Construction of modern Australian first trimester ultrasound dating and growth charts

Accurate pregnancy dating is vital to obstetric management. However, first trimester fetal charts commonly used in Australia rely on data reported more than three decades ago. This study reports first trimester dating and growth charts for crown‐rump length between 5 and 14 weeks of gestation and biparietal diameter between 9 and 14 weeks of gestation on an Australia population using modern real‐time ultrasound equipment. All consenting eligible women attending a large Sydney clinic for first trimester ultrasound between March 2005 and December 2006 were recruited. Measurements were carried out to Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine standard protocols. Statistical analyses were undertaken using polynomial regression models and thorough diagnostic checks made. Overall 396 eligible women consented to the study, with 268 between 9 and 14 weeks of gestation. The average participant age was 34 years (range 22–45 years), 371 and all yielded valid biometry measurements. Equations, means and 90% reference intervals for crown‐rump length measurements and biparietal diameter measurements were derived using polynomial regression models. Thorough residual and diagnostic checks were made. Once validated by others, we believe they will warrant consideration for use by Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine.     

Pulmonary hypertension with limited cutaneous scleroderma (CREST syndrome)

A patient is described with a typical manifestation of pulmonary hypertension associated with limited cutaneous scleroderma, also known as CREST syndrome. The patient was treated with a calcium antagonist, oral anticoagulation and, because of evidence for parenchymal inflammation of the lung, with low-dose prednisone and cyclophosphamide. This treatment resulted in initial improvement of diffusion capacity and exercise tolerance, however, 1 year after diagnosis the patient died of progressive pulmonary hypertension.     

Renal transplantation and osteoporosis

A cross sectional study assessed the bone mineral density (BMD) of 20 young adult patients who received a renal transplantation in childhood. The BMD of the lumbar spine, mainly trabecular bone, and of the total body, mainly cortical bone, were measured and expressed as an SD score. Fourteen patients (70%) had a BMD SD score of the lumbar spine below -1, of whom six patients were below -2. Fifteen patients (75%) had a BMD SD score of the total body below -1, of whom seven patients were below -2, Both trabecular and cortical bone appeared to be involved in the osteopenic process. The cumulative dose of prednisone was inversely correlated to both lumbar spine and total body BMD SD score. In a multiple regression analysis the cumulative dose of prednisone appeared to be the only factor with a significant effect on BMD SD score. Most young adult patients who had received a renal transplantation in childhood had moderate to severe osteopenia. Corticosteroid treatment played a major part in the development of osteopenia in these patients.     

The influence of CO2 versus helium insufflation or the abdominal wall lifting technique on the systemic immune response

BACKGROUND: Both laparoscopic and conventional surgery result in activation of the systemic immune response; however, the influence of the laparoscopic approach, using CO2 insufflation, is significantly less. Little is known about the influence of alternative methods for performing laparoscopy, such as helium insufflation and the abdominal wall lifting technique (AWLT), and the systemic immune response. METHODS: Thirty-three patients scheduled for elective cholecystectomy were randomly assigned to undergo laparoscopy using either CO2 or helium for abdominal insufflation or laparoscopy using only the AWLT. The postoperative inflammatory response was assessed by measuring the white blood cell count, C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The postoperative immune response was assessed by measuring monocyte HLA-DR expression. RESULTS: CRP levels were significantly higher 1 day after helium insufflation when compared with CO2 insufflation; however, no differences were observed 2 days after surgery. The AWLT resulted in significantly higher levels of CRP both 1 and 2 days after surgery when compared with either CO2 or helium insufflation. A small increase in postoperative IL-6 levels was observed in all groups, but no significant differences were seen between the groups. After both helium insufflation and AWLT a significant decrease in HLA-DR expression was observed, in contrast to the CO2 group. CONCLUSION: Carbon dioxide used for abdominal insufflation seems to limit the postoperative inflammatory response and to preserve parameters reflecting the immune status. These findings may be of importance in determining the preferred method of laparoscopy in oncologic surgery.     

Type 2 diabetes,polycystic ovary syndrome and the insulin resistance syndrome in adolescents: Are they one big iceberg?

Obesity in children may cause overt clinical disease in childhood. The complex endocrine and metabolic changes of obesity and insulin resistance in adolescents result in hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, hypertension, steatohepatitis, glucose intolerance, type 2 diabetes, acanthosis nigricans and ovarian hyperandrogenemia, commonly known as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Type 2 diabetes and PCOS in adolescents are new endocrine diseases in this age group that require unique approaches to diagnosis and treatment. The direct correlation between duration of disease and control of the disease, and subsequent long term complications of these two diseases, predict serious morbidity in young adult life for the affected adolescents. Pediatricians have an important role in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of obesity, insulin resistance syndrome, type 2 diabetes and PCOS.     

Creatinine related reference ranges for urinary homovanillic acid and vanillylmandelic acid at 6 months of age

The relationship between homovanillic acid (HVA), vanillylmandelic acid (VMA), and creatinine in the urine of 6 month old babies has been studied and reference ranges in the form of centiles constructed for HVA and VMA against creatinine. Over 10,000 urine samples were collected from babies in four health districts in the north of England. HVA and VMA concentration, either independently or when divided by creatinine concentration, were dependent upon the absolute concentration of creatinine in the sample. After adjustment for creatinine significant differences in the mean concentration of HVA were found between sexes. No such differences were found for VMA. HVA and VMA were also found to be age dependent. Centiles were constructed using a procedure which makes no distributional assumptions about the data. The net effect of utilising these centiles was to increase the predictive value of a positive screening test from 20% to 40% without any increase in the false negative rate.     

Persistence of the anti-cholinesterase soman in rats; antagonism with a non-toxic simulator of this organophosphate

Anaesthetized, atropinized rats were poisoned with 6 × LD₅₀ soman (1,2,2,-trimethylpropyl methylphosphono-fluoridate). Purified acetylcholinesterase, injected i.v. 75 min later, was rapidly inhibited, presumably by soman stored in a ‘depot’ from which it was gradually released. Existence of a depot is supported by the effect of a soman-simulator (‘som-sim’), an organophosphonate structurally similar to soman but devoid of anti-cholinesterase activity. Som-sim can expel soman from the depot, or counteract its formation. Som-sim prophylaxis greatly enhances survival.     

A randomized trial comparing low-dose combined spinal-epidural anesthesia and conventional epidural anesthesia for cesarean section in severe preeclampsia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A prospective, randomized study was designed to compare the maternal and neonatal effects of conventional epidural anesthesia and combined spinal epidural anesthesia (CSE) for Cesarean section in severe preeclamptic patients. Additionally, two strategies in the prophylactic management of hypotension in severe preeclamptic patients were evaluated: fluid preloading or prophylactic ephedrine. METHODS: Thirty nonlaboring women with severe preeclampsia (PET), scheduled for an elective Cesarean section, were randomised into three groups: epidural anesthesia with prophylactic fluid loading (EA-F), combined spinal epidural anesthesia with prophylactic fluid loading (CSE-F), or combined spinal epidural anesthesia with prophylactic ephedrine (CSE-V). Hemodynamic data were recorded prior and after induction of regional anesthesia at five-minute intervals. The total amount of intravenous administered fluid and the total dose of vasopressors were recorded. RESULTS: Hemodynamic data were similar between the three groups. The incidence and duration of hypotension was similar in all three groups. Significantly more ephedrine was used in the CSE-V group as compared to the CSE-F group. More lactated Ringer's solution was used in the CSE-F group as compared to the CSE-V group. There were no hypertensive episodes and none of the patients developed pulmonary edema. The time period from induction until the start of surgery and the duration of surgery were significantly shorter in both CSE-groups. Neonatal outcome was comparable between the three groups. CONCLUSION: Our results confirm that combined spinal and epidural anesthesia (CSE) is a safe alternative to conventional epidural anesthesia in severe preeclamptic women and that the prophylactic use of ephedrine is effective and safe to prevent and treat spinal hypotension after combined spinal and epidural anesthesia for Cesarean section in severe preeclamptic women.