Cervical cerclage for prevention of preterm delivery: meta-analysis of randomized trials

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effectiveness of prophylactic and therapeutic cerclage by meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. DATA SOURCES: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group specialized register of clinical trials (May 2002). Congress proceedings of international society meetings of fetal-maternal and reproductive medicine were searched by hand. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: Meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials comparing cervical cerclage with expectant management during pregnancy was performed. Further clarification was sought from trial authors when required. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: Six trials describing a total of 2175 women were analyzed. Prophylactic cerclage was compared with no cerclage in four trials. Pooled results failed to show a statistically significant reduction in pregnancy loss and preterm delivery rates, although a small reduction in births less than 33 weeks' gestation was seen in the largest trial (relative risk [RR] 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58 to 0.98). Cervical cerclage was associated with mild pyrexia, increased use of tocolytic therapy, and hospital admission but no serious morbidity. Two trials examined the role of therapeutic cerclage when ultrasound examination revealed a short cervix. Pooled results failed to show a reduction in total pregnancy loss, early pregnancy loss, or preterm delivery before 28 and 34 weeks in women assigned to cervical cerclage. CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of prophylactic cerclage in preventing preterm delivery in women at low or medium risk for second-trimester pregnancy loss has not been proven. The role of cerclage in women whose ultrasound reveals short cervix remains uncertain.     

Examining the uptake of predictive BRCA testing in the UK; findings and implications

Predictive BRCA testing is offered to asymptomatic individuals to predict future risk where a variant has been identified in a relative. It is uncertain whether all eligible relatives access testing, and whether this is related to health care inequalities. Our aim was to analyse trends and inequalities in uptake of testing, and identify predictors of testing and time-to-receipt of testing. A database from April 2010 to March 2017 was collated. Multivariate analysis explored individual associations with testing. Predictor variables included gender, BRCA test type, cancer history, Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) and education status. To evaluate factors associated with time-to-testing, a Cox proportional-hazards (CP) model was used. Of 779 tests undertaken, 336 (43.1%) were identified with a BRCA variant. A total of 537 (68.9%) were female and in 83.4% (387/464) of probands, predictive testing was received by relatives. Analysis identified inequalities since decreased testing was found when the proband was unaffected by cancer (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.06–0.33). Median time-to-testing was 390 days (range, 0–7090 days) and the CP model also identified inequalities in the hazard ratio (HR) for testing for people aged >40 was higher than for aged <40 (HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.20–1.67) and BRCA2 testing was higher than for BRCA1 testing (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.18–1.64). Reduced testing was found when probands were unaffected by cancer and time-to-testing was found to vary by age and BRCA1/2 test. Given limited study sample size, further research is recommended to examine inequalities in predictive BRCA testing.Subject terms: Cancer genomics, Cancer genetics     

Recombinant factor VIIa and other pro-haemostatic therapies in primary postpartum haemorrhage

Blood products are an essential component of the management of postpartum haemorrhage, although there is lack of evidence to guide optimal use. Prospective intervention studies, including randomized trials, are needed to clarify optimal timing and dosage. The new generation of virally inactivated blood products, such as fibrinogen concentrate, might further enhance our knowledge of the value of individual blood components. It seems likely that antifibrinolytic agents will receive less attention in future. However, rFVIIa promises to be a powerful tool in managing massive obstetric haemorrhage, although many questions concerning its efficacy and safety in differing clinical scenarios remain unanswered.     

Do placental lesions reflect thrombophilia state in women with adverse pregnancy outcome?

We examined the relationship between placental histology and thrombophilia status in women who were admitted with severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, placental abruption, intrauterine growth restriction or unexplained stillbirth. All women had thrombophilia screen at least 10 weeks after delivery (antithrombin III, protein C, protein S, activated protein C resistance, anticardiolipin antibodies, lupus anticoagulant, fasting plasma homocysteine and specific mutations to methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T, G20210A prothrombin gene and factor V Leiden. Placental histology reports were examined to identify the frequency of thrombotic lesions in the placenta including fetal stem vessel thrombosis, fetal thrombotic vasculopathy, placental infarction, perivillous fibrin deposition, intervillous thrombosis and placental floor infarction. During a 17 month period, a cohort of 79 women met the study criteria. Thirty (70%) out of 43 women with abnormal thrombophilia screen had abnormal placental histology. Twenty-eight (78%) out of 36 women with negative thrombophilia screen had abnormal placentae. No specific histological pattern could be identified when thrombophilia positive and thrombophilia negative groups were compared. We propose that there is a poor correlation between thrombophilia status and pathological changes of the placenta in women with severe pregnancy complications.     

Important Clinical Outcomes in Urogynecology: Views of Patients,Nurses and Medical Staff

We attempted to grade treatment outcomes in female urinary incontinence by the perceived importance of these outcomes for patients, nursing staff and medical staff. One hundred millimeter visual analog scales (VAS) quantifying the relative importance of five clinical outcomes were sent to 100 patients, 50 nursing staff and 135 medical staff involved in continence care and median VAS scores for each outcome were compared between groups. Subjective improvement and improvement in quality of life were rated most highly. Median scores for subjective cure were 93 (76–99) for nurses, 93 (11–100) for patients and 91 (50–100) for ICS (UK) members. Median quality of life improvement scores were 92 (67–100), 93 (3–100) and 93 (74–100), respectively (not significant). There was a striking concordance of opinion regarding the importance of subjective improvement and improvement in quality of life. We suggest that these should become primary outcome measures in all future clinical trials and audits of incontinence treatments.     

The evidence base for fetal medicine

This chapter looks at the evidence base for the practice of fetal medicine and surgery. There is very little good-quality research and much activity is based on case reports and series. However, the philosophy of evidence-based practice is now accepted and new randomized trials are being published in the literature (e.g. fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion for congenital diaphragmatic hernia and laser treatment of the twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome). Many well established techniques would not be suitable for randomized trials but, as new techniques related to established practice are introduced (e.g. middle cerebral artery Doppler assessment), well-designed trials are essential to ensure they are safe, clinically useful and at least as good as standard practice. In this unique area of medicine, where ethical and emotional issues interplay with clinical practice, it is important not to introduce exciting techniques without solid evidence that they are beneficial both in the short and the long term.     

Unexpected ST segment changes in children--a case report

In children, myocardial ischemic changes during anesthesia are a rare event unless there is underlying pathology. The patient in this case report was an apparently healthy child scheduled for adenoidectomy and bilateral tympanostomy. Occurrence of significant ST changes as well as intraoperative and postoperative hypoxemia required further diagnostic work-up. Postoperative echocardiographic findings were suspicious of intrapulmonary right to left shunting. The pulmonary arteriovenous fistula is probably the major pathophysiological factor for the development of hypoxemia and paradoxical air embolism especially during positive pressure ventilation in our patient. Unexpected ST segment changes might also occur in patients with anomalous origin of coronary arteries. Although diagnostic work-up was inconclusive, it is necessary to rule out any underlying pathological process. Further follow-up is also important in order to learn more about these disease states that often have subclinical, but potentially fatal presentation.