The effects of selected inhibitors on human fetal adrenal steroidogenesis differs under basal and ACTH-stimulated conditions.

Background: Disordered fetal adrenal steroidogenesis can cause marked clinical effects including virilization of female fetuses. In postnatal life, adrenal disorders can be life-threatening due to the risk of adrenal crisis and must be carefully managed. However, testing explicit adrenal steroidogenic inhibitory effects of therapeutic drugs is challenging due to species-specific characteristics, and particularly the impact of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation on drugs targeting steroidogenesis has not previously been examined in human adrenal tissue.

Systematic review of progesterone for the prevention of preterm birth in singleton pregnancies.

Background: A Cochrane review in 2006 concluded that further knowledge is required before recommendation can be made with regard to progesterone in the prevention of preterm birth.

Objective: To provide an update on the preventive effect of progesterone on preterm birth in singleton pregnancies.

Search Strategy: A search in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane database was performed using the keywords: pregnancy, progesterone, preterm birth/preterm delivery, preterm labor, controlled trial, and randomized controlled trial.

[Quality monitoring based on data from the Danish National Patient Registry].

The Danish National Patient Registry (DNRP) was established in Denmark in 1976, and since then in accordance with current law, it has been collecting discharge diagnoses, surgical codes and recently also different diagnostic and treatment codes from all Danish hospitals. Besides being an administrative tool and a tool for epidemiological research through recent years, the DNPR has also supported national clinical quality databases. We report the experiences from a national quality control in Danish reproductive gynaecology based on data from the DNPR.

[The National Patient Registry as a tool for continuous production and quality control].

Introduction: In Denmark, the National Register of Patients has, by law since 1977, received discharge diagnoses, surgical codes, and, in recent years, also codes for specific medical treatments for all hospitalised patients. It is an important source of administrative data and for epidemiological research. This paper summarises the results of an evaluation of the register as a tool for assessing quality in gynaecological departments in Denmark.

Vasopressin, angiotensin II and renal responses during water immersion in hydrated humans.

1. The hypothesis was tested that in hydrated humans the release of arginine vasopressin and angiotensin II is suppressed by water immersion (WI) and that this is a mechanism of the immersion-induced diuresis and natriuresis. Seven male subjects on controlled sodium (65-75 mmol per 24 h for 4 days) and water intake were studied.