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Melamed N, Okun N, Huang T, Mei-Dan E, Aviram A, Allen M, Abdulaziz KE, McDonald SD, Murray-Davis B, Ray JG, Barrett J, Kingdom J, Berger H. Maternal First-Trimester Alpha-Fetoprotein and Placenta-Mediated Pregnancy Complications. Hypertension 2023; 80:2415-2424. [PMID: 37671572 DOI: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.123.21568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal serum markers used for trisomy 21 screening are associated with placenta-mediated complications. Recently, there has been a transition from the traditional first-trimester screening (FTS) that included PAPP-A (pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A) and beta-hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), to the enhanced FTS test, which added first-trimester AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) and PlGF (placental growth factor). However, whether elevated first-trimester AFP has a similar association with placenta-mediated complications to that observed for elevated second-trimester AFP remains unclear. Our objective was to estimate the association of first-trimester AFP with placenta-mediated complications and compare it with the corresponding associations of second-trimester AFP and other first-trimester serum markers. METHODS Retrospective population-based cohort study of women who underwent trisomy 21 screening in Ontario, Canada (2013-2019). The association of first-trimester AFP with placenta-mediated complications was estimated and compared with that of the traditional serum markers. The primary outcome was a composite of stillbirth or preterm placental complications (preeclampsia, birthweight less than third centile, or placental abruption). RESULTS A total of 244 990 and 96 167 women underwent FTS and enhanced FTS test screening, respectively. All markers were associated with the primary outcome, but the association for elevated first-trimester AFP (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 1.57 [95% CI, 1.37-1.81]) was weaker than that observed for low PAPP-A (aRR, 2.48 [95% CI, 2.2-2.8]), low PlGF (aRR, 2.28 [95% CI, 1.97-2.64]), and elevated second-trimester AFP (aRR, 1.97 [95% CI, 1.81-2.15]). When the models were adjusted for all 4 enhanced FTS test markers, elevated first-trimester AFP was no longer associated with the primary outcome (aRR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.58-1.02]). CONCLUSIONS Unlike second-trimester AFP, elevated first-trimester AFP is not an independent risk factor for placenta-mediated complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nir Melamed
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (N.M., N.O., A.A.), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nanette Okun
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (N.M., N.O., A.A.), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tianhua Huang
- Department of Genetics, North York General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (T.H.)
- Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Canada (T.H., M.A., K.E.A.)
| | - Elad Mei-Dan
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, North York General Hospital (E.M.-D.), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amir Aviram
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (N.M., N.O., A.A.), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Melinda Allen
- Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Canada (T.H., M.A., K.E.A.)
| | - Kasim E Abdulaziz
- Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, Canada (T.H., M.A., K.E.A.)
| | - Sarah D McDonald
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radiology, and Research Methods, Evidence & Impact (S.D.M., B.M.-D.), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Beth Murray-Davis
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Radiology, and Research Methods, Evidence & Impact (S.D.M., B.M.-D.), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joel G Ray
- Departments of Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St. Michael's Hospital (J.G.R.), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jon Barrett
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.B.), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - John Kingdom
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mount Sinai Hospital (J.K.), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Howard Berger
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Michael's Hospital (H.B.), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Wojcik MH, Poduri AH, Holm IA, MacRae CA, Goldstein RD. The fundamental need for unifying phenotypes in sudden unexpected pediatric deaths. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1166188. [PMID: 37332751 PMCID: PMC10273404 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1166188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
A definitive, authoritative approach to evaluate the causes of unexpected, and ultimately unexplained, pediatric deaths remains elusive, relegating final conclusions to diagnoses of exclusion in the vast majority of cases. Research into unexplained pediatric deaths has focused primarily on sudden infant deaths (under 1 year of age) and led to the identification of several potential, albeit incompletely understood, contributory factors: nonspecific pathology findings, associations with sleep position and environment that may not be uniformly relevant, and the elucidation of a role for serotonin that is practically difficult to estimate in any individual case. Any assessment of progress in this field must also acknowledge the failure of current approaches to substantially decrease mortality rates in decades. Furthermore, potential commonalities with pediatric deaths across a broader age spectrum have not been widely considered. Recent epilepsy-related observations and genetic findings, identified post-mortem in both infants and children who died suddenly and unexpectedly, suggest a role for more intense and specific phenotyping efforts as well as an expanded role for genetic and genomic evaluation. We therefore present a new approach to reframe the phenotype in sudden unexplained deaths in the pediatric age range, collapsing many distinctions based on arbitrary factors (such as age) that have previously guided research in this area, and discuss its implications for the future of postmortem investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica H. Wojcik
- Robert’s Program for Sudden Unexpected Death in Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Annapurna H. Poduri
- Robert’s Program for Sudden Unexpected Death in Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ingrid A. Holm
- Robert’s Program for Sudden Unexpected Death in Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Calum A. MacRae
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Richard D. Goldstein
- Robert’s Program for Sudden Unexpected Death in Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
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3
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Lentz EJM, Park AL, Langlois AWR, Huang T, Meschino WS, Ray JG. Risk of Severe Maternal Morbidity or Death in Relation to Prenatal Biochemical Screening: Population-Based Cohort Study. Am J Perinatol 2021; 38:44-59. [PMID: 31412403 DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1694731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine whether prenatal biochemical screening analytes are associated with an increased risk of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) or maternal mortality. STUDY DESIGN This population-based cohort study includes all women in Ontario, Canada, who underwent prenatal screening from 2001 to 2011. Increasing fifth percentiles of the multiple of the median (MoM) for alphafetoprotein (AFP), total human chorionic gonadotropin, unconjugated estriol (uE3), dimeric inhibin-A (DIA), and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A were evaluated. An abnormally high concentration (>95th percentile MoM) for each analyte, individually and combined, was also evaluated. The main outcome assessed was the adjusted relative risk (aRR) of SMM or maternal mortality from 20 weeks' gestation up to 26 weeks thereafter. RESULTS Among 748,972 pregnancies, 11,177 resulted in SMM or maternal mortality (1.5%). Except for uE3, the aRR of SMM or maternal mortality increased in association with increasing fifth percentiles of the MoM for all analytes. AFP (aRR: 2.10; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.97-2.25) and DIA (aRR: 2.33; 95% CI: 1.98-2.74) > 95th versus ≤ 5th percentile of the MoM were especially associated with SMM or death. CONCLUSION Women with abnormally high concentrations of certain prenatal biochemical analytes may be at a higher risk of SMM or death in pregnancy or postpartum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J M Lentz
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alison L Park
- Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alec W R Langlois
- Faculty of Arts and Science, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tianhua Huang
- Genetics Program, North York General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wendy S Meschino
- Genetics Program, North York General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joel G Ray
- Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Health Policy Management and Evaluation, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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4
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Hu J, Zhang J, He G, Zhu S, Tang X, Su J, Li Q, Kong Y, Zhu B. First-trimester maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein is not a good predictor for adverse pregnancy outcomes: a retrospective study of 3325 cases. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2020; 20:104. [PMID: 32050927 PMCID: PMC7017534 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-020-2789-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It is well known that second-trimester maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MS-AFP) is a predictor for adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs), such as preterm birth, stillbirth, preeclampsia and small for gestational age (SGA). However, it is unknown whether first-trimester MS-AFP is also predictive of APOs. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the data on the first-trimester MS-AFP levels and pregnancy outcomes of 3325 singleton pregnant women. The cutoff value of 2.5 multiple of the median (MoM) was used to evaluate the risks of APOs regarding MS-AFP. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the predictive efficiencies of MS-AFP to these disorders. Results A total of 181 pregnancies resulted in preterm birth, 32 in stillbirth, 81 in preeclampsia, and 362 in SGA. Compared to women with MS-AFP < 2.5MoM, those with MS-AFP ≥ 2.5MoM had increased risks (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval) of preterm birth (2.53, 1.65~3.88), preeclampsia (3.05, 1.71~5.43) and SGA (1.90, 1.34~2.69), and had an earlier distribution of gestational weeks at delivery (P = 0.004) and a lower distribution of neonatal birth weights (P = 0.000), but the actual between-group differences were minuscule. The areas under ROC curves were 0.572 (P = 0.001), 0.579 (P = 0.015) and 0.565 (P = 0.000) for preterm birth, preeclampsia and SGA, respectively. Subdivisions for the disorders did not obviously improve the performances of MS-AFP. Conclusions Elevated first-trimester MS-AFP is associated with increased risk of preterm birth, preeclampsia and SGA. However, the predictive efficiencies were low and it is not a good predictor for these APOs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jilin Hu
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Periconception Health Birth in Western China, Yunnan Provincial Clinical Medicine Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, No. 157, Jinbi Road, Xishan District, Kunming, Yunnan Province, 650032, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinman Zhang
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Periconception Health Birth in Western China, Yunnan Provincial Clinical Medicine Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, No. 157, Jinbi Road, Xishan District, Kunming, Yunnan Province, 650032, People's Republic of China
| | - Guilin He
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Periconception Health Birth in Western China, Yunnan Provincial Clinical Medicine Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, No. 157, Jinbi Road, Xishan District, Kunming, Yunnan Province, 650032, People's Republic of China
| | - Shu Zhu
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Periconception Health Birth in Western China, Yunnan Provincial Clinical Medicine Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, No. 157, Jinbi Road, Xishan District, Kunming, Yunnan Province, 650032, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinhua Tang
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Periconception Health Birth in Western China, Yunnan Provincial Clinical Medicine Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, No. 157, Jinbi Road, Xishan District, Kunming, Yunnan Province, 650032, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Su
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Periconception Health Birth in Western China, Yunnan Provincial Clinical Medicine Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, No. 157, Jinbi Road, Xishan District, Kunming, Yunnan Province, 650032, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Li
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Periconception Health Birth in Western China, Yunnan Provincial Clinical Medicine Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, No. 157, Jinbi Road, Xishan District, Kunming, Yunnan Province, 650032, People's Republic of China
| | - Yamin Kong
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Periconception Health Birth in Western China, Yunnan Provincial Clinical Medicine Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, No. 157, Jinbi Road, Xishan District, Kunming, Yunnan Province, 650032, People's Republic of China
| | - Baosheng Zhu
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Periconception Health Birth in Western China, Yunnan Provincial Clinical Medicine Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, No. 157, Jinbi Road, Xishan District, Kunming, Yunnan Province, 650032, People's Republic of China.
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5
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Park AL, Huang T, Meschino WS, Iqbal J, Ray JG. Prenatal Biochemical Screening and a Woman’s Long-Term Risk of Cancer: A Population-Based Cohort Study. JNCI Cancer Spectr 2020; 4:pkz077. [PMID: 32110774 PMCID: PMC7027569 DOI: 10.1093/jncics/pkz077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Some hormones measured in pregnancy are linked to certain hormone-sensitive cancers. We investigated whether routine serum screening in pregnancy is associated with a woman’s subsequent risk of hormone-sensitive cancer. Methods This population-based cohort study included women aged 12–55 years who underwent prenatal screening between 11 weeks + 0 days of gestation to 20 weeks + 6 days of gestation in Ontario, Canada, 1993–2011, where universal health care is available. The hazard ratio of newly diagnosed breast, ovarian, endometrial, and thyroid cancer—arising at 21 weeks + 0 days of gestation or thereafter—was estimated in association with an abnormally low (≤5th) or high (>95th) percentile multiple of the median (MoM) for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), total human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), unconjugated estriol, pregnancy-associated plasma protein A, and dimeric inhibin A. Results Among 677 247 pregnant women followed for a median of 11.0 years (interquartile range = 7.5–16.1), 7231 (1.07%) developed breast cancer, 515 (0.08%) ovarian cancer, 508 (0.08%) endometrial cancer, and 4105 (0.61%) thyroid cancer. In multivariable adjusted models, abnormally high hCG greater than the 95th percentile MoM was associated with a doubling in the risk of endometrial cancer (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.33 to 2.95), and abnormally low AFP at the fifth percentile or less MoM conferred a moderately greater risk of thyroid cancer (aHR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.07 to 1.38). Abnormally low pregnancy-associated plasma protein A at the fifth percentile or less MoM was not statistically significantly associated with breast cancer after multivariable adjustment (aHR = 1.19, 95% CI = 0.98 to 1.36). Conclusions Women with abnormally high levels of serum hCG or low AFP in early pregnancy may be at a greater future risk of certain types of hormone-sensitive cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tianhua Huang
- Genetics Program, North York General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN), Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Wendy S Meschino
- Genetics Program, North York General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Joel G Ray
- ICES, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
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6
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Goldstein RD. Sudden Unexplained Infant Deaths and Day of Life 0. Pediatrics 2020; 145:peds.2019-3212. [PMID: 31818864 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2019-3212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Richard D Goldstein
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Inconsistent classification of unexplained sudden deaths in infants and children hinders surveillance, prevention and research: recommendations from The 3rd International Congress on Sudden Infant and Child Death. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2019; 15:622-628. [PMID: 31502215 PMCID: PMC6872710 DOI: 10.1007/s12024-019-00156-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
This report details the proceedings and conclusions from the 3rd International Congress on Unexplained Deaths in Infants and Children, held November 26–27, 2018 at the Radcliffe Institute at Harvard University. The Congress was motivated by the increasing rejection of the diagnosis Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in the medical examiner community, leading to falsely depressed reported SIDS rates and undermining the validity and reliability of the diagnosis, which remains a leading cause of infant and child mortality. We describe the diagnostic shift away from SIDS and the practical issues contributing to it. The Congress was attended by major figures and opinion leaders in this area from countries significantly engaged in this problem. Four categories (International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11 categories of MH11, MH12, MH14, PB00-PB0Z) were recommended for classification, and explicit definitions and guidance were provided for death certifiers. SIDS was reframed as unexplained sudden death in infancy or SIDS/MH11 to emphasize that either term signifies the lack of explanation following a rigorous investigation. A distinct category for children over the age of 1 was recommended (MH12). Definitions and exclusions were provided for the alternative categories of accidental asphyxia and undetermined. As recommended, unexplained sudden death in infancy or SIDS on a death certificate will code a unique, trackable entity, accurately reflecting the inability to determine a definitive explanation, while satisfying surveillance needs and reliable identification for research efforts. The conclusions will be submitted to the World Health Organization for inclusion in the upcoming ICD-11.
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Hu J, Zhang J, Chan Y, Zhu B. A rat model of placental inflammation explains the unexplained elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2019; 45:1980-1988. [PMID: 31381236 DOI: 10.1111/jog.14085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
AIM It has been reported in numerous studies that elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MS-AFP) is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO), such as pre-eclampsia, stillbirth, preterm birth and fetal growth restriction. However, the mechanism linking elevated MS-AFP and APO is obscure. In this study, we tried to explore the mechanism by using pregnant rats. METHODS Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to induce placental inflammation in pregnant rats. Maternal serum and placental inflammatory cytokines and placental morphology were used to assess the level of placental inflammation. The incidences of APO and the levels of MS-AFP were evaluated. The expressions of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the related organs and fetal serum AFP levels were detected. RESULTS Compared to saline-treated pregnant rats, LPS led to elevated maternal serum and placental inflammatory cytokines and a higher rate of placental inflammation. Lipopolysaccharide resulted in the features of APO and at the same time elevated MS-AFP. Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were significantly correlated to the evaluation parameters of APO. Lipopolysaccharide did not increase the expressions of AFP in fetal liver, maternal liver and placenta, but reduced the fetal serum AFP levels. CONCLUSION The phenomenon that elevated MS-AFP is associated with APO, which has been reported in human pregnancies, is observed in our rat model. Placental inflammation can be the potential cause linking the two manifestations together. Although the source of elevated MS-AFP is not identified, fetal blood circulation is suspected. Our study may provide an animal model for the future studies on this subject.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jilin Hu
- Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China.,Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Jinman Zhang
- Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China.,National Health Commission's Key Laboratory for Healthy Births in Western China, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Ying Chan
- National Health Commission's Key Laboratory for Healthy Births in Western China, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Baosheng Zhu
- Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China.,National Health Commission's Key Laboratory for Healthy Births in Western China, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
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9
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Ray JG, Huang T, Meschino WS, Cohen E, Park AL. Prenatal biochemical screening and long term risk of maternal cardiovascular disease: population based cohort study. BMJ 2018; 362:k2739. [PMID: 29997198 PMCID: PMC6039827 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.k2739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine whether abnormal prenatal biochemical screening results are associated with an increased risk of premature cardiovascular disease after pregnancy. DESIGN Population based cohort study. SETTING The entire province of Ontario, Canada, where healthcare is universally available. PARTICIPANTS Women aged 12-55 years, without pre-existing cardiovascular disease, who underwent prenatal screening between 1993 and 2011. One pregnancy per woman was randomly selected. EXPOSURES Low (≤5th centile multiple of the median) serum total chorionic gonadotropin, unconjugated estriol, and pregnancy associated plasma protein A and high (≥95th centile multiple of the median) alphafetoprotein and dimeric inhibin-A. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Composite of hospital admission or revascularisation for coronary artery, cerebrovascular, or peripheral arterial disease or hospital admission for heart failure or dysrhythmia at least 365 days after pregnancy. RESULTS Among 855 536 pregnancies, and after a median of 11.4 (interquartile range 6.8-17.5) years of follow-up, 6209 women developed the main cardiovascular disease outcome. Abnormal results for each of the five prenatal biochemical screening analytes, especially dimeric inhibin-A, were associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Women with an abnormally high dimeric inhibin-A (≥95th centile) had the highest rate of cardiovascular disease (30 events or 8.3 per 10 000 person years versus 251 events or 3.8 per 10 000 person years for those <95th centile; multivariable adjusted hazard ratio 2.0, 95% confidence interval 1.4 to 3.0). Compared with women without any abnormal biochemical measure, the hazard ratio for the cardiovascular disease composite outcome was 1.2-1.3 times higher with one abnormal analyte and 1.5-2.0 times higher with two or more abnormal analytes. CONCLUSIONS Women with abnormal prenatal biochemical screening results, especially for dimeric inhibin-A, may be at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. If these findings are replicated elsewhere, a massive amount of data exists that could aid in identifying women at higher risk of premature cardiovascular disease and that could be conveyed to them or their healthcare providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel G Ray
- Departments of Medicine, Health Policy Management and Evaluation, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5B 1W8
- Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tianhua Huang
- Genetics Program, North York General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Wendy S Meschino
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Eyal Cohen
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alison L Park
- Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Mizejewski GJ. Physiology of Alpha-Fetoprotein as a Biomarker for Perinatal Distress: Relevance to Adverse Pregnancy Outcome. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2016; 232:993-1004. [PMID: 17720945 DOI: 10.3181/0612-mr-291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The many physiologic roles of human alpha-fetoprotein (HAFP) and its correlation with perinatal distress/pregnancy outcome are rarely addressed together in the biomedical literature, even though HAFP has long been used as a biomarker for fetal birth defects. Although the well being of the fetus can be monitored by the measurement of gestational age–dependent HAFP in biologic fluid levels (serum, amniotic fluid, urine, and vaginal fluids) throughout pregnancy, the majority of clinical reports reflect largely second trimester and (less likely) first trimester testing due to regulatory clinical restrictions. However, reports of third-trimester and pregnancy term measurement of HAFP levels performed in clinical research and/or investigational settings have gradually increased over the years and have expanded our base knowledge of AFP-associated pregnancy disorders during these stages. The different structural forms of HAFP (isoforms, epitopes, molecular variants, etc.) detected in the various biologic fluid compartments have been limited by antibody recognition of specific epitopic sites developed by the kit manufacturers based on antibody specificity, sensitivity, and precision. Concomitantly, the advances in elucidating the various biologic actions of AFP are opening new vistas toward understanding the physiologic roles of AFP during pregnancy. The present review surveys HAFP as a biomarker for fetal distress during the perinatal period in view of its structural and functional properties. An attempt is then made to relate the AFP fluid levels to adverse pregnancy complications and outcomes. Hence, the present review was divided into two major sections: (I) AFP structure and function considerations and (II) the relationship of AFP levels to the distressed fetus during the third trimester and at term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald J Mizejewski
- The Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, USA.
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Goldstein RD, Kinney HC, Willinger M. Sudden Unexpected Death in Fetal Life Through Early Childhood. Pediatrics 2016; 137:e20154661. [PMID: 27230764 PMCID: PMC4894250 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2015-4661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In March 2015, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development held a workshop entitled "Sudden Unexpected Death in Fetal Life Through Early Childhood: New Opportunities." Its objective was to advance efforts to understand and ultimately prevent sudden deaths in early life, by considering their pathogenesis as a potential continuum with some commonalities in biological origins or pathways. A second objective of this meeting was to highlight current issues surrounding the classification of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and the implications of variations in the use of the term "SIDS" in forensic practice, and pediatric care and research. The proceedings reflected the most current knowledge and understanding of the origins and biology of vulnerability to sudden unexpected death, and its environmental triggers. Participants were encouraged to consider the application of new technologies and "omics" approaches to accelerate research. The major advances in delineating the intrinsic vulnerabilities to sudden death in early life have come from epidemiologic, neural, cardiac, metabolic, genetic, and physiologic research, with some commonalities among cases of unexplained stillbirth, SIDS, and sudden unexplained death in childhood observed. It was emphasized that investigations of sudden unexpected death are inconsistent, varying by jurisdiction, as are the education, certification practices, and experience of death certifiers. In addition, there is no practical consensus on the use of "SIDS" as a determination in cause of death. Major clinical, forensic, and scientific areas are identified for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard D Goldstein
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, and
| | - Hannah C Kinney
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; and
| | - Marian Willinger
- Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Ferguson AH. Ignored Disease or Diagnostic Dustbin? Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in the British Context. SOCIAL HISTORY OF MEDICINE : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF MEDICINE 2015; 28:487-508. [PMID: 26217070 PMCID: PMC4513887 DOI: 10.1093/shm/hkv003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) was defined in 1969 and incorporated into the International Classification of Diseases a decade later. To advocates of SIDS as a diagnosis, medical interest in sudden infant death was long overdue. However, the definition of SIDS lacked positive diagnostic criteria, provoking some to view it as a 'diagnostic dustbin' for the disposal of problematic cases where cause of death was unclear. This paper examines the development of medical interest in sudden infant death in Britain during the middle decades of the twentieth century. It highlights the importance of recognising the historicity of SIDS as a diagnosis facilitated by changes in law and medicine over the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It suggests that SIDS provides a definitive case study of the medicalisation of life and death, and a unique example of an officially recognised disease that had no symptoms, signs, pathology or patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angus H. Ferguson
- Centre for the History of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Lilybank House, Bute Gardens, Glasgow, G12 8RT, Scotland, UK.
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Goetzinger KR, Odibo AO. Screening for abnormal placentation and adverse pregnancy outcomes with maternal serum biomarkers in the second trimester. Prenat Diagn 2014; 34:635-41. [DOI: 10.1002/pd.4370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2014] [Revised: 03/17/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Anthony O. Odibo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Washington University; St. Louis MO USA
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Fleming M, Kirby B, Penny KI. Record linkage in Scotland and its applications to health research. J Clin Nurs 2013; 21:2711-21. [PMID: 22985317 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.04021.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This paper will focus on the key concepts behind record linkage and describe how probability matching of Scottish health records can be used for national health research. BACKGROUND Record linkage can bring together two or more records relating to the same individual. This allows information from multiple sources to be joined together to produce richer data sets for research purposes and has wide applicability in public health and epidemiological research. The probability matching techniques underpinning record linkage bring together records on a patient basis using key identifying information on each record. Scotland has a strong track record for performing linkage for research purposes owing to routinely collected and well-maintained national administrative health data sets, the emergence of the Scottish record linkage system and organisations like the Information Services Division of NHS National Services Scotland who centrally hold permanently linked patient-based databases. Design. A record linkage retrospective population cohort study is described within this paper. METHODS The paper will describe current linkage methodology before discussing typical applications in the setting of Information Services Division and focusing on a particular linkage study investigating rates and risk factors for gastroschisis. RESULTS Conclusions from the gastroschisis study are typical of the types of important findings drawn from analysing linked health data. CONCLUSIONS Scotland's good track record for linking records for health research is evidenced by the high volume of research projects, publications and findings resulting from probability matching of national health data. Relevance to clinical practice. Record linkage allows information relating to the same person held across different data sources to be brought together. Probabilistic record linkage can overcome data quality issues, producing accurate matches. This allows linked, analysable, patient-based databases, capable of answering complex research questions, to be produced from several data sources with wide applications in the field of health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Fleming
- Information Services Division, NHS National Services Scotland, Paisley, Edinburgh, UK.
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Franco P, Raoux A, Kugener B, Dijoud F, Scaillet S, Groswasser J, Kato I, Montemitro E, Lin JS, Kahn A. Sudden death in infants during sleep. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2011; 98:501-17. [PMID: 21056208 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-52006-7.00033-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P Franco
- Pediatric Sleep Unit, Hôpital Femme-Mère-Enfant, SIDS Reference Center of Lyon & INSERM-628, Université Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
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Smith GCS, Cordeaux Y, White IR, Pasupathy D, Missfelder-Lobos H, Pell JP, Charnock-Jones DS, Fleming M. The effect of delaying childbirth on primary cesarean section rates. PLoS Med 2008; 5:e144. [PMID: 18597550 PMCID: PMC2443199 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0050144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2007] [Accepted: 05/19/2008] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The relationship between population trends in delaying childbirth and rising rates of primary cesarean delivery is unclear. The aims of the present study were (1) to characterize the association between maternal age and the outcome of labor, (2) to determine the proportion of the increase in primary cesarean rates that could be attributed to changes in maternal age distribution, and (3) to determine whether the contractility of uterine smooth muscle (myometrium) varied with maternal age. METHODS AND FINDINGS We utilized nationally collected data from Scotland, from 1980 to 2005, and modeled the risk of emergency cesarean section among women delivering a liveborn infant in a cephalic presentation at term. We also studied isolated myometrial strips obtained from 62 women attending for planned cesarean delivery in Cambridge, England, from 2005 to 2007. Among 583,843 eligible nulliparous women, there was a linear increase in the log odds of cesarean delivery with advancing maternal age from 16 y upwards, and this increase was unaffected by adjustment for a range of maternal characteristics (adjusted odds ratio for a 5-y increase 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.48-1.51). Increasing maternal age was also associated with a longer duration of labor (0.49 h longer for a 5-y increase in age, 95% CI 0.46-0.51) and an increased risk of operative vaginal birth (adjusted odds ratio for a 5-y increase 1.49, 95% CI 1.48-1.50). Over the period from 1980 to 2005, the cesarean delivery rate among nulliparous women more than doubled and the proportion of women aged 30-34 y increased 3-fold, the proportion aged 35-39 y increased 7-fold, and the proportion aged > or =40 y increased 10-fold. Modeling indicated that if the age distribution had stayed the same over the period of study, 38% of the additional cesarean deliveries would have been avoided. Similar associations were observed in multiparous women. When studied in vitro, increasing maternal age was associated with reduced spontaneous activity and increased likelihood of multiphasic spontaneous myometrial contractions. CONCLUSIONS Delaying childbirth has significantly contributed to rising rates of intrapartum primary cesarean delivery. The association between increasing maternal age and the risk of intrapartum cesarean delivery is likely to have a biological basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon C S Smith
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cambridge University, The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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Health services research in the public healthcare system in Hong Kong: an analysis of over 1 million antihypertensive prescriptions between 2004-2007 as an example of the potential and pitfalls of using routinely collected electronic patient data. BMC Health Serv Res 2008; 8:138. [PMID: 18578878 PMCID: PMC2453117 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-8-138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2007] [Accepted: 06/25/2008] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing use is being made of routinely collected electronic patient data in health services research. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential usefulness of a comprehensive database used routinely in the public healthcare system in Hong Kong, using antihypertensive drug prescriptions in primary care as an example. METHODS Data on antihypertensive drug prescriptions were retrieved from the electronic Clinical Management System (e-CMS) of all primary care clinics run by the Health Authority (HA) in the New Territory East (NTE) cluster of Hong Kong between January 2004 and June 2007. Information was also retrieved on patients' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, visit type (new or follow-up), and relevant diseases (International Classification of Primary Care, ICPC codes). RESULTS 1,096,282 visit episodes were accessed, representing 93,450 patients. Patients' demographic and socio-economic details were recorded in all cases. Prescription details for anti-hypertensive drugs were missing in only 18 patients (0.02%). However, ICPC-code was missing for 36,409 patients (39%). Significant independent predictors of whether disease codes were applied included patient age > or = 70 years (OR 2.18), female gender (OR 1.20), district of residence (range of ORs in more rural districts; 0.32-0.41), type of clinic (OR in Family Medicine Specialist Clinics; 1.45) and type of visit (OR follow-up visit; 2.39). In the 57,041 patients with an ICPC-code, uncomplicated hypertension (ICPC K86) was recorded in 45,859 patients (82.1%). The characteristics of these patients were very similar to those of the non-coded group, suggesting that most non-coded patients on antihypertensive drugs are likely to have uncomplicated hypertension. CONCLUSION The e-CMS database of the HA in Hong Kong varies in quality in terms of recorded information. Potential future health services research using demographic and prescription information is highly feasible but for disease-specific research dependant on ICPC codes some caution is warranted. In the case of uncomplicated hypertension, future research on pharmaco-epidemiology (such as prescription patterns) and clinical issues (such as side-effects of medications on metabolic parameters) seems feasible given the large size of the data set and the comparability of coded and non-coded patients.
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Abstract
In the UK, about one in 200 infants is stillborn, and rates of stillbirth have recently slightly increased. This recent rise might reflect increasing frequency of some important maternal risk factors for stillbirth, including nulliparity, advanced age, and obesity. Most stillbirths are related to placental dysfunction, which in many women is evident from the first half of pregnancy and is associated with fetal growth restriction. There is no effective screening test that has clearly shown a reduction in stillbirth rates in the general population. However, assessments of novel screening methods have generally failed to distinguish between effective identification of high-risk women and successful intervention for such women. Future research into stillbirth will probably focus on understanding the pathophysiology of impaired placentation to establish screening tests for stillbirth, and assessment of interventions to prevent stillbirth in women who screen positive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon C S Smith
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK.
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20
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Viskari S, Andersson S, Hytinantti T, Kirjavainen T. Altered cardiovascular control in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Pediatr Res 2007; 61:594-9. [PMID: 17413872 DOI: 10.1203/pdr.0b013e3180459f43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Vestibulo-mediated cardiovascular control in hazardous situations is important. Our hypothesis is that the prerequisite for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is impaired vestibulo-mediated cardiovascular control. Prematurity is a risk factor for SIDS, and postnatal intermittent hypoxia may contribute to this risk. We studied heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) responses in 10 infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) who were born at 27 +/- 2.4 (23-30) wk of gestation. Twenty healthy term infants served as controls. Cardiovascular tests were performed under polysomnographic control during slow-wave sleep (SWS) at a corrected age of 12 +/- 3.5 (7-19) wk. Control infants showed biphasic HR and BP responses to side motion with an immediate increase followed by a modest decrease and return to baseline. Compared with the controls, half of the BPD infants had altered BP responses (p < 0.005) without an early increase, followed by a more prominent decrease in BP. BPD infants also presented with a greater variability in BP responses to head-up tilts than did the controls (p < 0.001). In conclusion, these findings suggest that some BPD infants have impaired vestibular sympathoreflex-mediated cardiovascular control. This dysfunction may become critical in life-threatening situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suvi Viskari
- Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, 00029 HUS, Finland
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21
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Horton NJ, Kleinman KP. Much ado about nothing: A comparison of missing data methods and software to fit incomplete data regression models. AM STAT 2007; 61:79-90. [PMID: 17401454 PMCID: PMC1839993 DOI: 10.1198/000313007x172556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 376] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Missing data are a recurring problem that can cause bias or lead to inefficient analyses. Development of statistical methods to address missingness have been actively pursued in recent years, including imputation, likelihood and weighting approaches. Each approach is more complicated when there are many patterns of missing values, or when both categorical and continuous random variables are involved. Implementations of routines to incorporate observations with incomplete variables in regression models are now widely available. We review these routines in the context of a motivating example from a large health services research dataset. While there are still limitations to the current implementations, and additional efforts are required of the analyst, it is feasible to incorporate partially observed values, and these methods should be utilized in practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ken P. Kleinman
- Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Boston, MA
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Smith GCS, Shah I, White IR, Pell JP, Crossley JA, Dobbie R. Maternal and biochemical predictors of spontaneous preterm birth among nulliparous women: a systematic analysis in relation to the degree of prematurity. Int J Epidemiol 2006; 35:1169-77. [PMID: 16882673 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyl154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nulliparous women are at increased risk of spontaneous preterm birth. Other maternal and biochemical risk factors have also been described. However, it is unclear whether these associations are strong enough to offer clinically useful prediction. It is also unclear whether the predictive power of these factors varies in relation to the degree of prematurity. METHODS The risk of spontaneous preterm birth associated with maternal characteristics and second trimester serum screening data was analysed in a dataset of 84 391 first births in Scotland between 1992 and 2001 using Cox and logistic regression. Variation in the relative risk of preterm birth over the period 24-36 weeks was assessed using a test of the proportional hazards assumption. RESULTS The risk of spontaneous preterm birth was positively associated with maternal serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein, socioeconomic deprivation, number of previous therapeutic abortions, smoking, and being unmarried and was negatively associated with height and body mass index. The risk of preterm birth at 24-28 weeks, but not later gestations, was increased in association with maternal levels of human chorionic gonadotrophin >95th percentile, maternal age <20, and two or more previous miscarriages. The area under the receiver operating characterise curve (95% CI) for models based on these factors was 0.67 (0.63-0.71) for 24-28 weeks, 0.65 (0.62-0.68) for 29-32 weeks, and 0.62 (0.61-0.63) for 33-36 weeks. CONCLUSIONS Time to event analytic methods can identify factors that are differentially associated with spontaneous preterm birth according to the degree of prematurity. However, models based on maternal and biochemical data perform poorly as a screening test for any degree of spontaneous preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon C S Smith
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cambridge University, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK.
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Dalen I, Buonaccorsi JP, Laake P, Hjartåker A, Thoresen M. Regression analysis with categorized regression calibrated exposure: some interesting findings. Emerg Themes Epidemiol 2006; 3:6. [PMID: 16820052 PMCID: PMC1559617 DOI: 10.1186/1742-7622-3-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2006] [Accepted: 07/04/2006] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Regression calibration as a method for handling measurement error is becoming increasingly well-known and used in epidemiologic research. However, the standard version of the method is not appropriate for exposure analyzed on a categorical (e.g. quintile) scale, an approach commonly used in epidemiologic studies. A tempting solution could then be to use the predicted continuous exposure obtained through the regression calibration method and treat it as an approximation to the true exposure, that is, include the categorized calibrated exposure in the main regression analysis. METHODS We use semi-analytical calculations and simulations to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach compared to the naive approach of not correcting for measurement error, in situations where analyses are performed on quintile scale and when incorporating the original scale into the categorical variables, respectively. We also present analyses of real data, containing measures of folate intake and depression, from the Norwegian Women and Cancer study (NOWAC). RESULTS In cases where extra information is available through replicated measurements and not validation data, regression calibration does not maintain important qualities of the true exposure distribution, thus estimates of variance and percentiles can be severely biased. We show that the outlined approach maintains much, in some cases all, of the misclassification found in the observed exposure. For that reason, regression analysis with the corrected variable included on a categorical scale is still biased. In some cases the corrected estimates are analytically equal to those obtained by the naive approach. Regression calibration is however vastly superior to the naive method when applying the medians of each category in the analysis. CONCLUSION Regression calibration in its most well-known form is not appropriate for measurement error correction when the exposure is analyzed on a percentile scale. Relating back to the original scale of the exposure solves the problem. The conclusion regards all regression models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingvild Dalen
- lnstitute of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1122, Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
| | - John P Buonaccorsi
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Massachusetts, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003-9305, USA
| | - Petter Laake
- lnstitute of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1122, Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
| | - Anette Hjartåker
- Institute of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tromsø, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Magne Thoresen
- lnstitute of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Biostatistics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1122, Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
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Smith GCS, White IR. Predicting the risk for sudden infant death syndrome from obstetric characteristics: a retrospective cohort study of 505,011 live births. Pediatrics 2006; 117:60-6. [PMID: 16396861 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2004-2828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We sought to develop a simple robust method for assessing the risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) on the basis of obstetric characteristics. METHODS A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted of data from the linked Scottish Morbidity Record, Stillbirth and Infant Death Enquiry and General Registrar's Office database of births and deaths, encompassing births in Scotland between 1992 and 2001. All women who had a singleton live birth between 24 and 43 weeks' gestation and for whom data were available (n = 505,011), divided into model development and validation samples, were studied. The main outcome measure was death of the infant in the first year of life as a result of SIDS. RESULTS The risk for SIDS was modeled in the development sample using logistic regression with the following predictors: maternal age, parity, marital status, smoking, and the birth weight and the gender of the infant. When the model was evaluated in the validation sample, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.84 and the incidence of SIDS was 0.7 per 10,000 (95% confidence interval: 0.3-1.4) among 126,253 women in the lower 50% of predicted risk and 29.7 per 10,000 (95% confidence interval: 23.4-37.2) among the 25,250 women in the top 10% of predicted risk. A logistic-regression model then was developed for the whole population, and the output was converted into adjusted likelihood ratios. These are tabulated and provide a simple method for assessing the risk for SIDS associated with any combination of obstetric characteristics. CONCLUSIONS A model that uses maternal characteristics and outcome at birth is predictive of the risk for SIDS. This model is presented in a simple form that allows calculation of the individual risk for SIDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon C S Smith
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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Smith GCS, Shah I, Crossley JA, Aitken DA, Pell JP, Nelson SM, Cameron AD, Connor MJ, Dobbie R. Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein A and Alpha-fetoprotein and Prediction of Adverse Perinatal Outcome. Obstet Gynecol 2006; 107:161-6. [PMID: 16394054 DOI: 10.1097/01.aog.0000191302.79560.d8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe the association between pregnancy associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and adverse perinatal outcome. METHODS We conducted a multicenter prospective cohort study of 8,483 women attending for prenatal care in southern Scotland between 1998 and 2000. The risk of delivering a small for gestational age infant, delivering preterm, and stillbirth were related to maternal serum levels of PAPP-A and AFP. RESULTS Women with a low PAPP-A were not more likely to have elevated levels of AFP. Compared with women with a normal PAPP-A and a normal AFP, the odds ratio for delivering a small for gestational age infant for women with a high AFP was 0.9 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.5-1.6), for women with a low PAPP-A was 2.8 (95% CI 2.0-4.0), and for women with both a high AFP and a low PAPP-A was 8.5 (95% CI 3.6-20.0). The odds ratio for delivering preterm for women with a high AFP was 1.8 (95% CI 1.3-2.7), for women with a low PAPP-A was 1.9 (95% CI 1.3-2.7), and for women with both a low PAPP-A and a high AFP was 9.9 (95% CI 4.4-22.0). These interactions were statistically significant for both outcomes (P = .03 and .04, respectively). There was a nonsignificant trend toward a similar interaction in relation to stillbirth risk. Of the women with the combination of a low PAPP-A and high AFP, 32.1% (95% CI 15.9-52.4) delivered a low birth weight infant. CONCLUSION Low maternal serum levels of PAPP-A between 10 and 14 weeks and high levels of AFP between 15 and 21 weeks gestation are synergistically associated with adverse perinatal outcome. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE II-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon C S Smith
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The likelihood of recurrence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is an issue of biological, clinical, and legal interest. Obstetric complications are associated with an increased risk of SIDS and are likely to recur in subsequent pregnancies. We postulated that women whose infants died from SIDS would be more likely to have had obstetric complications in their other pregnancies. METHODS We linked national UK databases of maternity-hospital discharges, perinatal deaths, and death certifications. We studied 258 096 women who had consecutive births in Scotland between 1985 and 2001. FINDINGS Women who had an infant who died from SIDS were at increased risk in their next pregnancy of delivering an infant small for gestational age (odds ratio 2.27, 95% CI 1.54-3.34, p<0.0001) and of preterm birth (2.53, 1.82-3.53, p<0.0001). The risk of SIDS was higher for the children of women whose previous infant had been small for gestational age (1.87, 1.19-2.94, p=0.007) or preterm (1.93, 1.24-3.00, p=0.004). Multivariate analysis showed that all associations were explained by common maternal risk factors for SIDS and obstetric complications and by the likelihood of recurrence of fetal growth restriction and preterm birth. INTERPRETATION Women whose infants die from SIDS are more likely to have complications in their other pregnancies. Recurrence of pregnancy complications predisposing to SIDS could partly explain why some women have recurrent SIDS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon C S Smith
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cambridge University, Rosie Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2SW, UK.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To examine recent research relevant to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) to determine whether there is a place for home monitoring in the care of children believed to be at risk. RECENT FINDINGS Current SIDS research has focused on the genetics of SIDS, brainstem abnormalities and arousal failures, the effects of tobacco smoke and other environmental agents, the role of infectious diseases, and prenatal factors that may contribute to SIDS. Investigations have suggested that there are infants who appear to respond less effectively when challenged by certain environmental or infectious agents. These infants have blunted responses to stress and diminished arousal to hypoxemia, in part because of failures in genetically determined brainstem function. It is unclear at this time whether home monitoring would offer protection in all circumstances, but it may be helpful in certain patients. SUMMARY There appears to be progress in understanding the causes of SIDS. As additional studies emerge, the optimal approaches to care will become more apparent, with home monitoring one of the possible interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan R Spitzer
- Center for Research and Education, Pediatrix Medical Group, Sunrise, Florida 33323, USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael H Malloy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, USA
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