Social Determinants of Pregnancy-Related Mortality and Morbidity in the United States: A Systematic Review.

Objective: To synthesize the literature on associations between social determinants of health and pregnancy-related mortality and morbidity in the United States and to highlight opportunities for intervention and future research.

Data Sources: We performed a systematic search using Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, Popline, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov (1990-2018) using MeSH terms related to maternal mortality, morbidity, and social determinants of health, and limited to the United States.

Association Between Dehydration and Short-Term Risk of Ischemic Stroke in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

Previous cross-sectional studies have demonstrated a higher incidence of dehydration in patients admitted for stroke suggesting a possible association. However, the temporality of the association has not been well established. We examined whether dehydration increases the risk of ischemic stroke in patients with a recent hospitalization for atrial fibrillation (AF).

The effect of Hurricane Sandy on cardiovascular events in New Jersey.

Background: Hurricane Sandy made landfall in New Jersey (NJ) on October 29, 2012. We studied the impact of this extreme weather event on the incidence of, and 30-day mortality from, cardiovascular (CV) events (CVEs), including myocardial infarctions (MI) and strokes, in NJ.

Methods And Results: Data were obtained from the MI data acquisition system (MIDAS), a database of all inpatient hospital discharges with CV diagnoses in NJ, including death certificates.

Rapid decreases in blood pressure from antihypertensive treatment were associated with increased cancer mortality in the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program.

Background: Research on the association between antihypertensive drug treatment (HTDT) and cancer is equivocal. We tested the hypothesis that large, rapid decreases in blood pressure following HTDT are associated with higher cancer mortality.

Methods: Data from the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program (SHEP) with 15-year cause-specific follow-up for mortality were used.

Mode of delivery and neonatal outcomes in preterm, small-for-gestational-age newborns.

Objective: To compare neonatal outcomes by method of delivery in preterm (34 weeks of gestation or prior), small-for-gestational-age (SGA) newborns in a large diverse cohort.

Methods: Birth data for 1995-2003 from New York City were linked to hospital discharge data. Data were limited to singleton, liveborn, vertex neonates delivered between 25 and 34 weeks of gestation.

Mode of delivery in nulliparous women and neonatal intracranial injury.

Objective: To compare neonatal neurologic complication rates of cesarean deliveries, forceps-assisted vaginal deliveries, and vacuum-assisted vaginal deliveries.

Methods: Data on singleton live births at 34 weeks or greater gestation born to nulliparous women from 1995 to 2003 in New York City were linked to hospital discharge data. Any diagnosis of neonatal subdural hemorrhage, intraventricular hemorrhage, seizures, scalp laceration or cephalohematoma, fracture, facial nerve palsy, brachial plexus injury, or 5-minute Apgar score of less than 7 was considered significant.

Maternal smoking, preeclampsia, and infant health outcomes in New York City, 1995-2003.

A number of previous studies have reported an inverse association between maternal smoking and preeclampsia. Additionally, some have suggested that smokers who develop preeclampsia have worse maternal and fetal outcomes than nonsmokers who develop preeclampsia. The authors examined the relation of smoking to preeclampsia among 674,250 singleton pregnancies in New York City between 1995 and 2003.