Incidence, clinical features and perinatal outcome in anomalous fetuses with late-onset growth restriction: cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To describe the incidence, clinical features and perinatal outcome of late-onset fetal growth restriction (FGR) associated with genetic syndrome or aneuploidy, structural malformation or congenital infection.

METHODS

This was a retrospective multicenter cohort study of patients who attended one of four tertiary maternity hospitals in Italy. We included consecutive singleton pregnancies between 32 + 0 and 36 + 6 weeks' gestation with either fetal abdominal circumference (AC) or estimated fetal weight < 10^th percentile for gestational age or a reduction in AC of > 50 percentiles from the measurement at an ultrasound scan performed between 18 and 32 weeks. The study group consisted of pregnancies with late-onset FGR and a genetic syndrome or aneuploidy, structural malformation or congenital infection (anomalous late-onset FGR). The presence of congenital anomalies was ascertained postnatally in neonates with abnormal findings on antenatal investigation or detected after birth. The control group consisted of pregnancies with structurally and genetically normal fetuses with late-onset FGR. Composite adverse perinatal outcome was defined as the presence of at least one of stillbirth, 5-min Apgar score < 7, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), need for respiratory support at birth, neonatal jaundice and neonatal hypoglycemia. The primary aims of the study were to assess the incidence and clinical features of anomalous late-onset FGR, and to compare the perinatal outcome of such cases with that of fetuses with non-anomalous late-onset FGR.

RESULTS

Overall, 1246 pregnancies complicated by late-onset FGR were included in the study, of which 120 (9.6%) were allocated to the anomalous late-onset FGR group. Of these, 11 (9.2%) had a genetic syndrome or aneuploidy, 105 (87.5%) had an isolated structural malformation, and four (3.3%) had a congenital infection. The most frequent structural defects associated with late-onset anomalous FGR were genitourinary malformations (28/105 (26.7%)) and limb malformation (21/105 (20.0%)). Compared with the non-anomalous late-onset FGR group, fetuses with anomalous late-onset FGR had an increased incidence of composite adverse perinatal outcome (35.9% vs 58.3%; P < 0.01). Newborns with anomalous, compared to those with non-anomalous, late-onset FGR showed a higher frequency of need for respiratory support at birth (25.8% vs 9.0%; P < 0.01), intubation (10.0% vs 1.1%; P < 0.01), NICU admission (43.3% vs 22.6%; P < 0.01) and longer hospital stay (median, 24 days (range, 4-250 days) vs 11 days (range, 2-59 days); P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Most pregnancies complicated by anomalous late-onset FGR have structural malformations rather than genetic abnormality or infection. Fetuses with anomalous late-onset FGR have an increased incidence of complications at birth and NICU admission and a longer hospital stay compared with fetuses with isolated late-onset FGR. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Third-trimester ultrasound for antenatal diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum in women with placenta previa: results from the ADoPAD study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the performance of third-trimester ultrasound for the diagnosis of clinically significant placenta accreta spectrum disorder (PAS) in women with low-lying placenta or placenta previa.

METHODS

This was a prospective multicenter study of pregnant women aged ≥ 18 years who were diagnosed with low-lying placenta (< 20 mm from the internal cervical os) or placenta previa (covering the internal cervical os) on ultrasound at ≥ 26 + 0 weeks' gestation, between October 2014 and January 2019. Ultrasound suspicion of PAS was raised in the presence of at least one of these signs on grayscale ultrasound: (1) obliteration of the hypoechogenic space between the uterus and the placenta; (2) interruption of the hyperechogenic interface between the uterine serosa and the bladder wall; (3) abnormal placental lacunae. Histopathological examinations were performed according to a predefined protocol, with pathologists blinded to the ultrasound findings. To assess the ability of ultrasound to detect clinically significant PAS, a composite outcome comprising the need for active management at delivery and histopathological confirmation of PAS was considered the reference standard. PAS was considered to be clinically significant if, in addition to histological confirmation, at least one of these procedures was carried out after delivery: use of hemostatic intrauterine balloon, compressive uterine suture, peripartum hysterectomy, uterine/hypogastric artery ligation or uterine artery embolization. The diagnostic performance of each ultrasound sign for clinically significant PAS was evaluated in all women and in the subgroup who had at least one previous Cesarean section and anterior placenta. Post-test probability was assessed using Fagan nomograms.

RESULTS

A total of 568 women underwent transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound examinations during the study period. Of these, 95 delivered in local hospitals, and placental pathology according to the study protocol was therefore not available. Among the 473 women for whom placental pathology was available, clinically significant PAS was diagnosed in 99 (21%), comprising 36 cases of placenta accreta, 19 of placenta increta and 44 of placenta percreta. The median gestational age at the time of ultrasound assessment was 31.4 (interquartile range, 28.6-34.4) weeks. A normal hypoechogenic space between the uterus and the placenta reduced the post-test probability of clinically significant PAS from 21% to 5% in women with low-lying placenta or placenta previa in the third trimester of pregnancy and from 62% to 9% in the subgroup with previous Cesarean section and anterior placenta. The absence of placental lacunae reduced the post-test probability of clinically significant PAS from 21% to 9% in women with low-lying placenta or placenta previa in the third trimester of pregnancy and from 62% to 36% in the subgroup with previous Cesarean section and anterior placenta. When abnormal placental lacunae were seen on ultrasound, the post-test probability of clinically significant PAS increased from 21% to 59% in the whole cohort and from 62% to 78% in the subgroup with previous Cesarean section and anterior placenta. An interrupted hyperechogenic interface between the uterine serosa and bladder wall increased the post-test probability for clinically significant PAS from 21% to 85% in women with low-lying placenta or placenta previa and from 62% to 88% in the subgroup with previous Cesarean section and anterior placenta. When all three sonographic markers were present, the post-test probability for clinically significant PAS increased from 21% to 89% in the whole cohort and from 62% to 92% in the subgroup with previous Cesarean section and anterior placenta.

CONCLUSIONS

Grayscale ultrasound has good diagnostic performance to identify pregnancies at low risk of PAS in a high-risk population of women with low-lying placenta or placenta previa. Ultrasound may be safely used to guide management decisions and concentrate resources on patients with higher risk of clinically significant PAS. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Perinatal outcomes of pregnant women with severe COVID-19 requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO): a case series and literature review

Purpose

Pregnant women with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection have a higher risk of hospitalization, admission to intensive care unit (ICU) and invasive ventilation, and of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In case of ARDS and critical severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is recommended when other respiratory support strategies (oxygen insufflation, non-invasive ventilation [NIV], invasive ventilation through an endotracheal tube) are insufficient. However, available data on ECMO in pregnant and postpartum women with critical COVID-19 are very limited.

Methods

A case series of three critically ill pregnant women who required ECMO support for COVID-19 in pregnancy and/or in the postpartum period.

Results

The first patient tested positive for COVID-19 during the second trimester, she developed ARDS and required ECMO for 38 days. She was discharged in good general conditions and a cesarean-section [CS] at term was performed for obstetric indication. The second patient developed COVID-19-related ARDS at 28 weeks of gestation. During ECMO, she experienced a precipitous vaginal delivery at 31 weeks and 6 days of gestation. She was discharged 1 month later in good general conditions. The third patient, an obese 43-year-old woman, tested positive at 38 weeks and 2 days of gestation. Because of the worsening of clinical condition, a CS was performed, and she underwent ECMO. 143 days after the CS, she died because of sepsis and multiple organ failure (MOF). Thrombosis, hemorrhage and infections were the main complications among our patients. Neonatal outcomes have been positive.

Conclusion

ECMO should be considered a life-saving therapy for pregnant women with severe COVID-19.

Ultrasound prediction of adverse perinatal outcome at diagnosis of late-onset fetal growth restriction

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relationship between Doppler and biometric ultrasound parameters measured at diagnosis and perinatal adverse outcome in a cohort of late-onset growth-restricted (FGR) fetuses.

METHODS

This was a multicenter retrospective study of data obtained between 2014 and 2019 including non-anomalous singleton pregnancies complicated by late-onset FGR (≥ 32 weeks), which was defined either as abdominal circumference (AC) or estimated fetal weight (EFW) < 10^th percentile for gestational age or as reduction of the longitudinal growth of AC by over 50 percentiles compared to ultrasound scan performed between 18 and 32 weeks of gestation. We evaluated the association between sonographic findings at diagnosis of FGR and composite adverse perinatal outcome (CAPO), defined as stillbirth or at least two of the following: obstetric intervention due to intrapartum fetal distress, neonatal acidemia, birth weight < 3^rd percentile and transfer to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

RESULTS

Overall, 468 cases with complete biometric and umbilical, fetal middle cerebral and uterine artery (UtA) Doppler data were included, of which 53 (11.3%) had CAPO. On logistic regression analysis, only EFW percentile was associated independently with CAPO (P = 0.01) and NICU admission (P < 0.01), while the mean UtA pulsatility index (PI) multiples of the median (MoM) > 95^th percentile at diagnosis was associated independently with obstetric intervention due to intrapartum fetal distress (P = 0.01). The model including baseline pregnancy characteristics and the EFW percentile was associated with an area under the receiver-operating-characteristics curve of 0.889 (95% CI, 0.813-0.966) for CAPO (P < 0.001). A cut-off value for EFW corresponding to the 3.95^th percentile was found to discriminate between cases with and those without CAPO, yielding a sensitivity of 58.5% (95% CI, 44.1-71.9%), specificity of 69.6% (95% CI, 65.0-74.0%), positive predictive value of 19.8% (95% CI, 13.8-26.8%) and negative predictive value of 92.9% (95% CI, 89.5-95.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

Retrospective data from a large cohort of late-onset FGR fetuses showed that EFW at diagnosis is the only sonographic parameter associated independently with the occurrence of CAPO, while mean UtA-PI MoM > 95^th percentile at diagnosis is associated independently with intrapartum distress leading to obstetric intervention. © 2021 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease in Pregnancy: A Topic Yet to be Explored

Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) is characterized by signs and symptoms suggestive of a connective tissue disease (CTD), but not fulfilling criteria for a specific CTD. Although UCTD is probably the most common rheumatic disease diagnosed in pregnant women, data about disease course during pregnancy and perinatal outcomes are very limited. Compared to other CTDs, UCTD seems to have milder clinical manifestations in pregnancy. Its natural history is related to disease activity at conception. In fact, if the disease is in a state of remission or minimal activity at conception, pregnancy outcomes are generally good. On the contrary, patients who become pregnant in a moment of high disease activity and/or who have multiple antibodies positivity show an increased risk of disease flares, evolution to a definite CTD and obstetric complications, such as fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia and preterm birth. Therefore, a preconception assessment is essential in women with UCTD to evaluate maternal and fetal risks, to initiate interventions to optimize disease activity, and to adjust medications to those that are least harmful to the fetus. The aim of the present study was to review the available literature about pregnancy course, maternal and fetal outcomes and therapeutic approaches of pregnant women with UCTD.

Fetal Growth Restriction: Does an Integrated Maternal Hemodynamic-Placental Model Fit Better?

In recent years, a growing interest has arisen regarding the possible relationship between adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) and inadequate maternal hemodynamic adaptations to the pregnancy. A possible association between "placental syndromes," such as preeclampsia (PE) and fetal growth restriction (FGR), and subsequent maternal cardiovascular diseases (CVD) later in life has been reported. The two subtypes of FGR show different pathogenetic and clinical features. Defective placentation, due to a poor trophoblastic invasion of the maternal spiral arteries, is believed to play a central role in the pathogenesis of early-onset PE and FGR. Since placental functioning is dependent on the maternal cardiovascular system, a pre-existent or subsequent cardiovascular impairment may play a key role in the pathogenesis of early-onset FGR. Late FGR does not seem to be determined by a primary abnormal placentation in the first trimester. The pathological pathway of late-onset FGR may be due to a primary maternal cardiovascular maladaptation: CV system shows a flat profile and remains similar to those of non-pregnant women. Since the second trimester, when the placenta is already developed and increases its functional request, a hypovolemic state could lead to placental hypoperfusion and to an altered maturation of the placental villous tree and therefore to an altered fetal growth. Thus, this review focalizes on the possible relationship between maternal cardiac function and placentation in the development of both early and late-onset FGR. A better understanding of maternal hemodynamics in pregnancies complicated by FGR could bring various benefits in clinical practice, improving screening and therapeutic tools.

What is the role of glycemic control in the development of preeclampsia among women with type 1 diabetes?

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of glycemic control in development of preeclampsia (PE) in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).

METHODS

An observational case-control study comparing 244 women with type 1 diabetes and 488 controls was conducted. Among women with T1DM HbA1c, average daily glucose values, fasting, preprandial, 1-hour and 2-hour postprandial glucose levels, and daily 3 meals postprandial glucose areas were evaluated. Uterine artery pulsatility indices (PI) at 16, 20, 24 weeks' gestation were obtained. Data analysis included rates of PE in both groups, and association between glycemic control, uterine artery PI and development of PE among women with T1DM.

RESULTS

PE developed in 13.1% of diabetic women and in 3.5% of women in the control group (odds ratio 4.2; 95% CI 2.2-8.1). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, HbA1c in the 1st trimester, mean daily glucose level in the 1st and 2nd trimester, daily 3 meal postprandial glucose area in the 1st and 2nd trimester, and the uterine arteries PI at 24 weeks' gestation were found to be associated with development of PE. The uterine arteries PI showed a significant positive correlation with the 3 meal postprandial glucose area at 16, 20, 24 weeks.

CONCLUSION

In women with T1DM, poor glycemic control early in pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of subsequent PE. An association between poor placentation, as indicated by the increased PI of uterine arteries, and a maternal metabolic factor, that is the 3 meal post-prandial glucose area, has been shown, supporting the increased rate of PE among women with T1DM.

Childbirth Care among SARS-CoV-2 Positive Women in Italy

The new coronavirus emergency spread to Italy when little was known about the infection’s impact on mothers and newborns. This study aims to describe the extent to which clinical practice has protected childbirth physiology and preserved the mother–child bond during the first wave of the pandemic in Italy. A national population-based prospective cohort study was performed enrolling women with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted for childbirth to any Italian hospital from 25 February to 31 July 2020. All cases were prospectively notified, and information on peripartum care (mother–newborn separation, skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding, and rooming-in) and maternal and perinatal outcomes were collected in a structured form and entered in a web-based secure system. The paper describes a cohort of 525 SARS-CoV-2 positive women who gave birth. At hospital admission, 44.8% of the cohort was asymptomatic. At delivery, 51.9% of the mothers had a birth support person in the delivery room; the average caesarean section rate of 33.7% remained stable compared to the national figure. On average, 39.0% of mothers were separated from their newborns at birth, 26.6% practised skin-to-skin, 72.1% roomed in with their babies, and 79.6% of the infants received their mother’s milk. The infants separated and not separated from their SARS-CoV-2 positive mothers both had good outcomes. At the beginning of the pandemic, childbirth raised awareness and concern due to limited available evidence and led to “better safe than sorry” care choices. An improvement of the peripartum care indicators was observed over time.

Homecare workers in Italy: a narrative review

INTRODUCTION

The progressive ageing and ever-increasing life expectancy of the world's population are accompanied by an increase in chronic pathologies. Italy continues to be the nation with the highest percentage of senior citizens. Recent economic crises and movements of social change have led to a gradual increase in the use of homecare workers for the territorial and family management of chronic illnesses. Contrary to what has happened in other countries, in Italy an informal logic has prevailed regarding the recruitment and the employment of homecare workers, hindering the evolution of this sector.

AIMS

This narrative review focuses on the role of homecare workers, as it appears in Italian researches.

METHODS

A narrative review was conducted using the following electronic databases: CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, MEDLINE Complete, PsycINFO, and SocINDEX. Only studies conducted in the past 20 years with an Italian Homecare Worker (HCW) target population were considered. Data were extracted from each manuscript to allow for quick comparisons of information, such as research objectives, study methodologies, data collection tools, and relative results. Two reviewers independently extracted the following data for each study: region, setting context, participant characteristics, group description and sample, outcomes measured, and a description of the main results.

RESULTS

From the analysis of heterogeneous Italian literature, the importance of homecare workers is clear. Their work not only influences assisted individuals but also informal caregivers and the direct costs of the Italian national health system.

CONCLUSION

Homecare workers are important in Italian society. The little attention that the scientific literature has paid to this population may be due to the difficulty of finding subjects with a legal status and, therefore, who are willing to participate in specific investigations. Investigating the dyad of care and extending these investigations to the surrounding family context, seem to be the major priorities that should be explored by future research.

Fetal nondiabetic-macrosomia: risk factors for pregnancy adverse outcome and comparison of two growth curves in the prediction of cesarean section

BACKGROUND

Randomized trials reported no difference whether induction or expectant management is performed in non-diabetic women with large for gestational age babies but no tool has been validated for the prediction of high risk cases.

AIM

Assessing the performance of different growth curves in the prediction of complications.

METHODS

Data from 1066 consecutive non-diabetic women who delivered babies ≥4000 g were collected. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the impact of the maternal variables on: instrumental delivery, shoulder dystocia (SD), perineal tears, cesarean section (CS), and postpartum hemorrhage. Intergrowth21 curves and customized Gardosi's curves were compared in terms of prediction of adverse outcomes.

FINDINGS

Induction of labor was performed in 23.1% cases. The rate of CS was 17%. Hemorrhage, fetal distress, and SD occurred in 2%, 1.3%, and 2.7% of cases, respectively. Induction was significantly associated with instrumental delivery (p < .001), CS (p = .001), third and fourth degree perineal tears (p = .031), and post-partum hemorrhage (p = .02). The cutoff of 90th percentile according to Intergrowth21 did not show significant performance in predicting CS, while the same cutoff according to the Gardosi curves showed an OR 1.92 (CI 1.30-2.84) (p = .0009).

DISCUSSION

Gardosi curves showed a better performance in predicting the risk of CS versus Intergrowth curves. Induction is significantly associated with adverse outcome in non-diabetic women with LGA babies.

Different Gestational Diabetes Phenotypes: Which Insulin Regimen Fits Better?

OBJECTIVE

Maternal characteristics and OGTT values of pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) were evaluated according to treatment strategies. The goal was to identify different maternal phenotypes in order to predict the appropriate treatment strategy.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study among 1,974 pregnant women followed up for GDM in a tertiary referral hospital for high-risk pregnancies (Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy) from 2013 to 2018. We compared nutritional therapy (NT) alone (n = 962) versus NT and insulin analogues (n = 1,012) group. Then, we focused on different insulin analogues groups: long acting (D), rapid acting (R), both D and R. We compared maternal characteristics of the three groups, detecting which factors may predict the use of rapid or long-acting insulin analogue alone versus combined therapy.

RESULTS

Among women included in the analysis, 51.3% of them needed insulin therapy for glycemic control: 61.8% D, 28.3% combined D and R, and 9.9% R alone. Age >35 years, pre-pregnancy BMI >30, family history of diabetes, previous GDM, altered fasting plasma glucose (FPG), hypothyroidism, and assisted reproductive technologies (ART) were identified as maternal variables significantly associated with the need of insulin therapy. Altered 1-h and 2-h glucose plasma glucose level at OGTT, age >35 years, and previous GDM were found as independent predicting factors for the use of combined therapy with rapid and long acting analogues for glycemic control. On the contrary, pre-pregnancy BMI <25 and normal fasting plasma glucose values at OGTT were found to be significantly associated to the use of rapid insulin analogue only.

CONCLUSION

A number of maternal and metabolic variables may be identified at the diagnosis of GDM, in order to identify different GDM phenotypes requiring a personalized treatment for glycemic control.

Adverse intrapartum outcome in pregnancies complicated by small for gestational age and late fetal growth restriction undergoing induction of labor with Dinoprostone, Misoprostol or mechanical methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the outcome of pregnancies with small baby, including both small for gestational age (SGA) and late fetal growth restriction (FGR) fetuses, undergoing induction of labor (IOL) with Dinoprostone, Misoprostol or mechanical methods.

STUDY DESIGN

Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched. Inclusion criteria were non-anomalous singleton pregnancies complicated by the presence of a small fetus, defined as a fetus with estimated fetal weight (EFW) or abdominal circumference (AC) <10th centile undergoing IOL from 34 weeks of gestation with vaginal Dinoprostone, vaginal misoprostol, or mechanical methods (including either Foley or Cook balloon catheters). The primary outcome was a composite measure of adverse intrapartum outcome. Secondary outcomes were the individual components of the primary outcome, perinatal mortality and morbidity. All the explored outcomes were reported in three different sub-groups of pregnancies complicated by a small fetus including: all small fetuses (defined as those with an EFW and/or AC <10th centile irrespective of fetal Doppler status), late FGR fetuses (defined as those with EFW and/or AC <3rd centile or AC/EFW <10th centile associated with abnormal cerebroplacental Dopplers) and SGA fetuses (defined as those with EFW and/or AC <10th but >3rd centile with normal cerebroplacental Dopplers). Quality assessment of each included study was performed using the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies-of Interventions tool (ROBINS-I), while the GRADE methodology was used to assess the quality of the body of retrieved evidence. Meta-analyses of proportions and individual data random-effect logistic regression were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

12 studies (1711 pregnancies) were included. In the overall population of small fetuses, composite adverse intra-partum outcome occurred in 21.2 % (95 % CI 10.0-34.9) of pregnancies induced with Dinoprostone, 18.0 % (95 % CI 6.9-32.5) of those with Misoprostol and 11.6 % (95 % CI 5.5-19.3) of those undergoing IOL with mechanical methods. Cesarean section (CS) for non-reassuring fetal status (NRFS) was required in 18.1 % (95 % CI 9.9-28.3) of pregnancies induced with Dinoprostone, 9.4 % (95 % CI 1.4-22.0) of those with Misoprostol and 8.1 % (95 % CI 5.0-11.6) of those undergoing mechanical induction. Likewise, uterine tachysystole, was recorded on CTG in 13.8 % (95 % CI 6.9-22.3) of cases induced with Dinoprostone, 7.5 % (95 % CI 2.1-15.4) of those with Misoprostol and 3.8 % (95 % CI 0-4.4) of those induced with mechanical methods. Composite adverse perinatal outcome following delivery complicated 2.9 % (95 % CI 0.5-6.7) newborns after IOL with Dinoprostone, 0.6 % (95 % CI 0-2.5) with Misoprostol and 0.7 % (95 % CI 0-7.1) with mechanical methods. In pregnancies complicated by late FGR, adverse intrapartum outcome occurred in 25.3 % (95 % CI 18.8-32.5) of women undergoing IOL with Dinoprostone, compared to 7.4 % (95 % CI 3.9-11.7) of those with mechanical methods, while CS for NRFS was performed in 23.8 % (95 % CI 17.3-30.9) and 6.2 % (95 % CI 2.8-10.5) of the cases, respectively. Finally, in SGA fetuses, composite adverse intrapartum outcome complicated 8.4 % (95 % CI 4.6-13.0) of pregnancies induced with Dinoprostone, 18.6 % (95 % CI 13.1-25.2) of those with Misoprostol and 8.7 (95 % CI 2.5-17.5) of those undergoing mechanical IOL, while CS for NRF was performed in 8.4 % (95 % CI 4.6-13.0) of women induced with Dinoprostone, 18.6 % (95 % CI 13.1-25.2) of those with Misoprostol and 8.7 % (95 % CI 2.5-17.5) of those undergoing mechanical induction. Overall, the quality of the included studies was low and was downgraded due to considerable clinical and statistical heterogeneity.

CONCLUSIONS

There is limited evidence on the optimal type of IOL in pregnancies with small fetuses. Mechanical methods seem to be associated with a lower occurrence of adverse intrapartum outcomes, but a direct comparison between different techniques could not be performed.

Postpartum hemorrhage: not only hypertensive disorders in oocyte donation pregnancies

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study is to compare the obstetric outcome between single pregnancies obtained by medically-assisted procreation using oocyte donors (MAP-E) versus homologous gametes (MAP-O) and single spontaneous conception pregnancies (SC).

METHODS

This is a retrospective case-control study on pregnancy outcome of consecutive singleton live birth pregnancies from MAP-E between January 2011 and August 2017 referred to Careggi University Hospital, Florence. The control group includes singleton pregnancies from MAP-O and pregnancies from spontaneous conceptions in the same period. The pregnancy outcomes considered were: postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), cesarean section (CS), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), hypertensive disorders including preeclampsia (HDP), preterm birth ≤34 weeks (PTB), and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetuses.

RESULTS

The study group included 290 MAP-E pregnancies that were compared with 290 MAP-O and 870 singleton spontaneous conception pregnancies. The three groups did not show significant differences in maternal traits except for mean age (43.4±2.9 vs. 37.7±2.4 vs. 33.6±5.5, P<0.001), including a higher percentage of patients over 45 years (41.3% vs. 5% vs. 0.8%, P<0.001) and higher incidence of obesity (7.2% vs. 1.7%, P=0.02) in MAP-E than in MAP-O. The risk of HDP is increased in singleton pregnancies by oocyte donation with a significantly increased risk if compared to MAP-O (12% vs. 1%, P<0.001, OR=12.6). The risk of PPH in singleton pregnancies from oocyte donation is higher than in MAP-O (22% vs. 9% P<0.0001, OR=2.87). When we considered severe PPH (blood loss >1000 mL) the risk for MAP-E was higher if compared to MAP-O (OR=2.1, P=0.2) and mostly to SC (OR=14, P<0.005). Compared to SC, MAP-E pregnancies showed increased OR for all the outcomes: CS (78% vs. 30.8%, P<0.001, OR=7.91); GDM (26.1% vs. 10.8%, P<0.001, OR=2.92); HDP (12% vs. 2.2%, P<0.001, OR=5.99); PPH (22% vs. 8.5%, P<0.0001, OR=3.0); SGA (16% vs. 11%, P<0.05, OR=1.16); PTB ≤34 weeks (9.4% vs. 1%, P<0.001, OR=7.94).

CONCLUSIONS

Most women who undergo MAP-E are in advanced age, representing a high-risk population for obstetric complications, like HPD and PPH, which stands as the main worldwide cause of maternal mortality.

Human leukocyte antigen DQ2/DQ8 positivity in women with history of stillbirth

PROBLEM

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) DQ2 and DQ8 haplotypes, two common polymorphisms associate with celiac disease (CD), in women with previous stillbirth, but not affected by CD.

METHOD OF STUDY

Women with history of unexplained term stillbirth referred to our Center for High-Risk Pregnancies for a preconception counseling, and women with previous uncomplicated pregnancies, were enrolled as cases and controls. Celiac women were excluded from the study. Genetic tests for HLA DQ2/DQ8 were performed, and patients' data were compared.

RESULTS

The population included 56 women with a previous term stillbirth and 379 women with history of uncomplicated pregnancies. The prevalence of HLA-DQ2 or DQ8 positivity was significantly higher in cases than in controls (50% vs 29.5%) (P = 0.0031). Women with HLA DQ8 genotype have a significantly higher risk of stillbirth (OR: 2.84 CI: 1.1840-6.817) and in case of DQ2 genotype the OR for stillbirth was even higher (OR: 4.46 CI: 2.408-8.270). In the stillbirth group, SGA neonates were significantly more frequent in those with HLA-DQ2/DQ8 haplotypes than in those resulted negative to genetic testing (85.7% vs 42 .8%, P = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

In women with history of term stillbirth, a significantly higher prevalence of HLA DQ2/DQ8 haplotypes has been found compared to women with previous uneventful pregnancies. In addition, HLA DQ2/DQ8 positivity was significantly associated with suboptimal fetal growth in intrauterine fetal death cases, as shown by an increased prevalence of SGA babies.

Analysis of the main risk factors for gestational diabetes diagnosed with International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) criteria in multiple pregnancies

INTRODUCTION

The aim is to investigate the proportion of multiple pregnancies with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) diagnosed using the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) criteria and to identify the impact of age, body mass index (BMI), and mode of conception on incidence of GDM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a single center, retrospective cohort study on 656 multiple pregnancies screened for GDM with 75-g, 2-h oral glucose tolerance test at 24-28 weeks of gestation, between January 2010 and January 2016. The diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was reached through the IADPSG.

RESULTS

The incidence of GDM in our population was 15.1%. When patients who conceived through heterologous assisted reproduction technology were compared with those who conceived spontaneously, there was a significant difference for GDM (31.1 vs 13.6%, p < 0.001, OR 2.86). A similar finding was also observed comparing egg donation IVF/ICSI patients with homologous IVF/ICSI patients (31.1 vs 14.8%, p = 0.006, OR 2.59). Incidence of GDM was significantly higher in obese than in non-obese patients (42.5 vs 14.8%, p < 0.001, OR 4.88) and in women over 35 compared to younger patients (18.4 vs 11.1%, p = 0.01, OR 1.81). Logistic regression comparing the diabetes onset with conception mode gave a p = 0.07. The calculation of the Chi-square and odds ratio for single mode of conception showed that homologous vs conceived spontaneously p = 0.90, OR 0.97, heterologous vs homologous p = 0.01 with OR 2.46, and heterologous vs conceived spontaneously p = 0.01 with OR 2.39. Logistic regression showed that age and BMI are risk factors for developing GDM, respectively, p = 0.03 with OR 1.4 and p < 0.01 and OR 1.09.

DISCUSSION

The contribution our study can make is improved counseling about GDM risks for couples with multiple pregnancies. Our data support the role of age, BMI, and mode of conception as risk factors for GDM in multiple pregnancies.

Stillbirths at Term: Case Control Study of Risk Factors, Growth Status and Placental Histology

Objective

To investigate the proportion of stillbirths at term associated with abnormal growth using customized birth weight percentiles and to compare histological placental findings both in underweight stillborn fetuses and in live births.

Methods

A retrospective case-control study of 150 singleton term stillbirths. The livebirth control groups included 586 cases of low-risk pregnancies and 153 late fetal growth restriction fetuses. Stillbirths and livebirths from low-risk pregnancies were classified using customized standards for fetal weight at birth, as adequate for gestational age (AGA; 10-90^th percentile), small (SGA; <10^th percentile) or large for gestational age (LGA; >90^th percentile). Placental characteristics in stillbirth were compared with those from livebirths using four categories: inflammation, disruptive, obstructive and adaptive lesions.

Results

There was a higher rate of SGA (26% vs 6%, p<0.001) and LGA fetuses (10.6% vs 5.6%, p<0.05) in the stillbirth group. Among stillbirth fetuses, almost half of the SGA were very low birthweight (≤3°percentile) (12% vs 0.3%, p<0.001). The disruptive (7.3% vs 0.17%;p<0.001), obstructive (54.6% vs 7.5%;p<0.001) and adaptive (46.6% vs 35.8%;p<0.001) findings were significantly more common in than in livebirth-low risk. Placental characteristics of AGA and SGA stillbirth were compared with those of AGA and FGR livebirth. In stillbirths-SGA we found a higher number of disruptive (12.8% vs 0%; p<0.001), obstructive (58.9% vs 23.5%;p<0.001) and adaptive lesions (56.4% vs 49%; p 0.47) than in livebirth-FGR.

Conclusion

The assessment of fetal weight with customized curves can identify fetuses which have not reached their genetically determined growth potential and are therefore at risk for adverse outcomes. Placental evaluation in stillbirths can reveal chronic histological signs that might be useful to clinical assessment, especially in underweight fetuses.

Risk of preeclampsia and obstetric outcome in donor oocyte and autologous in vitro fertilization pregnancies

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to assess the outcome of pregnancies achieved by OD in vitro fertilization compared with those obtained by autologous IVF.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study includes 136 consecutive patients who were referred to our centre between 2009 and 2011. According to the mode of conception, they were divided into two groups, whose pregnancy outcomes were analyzed by χ2 Test for unpaired data.

RESULTS

Pregnancy-induced hypertension, cesarean section, complications after delivery resulted more frequent in pregnancies from donor oocyte IVF. The other outcomes considered were non-significantly different between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of developing preeclampsia, cesarean section, and postpartum complications is higher in patients who conceived by donor oocyte IVF than in patients who underwent autologous IVF.

Correlation between histological signs of placental underperfusion and perinatal morbidity in late-onset small-for-gestational-age fetuses

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether signs of placental underperfusion (PUP), defined as any maternal and/or fetal vascular pathology, confer an increased risk of neonatal morbidity in late-onset small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetuses with normal umbilical artery (UA) Doppler indices.

METHODS

A cohort of 126 SGA singleton fetuses with normal UA Doppler indices that were delivered after 34 weeks' gestation was studied. For each case, the placenta was evaluated histologically for signs of PUP using a hierarchical and standardized classification system. Neonatal morbidity was assessed according to the score calculated from the morbidity assessment index for newborns (MAIN), a validated outcome scale. The independent association between PUP and neonatal morbidity was evaluated using multivariable median regression analysis.

RESULTS

In 84 (66.7%) placentae, 97 placental histological findings that qualified as signs of PUP were observed. These PUP cases had a significantly higher incidence of emergency Cesarean section for non-reassuring fetal status (44.1% vs 21.4%, respectively; P = 0.013) and neonatal metabolic acidosis at birth (33.3% vs 14.3%, respectively; P = 0.023), than did those without PUP. The median MAIN score differed significantly between those with PUP and those without (89 vs 0, respectively; P = 0.025). This difference remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders. The proportion of cases with scores indicative of mild to severe morbidity was also significantly higher in the PUP group (31% vs 14.3%, respectively; P = 0.043).

CONCLUSION

In late-onset SGA fetuses with normal UA Doppler indices, signs of PUP imply a higher neonatal morbidity. These findings allow the phenotypic profiling of fetal growth restriction among the general population of late-onset SGA.

Psychological impact of first-trimester prevention for preeclampsia on anxiety

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine whether a first-trimester strategy of secondary prevention for preeclampsia increases anxiety in pregnant women.

METHODS

The anxiety levels of a cohort of women screened for preeclampsia at first trimester were measured by the Spielberg State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) and compared between women screened as low and high risk. In a subgroup of women, the anxiety levels were additionally measured at second and third trimester. A General Linear Model (GLM) for repeated measurements was performed to adjust for potential confounders (age, nulliparity and socio-economic level).

RESULTS

A total of 255 women (135 low-risk and 120 high-risk) were evaluated. No differences were found in the mean STAI-S scores between low-risk and high-risk women: 35 (SD 9.9) and 34.6 (SD 10.1); p = 0.77. The proportion of women with high anxiety was not significantly different between groups (28/134 [20.7%] vs 24/120 [20%]; p = 0.88). No differences were found in the subgroups (51 low-risk and 50 high-risk) in which the anxiety levels were also measured at second and third trimester: 35.8 (SD 8.8) vs 35.2 (SD 9.7), p = 0.74, and 37.2 (SD 9.4) vs 35.3 (SD 8.6), p = 0.3. These differences remained non-significant after adjustment for potential confounders.

CONCLUSION

A strategy of first-trimester screening for preeclampsia does not increase maternal anxiety.

Evaluation of Epstein-Barr virus-specific immunologic response in solid organ transplant recipients with an enzyme-linked ImmunoSpot assay

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a γ-herpes virus, responsible for infectious mononucleosis in immunocompetent hosts. Cellular immunity appears rapidly during EBV primary infection, keeping it silent despite long-life persistence in B lymphocytes. Defects of the EBV-specific cellular immunity are supposed to be the basis of post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders, promoted by high levels of immunosuppression. We retrospectively reviewed 197 solid organ transplant recipients to investigate EBV-specific lymphocyte responsiveness using Enzyme-linked ImmunoSpot assay (EliSpot), which assesses the EBV-specific interferon (IFN)-γ producing peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and kinetics of EBV infection/reactivation post-transplantation using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on whole blood. Overall, 102 of the 197 patients (51.8%) showed EBV responsiveness at the EBV-EliSpot assay: 68 (66.6%) showed a persistently positive EBV response in 3 or more determinations and 34 (33.3%) had transient episodes of nonresponsiveness. Ninety-five (48.2%) patients were persistently EBV nonresponders. EBV-DNAemia data were available for 58 patients: 27.6% presented at least one episode of EBV-DNA occurrence. No differences were found in EBV-EliSpot response stratification between the groups of patients who experienced episodes of EBV reactivation and those without EBV-DNAemia. However, EBV DNAemia peak values tended to be higher in the first year post-transplantation in the group of patients with a persistent positive EBV-specific immune response. EBV viral load quantitation in blood and EliSpot EBV-specific immune response determination may represent a powerful tool for monitoring solid organ transplant recipients, guiding immunosuppression modulation in patients with active EBV replication.

The Lack and Cytomegalovirus-Specific Cellular Immune Response May Contribute to the Onset of Organ Infection and Disease in Lung Transplant Recipients

Cellular immune response has been demonstrated to play a role in the control of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication in organ transplant recipients. Herein, HCMV-specific T-cell response and association to the onset of organ infection/disease were prospectively evaluated by EliSPOT assay in a population of 46 lung transplant (LT) recipients at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post-transplantation. According to our centre's practice, a combined prolonged antiviral prophylaxis (HCMV-IG for 12 months and ganciclovir or valganciclovir for 3 weeks from postoperative day 21) was given to all LT recipients. HCMV-DNA was concomitantly detected on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and whole blood by real-time PCR. Approximately one third of patients resulted HCMV persistently non-responder; the rate of HCMV infection, as evaluated by HCMV-DNA positivity, tended to be higher in non-responders. Mean viral load on BAL was significantly higher in non-responders vs other patients (p <0.001). Temporal profile of infections appeared related to the HCMV responder status with a shorter time to onset of infection post-transplantation and a longer duration in non-responders. The occurrence of organ disease (i.e. pneumonia) tended to be higher in non-responders, with poor prognosis, as death occurred in one of three non-responder patients that developed HCMV pneumonia. The lack of HCMV-specific cellular response can contribute to the onset of organ infection and disease also in patients in which antiviral prophylaxis was adopted; this could be due to the potential occurrence of incomplete control of replication in lungs or a delayed priming of T-cell reconstitution.

OS086. Methylation status of the HOXA13 promoter region in placental tissue of pregnancies complicated by early onset severe preeclampsia

INTRODUCTION

Compromised placental function and morphology found in early onset preeclampsia as well as a modified phenotype of the fetus may derive from a deviation in the normal gene expression pattern. Previous studies demonstrated by experimental animal models, that the gene HOXA13 plays an essential role in the arrangement of the placental vascular net, identifying direct and indirect target functions this gene has on the endothelial component. Research in model systems and now expanding to human studies has suggested that the causes and consequences of a variety of pregnancy-related pathologies are connected to epigenetic regulation.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the methylation status of the promoter region of HOXA13 within placental tissue and its association with specific clinical signs of severe early onset preeclampsia.

METHODS

A prospective case - control study was performed to evaluate the methylation status of the promoter region of HOXA13 by pyrosequencing analysis within placental tissue and its association with specific clinical signs of severe early onset preeclampsia (EOSP).

RESULTS

The group of preeclamptic patients reached a mean methylation degree of 27.06% (±8.94) and 30.56% (±8.08) on two CpG islands of HOXA13 5' promoter respectively. Conversely in the group of physiologic controls the mean degree of methylation resulted 15.12%(±3.64) (p<0.0016) and 18.25% (±3.45) (p<0.0005).

CONCLUSION

This study firstly demonstrated that an hypermethylation of placental HOXA13 exists in preeclamptic placental tissues and concentrates only on the gene promoter. Additionally, the existence of a correspondence between themethylation process of the gene promoter HOXA 13 and the clinical manifestation of severe early onset preeclampsia supports the original hypothesis that this process may be at the base of the preeclamptic pathogenesis.

Clinical impact of HSV-1 detection in the lower respiratory tract from hospitalized adult patients

The occurrence and clinical impact of herpes simplex virus (HSV) were evaluated in 342 bronchoalveolar lavage specimens from 237 patients. HSV-1 and HSV-2 were detected in 32.1% and <1% of patients, respectively. A significant difference of HSV-1 prevalence and load was found in relation to admission to intensive care unit, mechanical ventilation and mortality within 28 days; in particular, a viral load ≥10(5) copies/mL bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was significantly associated with critical features. No association was found with immune status or other characteristics. Nine of 21 (42.9%) cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia were positive for HSV-1, with poor outcome in six.

Detection of the novel variant of influenza virus A/H1N1v in bronchoalveolar lavage of adult hospitalized patients during the 2009/2010 winter season

AIM

The aim of this study was to report most recent data regarding the occurrence of influenza A virus H1N1v in the lower respiratory tract from a cohort of hospitalized adult patients during the winter season 2009/2010 and investigated the main clinical features and outcomes.

METHODS

A total of 130 consecutive BAL specimens (collected from October 2009-March 2010) of 101 patients were retrospectively analyzed for influenza A virus H1N1v positivity using a commercial kit.

RESULTS

Overall, 19/130 (14.6%) BAL specimens from 17/101 (16.8%) patients were positive for the novel influenza A H1N1v virus. H1N1v resulted significantly more prevalent in immunocompetent subjects. As regards clinical features, H1N1v resulted more prevalent in respiratory insufficiency or acute respiratory illness. Thirteen patients died during the analytic period; three of them (23.1%) resulted positive to H1N1v but no direct association has been made.

CONCLUSION

Our cohort study of influenza A H1N1v detection in BAL from hospitalized adult patients confirms the overall moderate clinical impact of this virus, as reported in most reports worldwide. It remains to be evaluated the role of reassortment with influenza virus strains circulating in the winter season 2010/2011 and its potential pathogenicity.

I219V polymorphism in hMLH1 gene in patients affected with ulcerative colitis

INTRODUCTION

hMLH1 gene, lying on chromosome 3p21-23, is a key factor of the mismatch repair (MMR) complex, which amends DNA replication errors. MMR alterations are involved in the development of both hereditary and sporadic forms of colorectal carcinoma related to ulcerative colitis (UC). I219V Polymorphism is located on exon 8 of hMLH1 and provides an aminoacidic substitution of isoleucine to valine, on the protein codon 219. This may affect the speed and fidelity of protein synthesis because of a tRNA paucity or changes in the mRNA secondary structure. Most of the hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer-associated missense mutations of hMLH1 cause structural changes of the amino- or carboxy-terminal regions, involving the domains that interact with ATP and hPMS2.

AIMS AND METHODS

In this study, we analyzed the hMLH1 I219V polymorphism frequency in colectomized patients with UC. Venous blood from 100 ulcerative patients and 97 apparently healthy subjects has been collected. Out of 100 patients affected with UC, 75 noncolectomized showed an alternating course of disease, while 25 did not respond to the common drugs, and underwent colectomy. Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction and following enzymatic digestion by BccI.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found between patients with UC and controls both for genotype and allele frequencies. However, our data show a significant association when colectomized and noncolectomized patients are compared. The frequencies of G homozygosity were 28% in colectomized and 10.7% in noncolectomized patients (p < 0.05, chi(2) = 4.4, Odds ratio = 3.3). The allele frequencies of allele A were 52% in colectomized and 68% in noncolectomized patients; while those of allele G were 48% and 32%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

I219V polymorphism in hMLH1 could influence the clinical course of the disease and lead to resistance to therapy.

Dose-ranging study of the combination of paclitaxel poliglumex and pemetrexed in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

e19090

Background: Taxanes continue to play an important role in the treatment of advanced NSCLC. Paclitaxel poliglumex (XyotaxTM) is an ester α-poly-L-glutamic acid conjugate of paclitaxel allowing for solubility in aqueous solution, not requiring Cremophor or ethanol for intravenous administration or premedications. This is a non-randomized single-arm, single-institution open label dose-ranging study was designed to evaluate the combination of pemetrexed and paclitaxel poliglumex. Methods: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the safety of this combination. Patients (pts) were enrolled in 2 different dosing levels. The first 6 received 135 mg/m2 paclitaxel poliglumex and 500 mg/m2 pemetrexed intravenously every 3 wks. None of the 6 pts experienced an initial dose limiting toxicity (IDLT) following 2 cycles of therapy and the paclitaxel poliglumex was then escalated to 175 mg/m2 with 500 mg/m2 pemetrexed. Eligibility included advanced NSCLC, one or more measurable lesions (RECIST), ECOG = 0–2, prior chemotherapy and radiation allowed, no grade 2+ peripheral neuropathy, no untreated brain metastases, and no active cardiac disease. Results: Twelve pts were enrolled, 6 pts to each dose level. Four of the pts were female, the median age was 65 years (48- 74), 11 had a performance status of 0–1, and only 1 pt received prior chemotherapy. There were no IDLTs at the first dose level, and there was one IDLT of infection with neutropenia at the second dose level. The median number of cycles completed was 5 (range 1–12 cycles). Aside from grade 3 fatigue in 2 pts there were no grade 3 or greater non-hematologic toxicities. Common non-hematologic toxicities included peripheral neuropathy, constipation, fatigue, and alopecia. Of the 12 pts, the best response was stable disease in 9 pts, 2 are without disease progression, and 6 pts are alive to date. The median progression free survival was 3.3 months (range 0.7–10.7 months). Conclusions: The combination of paclitaxel poliglumex and pemetrexed was well tolerated at the proposed phase II dose of 175 mg/m2 and 500 mg/m2. The PFS is encouraging and future studies of this combination are recommended.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Malignant melanoma metastasizing to the uterus in a patient with atypical postmenopause metrorrhagia. A case report

The uterine metastases of melanoma are very rare. At the present time, only one case occurred in our department.

CASE REPORT

a 54-year-old plurigravid woman showed a metrorrhagia of unknown origin. The patient underwent a diagnostic hysteroscopy and an endometrial biopsy, in order to investigate the symptomatic postmenopausal bleeding and exclude a neoplasia, such as the endometrial carcinoma. The patient was discharged with a diagnosis of uterine fibromatosis and called back to go through a complete laparoscopic hysterectomy and bilateral adnexectomy. During the operation, some metastases were found in the genital tract. An accurate physical examination allowed us to discover a cutaneous nevus, the excision and histology of which revealed its malignancy. The immunohistochemistry of the surgical sample was able to confirm the hypothesized relationship between the nevus and the metastases, thus leading to the diagnosis of malignant melanoma metastases, genital tract. It is important to make an accurate diagnostic passage to exclude tumoral pathology in patients with atypical uterine bleeding. Every uterine bleeding of the postmenopausal period (abnormal uterine bleeding, AUB) is considered atypical and it has to be early investigated, in order to exclude any endometrial cancer. The nature of the uterine bleedings can be ascribed to atrophy, dysfunctional matters (dysfunctional uterine bleeding, DBU), benign organic alterations, only in 7-10% of cases to endometrial cancer and more rarely to metastatic tumours, as well as this case of melanoma. Physicians should be aware of such unusual possibilities in order to look carefully for metastatic implants in adenomyomas.

CYP17 and CYP19 gene polymorphisms in women affected with endometriosis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether CYP17 T>C polymorphism and polymorphisms C1558T and Val80 of CYP19 are related to endometriosis.

DESIGN

Clinical study.

PATIENT(S)

Women affected with endometriosis (n = 104) and control group (n = 86). The diagnosis of endometriosis was confirmed by the histologic examination of the endometriotic lesions.

RESULT(S)

In patients affected with endometriosis, we observed that AA and CC genotypes were significantly represented in Val80 and C1558T polymorphisms of CYP19.

CONCLUSION(S)

The molecular mechanisms that underlie the development of endometriosis are unclear. Both environmental and genetic factors are involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. The inheritable susceptibility to endometriosis justifies the growing interest in identifying genes and/or genetic polymorphisms that predispose women to an increased risk of developing endometriosis. The identification of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), probably linked to endometriosis, could help to explain its pathogenesis.