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Hong J, Crawford K, Daly M, Clifton V, da Silva Costa F, Perkins AV, Matsika A, Lourie R, Kumar S. Utility of placental biomarkers and fetoplacental Dopplers in predicting likely placental pathology in early and late fetal growth restriction - A prospective study. Placenta 2024; 156:20-29. [PMID: 39232442 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2024.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/27/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between placental abnormalities, placental biomarkers, and fetoplacental Dopplers in a cohort of pregnancies complicated by fetal growth restriction (FGR). We also ascertained the risk of perinatal mortality, severe neurological morbidity, and severe non-neurological morbidity by type of placental abnormality. METHODS This was a prospective cohort study. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the effect of early vs. late FGR, placental biomarkers and fetoplacental Dopplers on Maternal Vascular Malperfusion (MVM) which was the commonest placental abnormality identified. RESULTS There were 161 (53.5 %) early FGR and 140 (46.5 %) late FGR cases. MVM abnormalities were present in 154 (51.2 %), VUE in 45 (14.6 %), FVM in 16 (5.3 %), DVM in 14 (4.7 %) and CHI in 4 (1.3 %) cases. The odds of MVM were higher in early compared to late FGR cohort (OR 1.89, 95%CI 1.14, 3.14, p = 0.01). Low maternal PlGF levels <100 ng/L (OR 2.34, 95%CI 1.27,4.31, p = 0.01), high sFlt-1 level (OR 2.13, 95%CI 1.35, 3.36, p = 0.001) or elevated sFlt-1/PlGF ratio (OR 3.48, 95%CI 1.36, 8.91, p = 0.01) were all associated with MVM. Increased UA PI > 95th centile (OR 2.91, 95%CI 1.71, 4.95, p=<0.001) and mean UtA PI z-score (OR 1.74, 95%CI 1.15, 2.64, p = 0.01) were associated with higher odds of MVM. Rates of severe non-neurological morbidity were highest in the MVM, FVM, and CHI cohorts (44.8 %, 50 %, and 50 % respectively). CONCLUSION MVM was the commonest placental abnormality in FGR, particularly in early-onset disease. Low maternal PlGF levels, high sFlt-1 levels, elevated sFlt-1/PlGF ratio, and abnormal fetoplacental Dopplers were also significantly associated with MVM. MVM, FVM, and CHI abnormalities were associated with lower median birthweight, higher rates of preterm birth, operative birth for non-reassuring fetal status, and severe neonatal non-neurological morbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesrine Hong
- Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Level 3, Aubigny Place, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101, Australia; School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, 4006, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - Kylie Crawford
- Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Level 3, Aubigny Place, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101, Australia; School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, 4006, Australia
| | - Matthew Daly
- Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Level 3, Aubigny Place, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101, Australia; School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, 4006, Australia
| | - Vicki Clifton
- Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Level 3, Aubigny Place, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101, Australia
| | - Fabricio da Silva Costa
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University and Maternal Fetal Medicine Unit, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anthony V Perkins
- School of Health, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
| | - Admire Matsika
- Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Level 3, Aubigny Place, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101, Australia
| | - Rohan Lourie
- Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Level 3, Aubigny Place, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101, Australia
| | - Sailesh Kumar
- Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Level 3, Aubigny Place, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101, Australia; School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, 4006, Australia; NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Stillbirth, Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
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Alturkustani M, Alomran A, Al-Thomali HH. Enhancing the Diagnostic Accuracy of Placental Pathology by Using the Amsterdam Consensus Criteria. Cureus 2024; 16:e66153. [PMID: 39233958 PMCID: PMC11372434 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.66153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and objective Standardizing placental pathology diagnoses is crucial for improving diagnostic accuracy and clinical communication. The Amsterdam Consensus Criteria were developed to address inconsistencies in diagnosing significant placental pathologies. This study aimed to assess the application and effectiveness of the Amsterdam Consensus Criteria in diagnosing placental pathologies, with a focus on improving the reliability and precision of placental pathology reports. Methods A retrospective review of 100 consecutively archived placental pathology samples was performed at a tertiary care hospital. These samples, gathered from January through December 2021, were reassessed according to the Amsterdam criteria. The revised diagnoses were then compared with the original descriptive diagnoses. Results Significant changes were noted in all principal diagnoses, including maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM), fetal vascular malperfusion (FVM), chronic villitis of unknown etiology (VUE), and acute chorioamnionitis (ACA). This evaluation led to a recategorization of several cases. Frequently, parenchymal infarcts were reported without adequate information to ascertain their association with MVM. Additionally, there was a noticeable lack of understanding of FVM and VUE among pathologists. ACA was the condition most consistently documented. However, detailed grading and staging were often not included. Conclusions Our findings emphasize the need to use standardized diagnostic criteria, such as the Amsterdam criteria, to enhance diagnostic accuracy and facilitate communication between pathologists and clinicians. This will ultimately lead to improved patient care outcomes. It also underlines the necessity of continuous education and calibration for pathologists to mitigate interobserver variability. There is a demand to modify these criteria to ensure universal applicability and relevance in various clinical settings.
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Irmakci I, Nateghi R, Zhou R, Vescovo M, Saft M, Ross AE, Yang XJ, Cooper LAD, Goldstein JA. Tissue Contamination Challenges the Credibility of Machine Learning Models in Real World Digital Pathology. Mod Pathol 2024; 37:100422. [PMID: 38185250 PMCID: PMC10960671 DOI: 10.1016/j.modpat.2024.100422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Machine learning (ML) models are poised to transform surgical pathology practice. The most successful use attention mechanisms to examine whole slides, identify which areas of tissue are diagnostic, and use them to guide diagnosis. Tissue contaminants, such as floaters, represent unexpected tissue. Although human pathologists are extensively trained to consider and detect tissue contaminants, we examined their impact on ML models. We trained 4 whole-slide models. Three operate in placenta for the following functions: (1) detection of decidual arteriopathy, (2) estimation of gestational age, and (3) classification of macroscopic placental lesions. We also developed a model to detect prostate cancer in needle biopsies. We designed experiments wherein patches of contaminant tissue are randomly sampled from known slides and digitally added to patient slides and measured model performance. We measured the proportion of attention given to contaminants and examined the impact of contaminants in the t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding feature space. Every model showed performance degradation in response to one or more tissue contaminants. Decidual arteriopathy detection--balanced accuracy decreased from 0.74 to 0.69 ± 0.01 with addition of 1 patch of prostate tissue for every 100 patches of placenta (1% contaminant). Bladder, added at 10% contaminant, raised the mean absolute error in estimating gestational age from 1.626 weeks to 2.371 ± 0.003 weeks. Blood, incorporated into placental sections, induced false-negative diagnoses of intervillous thrombi. Addition of bladder to prostate cancer needle biopsies induced false positives, a selection of high-attention patches, representing 0.033 mm2, and resulted in a 97% false-positive rate when added to needle biopsies. Contaminant patches received attention at or above the rate of the average patch of patient tissue. Tissue contaminants induce errors in modern ML models. The high level of attention given to contaminants indicates a failure to encode biological phenomena. Practitioners should move to quantify and ameliorate this problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismail Irmakci
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Ramin Nateghi
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Rujoi Zhou
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Mariavittoria Vescovo
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Madeline Saft
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Ashley E Ross
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Ximing J Yang
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Lee A D Cooper
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Jeffery A Goldstein
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
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de Graaff E, Anderson N, Sadler L, Lakhdhir H, Simon-Kumar R, Peiris-John R, Burgess W, Okesene-Gafa K, Cronin R, McCowan L, Bartlett K. A validation of placental pathology reports by ethnicity in New Zealand, through systematic analysis of histological slides. Placenta 2024; 145:162-168. [PMID: 38142649 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Reliability studies of placental examination have shown differing interobserver agreement for certain pathological features, a lack of uniform reporting criteria and variable experience among pathologists. In previous analyses we have shown that placental pathology differs by ethnicity. This validation study was performed to investigate whether bias related to ethnicity is a feature of placental pathology reporting in New Zealand (NZ). METHODS 199 of 1726 eligible perinatal death cases between 2008 and 2017 were selected at random for this audit-type study, including 51 cases from South Asian, Māori and NZ European ethnicity and 46 cases from Pacific mothers. Stored histology slides were blinded and re-examined by an experienced perinatal pathologist, and linked to the corresponding original pathology report. Interobserver agreement (overall, by ethnicity and by gestational age) was described by proportional differences and kappa coefficients. RESULTS Total interobserver agreement between original placental reporting and the validation review was 89.7 %, which differed by pathological feature. There was generally more underreporting than overreporting (3.6 % and 6.7 %, respectively). There was little disagreement by ethnicity (decidual vasculopathy [p = 0.03]), although there were more differences by gestational age (villous morphology [p < 0.01], chorioamnionitis [p = 0.03], high-grade villitis of unknown etiology [p < 0.01], and placental haemorrhage [p = 0.03]). DISCUSSION No systematic bias in placental pathology reporting in NZ was identified by ethnicity or gestational age, as observed differences could be related to the underlying prevalence of pathology. We identified more underreporting than overreporting of pathology in the original reports, emphasizing the importance of placental investigation by specialised perinatal pathologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esti de Graaff
- The University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Building 507, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
| | - Ngaire Anderson
- The University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Building 507, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
| | - Lynn Sadler
- The University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Building 507, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand; Te Toka Tumai Auckland, Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand, 2 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
| | - Heena Lakhdhir
- Counties Manukau District, Division of Women's Health, Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand, 100 Hospital Road, Ōtāhuhu, Auckland, 2025, New Zealand.
| | - Rachel Simon-Kumar
- The University of Auckland School of Population Health, Building 507, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
| | - Roshini Peiris-John
- The University of Auckland Section of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Building 507, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
| | - Wendy Burgess
- The University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Building 507, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
| | - Karaponi Okesene-Gafa
- The University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Building 507, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand; Counties Manukau District, Division of Women's Health, Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand, 100 Hospital Road, Ōtāhuhu, Auckland, 2025, New Zealand.
| | - Robin Cronin
- The University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Building 507, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand; Counties Manukau District, Division of Women's Health, Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand, 100 Hospital Road, Ōtāhuhu, Auckland, 2025, New Zealand.
| | - Lesley McCowan
- The University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Building 507, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
| | - Kate Bartlett
- Auckland District Health Board LabPlus, Auckland City Hospital, Building 31, Gate 4 Grafton Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1148, New Zealand.
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Davis DL, Lechner AC, Chapel DB, Slack JC, Carreon CK, Quade BJ, Parra-Herran C. Outcome-Based Risk Stratification Model for the Diagnosis of Placental Maternal Vascular Malperfusion. Mod Pathol 2024; 37:100370. [PMID: 38015042 DOI: 10.1016/j.modpat.2023.100370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The Amsterdam Consensus Statement introduced the term maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM) to group a constellation of findings associated with impaired maternal-placental circulation. In isolation, these findings are relatively common in placentas from normal gestations, and there is uncertainty on how many, and which, are required. We aimed to determine the criteria essential for MVM diagnosis in correlation with obstetrical outcomes. A total of 200 placentas (100 with a reported diagnosis of MVM and 100 controls matched by maternal age and gravida-para-abortus status) were reviewed to document MVM features. Obstetrical outcomes in the current pregnancy were recorded including hypertension, pre-eclampsia with or without severe features, gestational diabetes, prematurity, fetal growth restriction, and intrauterine fetal demise. On univariate logistic regression analysis, adverse outcome was associated with low placental weight (LPW, <10% percentile for gestational age), accelerated villous maturation (AVM), decidual arteriopathy (DA), infarcts (presence and volume), distal villous hypoplasia, and excess multinucleated trophoblast in basal plate ≥2 mm (all P < .01) but not with retroplacental hemorrhage. In a multivariable model DA, infarcts and AVM were significantly associated with adverse outcomes, whereas LPW showed a trend toward significance. A receiver-operating characteristic curve including these 4 parameters showed good predictive ability (area under the curve [AUC], 0.8256). Based on the probability of an adverse outcome, we recommend consistent reporting of DA, AVM, infarcts, and LPW, summarizing them as "diagnostic of MVM" (DA or AVM plus any other feature, yielding a probability of 65%-97% for adverse obstetrical outcomes) or "suggestive of MVM" (if only 1 feature is present, or only 2 features are infarcts plus LPW, yielding a probability of up to 52%). Other features such as distal villous hypoplasia, excess (≥2 mm) multinucleated trophoblast, and retroplacental hemorrhage can also be reported, and their role in MVM diagnosis should be further studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dale L Davis
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Adam C Lechner
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri
| | - David B Chapel
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Jonathan C Slack
- Robert J. Tomsich Institute of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | | | - Bradley J Quade
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Carlos Parra-Herran
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Cheloufi M, Coulomb A, Abisror N, Kayem G, Fain O, Alijotas-Reig J, Mekinian A. Massive perivillous fibrin deposition: Diagnosis, obstetrical features, and treatment. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2024; 292:125-132. [PMID: 37995528 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2023.11.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
MPVFD (Massive perivillous fibrin deposition) is placental lesion characterized by extensive massive deposits of fibrin in the intervillous space, extending over at least 25 % of the placental volume. Currently, this pathology can only be detected through histopathological examination of the placenta after a pregnancy has ended. The underlying mechanisms are poorly studied, there is no biomarker available for the diagnosis of MPVFD and treatment protocols are experimental and still lacking. The objective of this study is to systematically review the literature on the associated clinicopathologic features, treatment, and prognosis of MPVFD. We ended up with 17 studies, of these 12 studies were considered relevant for this article and included in the final analysis. All studies reporting MPVFD are retrospective. MPVFD is associated with recurrent miscarriage, intra uterine fetal death (IUFD), intra uterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preterm delivery. The prevalence in pregnancies with a delivery after 22 weeks of gestation was at 1.1 % and even higher to 2.7 % in recurrent early miscarriages. The reported risk of fetal death in MPVFD ranges mainly from 15 to 80 %. Preterm delivery is spontaneous in 50 to 70 % of cases and induced by of a severe intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) in 30 to 50 % of cases depending on the study. Its causes and treatment are still poorly understood, although several avenues have been explored. This review summarizes current understanding of the prevalence, diagnostic features, clinical consequences, immune pathology, and potential prophylaxis against recurrence in this chronic inflammatory placental syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meryam Cheloufi
- Sorbonne Université, Service de Gynécologie Obstétrique Hôpital Trousseau, AP-HP, F-75012, Faculté de Médecine Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Aurore Coulomb
- Sorbonne Université, service d'Anatomie et Cytologie Pathologiques, AP-HP, Hôpital Trousseau, F-75012 Paris, France
| | - Noémie Abisror
- Sorbonne Université, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, service de Médecine Interne (DMU i3), F-75012 Paris, France
| | - Gilles Kayem
- Sorbonne Université, Service de Gynécologie Obstétrique Hôpital Trousseau, AP-HP, F-75012, Faculté de Médecine Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Fain
- Sorbonne Université, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, service de Médecine Interne (DMU i3), F-75012 Paris, France
| | - Jaume Alijotas-Reig
- Systemic Autoimmune Disease Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Vall d'Hebrón University Hospital, and Departament of Medicine Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arsène Mekinian
- Sorbonne Université, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, service de Médecine Interne (DMU i3), F-75012 Paris, France.
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Mead MJ, McWhorter CA, Rodgers MD, Ebeling MD, Shary JR, Gregoski MJ, Hollis BW, Hewison M, Johnson D, Caplan MJ, Wagner CL. Does maternal vitamin D status influence placental weight or vascular and inflammatory pathology? Secondary analysis from the Kellogg Pregnancy Study. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2023; 233:106358. [PMID: 37414103 PMCID: PMC11229515 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2023.106358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Positive effects of vitamin D (vitD) supplementation on comorbidities of pregnancy (COP) have been explored; however, few studies have elucidated the pathophysiology behind the development of these COP and the potential relationship with derangements in placental development and morphology. Additionally, it is known that placentas weighing 10th-90th % for gestational age are associated with better outcomes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the impact of resulting circulating serum 25(OH)D concentrations associated with intake of high or low doses of supplementary vitD on placental development and morphology in women who participated in a randomized double blind, placebo-controlled trial of vitD supplementation. We hypothesized that if maternal serum 25(OH)D concentration (vitD status marker) is insufficient/deficient, then placental weight and % for gestational age (GA) will be smaller and will correlate with increased vascular and inflammatory placental pathologic findings. METHODS The findings of the present study are a secondary analysis of data generated from a previously reported randomized controlled trial (RCT), the Kellogg Vitamin D Pregnancy Study. Pregnant women (n = 297) in this RCT (January 2013 - April 2018) were randomly assigned to 400 IU vs. 4400 IU vitD/day (10-14 weeks' gestational age) and followed to delivery. 132 placentas were analyzed by pathologists blinded to treatment, and the 2016 Amsterdam Consensus Criteria were used to categorize grouping/grading of placental pathology and weight. Total [25(OH)D] was measured using radioimmunoassay (ng/mL). Chi-square and Student's t-test were used to show the difference in maternal characteristics by treatment group and by placental weight. Chi-square analysis was used to determine differences between the percent pathology findings by treatment group. Students t-test was used to determine the differences in vitD status and the frequency of placental lesions. Association between [25(OH)D] area under the curve (AUC) and placental morphology were determined in a regression model that included maternal BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, race/ethnicity, and vitD treatment group allocation. Data were analyzed using SAS v9.4 (Cary, NC) and statistical significance was indicated by p < 0.05. RESULTS The percent pathology findings by treatment group were not significantly different for each of the placental pathology categories as defined by the 2016 Amsterdam Consensus Criteria including placental weight. However, when using 25(OH)D as a biomarker for vitD status, linear regression model showed maternal serum [25(OH)D] AUC was significantly associated with greater placental weight (p = 0.023). Logistic regression models showed mothers with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 had larger placental weight (p = 0.046), and Hispanic and white/Caucasian mothers had greater placental weights than Black American mothers (p = 0.025). When placentas ≥ 90th % for GA, n = 7, were removed from the placental pool, Pearson correlation still showed a positive association between maternal serum 25(OH)D AUC and placental weight (p = 0.011). In a second linear regression model of placentas ≥ 90th % for GA (n = 7) vs. placentas < 90th % (n = 108), maternal serum 25(OH)D AUC was significantly greater in those placentas ≥ 90th % (p = 0.03); however, this was not associated with increased perinatal mortality. CONCLUSION FINDINGS: suggest increasing maternal serum [25(OH)D] via vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy did not adversely affect placental morphology; trends showed those in the treatment group had fewer placental lesions. Placental weight was found to be significantly associated with [25(OH)D] AUC, which represents maternal vitamin D status over the course of pregnancy; 7 placentas ≥ 90th % for GA were not associated with perinatal mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly J Mead
- College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Caroline A McWhorter
- College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Megan D Rodgers
- College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Myla D Ebeling
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Judy R Shary
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Mathew J Gregoski
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Bruce W Hollis
- Darby Children's Research Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Martin Hewison
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, Level 2, Institute of Biomedical Research, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Donna Johnson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Michael J Caplan
- Franklin County Ohio Office of the Coroner, Franklin County, OH, United States
| | - Carol L Wagner
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States.
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Ernst LM, Basic E, Freedman AA, Price E, Suresh S. Comparison of Placental Pathology Reports From Spontaneous Preterm Births Finalized by General Surgical Pathologists Versus Perinatal Pathologist: A Call to Action. Am J Surg Pathol 2023; 47:1116-1121. [PMID: 37545349 DOI: 10.1097/pas.0000000000002111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Placental examination, frequently performed by general surgical pathologists, plays an important role in understanding patient outcomes and explaining the underlying mechanisms leading to preterm birth (PTB). This secondary analysis of a larger study recurrent PTB aimed to compare diagnoses between general surgical pathologists (GSP) and a perinatal pathologist (PP) in preterm placentas examined between 2009 and 2018 at a single institution. Pathology diagnoses were coded into 4 categories (acute inflammation [AI], chronic inflammation, fetal vascular malperfusion, maternal vascular malperfusion) based on original reports for the GSP and second review by the single PP. A total of 331 placentas were included, representing placentas finalized by 17 GSPs. The prevalence of all 4 placental diagnostic categories was higher for the PP, and nearly half (49.2%) of placentas finalized by GSP had no diagnostic findings. Agreement was highest for AI at κ=0.50 (weak agreement). However, there was no agreement for maternal vascular malperfusion (κ=0.063), chronic inflammation (κ=0.0026), and fetal vascular malperfusion (κ = -0.018). Chronic basal deciduitis with plasma cells had the highest false-negative rate (missed in 107 cases by GSP). Villous infarction had the highest false-positive rate (overcalled in 28/41 [68%] cases) with the majority of the "infarcts" representing intervillous thrombi. In conclusion, there is no agreement between GSP and PP when assessing placental pathology other than AI, and weak agreement even for AI. These findings are a call to action to implement educational efforts and structural/organizational changes to improve consistency of placental pathology reporting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda M Ernst
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Ena Basic
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
| | - Alexa A Freedman
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston
| | - Erica Price
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
| | - Sunitha Suresh
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston
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Alongi S, Lambicchi L, Moltrasio F, Botto VA, Bernasconi DP, Cuttin MS, Paterlini G, Malguzzi S, Locatelli A. Placental pathology in perinatal asphyxia: a case-control study. FRONTIERS IN CLINICAL DIABETES AND HEALTHCARE 2023; 4:1186362. [PMID: 37790677 PMCID: PMC10545088 DOI: 10.3389/fcdhc.2023.1186362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Placentas of term infants with birth asphyxia are reported to have more lesion such as maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM), fetal vascular malperfusion (FVM) and chorioamnionitis with fetal response (FIR) than those of term infants without birth asphyxia. We compared the placental pathology of asphyxiated newborns, including those who developed hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), with non-asphyxiated controls. Methods We conducted a retrospective case-control study of placentas from neonates with a gestational age ≥ 35 weeks, a birthweight ≥ 1,800 g, and no malformations. Cases were asphyxiated newborns (defined as those with an umbilical artery pH ≤ 7.0 or base excess ≤ -12 mMol, 10-minute Apgar score ≤ 5, or the need for resuscitation lasting >10 min) from a previous cohort, with (n=32) and without (n=173) diagnosis of HIE. Controls were non-asphyxiated newborns from low-risk l (n= 50) or high-risk (n= 68) pregnancies. Placentas were analyzed according to the Amsterdam Placental Workshop Group Consensus Statement 2014. Results Cases had a higher prevalence of nulliparity, BMI>25, thick meconium, abnormal fetal heart monitoring, and acute intrapartum events than controls (p<0.001). MVM and FVM were more frequent among non-asphyxiated than asphyxiated newborns (p<0.001). There was no significant difference in inflammatory lesions or abnormal umbilical insertion site. Histologic meconium-associated changes (MAC) were observed in asphyxiated newborns only (p= 0.039). Discussion Our results confirm the role of antepartum and intrapartum risk factors in neonatal asphyxia and HIE. No association between neonatal asphyxia and placental lesions was found, except for in the case of MAC. The association between clinical and placental data is crucial to understanding and possibly preventing perinatal asphyxia in subsequent pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Alongi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, San Gerardo Hospital, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, MB, Italy
| | - Laura Lambicchi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fondazione MONZA e BRIANZA per il BAMBINO e la sua MAMMA (MBBM), San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, MB, Italy
| | - Francesca Moltrasio
- Department of Pathology, Desio Hospital, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) Brianza, Desio, MB, Italy
| | | | - Davide Paolo Bernasconi
- Bicocca Bioinformatics Biostatistics and Bioimaging Centre – B4, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, MB, Italy
| | - Maria Serena Cuttin
- Department of Pathology, Vimercate Hospital, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) Brianza, Vimercate, MB, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Paterlini
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Fondazione MONZA e BRIANZA per il BAMBINO e la sua MAMMA (MBBM), San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, MB, Italy
| | - Silvia Malguzzi
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Fondazione MONZA e BRIANZA per il BAMBINO e la sua MAMMA (MBBM), San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, MB, Italy
| | - Anna Locatelli
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, MB, Italy
- Obstetrics, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
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10
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Dancey SR, Benton SJ, Lafreniere AJ, Leckie M, McLeod B, Sim J, El-Demellawy D, Grynspan D, Bainbridge SA. Synoptic Reporting in Clinical Placental Pathology: A Preliminary Investigation Into Report Findings and Interobserver Agreement. Pediatr Dev Pathol 2023; 26:333-344. [PMID: 37082923 PMCID: PMC10559645 DOI: 10.1177/10935266231164446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Placental pathology is key for investigating adverse pregnancy outcomes, however, lack of standardization in reporting has limited clinical utility. We evaluated a novel placental pathology synoptic report, comparing its robustness to narrative reports, and assessed interobserver agreement. METHODS 100 singleton placentas were included. Histology slides were examined by 2 senior perinatal pathologists and 2 pathology residents using a synoptic report (32 lesions). Historical narrative reports were compared to synoptic reports. Kappa scores were calculated for interobserver agreement between senior, resident, and senior vs resident pathologists. RESULTS Synoptic reporting detected 169 (51.4%) lesion instances initially not included in historical reports. Amongst senior pathologists, 64% of all lesions examined demonstrated fair-to-excellent agreement (Kappa ≥0.41), with only 26% of Kappas ≥0.41 amongst those examined by resident pathologists. Well-characterized lesions (e.g., chorioamnionitis) demonstrated higher agreement, with lower agreement for uncommon lesions and those previously shown to have poor consensus. DISCUSSION Synoptic reporting is one proposed method to address issues in placenta pathology reporting. The synoptic report generally identifies more lesions compared to the narrative report, however clinical significance remains unclear. Interobserver agreement is likely related to differential in experience. Further efforts to improve overall standardization of placenta pathology reporting are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia R. Dancey
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Samantha J. Benton
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Michal Leckie
- Department of Pathology, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Benjamin McLeod
- Department of Pathology, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jordan Sim
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Dina El-Demellawy
- Department of Pathology, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - David Grynspan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Vernon Jubilee Hospital, Vernon, BC, Canada
| | - Shannon A. Bainbridge
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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11
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Irmakci I, Nateghi R, Zhou R, Ross AE, Yang XJ, Cooper LAD, Goldstein JA. Tissue contamination challenges the credibility of machine learning models in real world digital pathology. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.04.28.23289287. [PMID: 37205404 PMCID: PMC10187357 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.28.23289287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Machine learning (ML) models are poised to transform surgical pathology practice. The most successful use attention mechanisms to examine whole slides, identify which areas of tissue are diagnostic, and use them to guide diagnosis. Tissue contaminants, such as floaters, represent unexpected tissue. While human pathologists are extensively trained to consider and detect tissue contaminants, we examined their impact on ML models. We trained 4 whole slide models. Three operate in placenta for 1) detection of decidual arteriopathy (DA), 2) estimation of gestational age (GA), and 3) classification of macroscopic placental lesions. We also developed a model to detect prostate cancer in needle biopsies. We designed experiments wherein patches of contaminant tissue are randomly sampled from known slides and digitally added to patient slides and measured model performance. We measured the proportion of attention given to contaminants and examined the impact of contaminants in T-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (tSNE) feature space. Every model showed performance degradation in response to one or more tissue contaminants. DA detection balanced accuracy decreased from 0.74 to 0.69 +/- 0.01 with addition of 1 patch of prostate tissue for every 100 patches of placenta (1% contaminant). Bladder, added at 10% contaminant raised the mean absolute error in estimating gestation age from 1.626 weeks to 2.371 +/ 0.003 weeks. Blood, incorporated into placental sections, induced false negative diagnoses of intervillous thrombi. Addition of bladder to prostate cancer needle biopsies induced false positives, a selection of high-attention patches, representing 0.033mm2, resulted in a 97% false positive rate when added to needle biopsies. Contaminant patches received attention at or above the rate of the average patch of patient tissue. Tissue contaminants induce errors in modern ML models. The high level of attention given to contaminants indicates a failure to encode biological phenomena. Practitioners should move to quantify and ameliorate this problem.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jeffery A. Goldstein
- To whom correspondence should be addressed: Olson 2-455, 710 N. Fairbanks Ave, Chicago IL, 60611,
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12
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Shanes ED, Miller ES, Otero S, Ebbott R, Aggarwal R, Willnow AS, Ozer EA, Mithal LB, Goldstein JA. Placental Pathology After SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the Pre-Variant of Concern, Alpha / Gamma, Delta, or Omicron Eras. Int J Surg Pathol 2022; 31:387-397. [PMID: 35645148 PMCID: PMC9152633 DOI: 10.1177/10668969221102534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Objectives.The goal of this study is to describe placental
pathology after infection with SARS-CoV-2 before the predominance of variants of
concern (pre-VOC) and during eras of predominant transmission of the Alpha &
Gamma (co-circulating), Delta, and Omicron variants. Methods.
We used county-level variant data to establish population-level variant
proportions, SARS-CoV-2 PCR to identify cases, and IgG serology to exclude
latent infections from controls and histopathologic examination to identify
placental pathology. Results. We report findings in 870
placentas from pregnancies complicated by SARS-CoV-2 including 90 with infection
in the Alpha/Gamma era, 60 from the Delta era and 56 from the Omicron era.
Features of maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM), including decidual
arteriopathy, were significantly more frequent after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The
risk of these findings varied over time, with the highest rates in the Delta
era. Increased COVID-19 severity and the presence of comorbidities strengthened
these associations. Conclusion. MVM is a feature of SARS-CoV-2
infection in pregnancy. Lesion frequency changed with the predominant
circulating virus and should be considered with new variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisheva D. Shanes
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Emily S. Miller
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sebastian Otero
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Department of Infectious Diseases, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Rebecca Ebbott
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Raveena Aggarwal
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Antonia S. Willnow
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Department of Infectious Diseases, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Egon A. Ozer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Leena B. Mithal
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Department of Infectious Diseases, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Jeffery A. Goldstein
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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13
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Diagnostic utility of serial circulating placental growth factor levels and uterine artery Doppler waveforms in diagnosing underlying placental diseases in pregnancies at high risk of placental dysfunction. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022; 227:618.e1-618.e16. [PMID: 35644246 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.05.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Placental pathology assessment following delivery in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, abruption, and stillbirth reveals a range of underlying diseases. The most common pathology is maternal vascular malperfusion, characterized by high-resistance uterine artery Doppler waveforms and abnormal expression of circulating maternal angiogenic growth factors. Rare placental diseases (massive perivillous fibrinoid deposition and chronic histiocytic intervillositis) are reported to have high recurrence risks, but their associations with uterine artery Doppler waveforms and angiogenic growth factors are presently ill-defined. OBJECTIVE To characterize the patterns of serial placental growth factor measurements and uterine artery Doppler waveform assessments in pregnancies that develop specific types of placental pathology to gain insight into their relationships with the timing of disease onset and pregnancy outcomes. STUDY DESIGN A retrospective cohort study conducted between January 2017 and November 2021 included all singleton pregnancies with at least 1 measurement of maternal circulating placental growth factor between 16 and 36 weeks' gestation, delivery at our institution, and placental pathology analysis demonstrating diagnostic features of maternal vascular malperfusion, fetal vascular malperfusion, villitis of unknown etiology, chronic histiocytic intervillositis, or massive perivillous fibrinoid deposition. Profiles of circulating placental growth factor as gestational age advanced were compared between these placental pathologies. Maternal and perinatal outcomes were recorded. RESULTS A total of 337 pregnancies from 329 individuals met our inclusion criteria. These comprised placental pathology diagnoses of maternal vascular malperfusion (n=109), fetal vascular malperfusion (n=87), villitis of unknown etiology (n=96), chronic histiocytic intervillositis (n=16), and massive perivillous fibrinoid deposition (n=29). Among patients who developed maternal vascular malperfusion, placental growth factor levels gradually declined as pregnancy progressed (placental growth factor <10th percentile at 16-20 weeks' gestation in 42.9%; 20-24 weeks in 61.9%; 24-28 weeks in 77%; and 28-32 weeks in 81.4%) accompanied by mean uterine artery Doppler pulsatility index >95th percentile in 71.6% cases. Patients who developed either fetal vascular malperfusion or villitis of unknown etiology mostly exhibited normal circulating placental growth factor values in association with normal uterine artery Doppler waveforms (mean [standard deviation] pulsatility index values: fetal vascular malperfusion, 1.14 [0.49]; villitis of unknown etiology, 1.13 [0.45]). Patients who developed either chronic histiocytic intervillositis or massive perivillous fibrinoid deposition exhibited persistently low placental growth factor levels from the early second trimester (placental growth factor <10th centile at 16-20 weeks' gestation in 80% and 77.8%, respectively; 20-24 weeks in 88.9% and 63.6%; 24-28 weeks in 85.7% and 75%), all in combination with normal uterine artery Doppler waveforms (mean pulsatility index >95th centile: chronic histiocytic intervillositis, 25%; massive perivillous fibrinoid deposition, 37.9%). Preeclampsia developed in 83 of 337 (24.6%) patients and was most common in those developing maternal vascular malperfusion (54/109, 49.5%) followed by chronic histiocytic intervillositis (7/16, 43.8%). There were 29 stillbirths in the cohort (maternal vascular malperfusion, n=10 [9.2%]; fetal vascular malperfusion, n=5 [5.7%]; villitis of unknown etiology, n=1 [1.0%]; chronic histiocytic intervillositis, n=7 [43.8%]; massive perivillous fibrinoid deposition, n=6 [20.7%]). Most patients experiencing stillbirth exhibited normal uterine artery Doppler waveforms (21/29, 72.4%) and had nonmaternal vascular malperfusion pathologies (19/29, 65.5%). By contrast, 28 of 29 (96.5%) patients experiencing stillbirth had ≥1 low placental growth factor values before fetal death. CONCLUSION Serial circulating maternal placental growth factor tests, in combination with uterine artery Doppler waveform assessments in the second trimester, may indicate the likely underlying type of placental pathology mediating severe adverse perinatal events. This approach has the potential to test disease-specific therapeutic strategies to improve clinical outcomes. Serial placental growth factor testing, compared with uterine artery Doppler studies, identifies a greater proportion of patients destined to have a poor perinatal outcome because diseases other than maternal vascular malperfusion are characterized by normal uteroplacental circulation.
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14
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Cornish EF, McDonnell T, Williams DJ. Chronic Inflammatory Placental Disorders Associated With Recurrent Adverse Pregnancy Outcome. Front Immunol 2022; 13:825075. [PMID: 35529853 PMCID: PMC9072631 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.825075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic inflammatory placental disorders are a group of rare but devastating gestational syndromes associated with adverse pregnancy outcome. This review focuses on three related conditions: villitis of unknown etiology (VUE), chronic histiocytic intervillositis (CHI) and massive perivillous fibrin deposition (MPFD). The hallmark of these disorders is infiltration of the placental architecture by maternal immune cells and disruption of the intervillous space, where gas exchange between the mother and fetus occurs. Currently, they can only be detected through histopathological examination of the placenta after a pregnancy has ended. All three are associated with a significant risk of recurrence in subsequent pregnancies. Villitis of unknown etiology is characterised by a destructive infiltrate of maternal CD8+ T lymphocytes invading into the chorionic villi, combined with activation of fetal villous macrophages. The diagnosis can only be made when an infectious aetiology has been excluded. VUE becomes more common as pregnancy progresses and is frequently seen with normal pregnancy outcome. However, severe early-onset villitis is usually associated with fetal growth restriction and recurrent pregnancy loss. Chronic histiocytic intervillositis is characterised by excessive accumulation of maternal CD68+ histiocytes in the intervillous space. It is associated with a wide spectrum of adverse pregnancy outcomes including high rates of first-trimester miscarriage, severe fetal growth restriction and late intrauterine fetal death. Intervillous histiocytes can also accumulate due to infection, including SARS-CoV-2, although this infection-induced intervillositis does not appear to recur. As with VUE, the diagnosis of CHI requires exclusion of an infectious cause. Women with recurrent CHI and their families are predisposed to autoimmune diseases, suggesting CHI may have an alloimmune pathology. This observation has driven attempts to prevent CHI with a wide range of maternal immunosuppression. Massive perivillous fibrin deposition is diagnosed when >25% of the intervillous space is occupied by fibrin, and is associated with fetal growth restriction and late intrauterine fetal death. Although not an inflammatory disorder per se, MPFD is frequently seen in association with both VUE and CHI. This review summarises current understanding of the prevalence, diagnostic features, clinical consequences, immune pathology and potential prophylaxis against recurrence in these three chronic inflammatory placental syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily F. Cornish
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women’s Health, Department of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Emily F. Cornish,
| | - Thomas McDonnell
- Faculty of Engineering Science, Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - David J. Williams
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women’s Health, Department of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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