Efficacy of Solifenacin on Overactive Bladder Symptoms, Symptom Bother, and Other Patient-Reported Outcomes in Subjects With or Without Incontinence: A Post Hoc Analysis of Data From VIBRANT.

OBJECTIVE: : To evaluate the efficacy of solifenacin versus placebo by baseline continence status using post hoc analysis. METHODS: : Patients with overactive bladder (OAB) were randomized to solifenacin or placebo for 12 weeks; patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures and bladder diaries were completed at prespecified time points. VESIcare Investigation of Bother and Quality of Life in Subjects with OAB (VIBRANT) was not designed to show treatment differences within continence status subgroups. RESULTS: : In the full analysis set (n = 750), 73% of patients were incontinent (n = 545) at baseline. After 12 weeks, incontinent patients receiving solifenacin showed significant improvements versus placebo on PRO measures and most diary-based end points; continent patients (n = 205) showed smaller but similar treatment-related changes. Tolerability was similar in both subgroups and by treatment; most frequent adverse events were dry mouth and constipation. CONCLUSIONS: : In the VIBRANT study, solifenacin significantly improved OAB symptom bother, health-related quality of life, and most symptoms versus placebo in incontinent patients. Continent patients showed smaller but similar trends. Solifenacin was well tolerated in both subgroups.

Anthropometric measurements in the diagnosis of pelvic size: an analysis of maternal height and shoe size and computed tomography pelvimetric data.

BACKGROUND: To determine whether measurements of maternal height and shoe size are predictors of pelvic size, using erect lateral computerized tomography (CT) pelvimetry as gold standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred and fifty three obstetric patients out of a sequential population of 6112 (5.8%) had CT pelvimetry performed between January 1990 and December 1991 at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, York District Hospital, United Kingdom. Multivariable logistic regression models were built using maternal height (n = 322), shoe size (314) and weight at last clinic visit (n = 318). The reference standard for pelvic size was CT Pelvimetry. Pelvic adequacy was defined as an anterior-posterior diameter of the inlet of > or =11 cm and an anterior-posterior diameter of the outlet > or =10 cm on erect lateral CT pelvimetry. Women with values lower than these were regarded as having an inadequate pelvis. The diagnostic accuracy of the models was determined by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). RESULTS: The area under the curve (AUC) for maternal height (0.768) was not significantly greater than that for shoe size (0.686, p = 0.163 for the difference in AUC's) and weight at the last clinic visit (0.655, p = 0.057 for the difference in the AUCs). The change in the AUC for each of the models (the full model with height, shoe size and weight [0.769]; model for height and shoe size [0.767] model for just height [0.768]) was also not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Measurements of maternal height, shoe size and weight at the last clinic visit are not useful for the identification of women with inadequate pelvis.

Obstetricians, health attorneys, and court-ordered cesarean sections.

PURPOSE: Despite court rulings suggesting that court-ordered cesarean sections should rarely be undertaken, they are performed. Our objective was to determine those characteristics of providers and patients that make their use more likely. METHODS: A convenience sample of obstetricians attending the annual meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (n=229) and lawyers attending the annual meeting of the American Health Lawyers Association (n=126) read a vignette describing a woman who refused a cesarean section after being told that her fetus would die unless she received the operation. Several different scenarios were then described (e.g., the mother refused on religious grounds). For each scenario, participants were asked to rate the likelihood that they would support a court-ordered cesarean section. Participants then described their own characteristics. RESULTS: Respondents were more likely to support a court order if the woman was described as a being "high on drugs" (p<.001). Respondents were significantly less likely to use a court order (p<.01) if the woman was described as a lawyer, the child had Down syndrome, the husband agreed with her decision, the mother refused on religious grounds, or the operation was associated with a 10-fold increased risk to the mother's life. People who described themselves as more religious, Republican, or "pro-life" were significantly more likely to utilize court orders in several scenarios. In an ordinal regression model, the degree of pro-life was the only variable consistently associated with obtaining a court order for the healthy mother-healthy child. CONCLUSIONS: The perceived likelihood of performing a court-ordered cesarean section varies with characteristics of the patient and the provider.

Second-trimester rudimentary uterine horn pregnancy: rupture after labor induction with misoprostol.

BACKGROUND: Uterine anomalies are often first suspected after bimanual or ultrasonographic examination. Currently there are no specific recommendations for further evaluation of asymptomatic women with suspected uterine anomalies in pregnancy. CASE: A young primigravida with a history of an ultrasound diagnosis of bicornuate uterus presented with mild abdominal pain. An ultrasound examination showed a viable 18-week fetus with anhydramnios in the left uterine horn. Labor induction with misoprostol culminated in uterine rupture. At laparotomy, a ruptured left noncommunicating rudimentary uterine horn of a unicornuate uterus was noted. CONCLUSION: Pregnancies within noncommunicating uterine horns significantly increase the risk of potentially catastrophic outcome, therefore, consideration should be given to performing 3-dimensonal ultrasonography and/or magnetic resonance imaging examinations to determine the nature of uterine anomalies. Caution should be exercised if prostaglandins are considered for use in this setting.