Publications by authors named "Shand A"

Haematological malignancies affect 12·5 in 100 000 pregnancies. Over the past two decades, the number of haematological malignancies in pregnancy has substantially increased. Life-threatening haematological malignancies in pregnancy, such as acute leukaemia and aggressive lymphomas, pose a unique therapeutic challenge: clinicians must consider both maternal and fetal wellbeing, aiming to deliver optimal curative therapy for the patient and a successful pregnancy outcome.

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Introduction: There are limited contemporary population-based studies on the risk factors for hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a severe type of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and trend of HG over time, identify risk factors for any and multiple HG health service visits during pregnancy, and investigate HG recurrence across pregnancies.

Material And Methods: This population-based record linkage cohort study featured births in New South Wales, Australia from 2010 to 2019.

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Aim: One third of Australian children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes present with life-threatening diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at diagnosis. Screening for early-stage, presymptomatic type 1 diabetes, with ongoing follow-up, can substantially reduce this risk (<5% risk). Several screening models are being trialled internationally, without consensus on the optimal approach.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A case study highlights a woman in her 50s who experienced intermittent loose stools and significant weight loss, leading to two slightly elevated anti-tissue transglutaminase (ATTG) antibody tests.
  • * After thorough investigations, she was diagnosed with olmesartan-induced enteropathy, which resolved after stopping the medication, emphasizing the need to consider olmesartan when diagnosing SLE and noting the unusual presence of raised ATTG antibodies.
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Background: Prescribed opioid analgesics are frequently used to manage pain in pregnancy. However, the available literature regarding the teratogenic potential of opioid use during pregnancy has not been systematically summarised. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the quality of the evidence on these potential risks and calculate a pooled estimate of risk for any opioid analgesic and individual opioids.

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Background/obectives: Oral retinoids are teratogenic, and pregnancy avoidance is an important part of retinoid prescribing. Australia does not have a standardised pregnancy prevention programme for women using oral retinoids, and the contraception strategies for women who use oral retinoids are not well understood. The objectives were to determine trends in the use of prescription retinoids among Australian reproductive-aged women and whether women dispensed oral retinoids used contraception concomitantly.

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Background: Preclinical studies suggest synergistic effects of maternal inflammatory exposures on offspring neurodevelopment, but human studies have been limited.

Objectives: To examine the cumulative association and potential interactions between seven maternal exposures related to inflammation and child attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study of children born from July 2001 to December 2011 in New South Wales, Australia, and followed up until December 2014.

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Background: Diagnostic delays in autism are common, with the time to diagnosis being up to 3 years from the onset of symptoms. Such delays have a proven detrimental effect on individuals and families going through the process. Digital health products, such as mobile apps, can help close this gap due to their scalability and ease of access.

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Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a pregnancy liver disease, characterised by pruritus and increased total serum bile acids (TSBA), Australian incidence 0.6-0.7%.

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The management of potentially life-threatening malignancies in pregnancy is complicated by a lack of robust safety and efficacy evidence. This data shortage stems from a historical exclusion of women of childbearing potential from prospective clinical trials due to concerns around potential teratogenicity and toxicity of investigational agents. We conducted a systematic review of published data on immunochemotherapeutic treatment of life-threatening haematological malignancies in pregnancy between 2010 and 2022, and the maternal and neonatal outcomes.

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Objective: Because pregnancy outcomes tend to be worse in women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) than in those without, we aimed to update consensus statements that guide the clinical management of pregnancy in patients with IBD.

Design: A multidisciplinary working group was established to formulate these consensus statements. A modified RAND/UCLA appropriateness method was used, consisting of a literature review, online voting, discussion meeting and a second round of voting.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A cohort of over 18,000 children exposed to maternal autoimmune disease was compared to nearly 37,000 unexposed children in New South Wales, Australia, with data collected on maternal health and child infections before the age of 2, and ASD diagnoses by age 9.
  • * Although both maternal autoimmune disease and childhood infections were associated with increased odds of ASD, the study found no evidence of a synergistic or additive interaction between the two factors, suggesting that one does not amplify the effects
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Introduction: Pregnant women are at higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) than non-pregnant women of a similar age. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, it was clear that evidenced-based guidance was needed, and that it would need to be updated rapidly. The National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce provided a resource to guide care for people with COVID-19, including during pregnancy.

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Background: Antenatal education aims to provide expectant parents with strategies for dealing with pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood and may have the potential to reduce obstetric intervention and fear of childbirth. We aimed to investigate antenatal education attendance, reasons for and barriers to attending, and techniques taught and used to manage labour.

Methods: Antenatal and postnatal surveys were conducted among nulliparous women with a singleton pregnancy at two maternity hospitals in Sydney, Australia in 2018.

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Background: Stillbirth and neonatal death are devastating pregnancy outcomes with long-lasting psychosocial consequences for parents and families, and wide-ranging economic impacts on health systems and society. It is essential that parents and families have access to appropriate support, yet services are often limited. Internet-based programs may provide another option of psychosocial support for parents following the death of a baby.

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Background: Antenatal education aims to prepare expectant parents for pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. Studies have reported antenatal education teaching breathing and relaxation methods for pain relief, termed psychoprophylaxis, is associated with reduction in caesarean section rates compared with general birth and parenting classes. Given the rising rates of caesarean section, we aimed to determine whether there was a difference in mode of birth in women based on the type of antenatal education attended.

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Background: Non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) is being increasingly used by expectant parents. Much provision of this test in Australia is occurring in clinical settings where specialised genetic counselling is unavailable, such as general practice. Potential psychosocial consequences from this kind of prenatal genetic screening remain largely unexplored.

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Aims: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a preventable cause of neurodevelopmental disability. Australian guidelines recommend that pregnant women are informed about CMV to reduce their risk of infection; however, less than 10% of maternity health professionals routinely provide prevention advice. The aim was to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of an eLearning course for midwives to improve knowledge and confidence about CMV.

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Background: The Perinatal Integrated Psychosocial Assessment (PIPA) tool screens for anxiety, depression, and psychosocial factors in pregnancy. We aimed to assess the association between PIPA-determined psychosocial risk and obstetric and neonatal outcomes.

Methods: Cohort study of all pregnant women who gave birth at ≥20 weeks of gestation in 2017-2019 at a tertiary maternity hospital in, Sydney, Australia.

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Background: Autoimmune conditions are associated with adverse pregnancy and offspring outcomes; however, the prevalence in pregnant women is not well understood. Estimates based on administrative data alone may underestimate prevalence.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of women attending a tertiary referral hospital for antenatal care in December 2018-February 2019 and review of the hospital's maternity database of women giving birth from October 2017-June 2018 to estimate autoimmune disease prevalence.

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The advent of immunotherapy has revolutionised the treatment of metastatic lung cancer and it has recently been established as the standard of care in the radical treatment of lung cancer. However, immune-related adverse events (IrAEs) frequently occur in patients treated with immunotherapy, and rare IrAEs continue to be identified. We report a case of immunotherapy-induced coeliac disease due to adjuvant durvalumab post-chemoradiotherapy in a patient receiving curative treatment for lung cancer.

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Introduction: Maternal corticosteroid administration for anticipated preterm birth is common; however, the corticosteroid effect on fetal ultrasound and cardiotocograph (CTG) remains contested. This study aimed to evaluate short-term ultrasound and CTG impact of (a) dexamethasone versus betamethasone (b) pooled corticosteroid effect.

Methods: Substudy of blinded randomized trial of dexamethasone versus betamethasone (given <34 weeks).

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