First-Trimester Sequential Screening for Preeclampsia Using Angiogenic Factors: Study Protocol for a Prospective, Multicenter, Real Clinical Setting Study

Introduction

The incidence of preeclampsia (PE) is about 2–8%, making it one of the leading causes of perinatal morbidity and maternal mortality in the world. Early prophylactic low dose administration (150 mg) of acetylsalicylic acid is associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of early-onset PE, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), and neonatal mean stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). Universal implementation of a first-trimester screening system including angiogenic and antiangiogenic markers [the Placental Growth Factor (PlGF) and/or soluble fms-like Tyrosine Kinase-1 (sFlt-1)] has shown a prediction rate of 90% for early-onset PE but entails a high financial cost. The aim of this study is to determine the predictive and preventive capacity of a universal PE first-trimester two-step sequential screening model, determining the PlGF only in patients previously classified as intermediate risk by means of a multivariate model based on resources already used in the standard pregnancy control, in a real clinical setting. We hypothesize that this screening model will achieve similar diagnostic performance as the universal determination of PlGF but at a lower economic cost.

Methods and Analysis

This is a prospective, multicentric, cohort study in a real-world clinical setting. Every singleton pregnancy will be recruited at the routine first pregnancy visit. In a first step, the first-trimester risk of PE will be calculated using a multivariate Gaussian distribution model, based on medical history, mean blood pressure, Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein A (PAPP-A), and Uterine Artery Doppler Pulsatility Index (UTPI). Patients will be classified into three risk groups for PE: (1) risk ≥ 1/50, high-risk with no further testing (blinded PlGF); (2) risk between 1/51 and 1/500, medium-risk requiring further testing; and (3) risk ≤ 1/501, low-risk with no further testing. In a second step, the PlGF will only be determined in those patients classified as intermediate risk after this first step, and then reclassified into high- or low-risk groups. Prophylactic administration of aspirin (150 mg/day) will be prescribed only in high risk patients. As a secondary objective, sFlt-1 values will be blindly determined in patients with high and intermediate risk to assess its potential performance in the screening for PE.

Ethics and Dissemination

The study will be conducted in accordance with the principles of Good Clinical Practice. This study is approved by the Aragon Research Ethics Committee (CEICA) on 3 July 2020 (15/2020).

Clinical Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT04767438.

Efficacy of a theoretical and practical programme to newly hired nursing personnel in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit: A pilot study

AIMS

(1) to design a training programme for newly hired nursing personnel and (2) to determine self-perception and perceived stress before and after the theoretical and practical parts of the programme with high fidelity simulation activities.

METHODS

A pilot quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study without control group conducted in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit from October 2018 to April 2019 was conducted. A newly hired nursing personnel training programme was first designed and delivered. Later, the participants' self-perception was assessed, as well as their perceived stress and grade of satisfaction using two different Likert scales.

RESULTS

A total of 20 newly hired nurses participated in the study, 90% (n = 18) were female with a median age of 25.5 ± 4.53 years. Higher scores were obtained in participants' self-perception before and after the theoretical training. Lower significant median scores of the participants' stress perception were found (6.9 ± 1.57 versus 5.6 ± 1.794). In the practical part of the programme, we obtained higher scores in all items, as well as lower median scores in stress perception (6.4 ± 1.73 versus 5.6 ± 1.93).

CONCLUSIONS

A theoretical and practical programme for newly hired nursing personnel in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit improved participants' self-perception and reduced their perceived median scores in stress levels.

Brain angiogenic gene expression in fetuses with congenital heart disease

OBJECTIVE

To assess potential differences in the expression of antiangiogenic and angiogenic factors and of genes associated with chronic hypoxia in cerebral tissue of euploid fetuses with congenital heart disease (CHD) vs those without.

METHODS

Cerebral tissue was obtained from 15 fetuses with CHD and 12 control fetuses that had undergone termination of pregnancy. Expression profiles of the antiangiogenic factor soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), the angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and placental growth factor (PlGF), and of genes associated with chronic hypoxia were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction in tissue from the frontal cortex and the basal ganglia of the fetuses.

RESULTS

Expression of sFlt-1 was 48% higher in the frontal cortex (P = 0.0431) and 72% higher in the basal ganglia (P = 0.0369) of CHD fetuses compared with controls. The expression of VEGF-A was 60% higher (P = 0.0432) and that of hypoxia-inducible factor 2-alpha was 98% higher (P = 0.0456) in the basal ganglia of CHD fetuses compared with controls. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in the expression of PlGF and hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha.

CONCLUSION

An overall dysregulation of angiogenesis with a net balance towards an antiangiogenic environment was observed in the cerebral tissue of fetuses with CHD, suggesting that these fetuses may have an intrinsic angiogenic impairment that could contribute to impaired brain perfusion and abnormal neurological development later in life. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.