Diagnostic Accuracy of Urine Dipsticks for Urinary Tract Infection Diagnosis during Pregnancy: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent the most prevalent infections among pregnant women. Many pregnant women experience frequent voiding or lower abdominal pain during pregnancy due to physiologic changes. Due to the possible consequences of a UTI in pregnancy, pregnant women are more often tested for UTIs.

Patient perspectives and preferences on cerclage and preterm birth: a focus group study.

Aim: This qualitative focus group study aims to asses cerclage-related symptoms, the impact of a cerclage on daily functioning and patient perspectives of their healthcare experience. This study extends beyond the current focus on surgical and obstetric outcomes of a cerclage, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by individuals in the context of extreme preterm birth and fetal loss and the impact of a cerclage on multiple facets in life.

Methods: Participants were recruited from the Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands or via the website of a Dutch patient organization for (extreme) preterm birth.

Perspectives of pregnant women on broadening the scope of noninvasive prenatal testing from screening for foetal aneuploidies to prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes: A qualitative study.

Objective: To explore the perspectives of pregnant women on broadening the scope of noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) from screening for foetal aneuploidies to prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: Four online focus groups (n = 23 participants) and 14 individual semi-structured interviews were conducted. Participants included pregnant women with and without a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Optimal Strategies of Mechanical Ventilation: Can We Avoid or Reduce Lung Injury?

Background: Despite the increasing use of non-invasive support modalities, many preterm infants still need invasive mechanical ventilation. Mechanical ventilation can lead to so-called ventilator-induced lung injury, which is considered an important risk factor in the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Understanding the concepts of lung protective ventilation strategies is imperative to reduce the risk of BPD.

Associations of gestational exposure to air pollution with maternal vitamin D levels: a meta-analysis.

Objective: Maternal vitamin D level is an important determinant of pregnancy and child health outcomes. Exposure to air pollution is suspected to increase the risk of vitamin D deficiency, but the evidence is scarce. We investigated the association between air pollution during pregnancy and maternal vitamin D levels.

The Maxillary Nerve Block in Cleft Palate Care: A Review of the Literature and Expert's Opinion on the Preferred Technique of Administration.

Introduction: Although the maxillary nerve block (MNB) provides adequate pain relief in cleft palate surgery, it is not routinely used globally, and reported techniques are heterogeneous. This study aims to describe relevant anatomy and to present the preferred technique of MNB administration based on the current literature and the expert opinion of the authors.

Method And Materials: First, a survey was sent to 432 registrants of the International Cleft Palate Master Course Amsterdam 2023.

Congenital Heart Defects in Patients with Anorectal Malformations: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 281 Patients.

In patients born with anorectal malformations (ARM), additional congenital heart defects (CHD) can occur. We aimed to provide an overview on disease and treatment details of CHD identified in patients born with ARM, from a unique large cohort of a very rare disease. We performed a retrospective single-center cohort study between January 2000 and July 2023.

Pro-inflammatory T cells-derived cytokines enhance the maturation of the human fetal intestinal epithelial barrier.

Small intestine (SI) maturation during early life is pivotal in preventing the onset of gut diseases. In this study we interrogated the milestones of SI development by gene expression profiling and ingenuity pathway analyses. We identified a set of cytokines as main regulators of changes observed across different developmental stages.

Clinical phenotypes of adults with monogenic and syndromic genetic obesity.

Objective: Considering limited evidence on diagnostics of genetic obesity in adults, we evaluated phenotypes of adults with genetic obesity. Additionally, we assessed the applicability of Endocrine Society (ES) recommendations for genetic testing in pediatric obesity.

Methods: We compared clinical features, including age of onset of obesity and appetite, between adults with non-syndromic monogenic obesity (MO), adults with syndromic obesity (SO), and adults with common obesity (CO) as control patients.

The Potential of Fecal Volatile Organic Compound Analysis for the Early Diagnosis of Late-Onset Sepsis in Preterm Infants: A Narrative Review.

Early diagnosis and treatment of late-onset sepsis (LOS) is crucial for survival, but challenging. Intestinal microbiota and metabolome alterations precede the clinical onset of LOS, and the preterm gut is considered an important source of bacterial pathogens. Fecal volatile organic compounds (VOCs), formed by physiologic and pathophysiologic metabolic processes in the preterm gut, reflect a complex interplay between the human host, the environment, and microbiota.

Mutations in , a Mitochondrial Methyl Transferase Gene, Cause Inherited Optic Neuropathy.

Inherited optic neuropathies (IONs) are rare genetic diseases characterized by progressive visual loss due the atrophy of optic nerves. The standard diagnostic workup involving next-generation sequencing panels has a diagnostic yield of about forty percent. In the other 60% of the patients with a clinical diagnosis of ION, the underlying genetic variants remain unknown.

Fecal microbiota and volatile metabolome pattern alterations precede late-onset meningitis in preterm neonates.

Objective: The fecal microbiota and metabolome are hypothesized to be altered before late-onset neonatal meningitis (LOM), in analogy to late-onset sepsis (LOS). The present study aimed to identify fecal microbiota composition and volatile metabolomics preceding LOM.

Methods: Cases and gestational age-matched controls were selected from a prospective, longitudinal preterm cohort study (born <30 weeks' gestation) at nine neonatal intensive care units.

Ernica Clinical Consensus Statements on Total Colonic and Intestinal Aganglionosis.

Background: Hirschsprung disease is a congenital intestinal motility disorder characterized by an absence of enteric ganglion cells. Total colonic aganglionosis and near total or total intestinal aganglionosis, defined as absence of ganglion cells in the entire colon and with variable length of small bowel involved, are life-threatening conditions which affect less than 10 % of all patients with Hirschsprung disease. The aim of this project was to develop clinical consensus statements within ERNICA, the European Reference Network for rare congenital digestive diseases, on four major topics: Surgical treatment of total colonic aganglionosis, surgical treatment of total intestinal aganglionosis, management of poor bowel function in total colonic and/or intestinal aganglionosis and long-term management in total colonic and or intestinal aganglionosis.

Sleep assessment using EEG-based wearables - A systematic review.

Polysomnography (PSG) is the reference standard of sleep measurement, but is burdensome for the participant and labor intensive. Affordable electroencephalography (EEG)-based wearables are easy to use and are gaining popularity, yet selecting the most suitable device is a challenge for clinicians and researchers. In this systematic review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of available EEG-based wearables to measure human sleep.

A historical narrative review through the field of tocolysis in threatened preterm birth.

Preterm birth presents a significant challenge in clinical obstetrics, requiring effective strategies to reduce associated mortality and morbidity risks. Tocolytic drugs, aimed at inhibiting uterine contractions, are a key aspect of addressing this challenge. Despite extensive research over many years, determining the most effective tocolytic agents remains a complex task, prompting better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of spontaneous preterm birth and recording meaningful outcome measures.

A three-dimensional algorithm for precise measurement of human auricle parameters.

Measurement of auricle parameters for planning and post-operative evaluation presents substantial challenges due to the complex 3D structure of the human auricle. Traditional measurement methods rely on manual techniques, resulting in limited precision. This study introduces a novel automated surface-based three-dimensional measurement method for quantifying human auricle parameters.

The need to set explicit goals for human germline gene editing public dialogues.

Given the potentially large ethical and societal implications of human germline gene editing (HGGE) the urgent need for public and stakeholder engagement (PSE) has been repeatedly expressed. However, the explicit goals of such PSE efforts often remain poorly defined. In this program report, we outline the goals of our Dutch project called De DNA dialogen (The DNA dialogues).

Growth and body composition of infants born moderate-to-late preterm fed a protein- and mineral-enriched postdischarge formula compared with a standard term formula until 6 months corrected age, a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Infants born moderate-to-late preterm (i.e., 32 wk-35 wk 6 d gestation) are, analogous to those born very preterm, at risk of later obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.

Editorial: Can Improving Youth Mental Health Reduce Mortality?

It is well established that mental health conditions, including substance use disorders, are associated with premature mortality. A meta-analysis has demonstrated that this association holds across a range of diagnoses. Although the effect is stronger for schizophrenia, depression and anxiety contribute to more deaths overall because of their high prevalence rates.