Association of Axillary Dissection With Systemic Therapy in Patients With Clinically Node-Positive Breast Cancer.

Importance: The role of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) to determine nodal burden to inform systemic therapy recommendations in patients with clinically node (cN)-positive breast cancer (BC) is currently unknown.

Objective: To address the association of ALND with systemic therapy in cN-positive BC in the upfront surgery setting and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).

Design, Setting, And Participants: This was a prospective, observational, cohort study conducted from August 2018 to June 2022.

Trends in use of neoadjuvant systemic therapy in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer in Europe: prospective TAXIS study (OPBC-03, SAKK 23/16, IBCSG 57-18, ABCSG-53, GBG 101).

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical practice heterogeneity in use of neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) for patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer in Europe.

Methods: The study was preplanned in the international multicenter phase-III OPBC-03/TAXIS trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03513614) to include the first 500 randomized patients with confirmed nodal disease at the time of surgery.

Tailored axillary surgery in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer: Pre-planned feasibility substudy of TAXIS (OPBC-03, SAKK 23/16, IBCSG 57-18, ABCSG-53, GBG 101).

Aim: We developed tailored axillary surgery (TAS) to reduce the axillary tumor volume in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer to the point where radiotherapy can control it. The aim of this study was to quantify the extent of tumor load reduction achieved by TAS.

Methods: International multicenter prospective study embedded in a randomized trial.

Breech delivery in the all fours position: a prospective observational comparative study with classic assistance.

Objective: Vaginal delivery of fetal breech presentation is considered to be a challenge for obstetricians. The purpose of this study was to show that vaginal delivery in all fours position is feasible and safe for mother and child compared with vaginal breech and classic support.

Methods: A single-center prospective observational case series of breech delivery (n=41) in all fours position was compared to a retrospective cohort of breech deliveries in the form of a matched-pair analysis.

Patient satisfaction with childbirth after external cephalic version.

Purpose: To assess acceptance and impact of external cephalic version (ECV) for breech presentation at term on maternal satisfaction with childbirth.

Methods: Retrospective study on n = 131 women with breech presentation comparing maternal satisfaction after ECV and consecutive childbirth (n = 66; 50.4% of these successful attempts in n = 33; 50%) against the group without ECV and primary caesarean section (CS) (n = 65; 49.

Single-institute experience, management, success rate, and outcome after external cephalic version at term.

Objective: To determine obstetric outcomes after external cephalic version (ECV) performed at term.

Methods: In a retrospective study of ECV among pregnant women at term at Klinikum Kreuzschwestern Wels between January 1999 and June 2010, univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze factors influencing success rate.

Results: Among 379 ECV attempts, 49.

Placental passage of clarithromycin surpasses other macrolide antibiotics.

Objective: Infection of the amnion cavity with Ureaplasma urealyticum continues to be a therapeutic challenge. The transplacental transfer rates of macrolide antibiotics are low, and tetracyclines and quinolones are contraindicated in pregnancy. The aim of this study was to investigate placental transfer of clarithromycin in a well-studied placental perfusion model to determine whether clarithromycin surpasses the transfer rate of other macrolide antibiotics in similar models.

Direct evidence for transplacental allergen transfer.

Allergies are increasing, and despite deeper insights into the immunologic basis of these diseases, preventive measures are not yet efficient. As the induction of allergic diseases is often triggered in early childhood, perinatal or prenatal preventive strategies would be beneficial. We investigated the transfer of inhalant and nutritive allergens across the human placenta.

The passage of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor across the human placenta perfused in vitro.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the placental passage of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in a placental perfusion model ex vivo.

Methods: In an open system, 11 placentas were perfused on both the maternal and the fetal side immediately after delivery. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor was added to the maternal perfusion medium in concentrations from 10-55 micrograms/mL.

Influence of intratumoral basic fibroblast growth factor concentration on survival in ovarian cancer patients.

Since basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is considered as a potent mitogen that stimulates the growth of ovarian cancer cells, we evaluated the role of bFGF as a prognostic marker in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. bFGF was quantified from the tumor cytoplasm of 76 patients with FIGO stage I-III ovarian cancer by a human FGF basic immunoassay (R&D Systems). After a mean follow-up period of 42 months, 50 patients were found to be free of tumor while 26 patients had died of the disease.

Concomitant use of glucocorticoids: a comparison of two metaanalyses on antibiotic treatment in preterm premature rupture of membranes.

Objective: This study was performed to investigate whether the demonstrated beneficial effects of antibiotics on maternal and neonatal morbidity are altered when glucocorticoids are part of the treatment of preterm premature rupture of membranes.

Study Design: We performed a metaanalysis of five published, randomized trials of antibiotic treatment in preterm premature rupture of membranes in which glucocorticoids were used as additional treatments and compared the results with those of a previously published metaanalysis of antibiotic treatment in preterm premature rupture of membranes, which excluded studies with concomitant glucocorticoids. Primary outcomes included chorioamnionitis, postpartum endometritis, neonatal sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, and neonatal mortality.

Hyperemesis gravidarum associated with Helicobacter pylori seropositivity.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that infection with Helicobacter pylori is associated with hyperemesis gravidarum.

Methods: From January 1995 to November 1996 we enrolled 105 patients with hyperemesis gravidarum in a prospective study. The Helicobacter serum Immunoglobulin (Ig) G concentrations in these patients were compared with those in asymptomatic gravidas matched for week of gestation.

The influence of vascular space involvement on the prognosis of patients with stage IB cervical carcinoma: correlation of results from hematoxylin and eosin staining with results from immunostaining for factor VIII-related antigen.

Background: There is controversy over the question of whether the involvement of vascular spaces influences the prognosis of patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix. The aim of the current study was to compare patterns of vascular space involvement determined by hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) staining with those patterns determined by immunostaining for factor VIII-related antigen (F8-RA) with regard to their prognostic impact on the disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with clinical Stage IB cervical carcinoma. Staining for F8-RA is known to highlight blood vessels predominantly, whereas the presence of tumor cell emboli in vascular spaces of H & E-stained sections mainly indicates lymphatic vessel invasion.

Cytokine and prostaglandin production by amnion cells in response to the addition of different bacteria.

Objective: Our goal was to evaluate the effect of Escherichia coli, Bacteroides fragilis, Mycoplasma hominis, and Staphylococcus aureus on cytokine and prostaglandin production by amnion cells in vitro.

Study Design: Amnion cells were obtained from women undergoing elective cesarean section before the onset of labor and cultured in a primary cell culture. Confluent amnion cells were incubated with heat-inactivated bacteria in different concentrations (10(1) to 10(6) colony-forming units/ml) for 48 hours.

Transfer of erythropoietin across the placenta perfused in vitro.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the placental passage of erythropoietin in a placental perfusion model ex vivo.

Methods: In an open system 18 placentas were perfused on both the maternal and the fetal side. Erythropoietin and a reference substance were added to either the maternal or fetal perfusion medium.

In vitro cytokine and prostaglandin production by amnion cells in the presence of bacteria.

Objective: Our goal was to evaluate the effect of group B streptococci on cytokine and prostaglandin production by amnion cells in vitro.

Study Design: Amnion cells from placentas obtained immediately after primary cesarean section were incubated for 48 hours with heat-inactivated group B streptococci at increasing concentrations. Samples for quantification of interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and prostaglandin E2 were collected at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours.

[Varicella infection at the time of cesarean section].

Report on a twin pregnancy terminated by Caesarean section in the 35th pregnancy week due to retardation and pathological Doppler findings in the umbilical artery and fetal aorta. At the time of Caesarean section the mother suffered from florid varicella infection. The newborns treated with varicella hyperimmunoglobulin and acyclovir developed abortive varicella exanthema without further complications.

Placental passage of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.

Objective: Placental passage of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors temocapril and enalapril was investigated in a placental perfusion model.

Study Design: In an open system a placental lobe was perfused on both the maternal and the fetal side with a blood-free medium containing the test substances plus a reference substance on the maternal side. Six placentas were perfused with temocapril and five with enalapril.

The transfer of interleukin-8 across the human placenta perfused in vitro.

Objective: To assess the placental transfer of interleukin (IL)-8 in vitro.

Methods: Eighteen placentas obtained immediately after delivery were perfused with a mixture of 125I-labeled IL-8 (IL-8*) and unlabeled IL-8 in two different concentrations. Antipyrine was coinfused in all experiments as a reference compound.

Gemeprost for first trimester missed abortion.

In 87 patients with a missed abortion prior to 13 weeks, the application of a prostaglandin (PG) E1 derivative (1 mg gemeprost, Cergem) was compared to conventional surgical termination of pregnancy by cervical dilatation and curettage. In 33 patients with PGE1 application, complete expulsion of the abnormal pregnancy occurred after an average of 2.8 +/- 1.

[Good sense and nonsense in tocolysis].

The present paper tries to evaluate the importance of tocolysis with beta-sympathomimetic drugs twenty years after their introduction into obstetrics. Intrauterine resuscitation and short-term tocolysis have proven to be very effective during this period of time. Because of potential side effects long-term tocolysis has to be considered dangerous and apparently not effective.

[Actinomycosis and intrauterine spiral. 4 case reports].

Genital actinomycotic infections are relatively rare and show a strong coincidence with long term IUD application. Two patients without symptoms, where diagnosis was made by means of Papanicolaou smears, were compared with two patients, where removal of a tubovarian mass led to diagnosis. A general agreement about diagnosis and especially screening tests are still missing, but there seems to be a consensus regarding the types of IUD, the duration of use, and the sexual behaviour of the patients.

Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in pregnant and non-pregnant women.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are still one of the most common bacterial infections in pregnant and non-pregnant women. It is estimated that about 10-20% of all women suffer from a UTI at some point in life. The presence of UTI is defined as the existence of urinary symptoms such as frequency of urination and dysuria with or without bacteriuria or pyuria.