Seropositivity of cytomegalovirus, parvovirus and rubella in pregnant women and recurrent aborters in Leningrad County, Russia.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this paper were to assess the prevalence of different viral infections in relation to late abortions, stillbirths, and congenital malformations in sera from Russian pregnant women and recurrent aborters in order to establish basic knowledge for future pregnancy care. METHODS: Patients were recruited at the Women's Clinic, Leningrad Regional Hospital during the period March-June 1995. One group of normally pregnant women (Group 1; n=182) and one group of recurrent aborters (Group 2; n=127) were evaluated, including demographic, medical, clinical, and serological data. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The mean age of the two groups was 27.1 and 28.2 years, respectively. The mean number of deliveries was low (0.4 and 0.5, respectively). Thirty-one point six percent of Group 1 and 41.9% of Group 2 were daily smokers. The group of normally pregnant women had a significantly increased frequency of induced abortions compared to the recurrent aborters, while the recurrent aborters reported more genital infections. There was little difference in total antibodies to cytomegalovirus (CMV) (78.0% and 81.1%, respectively) or B19 IgG (75.3% and 66.9%, respectively) between the groups, while the normal pregnant women had a significantly higher prevalence of rubella antibodies (77.5% and 59.8%, respectively). Our results indicate that less women remain susceptible to primary CMV infection in pregnancy in Russia compared to western Europe and North America. The prevalence of B19 IgG was slightly lower than data from Sweden. Natural immunization against rubella virus was lower than in other, unvaccinated female populations. Vaccination strategies for rubella are now initiated in the Russian Federation. Results from this study are utilized in a federally supported, comprehensive pregnancy care project of North-West Russia.

[Evaluation of activities of pediatric departments of resuscitation and intensive care]. / Otsenka deiatel'nosti pediatricheskikh otdelenii reanimatsii i intensivenoi terapii.

A new system of quality parameters has been developed, that may be used to assess the efficacy of intensive care units (ICU). This approach is based on regular assessment of the severity of the patient's condition and the adequacy of the treatment modalities administered to the patient. The suggested approach to evaluation of ICU activity helps analyze the activities of different hospitals, the efficacies of new treatment modalities and the treatment policy chosen.

[Interhospital transportation of children in critical condition in the Leningrad region]. / Mezhgospital'naia transportirovka detei, nakhodiashchikhsia v kriticheskom sostoianii, v usloviiakh Leningradskoi oblasti.

A team of anesthesiologists and intensive care specialists of the Leningrad district hospital has in the course of 5 years (1984-1988) rendered medical aid to 2163 critically ill children. 1374 of them were transported to the district hospital and other medical centres. 82.3% of children were under 3 years of age. The majority of children had severe respiratory disturbances (52.5%). Guidelines for safe interhospital transportation of critically ill children have been elaborated, which made it possible to avoid deterioration of the patients' condition at interhospital stage. The term "non-transportable" is recommended to be replaced by "transportation inadvisable".