Objective: Analysis of national implementation of the foetal fibronectin test in the diagnostics of threatened preterm labour in the Netherlands, and indication of the possible obstacles and consequences of implementation or no implementation.
Design: National questionnaire, retrospective cohort study and cost-effectiveness calculation.
Methods: We approached all hospitals in the Netherlands (n = 86) with a questionnaire on use of the fibronectin test. We also collected data on women who were referred to the Academic Medical Center (AMC), a tertiary care centre in Amsterdam, with symptoms of threatened preterm labour. We investigated whether the referred patients gave birth within 7 days, and whether unnecessary transfer to a centre with a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) could have been avoided by implementation of the fibronectin test in the referring hospital.
Results: The fibronectin test was used in 34% of the hospitals and an additional 17% were in the process of implementation. The most important reasons not to use the fibronectin test were of a financial nature (50%). The cohort study included 96 women who were referred from secondary care. In our cohort, 36% of all transfers could have been avoided by implementation of the fibronectin test in secondary care.
Conclusion: The fibronectin test can greatly reduce overtreatment and unnecessary transfer in threatened preterm labour, but implementation remains limited. Costs of the test are an obstacle for the referring hospitals, while implementation prevents unnecessary transport, admission and treatment of pregnant women, giving a potential saving of at least EUR 1,027,930 per year. Inclusion in the Netherlands Society for Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Obstetrie en Gynaecologie, NVOG) guidelines would be a first step towards wider implementation. Slow implementation exemplifies a more widespread problem: the current reimbursement system does not stimulate such cost-saving innovations.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Understanding the Role of Irisin in Longevity and Aging: A Narrative Review.
Epidemiologia (Basel)
January 2025
Biotechnology Research, Innovation and Design for Health Products (BRIDGES), Research Laboratory on Epidemiology and Population Health, Polytechnic of Guarda Av. Dr. Francisco Sá Carneiro 50, 6300-559 Guarda, Portugal.
Irisin is a protein resulting from a proteolytic cleavage of fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FND5). The ability of irisin to modulate adipocyte and control glucose metabolism in human metabolic diseases gave rise to the hypothesis that irisin could have a pivotal role in aging-related diseases. Although in animal models, increased levels of irisin have been positively associated with better health outcomes, in humans, its role remains controversial.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhen sng meets acupuncture -- a paradigm-shift biomarker for translational research.
J Tradit Complement Med
January 2025
Chinese Medicine Research Center, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
The sensation of sng (pronounced/səŋ/, the Romanization form of or soreness in Taiwanese Southern Min) associated with a composite of unique sensations, is a novel phenotype for acupoint stimulation. It is perceived by test participants but also by experienced practitioners as a sensation of "taking the bait" (by fish when fishing), a characteristic heavy and tight sensation from the needle. Here, we propose that sng is a powerful biomarker for associated with successful manual acupuncture.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA human skin-on-a-chip platform for microneedling-driven skin cancer treatment.
Mater Today Bio
February 2025
Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA.
Skin-on-a-chip models provide physiologically relevant platforms for studying diseases and drug evaluation, replicating the native skin structures and functions more accurately than traditional 2D or simple 3D cultures. However, challenges remain in creating models suitable for microneedling applications and monitoring, as well as developing skin cancer models for analysis and targeted therapy. Here, we developed a human skin/skin cancer-on-a-chip platform within a microfluidic device using bioprinting/bioengineering techniques.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: There is continuous demand for safe, effective cosmetic ingredients to treat the signs of aging skin, including fine lines, wrinkles, brown spots, discoloration, laxity, and sagging. While there are a plethora of cosmeceutical peptides, few combine anti-aging and anti-inflammatory benefits with small size.
Methods: Preclinical and clinical studies evaluated the anti-inflammatory properties, anti-aging benefits, and tolerability of acetyl dipeptide-31 amide (AP31), a novel, small, anti-aging micropeptide, to understand its impact as a multifaceted, cosmetic, anti-aging, and anti-inflammaging ingredient.
Impact of Copper(II) and Silver(I) Complexes Containing 1,10-Phenanthroline-5,6-dione on Cellular and Virulence Aspects of Scedosporium apiospermum.
Curr Top Med Chem
January 2025
Laboratório de Estudos Avançados de Microrganismos Emergentes e Resistentes (LEAMER), Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes (IMPG), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Background: Scedosporium apiospermum is a multidrug-resistant filamentous fungus that causes localized and disseminated diseases. Our group has previously described that metalbased complexes containing copper(II) or silver(I) ions complexed with 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6- dione (phendione) inhibited the viability of S. apiospermum conidial cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!