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Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology :... May 2022Fetal intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is associated with an increased risk of perinatal mortality and morbidity. Healthcare professionals often find it challenging to... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
Fetal intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is associated with an increased risk of perinatal mortality and morbidity. Healthcare professionals often find it challenging to counsel parents due to its rarity and diverse presentation. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the perinatal outcome of fetuses with ICH.
METHODS
MEDLINE, EMBASE, ClinicalTrials.gov and The Cochrane Library databases were searched. Inclusion criteria were studies reporting the outcome of fetuses, newborns and infants diagnosed with ICH. The primary outcome was perinatal death (PND), defined as the sum of intrauterine (IUD) and neonatal death (NND). The secondary outcomes were stillbirth, NND, IUD, termination of pregnancy, need for surgery/shunting at birth, cerebral palsy (defined according to the European Cerebral Palsy Network and classified as diplegia, hemiplegia, quadriplegia, dyskinetic or mixed), neurodevelopmental delay and intact survival. All outcomes were explored in the included fetuses with ICH. A subgroup analysis according to the location of the hemorrhage (intra-axial and extra-axial) was also planned. Meta-analysis of proportions was used to combine data, and pooled proportions and their 95% CI were reported.
RESULTS
Sixteen studies (193 fetuses) were included in the meta-analysis. PND occurred in 14.6% (95% CI, 7.3-24.0%) of fetuses with ICH. Among liveborn cases, 27.6% (95% CI, 12.5-45.9%) required shunt placement or surgery after birth and 32.0% (95% CI, 22.2-42.6%) had cerebral palsy. Furthermore, 16.7% (95% CI, 8.4-27.2%) of cases had mild neurodevelopmental delay, while 31.1% (95% CI, 19.0-44.7%) experienced severe adverse neurodevelopmental outcome. Normal neurodevelopmental outcome was reported in 53.6% of fetuses. Subgroup analysis according to the location of ICH showed that PND occurred in 13.3% (95% CI, 5.7-23.4%) of fetuses with intra-axial bleeding and 26.7% (95% CI, 5.3-56.8%) of those with extra-axial bleeding. In fetuses with intra-axial hemorrhage, 25.2% (95% CI, 11.0-42.9%) required shunt placement or surgery after birth and 25.5% (95% CI, 15.3-37.2%) experienced cerebral palsy. In fetuses with intra-axial hemorrhage, mild and severe neurodevelopmental delay was observed in 14.9% (95% CI, 12.0-27.0%) and 32.8% (95% CI, 19.8-47.4%) of cases, respectively, while 53.2% (95% CI, 37.0-69.1%) experienced normal neurodevelopmental outcome. The incidence of mortality and postnatal neurodevelopmental outcome in fetuses with extra-axial hemorrhage could not be estimated reliably due to the small number of cases.
CONCLUSIONS
Fetuses with a prenatal diagnosis of ICH are at high risk of perinatal mortality and adverse neurodevelopmental outcome. Postnatal shunt placement or surgery was required in 28% of cases and cerebral palsy was diagnosed in approximately one-third of infants. Due to the rarity of ICH, multicenter prospective registries are warranted to collect high-quality data. © 2021 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Topics: Cerebral Palsy; Female; Fetal Diseases; Fetus; Hemorrhage; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Intracranial Hemorrhages; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Nervous System Malformations; Perinatal Death; Pregnancy; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 34529308
DOI: 10.1002/uog.24766 -
Scandinavian Journal of Surgery : SJS :... Sep 2023Non-obstetric surgery is fairly common in pregnant women. We performed a systematic review to update data on non-obstetric surgery in pregnant women. The aim of this... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Non-obstetric surgery is fairly common in pregnant women. We performed a systematic review to update data on non-obstetric surgery in pregnant women. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effects of non-obstetric surgery during pregnancy on pregnancy, fetal and maternal outcomes.
METHODS
A systematic literature search of MEDLINE and Scopus was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The search span was from January 2000 to November 2022. Thirty-six studies matched the inclusion criteria, and 24 publications were identified through reference mining; 60 studies were included in this review. Outcome measures were miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight, low Apgar score, and infant and maternal morbidity and mortality rates.
RESULTS
We obtained data for 80,205 women who underwent non-obstetric surgery and data for 16,655,486 women who did not undergo surgery during pregnancy. Prevalence of non-obstetric surgery was between 0.23% and 0.74% (median 0.37%). Appendectomy was the most common procedure with median prevalence of 0.10%. Near half (43%) of the procedures were performed during the second trimester, 32% during the first trimester, and 25% during the third trimester. Half of surgeries were scheduled, and half were emergent. Laparoscopic and open techniques were used equally for abdominal cavity. Women who underwent non-obstetric surgery during pregnancy had increased rate of stillbirth (odds ratio (OR) 2.0) and preterm birth (OR 2.1) compared to women without surgery. Surgery during pregnancy did not increase rate of miscarriage (OR 1.1), low 5 min Apgar scores (OR 1.1), the fetus being small for gestational age (OR 1.1) or congenital anomalies (OR 1.0).
CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of non-obstetric surgery has decreased during last decades, but still two out of 1000 pregnant women have scheduled surgery during pregnancy. Surgery during pregnancy increases the risk of stillbirth, and preterm birth. For abdominal cavity surgery, both laparoscopic and open approaches are feasible.
Topics: Infant; Pregnancy; Infant, Newborn; Female; Humans; Pregnancy Outcome; Premature Birth; Stillbirth; Abortion, Spontaneous; Fetus
PubMed: 37329286
DOI: 10.1177/14574969231175569 -
International Archives of Occupational... Jan 2023Ionizing radiation is a human carcinogen, and there is evidence that exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation increases the risk of adverse birth outcomes. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
Ionizing radiation is a human carcinogen, and there is evidence that exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation increases the risk of adverse birth outcomes.
METHODS
We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize the research of maternal and paternal exposure to low-dose radiation on low birth weight, miscarriage, pre-term delivery, and stillbirth. Our literature search used four databases (PubMed, Environmental Index, GeoBASE, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature). We included study populations exposed to occupational and medical sources of radiation, nuclear disasters, and those living near nuclear power plants. We considered papers published between January 1st, 1990, and June 30th, 2021. The quality of the studies was assessed, and we performed meta-analysis using random effects models to generate summary measures of association. Forest plots were created to assess the heterogeneity in these measures, and funnel plots were used to assess publication bias.
RESULTS
Overall, 26 studies were identified, and these yielded measures of association from 10, 11, and 8 studies for low birth weight, miscarriage, and stillbirth outcomes, respectively. It was not possible to perform meta-analyses for pre-term delivery due to a small number of studies. The meta-analysis summary relative risk (RR) of having a low-birth-weight infant among those ever exposed to radiation relative to those unexposed, after adjusting for publication bias, was 1.29 (95% CI 0.97-1.73). The corresponding risk estimates for miscarriage and stillbirth were 1.15 (95% CI 1.02-1.30), and 1.19 (95% CI 0.98-1.45), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that ionizing radiation increases the risk of adverse birth outcomes. Future work should strive to provide data needed to better understand the shape of the exposure-response curve.
Topics: Pregnancy; Infant, Newborn; Male; Female; Humans; Stillbirth; Abortion, Spontaneous; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Pregnancy Complications; Premature Birth
PubMed: 35913560
DOI: 10.1007/s00420-022-01911-2 -
PloS One 2016The association between urinary incontinence (UI) and increased mortality remains controversial. The objective of our study was to evaluate if this association exists. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
The association between urinary incontinence (UI) and increased mortality remains controversial. The objective of our study was to evaluate if this association exists.
METHODS
We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies comparing death rates among patients suffering from UI to those without incontinence. We searched in Medline, Embase and the Cochrane library using specific keywords. Studies exploring the post-stroke period were excluded. Hazard ratios (HR) were pooled using models with random effects. We stratified UI by gender and by UI severity and pooled all models with adjustment for confounding variables.
RESULTS
Thirty-eight studies were retrieved. When compared to non-urinary incontinent participants, UI was associated with an increase in mortality with pooled non adjusted HR of 2.22 (95%CI 1.77-2.78). The risk increased with UI severity: 1.24 (95%CI: 0.79-1.97) for light, 1.71 (95%CI: 1.26-2.31) for moderate, and 2.72 (95%CI: 1.90-3.87) for severe UI respectively. When pooling adjusted measures of association, the resulting HR was 1.27 (95%CI: 1.13-1.42) and increased progressively for light, moderate and severe UI: 1.07 (95%CI: 0.79-1.44), 1.25 (95%CI: 0.99-1.58), and 1.47 (95%CI: 1.03-2.10) respectively. There was no difference between genders.
CONCLUSION
UI is a predictor of higher mortality in the general and particularly in the geriatric population. The association increases with the severity of UI and persists when pooling models adjusted for confounders. It is unclear if this association is causative or just reflects an impaired general health condition. As in most meta-analyses of observational studies, methodological issues should be considered when interpreting results.
Topics: Death; Humans; Risk Factors; Urinary Incontinence
PubMed: 27410965
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158992 -
Sexually Transmitted Infections May 2022To examine associations between infection during pregnancy and adverse outcomes. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
To examine associations between infection during pregnancy and adverse outcomes.
METHODS
We did a systematic review of observational studies. We searched Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and CINAHL up to 11 August 2021. Studies were included if they compared preterm birth, spontaneous abortion, premature rupture of membranes, low birth weight or perinatal death between women with and without . Two reviewers independently assessed articles for inclusion and extracted data. We used random-effects meta-analysis to estimate summary ORs and adjusted ORs, with 95% CIs, where appropriate. Risk of bias was assessed using established checklists.
RESULTS
We identified 116 records and included 10 studies. Women with were more likely to experience preterm birth in univariable analyses (summary unadjusted OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.81, I=0%, 7 studies). The combined adjusted OR was 2.34 (95% CI 1.17 to 4.71, I=0%, 2 studies). For spontaneous abortion, the summary unadjusted OR was 1.00 (95% CI 0.53 to 1.89, I=0%, 6 studies). The adjusted OR in one case-control study was 0.9 (95% CI 0.2 to 3.8). Unadjusted ORs for premature rupture of membranes were 7.62 (95% CI 0.40 to 145.86, 1 study) and for low birth weight 1.07 (95% CI 0.02 to 10.39, 1 study). For perinatal death, the unadjusted OR was 1.07 (95% CI 0.49 to 2.36) in one case-control and 38.42 (95% CI 1.45 to 1021.43) in one cohort study. These two ORs were not combined, owing to heterogeneity. The greatest risk of bias was the failure in most studies to control for confounding.
CONCLUSION
might be associated with an increased risk of preterm birth. Further prospective studies, with adequate control for confounding, are needed to understand the role of in adverse pregnancy outcomes. There is insufficient evidence to indicate routine testing and treatment of asymptomatic in pregnancy.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER
CRD42016050962.
Topics: Abortion, Spontaneous; Case-Control Studies; Cohort Studies; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Mycoplasma Infections; Mycoplasma genitalium; Perinatal Death; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Premature Birth; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 35351816
DOI: 10.1136/sextrans-2021-055352 -
American Journal of Obstetrics &... Jan 2023The World Health Organization has recently declared a monkeypox outbreak as a public health emergency of global concern. The main aim of this systematic review was to... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
The World Health Organization has recently declared a monkeypox outbreak as a public health emergency of global concern. The main aim of this systematic review was to ascertain the maternal and perinatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by monkeypox infection.
DATA SOURCES
The Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched on June 25, 2022 utilizing combinations of the relevant medical subject heading terms, key words, and word variants for "monkeypox" and "pregnancy."
STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The search and selection criteria were restricted to the English language.
METHODS
The outcomes observed were miscarriage; intrauterine, neonatal, and perinatal death; preterm birth, vertical transmission, and maternal symptoms. A metaanalysis of proportions was used to analyze the data.
RESULTS
Four studies were included. All the cases in the present systematic review presented with symptoms and signs of monkeypox infection. There was no case of maternal death. Miscarriage occurred in 39% of cases (95% confidence interval, 0-89.0), whereas intrauterine fetal death occurred in 23.0% (95% confidence interval, 0-74.0) of cases. The overall incidence of late fetal and perinatal loss was 77.0% (95% confidence interval, 26.0-100), whereas only 23% (95% confidence interval, 0-74.0) of the included fetuses survived to birth. The incidence of preterm birth before 37 weeks of gestation was 8.0% (95% confidence interval, 0-62.0). Vertical transmission occurred in 62.0% (95% confidence interval, 3.0-100) of cases. When stratifying the analysis according to gestational age at infection, fetal loss was found to occur in 67.0% (95% confidence interval, 9.0-99.0) of cases with first-trimester infection and in 82.0% (95% confidence interval, 17.0-100) of those with second-trimester infection.
CONCLUSION
Monkeypox infection in pregnancy is associated with a high risk of perinatal loss and vertical transmission. The preliminary results from this systematic review affected by a very small number of included cases highlight the need for thorough maternal and fetal surveillance in pregnancies complicated by monkeypox infection.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Infant, Newborn; Humans; Premature Birth; Abortion, Spontaneous; Gestational Age; Stillbirth; Fetal Death
PubMed: 36096413
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2022.100747 -
Revista de Saude Publica 2015To review the frequency of and factors associated with fetal death in the Brazilian scientific literature. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To review the frequency of and factors associated with fetal death in the Brazilian scientific literature.
METHODS
A systematic review of Brazilian studies on fetal deaths published between 2003 and 2013 was conducted. In total, 27 studies were analyzed; of these, 4 studies addressed the quality of data, 12 were descriptive studies, and 11 studies evaluated the factors associated with fetal death. The databases searched were PubMed and Lilacs, and data extraction and synthesis were independently performed by two or more examiners.
RESULTS
The level of completeness of fetal death certificates was deficient, both in the completion of variables, particularly sociodemographic variables, and in defining the underlying causes of death. Fetal deaths have decreased in Brazil; however, inequalities persist. Analysis of the causes of death indicated maternal morbidities that could be prevented and treated. The main factors associated with fetal deaths were absent or inadequate prenatal care, low education level, maternal morbidity, and adverse reproductive history.
CONCLUSIONS
Prenatal care should prioritize women that are most vulnerable (considering their social environment or their reproductive history and morbidities) with the aim of decreasing the fetal mortality rate in Brazil. Adequate completion of death certificates and investment in the committees that investigate fetal and infant deaths are necessary.
Topics: Brazil; Cause of Death; Death Certificates; Female; Fetal Death; Fetal Mortality; Health Information Systems; Humans; Infant; Male; Pregnancy; Prenatal Care; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors
PubMed: 25902565
DOI: 10.1590/s0034-8910.2015049005568 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Nov 2023To assess the absolute treatment effects of intravascular imaging guided versus angiography guided percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with coronary artery... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
To assess the absolute treatment effects of intravascular imaging guided versus angiography guided percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with coronary artery disease, considering their baseline risk.
DESIGN
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
DATA SOURCES
PubMed/Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases up to 31 August 2023.
STUDY SELECTION
Randomized controlled trials comparing intravascular imaging (intravascular ultrasonography or optical coherence tomography) guided versus coronary angiography guided percutaneous coronary intervention in adults with coronary artery disease.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Random effect meta-analysis and GRADE (grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluation) were used to assess certainty of evidence. Data included rate ratios and absolute risks per 1000 people for cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, target vessel revascularization, and target lesion revascularization. Absolute risk differences were estimated using SYNTAX risk categories for baseline risks at five years, assuming constant rate ratios across different cardiovascular risk thresholds.
RESULTS
In 20 randomized controlled trials (n=11 698), intravascular imaging guided percutaneous coronary intervention was associated with a reduced risk of cardiac death (rate ratio 0.53, 95% confidence interval 0.39 to 0.72), myocardial infarction (0.81, 0.68 to 0.97), stent thrombosis (0.44, 0.27 to 0.72), target vessel revascularization (0.74, 0.61 to 0.89), and target lesion revascularization (0.71, 0.59 to 0.86) but not all cause death (0.81, 0.64 to 1.02). Using SYNTAX risk categories, high certainty evidence showed that from low risk to high risk, intravascular imaging was likely associated with 23 to 64 fewer cardiac deaths, 15 to 19 fewer myocardial infarctions, 9 to 13 fewer stent thrombosis events, 28 to 38 fewer target vessel revascularization events, and 35 to 48 fewer target lesion revascularization events per 1000 people.
CONCLUSIONS
Compared with coronary angiography guided percutaneous coronary intervention, intravascular imaging guided percutaneous coronary intervention was associated with significantly reduced cardiac death and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease. The estimated absolute effects of intravascular imaging guided percutaneous coronary intervention showed a proportional relation with baseline risk, driven by the severity and complexity of coronary artery disease.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
PROSPERO CRD42023433568.
Topics: Humans; Coronary Angiography; Coronary Artery Disease; Drug-Eluting Stents; Risk Factors; Myocardial Infarction; Thrombosis; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention; Death; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 37973170
DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2023-077848 -
BMC Palliative Care Jan 2016Most Canadians die in hospital, and yet, many express a preference to die at home. Place of death is the result of the interaction among sociodemographic, illness- and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Most Canadians die in hospital, and yet, many express a preference to die at home. Place of death is the result of the interaction among sociodemographic, illness- and healthcare-related factors. Although home death is sometimes considered a potential indicator of end-of-life/palliative care quality, some determinants of place of death are more modifiable than others. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the determinants of home and nursing home death in adult patients diagnosed with an advanced, life-limiting illness.
METHODS
A systematic literature search was performed for studies in English published from January 1, 2004 to September 24, 2013 that evaluated the determinants of home or nursing home death compared to hospital death in adult patients with an advanced, life-limiting condition. The adjusted odds ratios, relative risks, and 95% confidence intervals of each determinant were extracted from the studies. Meta-analyses were performed if appropriate. The quality of individual studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale and the body of evidence was assessed according to the GRADE Working Group criteria.
RESULTS
Of the 5,900 citations identified, 26 retrospective cohort studies were eligible. The risk of bias in the studies identified was considered low. Factors associated with an increased likelihood of home versus hospital death included multidisciplinary home palliative care, preference for home death, cancer as opposed to other diagnoses, early referral to palliative care, not living alone, having a caregiver, and the caregiver's coping skills.
CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge about the determinants of place of death can be used to inform care planning between healthcare providers, patients and family members regarding the feasibility of dying in the preferred location and may help explain the incongruence between preferred and actual place of death. Modifiable factors such as early referral to palliative care, presence of a multidisciplinary home palliative care team were identified, which may be amenable to interventions that improve the likelihood of a patient dying in the preferred location. Place of death may not be a very good indicator of the quality of end-of-life/palliative care since it is determined by multiple factors and is therefore dependent on individual circumstances.
Topics: Attitude to Death; Canada; Death; Health Planning; Home Care Services; Humans; Nursing Homes; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Retrospective Studies; Terminal Care
PubMed: 26791258
DOI: 10.1186/s12904-016-0077-8 -
Journal of the American College of... Feb 2017Little is known about specific modes of death in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Herein, the authors critically appraise the... (Review)
Review
Little is known about specific modes of death in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Herein, the authors critically appraise the current state of data and offer potential future directions. They conducted a systematic review of 1,608 published HFpEF papers from January 1, 1985, to December 31, 2015, which yielded 8 randomized clinical trials and 24 epidemiological studies with mode-of-death data. Noncardiovascular modes of death represent an important competing risk in HFpEF. Although sudden death accounted for ∼25% to 30% of deaths in trials, its definition is nonspecific; it is unclear what proportion represents arrhythmic deaths. Moving forward, reporting and definitions of modes of death must be standardized and tailored to the HFpEF population. Broad-scale systematic autopsies and long-term rhythm monitoring may clarify the underlying pathology and mechanisms driving mortal events. There is an unmet need for a longitudinal multicenter, global registry of patients with HFpEF to map its natural history.
Topics: Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Cause of Death; Death, Sudden; Heart Failure; Humans; Stroke Volume
PubMed: 28153111
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2016.10.078