Removal of cervical mucus: effect on pregnancy rates in IVF/ICSI.

Cervical mucus may cover the embryo transfer catheter during passage of the cervical canal, interfering with the correct placement of the embryo(s) into the uterine cavity. The effect of removal of cervical mucus prior to embryo transfer in IVF/ intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) on live birth rate was studied. The study was set up as a single blind randomized controlled trial. Couples undergoing IVF/ICSI were randomly allocated to either removal of cervical mucus prior to embryo transfer, or a mock procedure. Randomization was done with stratification for age, cycle number and method of treatment. Primary outcome was live birth rate. A total of 317 couples were included and underwent 428 cycles, of which the outcome of 3 cycles was unknown. Baseline characteristics of both groups were comparable. Live birth occurred in 52 of 220 (24%) cycles in the treatment group and 42 of 205 (21%) cycles in the control group (risk difference 3%, 95% confidence interval-5- 11%). It is unlikely that removal of cervical mucus prior to embryo transfer has a significant effect on live birth rate. A small effect, however, cannot be excluded.

Systematic review of aetiology and treatment of post-stroke hand oedema and shoulder-hand syndrome.

Studies on the aetiology and treatment of post-stroke hand oedema and shoulder-hand syndrome (SHS) published from January 1973 until August 1998 were identified. Eleven studies were included with at least some control for confounding. These were evaluated on 11 methodological criteria and by standardized effect sizes. There were five aetiological studies: four cohort studies and one study consisting of two case series using a within-subjects design. The matters investigated included lymph scintigraphy in hand oedema, bone scintigraphy, putative risk factors and the existence of autonomic dysregulation and peripheral nerve lesions in SHS. There were six therapeutic studies: one randomized controlled trial, one non-randomized controlled trial, one cohort study and three case series, of which two studies used a within-subjects design. These studies investigated continuous passive motion and neuromuscular stimulation in hand oedema as well as oral corticosteroids, intramuscular calcitonin and trauma prevention in SHS. A great diversity of pathophysiological and therapeutic insight was found. Based on systematic analysis of the literature, the following conclusions seem justified: (i) the shoulder is involved in only half of the cases with painful swelling of wrist and hand, suggesting a "wrist-hand syndrome" between simple hand oedema and SHS; (ii) hand oedema is not lymphoedema; (iii) SHS usually coincides with increased arterial blood flow; (iv) trauma causes aseptic joint inflammations in SHS; (v) no specific treatment has yet proven its advantage over other physical methods for reducing hand oedema; and (vi) oral corticosteroids are the most effective treatment for SHS.