Improvement in uterine artery doppler indices via hysteroscopic metroplasty.

Objective: the objective of our research was to study uterine artery doppler indices and their evolution over time after metroplasty and subsequent pregnancy in patients whose septate uterus was the only explanation for infertility.

Materials And Methods: a retrospective study. The uterine arteries of 78 patients with septate uteri were evaluated using endovaginal color doppler ultrasound before and after metroplasty.

Full-term-pregnancy effects of antenatal betamethasone administration on short-term variation as assessed by computerized cardiotocography.

Objective: to verify whether there are other than transitory effects of antenatal betamethasone (administered for fetal lung maturity [FLM] enhancement) on fetal heart rate (FHR) variability detected by computerized cardiotocography (cCTG) in cases where formerly steroid-treated fetuses reached term.

Materials And Methods: cCTG of one hundred sixty-four women (study group) exposed to antenatal betamethasone for risk of preterm delivery in third trimester period were compared to controls (pregnancies who presented risk of preterm labour in the same period of cases, although with no steroids administration). cCTG was performed weekly as of standard schedule when pregnancies reach term from 37-40 weeks' gestation for cases and controls.

Conjoined twins: what ultrasound may add to management.

Introduction: Conjoined twins occur in approximately 0.2:10,000 births; the obstetrician and sonographer only rarely examine them. In Western countries, discovery of conjoined twins is often made by the end of the first trimester; however, in the third world, conjoined twins are often discovered only at birth.

Early prenatal sonographic diagnosis of gastroschisis.

We report a case of gastroschisis that was suspected at sonography at 11 weeks + 3 days of amenorrhea. Although early detection does not alter prenatal management of this condition nor does it affect neonatal outcome, it allows early counseling of the parents.

Efficacy of three different antithrombotic regimens on pregnancy outcome in pregnant women affected by recurrent pregnancy loss.

Introduction: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a common health problem affecting 1-5% of women at reproductive age.

Aim Of The Study: Evaluation of three different antithrombotic treatments in women with antecedent of RPL, comparing the results in negative and positive to thrombophilic screening pregnant women.

Materials And Methods: We recruited 361 women with an antecedent of two or more pregnancy losses.

Betamethasone effects on umbilical arteries and ductus venosus Doppler velocity waveforms in growth-restricted fetuses.

Unlabelled: We studied intrauterine-growth-restricted (IUGR) fetuses with absent or reversed umbilical artery end-diastolic flow (EDF) velocity in order to evaluate the benefit of antenatal steroid therapy. Perinatal outcomes after betamethasone were evaluated where end diastolic flow returned (group I), compared with data from fetuses with persistent absent-reverse end diastolic(ARED) flow (group II).

Objectives/methods: We recruited sixty-four IUGR fetuses, 28-32 weeks' gestation, whose umbilical artery spectral tracings showed ARED flow and positive a-wave in the ductus venosus at admission.

Lamellar bodies: platelet channel particles as predictors of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and of transient tachypnea of the newborn.

Objective: We aimed to find a single numeric cut-off point in order to predict respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN), through quantification of the lamellar bodies (LBs) count.

Materials And Methods: Two hundred and twenty-seven single pregnancies delivered within 48 h from amniocentesis in a III level university hospital in a period between 1996 and 2007. LBs counts were determined by amniotic fluid (AF) sampling and after centrifugation in a commercially available Coulter counter.

Premenopausal hormone-responsive breast cancer with extensive axillary nodes involvement: total estrogen blockade and chemotherapy.

Background: Poor prognosis is associated with estrogen- and/or progesterone receptor-positive (ER(+), PGR(+)) premenopausal breast cancer (PM-BC) with high Ki-67 labeling index and extensive axillary lymph node involvement. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) and hormonal therapy have not yet been established in these patients.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-five PM-BC patients received, in sequence, leuprorelin, taxane-anthracycline induction chemotherapy, radiation therapy, a platinum-based intensification high-dose CT, followed by leuprorelin and anastrazole for five years.

Unicornuate uteri associated with contralateral renal agenesis and ovarian anomalies.

Our findings regarding two cases of unicornuate uterus validate that conventional transvaginal ultrasound is helpful in diagnosing uterine anomalies. Moreover, anomalies of the urinary system and the contralateral ovary should always be considered.

Liposomal pegylated doxorubicin and oxaliplatin as salvage chemotherapy in patients with metastatic gastric cancer treated earlier.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity and safety of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) and oxaliplatin (LOHP) as salvage chemotherapy in patients with metastatic gastric cancer (MGC) who had earlier been treated with docetaxel, capecitabine, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin. Treatment consisted of PLD (40 mg/m(2)) and LOHP (120 mg/m(2)) administered over 2 days, every 3 weeks. Response to therapy was assessed using the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors; toxicity was evaluated by the National Cancer Institute common toxicity criteria (version 2.

Maintenance immunotherapy in recurrent ovarian cancer: long term follow-up of a phase II study.

Objectives: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a mediator of tumor-associated immunodeficiency, plays a key role in angiogenesis and is a prognostic factor in advanced ovarian cancer (AOC). Previously, we showed that low-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) and 13-cis-retinoic acid (RA) improved the tumor-associated immunodeficiency and decreased VEGF in patients with AOC. Here, we report long term follow-up of a group of patients with platinum-sensitive AOC who were treated with IL-2 and RA.

First trimester PAPP-A levels associated with early prediction of pregnancy induced hypertension.

Objective: Previous studies have suggested an association between low levels of first trimester serum Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein-A (PAPP-A) and the occurrence of hypertension in pregnancy (PIH). The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive value of maternal PAPP-A levels in the identification of women at risk of PIH.

Methods: Maternal serum PAPP-A was measured between 11-13 + 6 wks' gestation, as part of the first trimester screening of aneuploidies.

Oral contraceptives and clinical recurrence of human papillomavirus lesions and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia following treatment.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of oral contraceptive use on the recurrence rate of human papillomavirus (HPV) lesions and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) following ablative or excisional procedures in a long-term follow-up.

Method: The study was conducted with 650 oral contraceptive users presenting with HPV lesions and/or CIN, and 670 women who had these lesions but did not use oral contraceptives acted as controls. The participants underwent cytologic evaluations, colposcopy, and direct biopsy, followed by either ablative treatment by laser carbon dioxide vaporization or excision by a loop electrosurgical excision procedure or cold knife conization.

Validity of amniotic fluid index in preterm rupture of membranes.

Background: Preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM) complicates up to one-third of preterm deliveries. We studied the Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI) in order to ascertain its validity as a predictive variable of maternal-fetal outcome in pregnancies complicated by pPROM.

Study Design: One hundred and fourteen pregnant women with gestational age between 24 and 34 weeks' gestation at the time of pPROM.

Mean platelet volume: association with adverse neonatal outcome.

The aim of the study was to investigate on a possible association between maternal mean platelet volume (MPV) and oxygen-metabolic changes in pregnancies affected by altered maternal-fetal Doppler velocimetry. We considered the altered maternal-fetal Doppler velocimetry group (n = 57) pregnant women admitted to our Institution for a pregnancy complication associated to the event Pre-eclampsia (PE) and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), with altered Doppler velocimetry in the umbilical artery ( UA) (high pulsatility index, absence or reverse end diastolic flow (ARED), blood flow cephalisation) and/or bilateral increased resistance in uterine arteries. Out of these cases, 25 pregnancies were complicated by PE and 32 pregnancies were complicated by IUGR.

Nuchal translucency as a predictor of adverse pregnancy outcome.

Background: Thickened nuchal translucency (NT) has been related to fetal genetic syndromes, structural abnormalities, and other diseases. The aim of this research was to evaluate the association of NT with adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Study Design: In the period 2002-2004 in 2104 pregnant women between 10+6 and 13+5 weeks' gestation, NT was evaluated as a parameter for aneuploidy screening: out of these, 734 singleton pregnant women that underwent 2nd trimester amniocentesis and whose pregnancy outcome were known were selected.

Doppler velocimetry alterations related to platelet changes in third trimester pregnancies.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlations between the haematological parameter mean platelet volume and Doppler velocimetry parameters in order to improve clinical management in third trimester complicated pregnancies (pre-eclampsia, PE, and IUGR) affected by altered uterine resistances. Fifty-one patients were included in the abnormal uterine arteries Doppler velocimetry group (25 pregnancies were complicated by PE, 26 pregnancies were complicated by IUGR). Ninety-nine normotensive pregnant women taking no drugs for at least 2 weeks prior to testing and with no difference in gestational age at evaluation, with normal Doppler velocimetry profiles at routine screen, were used as controls.

The combined effect of betamethasone and ritodrine on the middle cerebral artery in low risk third trimester pregnancies.

Aims: To evaluate the effect of antenatal betamethasone and ritodrine in third trimester low risk singleton pregnancies by Doppler technology.

Subjects And Methods: Eighty-four third trimester pregnant women who received a full course of betamethasone and delivering uneventfully were recruited. The Doppler examination included the assessment of the pulsatility index (PI) of the umbilical artery (UA PI) and the middle cerebral artery (MCA PI) prior to treatment (baseline), and 48, 72 and 96 h after the second dose of betamethasone.

Prediction of persistent vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia in previously hysterectomized women by high-risk HPV DNA detection.

Aim: To estimate the incidence and latency of Vaginal Intraepithelial Neoplasia (VAIN) in women previously hysterectomized for benign/malign pathology and to evaluate the role of high risk HPVs in the prediction of persistent or recurrent disease.

Subjects And Methods: 830 women with prior hysterectomy for benign/malign pathologies followed by cytological scraping and vaginal colposcopy. Forty-four patients presented VAIN lesions confirmed by histopathological diagnosis.

Improvement of uterine artery Doppler velocimetry indices after metroplasty in arcuate uteri.

Objective: Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of metroplasty performed in arcuate uteri on uterine artery Doppler velocimetry.

Study Design: We performed uterine artery Doppler velocimetry transvaginally before and after metroplasty in 36 women with arcuate uteri. Pulsatility indexes (PI) of uterine arteries were calculated and the presence or absence of a protodiastolic notch was evaluated.