Intravitreal anti-VEGF injection have been widely used in retinal vascular diseases and achieved good efficacy. Early pregnancy is an important period for fetal organ formation and vascular development. Studies have proved that VEGF plays an important role in maintaining the fetal and placental vascular system, and its loss or decline will affect embryonic development and lead to abortion. The use of intravitreal anti-VEGF during pregnancy is controversial, which may cause systemic side effects to the mother and fetus. This paper summarizes the literature of 23 cases on the use of anti-VEGF during pregnancy. Three cases reported loss of pregnancy with concomitant exposure to intravitreal bevacizumab, which suggested that we should be careful about the use of anti-VEGF during pregnancy and explain the possibility of ocular and systemic side effects to patients in detail. When deciding whether to use anti-VEGF, we should consider the relationship between exposure time and the critical period of vascular development and the systemic exposure of different drugs. Currently, there is a lack of large sample size studies on the use of anti-VEGF in pregnancy, and its safety needs to be further observed.
Objective To investigate the methodological characteristics of observational studies on the correlation between drug exposure during pregnancy and birth defects. Methods The PubMed database was searched from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020 to identify observational studies investigating the correlation between drug use during pregnancy and birth defects. Literature screening and data extraction were conducted by two researchers and statistical analysis was performed using R 3.6.1 software. Results A total of 40 relevant articles were identified, of which 8 (20.0%) were published in the four major medical journals and their sub-journals, 21 (42.5%) were conducted in Europe and the United States, and 4 were conducted (10.0%) in China. Cohort studies (30, 75.0%) and case-control studies (10, 25%) were the most commonly used study designs. Sixteen studies (40.0%) did not specify how the databases were linked. Sixteen studies (40.0%) did not report a clear definition of exposure, while 17 studies (42.5%) defined exposure as prescribing a drug that could not be guaranteed to have been taken by the pregnant women, possibly resulting in misclassification bias. Six studies (15.0%) did not report the diagnostic criteria for birth defects and 18 studies (45.0%) did not report the types of birth defects. In addition, 33 studies (82.5%) did not control for confounding factors in the study design, while only 19 studies (47.5%) considered live birth bias. Conclusion Improvements are imperative in reporting and conducting observational studies on the correlation between drug use during pregnancy and birth defects. This includes the methods for linking data sources, definition of exposure and outcomes, and control of confounding factors. Methodological criteria are needed to improve the quality of these studies to provide higher quality evidence for policymakers and researchers.
ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between hand grip strength and depression and the moderating role of monthly household income level between grip strength and depression of community-dwelling female patients with type 2 diabetes.MethodsFrom March to June 2021, 3 communities in Chengdu were selected by convenience sampling method, and elderly female patients with type 2 diabetes were randomly selected from these communities. The patients were investigated through a self-made demographic and disease-related questionnaire and the Geriatric Depression Scale-15, and their grip strength was measured by a grip meter. The Process V3.3 plugin in SPSS 25.0 software was used to test the moderation effect.ResultsA total of 389 elderly female patients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled in this study. Spearman correlation analyses indicated that the grip strength was negatively correlated with the depression score (rs=?0.125, P=0.014), and positively correlated with the monthly household income level (rs=0.157, P=0.002); the depression score was negatively correlated with the monthly household income level (rs=?0.147, P=0.004). The results of the moderating effect showed that grip strength and monthly household income level could independently affect the patients’ depression scores [unstandardized partial regression coefficient (b)=?0.254, P=0.002; b=?1.552, P=0.009], and the interaction item of grip strength and monthly household income level was statistically significant for depression scores (b=0.065, P=0.031).ConclusionThe hand grip strength of community-dwelling elderly female patients with type 2 diabetes can negatively predict the level of depression, and the monthly household income level has a moderating effect between grip strength and depression.
ObjectiveTo preliminarily explore the effect of Osteoporosis Self-assessment Tool for Asians (OSTA) and Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) on predicting osteoporosis and osteoporosis fracture in postmenopausal patients with maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).MethodsThirty-six postmenopausal patients undergoing MHD from August 2017 to October 2018 in Hemodialysis Center of Nephrology Department, West China Hospital of Sichuan University were selected. Relevant data such as age, height, and weight were collected. OSTA index and the 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fractures and 10-year probability of hip fractures of FRAX score were calculated. Bone mineral densities (BMD) of the hip and lumbar spine were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the same time. The value of OSTA index and FRAX scale in evaluating the risk of osteoporosis predicated on T value ≤?2.5 determined by DXA BMD and fracture in postmenopausal patients with MHD were analyzed.ResultsThe DXA BMD of the 36 patients showed that 50.0% (18/36) had a T value≤?2.5, and 30.6% (11/36) had a fracture history. BMD in postmenopausal patients with MHD was negatively correlated with FRAX score (model without BMD values), and positively correlated with OSTA index. The sensitivity and specificity of OSTA in the prediction of osteoporosis were 94.4% and 61.1%, respectively; and the sensitivity and specificity of FRAX (the model without BMD values) in the prediction of osteoporosis were 88.9% and 50.0%, respectively. The FRAX score with or without BMD had the same clinical value in predicting osteoporosis.ConclusionsPostmenopausal MHD patients have a higher risk of osteoporosis and fracture. Both OSTA index and FRAX scale can predict osteoporosis risk among postmenopausal MHD patients, and the FRAX scale with or without BMD has the same clinical value in predicting osteoporosis risk. In clinical work, for primary hospitals and dialysis centers lacking DXA, preliminary screening of osteoporosis in MHD patients can be performed with OSTA and FRAX scales.
ObjectiveTo compare the outcomes after self-gripping mesh repair to ordinary polypropylene mesh secured with sutures in women’s Lichtenstein hernioplasty.MethodsThe clinical data of 116 female patients with primary unilateral inguinal hernia who were admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2014 to January 2017 were prospectively analyzed. A randomized controlled trial was performed based on a random number table. All patients were allocated into self-gripping mesh group (PG group) and ordinary polypropylene mesh group (PL group). The outcomes included operative time, post-operative pain score, analgesic used, hospital stay, urinary retention, wound infection, and seroma were recorded. Patients were followed-up after 1 week, 1 months, 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years after operation. Follow-up data included chronic pain, foreign body feeling, affect daily activities, and recurrence.ResultsNinety-nine participants completed follow-up. There were 48 patients in the PG group and 51 participants in the PL group. The operative time of the PG group was significantly shorter than that of the PL group (P=0.045), but there was no significant difference in analgesic used, hospital stay, incidence of urinary retention and wound infection, visual analogue scale (VAS) of wound pain at rest at 1 week postoperatively, VAS of wound pain on coughing at 1 week postoperatively between the two groups (P>0.05). At 1 month after operation, the incidence of foreign body feeling in the PG group was significantly higher than that of the PL group (P=0.031), while there was no significant difference in ratio of VAS≥3 and incidence of affect daily activities (P>0.05). At 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years after operation, there was no significant difference in incidences of foreign body feeling, chronic pain, and affect daily activities between the two groups (P>0.05). There was one recurrence in the PL group and none in the PG group, without a significant difference (P=0.248).ConclusionThe surgical outcomes of self-gripping mesh are comparable to the ordinary polypropylene mesh with a reduced operation time in women’s Lichtenstein hernioplasty.
Objective To examine the influence of hormonal fluctuations on the perioperative outcomes of patients undergoing congenital heart surgery. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical data from fertile women diagnosed with congenital heart disease at the Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, between January 1, 2015, and July 30, 2019. Initially, patients were categorized into groups based on serum progesterone levels: a low progesterone group (n=31) and a high progesterone group (n=153). Furthermore, based on serum estrogen levels, they were divided into a low estrogen group (n=10), a medium estrogen group (n=32), and a high estrogen group (n=118) for comparative analysis. A control group (n=24) consisted of patients who received progesterone injections before their menstrual period. Results We finally included 184 patients. The patients’ average age was 27.6±5.7 years, with 142 (77.17%) presenting with complex congenital heart conditions. There were statistically significant differences in total postoperative standard thoracic drainage volume and postoperative albumin level between the high and low progesterone groups (P<0.05), while other perioperative outcome indicators showed no statistical differences (P>0.05). Among the different serum estrogen level groups, there were statistically significant differences in postoperative blood urea nitrogen levels, total postoperative standard thoracic drainage volume, and hospital stay (P<0.05), while other perioperative outcome indicators showed no statistical differences (P>0.05). ConclusionConsidering the overall clinical significance, the physiological changes in sex hormone levels appear to have a negligible effect on the perioperative outcomes of fertile women with congenital heart disease.
ObjectiveTo construct and verify the nomogram prediction model of pregnant women's fear of childbirth. MethodsA convenient sampling method was used to select 675 pregnant women in tertiary hospital in Tangshan City, Hebei Province from July to September 2022 as the modeling group, and 290 pregnant women in secondary hospital in Tangshan City from October to December 2022 as the verification group. The risk factors were determined by logistic regression analysis, and the nomogram was drawn by R 4.1.2 software. ResultsSix predictors were entered into the model: prenatal education, education level, depression, pregnancy complications, anxiety and preference for delivery mode. The areas under the ROC curves of the modeling group and the verification group were 0.834 and 0.806, respectively. The optimal critical values were 0.113 and 0.200, respectively, with sensitivities of 67.2% and 77.1%, the specificities were 87.3% and 74.0%, and the Jordan indices were 0.545 and 0.511, respectively. The calibration charts of the modeling group and the verification group showed that the coincidence degree between the actual curve and the ideal curve was good. The results of Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test were χ2=6.541 (P=0.685) and χ2=5.797 (P=0.760), and Brier scores were 0.096 and 0.117, respectively. DCA in modeling group and verification group showed that when the threshold probability of fear of childbirth were 0.00 to 0.70 and 0.00 to 0.70, it had clinical practical value. ConclusionThe nomogram model has good discrimination, calibration and clinical applicability, which can effectively predict the risk of pregnant women's fear of childbirth and provide references for early clinical identification of high-risk pregnant women and targeted intervention.
ObjectivesTo systematically review the clinical characteristics of pregnant females, newborns, children and adolescents with SARS infection.MethodsThe clinical characteristics of patients with SARS infection were searched using PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, WanFang Data and VIP databases. Descriptive analysis was performed to analyze the clinical characteristics of the patients, clinical manifestations, treatment and prognosis.ResultsA total of 13 studies including 19 pregnant females, 14 newborns, and 81 children and adolescents were identified. The ratio of male to female was 1 to 1.2 in children and adolescents patients aged 56 days to 17.5 years. Children under 12 years old accounted for 58.3% (28/48). Of the child patients, 34.0% (16/47) had close contact with patients with SARS. Fever (93.8%, 76/81) and cough (49.4%, 40/81) were the most common symptoms in children and adolescents with SARS infection, and 17.5% (11/63) occurred with shortness of breath or dyspnea. The positive ratio of nucleic acid detection for SARS-CoV was 9.2% (14/48), and the positive ratio of serum antibody was 92.9% (13/14). Peripheral blood lymphocyte reduction was approximately 65.7% (44/67). Approximately 70.8% (51/72) unilateral and 29.2% (21/72) bilateral lesions were found by thoracic X-ray or CT scan. No child fatalities were reported. As of maternal patients, aged 23 to 44 years, 10 cases (52.6%) were infected during early and middle pregnancy, and 9 cases (47.4%) during late pregnancy. Fever (100.0%, 19/19) and cough (78.9%, 15/19) were the main clinical symptoms, and shortness of breath/dyspnea occurred in 36.8% (7/19) of infected pregnant females. The positive ratio of nucleic acid detection for SARS-CoV was 50.0% (8/16), whereas the positive ratio of serum antibody was 93.3% (14/15). The ratios of thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia, and liver enzymes abnormalities were 38.9% (7/18), 61.1% (11/18) and 50.0% (3/6). All patients were identified for lesions by thoracic X-ray or CT scan examination. Seven cases were severe (36.8%). Five patients were treated with mechanical ventilation (26.3%). Three patients died (15.8%). Four patients were spontaneous abortion (40.0%, 4/10). Nine patients were cesarean sectioned (75.0%, 9/12). Six fetuses (46.2%, 6/13) with fetal distress, 7 cases (53.8%, 7/13) with premature delivery were identified. Three fetuses (23.1%) had intrauterine growth retardation. None of the fourteen newborns was diagnosed as SARS infection.ConclusionsThe clinical symptoms such as fever and cough in children and adolescents with SARS infection are similar to that of adult patients. However, children and adolescents are usually manifested as mild infection without reported death. There is no evidence to support that SARS-CoV could transmit vertically from infected mother to their fetuses.
ObjectiveTo discuss clinical characteristics and nursing countermeasure of pregnant/delivery women with tuberculosis.
MethodsFrom January 2012 to December 2013, 52 cases of pregnant women complicated with tuberculosis were included. We offered specific nursing according to the psychological counseling, reasonable administration, diet nursing, fever and prevention of hospital infection on the base of their clinical features, and then analyzed the effect.
ResultsIn 52 patients who had undergone the tuberculosis and obsterrics and gynecology treatment, 4 puerperal patients died of severe pneumonia and multiple organ failure; in 48 gestational patients with tuberculosis, 23 early-middle term patients accept termination of pregnancy, and in 25 middle-late term patients, 3 had full-term natural labor, 4 underwent full-term cesarean section, 5 had premature labor, and 13 continued the pregnacy. Sixteen neonatus (including 4 given at the other hospitals) had normal results of physical examination without any deformity, in whom 5 had low body weight (body weight less than 2500 g), with negative results of tuberculin test and the result of 3-moth follow-up was normal. Three months after the anti-tuberculosis treatment, the lesion was obviously absorbed in 25 patients and in 23 patients within half of a year. No patients had hospital infection.
ConclusionNursing care of pregnant patients with tuberculosis should strengthen the guidance on the patients health education, improve their compliance and self-protection knowledge. Also should strengthen the basic level medical personnel training and improve the ability of early diagnosis of tuberculosis and early treatment to reduce maternal mortality.
ObjectiveTo compare and observe the changes in choroidal thickness between healthy pregnant women and healthy non-pregnant women.MethodsA prospective clinical study. From January 2019 to August 2019, healthy pregnant women (pregnant women group) and healthy non-pregnant women age-matched were enrolled during the same period (the normal group) in the obstetrics of Zhuji People's Hospital. All patients were enrolled with their right eyes. Frequency-domain OCT-enhanced depth imaging technology was used to measure the subfoveal macular and 1000 μm above, below, nasal, and temporal choroidal thickness and foveal retinal thickness (CMT). The choroidal thickness and CMT of the pregnant women group and the normal group were compared by t test, and the choroidal thickness and CMT of the normal group and the eyes of different gestational weeks were compared by one-way analysis of variance.ResultsThe pregnant women group and the normal group included 161 patients (161 eyes) and 40 patients (40 eyes). According to the different gestational weeks, the pregnant women were divided into the first trimester group, the second trimester group, and the third trimester group, with 47 patients (47 eyes), 66 patients (66 eyes), and 48 patients (48 eyes) respectively. There was no significant difference in age, axial length, intraocular pressure, and CMT between the different gestational week groups and the normal group (F=1.433, 1.558, 0.416, 2.288; P＞0.05). The subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) of the pregnant women group and normal group were 317.7±73.9 μm and 279.7±44.1 μm, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (t=3.113, P=0.002). Compared with the normal group, the choroid at the upper, lower, nasal, and temporal sides of the pregnant group 1000 μm from the fovea was thickened. The difference between the upper, nasal and temporal sides was statistically significant (t=2.699, 3.474, 2.595; P＜0.05). The SFCT of the eyes in the first trimester group, the middle group, and the late group were 305.8±72.3, 327.7±69.8, 315.8±80.5 μm, respectively. Compared with the normal group, the difference was statistically significant (F=4.180, P=0.007). Pairwise comparison between the two groups, the second trimester group was significantly different from the normal group (P=0.003). There was no significant difference among the first trimester group、the third trimester group and the other groups (P＞0.05).ConclusionThe choroidal thickness of pregnant women is thicker than normal, and the choroidal thickness in the second trimester reaches the maximum value; while the macular CMT during pregnancy has no significant change.
