Publications by authors named "Matthew Sermer"

There is a growing population of young women of child-bearing age with complete transposition of the great arteries (TGA) who have had an arterial switch operation (ASO). Pregnancy imposes a hemodynamic stress on the heart and, therefore, adverse cardiac events can occur during this period; however, pregnancy outcomes in this population have not been well studied. We sought to describe cardiac outcomes during pregnancy in women with TGA who had undergone an ASO in childhood.

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Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is increasingly being used for prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and prevention of pregnancy associated morbidity in pregnant women with thrombophilia. We sought to determine if the administration of prophylactic doses of LMWH downregulates coagulation activation in high risk pregnant women with thrombophilia. This sub-study was planned as part of a randomized open label controlled trial (Thrombophilia in Pregnancy Prophylaxis Study [TIPPS]) in which patients at high risk of pregnancy complications with confirmed thrombophilia are randomized to receive either dalteparin (5,000 units/day until 20 weeks then 5,000 units q12h until 37 weeks or onset of labor) or no treatment.

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Background: The success in performing organ transplantations and prevention of rejection has resulted not only in a substantial increase in life expectancy, but also improvement in the patients' quality of life. Thus, women who underwent organ transplantation are now reaching puberty and the age of reproduction. This has presented new challenges regarding the teratogenicity and the long-term effect of immunosuppressive medications used by these patients.

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