6% vs 1.5%, respectively). When initial FPG levels were ≥5.5mmol/L (prespecified group, n=137), there was a lower rate of LGA infants [6.7% vs 16.1%, respectively; aOR: 0.332 (0.122-0.898); P=0.03]. CONCLUSION: Treating women with early fasting hyperglycaemia, especially when FPG is ≥5.5mmol/L, may improve pregnancy outcomes, although this now needs to be confirmed by randomized clinical trials.

[Early post-partum discharges: benefits, disadvantages and implementation methodology]. / Sorties précoces en maternité : avantages, inconvénients et méthodologie de mise en place.

Early post-partum discharges (EPD) are a hot topic. Already widely practised in many European countries this procedure, was promoted by the government for a decade, requested by representatives of Midwive organisations, desired by some patients, but also criticized by the Academy of Medicine. Well organized and with an obligatory control and follow-up, EPD could help with the management of the shortage of maternity beds and hence increase the satisfaction of the patients. The procedure could even be a way to effectively implement a town-hospital network, something, which has many other benefits. However this procedure is not without potential dangers: lower quality of care, financial risks for the department, and especially a significant increase of the workload of the hospital staff. The main objective of this paper is to detail the benefits and disadvantages of EPD for maternities and to propose an organizational basis if EPD is the procedure of choice. A participatory methodology is essential when using this procedure, due to the important participation of different categories of staff involved in hospital discharge (administrative, medical and paramedical staff) and to exclude complications when certain specifications are not followed or misunderstood.

[Predictive value of uterine artery velocity waveforms in monitoring of pregnancies with high obstetrical risk antiphospholipid syndrome: the Rouen experience]. / Valeur prédictive du Doppler utérin et suivi des patientes avec syndrome des anti-phospholipides à haut risque obstétrical: l'expérience rouennaise.

OBJECTIVES: Anti-phospholipid syndrome (APLS) and obstetrical complications have been associated for years. The purpose of this study was to define a high obstetrical risk subpopulation of APLS and search predictive criteria of complications likely to improve monitoring of pregnancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study at the CHU of Rouen between 1998 and January 2008. Pregnancies were included for patients with APLS according to the criteria of Sydney without repeated miscarriages item. RESULTS: The study involved 20 pregnancies from eight patients. Fourteen pregnancies gave birth to living children or 70 %, 28.6 % were complicated with pre-eclampsia, 50 % of haemolysis elevated liver enzymes low platelets (HELLP) syndrome associated with a 28.6 % stunting and 42 % of premature birth. Patients received treatment involving aspirin and heparin. The obstetrical prognosis was significantly poorer in the subgroup with APLS notch bilateral persistent middle of the term of birth of 35.5 versus 28 weeks of gestation, and median birth weight of 950 g versus 2780 g (p<0.05). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Patients were selected according to the more specific criteria of APLS (thrombosis and fetal loss) and a history of severe obstetrical complications. In some series, these complications play a major role; in others, they are unsignificant. Rate, in this study, is high (47 %) and the presence of bilateral notch seems to be an excellent predictive marker of vascular complications in this population.

[Gestational hypertensions: definitions and consequences in outcome of pregnancy]. / Définitions et conséquences des hypertensions artérielles de la grossesse.

Hypertensive pathologies during pregnancy lack definition. Meanwhile, we can offer the following definitions: - Gestational hypertension (GHT): Systolic HT >or= 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure 90 mmHg. Which occur beyond the 20th week of amenorrhea and fading before the 42nd day postpartum. - Preeclampsia: Systemic HT associated with a proteinuria (> 0,3 g/24 h) also arising beyond the 20th week of amenorrhea and resolving by the 6th week postpartum. However, in the setting of a GHT associated with a number of abnormal signs & symptoms (i.e. hyper-reflexia, epigastric pain, etc.) and/or abnormal biological values (i.e. raised transaminase levels, thrombocytopenia, hyperuricaemia, haemolysis) and/or IUGR, PE must be considered until proven otherwise. - HELLP syndrome: Association of haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes (transaminases & LDH) and thrombocytopenia. However, HELLP syndrome can exist without haemolysis. - Eclampsia is defined as the occurrence of tonic-clonic seizures in a setting of GHT. Assessing the morbidity and mortality of both the mother and the foetus, in the setting of GHT, is a challenge because of the absence of registry, and because of the high amount of bias (gestational age, birth weight, presence or absence of risk factors in the studied population, belonging to a developed or a developing nation, etc.) which all account for the large discrepancies in the results to such an extent that the relative risk to the mother can vary from simple to the double, and the foetal risks are highly variable from one study to the next.

Unscarred uterine rupture--case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous uterine rupture is a life threatening event, and the diagnosis is difficult in an unscarred uterus. Many factors can help prevent the catastrophic consequences. CASE: A 38-year-old multipara in labor was admitted at 39.5 weeks of gestation. Ultrasound suggested a macrosomic fetus but the cervix was well dilated. Labor was immediately monitored. Two hours later, the fetus developed progressive heart rate decelerations. While evaluating the unexplained anomaly, epigastric pain and vaginal bleeding prompted emergency cesarean delivery. The uterine tear was repaired with good evolution but the infant died a few days later. CONCLUSION: The association of multiparity, uterine distension and active labor could be considered as risk factors of uterine rupture in cases of unexplained anomalies in an unscarred uterus, making a catastrophic event preventable.

[Local registry of pacemakers implantations: proposals to decrease the infectious risk]. / Registre local des implantations de stimulateurs cardiaques: propositions permettant de diminuer le risque infectieux.

The complications of definitive cardiac stimulation must not be forgotten or sub estimate. The aim of our Registry is to compare the complications of the implantation of a pacemaker in the national and international literature. The assessment of our professional practices has been achieved. We suggest improved procedures. The late complications are not exactly known.

[Uterine embolization for submucous fibroid: a bad alternative to surgery?]. / Embolisation utérine pour fibrome sous-muqueux: une mauvaise alternative à la chirurgie?

A case of septic expulsion of a leiomyoma is reported 18 weeks after uterine artery embolisation (UAE). The patient underwent UAE for a symptomatic sub-mucous leiomyoma (type 2) of 5 cm. She was feverish and presented pelvic pain and purulent vaginal discharges. Vaginal examination revealed a necrotic mass prolapsed through the cervix that was carefully twisted out. Histopathologic examination showed extensive necrosis of the myomatous tissue. Microbiologic cultures showed heavy growth of Escherichia coli. Such findings challenge the interest and the safety of UAE for sub-mucous fibroids. Our case report stresses that uterine artery embolisation for submucous fibroids does not constitute, because of its risks, an alternative to conventional surgical treatment represented mainly by hysteroscopic resection.

[Traumatic aortic regurgitation: diagnostic, management and treatment]. / Rupture traumatique de la valve aortique. Diagnostic, prise en charge et traitement.

Traumatic aortic valve regurgitation is a rare complication of non-penetrating thoracic trauma. The most frequent lesion is the isolated injury of the non-coronary cusp. Actually, the transoesophageal echocardiography is the procedure of choice to confirm the diagnosis and to reveal the associated cardiovascular lesions. Surgical management with early operation is the best policy, however this surgery can be delayed for treatment of other life-threatening injuries. Up today, aortic valve replacement (AVR) was recommended to repair traumatic aortic valve regurgitation; nevertheless, in the recent international literature, the number of cases reports with conservative surgery (CS) is increasing: 10 AVR (group I) and 10 CS (group II). Analysis of the post-operative and long term periods shows good results: it confirms the excellent clinical evolution in the group I (mean time of follow-up: 18.2 +/- 16.3 months), and reveals satisfactory results in the group II for patients with isolated lesion (mean time of follow-up: 29.1 +/- 30.7 months). In conclusion, each time the traumatic aortic regurgitation is due to an isolated lesion, the conservative surgery should be performed in order to avoid aortic valve replacement and its potential complications especially in young patients with healthy valves. However, the aortic valve replacement is the safest technique for complex or multiple injuries of the aortic valve.

[The use of supplements in pregnancy]. / Supplémentation de la femme enceinte.

It is common practice to prescribe supplementation for pregnant women, but is it useful? We detail here the main deficiencies and their risks. We conclude that low-dose iron and folic acid, vitamin D and iodine supplementation is indicated for women living in France. Other systematic supplementations are not necessary outside pathological situations.

[Acid base balance in the fetus during labor: pathophysiology and exploration methods]. / L'équilibre acido-basique du foetus pendant le travail: physiopathologie et moyens d'exploration.

Although the majority (about 90%) of cerebral palsies are related to antenatal or postnatal causes, search for acute fetal distress during labor remains one of the primary objectives of obstetrical surveillance. Acute fetal distress leads to hypoxemia which induced hypoxia and then asphyxia of most of the organs, including the noble organs such as the brain. Most of the parameters used for fetal monitoring have good sensitivity but low specificity. Furthermore, there is a weak correlation between the different parameters measured and the neonatal status which remains difficult to predict with certainty. The general "philosophy" behind fetal monitoring consists in detecting warning signs and, when warning signs are observed, to measure one or more other parameters to assess the state of hypoxia and its consequences. Fetal heart rate is a warning sign used by all teams. Irrespective of the method used to analyze fetal heart rate when anomalies are detected, metabolic acidosis induced by anoxia is an indispensable element for assessing severity. The development of fetal hypoxia is related to two essential phenomena: anaerobic glycolysis with lactate production and glycogenolysis to meet energy needs. Metabolic acidosis can be measured directly by scalp pH or lactate measurements, or indirectly by measuring its effect on heart conduction as expressed in the ST segment. The underlying physiological mechanisms and the methods used to evaluate acid base balance are described here.

[Cardiac consequences of adolescent anorexia nervosa]. / Conséquences cardiaques de l'anorexie mentale de l'adolescence.

Cardiac complications are common in adolescent anorexia nervosa and are the cause of a third of deaths. Some workers have reported prolongation of the QT interval and cases of sudden death in these patients. The aim of this study was two-fold: to assess the cardiac complications of anorexic adolescents and to determine the outcome after renutrition in the hospital setting. This was a prospective study of 48 consecutive cases (45 girls) with an average age of 14 +/- 2 years, admitted to the paedopsychiatric unit and fulfilling the DSM-IV criteria of anorexia nervosa. The digitised ECG, Holter ECG and echocardiography were recorded before and after renutrition. Anorexia nervosa was severe with a body mass index < 14 in 2/3 of cases. Over 2/3 of patients had bradycardia with a heart rate < 50/min in half the cases but normal chronotropic function on Holter monitoring. Prolongation of the QTc interval was demonstrated (QTc > 440 ms in 11/44 cases). Echocardiographic abnormalities, in particular left ventricular dysfunction (24/46) and pericardial effusion (12/46) were reversible after renutrition. There were no clinical or biological predictive factors for the occurrence of cardiac complications on admission. The authors confirm that cardiac complications of anorexia nervosa are common, usually benign and always reversible after renutrition in hospital. Therefore, most electrical abnormalities normalise with the heart rate and echocardiographic abnormalities with improvement of conditions of load.

Is selective embolization of uterine arteries a safe alternative to hysterectomy in patients with postpartum hemorrhage?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of selective arterial embolization to control severe postpartum hemorrhage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five women with intractable postpartum hemorrhage underwent uterine embolization in our institution during a 6-year period. RESULTS: Angiography revealed arterial extravasation in 13 patients (52%). Sixty-nine arteries were embolized. External bleeding resolved immediately or was markedly decreased in 24 women. In one patient, embolization failed to control the bleeding, and surgical treatment was required. No major complication of embolization therapy was observed. Ten women were followed up for an average of 2 years. Menstruation resumed in all patients, and one woman became pregnant. CONCLUSION: Embolization of acute postpartum hemorrhage is a safe and effective alternative to hysterectomy.

Correlations between serum assays of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) and human placental lactogen (hPL) and pre-eclampsia or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) among nulliparas younger than 38 years.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relation between serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) levels measured at 15-18 weeks and gestational disorders, assess their correlation with the artery uteroplacental Doppler (AUD) at 24 weeks among nulliparas, and assess the predictivity of the hCG/hPL (human placental lactogen) ratio for pre-eclampsia. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study of two groups of women younger than 38 years old: one with an elevated serum hCG level (2 MoM (multiples of the median) or more) and a normal fetal karyotype (group A), and the other with a lower hCG level (group B). Within each group, we studied the nulliparas separately (respectively groups AO and BO). We analyzed the double screening, elevated hCG levels with abnormal AUD, for the predicting of hypertensive disorders. RESULTS: Elevated hCG levels were significantly (p<0.05) more prevalent among women who developed gestational diabetes (groups A and AO) and among nulliparas with pregnancy-induced hypertension and pre-eclampsia (AO). Among nulliparas, the combination of the hCG assay and a subsequent Doppler increased the positive predictive value (PPV) of the assay from 19 to 75%, without reducing its negative predictive value (NPV) for gestational vascular disorders. The hCG/hPL ratio did not improve the predictivity of the hCG assay alone for pre-eclampsia. CONCLUSIONS: An hCG level of 2 MoM or more at 15-18 weeks identifies a group of women at risk of gestational vascular disorders; it therefore ought to lead to an AUD at 24 weeks. This double screening should be able to define a population of women at risk of developing a hypertensive disorder, who could thus benefit from a preventive treatment, as aspirin.

Traumatic aortic regurgitation: aortic valvuloplasty controlled by aortoscopy.

Traumatic aortic insufficiency is a rare occurrence after blunt chest trauma, and requires surgical treatment. Aortic valve replacement has been proposed as the procedure of choice, but primary valve repair is being performed increasingly more often. In a plead for conservative surgery, we report a case of valvuloplasty that was controlled by intraoperative aortic endoscopy. When operative conditions permit aortic valve repair, this should be carried out in order to avoid aortic valve replacement and its potential complications, especially in young patients with healthy valves. Replacement is the safest treatment for complex or multiple injuries of the aortic valve, however.

[When is antivitamin K therapy indicated in the stable coronary patient?]. / Quand faut-il utiliser les AVK chez le coronarien stable?

In the cardiac patient, there are clinical situations where antivitamin K is indicated more by the co-existing pathological associations or by a particular thrombogenic situation than by the cardiac disease itself. The presence of an embologenic abnormal rhythm, an apical thrombus or a large anterior akinesis are recognised as situations where antivitamin K must be discussed and, except for absolute contraindication, initiated. The studies undertaken for several decades are highly instructive and their contributions are considerable in the different questions which could be asked regarding the efficacy of antivitamin K. In particular they have the merit of signalling the correct directions to take and the errors to avoid. Concerning the evolution of cardiac disease, it must be admitted that the very good results of antivitamin K treatment alone at high dose are to be balanced against their haemorrhagic risk. The studies testing the association of low-dose aspirin with moderate-dose antivitamin K (INR 2 to 2.5) are to date very promising. The evaluation of the understanding of the treatment by patient education remains a major stage when initiating antivitamin K treatment in the cardiac patient.

[Venous thromboembolism and cancer]. / Maladie thromboembolique veineuse et cancer.

Malignant disease predisposes to deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) in several ways. One classical situation is that of DVT or PE with no apparent cause which may be the first sign of an occult cancer. In this domain, although the epidemiological data is well known, it is important to recognise the limitations of "blind" investigations. Another situation is more common. The patients have a diagnosed malignancy and thromboembolic disease is the main extra-cancer complication. The approach to this problem is changing, both in primary prevention where many trials have already reported encouraging results, and in the treatment after the event where classical therapeutic protocols are not always well adapted. Ancestral fears of the prescription of anticoagulants in cancer patients must cede to a more objective benefit/risk analysis which seems to be very favourable in some situations. Moreover, some publications have demonstrated a chance finding of a possible anticancer effect of antithrombotic agents.

Ursodeoxycholic acid in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. A retrospective study of 19 cases.

OBJECTIVE: We studied the clinical and biological effects and safety of ursodeoxycholic acid in patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). METHODS: All cases of ICP treated with ursodeoxycholic acid in our department from January 1st, 1991 to May 31st, 1997 were reviewed. RESULTS: Forty-three patients had ICP, of whom 19 received ursodeoxycholic acid. The first symptoms appeared after a mean of 29.7 weeks of pregnancy (WP). Treatment was started after a mean of 32 WP, and lasted a mean of 28.5 days. Fourteen patients showed a clinical improvement on UDCA, and 11 showed a biological improvement. Two had a biological deterioration with increased liver enzyme concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Ursodeoxycholic acid appears to be an effective treatment for ICP, but further studies are needed to confirm its safety in pregnancy.