Transcranial direct current stimulation for provoked vestibulodynia: What roles do psychosexual factors play in treatment response?

There is growing evidence that provoked vestibulodynia (PVD), a frequent and debilitating condition, is characterized by central sensitization. This study aimed to examine predictive factors of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) efficacy in this chronic pain population. Exploratory analysis derived from a randomized controlled trial was performed to assess predictors of pain reduction among 39 women with PVD who received 10 daily sessions of either active or sham tDCS. Clinical characteristics (e.g. pain intensity, duration and pain sensitivity) and psychosexual factors (e.g. pain catastrophizing, pain-related fear, anxiety, depressive symptoms and vaginal penetration cognitions) were assessed at baseline and used to predict tDCS response at 3-month follow-up. Analysis revealed that higher depressive symptoms and lower negative self-image cognitions were significant predictors of pain reduction at follow-up and accounted for 62.3% of the variance in the active tDCS group. Higher genital incompatibility cognitions were related to poorer response, regardless of treatment group. These findings suggest that women with PVD presenting higher depressive symptoms and lower levels of negative self-image cognitions could derive greater benefits from tDCS. These results suggest that tDCS could be effective in a subgroup of women with PVD - a possibility worth exploring with future prospective larger studies.

Evaluation of Complications in Postpartum Women Receiving Therapeutic Anticoagulation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate complications associated with early postpartum therapeutic anticoagulation. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective cohort study was done to evaluate the association between therapeutic anticoagulation postpartum and major complications (hemorrhagic and wound complications). Secondary outcomes included minor complications, risk factors associated with total complications (including the time to therapeutic anticoagulation resumption after delivery) and recurrent thrombotic events within 6 weeks postpartum. RESULTS: From 2003 to 2015, 232 consecutive women were treated with therapeutic anticoagulation within 96 hours postpartum; among those treated, 91 received unfractionated heparin, 138 received low-molecular-weight heparin, and three received other anticoagulants. The primary outcome, a composite of major hemorrhagic complications (requiring transfusion, hospitalization, volume resuscitation, transfer to intensive care unit, or surgery) and major wound complications, occurred in 7 of 83 (8.4%) for cesarean deliveries and 9 of 149 (6.0%) for vaginal deliveries (P=.490). Total complications (including major and minor hemorrhagic and wound complications) occurred in 13 of 83 (15.7%) for cesarean deliveries compared with 9 of 149 (6.0%) for vaginal deliveries (P=.016). When comparing cases associated with and without complications, the median delay before resuming anticoagulation was significantly shorter for both cesarean (12 vs 33 hours, P=.033) and vaginal deliveries (6 vs 19 hours, P=.006). For vaginal deliveries, 8 of 51 (15.7%) women had complications when anticoagulation was started before 9.25 hours postpartum, compared with 1 of 98 (1.0%) when started after 9.25 hours. For cesarean deliveries, 7 of 21 (33.3%) of women experienced complications compared with 6 of 62 (9.7%) if anticoagulation was started before or after 15.1 hours, respectively. Two (0.9%) episodes of venous thromboembolism occurred within 6 weeks postpartum. CONCLUSION: Among postpartum women who received early therapeutic anticoagulation, major complications occurred in 8.4% for cesarean deliveries and 6.0% for vaginal deliveries. Complications were associated with earlier resumption of therapeutic anticoagulation, particularly before 9.25 hours for vaginal deliveries and before 15.1 hours for cesarean deliveries.

Efficacy of transcranial direct-current stimulation in women with provoked vestibulodynia.

BACKGROUND: Provoked vestibulodynia is a highly prevalent condition characterized by acute recurrent pain located at the vaginal entrance in response to pressure application or attempted vaginal penetration. Despite a wide variety of treatments offered to women with provoked vestibulodynia, a high proportion of women are refractory to conventional treatment. Transcranial direct-current stimulation is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that has been shown effective for improving various chronic pain conditions. Growing evidence suggests that the central nervous system could play a key role in provoked vestibulodynia. Targeting the central nervous system could therefore be a promising treatment for women with provoked vestibulodynia. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of active and sham transcranial direct-current stimulation in reducing pain intensity during intercourse in patients with provoked vestibulodynia. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a triple-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial. Women aged 17-45 years diagnosed with provoked vestibulodynia by a gynecologist using a validated protocol were randomized to 10 sessions of either active transcranial direct-current stimulation (intensity = 2 mA) or 10 sessions of sham transcranial direct-current stimulation, over a 2-week period. Both active and sham transcranial direct-current stimulation were applied for 20 minutes, with the anode positioned over the primary motor cortex, and the cathode over the contralateral supraorbital area. Outcome measures were collected at baseline, 2 weeks after treatment, and at 3-month follow-up by an evaluator blinded to group assignment. The primary objective was to assess pain intensity during intercourse, using a numerical rating scale. Secondary outcomes focused on sexual function and distress, vestibular sensitivity, psychological distress, treatment satisfaction, and patient impression of change. Statistical analyses were conducted on the intention-to-treat basis, and treatment effects were evaluated using a mixed linear model for repeated measures. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients were randomly assigned to receive either active (n = 20) or sham (n = 20) transcranial direct-current stimulation treatments from November 2014 through February 2016. Baseline characteristics were similar between the active and sham transcranial direct-current stimulation groups. In full compliance with the study protocol, every participant followed all courses of the study treatment, including assessments at 2-week and 3-month follow-up. Pain during sexual intercourse was not significantly different between active and sham treatment groups 2 weeks after treatment (P = .84) and at follow-up (P = .09). Mean baseline and 2-week assessment pain intensity were, respectively, 6.8 (95% confidence interval, 5.9-7.7) and 5.6 (95% confidence interval, 4.7-6.5) for active transcranial direct-current stimulation (P = .03) vs 7.5 (95% confidence interval, 6.6-8.4) and 5.7 (95% confidence interval, 4.8-6.6) for sham transcranial direct-current stimulation (P = .001). Nonsignificant differences between the 2 groups were also found in their sexual function and distress after treatment (P > .20) and at follow-up (P > .10). Overall, at 2-week assessment 68% assigned to active transcranial direct-current stimulation reported being very much, much, or slightly improved compared to 65% assigned to sham transcranial direct-current stimulation (P = .82), and still comparable at follow-up: 42% vs 65%, respectively (P = .15). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that active transcranial direct-current stimulation is not more effective than sham transcranial direct-current stimulation for reducing pain in women with provoked vestibulodynia. Likewise, no significant effects were found on sexual function, vestibular sensitivity, or psychological distress.

Reduction of total labor length through the addition of parenteral dextrose solution in induction of labor in nulliparous: results of DEXTRONS prospective randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged labor is a significant cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and very few interventions are known to shorten labor course. Skeletal muscle physiology suggests that glucose supplementation might improve muscle performance in case of prolonged exercise and this situation is analogous to the gravid uterus during delivery. Therefore, it seemed imperative to evaluate the impact of adding carbohydrate supplements on the course of labor. OBJECTIVE: We sought to provide evidence as to whether intravenous glucose supplementation during labor induction in nulliparous women can reduce total duration of active labor. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a single-center prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial comparing the use of parental intravenous dextrose 5% with normal saline to normal saline in induced nulliparous women. The study was conducted in a tertiary-level university hospital setting. Participants, caregivers, and those assessing the outcomes were blinded to group assignment. Inclusion criteria were singleton pregnancy at term with cephalic presentation and favorable cervix. Based on blocked randomization, patients were assigned to receive either 250 mL/h of intravenous dextrose 5% with normal saline or 250 mL/h of normal saline for the whole duration of induction, labor, and delivery. The primary outcome studied was the total length of active labor. Secondary outcomes included duration of the active phase of second stage of labor, the mode of delivery, Apgar scores, and arterial cord pH. RESULTS: In all, 100 patients were randomized into each group. A total of 193 patients (96 in the dextrose with normal saline group and 97 in the normal saline group) were analyzed in the study. The median total duration of labor was significantly less in the dextrose with normal saline group (499 vs 423 minutes, P = .024) than in the normal saline group. The probabilities of a woman being delivered at 200 minutes and 450 minutes were 18.8% and 77.1% in the dextrose with normal saline group vs 8.2% and 59.8% in the normal saline group (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test P value = .027). There was no difference in the rate of cesarean delivery, instrumented delivery, Apgar score, or arterial cord pH. CONCLUSION: Glucose supplementation significantly reduces the total length of labor without increasing the rate of complication in induced nulliparous women. Given the low cost and the safety of this intervention, glucose should be used as the default solute during labor.

Efficacy of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) in women with provoked vestibulodynia: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Provoked vestibulodynia is the most common form of vulvodynia. Despite its high prevalence and deleterious sexual, conjugal, and psychological repercussions, effective evidence-based interventions for provoked vestibulodynia remain limited. For a high proportion of women, significant pain persists despite the currently available treatments. Growing evidence suggests that the central nervous system (CNS) could play a key role in provoked vestibulodynia; thus, treatment targeting the CNS, rather than localized dysfunctions, may be beneficial for women suffering from provoked vestibulodynia. In this study, we aim to build on the promising results of a previous case report and evaluate whether transcranial direct-current stimulation, a non-invasive brain stimulation technique targeting the CNS, could be an effective treatment option for women with provoked vestibulodynia. METHODS/DESIGN: This single-center, triple-blind, parallel group, randomized, controlled trial aims to compare the efficacy of transcranial direct-current stimulation with sham transcranial direct-current stimulation in women with provoked vestibulodynia. Forty women diagnosed with provoked vestibulodynia by a gynecologist, following a standardized treatment protocol, are randomized to either active transcranial direct-current stimulation treatment for ten sessions of 20 minutes at an intensity of 2 mA or sham transcranial direct-current stimulation over a 2-week period. Outcome measures are collected at baseline, 2 weeks after treatment and at 3-month follow-up. The primary outcome is pain during intercourse, assessed with a numerical rating scale. Secondary measurements focus on the sexual function, vestibular pain sensitivity, psychological distress, treatment satisfaction, and the patient's global impression of change. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this study is the first randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy of transcranial direct-current stimulation in women with provoked vestibulodynia. Findings from this trial are expected to provide significant information about a promising intervention targeting the centralization of pain in women with provoked vestibulodynia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02543593 . Registered on September 4, 2015.

Magnesium sulfate for eclampsia prevention: Quality of care evaluation in a tertiary centre in Québec, Canada.

BACKGROUND: The current Canadian guidelines endorse the use of MgSO4 for treatment of eclampsia and for prophylaxis in severe preeclampsia. Our study aimed to audit our institution's compliance regarding these guidelines. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate MgSO4 use in: all our cases of eclampsia since 2002, 50 cases of severe preeclampsia, and 50 cases of non-severe preeclampsia. RESULTS: Sixty-five cases of preeclampsia were analyzed after initial chart review. A high rate of preeclampsia severity misdiagnosis was observed (35%, 23/65). Only 69% (25/36) of the patients correctly diagnosed with severe preeclampsia received MgSO4; after diagnosis correction, 42% (25/59) of the patients with severe preeclampsia received the medication. Of our eight cases of eclampsia, none of the patients received MgSO4 before the seizure (although three had clear indications). CONCLUSION: Given the importance of prophylactic MgSO4 use in preventing eclampsia, we have implemented informative measures aimed at rapidly achieving complete compliance with the national guidelines.

Placental mesenchymal dysplasia and an estimation of the population incidence.

Placental mesenchymal dysplasia (PMD) is a rare placental malformation of as yet undetermined etiology. We report a single center's experience of this diagnosis and present an estimation of the population incidence. Within our institution, all placentae are examined within a pathology department that provides a dedicated perinatal service. In this study, we evaluated the incidence of PMD over a period of 18 years following the description and recognition of PMD as a pathological diagnosis. During the period 1991-2009, only two cases were identified amongst over 95 000 deliveries at our institution. This series of placental examinations is by far the largest in a normal population within which the occurrence of PMD is reported, and the resulting incidence of only 0.02 per 1000 deliveries is some 10 times less than that which has previously been estimated.