Severe Adverse Outcomes Research Articles

Convalescent Plasma Transfusion for Treatment of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Infection: A Systematic Review

Abstract Background and object The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) represents a major global challenge with more than 200 million confirmed cases and over 4.5 million deaths till now. Unfortunately, therapeutic options are still limited and under trial. Convalescent plasma (CP) has emerged as a treatment modality based on previous use in similar viral outbreaks and early clinical trials, but there is still a controversy regarding its efficacy in COVID-19 patients. The aim of this systematic review is to examine evidence on the value of CP as a potential therapy for COVID-19 patients. Methods The current review was conducted in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines. A literature search was conducted on multiple databases including Medline/PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane library, Wiley Online Library, Scopus and Google Scholar. Databases were searched for eligible studies using the following keywords: COVID-19, novel corona virus, SARS-COV-2, convalescent plasma, and convalescent plasma therapy (CPT). Data extraction and risk of bias assessments were performed by independent two reviewers. Clinical studies comparing CP combined with standard treatment for COVID-19 versus standard treatment only were eligible, including RCTs, non-randomized clinical trials (NRCTs) and case series. We only included studies published in English but there was no restriction on the year of publication, country where study was conducted or age or sex of patients. The primary outcome was mortality rate. Secondary outcomes were time to clinical improvement, need for mechanical ventilation, intensive care or hospital length of stay and incidence of transfusion-related adverse outcomes. Results Based on the selection criteria, 23 articles were eligible including 8 RCTs and 15 controlled nonrandomized studies of interventions (NRSIs). Nearly all RCTs had low risk of bias. However, the risk of bias was considered to be high in all NRSIs. Our review showed that CP reduced overall mortality significantly in only 3 RCTs and 5 NRSIs and improved clinical outcomes significantly in only one RCT and 6 NRSIs. The time to clinical improvement, ICU stay, and need for mechanical ventilations were significantly better in CP groups in limited numbers of studies. The overall incidence of severe transfusionrelated adverse outcomes was low. Conclusions Current evidence regarding the benefit of CP in moderate to severe COVID-19 is nonconclusive. Most evidence is derived from NRSI that suffer from significant risk of bias. Evidence from RCTs carries low risk of methodological bias but clinical benefit of CP is inconsistent across studies. CP seems to be associated with no increased risk of serious transfusion-related adverse outcome. More welldesigned RCTs are still needed to elucidate the actual role of CP in patients with COVID-19.

Factors related to COVID-19 vaccination intention and uptake among childbearing women.

Pregnant women are a vulnerable population for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to their risk for severe symptoms and adverse perinatal outcomes. Our objective was to identify contributors to COVID-19 vaccine intention in pregnancy and subsequent uptake, informed by the Theory of Planned Behavior, the Health Belief Model, and paradigms implicating social determinants of health (SDoH). Total of 1,899 pregnant women across the United States completed questionnaires in December 2020 (T1) and April 2021 (T2). A structural equation model (SEM) was built from hypothesized contributors to vaccine intention (T1) and uptake (T2), including perceived threat of COVID-19, attitudes toward infection mitigation behaviors, and social determinants of health SDoH (i.e., socioeconomic status [SES], minoritized identity), controlling for maternal health, age, and county-level political orientation. In the SEM, SDoH variables, perceived threat and behavioral attitudes predicted vaccine intention. SDoH were directly associated with vaccine uptake and indirectly associated via vaccine intention (SES direct effect b = .17, total effect b = .38; identifying as Black/African American direct effect b = -.05, total effect b = -.09) The SEM demonstrated good fit and explained 38% of the variance in vaccine intention and 26% in vaccine uptake. COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women is influenced by SDoH and perceptual factors. Particular attention should focus on persons with lower SES and Black/African American women who reported lower vaccination intention and uptake. Potential routes to increase vaccination in perinatal populations include reducing accessibility barriers and providing information about vaccine safety and efficacy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The Association Between the Number of Vacuum Pop-Offs and Adverse Neonatal Outcomes

ABSTRACT Vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery (VAVD) is used to expedite vaginal delivery in cases of an arrest of descent, maternal exhaustion, or concern for fetal well-being. In 2015, the rate of VAVD was greater than the use of forceps in the United States (2.58% vs 0.56%). Several studies have examined various characteristics of vacuum devices, such as cup shape and material, number of pulls, and number of pop-ups, which is defined as the spontaneous dislodgment of the cup from the fetal scalp. Vacuum manufacturers, such as Kiwi and Mityvac, recommend abandoning VAVD as an intervention after 2 or 3 pop-offs; however, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists acknowledges that there are not enough data to recommend guidelines on how many pop-offs should be allowed before discontinuing. Some studies have demonstrated an increased risk of adverse neonatal outcomes with any number of pop-offs versus no pop-offs, whereas other studies have shown no independent association between the number of pop-offs and neonatal head injury. In addition, compared with an increase in the number of pop-offs, a large multicenter study found that increased duration of VAVD has a stronger association with adverse outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the association between the number of pop-offs and adverse neonatal outcomes. This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at a single tertiary care institution from October 1, 2005, to June 1, 2014. Data were collected from electronic medical records. Included were adult women with singleton pregnancies who delivered via VAVD or a trial of VAVD followed by cesarean delivery. Excluded were those who underwent sequential trials of both vacuum and forceps. Institutional policy recommended converting to cesarean delivery after >3 pop-offs, but the decision was left to the discretion of the physician. The primary outcome was a composite of severe adverse neonatal outcome, including brachial plexus injury, intracranial hemorrhage, convulsions, and central nervous system (CNS) depression. Other outcomes of study were scalp/facial lacerations, intracranial hemorrhage, seizures, CNS depression, and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). A total of 1730 women were included in the analysis. Of these, 74.7% had no pop-offs, 13.9% had 1 pop-off, 7.4% had 2 pop-offs, and approximately 4% had ≥3 pop-offs. Approximately 94% delivered via VAVD. As the number of pop-offs increased, the number of scalp/facial lacerations, intracranial hemorrhage, subgaleal hemorrhage, convulsions, CNS depression, and NICU admissions significantly increased. However, there was no association with the composite outcome, as well as severe perinatal laceration, shoulder dystocia, brachial plexus injury, and cephalohematoma. Adjusting for confounders, having any number of pop-offs increased the likelihood of scalp/facial lacerations, intracranial hemorrhage, convulsions, CNS depression, and NICU admission. However, there was not a dose-dependent association in the odds of adverse outcomes as the number of pop-offs increased. Compared with having no pop-offs, having any number of pop-offs was associated with an increase in adverse neonatal outcomes. In addition, the rates of intracranial hemorrhage and subgaleal hemorrhage were increased with greater numbers of pop-offs.

Autophagy ablation in skeletal muscles worsens sepsis-induced muscle wasting, impairs whole-body metabolism, and decreases survival

Septic patients frequently develop skeletal muscle wasting and weakness, resulting in severe clinical consequences and adverse outcomes. Sepsis triggers sustained induction of autophagy, a key cellular degradative pathway, in skeletal muscles. However, the impact of enhanced autophagy on sepsis-induced muscle dysfunction remains unclear. Using an inducible and muscle-specific Atg7 knockout mouse model (Atg7iSkM-KO), we investigated the functional importance of skeletal muscle autophagy in sepsis using the cecal ligation and puncture model. Atg7iSkM-KO mice exhibited a more severe phenotype in response to sepsis, marked by severe muscle wasting, hypoglycemia, higher ketone levels, and a decreased in survival as compared to mice with intact Atg7. Sepsis and Atg7 deletion resulted in the accumulation of mitochondrial dysfunction, although sepsis did not further worsen mitochondrial dysfunction in Atg7iSkM-KO mice. Overall, our study demonstrates that autophagy inactivation in skeletal muscles triggers significant worsening of sepsis-induced muscle and metabolic dysfunctions and negatively impacts survival.

Major trauma in pregnancy: prediction of maternal and perinatal adverse outcomes

Trauma, largely the consequence of motor vehicle crashes, is the leading cause of pregnancy-associated maternal mortality. Prediction of adverse outcomes has been difficult in pregnancy given the infrequent occurrence of traumatic events and anatomic considerations unique to pregnancy. The injury severity score, an anatomic scoring system with weighting dependent on severity and anatomic region of injury, is used in the prediction of adverse outcomes in the nonpregnant population but has yet to be validated in pregnancy. This study aimed to estimate the associations between risk factors and adverse pregnancy outcomes after major trauma in pregnancy and to develop a clinical prediction model for adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. This was a retrospective analysis of a cohort of pregnant patients who sustained major trauma and who were admitted to 1 of 2 level 1 trauma centers. Three composite adverse pregnancy outcomes were evaluated, namely adverse maternal outcomes and short- and long-term adverse perinatal outcomes, defined as outcomes occurring within the first 72 hours of the traumatic event or encompassing the entire pregnancy. Bivariate analyses were performed to estimate the associations between clinical or trauma-related variables and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to predict each adverse pregnancy outcome. The predictive performance of each model was estimated using receiver operating characteristic curve analyses. A total of 119 pregnant trauma patients were included, 26.1% of whom met the severe adverse maternal pregnancy outcome criteria, 29.4% of whom met the severe short-term adverse perinatal pregnancy outcome definition, and 51.3% of whom met the severe long-term adverse perinatal pregnancy outcome definition. Injury severity score and gestational age were associated with the composite short-term adverse perinatal pregnancy outcome with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.20 (95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.30). The injury severity score was solely predictive of the adverse maternal and long-term adverse perinatal pregnancy outcomes with odds ratios of 1.65 (95% confidence interval, 1.31-2.09) and 1.14 (95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.23), respectively. An injury severity score ≥8 was the best cutoff for predicting adverse maternal outcomes with 96.8% sensitivity and 92.0% specificity (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.990±0.006). An injury severity score ≥3 was the best cutoff for the short-term adverse perinatal outcomes, which correlates with a 68.6% sensitivity and 65.1% specificity (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.755±0.055). An injury severity score ≥2 was the best cutoff for the long-term adverse perinatal outcomes, yielding a 68.3% sensitivity and 72.4% specificity (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.763±0.042). For pregnant trauma patients, an injury severity score of ≥8 was predictive of severe adverse maternal outcomes. Minor trauma in pregnancy, defined in this study as an injury severity score <2, was not associated with maternal or perinatal morbidity or mortality. These data can guide management decisions for pregnant patients who present after trauma.

Management of late-onset fetal growth restriction: pragmatic approach.

There is limited prospective evidence to guide the management of late-onset fetal growth restriction (FGR) and its differentiation from small-for-gestational age. The aim of this study was to assess prospectively a novel protocol in which ultrasound criteria were used to classify women with suspected late FGR into two groups: those at low risk, who were managed expectantly until the anticipated date of delivery, and those at high risk, who were delivered soon after 37 weeks of gestation. We also compared the outcome of this prospective cohort with that of a historical cohort of women presenting similarly with suspected late FGR, in order to evaluate the impact of the new protocol. This was a prospective study of women with a non-anomalous singleton pregnancy at ≥ 32 weeks' gestation attending a tertiary hospital in London, UK, between February 2018 and September 2019, with estimated fetal weight (EFW) ≤ 10th centile, or EFW > 10th centile in addition to a decrease in fetal abdominal circumference of ≥ 50 centiles compared with a previous scan, umbilical artery Doppler pulsatility index > 95th centile or cerebroplacental ratio < 5th centile. Women were classified as low or high risk based on ultrasound and Doppler criteria. Women in the low-risk group were delivered by 41 weeks of gestation, unless they subsequently met high-risk criteria, whereas women in the high-risk group (EFW < 3rd centile, umbilical artery Doppler pulsatility index > 95th centile or EFW between 3rd and 10th centiles (inclusive) with abdominal circumference drop or abnormal Dopplers) were delivered at or soon after 37 weeks. The primary outcome was adverse neonatal outcome and included hypothermia, hypoglycemia, neonatal unit admission, jaundice requiring treatment, suspected infection, feeding difficulties, 1-min Apgar score < 7, hospital readmission and any severe adverse neonatal outcome (perinatal death, resuscitation using inotropes or mechanical ventilation, 5-min Apgar score < 7, metabolic acidosis, sepsis, and cerebral, cardiac or respiratory morbidity). Secondary outcomes were adverse maternal outcome (operative delivery for abnormal fetal heart rate) and severe adverse neonatal outcome. Women managed according to the new protocol were compared with a historical cohort of 323 women delivered prior to the implementation of the new protocol, for whom management was guided by individual clinician expertise. Over 18 months, 321 women were recruited to the prospective cohort, of whom 156 were classified as low risk and 165 were high risk. Adverse neonatal outcome was significantly less common in the low-risk compared with the high-risk group (45% vs 58%; adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 0.6 (95% CI, 0.4-0.9); P = 0.022). There was no significant difference in the rate of adverse maternal outcome (18% vs 24%; aOR, 0.7 (95% CI, 0.4-1.2); P = 0.142) or severe adverse neonatal outcome (3.8% vs 8.5%; aOR, 0.5 (95% CI, 0.2-1.3); P = 0.153) between the low- and high-risk groups. Compared with women in the historical cohort classified retrospectively as low risk, low-risk women managed under the new protocol had a lower rate of adverse neonatal outcome (45% vs 58%; aOR, 0.6 (95% CI, 0.4-0.9); P = 0.026). Appropriate risk stratification to guide management of late FGR was associated with a reduced rate of adverse neonatal outcome in low-risk pregnancies. In clinical practice, a policy of expectantly managing women with a low-risk late-onset FGR pregnancy at term could improve neonatal and long-term development. Randomized controlled trials are needed to assess the effect of an evidence-based conservative management protocol for late FGR on perinatal morbidity and mortality and long-term neurodevelopment. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Association between angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 gene polymorphism (rs2106809) with severity and outcome of COVID-19 infection.

Genetic factors play important role in the severity of the COVID-19 infection since SARS-CoV-2 binds to the ACE2 receptor on the surface of host cells. ACE2 polymorphisms that may influence the expression of ACE2 can alter patients' susceptibility to COVID-19 infection or increase the severity of the disease. This study aimed to investigate the association between ACE2 rs2106809 polymorphism and the severity of the COVID-19 infection. In this cross-sectional study, ACE2 rs2106809 polymorphism was assessed in 142 COVID-19 patients. The disease was confirmed according to clinical symptoms, imaging, and laboratory findings. The severity of the disease was graded as severe versus non-severe based on the CDC. Genomic DNA was extracted from the whole blood and PCR- RFLP was performed to genotype the ACE2-rs2106809 with specific primers and Taq1 restriction enzyme. G/G genotype was significantly associated with COVID-19 severity (44.4% in severe vs. 17.5% in non-severe, OR: 4.1; 95%CI: 1.8-9.5, p = 0.0007). Patients with the G/G genotype need more mechanical ventilation (p = 0.021). ACE2 expression in patients carrying the A/G genotype was higher in the severe compared to the non-severe form of the disease (2.99 ± 0.99 vs. 2.21 ± 1.1), but it was not statistically significant (p = 0.9). The G allele and G/G genotype of ACE2 rs2106809 is associated with more severe COVID-19 and adverse disease outcomes.

Kawasaki Disease in the Time of COVID-19 and MIS-C: The International Kawasaki Disease Registry

BackgroundPatients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and Kawasaki disease (KD) have overlapping clinical features. We compared demographics, clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of patients according to evidence of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. MethodsThe International Kawasaki Disease Registry (IKDR) enrolled KD and MIS-C patients from sites in North, Central, and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Evidence of previous infection was defined as: Positive (household contact or positive polymerase chain reaction [PCR]/serology), Possible (suggestive clinical features of MIS-C and/or KD with negative PCR or serology but not both), Negative (negative PCR and serology and no known exposure), and Unknown (incomplete testing and no known exposure). ResultsOf 2345 enrolled patients SARS-CoV-2 status was Positive for 1541 (66%) patients, Possible for 89 (4%), Negative for 404 (17%) and Unknown for 311 (13%). Clinical outcomes varied significantly among the groups, with more patients in the Positive/Possible groups presenting with shock, having admission to intensive care, receiving inotropic support, and having longer hospital stays. Regarding cardiac abnormalities, patients in the Positive/Possible groups had a higher prevalence of left ventricular dysfunction, and patients in the Negative and Unknown groups had more severe coronary artery abnormalities. ConclusionsThere appears to be a spectrum of clinical features from MIS-C to KD with a great deal of heterogeneity, and one primary differentiating factor is evidence for previous acute SARS-CoV-2 infection/exposure. SARS-CoV-2 Positive/Possible patients had more severe presentations and required more intensive management, with a greater likelihood of ventricular dysfunction but less severe coronary artery adverse outcomes, in keeping with MIS-C.

Adverse pregnancy outcomes in women at increased risk of preterm pre-eclampsia on first-trimester combined screening.

Uteroplacental dysfunction may not only result in pre-eclampsia (PE) but also in preterm birth (PTB), small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth and stillbirth. The aim of this study is to evaluate the positive predictive value (PPV) of first-trimester combined PE screening for all of these placenta-mediated adverse pregnancy outcomes. Retrospective cohort study. Tertiary referral maternity unit. A total of 13 211 singleton pregnancies. First-trimester combined screening for preterm PE using the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) algorithm. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), PTB, SGA birth and stillbirth were combined to assess composite adverse and severe adverse pregnancy outcomes (CAPO and CAPO-S). The PPVs for CAPO and CAPO-S were calculated for women with a combined risk for preterm PE of ≥1 in 50 and ≥1 in 100. First-trimester combined screening identified 2215 women (16.8%) with a risk of ≥1 in 100 for preterm PE. The PPVs for a risk of ≥1 in 100 for CAPO and CAPO-S were 38.8% and 18.2%, respectively. The equivalent PPVs for a risk of ≥1 in 50 were 45.1% and 21.1%, respectively. Women identified at high risk of preterm PE are also at increased risk of other placenta-mediated adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as PTB, SGA birth and stillbirth. Women at high risk for preterm PE after first-trimester screening may benefit from a higher surveillance care pathway, with interventions to mitigate all the adverse outcomes associated with placental dysfunction.

Immunocompetent and immunocompromised cancer populations: Post-vaccination humoral and cellular immune responses against SARS-CoV-2.

e18779 Background: Cancer patients are at risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes due to an impaired immune response amongst other factors. However, the immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is poorly characterized in this population. We hypothesized that cancer versus non-cancer individuals would mount less robust humoral and/or cellular immune SARS-CoV-2 responses. Methods: Among 594 vaccinated individuals with varying COVID-19 statuses (ie, not known to have been infected, previously infected, or with Long COVID), receptor binding domain (RBD) and total spike protein antibody levels, as well as T cell responses were assessed in non-cancer healthy individuals (n=479), non-cancer immunocompromised individuals (n=35), and cancer patients with hematologic malignancies or carcinomas (n=80). Among cancer patients, 85% (n=68) had an underlying hematologic malignancy with 62% (n=42) receiving B-cell depleting treatments at one point pre-blood collection and 43% (n=18) ≤30 days pre-blood collection. RBD antibody responses were measured using the HMH-CDI RUO SARS-CoV-2 RBD ELISA Assay. CD4+ and CD8+ T cell reactivity was measured with the QuantiFERON SARS-CoV-2 RUO Starter and Extended Pack Test. Results: 98% (n=469) of non-cancer and 76% (n=61) of cancer individuals had RBD antibody titers &gt;999 U/mL, and of these, 60% (n=282) non-cancer and 43% (n=26) cancer individuals had elevated T cell responses - indicating most vaccinated individuals mounted robust cellular and/or humoral responses. Robust antibody and elevated T cell responses strongly correlated in the non-cancer cohort but not in the cancer cohort. Composite T cell responses were higher in individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 or diagnosed with Long-COVID compared to uninfected individuals. A difference ( P&lt;0.001) was found between T cell responses in non-cancer healthy (n=479) and carcinoma (n=12) cohorts but not between non-cancer healthy and hematologic malignancy (n=68) cohorts, with the highest T cell responses observed in the non-cancer healthy cohort followed by the hematologic malignancy cohort, and lastly the carcinoma cohort. Conclusions: No prominent correlation was seen between antibody and T cell levels in the cancer cohort likely due to the effect of B-cell targeted therapies that suppress antibody responses. The study supports a suppressive role of B cell targeted therapies in blood cancer patients on antibody responses, but not on T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Interestingly, we found T cell responses to have wide variation in the hematologic malignancy cohort, likely reflective of the highly dysregulated T cell phenotype in certain liquid tumors such as CLL patients. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination continues to be an effective way to induce humoral and cellular immune responses, a key preventive measure against infection and/or subsequent more severe adverse outcomes.

Association between delayed cesarean section and severe maternal and adverse newborn outcomes in the Somaliland context: a cohort study in a national referral hospital

ABSTRACT Background In a critical obstetric situation, the time interval between the decision of performing a caesarean section (CS) and delivery can influence maternal and newborn outcomes. In Somaliland, consent for surgical procedures, such as CS needs to be sought from family members. Objective To determine the association between a delay in performing a CS and severe maternal and newborn outcomes in a national referral hospital in Somaliland. The type of barriers leading to delayed performance of CS after a doctor’s decision were also explored. Methods Women were followed from the time of decision to perform CS until discharge from the hospital between 15 April 2019 and 30 March 2020. No delay was defined as < 1 hour and delayed CS was defined as 1–3 hours and >3 hours from decision of CS to delivery. Information was collected on barriers leading to delayed CS and maternal and newborn outcomes. Data was analysed using binary and multivariate logistic regression. Results Overall, 1255 women were recruited from a larger cohort of 6658 women. A delay in CS >3 hours was associated with higher odds of severe maternal outcomes (aOR 1.58, 95% CI [1.13–2.21]). On the contrary, delay in performing a CS >3 hours was associated with lower odds of stillbirth (aOR 0.48, 95% CI [0.32–0.71]) compared to women without delay. Further, family decision-making for consent was the most important barrier leading to delays of >3 hours as compared to financial factors and barriers related to healthcare providers (48% vs 26% and 15%, respectively, p < 0.001). Conclusions In this setting, delay in performing CS >3 hours was associated with higher risk of severe maternal outcomes. A standardised system of performing a CS by primarily addressing the barriers associated with family decision-making, financial aspects and healthcare providers is needed.

How to prevent technostress at the digital workplace: a Delphi study

Technostress is a rising issue in the changing world of digital work. Technostress can cause severe adverse outcomes for individuals and organizations. Thus, organizations face the moral, legal, and economic responsibility to prevent employees’ excessive technostress. As technostress develops over time, it is crucial to prevent it throughout the process of its emergence instead of only reacting after adverse outcomes occur. Contextualizing the Theory of Preventive Stress management to technostress, we synthesize and advance existing knowledge on inhibiting technostress. We develop a set of 24 technostress prevention measures from technostress inhibitor literature, other technostress literature, and based on qualitative and quantitative contributions from a Delphi study. Based on expert feedback, we characterize each measure and, where possible, assess its relevance in addressing specific technostressors. Our paper contributes to research by transferring the Theory of Preventive Stress Management into the context of technostress and presenting specific measures to prevent technostress. This offers a complementary view to technostress inhibitors by expanding the theoretical grounding and adding a time perspective through the implementation of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention measures. For practice, we offer a comprehensive and applicable overview of measures organizations can implement to prevent technostress.

Prior History of Cholestasis Is Not Associated With Worsening Outcomes in Subsequent Pregnancy With Cholestasis [ID: 1363296

INTRODUCTION: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (IHCP) is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes including intrauterine fetal demise, spontaneous preterm labor, and meconium-stained amniotic fluid. Studies have yet to determine whether a prior pregnancy complicated by cholestasis is associated with more severe adverse outcomes in a subsequent pregnancy complicated by cholestasis. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of multiparous, singleton, nonanomalous live gestations complicated by IHCP at Elmhurst Hospital Center from 2005 to 2019. We compared rates of adverse outcomes in multiparous pregnancies complicated by IHCP with or without history of prior IHCP. Our primary outcome of interest was rates of spontaneous preterm labor. Our secondary outcomes included rates of iatrogenic preterm birth, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, cesarean delivery (CD) for nonreassuring fetal heart tracing, umbilical artery pH less than 7.20, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. Chi-square and multivariate regression tests were used to determine the strength of association. In all analyses, a P value less than 0.05 and 95% CI not crossing 1.00 indicated statistical significance. Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine IRB approval was obtained for this project. RESULTS: Of the 795 multiparous pregnancies complicated by IHCP, 618 (77.7%) had no prior history of IHCP and 177 (23.3%) had prior history of IHCP. Multiparous pregnancies with prior history of IHCP had higher rates of prior preterm birth, had earlier gestational age at diagnosis and delivery, and were more likely to receive ursodeoxycholic acid therapy. In subsequent pregnancies with IHCP, history of IHCP was associated with iatrogenic preterm birth and NICU admission. After adjusting for confounders, the association with iatrogenic preterm birth and NICU admission were no longer statistically significant. There was no significant association between history of prior IHCP and other adverse obstetric outcomes. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that history of prior IHCP is not associated with worsening outcomes in subsequent pregnancies complicated by cholestasis.

Postpartum Maternal Echocardiography and Its Effect on Hospital Management in Patients With Severe Preeclampsia [ID: 1378829

INTRODUCTION: Maternal echocardiography has demonstrated cardiac changes in the setting of preeclampsia; however, its effect on hospital management has not been well studied. The objective of this study was therefore to determine whether abnormal postpartum echocardiography is associated with a change in hospital management in patients with severe preeclampsia. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with severe preeclampsia (20–42 weeks) who received postpartum echocardiogram before discharge at a single academic institution from 2019 to 2021. The decision to obtain an echocardiogram was made by the primary physician. Patients with clinical indications for echocardiography (suspicion of heart failure and cardiomyopathy) were excluded. Hospital management outcomes included length of hospital stay, diuretic use, increasing antihypertensives, hospital readmission, and cardiology consultation. Patients with normal versus abnormal echocardiograms were compared using the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test for categorical data and the two-sample t test or Mann-Whitney test for continuous data, with a value of P&lt;.05 considered significant. RESULTS: One hundred forty five patients with preeclampsia who received maternal echocardiograms were included. Twenty-one (14%) had an abnormal echocardiogram, including left ventricle hypertrophy (n=9, 6%), pulmonary hypertension (n=5, 3.4%), moderate pericardial effusion (n=4, 2.7%), and enlarged atrial size (n=3, 2%). Patients with abnormal maternal echocardiograms were more likely to have a longer hospital stay (median stay of 7 days [5, 10] versus 5 days [4, 6], P=.003) and were more likely to receive diuretics (19.1% versus 4%, P=.03). There was no difference in adjustment of antihypertensives (61.9% versus 49.2%, P=.3), cardiology consultation (9.5% versus 6.5%, P=.6), or hospital readmission (4.8% versus 6.5%, P=1). CONCLUSION: Abnormal echocardiograms were associated with change in hospital management including longer hospital stay and more diuretic use. Abnormal postpartum echocardiography may be used to identify patients with more severe disease and adverse clinical outcomes. Further clinical utility of abnormal echocardiograms in severe preeclampsia should be evaluated.

Implementation of a Severe Maternal Morbidity Quality Review Process at a Level IV Public Hospital [ID: 1377992

INTRODUCTION: Severe maternal morbidity (SMM) is tracked by national organizations offering opportunities to evaluate, monitor, and address in near real time. Using a multidisciplinary case review committee to analyze all cases of SMM at a level IV inner-city hospital, we hypothesized that case reviews will identify opportunities for improvement in obstetric practices. METHODS: A case review was triggered for any delivery with an SMM ICD-10 code, transfusion of greater than 4 units, readmission within 48 hours of discharge, a patient safety concern by staff, or a severe adverse neonatal outcome. This cohort study included all of the case reviews of cases between 2019 and 2022. Severe maternal morbidity outcomes, demographics, and obstetric practices were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 36,671 deliveries, 296 (0.8%) met criteria and were reviewed. Of these, 80 (27%) had two or more concurrent SMM events. Postpartum hemorrhage was the most common (37%), followed by intensive care unit admission (13%) and hysterectomy (12%). After review, practices done well included interdisciplinary communication and prompt decision-making. Opportunities for improvement included inadequate access to peripartum care due to socioeconomic barriers, communication, and lack of role clarity. CONCLUSION: Social barriers, inadequate communication, and lack of role clarity were identified as the most common areas of improvement in SMM cases. These findings led to the development of an escalation of care pathway for massive transfusion protocol and vital signs thresholds at which to contact anesthesia. The implementation of a standardized SMM surveillance system results in systematic improvements in obstetric practices.

Research progress on animal models of contrast-induced acute kidney injury.

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) refers to acute kidney injury that occurs after intravascular contrast media is applied. It is the third most common cause for acute renal failure in hospitalized patients and can cause severe renal impairment and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. In severe cases, it can even lead to the death of the patient. Due to its complicated pathogenesis, the pathogenesis of CI-AKI has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, it is of great significance to further study the pathogenesis for the prevention of CI-AKI. Moreover, a good animal model of CI-AKI is an important tool for in-depth research on the pathogenesis of acute kidney injury induced by contrast agents.

Impact of Human Mobility on COVID-19 Transmission According to Mobility Distance, Location, and Demographic Factors in the Greater Bay Area of China: Population-Based Study.

Mobility restriction was one of the primary measures used to restrain the spread of COVID-19 globally. Governments implemented and relaxed various mobility restriction measures in the absence of evidence for almost 3 years, which caused severe adverse outcomes in terms of health, society, and economy. This study aimed to quantify the impact of mobility reduction on COVID-19 transmission according to mobility distance, location, and demographic factors in order to identify hotspots of transmission and guide public health policies. Large volumes of anonymized aggregated mobile phone position data between January 1 and February 24, 2020, were collected for 9 megacities in the Greater Bay Area, China. A generalized linear model (GLM) was established to test the association between mobility volume (number of trips) and COVID-19 transmission. Subgroup analysis was also performed for sex, age, travel location, and travel distance. Statisticalinteractionterms were includedin a variety of models that express different relations between involved variables. The GLM analysis demonstrated a significant association between the COVID-19 growth rate ratio (GR) and mobility volume. A stratification analysis revealed a higher effect of mobility volume on the COVID-19 GR among people aged 50-59 years (GR decrease of 13.17% per 10% reduction in mobility volume; P<.001) than among other age groups (GR decreases of 7.80%, 10.43%, 7.48%, 8.01%, and 10.43% for those aged ≤18, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, and ≥60 years, respectively; P=.02 for the interaction). The impact of mobility reduction on COVID-19 transmission was higher for transit stations and shopping areas (instantaneous reproduction number [Rt] decreases of 0.67 and 0.53 per 10% reduction in mobility volume, respectively) than for workplaces, schools, recreation areas, and other locations (Rt decreases of 0.30, 0.37, 0.44, and 0.32, respectively; P=.02 for the interaction). The association between mobility volume reduction and COVID-19 transmission was lower with decreasing mobility distance as there was a significant interaction between mobility volume and mobility distance with regard to Rt (P<.001 for the interaction). Specifically, the percentage decreases in Rt per 10% reduction in mobility volume were 11.97% when mobility distance increased by 10% (Spring Festival), 6.74% when mobility distance remained unchanged, and 1.52% when mobility distance declined by 10%. The association between mobility reduction and COVID-19 transmission significantly varied according to mobility distance, location, and age. The substantially higher impact of mobility volume on COVID-19 transmission for longer travel distance, certain age groups, and specific travel locations highlights the potential to optimize the effectiveness of mobility restriction strategies. The results from our study demonstrate the power of having a mobility network using mobile phone data for surveillance that can monitor movement at a detailed level to measure the potential impacts of future pandemics.

The association between undetected small-for-gestational age and abnormal admission cardiotocography: A registry-based study.

To assess the association between undetected small-for-gestational age (SGA) fetuses and abnormal admission cardiotocography (admCTG) in a low-risk population. An observational study. Four hospitals in Stockholm-Gotland, Sweden. A cohort of 127 461 deliveries between 1 February 2012 and 15 June 2020. This cohort was linked to the Swedish Neonatal Quality Register. Pregnancies were designated as high or low risk at the time of admission to the labour ward according to pre-defined risk measures. SGA was defined as a birthweight at or below the tenth centile and at or below the third centile for gestational age. The main outcome was the proportion of undetected SGA by admCTG (normal or abnormal). The secondary outcome was a composite severe adverse neonatal outcome for fetuses born less than 6 hours after admission (Apgar score <4 at 5 minutes, hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy grade of 2-3, neonatal seizures and neonatal death). The rate of abnormal admCTG was 4.9%. The proportion of SGA at or below the tenth centile was higher in the abnormal admCTG group than in the normal admCTG group, 18.6% versus 9.7% (odds ratio 2.1, 95% CI 1.9-2.3). Abnormal admCTG and SGA (≤10th) was associated with a more than 20-fold increased risk of an adverse outcome compared with normal admCTG and non-SGA (adjusted odds ratio 23.7, 95% CI 9.8-57.3). The latter had a risk of 1/2000 of an adverse outcome. In this low-risk population, undetected SGA fetuses were more prone to having abnormal admCTG and had a substantially higher risk of severe adverse neonatal outcomes.

Health outcomes of children in state care in Aotearoa New Zealand.

This study aims to provide an overview of the association between being in the custody of the chief executive of Oranga Tamariki (the child welfare agency of the New Zealand (NZ) government) and all-cause hospitalisation and mortality. This was a national retrospective cohort study using linked administrative data from the Integrated Data Infrastructure. Data were obtained for all 0-17 year-olds living in NZ on 31 December 2013. In-care status was ascertained at this point. Outcomes of all-cause hospitalisation and all-cause mortality were assessed between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2018. Adjusted models incorporated age, sex, ethnicity, level of socioeconomic deprivation and rural/urban status. There were 4650 in-care children and 1 009 377 not-in-care children in NZ on 31 December 2013. Of those in care, 54% were male, 42% lived in the most deprived areas and 63% identified as Māori. Adjusted models showed that in-care children were 1.32 (95% CI 1.27-1.38) times more likely to be hospitalised than not-in-care children and 3.64 (95% CI 2.47-5.40) times more likely to die. This cohort study highlights that the care and protection system prior to 2018 was not preventing children in its care from experiencing severe adverse outcomes. Overseas research has previously been relied on when making practice and policy decisions around child care and protection in NZ, so this research will provide valuable insight into best practice in an NZ context.

Mild neonatal morbidity in twins by planned mode of delivery: a secondary analysis of the Twin Birth Study

The Twin Birth Study showed no differences in major severe adverse neonatal outcomes between those with planned vaginal delivery and those with planned cesarean delivery. This was a secondary analysis of the Twin Birth Study in which mild neonatal morbidities, not previously reported, were compared between parturients with planned cesarean deliveries and those with planned vaginal delivery in twin births. This was a secondary analysis of the Twin Birth Study. In this study, women with a twin pregnancy at 32+0/7 to 38+6/7 weeks of gestation with the first twin in cephalic presentation and with an estimated weight between 1500 and 4000 g were randomized to either planned cesarean delivery or planned vaginal delivery. The primary outcome of this study was a composite mild neonatal outcome of respiratory and neurologic morbidities and neonatal intensive care unit admission that were not reported in the original Twin Birth Study at 34+0/7 to 38+6/7 weeks of gestation. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the composite adverse neonatal outcomes. Neonatal outcomes were further stratified by gestational age at delivery and by actual mode of delivery. A total of 1304 women and 1326 women were randomly assigned to planned cesarean delivery and planned vaginal delivery, respectively. Demographic and obstetrical characteristics were similar between the study groups. The rate of cesarean delivery was 90.1% in the planned cesarean delivery group and 40.1% in the planned vaginal delivery group. There was no significant difference in the primary composite outcome between the groups (10.6% vs 11.3%; P=.45) neither by planned mode of delivery nor by actual mode of delivery. Stratification by gestational age found a lower rate of the primary outcomes at ≥38+0/7 weeks of gestation in the planned cesarean delivery group when compared with the planned vaginal delivery group (4.8% vs 10.8%, respectively; P=.02). Furthermore, a lower risk for some individual outcomes was reported in the planned cesarean delivery group when compared with the planned vaginal delivery group, including intraventricular hemorrhage stage 1 to 2 (0.2% vs 0.6%; P<.05), low Apgar scores (0.8% vs 2.3%; P<.05), pH <7.0 (0.3 vs 1%; P<.05), and assisted ventilation needed at delivery (0.4% vs 0.9%; P<.05). In twin deliveries, with the first twin in the cephalic presentation, composite mild neonatal morbidity was not affected by the planned mode of delivery. These findings reinforce the original results of the Twin Birth Study. Nevertheless, an increased composite outcome after 38 weeks' gestation and a higher risk for some individual morbidities in the planned vaginal delivery group might be viewed as a concerning signal for the safety of vaginal delivery in twin deliveries and requires further research.