The effectiveness of regionalization of perinatal care services--a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Several reports recommend the implementation of perinatal regionalization for improvements in maternal and neonatal outcomes, while research evidence on the effectiveness of perinatal regionalization has been limited. The interventional studies have been assessed for robust evidence on the effectiveness of perinatal regionalization on improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes.

METHODS

Bibliographic databases of Medline, EMbase, EconLit, HMIC have been searched using sensitive search terms for interventional studies that reported important patient or process outcomes. At least two authors assessed eligibility for inclusion and the risk of biases and extracted data from the included studies. As meta-analysis was not possible, a narrative analysis as well as a 'vote-counting' analysis has been conducted for important outcomes.

RESULTS

After initial screenings 53 full text papers were retrieved. Eight studies were included in the review from the USA, Canada and France. Studies varied in their designs, and in the specifications of the intervention and setting. Only three interrupted time series studies had a low risk of bias, of which only one study reported significant reductions in neonatal and infant mortality. Studies of higher risk of bias were more likely to report improvements in outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementing perinatal regionalization programs is correlated with improvements in perinatal outcomes, but it is not possible to establish a causal link. Despite several high profile policy statements, evidence of effect is weak. It is necessary to assess the effectiveness of perinatal regionalization using robust research designs in a more diverse range of countries.

The porphyrin-fullerene nanoparticles to promote the ATP overproduction in myocardium: 25Mg2+-magnetic isotope effect

This is a first case ever reported on the fullerene-based low toxic nanocationite particles (porphyrin adducts of cyclohexyl fullerene-C(60)) designed for targeted delivery of the paramagnetic magnesium stable isotope to the heart muscle providing a sharp clinical effect close to about 80% recovery of the tissue hypoxia symptoms in less than 24 h after a single injection (0.03-0.1 LD(50)). A whole principle of this therapy is novel: (25)Mg(2+)-magnetic isotope effect selectively stimulates the ATP overproduction in the oxygen-depleted cells due to (25)Mg(2+) released by the nanoparticles. Being membranotropic cationites, these "smart nanoparticles" release the overactivating paramagnetic cations only in response to the metabolic acidic shift. The resulting positive changes in the heart cell energy metabolism may help to prevent and/or treat the local myocardial hypoxic disorders and, hence, protect the heart muscle from a serious damage in a vast variety of the hypoxia-caused clinical situations including both doxorubicin and 1-methylnicotineamide cardiotoxic side effects. Both pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the drug proposed make it suitable for safe and efficient administration in either single or multi-injection (acute or chronic) therapeutic schemes.