Maternal plasma leptin levels in relation to the duration of the active phase of labor.

Introduction: Obese women have increased leptin levels and longer duration of labor compared with normal-weight women. Leptin has an inhibitory effect on myometrial contractility in vitro. Our purpose was to examine whether maternal leptin levels in active labor were associated with the duration of the active phase of labor.

Desphospho-Uncarboxylated Matrix-Gla Protein Is Increased Postoperatively in Cardiovascular Risk Patients.

Background: Matrix Gla protein (MGP) is an extrahepatic protein that is dependent on glutamate carboxylation, a vitamin K-dependent process. Its dysfunctional form, desphospho-uncarboxylated-MGP, has been associated with increased arterial calcification and stiffness. The aim of this study was to measure the degree of postoperative carboxylation of MGP and two other Gla proteins in patients scheduled for abdominal or orthopaedic surgery.

Fetal and maternal temperatures during labor and delivery: a prospective descriptive study.

Objective: The objective of this study is to study the fetal scalp temperature (FST) and maternal axillary temperature (MAT) during vaginal delivery relative to progression of labor, uterine contractions (UC) and epidural analgesia (EDA), and to construct normal temperature reference ranges related to stage of labor.

Material And Methods: Temperatures were recorded continuously in labor of 132 women with a bi-metal temperature sensor attached to the axilla (MAT) and a similar sensor mounted in a scalp electrode (FST). The temperature data were stored electronically and analyzed offline at cervical dilatations of 2-3, 5, 7-8, and 10 cm, and at full retraction.

A pilot study on the applicability of thromboelastometry in detecting brain tumour-induced hypercoagulation.

Patients with intracranial tumours have an increased risk of venous thromboembolism, particularly during the first month after neurosurgery. A proposed explanation for this increased risk, are procoagulant tumour-derived substances, such as tissue factor, usually measured in peripheral blood. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether a rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) can measure the procoagulative activity of tumour tissue.

Home- or Institutional Hemodialysis? - a Matched Pair-Cohort Study Comparing Survival and Some Modifiable Factors Related to Survival.

Background/aims: Survival for dialysis patients is poor. Earlier studies have shown better survival in home-hemodialysis (HHD). The aims of this study are to compare survival for matched patients with HHD and institutional hemodialysis (IHD) and to elucidate the effect on factors related to survival such as hyperphosphatemia, fluid overload and anemia.

Fetal scalp blood lactate during second stage of labor: determination of reference values and impact of obstetrical interventions.

Objective: To determine the reference interval of fetal scalp blood lactate during second stage of labor.

Material: Two hundred and fifty-three women in first stage of labor with a reassuring CTG were asked for permission to sample fetal scalp blood during second stage.

Results: In cases with reassuring CTG and five minute Apgar score ≥9, the mean lactate value (±2 SD) was 2.

Pulse wave analysis by digital photoplethysmography to record maternal hemodynamic effects of spinal anesthesia, delivery of the baby, and intravenous oxytocin during cesarean section.

Objective: To investigate changes in maternal ECG ST index, blood pressure (BP), cardiac left ventricular (LV) ejection function and vascular tone/stiffness in large and small arteries occurring during elective cesarean section (CS) in spinal anesthesia.

Material And Methods: Twenty-six women were monitored with photoplethysmographic digital pulse wave (PW) analysis (DPA) before and after spinal anesthesia, after delivery of the baby, after 5 IU oxytocin bolus IV, and 5 min later. Statistics with Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank and Friedman tests at a p < 0.

The accuracy of preoperative axillary nodal staging in primary breast cancer by ultrasound is modified by nodal metastatic load and tumor biology.

Background The outcome of axillary ultrasound (AUS) with fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in the diagnostic work-up of primary breast cancer has an impact on therapy decisions. We hypothesize that the accuracy of AUS is modified by nodal metastatic burden and clinico-pathological characteristics. Material and methods The performance of AUS and AUS-guided FNAB for predicting nodal metastases was assessed in a prospective breast cancer cohort subjected for surgery during 2009-2012.

How to image patients with spine pain.

Different radiological methods play an important role in the work-up of patients complaining of spine pain. Depending on the symptoms and the suspected underlying etiology different methods are selected. In the following presentation we briefly present the different radiological and magnetic resonance tomography methods that are at hand, give some guidance in which method to use, and present the typical imaging findings in some of the most common conditions that presents with spine pain.

Does analysis of biomarkers in tumor cells in lymph node metastases give additional prognostic information in primary breast cancer?

Background: Prognostic and treatment-predictive biomarkers in primary breast cancer are routinely analyzed in the primary tumor, whereas metastatic tumor cells in lymph node metastases are not characterized. The present study aimed to define the concordance between biomarkers in matched pairs of breast cancers and lymph node metastases and to relate their expression to clinical outcome.

Methods: Patients with primary breast cancer treated with adjuvant tamoxifen for 2 years were included.

Cooperative effect of angiotensin AT(1) and endothelin ET(A) receptor antagonism limits the brain damage after ischemic stroke in rat.

Cerebral ischemia results in enhanced expression of smooth muscle cell endothelin and angiotensin receptors in cerebral arteries. We hypothesise that this phenomenon may be detrimental and that acute treatment with a combined non-hypotensive dose of the angiotensin AT(1) receptor inhibitor candesartan and the endothelin ET(A) receptor antagonist ZD1611 reduces the infarct in experimental ischemic stroke. Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion was induced in male Wistar rats by the intraluminal filament technique for 2 h followed by recirculation.