Labial Adhesion with Acute Urinary Retention Secondary to Bartholin's Abscess

Labial adhesions are usually seen in early childhood or in the postmenopausal years, but this clinical entity is rarely seen in the reproductive years. We report a case of labial adhesion with acute urinary retention secondary to Bartholin's abscess in a reproductive‐aged woman with normal menstrual periods. We emphasize the possible occurrence of labial adhesion following Bartholin's abscess in the reproductive years with normal estrogen levels.     

Coronavirus Disease Contact Tracing Outcomes and Cost,Salt Lake County,Utah, USA,March–May 2020

Outcomes and costs of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) contact tracing are limited. During March–May 2020, we constructed transmission chains from 184 index cases and 1,499 contacts in Salt Lake County, Utah, USA, to assess outcomes and estimate staff time and salaries. We estimated 1,102 staff hours and $29,234 spent investigating index cases and contacts. Among contacts, 374 (25%) had COVID-19; secondary case detection rate was ≈31% among first-generation contacts, ≈16% among second- and third-generation contacts, and ≈12% among fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-generation contacts. At initial interview, 51% (187/370) of contacts were COVID-19–positive; 35% (98/277) became positive during 14-day quarantine. Median time from symptom onset to investigation was 7 days for index cases and 4 days for first-generation contacts. Contact tracing reduced the number of cases between contact generations and time between symptom onset and investigation but required substantial resources. Our findings can help jurisdictions allocate resources for contact tracing.     

Characteristics of smoking and cessation behaviors among high school students in New Jersey.

Treatment for adolescent smokers requires understanding of use patterns, attitudes, and practices relating to cessation. Results of the 1999 New Jersey Youth Tobacco Survey show that frequent smokers have higher daily consumption, more difficulty abstaining, high interest in quitting, and lower self-efficacy. These findings may help in developing effective treatment strategies.     

Epidemiology of persistent diarrhea among Guatemalan rural children

A prospective, longitudinal two-year study to determine the epidemiology of persistent ( 14 days'duration) diarrhea in rural children of Guatemala was undertaken. Three-hundred and twenty-one children aged 0-35 months were kept under surveillance by twice-a-week home visits. The overall incidence of diarrhea was 0.147 per child-week; the incidence of persistent diarrhea was 0.014 per child-week. The peak of persistent diarrhea was observed in infants below six months of age, with a continuous decline thereafter. This trend in incidence of persistent diarrhea was associated with a higher proportion (16%) of illnesses persisting for more than 13 days in children younger than six months of age as compared to children 30-35 months old (4%). Males had more diarrhea (0.156 per child-week) than females (0.139 per child week). Among children above 18 months of age, the proportion of episodes that lasted for more than 13 days was lower in females than in males.     

Cardiotocographic abnormalities associated with misoprostol and dinoprostone cervical ripening and labor induction

Objective

To characterize the incidence and timing of cardiotocographic (CTG) abnormalities associated with misoprostol and dinoprostone vaginal inserts during labor induction.

Study design

This was a secondary analysis of data collected during the misoprostol vaginal insert (MVI) trial, a multi-site, double-masked, randomized trial of women requiring cervical ripening before induction of labor. The timing, incidence and clinical outcomes associated with CTG abnormalities were analyzed among three study groups.

Results

1308 subjects were randomized to receive dinoprostone pessary, misoprostol 50 mcg (MVI 50) or 100 mcg (MVI 100) vaginal insert. 6.8% of MVI 50-treated women had a uterine contractile abnormality (hyperstimulation, hypertonus and/or tachysystole) while the study drug was in situ, compared to 17.4% with dinoprostone insert (p < 0.001) and 17.3% with MVI 100 (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in incidence of fetal heart rate (FHR) abnormalities that occurred with the study drug—11.2% with dinoprostone, compared to 9.9% with MVI 50 and 10.7% with MVI 100. Cardiotocographic (CTG) abnormalities while the study drug was in situ occurred later in women treated with MVI 50 (7.5 h [6.2-9.8]) compared to dinoprostone (5.5 h [4.2-6.6], p = 0.003) and MVI 100 (7.0 h [5.7-7.9], p = 0.13). Eight participants in MVI 50 group underwent cesarean section secondary to a CTG event that was initially noted with the study drug in situ, compared to eight dinoprostone-treated participants and 16 in the MVI 100 group, but these differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

Cardiotocographic abnormalities were less frequent and occurred after longer exposure with MVI 50 than MVI 100 or dinoprostone. Clinical outcomes were similar among the groups.     

Retention of dinoprostone vaginal insert beyond 12 hours for induction of labor

We evaluate the likelihood of cesarean delivery and identify risks of retaining a sustained-release dinoprostone vaginal insert beyond 12 hours. In a secondary analysis of outcomes, data were collected during a large, randomized trial comparing different sustained-release prostaglandin vaginal inserts for labor induction. Outcomes were compared between cases in whom the dinoprostone insert was removed early (within 12 hours) or late (12 to 24 hours). A total of 431 subjects had the dinoprostone vaginal insert in place for 12 to 24 hours ( N = 226, 52.4%) or within 12 hours ( N = 205, 47.6%). Insert removal for labor complications was less frequent in the late group than in the early group (5.8% versus 21.5%; P ≤ 0.001). Abnormal uterine contractility patterns were less common in the late than early group (25.2% versus 37.6%; P = 0.03). Rates of cesarean delivery during the first hospitalization were similar for late and early groups (25.0% versus 29.2%; P = 0.33). Percentages of infants requiring immediate attention or intensive care were low and similar between groups. Sustained-release intravaginal dinoprostone left in place beyond 12 hours did not increase the risks of intrapartum complications, cesarean delivery, or immediate adverse neonatal events.     

Optimizing the HIV/AIDS informed consent process in India

Background

While the basic ethical issues regarding consent may be universal to all countries, the consent procedures required by international review boards which include detailed scientific and legal information, may not be optimal when administered within certain populations. The time and the technicalities of the process itself intimidate individuals in societies where literacy and awareness about medical and legal rights is low.

Methods

In this study, we examined pregnant women's understanding of group education and counseling (GEC) about HIV/AIDS provided within an antenatal clinic in Maharashtra, India. We then enhanced the GEC process with the use of culturally appropriate visual aids and assessed the subsequent changes in women's understanding of informed consent issues.

Results

We found the use of visual aids during group counseling sessions increased women's overall understanding of key issues regarding informed consent from 38% to 72%. Moreover, if these same visuals were reinforced during individual counseling, improvements in women's overall comprehension rose to 96%.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that complex constructs such as informed consent can be conveyed in populations with little education and within busy government hospital settings, and that the standard model may not be sufficient to ensure true informed consent.