Cut umbilical cord milking (C-UCM) as a mode of placental transfusion in non-vigorous preterm neonates: a randomized controlled trial.

Routine practice of delayed cord clamping (DCC) is the standard of care in vigorous neonates. However there is no consensus on the recommended approach to placental transfusion in non-vigorous neonates. In this trial, we tried to examine the effect of cut umbilical cord milking (C-UCM) as compared to early cord clamping (ECC) on hematological and clinical hemodynamic parameters in non-vigorous preterm neonates of 30-35 weeks gestation. The primary outcome assessed was venous hematocrit (Hct) at 48 (± 4) hours of postnatal age. The important secondary outcomes assessed were serum ferritin at 6 weeks of age, mean blood pressure in the initial transitional phase along with important neonatal morbidities and potential complications. In this single centre randomized controlled trial, 134 non vigorous neonates of 30-35 weeks gestation were allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either C-UCM (n = 67) or ECC (n = 67). For statistical analysis, unpaired Student t and Chi square or Fisher's exact test were used. The mean Hct at 48 h was higher in the C-UCM group as compared to the control group, 50.24(4.200) vs 46.16(2.957), p < .0001. Also significantly higher was the mean Hct at 12 h, 6 weeks and mean serum ferritin at 6 weeks of age in the milked group (p < .0001). Mean blood pressure at 1 h and 6 h was also significantly higher in the milked arm. Need for transfusion and inotropes was less in the milked group but not statistically significant. No significant difference in potential complications was observed between the groups.    Conclusion: C-UCM stabilizes initial blood pressure and results in higher hematocrit and improved iron stores. It can be an alternative to DCC in non-vigorous preterm neonates of 30-35 weeks' gestation. Further large multicentric studies are needed to fully establish its efficacy and safety.   Trial registration: CTRI/2021/12/038606; registration date December 14, 2021. What is Known: • DCC is the routinely recommended method of placental transfusion for vigorous neonates but no consensus exist for neonates requiring resuscitation at birth. • C-UCM is easier to perform in non-vigorous neonates but there is paucity of studies in the preterm population. What is New: • C-UCM is effective as well as safe in non-vigorous preterm neonates of 30-35 weeks gestational age. • C-UCM holds promise as an alternative to DCC, especially in resource limited settings and in situations where the later is not feasible.

The changing face of pregnancy-related acute kidney injury from eastern part of India: A hospital-based, prospective, observational study.

This study was initiated to look into the etiologies, prevalence, and outcome of pregnancy-related acute kidney injury (PRAKI) in a tertiary care hospital. Women admitted with PRAKI from January 2015 to December 2016 were included in the study. All patients were investigated and treated and followed up for the next six months.. For statistical analysis, Chi- square test and analysis of variance were performed to analyze the data. Multivariate analysis was applied to compare the risk of nonrecovery of renal function in different etiologies of PRAKI. During the study period, 81 patients were admitted with PRAKI, of whom 68 (84%) received hemodialysis (HD). A total of 449 patients including all cases of AKI underwent HD from January 2015 to June 2016. The incidence of dialysis requiring PRAKI was 68 out of the 449 patients (15%). Sixty-eight (84%) patients required dialysis support while the most common cause was sepsis (49%), with the second being pregnancy-associated atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome (P-aHUS) (17%) followed by obstetric hemorrhages (16%). There was a significant reduction of first-trimester AKI (8.6%) compared to a previous study published from this institute (19.3%). The maternal mortality (25%) and fetal mortality (23.5%) were high. Nearly 39% of the patients had complete recovery of renal function. This study revealed significant PRAKI burden due to a largely preventable cause, puerperal sepsis. Renal survival was poor in P- aHUS. The gaps in the obstetric care may be identified for the improvement of fetomaternal outcome.

Comparative evaluation of oral gabapentin versus clonidine as premedication on preoperative sedation and laryngoscopic stress response attenuation for the patients undergoing general anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation (L and I) is associated with rise in blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), leading to adverse cardiological outcome especially in susceptible individuals. To compare the BP, HR during L and I as well as to evaluate the preoperative sedation status between oral clonidine (Group C) and oral gabapentine (Group G) as premedication for the patients undergoing major surgery under general anesthesia (GA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 2008 to December 2009; in a prospective, double-blinded, and randomized controlled study; 100 adult patients of either sex, aged 20-45, of American Society of Anesthesiologists status I and II scheduled to undergo major surgery of >1 hour duration, randomly allocated into groups C and G were pre treated with oral clonidine (200 µg) and gabapentin (800 mg) respectively 2 h prior to induction. Preoperative sedation was assessed 2 h after premedication administration. Hemodynamic parameters were noted just before induction, during L and I 1,3,5,7, and10 min after intubation. The results obtained were then analyzed with statistical unpaired "t" test and Chi-square test and compared. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS: Preoperative sedation between two groups were similar but group C attenuated HR, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean blood pressure (MBP) more significantly before induction, during L and I, 1, 3, and 5 min, following L and I, while comparing with group G. Again gabapentin-reduced HR, BP, (SBP, DBP, MBP) significantly more at 7 and 10 min after L and I on comparison clonidine. CONCLUSION: Oral clonidine is equally effective in producing preoperative sedation in comparison to oral gabapentin, while on the contrary oral clonidine is more efficacious in reducing laryngoscopic stress response than oral gabapentin.