Reliability of the carousel simulator for assessing labor cervical dilation in medical obstetrics education.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the reliability of the Carousel simulator in medical education for obstetric examinations. Cervical dilation examination training in pregnant women exposes patients to additional uncomfortable and health-risk procedures, a gold standard, and does not objectively evaluate the medical student's competence. METHOD: We studied the reliability of training internship medical students in obstetrics. Participating students were assigned to take the examination of digital assessment of the cervical dilation on the simulator. Classes performed 12 consecutive randomly blind predetermined cervical dilation examinations using the Carousel simulator. The exact answer and the answer with certainty within ±1 cm were registered and analyzed. Incorrect or outlier answers were considered with a cutoff of ≥2 cm from the dilation. A dispersion graph for each centimeter of dilation simulation was constructed. RESULTS: Sixty-six medical obstetricians took part, performing 396 examinations. Thus, we observed 49 outliers (12.37%) in simulated assessments. According to the analysis, we did not observe outliers from dilation 1 to 4 cm; dilation 7 to 9 cm had a higher index of outlier measurements. We did not consider any dilation simulation dispersion graphic as a null correlation. A strong correlation was seen in the dilation 1 to 6 cm and the dilation 10 cm. The dilations 7, 8, and 9 cm showed a weak correlation. CONCLUSION: The Carousel simulator model is a reliable method for student learning. The simulator is an essential study tool capable of reducing the embarrassment and possible harm caused by the excessive and repetitive number of in vivo digital vaginal examinations. Novel studies are proposed to improve the simulator device and method, mainly to estimate the adequate repetitions and training needed before in vivo practice.

[Comparison between two gestational diabetes screening tests and the perinatal outcome]. / Comparação entre dois testes de rastreamento do diabetes gestacional e o resultado perinatal.

PURPOSE: To compare two screening tests for diabetes and their results to pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: In total, 279 pregnant women were submitted to two screening tests for gestational diabetes--fasting glycemia plus risk factors (FG + RF) and to the simplified glucose tolerance test (GTT50g). Screening by FG + RF consisted of the determination of fasting glycemia and anamnesis for the identification of risk factors on the occasion of the first prenatal visit. The GTT50g was performed between the 24th and the 28th week of pregnancy and consisted of the determination of plasma glycemia under fasting conditions and one hour after an oral overload with 50 g glucose. Positive and negative results were compared to pregnancy outcome. The dependent variables were: type of delivery, gestational age, weight and ponderal index at birth, Apgar indexes <7 in the 1st and 5th minutes, need for admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), duration of hospitalization, and neonatal death. Data were analyzed statistically through the Students t-test, and the level of significance was set at 5%. RESULTS: Only two of the perinatal variables studied were distinguished by the tests. An abnormal GTT50g was associated with a greater proportion of cesarean deliveries (58.7 versus 34.3%) and a positive FG + RF association was related to a higher rate of premature births (15.4 versus 5.4%). The other dependent variables did not differ among patients with positive and negative results of the two screening tests. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the relation between prematurity and a positive FG + RF association, the increase of caesarean sections and the abnormal GTT50g, it would be a critical failure to accept these associations as definitive. Among others explanations, multiple intercurrent factors and the characteristics of the screening tests themselves should be considered.

Comparação entre dois testes de rastreamento do diabetes gestacional e o resultado perinatal / Comparison between two gestational diabetes screening tests and the perinatal outcome

OBJETIVO: comparar dois testes de rastreamento para diabetes e seus resultados com o resultado da gestação. MÉTODOS: no total, 279 pacientes foram submetidas a dois testes de rastreamento do diabetes gestacional - associação glicemia de jejum e fatores de risco (GJ + FR) e o teste de tolerância à glicose simplificado (TTG50g). O rastreamento pela associação GJ + FR caracterizou-se pela dosagem da glicemia de jejum e anamnese para identificação dos fatores de risco na primeira consulta de pré-natal. O TTG50g foi realizado entre a 24ª e a 28ª semana de gestação e caracterizou-se pela dosagem das glicemias plasmáticas em jejum e uma hora após a sobrecarga oral com 50 g de glicose. Os resultados, positivo e negativo, foram relacionados ao resultado da gestação. Foram consideradas variáveis dependentes: via de parto, idade gestacional, peso e índice ponderal ao nascimento, índices de Apgar <7 no 1º e 5º minutos, necessidade de Unidade de Terapia Intensiva (UTI), tempo de permanência hospitalar e óbito neonatal. Empregou-se o teste t de Student, admitindo-se 5 por cento como limite de significância para calcular a diferença de proporção de das médias. RESULTADOS: apenas dois resultados perinatais estudados foram diferenciados pelos testes. O TTG50g alterado esteve associado à maior proporção de cesárea (58,7 versus 34,3 por cento) e a associação GJ + FR positiva, maior taxa de prematuridade (15,4 versus 5,4 por cento). As demais variáveis não foram diferentes nas pacientes com testes de rastreamento positivo e negativo. CONCLUSÕES: Apesar da relação entre a prematuridade e associação GJ + FR positiva e aumento de cesárea e TTG50g alterado, seria falha crítica aceitá-los como definitivos. Entre outras explicações, múltiplos fatores intercorrentes e as características próprias dos testes de rastreamento devem ser consideradas.

PURPOSE: to compare two screening tests for diabetes and their results to pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: in total, 279 pregnant women were submitted to two screening tests for gestational diabetes - fasting glycemia plus risk factors (FG + RF) and to the simplified glucose tolerance test (GTT50g). Screening by FG + RF consisted of the determination of fasting glycemia and anamnesis for the identification of risk factors on the occasion of the first prenatal visit. The GTT50g was performed between the 24th and the 28th week of pregnancy and consisted of the determination of plasma glycemia under fasting conditions and one hour after an oral overload with 50 g glucose. Positive and negative results were compared to pregnancy outcome. The dependent variables were: type of delivery, gestational age, weight and ponderal index at birth, Apgar indexes <7 in the 1st and 5th minutes, need for admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), duration of hospitalization, and neonatal death. Data were analyzed statistically through the Students t-test, and the level of significance was set at 5 percent. RESULTS: only two of the perinatal variables studied were distinguished by the tests. An abnormal GTT50g was associated with a greater proportion of cesarean deliveries (58.7 versus 34.3 percent) and a positive FG + RF association was related to a higher rate of premature births (15.4 versus 5.4 percent). The other dependent variables did not differ among patients with positive and negative results of the two screening tests. CONCLUSIONS: despite the relation between prematurity and a positive FG + RF association, the increase of caesarean sections and the abnormal GTT50g, it would be a critical failure to accept these associations as definitive. Among others explanations, multiple intercurrent factors and the characteristics of the screening tests themselves should be considered.