Combined analysis of human chorionic gonadotrophin concentrations at different time points after frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer can improve our ability to predict the pregnancy outcomes of single gestations.

In this study, we conducted a retrospective single-centre study of 1664 singleton pregnancies derived from frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer between January 2017 and December 2018. Analysis showed that there were 596 early pregnancy losses and 1068 ongoing pregnancies. We compared serum HCG (human chorionic gonadotophin) concentrations on days 12, 14, 19, and 21, between the pregnancy loss group and the ongoing pregnancy group. The cut-off level of HCG at each time point was calculated to predict pregnancy outcome. Joint analysis of two single HCG levels taken one week apart was carried out to improve predictive accuracy. The levels of HCG at four time points were significantly lower in the early pregnancy loss group than in the ongoing pregnancy group. According to the area under ROC (receiver operating characteristic curve) curves, all levels of HCG taken at four time points showed good ability to predict the outcome of pregnancy. The joint analysis of two single HCG levels taken one week apart further improved the accuracy of prediction.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? Multiple studies have shown that the maternal level of serum HCG is the best parameter for predicting the course of pregnancy.What do the results of this study add? The levels of HCG on days 12, 14, 19 and 21 were significantly lower in the early pregnancy loss group than in the group of ongoing pregnancies. According to the area under ROC curves, all levels of HCG taken at four time points showed a good ability to predict the outcome of pregnancy.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The joint analysis of two single HCG levels, taken one week apart, further improved the accuracy of prediction.

Predicting various outcomes of post-resuscitation comatose survivors: PRCSs Prognostication Score / 老年心脏病学杂志（英文版）

Objective To develop a tool capable of early and exactly predicting various outcomes in comatose survivors who restore spontaneous circulation after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and validate its performance.Methods Variables that were both readily available and predictive of outcomes were identified by systematically reviewing published literature on resuscitation.A value was assigned to these variables.We used these variables in combination with APACHE Ⅱ/score to devise a multifactorial prediction score system,which we called PRCSs Prognostication Score (PRCSs-PS).Outcomes in 115 hospitalized comatose survivors after CPR were retrospectively reviewed using PRCSs-PS.Score of patients with different outcomes was compared.The area under the receiveroperating characteristic (ROC) curve was determined to evaluate performance of this tool to identify patients with a poor outcome (CPC4 and 5) and other outcomes (CPC1,2,and 3).Results There were differences of PRCSs-PS score among multiple groups with five different outcomes (CPC1-5)(F=65.91,P=0.000).Pairwise groups with different CPC were compared:no significant difference was noted between CPC 1 and CPC2 (12.41±6.49 vs 17.38±6.91,P=0.092),but difference between other pairwise CPC groups was statistically significant (CPC2 vs CPC3:17.38±6.91 vs 24.50±5.80,P=0.041,CPC3 vs CPC4:24.50±5.80 vs 32.29±5.24,P=0.006).The performance of PRCSs-PS to discriminate patients with a poor outcome from patients with other outcomes went as follows:it had 100% sensitivity,78.6% specificity,and 178.6 diagnostic index at the score cut-off22.5; it had 77.8% sensitivity,100% specificity and 176.4 diagnostic index at the score cut-off32.5.Score 23 and 33 were two key cut-offpoints.The area under the ROC curve was 0.968,showing excellent discrimination.Conclusions The final outcomes in post-resuscitation comatose survivors can be accurately predicted using PRCSs-PS Score.