Bente Sørensen

Maternal and perinatal outcomes in 143 Danish women with gestational diabetes mellitus and 143 controls with a similar risk profile

Aims To assess maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) compared to non‐diabetic pregnancies with an otherwise similar risk profile and to study the association between different anti‐diabetic treatments and fetal outcomes.

Proposed diagnostic thresholds for gestational diabetes mellitus according to a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Maternal and perinatal outcomes in 3260 Danish women

Aims To study if established diagnostic threshold values for gestational diabetes based on a 75‐g, 2‐h oral glucose tolerance test can be supported by maternal and perinatal outcomes.

The pharmacokinetics of high-dose epirubicin and of the cardioprotector ADR-529 given together with cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, and tamoxifen in metastatic breast-cancer patients.

A high-pressure liquid chromatographic method for determination of the bisdioxopiperazine derivative ADR-529 (ICRF-187), a compound proven effective in protection against anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity, has been developed. The limit of quantitation was 5 ng/ml using a narrow-bore 5-μm silica column and UV detection. The method was used for determination of pharmacokinetic profiles of ADR-529 after a 3-weekly i.v. administration of different doses of ADR-529 (600–1000 mg/m2) together with different doses of epirubicin (E, 60–100 mg/m2), fixed-dose cyclophosphamide (C, 600 mg/m2), fixed-dose 5-fluorouracil (F, 600 mg/m2), and daily administration of tamoxifen (T, 30 mg; CEF-T) in the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Pharmacokinetic parameters for epirubicin were also determined. The aim of the study was to determine (1) whether the pharmacokinetics of ADR-529 as part of a combination with CEF-T changes with increasing doses of ADR-529 and increasing doses of epirubicin and (2) whether the pharmacokinetics of epirubicin in the same combinations is altered with the administration of increasing doses of ADR-529. A total of 82 patients were included. A crossover study including 16 of the patients showed no significant difference in epirubicin pharmacokinetic parameters when epirubicin was given with or without concomitant administration of ADR-529. Apart from minor changes in the distributional half-lives, the pharmacokinetic parameters of epirubicin were not altered with increasing doses of ADR-529, nor were the pharmacokinetic parameters of ADR-529 itself. Escalating doses of epirubicin did not significantly alter the pharmacokinetic parameters of ADR-529 with the exception of a 30% increase in the terminal half-life and a decrease in total body clearance when the epirubicin dose was raised from 60 to 100 mg/m2. We conclude that concomitant administration of ADR-529 does not alter the distribution and elimination of epirubicin in doses suitable for preventing the anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity.

Postpartum infections: occurrence, healthcare contacts and association with breastfeeding

Objective. To investigate the following: (i) the occurrence of postpartum infections; (ii) the frequency of contact with either a general practitioner or a hospital due to postpartum infections; and (iii) the association of postpartum infections with continuation of breastfeeding. Design. Cross‐sectional study. Setting. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Horsens Hospital, Horsens, Denmark. Population. A total of 1871 women who gave birth at a regional hospital in Denmark over a one‐year period (2007–2008). Methods. Data were collected by a questionnaire given to the women and combined with data from general practitioner and hospital records. Main outcome measures. The distribution of different infections, as well as the overall occurrence of any infection, was evaluated according to mode of delivery and breastfeeding status (stopped/continued). Results. Within four weeks after delivery, 24% of all women had experienced one or more self‐reported episode of infection. Breast infections (12%) were most frequent, followed by wound (3%), airway (3%), vaginal (3%) and urinary tract infections (3%), endometritis (2%) and “other infections” (2%). Of the women with an infection, 66% (265 of 395) contacted their general practitioner, while 9% (37 of 395) had contact with a hospital. A significantly larger proportion of women with a postpartum infection stopped breastfeeding (21%) within the first four weeks after delivery compared with women without infection (12%; p < 0.001). Conclusions. Postpartum infections were common, and the occurrence is likely to be underestimated if based on hospital medical records only. Infection was associated with higher rates of discontinuation of breastfeeding.

Sertoli‐Leydig cell tumour of the ovary ‐ a rare cause of virilization after menopause

A case of Sertoli‐Leydig cell tumour of the ovary causing virilization in a postmenopausal woman is presented. The patient had increasing facial hair growth, deepening of the voice, a dull pain in the lower part of the abdomen and enlargement of the clitoris. Laboratory investigations showed an elevated level of plasma testosterone. Considering an ovarian tumour the most likely cause of the above‐mentioned findings, hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy was performed. Both ovaries were macroscopically normal at operation, but pathological examination revealed a small well‐differentiated Sertoli‐Leydig cell tumour in the left ovary. Follow‐up 3 months later showed decreasing signs of virilization and normalization of the hormone levels.

The cardioprotector ADR-529 and high-dose epirubicin given in combination with cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, and tamoxifen: a phase I study in metastatic breast cancer.

The purpose of this study was to determine the maximal tolerble dose (MTD) of epirubicin and ADR-529 given in combination with cyclophophamide, 5-fluorouracil, and tamoxifen. A total of 64 breast cancer patients with locally advanced disease or a first metastatic event were included. Using fixed doses of cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, and tamoxifen, cohorts of ten patients were treated with escalating doses of epirubicin and ADR-529. With the use of protocol criteria specifying evaluation after the first course, the MTD was not reached. Dose reductions carried out due to hematologic toxicity during the first four courses made it impossible to escalate doses of epirubicin beyond 80 mg/m2 given together with ADR-529 600 mg/m2. The vascular toxicity of ADR-529 necessitated central venous access in a number of patients. For phase III evaluation of ADR-529 given together with cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, 5-fluorouracil, and tamoxifen (CEF/TAM) we recommend using epirubicin/ADR-529 at 60/600 mg/m2. Together with evaluation of the cardioprotective properties of ADR-529, we recommend evaluating the impact of ADR-529 on the efficacy of cytotoxic therapy and investigating further the toxicity of ADR-529.