Pregnancy Intention Screening in Patients With Systemic Rheumatic Diseases: Pilot Testing a Standardized Assessment Tool.

Objective: Systemic rheumatic conditions affect reproductive-aged patients and often require potentially teratogenic medications. We assessed the feasibility and impact of a standardized pregnancy intention screening question (One Key Question [OKQ]) in a large academic rheumatology practice.

Methods: This 6-month pilot quality improvement initiative prompted rheumatologists to ask female patients aged 18 to 49 years about their pregnancy intentions using OKQ.

Disparities in Lupus and Lupus Nephritis Care and Outcomes Among US Medicaid Beneficiaries.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a serious chronic autoimmune disease with substantial morbidity and mortality. Although improved diagnostics and therapeutics have contributed to declining mortality rates, important disparities exist in SLE survival rates by race, ethnicity, gender, age, country, and social disadvantage. This review highlights the burden of SLE and lupus nephritis among Medicaid beneficiaries, outlines barriers in access to high-quality SLE care and medication adherence in the Medicaid SLE population, and summarizes disparities in adverse outcomes among SLE patients enrolled in Medicaid.

Predictors of Initial Hydroxychloroquine Receipt Among Medicaid Beneficiaries With Incident Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Objective: Although hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine (HCQ/CQ) form the cornerstone of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) treatment, not all patients receive this, which may contribute to disparities in outcomes. The present study was undertaken to investigate factors associated with first dispensing of HCQ/CQ.

Methods: Using Medicaid insurance claims from 2000 to 2010, we identified individuals ages 18-65 years with incident SLE (≥3 SLE International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes separated by ≥30 days without prior SLE codes or HCQ/CQ use for 24 months).

Perinatal Risks Associated with Early Vanishing Twin Syndrome following Transfer of Cleavage- or Blastocyst-Stage Embryos.

. To investigate whether the perinatal risks associated with early vanishing twin (VT) syndrome differ between cleavage- or blastocyst-stage embryo transfers (ET) in fresh in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. .

Ovarian Response and in Vitro Fertilization Outcomes After Salpingectomy: Does Salpingectomy Indication Matter?

Study Objective: To investigate whether the ovarian response and pregnancy outcomes of patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) after salpingectomy are affected by the underlying indication for salpingectomy.

Design: Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3).

Setting: University-affiliated fertility center.

Modified Open Laparoscopy Using a 5-mm Laparoscope.

Background: In an effort to minimize injuries associated with closed laparoscopic entry, many surgeons use a 10-mm standard open laparoscopy technique. Disadvantages of this open technique are that it requires a larger incision, fascial sutures, and does not always achieve an airtight seal. Although 5-mm laparoscopics with excellent optics are available, little has been written about open techniques using them.