ABSTRACT
This study aimed to determine whether blood loss and fibrinogen can differentiate amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) from postpartum haemorrhage (PPH). This retrospective case-control study included nine patients with clinical AFE ("AFE group") and 78 patients with PPH managed at our tertiary care perinatal centre between January 2014 and March 2016. Patients meeting the Japanese diagnostic criteria for AFE were stratified into cardiopulmonary collapse-type AFE and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)-type AFE groups. The relationship between blood loss and fibrinogen at onset was examined to compare DIC severity. Vital signs at onset were not significantly different. The AFE group had significantly less blood loss at onset (1506 mL vs 1843 mL, P = 0.0163), significantly more blood loss 2 h post-onset (3304 mL vs 1996 mL, P < 0.0001) and more severe coagulopathy and fibrinolysis. The blood loss/fibrinogen (B/F) ratio at onset was significantly higher in the DIC-type AFE group (23.15 ± 8.07 vs 6.28 ± 3.35 mL dL/mg, P < 0.0001). AFE was complicated by catastrophic DIC irrespective of blood loss at onset. Fibrinogen exhibited the strongest correlation among test findings at onset. The B/F ratio may help differentiate PPH from DIC-type AFE and diagnose clinical AFE, facilitating optimal replacement of coagulation factors during the early stages.
Subject(s)
Biomarkers/metabolism , Embolism, Amniotic Fluid/diagnosis , Fibrinogen/metabolism , Postpartum Hemorrhage/diagnosis , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Diagnosis, Differential , Embolism, Amniotic Fluid/metabolism , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Postpartum Hemorrhage/metabolism , Pregnancy , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess nicardipine safety for fetuses and neonates. METHODS: Nicardipine was measured in maternal plasma (MP), umbilical cord arterial (UaP) and venous (UvP) plasma and breast milk (BrM) of 18 women with severe preeclampsia. RESULTS: Nicardipine was infused for a mean 11.9 ± 10.5 days before and 4.6 ± 1.6 days after delivery. Nicardipine dose and MP concentration were linearly correlated, as were MP with UaP, UvP, and BrM concentrations. The BrM/MP ratio was 0.06 to 0.30. The mean relative infant dose was 0.082%. CONCLUSION: Nicardipine is safe for fetuses and neonates due to its low levels of placental transfer and disposition in BrM.
