Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2014;36(1):23-28
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032014000100006
To evaluate changes in body and internal organ weight of autopsied children in the perinatal period and their relationship with the cause of death.
One hundred and fifty three cases of perinatal autopsies performed at a university hospital in Southeastern Brazil ere included. Information about cause of perinatal death, date of autopsy, gestational age, perinatal weight and organ weight was obtained from the autopsy protocols and medical records of the mother and/or the newborn. Four groups of causes of death were defined: congenital malformations, perinatal hypoxia/anoxia, ascending infection and hyaline membrane. Brain, liver, lungs, heart, spleen, thymus and adrenals were analyzed.
The weight of children with perinatal hypoxia/anoxi (1,834.6±1,090.1 g versus 1,488 g), hyaline membranes (1,607.2±820.1 g versus 1,125 g) and ascending infection (1,567.4±1,018.9 g versus 1,230 g) was higher than expected for the population. Lung weight was higher in cases with ascending infection (36.6±22.6 g versus 11 g) and lower in cases with congenital malformations (22.0±9.5 g versus 40 g). Spleen weight was higher in children with ascending infection (8.6±8.9 g versus 3.75 g ) and adrenal weight was lower in cases with congenital malformations (3.9±2.1 g versus 5.5 g). Thymus weight was lower in cases with miscellaneous causes (3.7±1.2 g versus 7.5 g) and spleen weight was lower in patients with lung immaturity (0.4±0.1 g versus 1.7 g). All results showed significant differences.
This study demonstrates that variations in the weight of children and the weight of their organs are related to the types of cause of perinatal death. These data may contribute to a better interpretation of autopsy findings and their anatomical and clinical relationship.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2014;36(1):29-34
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032014000100007
To evaluate the maternal risk factors that require newborn assistance in neonatal Intensive Care Units (ICU).
A prospective observational case-control study was conducted on 222 pregnant women (1:1 case-control ratio) attended at a public maternity. The following variables were analyzed in the puerperae: age at menarche, age at first sexual intercourse, history of chronic diseases, habits, prenatal care, obstetric history, clinical complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and sociodemographic variables. The variables of the newborns were: Apgar scores, gestational age, birth weight, presence or absence of malformation, need for resuscitation, and complications during the first 24 hours. Proportions were compared using the Fisher exact test or the Person γ2 test. Multivariable models were developed by logistic regression analysis using adjusted Odds Ratio with a 95% confidence interval (CI).
Regarding reproductive history, ≥3 pregnancies and 2 or 3 previous cesareans were sytatistically significant (p=0.0 and 0.0, respectively). Among the complications that required assistance in the neonatal ICU, prematurity was responsible for 61 cases (55.5%), followed by risk of intrapartum infection in 46 cases (41.8%). Regarding the maternal history, the presence of hypertensive disease showed statistical significance (p=0.0). Premature rupture of membranes was strongly associated with the need for the neonatal ICU (Odds Ratio - OR=6.1, 95%CI 2.6-14.4).
Premature rupture of membranes and hypertensive disease should receive special attention in prenatal care due to their strong association with newborns requiring assistance in the neonatal ICU.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2014;36(1):40-45
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032014000100009
To analyze the cytological findings of women with cervical adenocarcinoma, taking
into account the patient's history in the year prior to diagnosis and the
histopathological aspects of the lesions.
A retrospective comparative study was conducted using data from women with
cervical adenocarcinoma or squamous carcinoma detected between 2002 and 2008. The
cytological reports were synthesized according to the Bethesda System revised in
2001 and were compared to the histopathological findings of cervical
adenocarcinoma and squamous carcinoma. The distributions of cytological findings
were calculated, as well as the global agreement and chance-corrected agreement
using the Cohen's Kappa Coefficient. For this purpose, the cytological findings
were grouped according to the epithelial origin, forming the glandular cell and
squamous cell groups, with the histopathologically confirmed tumor types
(adenocarcinoma versus squamous carcinoma) being used as the gold
standard.
A total of 284 cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed during the study period.
The effectively studied cases were 27 and 54 patients with adenocarcinoma and
squamous carcinoma, respectively. The adenocarcinoma group represented 9.5% of the
total cases diagnosed, and 56.0% of the women in this group were younger than 50
years. Cervical cytology was collected on average 92 days before the cancer
diagnosis (range: 19 days to 310 days). In 41.6% of cases the cytological results
were consistent with glandular alterations such as adenocarcinoma cells or
atypical glandular cells. The global agreement and Cohen's Kappa Coefficient were
73.7 and 48.7%, suggesting substantial and moderate agreement, respectively.
In this population, the cytological smears had an important role in screening
women with adenocarcinoma, although some of them were referred to clarify the
clinical symptoms. The agreement between cytological and histopathological
findings was moderate.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2014;36(1):5-9
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032014000100003
To analyze and compare the knowledge, attitudes and opinions of medical students about abortion in Brazil during the progression of the course.
This was a cross-sectional study involving 174 medical students. A questionnaire was applied whose dependent variables were degree of information about abortion, including its legal aspects in Brazil, situations in which the students would agree with the expansion of permitted legal abortion, knowledge of someone undergoing abortion, and discomfort about performing the procedure legally. The independent variables were sociodemographic data, religion, and academic standing (first or second half of the course). For data analysis it was used χ2 and Fisher's exact tests, with the level of significance set at 5%.
Among the interviewees, 59.8 % considered themselves well informed about the topic. Students demonstrated knowledge about the complications of abortion, with no differences with the progression of the course. Knowledge about the legal aspects of abortion in Brazil was shown by 48.9% of the sample, being significantly higher among students in the second half of the course (34.0 and 68.9%, respectively; p<0.001). Experiencing situations of clandestine abortion was significantly higher among students in the final half of the course (3.05 and 59.4%, respectively; p<0.001), the same being observed about knowing someone who underwent the procedure illegally (5.0 and 18.9%, respectively; p<0.001). The expansion of permissive legal abortion in Brazil was agreed about by 86.2% students, although 54.6% of the students reported that they felt uncomfortable about performing the procedure even legally, without statistical significance with the evolution of the course regarding the two situations.
The experiences of abortion and the knowledge of legal aspects were significantly higher among students in the second half of the course, with no significant changes in attitudes or opinions about abortion being observed with the competences acquired during medical training.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2013;35(10):436-441
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032013001000002
PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between central nervous system (CNS) malformations and the C677T-MTHFR mutation in fetal blood. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted to compare the MTHFR-C677T mutation detected in 78 fetuses with CNS malformations and with 100 morphologically normal fetuses. Genomic DNA was extracted and purified from fetal blood using the Wizard® Genomic DNA Purification Kit (Promega Corp., Madison, WI, USA) according to manufacturer's protocol. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to assay the thermolabile MTHFR-C677T mutation. The γ² and the Fisher's exact tests were used for descriptive analysis and the Wilcoxon test was used for univariate analysis. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify which variables were predictors of CNS malformation. RESULTS: Cases and controls were similar regarding maternal characteristics such as age and number of deliveries and abortions. The MTHFR-C677T mutation was detected in 20 cases (25.6%) and in 6 controls in its heterozygous form (OR 10.3; 95%CI 3.3-32.2) and in 6 cases (7.7%) and in 1 control in its homozygous form (OR 12.3; 95%CI 1.3-111.1), and the differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The presence of the MTHFR-C677T mutation in fetal blood was consistent with a higher risk of CNS malformations, both in the heterozygous and homozygous forms.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2013;35(10):447-452
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032013001000004
PURPOSE: To analyze prenatal care in public and private services. METHODS: A cross-sectional, retrospective and analytic study was conducted based on the audit of files of pregnant women who had given birth at a reference hospital for low risk cases in the area of Campos Gerais - Paraná State, in the first semester of 2011. The Yates chi-squared test or exact Fisher test were used to determine the association between the lack of registration files for pregnant women regarding prenatal assistance in the public and private services, with the level of significance set at p≤0.05. The quality of prenatal care was determined based on the percentile of non-registrations. RESULTS: A total of 500 prenatal files were analyzed. There was a significant attendance of six or more prenatal visits, with a larger proportion in the private service (91.9%). The laboratory and obstetric exams most frequently not registered in the public and in the private services were, respectively: hepatitis B (79.3 and 48.4%), hemoglobin and hematocrit values (35.6 and 21.8%), anti-HIV serology (29.3 and 12.9%), fetal movement (84.3 and 58.9%) and length (60.4 and 88.7%), edema verification (60.9 and 54.8%), and fetal presentation (52.4 and 61.3%). The audit of the files of pregnant women allowed to determine the quality of the prenatal care provided and confirmed differences in assistance according to the place, showing excellent and good quality of private care, and regular public care for ultrasonography and blood type/Rh factor; regular quality of private care and poor quality of public care for urine tests and weight. For the other types of laboratory and obstetric exams and vaccines, the quality was poor or very poor in both types of services. CONCLUSION: The differences between the services showed that there is a need for actions aiming at the improvement of the prenatal care provided by public services.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2013;35(10):453-457
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032013001000005
PURPOSE: To quantify the number of defense cells and immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in peripheral blood sampled from women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 women, 40 with vulvovaginal candidiasis and 20 controls. The defense cells were identified using an impedance system combined with flow cytometry and total and specific IgE was measured by chemiluminescence. The Mann-Whitney test was used for nominal variables and the Spearman test was used to determine the correlation of IgE concentration and eosinophils in peripheral blood. RESULTS: The number of eosinophils in peripheral blood from patients with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis, 302.60 (±253.07), was significantly higher compared to control, 175.75 (±109.24) (p=0.037). Serum levels of total and specific IgE were similar in the groups of women with and without recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (p=0.361). However, there was a moderate positive correlation between eosinophils and total serum IgE in the candidiasis group (r=0.25). CONCLUSION: Women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis are more likely to have eosinophils in peripheral blood.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2013;35(10):458-463
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032013001000006
PURPOSE: To analyze the time between the first symptom and treatment in patients treated for breast cancer in public hospitals in the Federal District. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional analysis. We interviewed 250 women diagnosed with breast cancer treated in six hospitals of the State Department of Health of the Federal District from November 2009 to January 2011. The time intervals studied were the time between the detection of the symptoms and treatment subdivided into intervals until and after the first medical appointment. The variables were: age, menopausal status, color, educational level, average monthly household income, origin, reason for the initial consultation, staging, tumor size, laterality, metastasis to axillary lymph nodes, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and type of surgery. The Mann-Whtney test was used to assess the association of these variables with the time intervals until treatment. RESULTS: The mean age was 52 years, with a predominance of white women (57.6%), from the Federal District (62.4%), with a family income of up to 2 minimum wages (78%), and up to four years of schooling (52.4%). The staging of the disease ranged from II to IV in 78.8% of the women. The time between the first symptom and treatment was 229 days (median). After detection of the first symptom, 52.9% of the women attended a consultation within 30 days and 88.8% took more than 90 days to start treatment. Women with elementary school education had a greater delay to the start of treatment (p=0.049). CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant delay to start treatment of women with breast cancer in public hospitals of the Federal District, suggesting that efforts should be made to reduce the time needed to schedule medical appointments and to diagnose and treat these patients.