The Influence of Diabetes on Labor Induction with Dinoprostone Vaginal Inserts.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare duration of labor induction between diabetic and nondiabetic women receiving dinoprostone vaginal insert (10 mg).

Study Design: This is a secondary analysis of two large randomized controlled trials using dinoprostone vaginal inserts for labor induction. We compare time to active labor, overall delivery, and vaginal delivery between diabetic and nondiabetic women undergoing induction of labor with a 10-mg dinoprostone vaginal insert.

Associations of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and outcomes of labor induction with prostaglandin vaginal inserts.

Objective: To evaluate the association between hypertensive (HTNsive) disorders of pregnancy and outcomes of labor induction, in two cohorts of women induced with either misoprostol vaginal insert (MVI) or dinoprostone vaginal insert (DVI).

Study Design: This investigation was a post-hoc analysis of data from three Phase II and III, multi-center, double blind, randomized controlled trials of women induced with identical efficacy endpoints. A competing risk framework investigated the association between HTNsive disorders of pregnancy and the time-to-event endpoints of onset of active labor and vaginal delivery.

Induction of labour with retrievable prostaglandin vaginal inserts: outcomes following retrieval due to an intrapartum adverse event.

Objective: To assess adverse event (AE) resolution, delivery mode and neonatal outcomes after misoprostol or dinoprostone vaginal insert (MVI or DVI) retrieval due to AE during induction of labour (IOL).

Design: Randomised, double-blind trial, EXPEDITE.

Setting: Thirty five obstetric departments, USA.

Optimising daytime deliveries when inducing labour using prostaglandin vaginal inserts.

Objective: To determine induction start time(s) that would maximise daytime deliveries when using prostaglandin vaginal inserts.

Methods: Women enrolled into the Phase III trial, EXPEDITE (clinical trial registration: NCT01127581), had labour induced with either a misoprostol or dinoprostone vaginal insert (MVI or DVI). A secondary analysis was conducted to determine the optimal start times for induction by identifying the 12-h period with the highest proportion of deliveries by parity and treatment.

Misoprostol vaginal insert and time to vaginal delivery: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of a 200-microgram misoprostol vaginal insert with a 10-mg dinoprostone vaginal insert for reducing the time to vaginal delivery.

Methods: In a phase III, double-blind, multicenter study, women being induced with a modified Bishop score of 4 or less were randomly assigned to receive either a 200-microgram misoprostol vaginal insert or a 10-mg dinoprostone vaginal insert. Coprimary end points were time to vaginal delivery and rate of cesarean delivery.

Free oscillation rheometry detects changes in clot properties in pregnancy and thrombocytopenia.

Improved methods are needed to identify patients at risk for thrombotic or bleeding events. Free oscillation rheometry (FOR) is a technique that offers information on coagulation, based on contributions of all blood components, by measurement of clotting time and changes in clot elasticity. This is the first study that evaluates FOR parameters in subjects likely to represent hypercoagulability (pregnant women) and hypocoagulability (thrombocytopenic patients).

Serum concentrations of 17beta-estradiol in ovariectomized rats during two times six weeks crossover treatment by daily injections in comparison with slow-release pellets.

Estrogens exert widespread biological functions that reach far beyond their well-known role in reproduction. Exogenous administration of 17beta-estradiol to ovariectomized experimental animals is of the utmost importance in elucidating its mechanisms of action. In the present study, we compared two different modes of exogenous administration of 17beta-estradiol to ovariectomized rats in relation to the serum 17beta-estradiol concentrations over prolonged periods of time.

Galanin in the hippocampal formation of female rats--effects of 17beta-estradiol.

17Beta-estradiol induced an increase in tissue concentrations of galanin in the hippocampal formation of ovariectomized rats. This increase was dose- and time dependent, and occurred already 60 min after steroid administration and was not blocked by Tamoxifen). There was also an increase in galanin in the pro-estrous phase in regularly cycling rats.

Eclampsia at a tertiary hospital 1973-99.

Background: To investigate changes in incidence, patient characteristics, comorbidity and in the care provided in cases of eclampsia at a tertiary hospital during the period 1973-99.

Methods: Thirty-nine cases were identified through the Swedish National Birth Registry. Incidences and rates regarding patient characteristics and outcomes (duration of intensive care unit surveillance, assisted ventilation, multiple seizures, predefined major complications, perinatal mortality, small for gestational age, and neonatal intensive care surveillance) were compared between the time periods 1973-79, 1980-89 and 1990-99 with trend analysis.

Progesterone and norethisterone have different effects on tachykinin-like immunoreactivity in rat cortex and striatum.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of progesterone and the most commonly prescribed synthetic progestogen, norethisterone, on regional immune-like reactivity of neuropeptide Y (NPY), substance P (SP), neurokinin A (NKA) and neurotensin (NT) in brains of female ovariectomized estradiol-substituted rats.

Results: Norethisterone+estradiol-treated rats had 44% lower SP levels compared with estradiol-only-treated in frontal cortex and 20% lower NKA levels in comparison with progesterone+estradiol-treated in frontal cortex. Progesterone+estradiol-treated rats had 66% lower SP levels in striatum in comparison with both estradiol-only-treated and norethisterone+estradiol-treated.

Radioimmunoassay for rat galanin: immunochemical and chromatographic characterization of immunoreactivity in tissue extracts.

Galanin is a regulatory peptide with wide distribution in the central and peripheral nervous system and with numerous biological effects. Several radioimmunoassays based on antisera raised against porcine galanin have been used to measure immunoreactivity in rat tissues. However, considerable lack of parallelism has been observed between the porcine standard and rat tissue extracts, which may decrease the reliability of the quantitative data.

Effects of estradiol, progesterone, and norethisterone on regional concentrations of galanin in the rat brain.

Concentrations of immunoreactive galanin were compared in eight gross brain regions of ovariectomized female rats treated with either estradiol, estradiol + progesterone, estradiol + norethisterone, or placebo. Higher concentrations with estradiol treatment compared with placebo were found in the pituitary (357%), frontal cortex (162%), occipital cortex (174%), hippocampus (170%), and median eminence (202%). A more profound difference with addition of progesterone or norethisterone was seen in the pituitary (529% and 467%, respectively).

Sex differences in neuropeptide distribution in the rat brain.

We have investigated possible sex differences in the regional concentrations of neuropeptides in the rat brain. Immunoreactive neurotensin (NT), neurokinin A (NKA), galanin (GAL), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) were measured by radioimmunoassay in frontal cortex, occipital cortex, hippocampus, striatum, hypothalamus and pituitary in male and female pre- and postpubertal rats. Sex differences were found for NPY (p < 0.