Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2003;25(4):229-235
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032003000400002
PURPOSE: to determine the association between ultrasonographic, hysteroscopic and histopathologic findings in women with postmenopausal uterine bleeding. METHODS: a retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted enrolling 156 women with postmenopausal bleeding attended at the Diagnostic Center - IMIP during the period of January 1995 to December 2001. According to the results of the endometrial examination (ultrasound), the patients were classified as having an abnormal or normal finding depending on the cutoffs of 4 or 5 mm. The most common histologic and hysteroscopic findings were studied and classified as premalignant/malignant lesions (hyperplasia/endometrial cancer) or benign findings. These results were compared using the kappa index, to establish the agreement between these techniques. RESULTS: the frequency of endometrial thickening was 75.0 and 67.3% according to cutoffs of 4 mm and 5 mm, respectively. Hysteroscopic findings were atrophic endometrium in 59 (37.8%), endometrial polyp in 56 (35.9%), endometrial hyperplasia in 17 (10.9%), cancer in 16 (10.3%), still active endometrium in 1 (3,2), and other findings in 3 (1.9%). The two most frequent histopathologic findings were also atrophic endometrium (31.4%) and endometrial polyps (26,.3%), followed by scanty material (16.0%), endometrial cancer (10.9%), endometrial hyperplastic changes (9.0%), and others (6.4%). A good agreement between hysteroscopic and histopathologic findings was observed (kappa = 0.61). CONCLUSIONS: the frequency of endometrial thickening was 75.0 and 67.3% according to cutoffs of 4 mm and 5 mm, respectively. No premalignant or malignant lesions were missed when an endometrial cutoff of 4 mm was used. The most frequent hysteroscopic and histopathologic findings were atrophic endometrium and endometrial polyps and a good agreement between these findings was encountered.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2003;25(4):237-241
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032003000400003
PURPOSE: to investigate the accuracy of hysteroscopy as a method for the evaluation of the uterine cavity in women with postmenopausal bleeding. METHODS: a cross-sectional study that consisted of the evaluation of 78 women with postmenopausal bleeding submitled to histeroscopy and directed biopsy in the period from January 2000 to June 2002 in the Bahia State Oncology Center. Hysteroscopy findings were classified as benign (leiomyoma, polyp, atrophy, normal) and suspect (hyperplasia, thickening, cancer) and the histopathologic findings as benign (leiomyoma, polyp, non-atypical hyperplasia, atrophy) and malignant (cancer and atypical hyperplasia). The results of hysteroscopy were compared with the pathologic findings. RESULTS: in relation to the suspect results (thickening, hyperplasia and cancer) hysteroscopy sensitivity and specificity were 85.7 and 88.7%, respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 42.83 and 98.4%. Likelihood ratios of positive and negative tests were 7.6 and 0.16. Accuracy was 88.4% and kappa index, 0.5. CONCLUSION: hysteroscopy alone did not show an acceptable accuracy in the study, reinforcing the idea that its main advantage is to direct the biopsy, and it must always be associated with the histological diagnosis.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2003;25(4):243-248
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032003000400004
PURPOSE: to analyze the influence of seminal parameters on intrauterine insemination (IUI) outcomes in patients with male factor and to emphasize the predictive value of each parameter for the successful result. METHODS: two hundred and thirty-nine IUI cycles (155 couples) were analyzed for 15 months. Female patients were submitted to ovary hyperstimulation according to the "I Consenso Brasileiro de Indução de Ovulação". Seminal analysis based on the World Health Organization (WHO) for sperm concentration and motility was used and sperm morphology was evaluated according to Kruger's criterion. Samples to be used in IUI were prepared by colloidal discontinued gradient (ISolate®). After IUI two patient groups were formed: group G - positive for pregnancy and group NG - negative for pregnancy. RESULTS: there was no statistical difference in total sperm concentration per mL, total motility and progressive motility before and after the ISolate® procedure. When sperm morphology was compared between the two groups, a statistical difference was observed (group G=10.6% normal morphology; group NG=6.4% normal morphology; p<0.05). Better pregnancy results were obtained when the number of inseminated spermatozoa was more than 15 x 10(6)/mL. CONCLUSIONS: sperm morphology and the number of inseminated sperm seem to be positive parameters for pregnancy and should be emphasized during male infertility propaedeutics.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2003;25(4):249-254
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032003000400005
PURPOSE: to assess the morphological and morphometric alterations in the uterine cervix of pregnant albino rats determined by local hyaluronidase administration. METHODS: ten rats with a positive pregnancy test were randomly distributed into two equal groups. The control group consisted of rats that received a single dose of 1 mL distilled water in the uterine cervix, on gestational day 18, under anesthesia. The experimental group consisted of rats that received 0.02 mL hyaluronidase, diluted in 0.98 ml distilled water (total = 1 mL), in the same conditions as those of the control group. On day 20, the rats were anesthetized and submitted to dissection. The uterine cervix was prepared for morphological and morphometric study at light microscopy (hematoxylin and eosin, and Masson trichrome). RESULTS: in the experimental group, greater thinning of the superficial mucified epithelium was observed, with lamina propria rich in blood vessels and eosinophils. Diversely, the control group showed a large concentration of collagen fibers. The histometric analysis in the experimental group was characterized by a smaller number of collagen fibers (mean = 248 versus 552 of control; SD = 49.7 versus 31.1 of control). The parametric method (Student's t test) showed a significant difference between groups (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: the local use of hyaluronidase in the cervix of pregnant rats determined predominance of loose connective tissue and a smaller concentration of collagen fibers.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2003;25(4):255-260
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032003000400006
PURPOSE: to compare maternal morbidity, neonatal results and some clinical and epidemiological characteristics among primiparous women who had one previous cesarean section, according to the performance of elective cesarean (EC) section or trial of labor (TL) during the second delivery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: this is a retrospective cross-sectional study on the second delivery of women who previously had a cesarean section and were assisted at the Center for Integral Assistance to Women's Health (CAISM/UNICAMP), from 1986 to 1998. Data were collected from 2068 clinical records corresponding to 322 cases of EC and 1746 of TL. Data analysis was performed through percentage distribution of the EC and TL cases and also the distribution of variables between these two groups, using the chi2, chi2 for trend and Fisher exact tests to evaluate the statistical difference, with a significance level of 95%. RESULTS: the indication of EC decreased progressively with time, from 22.6% in 1986 to 5% in 1998. Maternal morbity was similar and low in both groups (1.24% and 1.21%). There was no significant difference between groups regarding Apgar score and stillbirths, but there was a significantly higher proportion of premature newborns and with birth weight below 2.500 g and above 4.000 g in the group who underwent EC. The prevalence of EC was significantly higher in women 35 or more years old, with previous or current history of hypertensive disorder, diabetes or with a first dead child, as well as with changes in the volume of amniotic fluid. CONCLUSIONS: performing TL progressively increased during this period of thirteen years, without any increase of maternal and/or neonatal morbidity. The indication for EC followed medical criteria related to unfavorable maternal and/or fetal clinical conditions for vaginal delivery.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2003;25(4):261-268
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032003000400007
PURPOSE: to evaluate Doppler velocimetry of the ductus venosus as a noninvasive test of abnormal pH and gas analysis in preterm fetuses with "brain sparing reflex". METHODS: a cross-sectional study was performed. The studied population consisted of 48 pregnant women between the 25th and the 33rd week of gestation, whose fetuses presented brain sparing reflex (umbilical/cerebral ratio >1). The time elapsed between Doppler velocimetry and the birth (cesarean section under peridural anesthesia) was of up to 5 h. The following parameters were studied: S/A ratio of the ductus venosus, pH and base excess (BE) of fetal blood sample (collected from the umbilical vein immediately after birth). The S/A ratio of the ductus venosus was considered abnormal when superior to 3.6. The fetuses were classified according to the gas analysis result. They were considered abnormal when pH <7.26 and BE £ 6 mMol/L. Fisher's test was used for statistical analysis and considered significant when p £ 0.05. RESULTS: there was a significant correlation between umbilical blood gas analysis in preterm fetuses with brain sparing reflex and ductus venosus S/A ratio (p = 0.0000082; Fisher test). Ductus venosus Doppler velocimetry identified 10 of 14 fetuses with abnormal gas analysis. On the other hand, 32 of 34 fetuses with normal gas analysis were correctly identified. The sensitivity of the ductus venosus S/A ratio for the diagnosis of abnormal blood gas analysis was 71%, specificity 94%, false-negative rate 8%, false-positive rate 4%, positive predictive value 83% and negative predictive value 89%. Pretest likelihood, post-test posterior probability following a positive test result (post-test likelihood) and post-test posterior probability following a negative test result (post-test likelihood) were 31, 84 and 10%, respectively. CONCLUSION: the analysis of the ductus venosus S/A ratio is adequate for the diagnosis of abnormal blood gas analysis in preterm fetuses presenting brain sparing reflex.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2003;25(4):271-276
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032003000400008
PURPOSE: to perform a comparative study between uterine curettage and manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) in the treatment of first-trimester miscarriages. METHODS: a hundred and two patients were included up to the 12th week of pregnancy, with diagnosis of miscarriage, admitted at Maternidade Escola Januário Cicco, between January 1998 and July 2001, and who were randomly submitted to uterine curettage or to MVA. The analyzed variables were: pain control, need of mechanical cervical dilation, uterine emptying time, incidence of complications and stay in hospital. The patients were reevaluated clinically and echographycally between 7 and 10 days after the procedures. The chi2 test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: general anesthesia was used in all the patients submitted to uterine curettage and in none of those who were submitted to MVA, whose pain was controlled with local anesthesia in 64% of the cases. The differences between the two methods concerning the need of mechanical cervical dilation, emptying time and incidence of complications were not significant. The stay in hospital was significantly shorter in patients submitted to MVA. CONCLUSIONS: no advantage of one method over the other was observed in regard to the technique and the incidence of complications. The unneeded use of general anesthesia and the significantly shorter stay in hospital indicate that MVA should be recommended for all services with obstetrical assistance, increasing resolvability of the cases and decreasing risks, improving the quality of assistance.