Cystatin C as an indicator of renal damage in pre-eclampsia.

Objective: To assess the predictive abilities of serum and urinary cystatin C levels for glomerular lesions in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia.

Methods: In this study, kidney function markers were compared between38 pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and 22 healthy pregnant women.

Results: The serum and urine levels of cystatin C and urea were significantly higher in the pre-eclampsia group than in the control group.

Longitudinal evaluation of uterine perfusion, endothelial function and central blood flow in early onset pre-eclampsia.

Objectives: Physiopathological mechanisms that trigger clinical manifestations in pre-eclampsia (PE) remain unclear, and management is still a challenge. The identification of tools to predict the onset of the disease and prevent its complications is of great interest in medical practice. The present study aims to evaluate uterine perfusion, endothelial function and central nervous system blood flow in pregnant women with high-risk factors for PE, for comparison of the results between the group of patients who developed early onset PE and those who remained normotensive throughout pregnancy.

Novel Method Probe-based Real-Time PCR to Detect 2 Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms Close to Each Other: HFE Hemochromatosis Gene Model.

Hereditary hemochromatosis is known as the most common genetic disorder among individuals of European genetic background. It is possible to find 2 mutations closely placed in the HFE gene (H63D and S65C) and this proximity can cause errors when genotyped by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genotyping assay. The aim of this study was to develop a hydrolysis probe-based PCR assay for detection of the H63D and S65C mutations without interference from on each other.

[Nutritional Status of Pregnant Women under Monitoring in Pre Distinct Prenatal Services: The Metropolitan Area and the Rural Environment].

Objective: To determine differences in some nutritional aspects of pregnant women assisted at prenatal care services in a country town and in a metropolitan area.

Methods: Pregnant women received prenatal care in the city of Belo Horizonte (BH), metropolitan area, and Paula Cândido (PC), a country town. A Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) containing socioeconomic information and information about eating habits was applied.

Revisiting HELLP syndrome.

HELLP syndrome was first described in 1982 by Weinstein et al. and the term HELLP refers to an acronym used to describe the clinical condition that leads to hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets. The syndrome frequency varies from 0.

Identification of a Novel Agonist-Like Autoantibody in Preeclamptic Patients.

Background: Recent studies have shown that preeclampsia (PE) is associated with the presence of autoantibodies (AABs) that activate the angiotensin II AT1 receptor, which could contribute to many of the symptoms of PE.

Methods: To investigate the frequency and the targets of AABs in preeclamptic women (31 cases) and healthy pregnant normotensive women (29 cases) in Brazil, antibodies from serum samples were detected by a bioassay using spontaneously beating neonatal rat cardiomyocytes in culture. In the cardiomyocytes, the agonistic AABs induce a positive or negative chronotropic response, mimicking the corresponding receptor agonists.

Prediction of early and late preeclampsia by flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery.

Objective: To assess the accuracy in the prediction of both early and late preeclampsia by flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery (FMD), a biophysical marker for endothelial dysfunction.

Materials And Methods: A total of 91 patients, considered at high risk for development of preeclampsia were submitted to brachial artery FMD between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation.

Results: Nineteen out of the selected patients developed preeclampsia, 8 in its early form and 11 in the late form.

Doppler flowmetry of ophthalmic arteries for prediction of pre-eclampsia.

Background: central nervous system (CNS) hyperperfusion is one of the events that constitute the pathophysiological basis for the clinical manifestations and complications of pre-eclampsia (PE). Detecting the increased flow in the CNS through Doppler flowmetry of the ophthalmic artery might precede the clinical onset of PE and could be used as a marker for subsequent development of PE.

Objective: to evaluate the ophthalmic artery resistive index (OARI) values in the second trimester of pregnancy for prediction of the clinical manifestations of PE.

Variation of endothelial function during the menstrual cycle evaluated by flow-mediated dilatation of brachial artery.

Objective: It is well defined that ovarian steroids play a role in the cardiovascular system, acting as vasoactive compounds. The aim of this study is to assess the endothelial function during the menstrual cycle using flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery.

Methods: A total of 21 healthy premenopausal women, with regular menstrual cycles, were included in this observational, longitudinal, and prospective study.

Difference of endothelial function during pregnancies as a method to predict preeclampsia.

Background: Systemic endothelial dysfunction has been identified as one of the main events in preeclampsia (PE). A nonhealthy vascular endothelium can be pointed out as the pathophysiological explanation of the clinical manifestations and complications of PE. Once normal pregnancy is characterized by a constant increase in endothelial function, a follow-up of this physiological event could be used as an early marker or a prediction tool to predict PE.

Assessment of endothelial function in pregnant women with preeclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus by flow-mediated dilation of brachial artery.

Purpose: To compare endothelial function, as assessed by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in pregnant women with preeclampsia (PE), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and healthy pregnant women.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of eighty women who were selected and divided into three groups: Group A comprising 42 pregnant women with PE, Group B (control) consisting of 19 normotensive pregnant women with no comorbidities and Group C consisting of 19 pregnant women with GDM. The women underwent FMD and the results were compared between groups.

Diagnosis of severe fetal anemia based on perinatal outcomes: a comparative analysis of the current reference values.

Objectives. To compare current criteria for severe fetal anemia diagnosis. Methodology.

Epidemiologic profile, survival, and maternal prognosis factors among women at an obstetric intensive care unit.

Objective: To identify the epidemiologic profile, maternal survival, and prognosis factors that might affect survival rates in the obstetric intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted between January 2007 and February 2009 in a tertiary referral ICU, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Critical patients during pregnancy and puerperium were followed from admission until discharge or death.

Presymptomatic prediction of preeclampsia with angiogenic factors, in high risk pregnant women.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the value of placental growth factor (PLGF), soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and sFlt-1/PLGF ratio, in predicting symptomatic preeclampsia (PE).

Methods: A prospective longitudinal study was carried out on 71 high risk preeclamptic women cohort. All of them had normal blood pressure level (≤140/90 mmHg) at the time of enrolment, 26.

Anatomical and physiological changes in the venous system of lower limbs in pregnant women and findings associated with the symptomatology.

Purpose: Quantify the volume and diameter of veins in the lower limbs of primigravidae and associate the presence of venous signs and symptoms with the vascular measurements.

Methods: A cross-sectional study assessed 64 lower limbs of 32 healthy women of whom 16 were primigravidae between 22 and 36 weeks pregnant, and 16 nulligravidae. The women were submitted to physical assessment, air plethysmography and vascular ultrasound.

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital syngnathia by 3D ultrasound and pathological correlation.

Congenital syngnathia is a maxillomandibular fusion, and it can vary in severity from single mucosal bands (synechiae) to complete bony fusion (synostosis). Cases of combinations of bony or soft tissue adhesions between the mandible and maxilla with cleft of the lip or palate, aglossia, popliteal pterygium, and van der Woude syndrome have been reported. It is a very rare condition, with only one case report of prenatal diagnosis using two-dimensional ultrasound in the literature.

Endothelial function, uterine perfusion and central flow in pregnancies complicated by Preeclampsia.

Background: The physiopathology of Preeclampsia (PE) is characterized by a deficiency in the process of placentation, systemic endothelial dysfunction and Central Nervous System (CNS) hyperflow. From a clinical point of view, it would be interesting to determine the occurrence of these phenomena before the onset of clinical manifestations of the disease, raising the possibility of new methods for predicting PE.

Objective: Compare the process of placentation, endothelial function and CNS hyperflow in pregnant women at high risk for the development of PE who subsequently developed or not the syndrome.

Comparative Study of Endothelial Function and Uterine Artery Doppler Velocimetry between Pregnant Women with or without Preeclampsia Development.

Background. Poor placentation and systemic endothelial dysfunction have been identified as main events in Preeclampsia (PE). The relationship and chronology of these phenomena are important if we are to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this major clinical problem.

Comparison of vitrification and slow cooling for umbilical tissues.

The tissue cryopreservation maintains the cellular metabolism in a quiescence state and makes the conservation possible for an indefinite period of time. The choice of an appropriate cryopreservation protocol is essential for maintenance of cryopreserved tissue banks. This study evaluated 10 samples of umbilical cord, from which small fragments of tissue (Wharton's jelly and cord lining membrane) were subjected to two protocols of cryopreservation: slow cooling and vitrification.

Variation in ovarian follicle density during human fetal development.

Purpose: To obtain a precise estimate of ovarian follicle density and variation in the number of follicles at several gestational ages during human fetal development.

Methods: Twelve necropsied ovaries from 9 fetuses (gestational age: 24 to 36 weeks) and 3 neonates (who died within the first hours of life) were studied. Ovaries were fixed with 4 % formaldehyde and embedded in paraffin.

Clinical course of 822 children with prenatally detected nephrouropathies.

Background And Objectives: With the advent of fetal screening ultrasonography, the detection of congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) in utero has permitted early management of these conditions. This study aims to describe the clinical course of a large cohort of patients with prenatally detected nephrouropathies.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: In this retrospective cohort study, 822 patients were prenatally diagnosed with CAKUT and systematically followed up at a tertiary Renal Unit for a median time of 43 months.

[Analysis of maternal and child health indicators: the parallel between Portugal and Brazil].

Purpose: To analyze comparatively the conditions of birth in Portugal and Brazil from 1975 to 2007.

Methods: Indicators of maternal and child health: rates of maternal death and neonatal mortality, cesarean rate and public spending on health were retrospectively collected from electronic databases of health information from the Unified Health System (DATASUS) and the National Institute of Statistics of Portugal (INE), among others. Their values were descriptively analyzed in terms of trends and the temporal sanitary scenarios were presented and discussed, comparing, when possible, the information from the two countries.

Ultrasound evaluation of the fetal nasal bone: what is the most appropriate first-trimester cut-off point for aneuploidy screening?

Purpose: To establish fetal nasal bone length cut-off points for first trimester aneuploidy screening based on a normal curve of a Brazilian population.

Methods: The following tests were proposed: presence or absence of the nasal bone (NB); 2.5 and 5.

Antenatal ultrasonographic anteroposterior renal pelvis diameter measurement: is it a reliable way of defining fetal hydronephrosis?

Purpose. It was to quantify the intraobserver and interobserver variability of the sonographic measurements of renal pelvis and classify hydronephrosis severity. Methods.

[Early-onset preeclampsia: is it a better classification for maternal and perinatal outcomes?].

Purpose: to evaluate the differences between the maternal and perinatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia, according to the classification as the severe/mild form, and the early/late onset form.

Methods: a retrospective study with 211 pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia, assessed at a university reference center from 2000 to 2010. The diagnosis and disease severity were based on the values of blood pressure, proteinuria, and clinical and laboratory findings.