Publications by authors named "Chinami Horiuchi"

The prenatal diagnosis of fetal heart disease potentially influences parental decision-making regarding pregnancy termination. Existing literature indicates that the severity, whether in complexity or lethality, significantly influences parental decisions concerning abortion. However, questions remain as to how fetal heart disease severity impacts parental decisions, given recent advancements in postsurgical outcomes.

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  • The study aimed to examine the occurrence and impact of pregnancy-related aortic dissection in Japan using data from a large-scale survey conducted from 2013 to 2017.
  • Out of 407 perinatal centers, 70.5% responded, identifying 17 cases, with a significant maternal death rate of 56.2% linked to the dissection primarily during the postpartum period.
  • Findings indicated that the mortality rate was high, especially for Stanford type A aortic dissections, and emphasized the need for thorough examinations if symptoms suggestive of aortic dissection arise after pregnancy.
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  • This study examines how different delivery methods affect cardiac function in pregnant women with heart disease during labor, using a noninvasive method to measure hemodynamic changes.
  • Results showed that vaginal delivery (VD) without epidural anesthesia increased cardiac index (CI) and heart rate (HR), while epidural anesthesia moderated these increases.
  • The findings suggest that vaginal delivery with epidural anesthesia is preferred due to its balanced impact on stroke volume and heart rate, compared to caesarean section (CS) where different factors influenced cardiac function.
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  • - The study investigated how pregnancy affects aortic diameters in women with repaired conotruncal anomalies (CTA) compared to healthy pregnant women, analyzing echocardiography results over several years.
  • - While no major maternal complications were found, women with repaired CTA experienced a greater increase in aortic diameter during pregnancy, with about 25% showing significant dilation that didn’t revert after delivery.
  • - Key risk factors for increased and persistent aortic dilation included pulmonary atresia, prior surgeries, older age at the time of repair, and smaller heart size before pregnancy, indicating a need for regular monitoring of aortic root size during and after pregnancy.
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  • * A study analyzed data from 36 pregnant women with CAVB to identify factors linked to postpartum cardiac issues; 14.3% of pregnancies resulted in significant events like heart failure or the need for a permanent pacemaker.
  • * Key predictive factors for these postpartum complications included a ventricular pause during the perinatal period and a family history of CAVB, emphasizing the need for close monitoring after delivery.
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  • The study aimed to identify risk factors for pregnancy complications in women diagnosed with Eisenmenger syndrome (ES), focusing on a group of 15 patients from 1982 to 2013.
  • The results showed that while 10 women chose to terminate their pregnancies, 5 who continued faced severe complications like worsening cyanosis and heart symptoms, prompting early cesarean sections.
  • The findings indicate that pregnancy in women with ES carries significant risks, necessitating careful monitoring and intervention due to potential heart failure and oxygenation issues that can arise as early as the second trimester.
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  • * The overall recurrence rate of CHD in these babies was found to be 3.1%, with specific rates varying depending on the type of maternal CHD, significantly higher than in the general population.
  • * Notably, nearly 50% of neonates with CHD exhibited the same heart defect as their mothers, with the highest correlations seen in conditions like pulmonary stenosis (PS) and coarctation of the aorta (CoA).
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  • The arterial switch operation (ASO) has become the standard treatment for pregnant women with dextro-transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA), replacing the older atrial switch operation.
  • A study of 10 women showed that out of 20 pregnancies, 14 were successful with a majority resulting in term deliveries, although some faced complications like preterm labor and cardiovascular events.
  • Findings suggest that while older age and high BNP levels increase risks during pregnancy, overall, women post-ASO have better mid-term outcomes compared to those who underwent the atrial switch operation.
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  • * Over a year, no major cardiovascular side effects were reported, and most women experienced reduced menstrual blood loss and improved hemoglobin levels.
  • * The LNG-IUS showed a high continuation rate of 97% over 24 months, indicating strong tolerance and potential benefits in preventing iron deficiency anemia in this population.
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  • The study focuses on three pregnant Japanese women who were diagnosed with left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC) before pregnancy, shedding light on the condition's effects during pregnancy.
  • Each case had different challenges: one faced severe complications leading to pregnancy termination, another had a cesarean delivery due to placenta previa, and the third was induced early because of heart function decline.
  • The findings suggest that adverse pregnancy outcomes are more related to the specific cardiomyopathy phenotypes rather than noncompaction itself, indicating that careful monitoring and assessment of anticoagulation needs are crucial for better pregnancy outcomes.
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  • Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) can monitor intrathoracic impedance to detect fluid volume changes related to heart failure, which can be especially relevant during pregnancy.
  • A case study of a 39-year-old pregnant woman with an ICD showed increased right ventricular pressure and elevated brain natriuretic peptide levels, indicating heart failure, particularly postpartum.
  • Despite physiological changes during pregnancy, the ICD successfully identified heart failure, suggesting that intrathoracic impedance monitoring is a useful tool in managing heart health in pregnant women.
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  • Pregnancy after aortic coarctation repair can be safe, but there's a higher risk of gestational hypertension (GH) according to the study conducted on nine Japanese women.
  • The study found that pre-pregnancy factors like a pressure gradient of 20mmHg or more and left ventricular mass index of 95g/m or more were significant risk factors for developing GH during pregnancy.
  • Echocardiographic measurements showed that women with GH had greater left ventricular size and volume changes throughout their pregnancy, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring to predict GH in this population, although more research is needed for conclusive results.
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  • Pregnancy in women with Marfan syndrome involves significant risks, particularly concerning maternal cardiovascular issues like aortic dissection.
  • Two case studies highlight these dangers: one patient experienced acute aortic dissection during delivery, while another faced complications 15 days after giving birth.
  • Despite appearing low-risk based on medical guidelines, both patients underscore the need for careful monitoring and education regarding pregnancy risks for women with Marfan syndrome before they conceive.
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Species distribution and antifungal susceptibility of Candida isolates at one institution were evaluated. Detection rates of fungi were examined for 5 years between 2007 and 2011. Sensitivities of fungi to amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, micafungin, itraconazole, and voriconazole were evaluated in blood culture-positive patients.

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Objective: The goal of the study was to examine risks in pregnancy in patients with Ebstein anomaly.

Study Design: Data were examined retrospectively for 13 patients (27 pregnancies, 21 live births) with Ebstein anomaly during pregnancy who were treated at our institution from 1985 to 2011. The associated anomalies in these patients were atrial septal defect (ASD) (n = 4) and the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (n = 6).

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Objective: From a single-center retrospective cohort with fetal chylothorax, we evaluated the factors related to the decision to use shunting, poor prognostic factors, and reported shunting outcomes with a new double basket-catheter device.

Methods: A retrospective single-center study was performed in 35 cases of fetal chylothorax.

Results: There were 35 cases of chylothorax: 23 with hydrops and 12 without hydrops.

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Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is characterized by acute, recurrent attacks of localized edema. Surgical procedures, trauma, and infections have been considered as potential triggers of HAE. Although HAE is a rare genetic disorder, approximately 50-60% of all HAE patients are involved with at least one occurrence of upper airway obstruction.

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Background: There are few studies of pregnancy and delivery in patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). The purpose of this study was to investigate maternal and fetal outcome in these patients.

Methods And Results: Six pregnant women with an ICD were retrospectively reviewed.

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Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), including Eisenmenger syndrome, has a risk of mortality in pregnancy of 10-40%. The aim of this study was to investigate whether pulmonary artery blood pressure (PABP) is a prognostic factor for pregnancy outcome in patients with PAH.

Methods And Results: The subjects were 42 patients with PAH during pregnancy.

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